Technostamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge #50

Hoping to get back on the stamping wagon now with Christmas over with. Luckily we went without having to do too many returns!!! It was wonderful to have a few days off with family and enjoy spending time with the kids. Now back to work and the daily grind before enjoying a few days off around New Year's.

I sat down last night and whipped up a card for Mary Jo's Technostamper Monday Lunctime Sketch Challenge. Can't believe she's done 50 of these already!!! Amazing!

This card was created for a little girls birthday. Trying to be better about using some of these cards that I've created or received in swaps so that I don't become a collector. Hope she likes it!

Card details:
Stamp Set: Once Upon A Time by Lizzie Anne Designs
Cardstock: Pink Piroutte, Close to Cocoa, Papertrey Ink White, Raspberry Creme from the Mocha Chica paper collection by Kim Hughes
Inks: Pretty in Pink, Blush Blossom, Regal Rose, Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Circle and Pinking Circles (Nestabilities), Crystal Stickles

Happy Holidays!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

This year I decided last minute to make my own Christmas cards after seeing an awesome sample by Heather Nichols. I chose to change a few minor things about the cards, and inside instead of a gift card, I included a picture of our kids in the pocket like hers.

I completed 78 of these cards in a matter of days and found it to be therapeutic to complete them at all. That's what I get when I buy Christmas cards for the following year on clearance only to open up the package and see they say "Happy Holidays 2007" on them. Good thing I bought them 1. on clearance, 2. could use the envelopes for these cards.

I used up old retired papers as I had some fabulous papers laying around. This paper was from a CTMH kit. The stamps I used were from Stipple Celebrations and Best Yet from Stampin'Up! I accented it with a strip of ribbon and used my scallop and circle punch for the image.

Hope you all have a wonderful, safe, happy holiday! Is this not the most realistic Santa you have ever seen??? And could my little one be any more unhappy about having to sit on his lap?

Poinsetta Christmas Card

I was asked by my boss to make a card for a fellow stamper at work. I saw this idea from Mary Brown and thought it would make a great Christmas card. I've been using up all my retired Stampin'Up! DSP with my Christmas cards. I also broke out my new nestabilities.

Sorry I am in a hurry so if you need any other details, let me know. I embossed the petals with clear embossing powder.

Technostamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge #48

Trying to jump back on the stamping bandwagon and thought I would try for MJ's sketch today. This is a pretty bland card for me, I'm not in to the All White, which was what I combined this challenge with another one I had doing an All White card with just a splash of color.

I hope to get stamping more regularly in the New Year. I did complete 70+ Christmas cards this year which I will post this week based on a sketch I saw from Heather Nichols (pinefeather).

I included a close up of this card as well which still did not photograph well. It's gloomy here and not light out at all so I did the best I could. I did emboss in clear and then added the little pearl dew drops to the top of the snowflake. Wishing I would have thought to emboss the larger snowflake but it's already in the mail so oh well.

Make sure to check out all the others participating in Mary Jo's challenge today!

BTW- My friend who I made all the baby shower invites for had her baby this weekend, on her due date, and pushing for about 10 minutes (ugh...so jealous that it was so quick for her). A bouncing baby boy who is just precious! Congrats Cherl!

The Loss of a Loved one

Never easy! And especially during the holidays. I hadn't seen my Grandmother since the summer and we made our way down to Florida for Thanksgiving. My Grandma was 94 years old, had been in between the nursing home and hospice house for a few months, but was still doing relatively well. I was excited to get to see her and the kids were thrilled to get to visit their Granny. Syd walked in my parents house and the first thing out of her mouth was "Where's Granny?"

The kids and I went and visited her on Thanksgiving and she shared her apple pie and cranberry sauce with Syd. Syd massaged her hands with lotion and it was so touching to watch how much she loved me and my children. She was my last living grandparent. I still haven't told Syd yet and I don't know if she could feel it or not. I did tell Tristan as at 9 years old, he is so intuitive.

Yesterday morning while at my parents house; my Mom had stayed the night with my Grandmother after they called and said she wasn't doing well, she passed away in her sleep, with my Mom at her side.

This year I'm extra Thankful that I got the chance to visit her a few times before she passed, the kids got to be with her, she passed away peacefully. Did I tell you she was 94? That is amazing, she was amazing. It's a hard loss but I know that she is with her husband now and he will be taking good care of her.

Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving and I'm hoping to get some stamping done this week sometime. I know I've been slacking lately...I'll blame it on the holidays!