Love Birds and a Yummy Tea Ring!

At the top is the image I chose for inspiration for my card today. It's easier to tell what I used by seeing it with the results of my efforts on the same photo, I think.

Christmas cards are over for sure. Now I'm working on January birthdays and Valentines. I thought these funny love birds were perfect for my little warped sense of humor!

Today is baking day. DS and family are coming around 1 to give me some help. The Swedish bread, filled with almonds and cinnamon sugar, takes hours, and an extra pair of hands is wonderful. Paul is a marvelous cook, and has always liked to do this project with me. Sometimes we even make a double batch (6 rings), and he takes some to the Teacher's Party at school. They will stay for dinner, and cards afterwards, if the snow isn't too bad. Have a wonderful day......if you are getting this big storm, stay home and snug!!

I thought you might like to see the first of three tea rings........it just came out of the oven, and it's glazed with conf. sugar, milk, and almond. Boy, does it ever smell good. It's on the foil that will keep it until Christmas morning in the freezer.

Ornament with a Cardinal

This has been quite a day. I had a Dr. appt for some steroid shots in my neck and head at 8:30. We got lost, and after 45 minutes, found the office. He was late so it was okay. I got out of there at a little after 11, so DH said we should go out for lunch, and I should have a glass of wine. I didn't argue with that.

He needed a couple pair of slacks for his Officiating of Winter Track and Field, so we got those, and got home about 1:30. The LSC was waiting for me, so I got to work.

My Jake is coming here after school today. He and Mommy are Jewish, so I wait to trim the tree until he can do it with me. He loves to put up the ornaments his Dad made when he was a little boy. I thought he might enjoy making an ornament too, so i cut extra silver and gold fleur-de-lis, and stamped a Santa face for him to color. That should be enough...he's only 10. Phew. Busy day.

NANCYRUTH (Levine) has been a primary enabler in making this ornament....she FORCED me to buy this Spellbinder template. She just FORCED me! that's it. Hope you like it. Seeya.

THT028 Color Challenge

This week the Treehouse Thursday Challenge is to use: vanilla, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip. What you see here is two views of the same thing. One open and one closed. My mother loves butterflies, and there is one on the outside of the little package, and one on the little envelope inside, which contains vanilla scented sachet. She will have a few of these to put in her bureau drawers to make things smell good. YUM! Who doesn't love the smell of vanilla?

Please feel free to join us in the THT028, by putting that in your keyword so we can find it. On my sidebar is the list of the rest of the DT.... check out their blogs to see what they have done. Also, go to the TreehouseStamps blog and enter your own creation with Mr. Linky!! See you again next Thursday with another fun challenge!

Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge #18

Here are the two items we had to give us inspiration for this week's challenge. these beautifully packaged soaps are available at Anthropologie.

They are wonderful shea butter soaps, and their scents sound wonderful. The Pine has apple, orange, candied fruits and pine. The Berry has apple, cranberry vanilla and musk. The information about these products can be seen here: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/category.jsppopId=HOME&navAction=middle&navCount=15&isSortBy=true&pushId=HOME-BATH&id=ACCESSORIES-BEAUTY-SOAP

I combined both of the colors to create this card. I used my Tapestry stamps to make the wreath around the oval that I cut out. The inside scalloped ovals are punched out, and Santa is popped up. Finished off with a pretty RED bow.

Please join us in the challenge (putting DDIC in your keyword), and be sure to look at the DT's cards. You'll find links to their blogs on my sidebar. See you in the New Year!

Lavender Birthday

I have a real problem using my designer paper. I am a hoarder. I must have 50,000 sheets of paper, and for some reason it sits waiting to be cut. Maybe that's it... the cutting is so final!

Today I made an effort to use MS Hydrangea and some Italian dp I bought ages ago. The colors in the paper determined the colors I painted my flowers. I hope the birthday girl likes it, and that you do too.

Have a great day.

MMTPT72 TreehouseStamps Gingerboy

The Teaparty this week involves a cookie swap. I think ginger boys are the best cookies to bring. They are fun to look at, and more fun to eat. They have a nice zippy taste, and are perfect dunked in tea. I included my recipe. I prefer mine without icing .... it gets all melty in the hot tea, and looks awful dripping down my chin!

I used my new TreehouseStamps set called Sweets for the Sweet. All the rest is punches, a brad and some nice satin ribbon. This set is really fun... it has lots of cute kitchen-y stuff. Go to the website (you can get there from my sidebar) and take a look!! I'll be seeing you at the teaparty! YUM!

Polka Dots and Blossoms

A fast upload today for the DDC (thanks joan ervin) - polka dots, and the CC249. I'm off to the hairdresser for a cut, and then to the grocery store with DH. Gotta get started on my breads for Christmas.

Have a wonderful day. Seeya later!!

CAS45 Curvy Birds

Moving on with Valentine cards, this is for the Clean and Simple Challenge. The theme was "curves", and these birds are that!!!

I have had this embossing plate for a long time, and hardly ever think to use dry emboss as a technique. I'm so glad I thought of it today, because I really love this!! I used a small heart punch, and my MS heart border punch. Polished it off with a RED ribbon, and done. I hope you like it.

Spent the weekend decorating the house, and it looks like Christmas will arrive after all!!

IC210 Peaceful Lamb

Isn't this just the sweetest lamb? It's a Bosscut, and the few I have of these wonderful cut outs are fabulous I think.

The Inspiration Challenge at SCS today I thought was awful....IMHO. The items were ugly, and most were put on something that looked like a spiky dog collar. How do you make anything out of that???

I took my pinking nesties and pale blue which was on some of the items, and went with my own idea. I have a wonderful friend who lives far away now. We have bought each other sheep and lambs for years. I try to send her something like this every Christmas, and I think she will love it. It all stems from a joke someone told us a long time ago (and not a clean joke, but so funny we couldn't look at each other for days without bursting into peals of laughter), and the gifts began then. I think maybe it's been going on for about 20 years. So that's my story....and my card for today. Have a fabulous day, ALL of you, and hugs to you from me!

Happy New Year!

I hope you don't mind another card for the challenge .... I was having withdrawal symptoms from a lack of using RED.

Maybe you can tell I'm tired of making Christmas cards.......I feel like I've been doing them for months.......wait, I have!!

This is a little change of pace, to make New Year's cards. I thought the idea of stars went right with it. Thanks for looking, and I promise I'm done for today. PROMISE.

Whooo.......misses you?

The Limited Supplies Challenge today was to use a star and a ribbon. I think gold cord qualifies, don't you?

I had needed to make a card for a friend who is far away...... I miss her the most during the holidays. She has an owl living in her backyard, and has taken lots of pictures of him/her. I think she will get a kick out of this one, Olivia, by Treehouse Stamps.

This was done by masking and sponging. I had to put a lot of things together to make this little scene. I hope you like it.

THT027 Tag...... and WT248 - 2nd post.

The Treehouse Thursday challenge today was to make a tag. You have NO idea how hard is was for me to not do something to go with the underwear idea below.

I had this wonderful digi image from Two For Tuesday, and WOW! did it ever fit the words "in the meadow we can build a snowman". How perfect. As a result, the tag is for both the challenges this morning.

Join us in the tag challenge....put THT027 in your keyword. Have a great day!

We Three Kings for the WT

The challenge this morning was to make a card based on the music from a Christmas carol. When DH asked what the challenge was, he started singing, "We Three Kings..." That reminded me of this stamp I bought years ago and never inked up.

The rest of the story..... My first thought was "Walking in a Winter Wonderland", but in this house we sing a parody that goes "Walking 'round in women's underwear". I thought that a lingerie card would be fun, but maybe not today. PLMK what you think....it's not too late to have a giggle!!

Big News!!

HOORAY!

I have been selected to be a Design Team Member for Treehouse Stamps, beginning January 2010! Ashley Bowen (company owner) and Neva McMullen(Design Team Coordinator) have just posted the new team on the Treehouse Blog here:

http://www.treehousestamps.blogspot.com/
The new team is listed in my sidebar, along with the link to find the blog and the company for purchasing stamps. Stay tuned..............

Creative Belli Challenge #80

The CBC this week is to use flourishes on your card or project.

This card is very simple, but I think it's also very pretty and feminine. The bg is kraft, and at the bottom is vellum, stamped with the flourish from SU's Baroque Motifs. The butterfly is also stamped vellum (Priceless), and I polished it off with a satin ribbon and some gold domes. I couldn't wait to use a new border punch from MS....and that's it.

Join us, and put CBC80 in your keyword!

Don't forget to check in on the rest of the Design Team, and if you would like to be a DT member, go to the blog for details....we are having a SEARCH!!

Birthday in Pink and Orange

My friend Mary loves orange. She's the only person I know that loves it!! Her birthday is in January, so it's not too soon to make her a card (I just won't send it yet!).

The sketch challenge at SCS today was just right for this image and sentiment, but in order to make it fit, I had to flip it on its side. I love the paper, I wish I knew where I got it. The image is from Paper Parachute, and is stamped twice, cut out and popped.

Thanks for looking today, andmake it a fun one!

A Little Tree For Me!

This card takes care of three challenges today.......the CC of razz, banana, and artichoke.

The DDC this week is hosted by Julia (artystamper) who dared us to make a Christmas Thank you card in warm winter colors. Join us, and put DDC in your keyword.

The MMTPT71 is hosted by Lisa. Here is my story. In the night, the snowmen, snowwomen and snowkids put their boots to good use. They sing and dance, and play in the snow. This little guy has gone out to the deep woods and found himself a Christmas tree to decorate.......and it's just his size!! The snow is pretty deep, and he's kinda little, so he had better get back to his family fast.....the morning is not too far away!!

Puppy Love in RED (CAS)

How fun to wake up to a challenge that calls for RED! oh..and also brown. Any other color is merely secondary!

The puppy is from CatsPajamas, and I added an embossed border, but all the rest is RED ... the twill ribbon, the headband, the brad DeelieBoppers, and the popped up heart.

I'm glad to be making Valentine's Day cards, because they are ... you know! Have a great day!

Son's Birthday Card

Our eldest son, David, is turning 45 (!!) in January. I can't believe it!! Anyway, he is an avid and fabulous golfer. He and his family just purchased a condo in FL just a mile and a half from a golf course that he loves. My grandson Nate is a pretty good golfer too at age 15.

I cased our FS Michelle today, and kept her tent topper layout and bg, but changed everything else to accommodate this wonderful image.

I think David will get a kick out of this. I always make him a golf-themed card. Maybe he's sick of them, I don't know, but I'm not!

We had a few inches of snow last night, and the day is bright and clear....perfect for taking pictures. This came out true to color for a change! Thanks for looking, and enjoy the day!!

Acetate for the StampinB's and LSC Across the Sky!

I just had to add another card today, and the StampinB's challenge was up, so here it is. The challenge was to use acetate, either as a card or as a window. It also fit with the LSC because it was white cardstock and only one color, Rose Romance.

Below is the card I made first for the LSC....I kinda like them both.

The LSC today was to make something in WHITE, but limited layers, and only one color of ink. While I was in NH on vacation last month, I bought this wonderful Dreamweaver stencil, and hadn't used it. I really thought I was done making Christmas cards.....mine go out today, but then again, are we ever truly done with anything???LOL! The bg is cb'd with the Snowflakes embossing folder, and I used a new EKSuccess punch and my scalloped scissors. I sponged some Cool Caribbean over the raised part so you could see it better, and popped that panel up. A bow, and done. I hope you like it. Enjoy the day! Hugs to you all.