Melanie Muenchinger's Blog Hop

First blog of the year!  Wahooo!  I made this card for Melanie Muenchinger's Blog Hop -- It came together REALLY fast!  She has an incredible blog that will blow your socks off.  She will teach you so many things and share her techniques.  The template for her desk is here.  It can be made into a sewing desk, a makeup desk , computer station or anything else you can think of --- It's fun!

The "carpet" is a Freebie download on Stamp TV called Jersey Shore.  Check out the Freebie Tab, there are lots of goodies!

Melanie created this stamp set that has SO many pieces.  You will find yourself using this set over and over.  It has quite a few sentiments for different occasions.

Melanie's stamp set is called:  Tech Talk
Paper:  GKD White cardstock, misc blue cardstock and dp
Ink:  SU Chocolate Chip

 

Desk is Melanie's Template

The carpet -- looks like a Berber carpet is one of Gina K Designs Freebies download

Misc. dp

Computer is Gina K Designs Tanned Leather and white cardstock

Valentines Tradtions

The next few posts will be about Valentine's Day.  Such a happy day -- I look forward to this holiday because after my Christmas trees are down and all the decorations put away, everything looks so dull.  Our winters tend to be gray, dull wet days so things that are pink and red are so welcome. 

Did you know that women by 85% of all Valentines?

In the past some Valentines were made using some of these techniques.  I want to make a couple using the hole punching technique so in a few days look for them on my blog.

Acrostic - the first line of the verses spelled out the recipient's name

Cutout - the paper was folded and cut into a lace-like design using small, pointed scissors.

Pinprick - using a pin or needle, tiny holes were punched in the paper to make it look like lace.

Stamps: GKD Sweetest Memories
Paper: GKD Black Onyx, dp from Making Memories,
Other: Cuttlebug, misc. ribbon

 and a red one:

 

Stamp: backgrounds from GKD Stamp Kit Bold Flowers and Carolyn King's Warm Winter Wishes and Nina Brackett's Vintage Borders, Melanie Muenchinger's Hip to Be Square, sentiment is from GKD Tag Lines
Paper: GKD Rocket Red cardstock, misc. pink dp
Other: cuttlebug, misc punches

 

More Valentines

I can hardly believe Christmas is over and it's time to be thinking of other holidays.  Here are a few valentines I made today.  It was a lazy day for me; time to stamp, watch a little tv and doing a few chores. 

Stamps: Asela Hopkins Framed Friends, 
sentiment is from GKD Tag Lines 
(which is a great set - lines for all kinds 
of occasions and the font is cool)
Paper: "Rocket Red, misc. pink, misc dp
Other: scallop punch, copic markers

Stamps: Asela Hopkins Framed Friends, sentiment is from GKD's Basket of Happiness
Paper: GKD Rocket Red, misc. pink
Other: Cuttlebug, scallop punch, misc ribbon

Valentines Day is Coming!!

Christmas was just yesterday, but the valentine candy is already out at Hobby Lobby!  So here are my first two cards for Valentine's.

Stamps: Misc. flourish, Gina K Designs Sweetest Memories
Paper:  Misc. dp
Other:  Misc. ribbon, Cuttlebug heart, pearls

The first one is in response to a DT call at Creative Belli. Check out their blog!  I really like flourishes and this one was an easy, quick and simple one.  It would be great if you had a number of cards to make.  Stop back by and see the other cards and projects I'll be making.  Valentines is such a fun time.
Second card:

Stamps: Gina K Designs Sweetest Memories
Paper:  Making Memories dp, Gina K Designs Black Onyx, Pure Luxury White 
Other:  Misc. ribbon, Cuttlebug heart

Christmas Tradition

Our church has a Christmas eve tradtion of handing out cookies to people who are having to work on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve.  Ladies of the church bake the cookies, package them ready for our Christmas Eve Service.  After the service each family gets a bag of cookies to hand out to someone on their way home -- we stop by Fire Departments, Nursing Homes (for the nurses/aides), gas stations, etc. I found these cookies at Crate and Barrel and knew I just had to make a few toppers to go with the cookies.  It went along with a challenge from Stamp TV -- take the time to play along -- you could win a fabulous stamp set of your choice.

Here is a card I made for my sister Debbie.  Recently we had a scrapping weekend and we used glitter.  We had glitter EVERYWHERE.  The image came from a sweet lady, Karen Knegten who mailed it to me and then I colored it with copic markers.  Check out Karen's page -- she has some wonderful cards!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

My wish for you and your family:  that you would know the reality of His name: Wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.  Isa. 9:6

 Last minute visiting and wrapping I'm sure is only everyone's list.  Here are two ideas.
DH wanted to visit 2 friends for just a minute the other night and I had not baked anything for them.  I ran to my stamp area and came up with these two tags. I did them in about 3 minutes!

Stamps: Nina Brackett's Vintage Christmas and Stamp TV Kit Holiday Cheer, the "TO: FROM:" is from Asela Hopkins' First Christmas
Paper:  Gina K Designs Rocket Red
Other:  Gold Embossing powder, cuttlebug to cut ovals

Here is another one - I did not want to buy a whole roll of paper today to wrap one little gift! (I'll wait for the sales on Saturday) Gina K challenged us to design some wrapping paper - play along here and you might win one of Gina K Designs stamp sets!

Stamp:  Nina Brackett's Vintage Borders and "TO: FROM:" is from Asela Hopkins' First Christmas
Ribbon:  Gina K Designs Rocket Red Polka Dot
Other:  Oval tag cut with Cuttlebug Die


I stamped the flourish on some paper that I've had for a hundred years!  It came on a roll and is just plain.  It is thinner than butcher paper and just begs for stamping!  


Let me make a plug for Gina K Designs ribbon -- I love that stuff.  I know she has looked hard for a good ribbon that ties/lays well.  Over the years I've collected a lot of ribbon and it is all gathering dust because there is just no comparison on the quality of GKD.  The price is extremely economical.  Just go here to the ribbon category and order a little to sample and you will be hooked!

STAMP TV MEMBER BLOG HOP

It's time for our December customer blog hop!

This month, Gina K challenged all Stamp TV members to create a card or scrapbook page using one of her new release stamp sets.

This month's release stamp sets are:
Tech Talk
Life is Good
Lovely Shelf
Warm and Wonderful
Sweetest Memories
or
the StampTV Holiday Cheer Kit

Here is what I made:  

Stamps: Nina Brackett's Lovely Shelf and Elegant Verses
Paper: Gina K Designs Creme de menthe, Pure Luxury White, Chocolate Kiss and misc dp
Other: Ink was Chocolate Chip

and a second one -- at the last minute

Stamps:  Rupa Shevde's Warm and Wonderful, and Gina K Designs Sweetest Memories
the little posts came from Rupa Shevde's Home Tweet Home -- I cut off the birdhouse and added a little length
Paper:  Gina K's Pure Luxury White and misc. dp
Other:  copic markers, superfine glitter

NOW go check out Gina K's blog to see some wonderful cards for inspiration!!

I AM NOT A PHOTOGRAPHER!!

Well, Time for Christmas plays.  Thursday morning I woke up EARLY to drive 2 1/2 hours to see grandson #2 (4 years old) in his Christmas play.  Several days before I asked H. what part he was going to play.  He said "Mary and Joseph".  I said "Both Mary & Joseph?!"  He said "yes".  Well we talked for a while and he said he wasn't Mary or Joseph.  So I asked if he was going to be the Inn Keeper.  He said "Yes". So in a few minutes he said, his friend was going to be the Inn Keeper.  Acutally he was going to wear a crown -- he wasn't a king, but like a king.  So I asked if he was going to be a Wise Man.  He said "No".  Then after further questioning, we concluded he was going to be a shepherd.  For a little while we thought this Christmas Play was going to be a ONE Man Play!!  We were so amused!!  So here is what we saw at the play.  He was a Wise Man!

I had lunch with grandson #3 (18 months) and then rushed back home (2 1/2 hr drive) to see grandson #1 (8 years old) in his Christmas Play.  He was one of the singers.  My daughter got there 30 minutes before the play began to save seast and it was so crowded, we ended up in the 2nd row from the back.  My photography is TERRIBLE, but here he is.

What fun to see Christmas from a grandparents perspective.

Wagons

I needed two gifts for two of my traveling companions and came up with giving a jar of preserves I made this summer, but wanted to do something different to put them in  -- On Gina K's technique for making square envelopes she mentions the Scor-pal web site and I took a look.  Oh, my goodness there are TONS of ideas.  I made the little wagon for the preserves.  I had to make the wheels a little sturdier with additional wheels stacked together and attached them with brads.

Then I used Shrink Wrap and ribbon to finish them up.
Stamp: Gina K Designs Festive Labels
Paper: Gina K Designs Rocket Red and All Spruced Up
Other: Scor-pal tape (the BEST!), punches, brads

Then I stamped some paper bags and put the Preserve Wagons in the paper bags

Stamp: GKD Holiday Cheer, Snowflake is from Holiday Hospitality, sentiment is Nina Brackett's Vintage Borders
Paper: GKD Tan Leather and In the Navy cardstock
and the second one:
Stamps: Nina Brackett's Vintage Borders
Paper: All Spruced Up, Rocket Red and GKD download Feeling Flaky
Other: Star Punch, branch punch

My favorite part was making the tags.  Love making tags -- they are quick and easy --- and I can use scraps!

Christmas Treat Recipe Blog Hop

Several members of the Center Stage Spotlight Team have joined together to share a special Christmas Treat Recipe Blog Hop event with everyone tonight! They have whipped up some treats in their kitchens and their stamp rooms over the past few weeks so we could compile our very first Recipe Book for StampTV!

 Here is my recipe.  It is one I used to make with my girls when they were little.  It is so easy and even the adults like it!  I've good memories of making them!  The girls thought it was the best candy/cookie ever!  So, so easy to make children happy.

Packaging

I adhered the dp to Gina K Designs Ivory cardstock which made a very sturdy basket.  The basket which can be used for SO MANY things is called Sweet Treat Basket and is a FREE down load at Stamp TV.

Stamps:  Rupa Shevde's Easter Blessings, GKD Holiday Greetings
Paper: Rocket Red, Ivory, Good as Gold, Misc. dp
Misc. gold embossing powder, cuttlebug, gold brads

Check out these designer's blogs for the sweet projects they've designed around their treats:

Carolina Buchting
Carla Suto
Deb Felts
Donna Baker
Giovana Smith
Jennie Harper
Jessica Fick
Joy Hadden
Karen Knegten
Kay Simmons
Lee Murphy
Linda Payne
Lori McAree
Melissa Cash
Pam Imholz
Selma Stevenson
Sue Morris
Sue VanDeVusse
Sue Walsh
Vicki Dutcher

Then, stop by GinaK's blog for a super sweet give-away she has tonight in honor of the hop!

The Recipe Book will be available as a free download PDF on StampTV tonight as well. Look for it on the Freebie Tab link.

I LOVE TAGS!!

Here are a few tags I've made.  Making tags is a lot of fun.  You can use scraps of favorite paper and ribbon and as an added feature, they are quick.  I think I'll make tags for Valentine's cards.

I placed these in a Gina K Designs' clear pillow boxes.  This is the medium size clear pillow box.  The tags are approx. 2 1/4 x 3 1/2.  I used a Quick Kutz die on my Cuttlebug.  I found the die on clearance at Hobby Lobby.  I also got a Nesting Heart die on clearance!!

Stamp: Nina Brackett Vintage Border, Asela Hopkins First Christmas
Paper: Rocket Red, Ivory, misc dp
Other: star, snowflake punch, cuttlebug
Ribbon: misc

Snow in Louisiana

My sisters and I had a weekend at our vacation house in Louisiana.  We left around 6:00 and got into town about 9:30 -- It was late and DARK.  The headlights picked up the reflection of some white stuff -- Oh, my word it was SNOW!!  Never in the weather history of Hornbeck had there ever been such an early snow.  It disappeared the next day, but Debbie got off some good shots

Driveway to the house

Cards and a Give Away

Here are a couple of projects I did in one afternoon.  The box of fireplace matches was SUPER easy.  I got boxes of matches at Big Lots -- I should have bought more. 






Now for the give away go here and you will be please with some of the card ideas and you could win a Spectacular Holiday Giveaway pile of card making supplies.