Rockin' in the New Year 2008!

Five, four, three, two, one . . .

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Did you all stay up until midnight to ring in the New Year 2008? It was a nice, quiet New Year's Eve for us, with an early dinner and a movie...and then while DH watched football, I spent some time in my craft room watching Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve! I even got to see the eco-friendly ball drop! :)

This rockin' card was created especially for the sketch challenge on MJ Albright's blog, Beauty Lies Within. Her blog is fabulous, plus she's giving away blog candy, so you'll want to rock on over there and check it out! :) Sketch challenges are SO fun and just the creative spark I need at times. Thanks to MJ and to all the super bloggers who create these sketches for us to enjoy!

On to my rockin' monkey card... :) I hope you like it and that it makes you SMILE! Now, for some details... it's a 4-3/4" square with Stampin Up Chocolate Chip for the base. I've layered on designer paper from a K & Company stack... a double-sided paper and I've used both sides of it. When Hobby Lobby had their stamps half price, I picked up this rockin' rubber stamp by Stampendous ~ Changito Pair. The "you rock" sentiment is from a $1 acrylic Studio G set from Michaels. I stamped it with Versafine Vintage Sepia and embossed it with a detail clear embossing powder.

As Dick Clark said... "from the bottom of my heart, I wish you a happy, healthy New Year!

Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~

Stamps: Stampendous - H235 Changito Pair, Studio G - you rock

Paper: "Wild Saffron" by K & Company, Stampin Up Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi

Ink: Versafine Black Onyx, Versafine Vintage Sepia, Stampendous detail clear embossing powder

Other: brown eyelet & brad, green grograin ribbon, prismacolor pencils, Stampin Up small and large oval punches, stitching with Janome Sew mini

Quote for Today ~

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Cuddle in Snow!

Doesn't this image just warm your heart?! It's "Cuddle in Snow" by Penny Black and one that I purchased from my favorite eBay seller Michelle at "Stamper's Dream".

What do you think of this color combination? I love this bright flowery snowflake paper from my DCWV Christmas Glitter Stack, but did struggle a little with toning it down so the image was the focal point and not the background. I think I accomplished it by layering on a piece of polka dot coordinating paper and allowing only small portions of the bright flowers showing.

Best of all, I used my new rectangle "Nestibilities" for this card! I love them and the professional layered look you get. I have the ovals and rectangles and now I want the circles and squares too! Oh my, will it ever end?! :)

The image was colored with prismacolor pencils and blended with gamsol. I was going to add diamond glitter Stickles, but forgot to do it before I took the photo. There is some glitter in the background paper so it would nice for the image to have some sparkle too.

Did you check out that cute little flower tag? The sentiment is punched out with a 3/4" circle and I had originally layered it with the 1" circle. It just wasn't quite right and I was checking to see if I had a 7/8" circle when I spotted the flower punch and thought to try it. I really like how it matches the scalloped edge around the image. It was pure luck, I tell ya! :)

Well, now I need to get busy and put away all the Christmas decorations and get the house back in order in time to bring in the New Year! Hopefully, I will be back to stamping later today!

Wishing you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR filled with many reasons to SMILE!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Penny Black - Cuddle in Snow, TAC Tag Tidbits
Paper: DCWV Glittler Christmas Stack, Stampin Up Wild Wasabi, Bashful Blue
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Other: Stampin Up small flower punch, Wild Wasabi stitched ribbon, prismacolor pencils, gamsol, Spellbinders Nestibilities, stitching with Janome Sew Mini

Quote for Today ~
"Winter is on my mind, but eternal Spring is in my heart." ~ Victor Hugo

Elzybell Winter Girl Thank You Card ~

This sweet little Elzybell "Winter Girl" image was mailed to me by a stampin friend in Minnesota. Thanks Tami! :) Now I keep going to the Elzybells Art Stamps website and wishing I had more of these cute stamps!

When Tami sent the image it had already been punched out with a scallop punch. I have the Marvy Uchida giga scalloped punch and it was just slightly larger than hers. The layers are Stampin Up real red and garden green cardstock. They seem to coordinate best with this patterned paper from my DCWV Christmas Glitter Stack. The card is a traditional 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 folded at the top.

I've noticed many blogs are posting Valentine's or "Springy" cards and I'm anxious to make some myself, but I'm still trying to use all my wintry images. Thank you all for stopping by and stay tuned for some SNOWMAN cards later! Have a warm and wonderful day! Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~
Stamps: Elzybell Art Stamps, Ltd - Winter Girl, TAC tag tidbits
Paper: Stampin Up - real red, garden green, DCWV Christmas Glittler Stack
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, detailed embossing powder, SU garden green
Other: Red brads, ribbon, stitching, diamond glitter Stickles, emboss pen, white embossing powder

Quote for Today ~

Take care of the minutes and the hours, and the years will take care of themselves. ~ unknown

Another Winter Song ~

My favorite LSS is hosting an Elzybell card contest and this will be my entry. Please wish me *luck* because the prize is a gift certificate to the store! :)

I love this sweet little image and think it fits perfectly on the mega circle punch. This card is 4.75" square and quite similar to one that I made earlier this month. I used the same layout and changed the paper. Actually, I just found this plaid background paper in my DCWV Christmas stack and noticed it coordinated with the paisley paper.

I've colored the image with prismacolor pencils and highlighted with diamond stickles. It's hard to see in the photo, but I've also white embossed the fur on Elzy's hat and coat.

Thank you dear friends for stopping by my blog today! I appreciate your comments and wish you a warm and wonderful winter day! Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~
Stamps: Elzybells Art Stamps - A Winter Song, PapertreyInk-Holiday Treats
Paper: DCWV Glitter Christmas Stack, Stampin Up real red
Ink: Versafine black onyx, SU real red
Other: red/white polka dot ribbon, light blue brad, mini tag-Make it Possible Holiday Wishes Stax, prismacolor pencils, diamond Stickles, Zig Emboss pen, Ranger seafoam white embossing powder, zig-zag stitching with Janome Sew Mini, Marvy Uchida mega circle & giga scalloped punches.

Poem for Today ~

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December

A magical thing

And sweet to remember.

We are nearer to Spring

Than we were in September,

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December.

--Oliver Herford

Noble Deer Birthday Wishes!

This card was made for our son's 27th birthday coming up on Jan 7th. Andrew is an avid outdoorsman so this image was perfect for him.
The card is a traditional 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" size, but I have cut 2" off the front flap. The patterned paper is layered with chocolate chip and stitched together. As you can see by the photo, the image overlaps the front flap. The patterned paper on the back flap is only 2" wide so there was plenty of space to stamp the sentiment to the left.

The second photo is of a gift card tin that I found at Hobby Lobby and decorated to coordinate with his birthday card. The screw brads look realistic, as if they are screwed into the tin. Actually, they are only through the cardstock and then it is all fastened to the tin with the red double sided tacky tape.

Supplies ~

Stamps: Stampin Up Noble Deer, Everyday Flexible Phrases, Expressive Flexible Phrases
Paper: Basic Grey Hang 10, SU Chocolate Chip, Kraft
Ink: Versafine Sepia, Clear Embossing Powder
Accessories: twine, brads, eyelets, magic mesh

O Christmas Tree!

This morning I took a photo of my living room Christmas tree so I could show my dear friend Donna in Oregon. She sent me a beautiful ribbon ornament and I wanted her to see how perfectly it coordinated with the colors on my tree. Anyway, I thought you might all like to see it too . . .

Happy Day After Christmas! Are you going out shopping the SALES? I'm staying home and enjoying the day in my craft room. :)

Christmas Trivia for Today ~

O Christmas Tree!
O Christmas Tree is a traditional German Christmas Carol. The author of the lyrics is unknown as is the composer of the lyrics. The tradition of bringing a tree inside at Christmas and decorating it with candy, baubles and bells was started in the nineteenth century and is immortalized in the carol O Christmas Tree lyrics.

Christmas JOY & PEACE ~

Wishing you all a very MERRY Christmas!!!

Today was such a relaxing and enjoyable day spent with our son and daughter in law, Andrew & Jami. They were here bright and early to open gifts and then we spent the day together... eating, playing with our new "toys", eating, watched the movie "Christmas Story", took a little snooze and ate some more! :)

Jami and I both received some AWESOME new papercrafting toys. She got the CRICUT and Cuttlebug and I got some NESTIBILITIES dies!!! :) So we spent the afternoon trying them all out and she showed me how the Cricut works. Can you believe I've never seen one in action?! It's just incredible all the things it can do! This COOL die-cut Christmas card is one she made today and I found it on my keyboard after they had gone home. She (and Andy) wrote a lovely thank you note in it before they left. Isn't that SWEET?! [attached is a photo of them this morning with our 'grandpuppy' Ber. ]

We really missed having our daughter Katie here for Christmas, but did get to talk to her on the phone a couple times and wish her "Mele Kalikimaka". And, guess what?! She bought us tickets to visit her in Hawaii next month!!! :) Insert BIG huge smile! :)

I hope you've all enjoyed this special day as much as I have. Christmas Blessings to you and yours!

A Christmas Prayer ~

Lord Jesus, Wise men travelled for miles to bring you the first Christmas presents. So may we, too, remember with thankful hearts the love that comes with each present we open. We also thank you for the amazing love you have for each of us, and we thank you for the many gifts that you give us. Amen

Wonderful Cards from My Creative Friends!

Thank you to all my dear and special friends who took the time to send me all these incredibly beautiful handcrafted Christmas cards. They are all tremendous works of art and I appreciate them SO very very much!

And to those of you who didn't get cards sent out, let me say "I understand!", because I am with you! I had great intentions, but at this point I can see it just isn't going to happen this year. I'm really hoping now that I'll get Valentines sent out instead! :)

Now to quote one of my favorite Penny Black Christmas sentiment stamps . . .

May this joyous Season fill your home with love, your heart with hope, and our world with peace. God's blessings! ~ Pam :)

My Christmas Wish For You!

My Christmas wish for you, my friend

Is not a simple one

For I wish you hope and joy and peace

Days filled with warmth and sun

I wish you love and friendship too

Throughout the coming year

Lots of laughter and happiness

To fill your world with cheer

May you count your blessings, one by one

And when totaled by the lot

May you find all you've been given

To be more than what you sought

May your journeys be short, your burdens light

May your spirit never grow old

May all your clouds have silver linings

And your rainbows pots of gold

I wish this all and so much more

May all your dreams come true

May you have a Merry Christmas friend

And a happy New Year, too! ~ unknown

Christmas Peace to One and All!

Where has this past week gone?! I'm sure most of you are wondering the same thing. Life is especially busy this time of year and there are never enough hours in the day for everything we want to accomplish.

I haven't stamped all week, other than making a few gift tags. For the first time ever, I applied to a design team and didn't make the cut. It shouldn't bother me, but it did take the wind out of my sails for a few days.

This card I made tonight was super simple and the image speaks for itself. I wasn't sure what colors to use, so settled on basic black and white. Hopefully, the simplicity evokes a peacefulness.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas filled with love, joy and peace.

Hugs & Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~

Stamps: Peace - Penny Black

Paper: Stampin Up Basic Black, White

Ink: Versafine Black Onyx, Stampendous Detail Clear Embossing Powder

Other: white brads, white/black polka dot ribbon

Quote for Today ~

"Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day." - Helen Steiner Rice

Elzybell Sprinkles Snowflakes!

Hi friends! Here is my latest Elzybell creation! I got a late start tonight and it's way past my bedtime now, so I'll post all the details tomorrow night. Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Smiles, Pam :)

Quote for Today ~

"Christmas is not just a day, an event to be observed and speedily forgotten. It is a spirit which should permeate every part of our lives." ~William Parks

Colorful Holiday Cheer!

When I finished this card I showed it to hubby and he said, "Wow, that's colorful!" :) I'm not sure it was a compliment, but I'll just consider it one. ;)

The process I go through to create a card is really rather humorous, and perhaps somewhat entertaining. :) I started off with a completely different patterned paper with wild wasabi and purely pomegranate cardstock. I then selected the rubber stamp, stamped it with wild wasabi and versamark and embossed with clear detail embossing powder. This made the image darker, so then I matted it with garden green instead and changed my mind on the patterned paper too! LoL I'm sure you get the picture...

Have you had a good weekend? I hope so! It went WAY too FAST for me! Yesterday, was such a busy day with the Christmas party and today I slept later than I should have. This afternoon, I went to work to decorate a smiley face tree in my office. I forgot my camera, but will take a photo tomorrow so you can see it. :)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today! Holiday Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~

Stamps: tree - Inkadinkado, holiday cheer sentiment - PapertreyInk - Holiday Treats set.

Paper: KI Memories - Christmas Simple Stripe, Christmas Petite Pop, Stampin Up - garden green, wild wasabi, purely pomegranate.

Ink: SU wild wasabi, purely pomegranate, Versamark, Stampendious clear detail embossing powder.

Other: misc pink brads, M's ribbon, 1-1/4, 1-3/8, 1-1/2" circle punches, stitching with Janome Sew Mini.

Quote for Today ~

"At Christmas, play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year!" - Thomas Tusser

Happy Holidays from Mrs Claus!

What a FUN day! I had the pleasure of being "Mrs. Claus" for our company Children's Christmas Party. I've done it for several years and thoroughly enjoy seeing the children's excitement and energy. Usually they get their picture taken with Santa, but this handsome little guy wanted his picture taken with me. Isn't that sweet? :)

There were several hundred in attendance and Santa and I were busy for nearly 3 hours as families stood in line for their photo. Our youngest was a 2 week old baby all the way up to teenagers! Many of them dress up in their fancy Christmas outfits and look so adorable. We had three cute little girls who left a letter with Santa and one gave him a jingle bell. :) As always, there were several small children that screamed and wanted no part of sitting on Santa's lap!

It is really quite a BIG party with games, refreshments and gifts for all the children. I'm happy I can be a part of it as it really puts me in the Holiday Spirit!

Now, I think I'm going to wrap up a few Christmas gifts and clean up my stamping room! I hope to have a new card to post for you tomorrow! Holiday Smiles, Pam :)

Quick Holiday Gift Packaging!

Can you believe it's only 17 days until Christmas?!

Last night after work, I stopped at Target to do a little shopping and found these terrific felt gift bags in the $1 section! Aren't they adorable? And best of all ~ an EASY way to wrap a gift! All I did was stamp the tag, tie it on, and they are ready to go! Well, I suppose I should find something to put in them...although I think they are a gift in themselves!! :)

Now, I better run as I'm helping at our company's children's Christmas party today ~ in full costume as "Mrs. Claus"! :) I've done it for several years and it's such FUN! Maybe I'll post a picture later just for laughs. Have a Happy Weekend! Smiles, Pam :)

Tag Supplies ~

Stamps: PapertreyInk "Holiday Treats"

Paper: Stampin Up white, real red, glorious green

Ink: Stampin Up real red, glorious green

Other: eyelet, 3/4, 1-1/4, 1-3/8 circle punches, scalloped punch, red dmc floss, ribbon

Quote for Today ~

"Let's approach Christmas with an expectant hush, rather than a last-minute rush." - unknown

'Tis The Season!

HO HO HO! 'Tis the season for creating Christmas cards! :)

The JOY image on tonight's card was sent to me sometime ago by my friend Michelle at Stamper's Dream. Isn't it great? This is a Stampendous stamp, called "Doodle Joy". I've colored it in with prismacolor pencils and then used a glaze pen for added shine and dimension. What do you think of my ribbon do-dad? The ribbon just would not cooperate when I tied a bow, so this is what I ended up with. Something a little different anyway! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today. I'm happy you did! Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~
Stamps: Stampendous - Doodle Joy
Paper: Stampin Up real read, The Paper Studio - red & green polka dot, tis the season stripe
Ink: Versafine black onyx, clear embossing powder
Other: green brads, polka dot ribbon, Sakura glaze pen, prismacolor pencils, stitching with Janome Sew Mini

Quote for Today ~
A joy that is shared is a joy made double. -John Roy

Sending Holiday Joy!

Happy Monday! :)

I just love these sweet little Elzybell stamps and couldn't resist making another card with "A Winter Song". What do you think of this wild patterned paper and color combination? I was sceptical at first, but do like how it all came together. Can you see the "glistening" snow? :) I used diamond Stickles on the snow and on the light blue brad.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Smiles!

Pam :)

Supplies ~

Stamps: Elzybells Art Stamps - A Winter Song, PapertreyInk-Holiday Treats

Paper: DCWV Glitter Christmas Stack, Stampin Up bashful blue

Ink: Versafine black onyx

Other: red/white polka dot ribbon, light blue brad, mini tag-Make it Possible Holiday Wishes Stax, prismacolor pencils, diamond Stickles, zig-zag stitching with Janome Sew Mini

Quote for Today ~

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." - unknown

More Fun with Elzy ~

This is my newest Elzybells Art Stamp ~ "Sprinkle Snowflakes". Isn't it so sweet? When I first saw the Elzy stamps I was surprised how tiny they are (approx 2"), but they are perfect for cardmaking images. Also, I really am amazed at the rubber quality and fabulous detail of these stamps.

Lately, I've created so many BLUE snowflake cards, so today I decided to change it up and went with PINK! This layout didn't end up quite like I had planned. The little tag was supposed to go in the bottom right corner, but as a last finishing touch, I stamped a pink snowflake in the upper right corner and Oops!!! Dang, I messed it up! Has that ever happened to you? I've learned lots of tricks for when this happens, but I really thought this card was doomed. I'm still not sure about the tag floating up there, but it was there or the trash! LoL :) I hope you like it!

Warmest wishes and friendly smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~
Stamps: Elzybells Art Stamps, Ltd ~ E0012 Sprinkle Snowflakes, PapertreyInk ~ Holiday Treats (sentiment & snowflake)
Paper: Stampin Up pretty in pink, Daisyd's patterned paper
Ink: Versafine black onyx, SU pretty in pink, going grey (to distress edges)
Other: prismacolor pencils, Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder, stitching with Janome Sew Mini, Sakura glitter pen, SU pink flower brad, pink polka dot sheer ribbon

Winter's Profound Beauty ~

These photos were taken out my front window this morning. I was trying to capture the beauty of it all...everything coated with a layer of ice. Yes, there is a profound beauty in WINTER...

Quote for Today ~

"There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the forest clothed to its very hollows in snow (ice). It is the still ecstasy of nature, wherein every spray, every blade of grass, every spire of reed, every intricacy of twig, is clad with radiance." ~ William Sharp

It's Officially WINTER in Nebraska!

Like it or not, (not!) it's WINTER! We've got freezing rain and it's looking quite treacherous outside. My DH and I had planned to go to Sioux Falls and do some Christmas shopping today, but that isn't going to happen!

Instead, I decided to put on a pot of chili, get cozy in my craft room and make a few wintry cards. This one is somewhat similar to the blue and white one I made last week. All the images are stamped with a SU blue brocade craft pad and embossed with Stampendous detail clear embossing powder. It gives the image some shine and dimension. I hope you like it!

Warm winter wishes to all! Smiles, Pam

Supplies ~
Stamps: Stampin Up Perfect Presentation
Paper: Stampin Up brocade blue, Paper Patch-blue cornflower snowflakes, DCWV glitter Christmas stack
Ink: SU blue brocade craft pad, embossing (see above comments)
Other: blue/silver organdy ribbon, white eyelet, zig-zag stitching with Janome Sew Mini

Quote for Today ~
Winter is nature's way of saying, "Up yours." ~Robert Byrne :) hee hee

Deck the Halls with Elzybells!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

You all know that rubber stamping and cardmaking is one of my favorite things to do, but making CHRISTMAS cards definitely tops them all! Especially when you can create with stamps as adorable as the sweet little "Elzybells" by AMuse.

This card is a standard 5-1/2 x 4-1/4", but I have cut 1-1/2" off the bottom front. The patterned paper is much brighter in real life and has a glittery sparkle to it. After coloring the image with prismacolor pencils, I put a clear glaze on the ornaments and star.

I hope you're all having a JOYful week! Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~
Stamps: Elzybells Art Stamps, Ltd distribulted by A Muse - Deck the Halls, sentiment - PAPERTREYink - Holiday Treats
Paper: Stampin Up - real red, DCWV Glitter Christmas Stack, mini tag - Make it Possible Stax Holiday Wishes
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Stampendous clear embossing powder, Tim Holtz old paper distress ink, Stampin Up real red, Sakura glaze pen.
Other: prismacolor pencils, ribbon, brads, Marvy Uchida mega circle & giga scalloped circle punches, dimensionals, stitching with Janome Sew Mini.

Quote for Today ~
"Joyfulness keeps the heart and face young. A good laugh makes us better friends with ourselves and everybody around us." ~ Orison Swett Marden

Holiday Cheer!

Laughter & Merriment!

If it wasn't for this glittery blue snowflake paper as my inspiration, I don't think I would have put bright red and light blue together on a Christmas card. Actually, I colored the image first and then wondered what I was going to do with it. But, I went to my stack of Christmas papers and found this one! Wa-la! :)

I've colored the image with prismacolor pencils and added some clear glaze on the dots, star and little birdie's wings. I was going to stitch the edge, but decided to do some doodling instead.

In case you're wondering, the stamps are from Hero Arts Clear Design ~ Laughter & Merriment. It's a super cute set and I'll be using it time and again! I saw on another blog yesterday, where someone paper pieced the tree so now I've got to try that too! :)

Have you done any holiday decorating yet? I was only going to put up one tree this year, but having the long weekend and listening to Christmas music must have motivated me because I've now got three trees decorated throughout the house! :) HO HO HO! Smiles, Pam :)


Supplies ~
Stamps: Hero Arts Clear Design-Laughter & Merriment
Paper: Stampin Up real read, DCWV Glitter Christmas Stack
Ink: Versafine onyx black, Stampendious clear embossing powder, pigma Micron 05 black pen, Sakura Gelly Roll Glaze pen
Other: SU red grosgrain ribbon, 1-1/4", 1-1/2" circle punches, horizontal slot punch


Quote for Today ~
"When we feel joyful, euphoric, happy, we are more open to life, more capable of seeing things clearly and handling daily tensions." ~ Leo Buscaglia

Seasonal Winter Whimsy!

When my sweet DIL Jami {Crazy Daisy Creations} was here for Thanksgiving, she brought a few of her new Stampin Up sets and I showed them some ink! :)

This card is made with a combination of "Seasonal Whimsy" and "Perfect Presentation". I'm in love with both these sets and so glad Jami left them here for me to play with!

This is a traditional 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" card folded at the top. You may not be able to tell by the photo, but I've embossed all the stamping. I used the blue brocade craft pad and clear embossing powder on the image and sentiment and versamark and winter wonderland opaque embossing powder for the snowflakes. I love the glittery sparkle!

Tip of the Day ~
I got this tip from Jami and it worked perfectly for me on this card... When trying to line up your brads evenly, just draw a pencil line on the backside of the paper using a ruler to mark where you want to punch the holes.

Supplies ~
Stamps: Stampin Up Seasonal Whimsy, Perfect Presentation
Paper: Stampin Up brilliant blue, Paper Patch-blue cornflower snowflakes, unknown lighter blue scraps
Ink: Versamark, blue brocade craft pad, embossing (see above comments)
Other: blue grosgrain ribbon, brads

Quote for Today ~
"Over the river and through the woods, to grandfather's house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,
Through the white and drifted snow. "
~ Lydia Maria Child

A Winter Song ~

It is definitely WINTER in Nebraska with temps dipping down to the teens overnight. Brrrr! There were a few light snow flurries yesterday, but nothing on the ground, thank goodness!

I hope you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving! Our son, Andrew, and daughter-in-law, Jami came out and helped prepare dinner and the four of us had a most bountiful and delicious feast. :)Then Jami {Crazy Daisy Creations} and I enjoyed an afternoon of stampin it up while the guys watched football and took naps. :)

This is one of my new favorite stamps by Elzybells Art Stamps, Ltd, distributed by A Muse. It's appropriately titled "A Winter Song". The layout for this card is from a sketch by Jen at I{heart}2Stamp. It seemed to work perfectly for this sentiment and image. Her blog is another favorite on my google reader.

For added sparkle I've added diamond Stickles to the snow and to the top of the white brads. The image was colored in with prismacolor pencils and the sentiment was colored direct to the rubber with my Stampin Up markers.

This has put me in the holiday spirit and I think I'm going to put away the fall decorations and decorate the Christmas tree today! When do you all do your holiday decorating?

Whatever your plans, have a wonderful weekend! Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~

Stamps: Elzybells-a winter song, Hero Arts-sentiment, The Angel Company-snowflakes

Paper: Stampin Up-blue brocade, The Paper Patch-blue cornflower snowflakes

Ink: Stampin Up-blue brocade, markers

Other: diamond Stickles, white brads, white spiral clip, ribbon, prismacolor pencils, Marvy Uchida mega circle and giga scalloped punches.

Quote for Today ~

Winter came down to our home one night

Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,

And we, we were children once again.

~Bill Morgan, Jr.

Gratitude . . .

. . . a feeling or expression of thankfulness.

There is so much to be thankful for! God's blessings . . . Family . . . Friends . . . Good Health!


And I'm grateful too for this hobby that I enjoy so much . . . and for all of YOU who encourage me!

Wishing you and your families a warm and blessed Thanksgiving!
ENJOY! Hugs & Smiles, Pam :)




Supplies ~
Paper: Karen Foster Autumn Sparkle 8x8 paper bundle
Ink: no stamping on this card, but I did distress with a ball of saran wrap and SU chocolate chip and Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Other: copper brads, SU organdy creme ribbon, M's brown/white stitched ribbon, stitching with Janome Sew Mini.


Quote for Today ~
As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world. ~Adabella Radici

Do You See What I See? . . .

Isn't this a sweet snowman image? A good friend ( Hi Jason! :) loaned me this rubber stamp a couple months ago and I'm finally getting around to using it. She knew that I would enjoy coloring this image and I certainly did!

This is a good size image (3 x 4") and once I had it colored, I wasn't sure what to do for a layout. I tried a few different things, but felt they were distracting from the image itself. Anyway, I settled on stamping a few random snowflakes on the top half, some in navy and embossing a few in white. Behind the image is a strip of snowflake designer paper that I embossed in my Cuttlebug with the snowflake folder. As I'm typing this, I'm thinking that I should add a little glitter to the snow to give it some added sparkle.

Have you had any S*N*O*W where you live? We've had the most beautiful autumn weather in Nebraska, but it sounds like winter may be here SOON! Brrrrrr

Warm Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~

Stamps: Do You See What I See- Uptown Design Co., snowflakes - The Angel Company

Paper: blue textured paper-Hobby Lobby, snowflakes designer paper - Karen Foster Design

Ink: Versafine onyx black, Versamark, white embossing powder, Stampin Up night of navy, Tim Holtz tea dye distressing ink

Other: blue brads, cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder, prismacolor pencils, gamsol

Quote for Today ~

"Snowflakes are kisses from Heaven." ~Author Unknown

Think Happy Thoughts!

I'm loving this new "Wild Saffron" designer paper stack by K & Company. It really has some irresistible, eye-catching colors, not to mention the awesome fabric & bling covered brads to match!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Stampin Up - Think Happy Thoughts
Paper: K & Company- Wild Saffron, Stamping Up - cool caribbean, summer sun
Ink: Stampin Up real read, Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Other: K & Company Wild Saffron fabric brads, real red grosgrain ribbon, stitching

Quote for Today ~

Happiness...it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.--Franklin D. Roosevelt

Give Thanks for the Simple Things in Life {WSC28}

When my DIL Jami and I were shopping yesterday at Michaels, she spotted this beautiful Wild Saffron paper stack by K & Company and the awesome fabric & bling covered brads to match. The good news is that the paper was on SALE and we had a 50% off coupon for the brads, so we scored a bargain and shared the stash! :)

This card design is from Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #28 . Beate's blog "Fresh & Fun" is one of my favorites and I especially enjoy participating in her sketch challenges. Many times, like today, I know what paper, colors and stamps I want to use, but don't know where to start with the layout. The sketches are a terrific source of inspiration!

I hope you're all enjoying your weekend as much as I am! Shopping and stamping . . . it doesn't get much better! Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~

Stamps: Stampin Up - Give Thanks

Paper: K&Company - Wild Saffron, Stamping Up - blue bayou, chocolate chip

Ink: Versafine vintage sepia, detail clear embossing powder

Other: chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon, stitching

Another Quote for Today ~

"Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel." ~Author Unknown

So Grateful ~ a Simple Gift Idea!

Where oh where did this week go?! I can't believe I haven't posted since Monday! It's been a busy week so I didn't get much time to stamp, but I'm hoping to make up for it today! :)

I just finished a simple little gift for my sweet DIL Jami. She asked me to go with her to Sioux Falls yesterday and we had the BEST time! Jami drove and I was supposed to be the "navigator". Well, we were busy chatting and I missed one of our turns and we ended up in Sioux City, IA! No problem, we laughed about it, found the mall and shopped there for a couple hours before heading on to Sioux Falls for more shopping at my favorite rubber stamp/scrapbooking store ~ Scatter Joy. From there we went to the Empire Mall and that's where I found this cute little ceramic acorn at the Hallmark store. The top comes off to reveal a spice-scented candle inside that smell's yummy!

I'm hoping to do some more stamping today and hope to make a card with some of my new stamps and patterned paper. So stay tuned for more! Smiles, Pam :)

Tag supplies ~

Stamps: Stampin Up Think Happy Thoughts, center acorn & leaf from portion of a Lockhart Stamp - Give Thanks.

Paper: Stampin Up really rust, so saffron, marigold morning

Ink: Versafine vintage sepia, detail clear embossing

Punches: Stampin Up scalloped circle, also 3/4", 1-1/4, 1-3/8" circles. Other: ribbon, copper cord, eyelet

Quote for Today ~

“Faith sees a beautiful blossom in a bulb, a lovely garden in a seed, and a giant oak in an acorn.”
-William Arthur Ward

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #11

Happy Mojo Monday!

For today's card, I've combined Nancy's virtual image swap at the Stamp Shack and Julee's Mojo Monday sketch challenge. This image is from Magenta and I've colored it with prismacolor pencils to coordinate with the background paper by AdornIt.


I thought it needed some embellishment, but now I'm second-guessing myself about all the copper brads. What do you think? Do they distract from the image as the focal point? As always, I really do appreciate your comments and feedback.


Have a splendid week everyone! Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~
Stamps: Magenta
Ink: basic black, Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Paper: Stampin Up really rust, purely pomegranate, AdornIt - spice vines
Accessories: copper cord & brads

Quote for Today ~
"Variety is the very spice of life that gives it all its flavor." -William Cowper

Monkey Business! {Weekend Sketch Challenge}

It's been awhile since I've used cute little "Changito" monkey, but when I saw Beate's weekend sketch challenge with the centered circle, this little guy came to mind. This is a 4-1/4" square card and I've used the mega/giga Marvy punches for the circles. My sweet DIL bought me this adorable "Monkey Business" paper by Reminisce. Doesn't it go perfectly with this stamp?

These sketch challenges are simply more FUN than a barrel of monkeys! LoL :)

Supplies ~

Stamps: Changito monkey and Hang in there by Stampendous, Itty Bitty Backgrounds by Stampin Up!

Paper: Stampin Up wild wasabi, Animal House monkey business by Reminisce.

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, detailed clear embossing powder, Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink

Embellishments: zig-zag stitching, ribbon, metal triangle clip

Another Quote for Today ~

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning. ~Ivy Baker Priest

Thank you to Beate at "Fresh and Fun" for the Weekend Sketch Challenge.

Virtual Swap Dotted Flower

This card was created for a "virtual swap" at the Stamp Shack. Nancy (directmailscrapper) hosted the swap and mailed out the images to all participants. We were all to create a card and post it to the Shack gallery. It's so fun and simply amazing to see the variety of colors and interpretations with the same image. I've got another here that she sent so I'm going to work on that next! :)

It's just the most beautiful day here in Nebraska and much warmer than usual for November. Hubby was out on our patio installing a storm door, our dachshund Lilly was sunning herself, and I decided that you just couldn't ask for a nicer day to put out Christmas lights! I know it's early, but I would rather do it now than when its bitter cold. All I did was around the patio so that didn't take long. Now, I'm thinking I should wash my car...or better yet, talk MW (mr wonderful) into doing it for me! :) Happy Sunday! Smiles, Pam :)

Supplies ~
Stamps: dotted flower by The Artful Stamper, background flower from Stampin Up Priceless set
Ink: Stampin Up certainly celery, basic black
Paper: Stampin Up certainly celery, Deja Views Paper & Punch Out Tablet
Embellishments: rhinestone brad & old olive ribbon

Quote for Today ~
"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back." ~Maya Angelou

Creative Cardmaking Friendship ~

Oh Happy Mail Week!

This wonderful card is from my creative cardmaking friend Donna in Oregon. I just love the colors she's used! This set "True Friend" has been on my Stampin Up wish list and this card makes me want the set even more. Bless your heart Donna for sending me this beautiful card. It made my day! :)

Often I mention The Stamp Shack, an online community of diverse rubber stamping enthusiasts. All the gals there are the BEST... always very encouraging as they inspire one another to fully enjoy the creative art of rubber stamping. This past year I've been in a voluntary swap with approximately 60 others and each week we "flood" one participant with cards. Well, last week my name was drawn! Yay! So, I've been thoroughly enjoying all the fantastic cards "flooding" into my mailbox. How FUN!!! :)

What are your plans for the weekend? I've got a few images here for Nancy's Virtual Swap at the Shack that I'm anxious to create something with. And, I've got some new stamps too!!! Can you say "Elsybells"? So, stay tuned... I hope to have more to post later!

Wishing you all a wondeful, relaxing weekend!

Smiles, Pam :)

Quote for Today ~

"Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light." -Albert Schweitzer

Ollie Moonshine Makes Me Smile! {Mojo Sketch #10}

When I first saw this smiley stamp by Stampendous entitled "Ollie Moonshine", I just *had* to have it! Yes, it's my new favorite. My dear friend Michelle at Stampers Dream has a few more for sale in her eBay Store, as well as other adorable Ollie & Olivia rubber stamps. I think I've been her best customer lately! :)

This card is a 4-3/4" square and my inspiration for the layout came from Julee's Mojo Sketch #10 at Poetic Artistry. I do love her sketches and have been trying to participate each week.

In case you're wondering, I colored the image with prismacolor pencils. The patterned papers I used are by My Mind's Eye and Provocraft.

Can you believe that tomorrow is Friday already?! TGIF! :) Smiles, Pam

Quote for Today ~

"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow ~ Don't walk behind me, I may not lead ~ Just walk beside me and be my friend."-unknown

"Priceless" Ideas from Stampin Up Club!

Last night was our monthly Stampin Up Club and we made a couple terrific projects that I want to share with you. These are both designs that my SU demo got at workshops she attended, so I don't know who to give credit for the original ideas.

The first one is a hinged gift card tin that resembles a purse. The size is approx 3-1/2 x 5". We used the Crop-A-Dile to punch holes in the tin to insert the ribbon for a handle. Then the front was decorated using the "Priceless" set and several punches: 5-petal flower, 1-1/4" circle, 1/2" circle. The corner rounder punch was used on all the edges. { Hot Tip: she bought these gift card tins at Hobby Lobby for 99 cents! } If you're looking for a unique way to give gift cards for the holidays, you may want to try this!

The second project is what I call the "Punch Santa". We used 6 different punches to create this Jolly Ol' Soul! Starting with his face, 1-3/8" circle of blush blossom; his eyes, double circle (black piece behind the eyes); beard & cap fur, scallop circle; nose, mouth and ball on cap, 1/4" circle; moustache, spring flower bouquet (just 2 petals). How super creative is this?!! If I knew who thought of this, I would give them a standing ovation. :) This card is made with a 6 x 6" square folded in half. Some of the gals chose to make a mini scrapbook page instead of the card and they were adorable too. As I'm typing this, I just realized that I have no idea what color this cardstock is. Well, I know it's BLUE, but it isn't a current SU color that I know of. hmmm? Again, we used the "Priceless" set and stamped in real red. There is also a 1/2" wide piece of red cardstock attached along the bottom front. On the right side we punched once again with the "slit" punch and tied the red gingham ribbon through to embellish. I feel like I've been rambling on, so please ask questions if you want to know more and this doesn't make any sense to you. :)

I just printed off the Mojo Monday #10 sketch at "Poetic Artistry" and think that's what I'll use for inspiration tonight. I've got my portable heater going and it's nice and toasty in here. Have a splendid week everyone! Smiles, Pam :)

Quote for Today ~

"An inexhaustible good nature is one of the most precious gifts of Heaven, spreading itself like oil over the troubled sea of thought, and keeping the mind smooth and equable in the roughest weather." -Washington Irving

Laughter & Merriment! { Jen's SFYTT }

Once again I'm using a sketch that I've found on one of my favorite blogs, I{Heart}2Stamp! by Jen del Muro. Isn't this layout terrific? (I say that about them all, don't I? :) Jen calls it her "Sketch for You to Try" (keyword: SFYTT) If you haven't already, you'll definitely want to surf on over to her blog...and you best plan on staying awhile!

For today's card I've used the Holiday Wishes Stax again. I'm in love with these colors and how all the papers coordinate perfectly! There are even some fun chipboard alphas and tags included. (Hobby Lobby 50% off!) You'll notice I did some random stitching on the background layers, instead of simply stitching the edges.

The stamps are from the Hero Arts Clear Design "Laughter & Merriment" set. I've stamped the tree in Stampin Up garden green and embossed it with a detailed clear embossing powder by Stampendous. I like the added shine and dimension that embossing gives the image. I got this great tip from my dear friend Michelle at Stamper's Dream.

This morning I took a few minutes to add several more links to the list of {Blogs I Enjoy}. It's amazing how many there are! It's really a challenge to keep up with them all, but it does help so much with the Google Reader. I've also added links to a few great sites that offer layouts and sketches. You'll want to be sure and check out Card Positioning Systems, Caardvarks, and PageMaps. They are all a wonderful resource!

Yesterday, I received that last circle journal in the mail for the Holiday CJ Swap that I'm in. So, that's what I'm going to work on now...and I think I'll use these same patterned papers again. I may as well, since they're scattered all over my craft table anyway! :)

I hope you're all enjoying your weekend. My DH has gone duck hunting and all is quiet here...heavenly! Smiles 2 U, Pam :)

Quote for Today ~

"Life is more fun when you don't keep score." - unknown