*Completed* Personalized Notecard Set

This is for another order I got for a set of notecards. It's kind of a challenge to line up the wording to show in the window (well, with a little more work, I'm sure I can do it). The Taken with Teal bg has Paisley BG stamped on it, but because of my poor lighting, you can barely tell, I'm sure.

**E.T.A.** picture of completed set

Blog Candy from Leslie - Card Creations

Leslie at Continuing to Create is giving away a new copy of Card Creations, which she uses for inspiration (who can't use a little now & then?). Just 'Post a comment and description of your favorite family holiday tradition and I'll add your name to the drawing. And, if you link to my blog, you'll get 5 extra chances to win the drawing. You have to let me know in the comments that you linked to my blog.'

Fruitcake Angel

Maybe that's not the best title. This is my card for entering Jen Del Muro's Want Verve contest! It is my version of her Sketch from Saturday This is On Angel Wings retired from SU! that is my go to set for Christmas every year because it's so pretty. I loved pairing it with Soft Sky (Floral BG on that), Blue Bayou and I thought a nice match was this paper from Basic Grey's Fruitcake. DH suggested I make her a redhead (I was thinking of the famous redhead who's become a mommy to her first boy recently, Charmaine...she's so sweet & pretty). I love using Dazzling Diamonds on the angel's wings. You can't tell in my photo, but the sentiment is done with White Craft ink and Iridescent Ice embossing powder (since I still had it out from last night). My pearls are from Elle Hutson's online store {which by the way is having a great 15% off sale on Friday and she's also giving away a set of heart nestabilities on this post Aren't they pretty? I almost forgot I had them (first time using) and I am not quite sure I like where I placed them?! Maybe they should have been horizontal with the lower layer. Oh well, too late to move them now because of the self-adhesive stuff.

**ETA - I forgot to color the bird, but then again Doves are white so I guess it's o.k. Tired & ready for bed.

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus...

I had this card in my head all day Tuesday and made it last night (took forever, because what I had originally started with got scrapped) I had to make it smaller to look more real). Basic Grey Fruitcake paper was used. I hope Kristi doesn't get upset I 'changed' Hanna to fit with Santa. The only thing is, I messed up her face a little because I forgot I used waterbased black to draw her. I really should get a better camera.

Dazzling Snowflakes

I've really wanted to make a card not using Hanna from my Hanna Stamps (*gasp*, I know) and thought the Dazzling Diamond Dust tutorial would fit the bill with these pretty different-shaped snowflakes! And of course, I had to add bling to the centers and on the lower right corner. Sorry the photo is not that great {I have no natural light to work with since I leave the house at 6:45 a.m. and don't get back until 5:15 when there's no sun anymore and I don't have that great of lighting in my stamp area). However, I was able to get the sparkle of the iridescent ice embossing powder! I heat set the ribbon slightly (thanks to a wonderful card that Nicole Cooke sent me [I still need to upload, I always forget about that simple yet unique tip]. I also used a retired SU! set Perfect Ending.

Origami Box

Over on SCS there was a 2 week holiday project showcase where I learne how to make a few exciting things! Some, I've still yet to try but there's only so much time in a day, huh? I will do them as I need them, basically & some may just have to wait until 2008 and I'm o.k. with that. So above was An Origami Box by Jenn Balcer. I made this necklace & earrings & I loved that I could make a box to go with them perfectly because of this tutorial! It was SO easy to make. In fact it won't be difficult to memorize it if you even just make 2. I think I may make a few more. I love it.

'Tis the Season for mistletoe

I haven't had time to play the Featured Stamper challenge on SCS in a while and I miss it. But, this morning I knew I had to make the time - it's Texas Grammy aka Beverly. I had the honor of meeting her a year ago at the Dallas SCS Shoebox swap and it was FUN! We even went to dinner at Olive Garden & I met her famous published daughter Jessica who just had another little boy and Texas Grammy is so proud! Here is the Hanna card I cased from her

Since I had Hanna stamps I didn't change that. I changed cardstock & paper colors and the embellishment I got from a blog candy won recently from Leigh O'Brien. Here's to still wishing I win one of the new sets that are drawn today on all the design team's blogs *smile*

Oh but I have to toot my horn to say that Kristi (the owner of Hanna Stamps) honored me by placing my Hanna Decorates the Fireplace card on the homepage of the Hanna Stamps yahoo group! How sweet is that of her? I am quite humbled, actually.

Co-worker treats

I found these Wilton Favor tins at Michael's when they were on sale (even better when you have a 40 or 50% off coupon) and filled them {with the exception of the one on the left because one lady is Jewish and we want to include her, I'm so glad SU! has the Happy Hanukkah in the Fancy Flexible Phrases set} with holiday m&m's for DH to give to his co-workers. He never really cared to give a little something to everyone like I do until we were blessed with him getting this job. He loves his co-workers and they love him. Heck, they even love me (not trying to be conceited, I hope you don't think that). It's just that we've done a lot of things with them outside of work and they ENJOY one another's company. One of the ladies is supposed to have craft night at her house soon and I am so looking forward to it. So I made these little treats for about 50 cents each. So worth it, and it didn't take too much time to assemble either. I even covered the inside of the plastic pail they came in with some Basic Grey Fruitcake paper but I'm not going to get any fancier than this. DH could care less he has a cute container to pass these around in. It's going to get the job done and that's the most important of all. I got to cross something else off my to-do list - yea!!!

Time Well Spent Notecard set

Set of notecards making for an order with my new set from SU! Time Well Spent. I really like this set! Colors used are: Pixie Pink, Old Olive, Garden Green, Blush Blossom, Groovy Guava. Papertrey clear box for packaging.

Cheers by Hanna

Thought I'd make Hanna celebrating a birthday - whose I don't know...so I'll put it in my stash for when it's needed. The cafe table, wine glass & border are by Fiskars clear sets. Her tiny hat is by A*Muse.

Hanna is always pretty

Here's another Hanna card - surprise, surprise! Check out the new website where you can order your Hanna Stamps! Kristi is busy adding stuff to it. Can't wait for the new sentiment set! Used my Figgy Pudding by Basic Grey for her paper-pieced outfit (even boots).

Hanna goes Deep in the Heart of Texas...

As I was waking up this morning, I had a vision of Hanna visiting Texas so she can see how big & bright the stars are here. So here she is in all her glory, reaching for the stars in Texas.

Now I'd like to share a special story about the stars here. When I first visited my future DH, we were outside late one night (in the Hill Country about 20 miles west of Austin) with a picnic & blanket looking at the sky chatting. I noticed there just weren't any visible stars in the sky and I thought that was strange especially when I thought about that song...Deep in Heart of Texas where it talks about the big & bright stars - well this California girl was not a believer.

He proceeds to ask me a question, not any question but THE QUESTION (we were already talking marriage though so it wasn't a big surprise) and after he got down on his knees, went into this sweet proposal about wanting to spend the rest of his life with me and showed me the ring - I confused him with starting to cry (they were tears of joy) but managed to get yes out and we kissed, ah. Then I looked up in the sky and lo and behold - those Big & Bright stars appeared! I know it sounds unreal but he was my witness...I had a feeling it was a 'sign' from God of his approval because we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt HE was the ONE who brought us together.

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS by Alvino Ray
The stars at night are big and bright Deep in the heart of Texas
The prairie sky is wide and high Deep in the heart of Texas
The sage in bloom is like perfume Deep in the heart of Texas
Reminds me of the one I love Deep in the heart of Texas
The coyotes wail along the trail Deep in the heart of Texas
The rabbits rush around the brush Deep in the heart of Texas
The cowboys cry, "Ki-yip-pee-yi" Deep in the heart of Texas
The doggies bawl and bawl and bawl Deep in the heart of Texas

"ETA: I have to tell you that there is a new Hanna Stamps (Thing Hanna Would Say) coming out soon with 28 sentiments to go with current & future sets that Kristi (owner) is giving away on her blog Kreations by Krissy and if you check out the Design Team's blogs (links on there) they are all giving away a set there too. I want to win one SO badly I blog hopped the other night to increase my chances. I think I will cry if I don't win a set because I ADORE these stamps!! O.k. I guess I shouldn't be so greedy after all, Kristi has offered FREE shipping up until today, so all the $ I saved can go to the new set.

Hanna Provides the means...

My sister asked for a gift card to buy some MAC makeup for her birthday, which is Dec 26th. So I enlisted the help of the awesome Cambria (for her great gift card holder made out of an 8-inch piece of designer paper -click for tutorial) and Hanna to provide the cutest packaging!! This came together in no time and this was the first time I used the hat box, purse & shoes and they are the CUTEST! I used Stampin' Up! Petals & Paisley paper, some SU! antique brass hardware & ribbon, also polka dot by May Arts.

Hanna Decks the Fireplace

I nearly forgot I got a set by Rubbersoul Wordsworth called Classic Christmas at the clearance section in Hobby Lobby a month ago (for, get this $5.03!) It retails for $14.95!! Last night after trying to figure out what else I could do with Hanna (I gave up until I saw what Michelle Wooderson did with the saying and Hanna hanging stars, I knew I could do something else with her and then I saw the swag in the set (it has ornaments, I just didn't ink them so I could use my ornaments in Tis the Season set). No fireplace to put it on thought, so I drew one! What do you think? I wish I could capture the sakura glitter on the ornaments & the top of her boots, but I couldn't. It's just so pretty IRL. The berries in the swag are stickles. I used my Basic Grey Fruitcake paper, thought it went real well with my Not Quite Navy. Since I didn't have anymore room for a sentiment, I had to find one that would fit on the fireplace and Papertrey's Holiday Wishes fit the bill.

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

Billboardabella says 'Happy Birthday'

I got an order for some bella cards for a co-worker's daughter since she loved the card her mom had me make her for her birthday back in Sept. This is one I came up with I hope she likes (I didn't have anymore images of the bella she wanted, but I have this set and it's the first time I used it). I think it's cute!

Deck the Halls with More of Hanna...

...fa la la la la la la la la!! I LOVE my Hanna Stamps - this is Tis the Season! I have been trying to get her decorating her tree with her little doggie watching but had a hard time capturing it just right. The dog is facing left on the stamp in Christmas Critters so I stamped him on vellum and flipped him so he can watch her deck the halls! I used my Basic Grey Fruitcake paper and the ribbon is luscious (from Archiver's, but I think May Arts makes it) it's a pretty burgundy. I colored Hanna's outfit in copics but realized it was too red for the card so I got a prismacolor pencil in Bravo Burgundy and went over it. Now it looks like her outfit is suede! It's so pretty IRL. Sorry the pic doesn't do it justice.

Meowy Christmas

o.k. that's what I thought this card should say, but when I asked DH if I should type it up like that on the computer he said, 'no, it's fine the way it is'. Of course that's his way of saying just move on. But I'm o.k. with that, sometimes I need a reminder to leave well enough alone. So I did. I used Basic Grey Fruitcake paper. Cat is my Stampendous Christmas Critters clear set from Eclectic Paperie and the wonderfully cute tree is from Tis the Season - Hanna Stamps. It was my first time using the puffy paint (I can't remember the real term for it) how cute is that?! Thanks for stopping by today!

Dashing Ornament & Nugget Box

Here are 2 projects I made using the Dashing Designer Paper for my stamp club. I highlighted the ornaments (they each made one of their own) and because of the Paper Party Promotion with SU! I had plenty of samples on display to show (a little because the possibilities are endless) of what can be made using the paper. The pinecone ornmament tutorial can be found at Amanda's blog Inkspirations. The Nugget Box pattern was found on SCS.

New Baby Gift

Made this small but sweet baby gift for a co-worker whose wife just gave birth to their baby boy, Blake on Nov. 7th. Thought she could record little notes in the notebook. I made one similar for my sister & every time I visit her, I write notes to her about my visit in her book.

Simple Gratitude

This is a simple card of Gratitude that I hope makes a big statement. It's going out to several ladies I've been fortunate enough to win blog candy from recently that I am thankful for the goodies.

It's also going out to my two sisters (and their DH's) for blessing me with my recent trip to CA to see them & my precious niece. There really aren't enough words to express my gratitude for those wonderful memories a few weekends ago. Doesn't matter I came back with the worst cold EVER (that I am still nursing but with lessened congestion), doesn't matter I was away from my DH and my fur babies for 4 days (and I missed them), doesn't matter there were a few frustrating moments while I was there (won't re-hash the details).

What does matter is that I had a ride from/to the airport, I had a wonderful home cooked meal when I arrived (and my sister was hurting the whole time she made it), the fact I got to see my Godson Avery for a little while that evening (thanks, Don), the happy faces as I doled out handmade gifts that night (that brought tears to my oldest sister's eyes), the fun my niece had as I showed her all the clothes I brought her (and she was thrilled about them even though they are second-hand), the fact that my sister is going to have another baby I can love on, the sweet moments I saw my niece acknowledge the baby with lifting her momma's shirt real high & patting her tummy and giving a kiss to her little brother (or sister-we'll find out Dec 27), the sacrifice of time friends and family made to come visit me that weekend, the fun we had playing the new cranium (and laughs at certain people's expense), the night I got there my niece called me 'Auntie' for the first time, the one-on-one time her and I had playing, eating, and changing (where I taught her what sound the blender makes, how to say 'Upsy Daisy' and how after every time I finished changing her she hugged me, kissed me & patted me on the back, the endless laughter at her antics, teaching her how to do the new puzzles I got her (and she actually put a few pieces together without my help that last night), how she quickly started to kiss me just like she does her mommy & daddy only, and how utterly blessed, loved and missed I am by my family. I look forward to talking to them several times a week (thankfully we have unlimited long distance) and hope to some day get webcams set up so we can make our visits more 'real'.

My heart aches as I write this because I am not there to see them every day. I don't get to see my niece learn new things every day. I hang onto the sweet memories I have and I find myself counting the days until I see them again. What matters is family and this is the one God put me in and no matter how many miles separate us...there is an invisible thread that passes between our hearts that no one sees but is an instantaneous link up via our love & many memories. Each trip brings more precious memories than the last, I know...I have the pictures & my heart to prove it.

*E.T.A* What does matter is that the morning Gabby's daddy took me to the airport (and I had to kiss her forehead to say good-bye because she was sleeping) my sister called to tell me that morning once she woke up & was eating her breakfast, she heard the front door open and she excitedly said, 'AUNTIE?' and her mommy had to tell her, "No, Auntie had to go back on the plane to Texas. But she'll be back to see you again" you bet I will! That made me cry like a baby when she told me!

I Love & Miss Y'all!

RRAK from Nicole Cooke

Look at the FABULOUS Return RAK I got form Nicole Cooke, The Stampin' Librarian! (oops, don't look at the link in the watermark, it's wrong! Just click on her name above to see her blog! Isn't it so pretty & sparkly? I LOVE it, Nicole! THANK YOU!

btw: I'm still trying to get over this thing and believe it will be over soon, the congestion is finally coming out, it's no fun coughing & blowing my noze constantly and this perpetual sore throat has got to go! It's been more than a week now (ugh) SO no new projects until I'm well. Plus, I have to prepare for my stamp club coming over on Weds/Thurs.

Joyful

I love the Hanna tree from Tis the Season it's whimsical yet elegant. The mice are from my new Stampendous Christmas Critters I got from Eclectic Paperie. I was so excited about them! I love the hedgehogs, but more importantly, there's a cat, mice, dog & more!! So I needed to pair up the mice trying to stay warm under their lamp by the tree for this card.

Randomness

well, since I haven't posted anything in a while, I brought a cold back with me from CA and I'm getting caught up on my blurfing (698 posts to go) I figured I would play along with some randomness after reading Kathat's Randomness and SpazzGirl's Tags

7 random things

scary movies - my mom let me watch when I was real young (I'm thinking like 8, maybe) and instead of them freaking me out or being scared of the boogeyman, I grew to LOVE them. Can't get enough...in fact, most times I'm disappointed there aren't enough GREAT ones out there! My all-time faves are: Halloween (original, I haven't seen the most recent yet *GASP*) Jeepers Creepers, all the SAWS, Hostel and Hostel II.

favorite food - my favorite food of all time is Indian food. In fact, if I was told to pick one type of food to eat for the rest of my life, that would be it. I LOVE kheer (rice pudding) and Palak Paneer (spinach) and all the BREADS they serve like roti, naan, chapati. YUM, love the spice, aromas, etc.

mud - I love the smell of wet dirt. When I was a kid, my mom would get me ready for a bath and once I had all my clothes off...I would dart out the back door and play in the dirt real quick (hey, I had to have a real reason to get clean) the neighbors would see me and laugh as my mom would run after me. I used to make (and eat) mud pies.

ice cream - LOVE it, couldn't live without it. Well, it's not like I eat it everyday. But, when my mom was pregnant with me, she did. every day - black cherry ice cream - that's the only kind I don't like, wonder why?!

don't sweat the small stuff - those are some of the best books I have ever read and they work! I used to let little things bother me and then I would allow them to control my mood. When I was introduced to those, boy oh boy I realized how much wasted energy and unhappiness I was allowing in my life. Things are much better now, not that I am perfect and don't allow little annoyances, but it's good to get things in perspective. I have read the original, the one for women written by the author's wife, have 1/2 to go in the work one and 1/2 in the love one.

sleep - I savor every moment of it. My mom always had me take a nap when I was little and as ad adult I realized how sweet they were so why stop? I love to take naps and I can fall asleep ANYWHERE, with noise of people, the t.v., the washer, dryer, dishwasher, people talking. I think I'm a pretty sound sleeper, but DO NOT under any circumstance, take your guard down when I am woken up suddenly. Zero to B in 2 seconds...I woke up kicking and swinging at my middle sister before when she woke me up. Lately if I fall asleep before DH and he wakes me up moving, I snap! It's usually just when he's trying to get comfortable. I move to the other room if he irks me. I guess I may be sweating the small stuff? Nah, just don't want to be woken up.

sisters - if you have one or more you know what I mean. If you don't, I think you may have missed out on one of life's joys. My oldest sister and I always got along, we played together, we worked together, we would shop, watch t.v. and gang up on our middle sister (I'm the baby). But there's a bond there that will never be broken. My sisters and I went through loss early on with our dad of a heart attack when we were 14, 13 and 9. I used to fight constantly with my middle sister, I hated the air she breathed, everything about her bugged me. Then when my mom said that the only thing she ever wanted was for us to get along, we really tried because when we were only 31, 30 and 26 we lost our mom to lung cancer. My sisters and I are all really close now, and my middle sister and I can hang out without fighting (probably helps I live 1,000 miles away though) but we truly like and love one another (our mom's wish came true). It was through our loss that we were knit closer together. This past weekend I had a sweet flashback of when we were little. My niece is learning to be potty trained. Well the night I arrived, we were all in there watching her and encouraging her and so happy and cheering when she went. It reminded me of when my sisters potty trained me. My mom said they would sit on the edge of the tub and cheer me on, just like we were with my niece. I am sad when I think that our mom and dad are missing out on their first granchild, but have to believe they are somehow able to still watch us and were smiling on us during that moment last week.

That's it - kinda long, huh? If you read this far, thanks and you're a star!

Sisters and Chocolate - a winning combination

Here's another little gift I made for my sisters (I fly out at 3:15 today and arrive in CA at 4:55) incindentally in San Jose (where I fly to) had a 5.6 earthquake at 8:05 p.m. on Tuesday. I will see my godchild Avery this evening for a little while and we are going to have a dinner party on Sat. night with family & friends (it's easier to have them come see me at my sister's than me try to go see all of them individually). I'm so excited! So I may not post until some time next week. I'm bummed, I just got my Tis the Season set by Hanna stamps too (maybe I can stamp something before I leave today. For this project, I found the red/brown tin at Target for $1 clearance with spiced caramels in it that DH got to eat & really liked! I knew I could re-use it with kisses & my new How Sweet It Is set by My Favorite Things and I like how it turned out! I embossed the saying & kisses on the outside (cute that there's 3 sisters & 3 kisses to represent us, huh?) and found the sister poem on line sorry about the slight glare. It says, "There is no better friend than a sister. And there is no better sister than you." Author Unknown.

Yummy Mousey

I love these boxes! (See blog archive for pattern if you'd like). I put peppermint red/white candies inside to match the image - everything colored with Copics. I love this House Mouse mouse!!