Home for Christmas

Merry Christmas!! I hope that you are all enjoying the holidays and remembering the reason for the season!!

Here is my third and final card for Christmas 2008. I just love that I have had the time each year to make my own cards, it thrills me to send out my creations to all my friends and family to enjoy.

Home for Christmas really has the warm cozy feel to it. Being a military family, we really do cherish whenever we are able to go home and spend time with our families.

When I got this set, I surfed SCS to see what others were doing with it and I came across one by Kharmagirl and used her's as an idea when making mine. You can view her's here. I then surfed through her gallery and found that I really like her style!!

Anyway, I used Shimmery White cardstock for the main image to give it that glistening snow look. And I added Crystal Effects to some of the image to make it stand out.

Set: Home for Christmas
Accessories: Holiday Treasures DP, Ruby Rd, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White & Shimmery White cardstocks, StazOn Black ink, Various SU Ink Pads, Aqua Painter, Crystal Effects, Old Olive Grosgrain ribbon.

A thank you to our military

My husband is a sailor in the US Navy, and although he's home with us this year, it's not the case for many families around the globe. So, whether sailor, airmen, marine or soldier...Merry Christmas and thank you for all you do.

The Sailor's Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, the ship was out steaming,
Sailors stood watch while others were dreaming.

They lived in a crowd with racks tight and small,
In a 80-man berthing, cramped one and all.

I had come down the stack with presents to give,
And to see inside just who might perhaps live.

I looked all about, a strange sight did I see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stockings were hung, shined boots close at hand,
On the bulkhead hung pictures of a far distant land.

They had medals and badges and awards of all kind,
And a sober thought came into my mind.

For this place was different, so dark and so dreary,
I had found the house of a Sailor, at once I saw clearly.

A Sailor lay sleeping, silent and alone,
Curled up in a rack and dreaming of home.

The face was so gentle, the room squared away,
This was the United States Sailor today.

This was the hero I saw on TV,
Defending our country so we could be free.

I realized the families that I would visit this night,
Owed their lives to these Sailors lay willing to fight.

Soon round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate on Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom each day of the year,
Because of the Sailor, like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve on a sea, far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The Sailor awakened and I heard a calm voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice."

"Defending the seas all days of the year,
So others may live and be free with no fear."

I thought for a moment, what a difficult road,
To live a life guided by honor and code.

After all it's Christmas Eve and the ship's underway!
But freedom isn't free and it's sailors who pay.

Vintage Ruddy

Here is another of my Christmas cards for this year. This one actually has three different faces. I couldn't use just one of the line-up, I had to make use of all three poses.

I really wanted to go for the vintage look. I have been in love with the striped ribbon and just wanted to stick with the Riding Hood Red and Very Vanilla for this card. I felt it was pretty traditional.

I used stickles on a couple focal points of these cards, like Ruddy's nose or hat pom-poms. And the CuttleBug folder was perfect yet again! I also sponged the edges to give it an even more aged look.

Set: Holiday Lineup
Accessories: Very Vanilla & Riding Hood Red cardstock, Timber Brown StazOn, Close to Cocoa & Riding Hood Red Inks, CuddleBug, Ticket Corner Punch, Sponge, Stickles, Felt Flurries, Riding Hood Red 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain ribbon

A Cardinal Christmas

Time to get my Christmas cards posted :) I mailed them out earlier in the week and I hope that I don't spoil it for anyone...but here goes.

This is card #1...the others will be posted in coming days.

My parents always had a family of cardinals that would frequent their feeders, and now, for us, moving to VA has proved to be a high population of cardinals...it is our state bird and all, they are so vibrant and you can always tell when they are around by their quick chirp.

I found a card on SCS by MakeTime2Stamp that I just loved and I cased the idea and embellished on it. You can see her card here. The in-colors of Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red were a cool combo for this card.

I just love using the CuddleBug for the background, it really gives it some dimension! Like real snow!!! And I really love this stamp set. The cardinal is so majestic, he was fun to color! Red is my favorite color too!

I water colored a bit of blue around the bird to make him pop off the page a bit.

Set: A Cardinal Christmas
Accessories: Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss & Riding Hood Red cardstocks, Kiwi Kiss ink, Cutter Kit, Coluzzle, Black StazOn, Riding Hood Red Taffeta, Large Oval Punch, White ET, CB Folder

Baby Announcement

This is the announcement I sent out letting everyone know of my blue bundles arrival. I actually found one like this on-line somewhere, but I can't remember where. They used a B&W photo, where we chose to use the color photo. Yes, that's my muchkins piggie-toes under the vellum paper. Isn't it just too sweet???

Accessories: Bashful Blue cardstock, Bashful Blue Taffets & SS brads

Our new arrival!!

Well after much delay and anticipation I am pleased to announce that our new bundle Garrett William, has arrived into the world!

They had it arranged for me to arrive at the hospital on Wednesday, November 26th to be induced on the 27th, but he decided to come on his own. He arrived on November 26th under his own timing and in all his glory. He's beautiful!

He weighed in at 9 pounds 12 ounces and 22 1/2 inches long. No wonder I was having a hard time breathing, lol. He was up under my ribcage for about the past month. And he was 6 days over due!

We are so thrilled to have him home and everyone healthy! Thank you for all your love and support!

Baby Update

Well, I had my appointment today....this kid does NOT want out. They told me that if I don't go before Wednesday then I'm to report to the hospital to be induced that night....and it looks like I'll really be delivering a Thanksgiving Turkey. So, enjoy your turkeys...eat some for me :) We'll probably have our big meal the Sunday following Thanksgiving.

Our Anniversary

Today is our anniversary!!

My husband is a weatherman (Aerographer) in the US Navy and loves anything to do with weather and the sky, so coming across this technique on SCS was perfect. It's called the Striped Wipe and you can find the whole How To right here on SCS.

I also love the ocean, so this SU stamp set is one of my favorites and I've used it for friends and family anniversaries over the years.

We've been married 5 years now!! How time flies. We've been all over the world and now will be adding a baby to our lives to share with my teenage daughter and twin Maine Coon cats :) I'm so very blessed by all that God has given to me and my marriage is no exception.
Set: SU Summer By The Sea, Small Script, Sanded Bkgd
Accessories: More Mustard, Not Quite Navy, Really Rust, Glossy White & Whisper White cardstocks, Olive & Mustard Grosgrain Ribbons, SU Markers, SU Reinkers (Earth Element colors), Primas, Stickles, Timber & Black StazOn Inks, CB Folder

Could today be the day???

Well today is my official due date, as listed by my OB. First is was the 21st, but they changed it to the 20th and I never updated my tickers on the bottom of the blog. The ultra sound tech said the 17th, but the OB said she didn't want to change the date...I guess she knew something the tech didn't know, lol.

He has been measuring big and ahead of schedule...but even that doesn't change anything.....

Here I sit...still pregnant. I have an OB appointment tomorrow that I really don't want to go to. My hubby, daughter and mother keep trying to coach this little one on to convince him that arriving is ok...that it's really not that cold (today is the warmest day of the week) and that coming out will be a good thing. He doesn't seem to want to listen.

Well, I guess patience is something I must put to work right now. I can't wait to hold my little one, but God has a plan that doesn't involve this baby coming on time. When I said I was baking a turkey, I guess I was more correct then I thought.

I'll keep you posted......

Are Your Friends Flaky??

This is an older retired SU set, but I just think they are too cute! It's called Flaky Friends and whenever I see them I just think Twinkle H2os and Shimmery White paper :)

This was a quick card, just for fun. I've made my Christmas cards to mail out, but I can't be posting them until after the holidays...because I never know who is watching my blog and I just don't want to spoil what folks will get in the mail. So, until then I will just have to make other cards to fill the time.

I also put my Felt Flurries to use and touched them up with a bit of Stickles. This whole card is just sparkly. I'm really in love with this striped ribbon, it's so traditional. Reminds me of something along the lines of Norman Rockwell.

Sets: Flaky Friends

Accessories: Baja Breez & Shimmer White cardstock, Riding Hood Red 1 1/4" striped ribbon, Twinkle H2os, Felt Flurries, Stickles

And for those of you that are keeping track....I'm still pregnant.

Facelift!

I didn't know it could be so easy and FREE!!!

Viewing another's blog today I clicked on the link to The Cutest Blog on the Block and checked them out. Now I have a whole new look and it was so easy!!!

So, this isn't a real post....but I just wanted to share my glee in changing my blog's appearance!! I've been wanting to do this for a while now. I hope that you all enjoy it. I am a deep red kind of gal, so this fits me perfectly!! (For now, seeing how easy it is, I might have to update it by season/holiday, lol)

Enjoy!!

Oh...and the baby still isn't here....but tomorrow is the full moon and they say that might trigger it. We'll see. I still have another week until my due date, but I'm very anxious to have him in my arms!!!

Wine Anyone???

I'm not a wine drinker, but there's always sparkling drinks that are pretty to give...however, for my pictures I asked hubby to go out and get me a bottle of wine...he spent $5, lol, so it's not too wasted and it will just sit in my craft room for the next time I need a bottle for pictures :)

Anyway, the gift giving season is coming upon us. From Thanksgiving to Christmas and even New Years and everything in between, we will all be going from dinner party to dinner party and when you can't think of something else to bring, and you don't want to go empty handed, bring something to wet the hostess' whistle!!

I saw some wine bottle tags at a store in New Hampshire when I was there in August and they've been sitting in the back of my head as an idea of something else I could do to my ever growing list of things I want/need to do before the baby arrives.

The tags I saw were single layer, but I hardly ever do anything without layers, so why should tags be any different. So, here they are. It took me all day yesterday and half of today to get them all designed and completed. I made 14 in all and have listed them in my store...so now I can start working on my Christmas cards!!

My daughter has been playing Christmas music lately, I usually wait until Thanksgiving, but she just couldn't wait, so we are getting into the spirit early this year!

The first tag is made with one of my new sets this year...wait, they are all from my new sets...I just couldn't stand it anymore and had to put them to use. On all of the tags I used the scallop edged circle punch with the designer paper to make a ring around the bottle opening. It needed something there.

Set: SU Home For Christmas & Hugs & Wishes

Accessories: Holiday Thyme DP, Cranberry Crisp, Whisper White & Confetti White cardstocks, Olive Organdy ribbon, Silver cord, Black StazOn, White Gel Pen, Pencils w/OMS, White EP, Scallop Punch, 1 3/8" punch, corner rounder punch, tearing edge, sponge and Creamy Caramel Ink.

Set: SU Holiday Line Up, Flaky Friends

Accessories: Holiday Treasures DP, Ruby Red & Confetti White cardstock, Scallop Circle & Square punches, SU markers, Silver cord, Hunter grosgrain, Stickles, White Craft Ink, Ruby Red Classic Ink, 1 3/8" circle punch, corner rounder punch.

Set: SU A Cardinal Christmas, Holidays & Wishes

Accessories: Holiday Thyme DP, Bashful Blue & Confetti White cardstock. True Thyme Ink, Silver EP, True Thyme Ribbon, Coluzzle, Cutter Kit, Pencils w/OMS, sponge, corner rounder punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop punch.

Set: SU Holiday Line Up, Flaky Friends
Accessories: Holiday Treasures DP, Ruby Red & Confetti White cardstock, Scallop Circle & Square punches, SU markers,Silver cord, Hunter grosgrain, Stickles, White Craft Ink, Ruby Red Classic Ink, 1 3/8" circle punch, corner rounder punch.

These were fun to put together and I hope that they'll bring a smile to someone's face this holiday season!

Happy Happy Birthday Honey

Today my husband turns 30!!! Does that make him an official adult? I always feel that we are still so young when we are in our 20s and that hitting 30 is really a crossing point into adult life. And within a couple weeks he'll be welcoming his first born! Here's to another decade, may it be filled with wise choices, great experiences and happy memories!

He's from Texas, so I try to give him a taste of home when his birthday hits. I like to pull out these sets....this one telling him that he's "GENUINE" The One & Only. I thought it suiting for his special day.

I roughed up the edges to make it look like the whole 'Genuine' bit was laying around for a while in someone's ledger book. I attached a lasso with a little library clip and added the jumbo eyelets for that aged look.

Sets: Wanted, Bronco Buster
Accessories:Western Sky DP, Ruby Red, River Rock & Blue Bayou cardstocks, Dk Brown EP, Rhinestone Brad, Library Clip, Hemp Twine, Jumbo Eyelet, Cutter Kit, Spiral Punch, Pencil w/OMS, Close to Cocoa Ink with Sponge

And for his birthday he is now the proud owner of his very first cowboy hat. How did he grow up in Texas without a hat?? He picked it out himself, so he knew that he was getting it, but now that he's 30 I'm sure he could handle the fact that he wasn't surprised :)

Our daughter even made a card for his birthday, she's pretty good. She used the pastels which I haven't pulled out in some time. That's what I need is reminding, I'm sure I'll have them out for one of my next cards now that I've seen them in use recently. She wanted to go with the Halloween theme, since his birthday is so close to the spook-tacular day.

She used the SU Home is Where the Haunt is set. She chalked the whole front and made it like cloud/fog haze around the moon. This was her own creation, as I was working on hubby's dinner at the time.

Note: Our daughter is 13 and she loves to craft. Right now her thing is beading necklaces and bracelets. I plan to have her share my Christmas craft fair table next year (not doing one this year with the baby coming). And yes, hubby loved his card. He's proud of what I do and always puts them on display :)

What began 50 years ago today...

Today is the 50th Anniversary of my parents nuptials! Without their coming together there wouldn't be me and my siblings....and our children and even a couple of great-grandchildren in the mix. Because of them, we have so many wonderful memories and have had great lives. They gave us all they could, provided well and taught us to love the Lord.

Dad passed away in '07, but even with his passing our family is just as strong and close. Mom is truly a treasure to us. She's so very active in all our lives....even mine through the great distance of 700 miles. We cherish each and every day that we are given to spend with her. Now, there are even more of those stories of 'remember when'. She is always telling me another tale of Dad, more for the memory bank. It's wonderful.

Anyway, I wanted to make her a special card for today.

This card is so soft and flowy. I don't know if that's me or Mom, lol. But, I am always having thoughts of her. Especially today as she thinks back to that special wedding day so long ago. Dad was in the Navy (as my husband now is) and they were married near Groton naval base in CT. He wore his dress blues and she wore a gown of white. They glowed!! Little did they know that they would have such a wonderful happy life together. If only everyone could have what they were able to share.

Thank you for everything Mom & Dad....and here's to the 50 years of memories!

I actually used the Soft Sky with my brayer for the base background. I have Soft Sky paper, but this seemed more watercolored. And I put my new Baja Breeze ribbon to use! It's really a great match for last seasons Soft Sky. I also don't own the Vanilla HP yet, but my UL Katrina sent me a couple samples as a treat and it was a perfect addition to this card.

Set: SU Sketches
Accessories: Creamy Caramel, Groovy Guava, Very Vanilla and Water Color papers, StazOn Black Ink, WC Pencils, Soft Sky Ink, Brayer, Baja Breeze Ribbon, Groovy Guava Ribbon, Vanilla HP, CB, Pretties & Stickles

October days...

October is a busy month for our family, another birthday today!! I found the "It's About Time" set at a yard sale and I had yet to use it, so with a birthday I decided to put it to use a bit. The two 'dials' are from that set. One is dial for October and the other for 24.

The sentiment says "CHEERS TO YOU It's your special day, Happy Birthday, You're the Greatest".

I put my patterns DP to use and even my Cuttlebug. I love using my Primas and even adding a touch of rhinestone. Just over all a fun card to put together.

Set: SU It's About Time & SU Lot's of Thoughts
Accessories: Always Artichoke & Sahara Sand cardstocks, Patterns Pack DP, Scallop Edge punch and Square Edge punch, Copper EP, Olive Organdy Ribbon, Rhinestone, Prima, Vintage Brad, Pencils w/OMS, CB

On another note, we went to our final concert of 2008 last night. Yup, we've seen so many this summer: Sugarland, Travis Tritt, Gary Allen, Gretchen Wilson, Blake Shelton w/Miranda Lambert...I know I'm missing a couple. Anyway, last night made my daughter's eyes light up, she was so excited and kept saying "Thank you Thank you Thank you" we never get that much appreciation from our teen. Last night was Carrie Underwood! She put on a great show. She's such an "American Girl" for real. But, my ever growing pregnant belly says that's it. I just can't imagine sitting through another concert. I was exhausted! I'm sure that my daughter is dragging at school today! It was a late night and we usually don't do that on school nights. Anyway, one month to go until I have this little boy of mine! I can't believe it and I'm super excited and scared at the same time!!

Maine Moose

Today is my little brother's birthday!!! Ok, he's not so little, he's...get this...3 years, 3 months and 3 days younger then me!! Yup, strange huh? But it's what makes our family normal, lol.

Anyway, he loves anything moose/bear....cabin, you know, outdoors. So, I dug out The Pines and put it to use. I got the idea from Allee's card and then made it my own. The moon behind the moose and the colors she used were great!

I love the Maine moose! Coming from Maine, I have seen them, and even near our house. One year a moose even kicked our poor dog. Good thing the dog had a hard head! They are such magnificently large quiet animals.

As far as those Canadian Geese...there are more here in Virginia then I've ever seen in Maine, but they are so pretty!!

Sets: Pines, Warmest Regards
Accessories: Marigold Morning, Chocolate Chip, True Thyme and Confetti Cream cardstocks, Marigold Morning, Chocolate Chip and True Thyme inks, Dark Brown EP, 1 3/8" Circle Punch for the moon masking, Large Oval Punch, Antique Brass HP, Chocolate Chip Twill Ribbon, Linen Thread

Play Ball!!

Last year I found myself at a great stamping yard sale and this set was sitting just waiting for me, I know it :) Well, last year I used it for both of my brother's birthday cards (they both have October birthdays) and I posted it on SCS and received so many positive remarks, that this year...with playoffs happening and the World Series right around the corner, I just had to recreate the card.

I made two different ones....the red will satisfy all those Red Sox and Phillies fans and the blue should make Tampa Bay and the Dodgers fans happy!!!

We are a Boston family!! So, that's who we are routing for....but either way, it's a fun American tradition.

Set: Take Me Out To the Ball Game (SU 2003)
Accessories: Rose Red/Night of Navy and Sahara Sand cardstocks. Dimensionals and the Cutter Kit for the rough edges.

World Card Making Day

Today, October 4th, is World Card Making Day...so I couldn't let the day go by without trying to get some of my inspiration back. I've been over at Splitcoaststampers following along with some of their challenges for today, which I did three of.....

This first one was a sketch, so I was able to do just about anything with it as long as it followed the layout. This is a stamp set I haven't used in quite a while. I'm a cat lover, so I can't let go of it, and it makes an appearance from time to time. I think he really has quite the independent attitude.

The set is called Catitude and I used So Saffron, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White and Pacific Point for my card stocks.

This next card was one where they gave us another stampers gallery and we had to take one of her cards and make a couple changes to it. She had used a camper, so I pulled out mine. I changed the colors, the stamp set...the saying, I thought this was just too cute!

I used the Happy Camper set. The papers were Apple Cider DP, Rally Rust and River Rock.

This next one was something I've never done before....finding inspiration from the cover of a catalog. This one was from the current cover of Coldwater Creek.

I used Lovely As A Tree, Season By Season & Pines for my stamps. My card stocks are True Thyme, Basic Black, Marigold Morning and Brushed Copper.

I hope you all got out your supplies today, or this weekend, and had some fun celebrating!

Happy Stampin'