Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  Well, almost....!  Can you believe that tomorrow starts 2010?!  I can't believe how quickly 2009 flew by!  Well, it seems like every year flies by faster and faster!  The busier we are, the faster the days go by.  I'm hoping to slow down a little bit in this coming year and actually enjoy each day.  We'll see if that happens!  LOL!

Today I have a waterfall/countdown card for you!  This is my last post on here featuring ABC Toys and Crafts.  My 6 mo. stint is over, and now it's time for me to move on to other things!  I'm excited to see what the new year will bring for me!

I pulled out my new Sexy Little Numbers from Crafty Secrets and wasn't sure what to do with them.  I wanted to make a New Year's card for my parents, because they are so wonderful to me and my family, and I wanted to give them a special card ringing in the New Year!  But, I wasn't sure how I wanted to go about it.  And then I suddenly remembered the waterfall card!  I haven't made one in several years, so I had to run over to Splitcoast and look up the measurements and how to make it!  Out of sight, out of mind they say!  LOL!  Anyway, this is the result!

Paper: Bo Bunny St. Nick Noel, Garden Green, Ridinghood Red, Very Vanilla
Ink: Garden Green, Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Antique Linen and Walnut Stain
Embellishments: assorted brads, holly punch from Martha, lace punch also from Martha, scallop punch from SU!, 1 3/8" square punch (SU!), 1 1/4" square punch (SU!), sponge

Happy New Year to you and your families!
I hope you all have a happy, healthy and successful year!
Happy Holidays!

MFT WSC challenge! Rainy Day Friends

This one is just a closer view....

And this one is the closest view.....

Hello there!  Today I am sharing with you a project that I made for the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club challenge where you download a fairy wings template and do something with it.  Well, my original idea was to make this girl stand under a mushroom/toadstool, but I made the trunk too long!  DUH!  So, it became a tree!  LOL!  I used my Martha punch that really looks like a fence instead of lattice, to make a white "pickety" type fence, and my new EK Success punch that either looks like grass or icicles depending on what you're creating, or the color of your paper!  LOL!  The girl is from Rainy Day Friends, which is a new set for me, but has been out for a while.  I used the crazy circle swirls on her raincoat, umbrella and the blue circles in the tree to tie everything together.

So, does my mushroom/fairy wings look like a tree?  My little rainy girl is hiding under the tree to wait for the rain to stop!  I wish it was raining here intead of snowing.  :(

Have a STAMPTASTIC day!!!

MFT Christmas Card

Hello!  I just wanted to share one of my Christmas cards for some of my MFT friends.  These took a while to make, so I only made a couple.  I apologize that I could not make one for ALL the MFT Junkies.  Perhaps next year!  Anyway, the reason why it took so long was that I had to ink the stamp with my marker, because I didn't want the devil horns or tail that sport this little party girl!  And then when I was coloring her w/ my Copics, my E00 Skin White copic decided to take a leave of absence and was also ruining all of my girls legs, so I had to take a break from coloring.  And anyway, I managed to salvage a few and sent them out on Christmas Eve!  Not like waiting til the last minute or anything!  LOL!

MFT has some really cool deals going on!  You might want to go over to SCS and see their Shopping deal.  Or go to Kim's blog by going to http://www.mftstamps.com/ and clicking on her blog.  Lots of savings are in store!!!!  And there is a new release coming out!  Sneak peeks have started!  Well, Kim has freeze frames!  LOL!  So, if owls are up your alley, then you may want to make your way over there to check them out!

Have a STAMPTASTIC day!!!

A quick gift idea

Hello there!  And Merry Christmas!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday!  It was a fun day at my house!  Opening presents for at least 6 hours straight!  Fun fun fun!

Today I am sharing with you a cute little gift idea that is made totally from paper, and is a quick gift idea.  Now, you can take this idea and run with it, as it's not the BEST thing I've ever made!  LOL!  But, I had the idea, so I had to go with it!

I took the gingerbread man from Season's Greetings from AiFactory, which by the way is the product of the week!  Go check it out HERE!  I took the gingerbread, and made a double.  Then, I took the candy cane, also in that set and made a double of that and printed all of them out.  The candy canes I placed separately so that I could cut them out and make them into cards.

The gingerbread men though.  Hmmm, I didn't know what to do with them!  I first printed them out on shrinky dink paper, but the ink never dried (I think I have the wrong printer for this type of thing), and the men never flattened out!  Urgh, I hate when that happens!!!!!  I even followed the directions to a T!!!!!  Anyway, so the idea to make them a card holder came to me and this is what the end result is!

Now, you have until January 4th to create a quick gift and post it to the AiFactory challenge blog for a chance to win a free set OF YOUR CHOICE!

So, get creating and post it before the deadline!!! 

We are also having a design team call, so get your stuff together and send it in!  The details are also on the AiFactory challenge blog, so check it out and see if you would be interested!  We are changing things up a bit, so designing for AiFactory will be LOTS OF FUN!!!

Have a STAMPTASTIC day!!!

ABC Thursday - Are you ready for Christmas?!

Well, it's Christmas Eve!  Can you believe it?!  Are you ready for tomorrow?  Well, I am sorry to say that my Christmas cards are only half done.  Hopefully I can get them out this week.  My husband is home for the week, so maybe I'll get some free time!

But, earlier this week two of my kids had their last days of school, and teacher gifts were required!  Here's one set of cards I made for one of my son's teachers.  The other sets will be in another post.  But, I am singling these out, because the Santa image is from Crafty Secrets Vintage Christmas which can be found at the ABC Store!  I wanted to make something quick and simple so that it can be easily recreated and can be whipped out in probably half an hour!  These really didn't take a long time to make!  The hardest part was coming up w/ the original idea!  That always takes time!

Recipe:
Paper: Very Vanilla, Ridinghood Red
Ink: Ridinghood Red
Accessories: Labels 1 nestie, circles nesties, tan embossing mat, sponge

Recipe:

Paper: Very Vanilla, Ridinghood Red
Ink: Ridinghood Red
Accessories: Labels 1 nestie, circles nesties, tan embossing mat, sponge


Merry Christmas!!!!

Fruitful Recipe Box

Hello everyone!  Are you all feeling the Christmas rush?!  I AM!!!!  I did manage to get another thing off my to do list today though!  I was asked to make a recipe box for someone in my family to give as a gift.  Since I knew who the recipient was, I tried to match her kitchen when creating this box.  When I started out, I really was going to copy the blue box that I have already posted.  I was seriously going to make a duplicate.  But, there's just something inside of me that CANNOT recreate something!  I have to have something original!  So, I took the design of the blue box and changed things up a bit.  This is really a Kitchen Sink Stamps kind of box, since almost everything on here is from Kitchen Sink Stamps!  All the fruit and the letters.  The inside tab pictures are from Crafty Secrets.  The background is Weathered from SU!.  I used Labels 8 for all the tabs.  Oh, and the tag on the outside is the Multi Step Garland from Kitchen Sink Stamps that I got today in the mail!  Talk about perfect timing!  I was also excited to use my new Martha punch where you can see glimpses of it on the front behind all the fruit!

I have all the color recipes in a notebook for all the fruit, if you would like the recipes, just email me. Some are from KSS and some are my own when I have had time to experiment with colors!

Merry Christmas!

MY CUTE STAMPS WINNERS!!!!

Winners of the My Cute Stamps from ABC Toys & Crafts!!!!!

Grand Prize Winner from the ABC Design Blog = #22 Cheryl Valadez

"Paris Tower" - Justine's blog = #23 Ribenaruby

"Merry Wishes" - Karolyn's blog = #15 SemSee

"Gumball Machine & Owl" - my blog = #19 Christine

"Lots of Love" - Heidi's blog = #5 Craft Princess

Congratulations everyone!!!  And thanks to all who participated in the My Cute Stamps blog hop!  We hope that you have been inspired by these awesome stamps, and will go and get some of your own!!!  ABC Toys is having a special until December 31st!
25% OFF ALL STAMPS!!!!!!
 
Have a STAMPTASTIC day!!!

The ABC Blog Train has stopped here for the day!

Hello ABC Toys and Crafts followers and shoppers!  Are you SUPER excited about this blog hop this week???!!!!  What?!  You didn't know about it?!  Well, then make sure you start at Justine's blog and leave a comment, then go to Karolyn's and leave a comment for her as well, and then stop by the ABC Design Team Blog and leave a comment on YESTERDAY'S POST FOR AN EXTRA GRAND PRIZE!!!!!  And make sure you leave a comment here!  ;)  And tomorrow, you can go over to Heidi's blog to see what fabulous creation she's come up with, and leave a comment!

What are we celebrating?!  My Cute Stamps, that's what!!!!!  And you could win SOME FREE STAMPS JUST BY LEAVING A COMMENT ON ALL OF THE BLOGS I MENTIONED ABOVE!!!!  How cool is that?!   Plus, if you're a follower of the ABC blog, you get to leave 2 comments there!  So your chances are even greater!

Today, I am showcasing this cute little gumball machine stamp from My Cute Stamps called Gumballs!  It comes w/ a gumball machine, a little flower and the word Sweetie.  I wanted to leave it blank so that when I'm ready to use these cards, I can just affix whatever sentiment is needed!  The "glass" for the gumball machine is actually individual bubbles from bubble wrap!  See, you just have to keep EVERYTHING, because you never know when you might need something!  This is a perfect example!  LOL!

I used Brocade Blue c/s and Whisper White.  Real Red ribbon.  Silver gel pen for the gumball machine, as well as Copic Red R27 ~ Cadmium Red.  I used different colored Copics for the gumballs inside the machine.  For the inside of the card, I used the flower and stamped in Rocket Red, Paris Dusk and Dandelion, all Memento inks.

Have a STAMPTASTIC day!!!!

The Recipes for the Recipe Boxes!

Ok, the first box in Black and Red:

Paper: Paris Nights by G.C.D.; Very Vanilla, Real Red, Basic Black
Stamps: Crafty Secrets Sweet Stuff, Kitchen Classic; Lovely Letters (SU!)
Ink: Rocket Red (Memento); Real Red, Onyx Black
Accessories:  red flocking for the letters on top to match the flocked paper; deckled rectangled nesties, red ribbon, rhinestones

Blue Box:

Paper: Spring Stack (DCWV) several years old!; Whisper White, Brocade Blue
Stamps: Kitchen Sink Stamps Mix It Up Alphabet, 3 Step Hydrangea, Multi Step Harvest (for the basket on the front); Crafty Secrets Sweet Kids; Inque Boutique Monarch (for the swirls on the front); French Script (SU!) background stamp for the background behind the letters and the swirls panels.
Accessories: lace, blue ribbon, white satin ribbon (SU!), Labels Eight nesties, Martha punch,
Ink: Brocade Blue, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip, Copics

Last box:

Paper: K&CO. Ancestry?  I don't know the name of it.  It's not listed anywhere!, and Very Vanilla!
Ink: Potter's Clay, Rhubarb Stalk, Sweet Plum, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, Imperial Purple.
Stamps:  Kitchen Sink Stamps Mix It Up Alphabet, 3 Step Hearst & Roses
Accessories:  Martha punches (3 different kinds), Bravo Burgundy ribbon (SU!), PaperTreyInk vintage buttons, hemp twine.

All 3 boxes used Elmer's Craft Bond spray adhesive, sticky strip, and glue dots

Recipe Boxes for a gift!

Hello there!  Today I am SO happy!  I have been working on some recipe boxes, and I finally got them done and mailed!!!!  Whoo hooo!!!!!  It wouldn't have taken as long, but my darling husband wanted me to help decorate the house and cookies this weekend, so my whole weekend was shot.  Anyway, they are done, and that is a HUGE weight lifted off my shoulders!!!!  I am SO excited w/ how they turned out, I thought I would share them here!

I'll post the recipes in the next post!

Have a STAMPTASTIC day!

Nurse to the rescue!

Hello there!  Today I am showcasing Boo Boo Fixer clipart from the Little Doctor clipart set from AiFactory!  The design team is using this set as inspiration for you!  If you make a clean and simple card, post it HERE, and you could win the Little Doctor set for free!!!!!

Since I had a box of Disney Princess bandaids, I went w/ the nurse image and made a belly band and a card!  This could be a cute gift for a little girl who just got hurt or whatever.  I don't like to think about bad things, so whatever usually covers it!  LOL!

Anyway, I am not that good at clean and simple cards, so I feel like this card is lacking!  But, that's my challenge, so I better stick to the rules!  Haha!

Well, I hope to see your fabulous creations!  They are due by Monday, Dec. 21st at midnight!

Vintage Christmas tag!

Hello there vintage lovers! Today I am showcasing a tag featuring this fabulous Santa from Vintage Christmas from Crafty Secrets! You can purchase Crafty Secrets at the ABC Store and now until Dec. 31st, you get 25% off!!!! What a great deal that is! If you're feeling the crunch of Christmas, but still have that energy to buy something for yourself perhaps, or a dear stamping friend, then this is the place to come to! Shipping is FAST too!!!!

Anyway, this tag features two stamps from Vintage Christmas! That darling Santa and the music notes! What great stamps! I just love Crafty Secrets! LOL!

The ABC Toys and Crafts store has a fairly large amount of Crafty Secrets stamps! So, make sure you stop there first!
Here's some more enabling for you!
25% off Sizzix; 25% off Spellbinders } both til Dec. 15th
25% off clear stamps; 25% off rubber stamps } both til Dec. 31st

Have a STAMPTASTIC day!

Tag it! Another AiFactory challenge! Challenge 15

Hello there! Today I am showing a chandelier frame that I turned into a tag! Well, a shaker tag!

This frame can be found at AiFactory under tags and frames! It actually has a bow that is attached to it, but I cut that off. It wasn't needed!

The sentiment is from SU!. I colored the entire frame w/ my silver gel pen. I have a piece of acetate sandwiched in between the frame and the black tag. Micro beads are what I filled it in w/.

Have a STAMPTASTIC day!!!

Truffles recipe!

Hi all!

I was asked to share a recipe for the truffles I made for the January Guest Designer challenge using kraft that was held last week.

Anyway, this recipe came from Kraftfoods magazine, I believe last December's issue.

Simply Sensational Truffles

Total: 15 min. plus refrigerating

Makes: 3 doz. or 18 servings, 2 truffles each

What you need:

2 1/2 pkg {20 squares} Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
1 pkg. {8oz} Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened -(make sure it's Philadelphia! Offbrands just don't cut it!)

Make It:

Melt 8 chocolate squares. Beat cream cheese w/ mixer until creamy; stir in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.
Shape into 36 balls. Place on wax paper-covered tray.
Melt remaining chocolate. Use fork to dip truffles; return to tray. Decorate, then refrigerate 1 hour. Refrigerate leftovers.

Now, when I made them, I made my balls bigger and got maybe 9 total. So, if you're making these for a lot of people, go for bite sized balls.
And, when I "dipped" them into the melted chocolate, that part didn't work for me. So, I poured the choc. over each ball. I also added sugar to the melted chocolate to make it sweeter.

Have fun!

MFT BLOG HOP: Ben & the Poppies

Hello there MFT Junkies!!! Welcome to my blog! If you have just happened upon my blog, you really need to go to Kim's blog and start the hop! If you have come from the fabulous Joanne, then you're in the right place! And what a place for me to be in! I'm in the middle of two absolutely awesome stampers! A thorn between two roses! LOL!

As I said in my sneak peek posts, I was asked, along w/ some other fabulous MFT Junkies, to help out the design team and be a part of this amazing group of stampers for this awesome release! We were able to design w/ stamps that NO ONE has seen! Well, now you have, but you know what I mean! And we were a part of the sneak peeks and this blog hop! I have had SO much fun being a part of all of this! Thank you Kim and fellow design team!!! I have thoroughly enjoyed it!

Ok, on to my stage! When I first saw Love at First Sight, I thought of the Jonas brothers, and how "heartthrobby" they are. Well, I personally don't think so, but any teenage girl does! And so my vision was to make a stage and have the girl from Love at First Sight be a fan! Having Ben Paper Dolls and The Poppies certainly helped! LOL! As well as Bling Bet! Megan, it came in handy! Thanks for your constant enabling!!!!! I love this set!!!!!

Well, I hope that you have enjoyed your time here, and now it's time to hop along to the ever awe inspiring Amy!

ALSO: Make sure you leave a comment on EVERYONE'S blog!!! There's blog candy to be had somewhere along the hop! It's a secret though! So, make sure you leave some love for everyone! They all have done a fabulous job! Your words mean so much to each and every one of us!

Have a STAMPTASTIC MFT day!!!!!!
Hugs!

Flopsey and his truffles!

Hello there! Today I am just showing a different way to use Truffles Flopsey! I participated in the challenge on the SCS MFT thread for the guest designer either for Dec. or Jan. Not sure which month! LOL! Especially since I was asked to be a temp. designer for December!

At any rate, the challenge said to use kraft and to wow the judges. Well, I really excel at 3-D projects, and everyone seems to like what I create, so I thought I would try a box of chocolate! It was SO easy! I couldn't believe it! I thought it would take me FOREVER to make the box, and it took literally MAYBE half an hour! :)

I also made chocolate truffles, which I will post the recipe later today. They were super easy! You just need patience because they need refrigerated!

That's it for now! Over at Kim's blog, she has posted all of the participants for the WTG for December: Maid for WTG! This is every woman's dream! I am lucky, because my husband DOES vacuum for me while I'm on my laptop! So, head on overe there and give all those ladies some love on all of their fabulous creations!!!!

Have a STAMPTASTIC day!