I have proof!!!

I FINALLY made Christmas cookies today.  And...I have the pictures to prove it...lol...

I'm one of those people that start my Christmas shopping in the summer.  I know...no one wants to hear that, huh?  I like to get it completed so that I can enjoy the holiday season.  I DON'T enjoy fighting the crowds (and the northern Illinois weather) as Christmas draws near.
Each year, I think that I'll have all of this spare time to do all of the other "Christmas-y" stuff.  But, somehow...I'm still very busy.  For a number of years now, I haven't even found the time to make Christmas cookies.  And my DH loves Christmas cookies!  I decided that instead of stamping today {gasp!}...it was time to make cookies for him.  He's so good to me...and I love him so much!  Just as much today, as 33 years ago, when we married!
It was a perfect day for cookie making today...bright sunshine, single digit temps outside (all the more reason to stay inside and bake) oh...and I started the day relaxing with a hot cup of green tea with mint.....mmm....{insert big smile here}.
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The holidays are not a happy time for everyone, I know.  We lost our nephew, Matthew,  to leukemia in May of this year.  His photo is in the left hand column of this blog.  He was a wonderful and courageous young man. We miss him so much...even more as the holidays approach. 
But, I still have to appreciate and find joy in all that I can.  I SO appreciate my and my husband's families.  And our friends of many years.  We are truly blessed to have all of these wonderful people in our lives.

May you have a blessed Christmas and a peaceful new year.

Susie

thanks {so much}

Whoo - my second post today!  I usually don't have the time to do that, but, I'm spending the day stamping  :o)
This card is going to a former co-worker and friend.  Each year, my friend Pam and I co-host a Christmas party for a bunch (the attendance varies each year) of former co-workers/friends.  Our workplace closed down in 1999 but, thankfully, we continue to stay in touch.  This annual party is SO much fun!  Each year, one particular friend brings gifts for me and Pam.  She is just so sweet.  Even though she has dealt with the loss of loved ones, 2 years in a row - in November...she still is so thoughtful and giving to others.  What a blessing she is to those around her.
This card is going out to her, in thanks for the sweet gift...and her friendship.

I'm participating in the following challenges, with this card ~

The Play Date Cafe - Color Splash Challenge (PDCC60 ~ black & white with a splash of yellow)

Paper Pals Arts Challenge - CAS Elements of Style - Get your lace in place!!

In fact, this is my 2nd entry in the Paper Pals Arts challenge today.  I had so much fun working with lace earlier today...that I decided to use lace on another card.  This beautiful lace is one that I bought recently, and I've been looking for an excuse to use it...yea...like I need an excuse.
On to the card ~

Maybe I got a little carried away with the number of photos.  I was trying to capture all of the details.  It was difficult to show the dry embossed black panel, so I included an angled photo (closeup).  In the bottom photo you can see some of the border punched yellow cs that I added to the inside.  I thought this MS punch mimicked the V shapes in the lace, on the front of the card.  The black brad, in the center of the bow, is covered in corduroy...it has such a soft look, in real life.  I attached my tiny thank you sentiment with a piece of bakers twine.  The black and white swirled pattern is actually a piece of vellum, that I found in a mixed media pack that I've had for a while.
Well, I've chattered enough!  If you've read all the way to the end of this post..thank you for your patience!!!

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My recipe:

Card stock: whisper white, basic black, so saffron (SU)

Stamp: tiny tags (SU)

Patterned paper: printed vellum from mixed media pack (Best Occasions)

Other: swirl embossing folder (Cuttlebug), brides mother trim white (Offray), white satin ribbon (Celebrate It), corduroy brad (from my stash), baker's twine (Really Reasonable Ribbons)

A warm hello...

This card was SO much fun to make!  I rarely make a card that isn't rectangular or square.  But...when I saw a card in PaperCrafts magazine that used this template, I knew I had to make one.  This was very easy to make.  Sometimes templates can be so time consuming, so I've not done many of them.
Once I printed and cut out the template, this cute designer series paper from SU (Bella Birds) did most of the work for me.  I sponged a little Pretty In Pink around the edges of the lamp, which really softened the look of the card.
This card will go into the mail to one of my aunts.  She wears pink quite often (and it's a great color on her). And I remember, over the years, that many of her blouses have a lace trim on the collar.  I know that this card will make her smile  :)
This card is going into the Paper Pals Arts Challenge:
PPA73-CAS Elements of Style - Get Your Lace in Place!!

Here is the inspiration photo that the Paper Pals have provided ~ love it! 

And, here is my card:

As always....you can click on a photo to see a larger version.

 Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my blog.  I hope you'll stop in again!
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My recipe ~

Lamp template: PaperCrafts magazine website

Stamps: petite messages (Hero Arts), fine flourish [inside the card] (SU)

Designer Series Paper: bella birds (SU)

Card Stock: whisper white (SU)

Ink: chocolate chip, pretty in pink (SU)

Other: lace (Offray), pink pearls (Recollections), oval punches (SU)

Pals Paper Arts challenge 72

While browsing the blogs this morning, I came across a blog challenge that I had not yet participated in.  It's Pals Paper Arts.  I'm familiar with their challenges, but for whatever reason, had never participated.  WELL...what drew me in was the group of inspiration photos....gorgeous!  Winter whites and neutrals.  Take a look!

I just had to participate ; )
Here is my take on the challenge ~

I apologize for the quality of the photos.  It looks like I was holding my camera sorta crooked, doesn't it?  Ugh...
Anyway, this is a card I really enjoyed creating.  I love the layers of vanilla cardstock, the border punch (MS), lace and a little gold metallic marker (for edging).  Of course, I had to use a little lace, too.  I am loving using lace lately.  It adds such softness to a card or project.  I also added some flat back gold pearls between the points of the lace border.  Along the right edge of the card base I added a few score lines, using my Scor-Buddy.
This sentiment is one I picked up at a local craft store.  It's by Paper Inspirations.  The card stock is all from SU!
Please let me know what you think!  Thanks for stopping by :)

It's Always Sunny In Here - Scrapbook.com (this is such a clever ad!)

Merry & Bright

Well, it's certainly "bright" today.  About 6" of snow fell through the night and into this morning.  OK, that's enough for this winter...I wish...
This snowman card is going into my Christmas card stash.  But, he'll soon be out the door.  I'll start addressing my Christmas cards this afternoon ; o)

This card is going into the Card Patterns Sketch 93.  You can click on the link to see the inspiration that the guest designer and crew provided us with.  Here is this weeks sketch:

And, here is my interpretation:

I'm including 2 more pics, that will hopefully show a little more of the sparkle on this card.

My friend Kris gave me this sheet of patterned paper last Saturday.  The snowflakes have SO much sparkle (so pretty!), but it was difficult to capture that in these photos.
I used a MS border punch on my layer of brushed silver cs.  I think this border ties in nicely with the shapes in the felt snowflake embellishment, don't you?
This was such a fun card to make; I love the colors of navy, silver and white for a Christmas card.

Thanks so much for stopping in!  Please leave a comment; I look forward to reading them!

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The recipe ~

CS: whisper white, night of navy, brushed silver (SU)

Ink: night of navy (SU)

Patterned paper: snowflake glitter-blue & silver (The Paper Studio)

Stamp: merry & bright (SU)

Punch: MS

Embellies: white ribbon (Basic-Basic from Michaels), felt snowflake (Wal Mart), silver cord from my stash, silver Stickles

A stamping day + friends = FUN

Last Saturday 2 of my stamping buddies came over to spend the day stamping and talking.  I enjoy these days SO much!  Thanks Kris and Cheryl!!!
You would think that since we stamped all day, that I would a LOT of cards to show you.  Well...there is that matter of talking, you know :)  That's okay, though!
I'll show you what I created ~

This first card is one that I CASE'd from Lucy Abrams.  You can follow THIS LINK to see the card that I CASE'd.  I love her clean and simple (and beautiful) style.  I made just a few changes on my card.  I used white pearls, a different tree stamp and I did some paper piercing, instead of actual stitching.

This second card was CASE'd from one that my stamping buddy (and cousin) Cheryl created.  I've also seen something similar on the cover of SU!'s current catalog.  I simply took scraps of dsp and adhered them to a piece of cs.  Then, ran it through my Top Notes die.  I love this effect and it's so easy to do!

The 3rd card is my own design.  I love this flocked SU!dsp from last year, so I didn't want to cover very much of it.  So I kept my layers to a minimum.  I used soft suede cs for the band, and the embossed snowflake.  I embossed 2 snowflakes so that I could punch out the center of one, and pop it up to add some dimension.  Of course, I couldn't resist using a little bit of ribbon...and a crystal!  I do love bling!

This last card is a birthday card for one of my nephews.  I had to switch gears...to do a masculine card.  I picked up a 2 pack of Tim Holtz embossing folders recently, so I knew I wanted to use one of those.  I love this look of cracked glass!  I decided that I needed to stay with a rough look, so I tore the bottom edges of my cs layers.  I added some twine, along with a T. H. Muse Token.  It took quite a while for me to come up with the design of this card.  But...once I had that settled, the card came together quickly.

Thanks for stopping in to take a look at what I've been creating!