Family Christmas

For the very first year, I did not have Christmas.  David, our eldest, offered to have us all, and gratefully I accepted.  My knee surgery was not quite a week old, and I was glad to be able to sit for the most part.

Amy made Swedish meatballs with help from Tommy and John, and Erin made the beautiful tea rings from my last post.  Tom made his fabulous corn casserole that we all missed on Thanksgiving.

David regaled us with rib roasts, spinach and cheese, and baked potatoes stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon (oh boy......that put me right over the top).  Sarah made us dips and plenty of Chex Mix (my personal fav!).

The day before my surgery, Cousin Greg came and we made kruppkakor together - we've talked about doing it for years, and finally did - and I also made pickled pears and sylta, so we ended up with a Swedish Christmas after all.

There was WAY TOO MUCH food altogether, and by dinner time, Jay and I passed, going instead for a little nosh.

Everyone was pleased with presents.  You can see our happy faces in this picture taken by Nate's girlfriend Samantha.

I hope your Christmas was as happy as ours was.....the only comment Jay and I made to each other was that we couldn't believe how fast the grands had become adults!

On the left: David, Sarah, Sam, and Nate in front.
Center:  Jay and me (with one steristrip on my knee)
Right:  Amy and Tom, Erin, John, and Tommy in front.

Oh YUM!

Our talented granddaughter Erin, at Culinary School, has outdone her grandmother (ME!) by not only making our family favorite Swedish Tea Ring, but decorating it as well!

Apparently she made it for a class, and it has become a huge hit......and well it should, as it is as delicious as it looks!!  Brava Erin!!!

CCEE1649 Gingerbread

From Maryann:

"According to the Days f the Year Web Site, the 10th of December is Gingerbread Decorating Day, and the 12th of December is Gingerbread House Day.  So for our challenge this week, let's include something gingerbread related on our cards."

I just love this new set from SU with the gingerbread boy and girl, and used them to add to my Double Z Fold card.

Please join us in this our last challenge for the year.  Post your card HERE.

Greetings from Montpelier VT!

This morning I am posting two pictures I got from our granddaughter at Culinary School.  The first is the landscape as she walked from her apartment VERY EARLY to her pastry class......I think she leaves before 5:30 AM.

She called it "Walking in a Winter wonderland, and it sure is gorgeous!

Then this is her Final Exam in her Laminations class.........Cruffins (a croissant in the shape of a muffin), with brown butter pastry cream, and maple sugared pecans on top.  They sold out immediately at the school bakery in downtown Montpelier.  And no wonder!!

I just hate it when she sends pictures of her pastry.....I salivate for nothing!!!  But...........

WAY TO GO, ERIN !!

CCEE1648 RED!

Maryann is our Hostess for the month of December, where we have only two challenges.

She tells us, "Today is 'Eat a RED Apple Day', so in the spirit of Christmas let's create something includes the color RED."  How perfect is that for ME!!!!!

Join us in making a RED card, and post yours HERE on our blog.

CCEE1647 Pins and Needles

For her last Challenge, Frances told us :

Sunday, November 27th is Pins and Needles Day, which commemorates the opening of a historical Broadway play called Pins and Needles.  This week, let's create cards with a sewing theme, using either stamps, dies, papers, buttons, pins, needles, or any combination of the above.

Inside, my card says "What's Up?"

My stamps are from MFP, and I used the dress form die from PTI, along with the chevron dies, and an oval Nestie.

Please join us, linking your card HERE.

CCEE1646 Bear

Frances tells us yesterday was "Have a Party with Your Bear Day", so to celebrate, she challenged us to feature bears on our cards this week.

These images are from Stampendous.  Of course, this card will go to one of our grands!

Join us on our blog with your card of a bear HERE.

WInter Trees

I don't usually post the cards I make daily......they are always on SplitCoastStampers if you really want to see them. (Or on Pinterest)  Today was the exception.

I followed the sketch that's posted every Wednesday.

I turned it 90 degrees, and made my card.  Here it is.

The trees in the front take the place of three of the circles, and for the fourth I die cut and sponged two clouds.

When I had it all done, it looked a little sparse, so I punched out some RED birds.  Still not finished looking, I sprayed the whole card with White Linen to make snow.  Then it was done.

I love the look of the gently sponged sky with soft clouds, and the pines in the background.  I hope you like it too.  If you are looking at this card, and you receive it in the mail for Christmas, you won't be surprised, but in real life, the cards are much better in person!

Stamps: Inkadinkado, Paper Co. Studio

Inks: Cool Caribbean, Handsome Hunter (Stampin' Up), Ranger White Linen Spray

Paper: White, RED, Hunter

Dies: Memory Box clouds, Dee's Winter Tree

CCEE1645 Origami

Frances tells us:

"Tomorrow, November 11th is Origami Day.  Let's include something origami on our cards.  It could be a folded shirt, dress, crane, a folded box - whatever you like."

I made an origami doll, following this SCS tutorial.  At first I went to Pinterest, and tried a bat, then a frog, and ended up more confused than when I started!!!  This one looks so easy, but it's NOT!!!

If you are brave, join us, and link your origami piece to our blog HERE.

CCEE1644 Wobble

Frances is our Hostess for the month of November....  Here is her first challenge:

"The 2nd of November was Wobbly Wednesday, the day to bring awareness to a condition called Nystagmus, a non-stop and uncontrolled movement of the eyes, symptomatic of problems with the visual system of the brain and body.  For our challenge this week, let's add something wobbly on our card....it could be those fun wobbly eyes, action wobbles or some other form of movement on your card."

I just love this image and saying from Your Next Stamp, and after cutting it out, added an action wobble to the back of the light bulb for a little fun.  This card will go to one of my grandsons.

Feel free to join us, adding your card to our blog HERE.

CCEE1643 Recipe Card

For her last challenge, Joanne gives us a recipe:
 Circular and square elements
 Flower(s)
 Dry Embossing
 Bling

This was really fun!!

The Chloe Stems are the circular element.  The 2 layer flowers have little tiny rhinestones inside them.  I added leaves and a ribbon, and distressed the edges of the squares.  This card is in very soft shades of green and tan, and was hard to photograph, so I've added a little description.

Thanks for looking.  Please join the team for a look at what they have done, and add your card to our blog HERE.

CCEE1642 One Layer card

This week Joanne has a double Challenge for us:  First you must make a true one layer card....nothing popped up or embellished. Second the card must have a Halloween or Thanksgiving theme.

My card is made with the Autumn Days set from Stampin' Up.  I used only markers rubbed on the stamps, in RED, orange, olive, and brown, on tan paper.  The sentiment is also SU.

Please join us, linking your card on our BLOG, where you can see the cards made by the rest of the team.  Be sure to be here next week for Joanne's last challenge.

CCEE1641 World Sight Day

For Joanne's second challenge, she says'

"Today is World Sight Day.  Include glasses, eye charts, or a sentiment related to one's sight on your card."

I thought this would make a fun tall card!!  Isn't the sentiment just perfect for the image??

Please join us HERE.

CCEE1640 Get Well

Joanne begins the month of October as our hostess.  For her first challenge, she says:

"Today is Physician's Assistant Day.  In honor of that, let's make get well cards."

I started with the sentiment from Inky Antics, and went into my OLD Christmas stamps for this angel from Stampin' Up.  Lots of vanilla and purple, and a pretty print.  I hope you like it.

Please join us HERE on our blog with your get well card, and check out what the rest of the team has done..

CCEE1639 Christmas/Winter

Today, as her last challenge, Lois says,

"Summer is over.  Let's make a Christmas and/or Winter card."

I made a Z-fold card, using Tapestry stamps in RED and green.

Please join us, linking your card HERE.

CCEE1638 Follow the List

This week Lois has given us a list to follow:

Include on your card (1) animal
                                  (2) layers
                                  (3) colors (plus neutrals - black, white, gray - if you wish)

I used gray for the words and the fox, and white paper.  On this I used dp in green, pink, and blue.  I think all this fits the list.

Please join us, posting you card HERE.  See you next week!

CCEE1637 Just Die Cuts

Lois gave us the new challenge:  Make a card with NO stamping - just die cuts.

I used die cut circles, flowers, ferns, and pennants.

Thanks for looking.  I hope you will want to join us.  If you do, please link to our blog HERE.

CCEE1636 W-O-R-D

Lois gave us a word challenge this week - the word being WORD.  Include something on your card that begins with each of the letters in W-O-R-D.

Today is also our 53rd anniversary!!  This card will go to my DH.  Inside it says, "thanks for all you do"!

W = white;  O = owl;  R = round;  D = doily

Please feel free to join us HERE, where you can see the rest of the team, and post your own entry.

See you again next Thursday!

Halloween Accordian

Here are the panels of the Halloween Accordian I made with the 5 Little Pumpkins, a finger play for Kindergarteners:

This is the outside (first panel)

2nd panel

Next:

Next:

Last:

And this is what it looks like open a bit.

Tied with a ribbon, I think it's kinda cute!

CCEE1635 Bokeh Background

Our hostess for the month of September is Lois.  Her first challenge to us is to use a simple technique - Bokeh Background, which can be found HERE.

I used green galore and only orange for my Bokeh circles, since I wanted to keep the carrot colors.  I also stamped the carrot inside the card.

Please join us, linking your card HERE.