CD folder Scrapbook from my Elf LIZ!

My secret elf was, as suspected, my buddy Liz! Look at this gorgeous scrapbook she gave me this morning...it is soooo gorgeous!

Sorry the page pictures are sideways, my anger at blogger has no bounds....I can't fix it! Here is the lovely front cover:

Secret Elf Days 8 and 10

My Super Secret Elf has been so generous and fun! Day 8 was this amazing Candy Bar Holder--I was thrilled! (I'll take it apart a bit and use it on a Christmas Scrapbook page soon!)

On Day 9, I received Rose Red Grosgrain Ribbon! And today, Day 10.....this gorgeous tin embellished with all the lovely ribbons from the winter mini and Riding Hood Red Striped Ribbon....don't they coordinate wonderfully with the pail? To top it off, she included an adorable watercolored snowman paper clip, chocolates and a....Sock Monkey Ornament! Too cute and SU! spirited!!

Elf Gift #6 and sneak peek

My elf gift today is this adorable snowflake cube ornament....isn't it a cutie pie? Took the picture and put it right on the tree! Since we are allowed to post our demo preorder sneak peek cards now, I had to post this card I made with the new Raspberry Tart paper and Goody Goody Gumdrops hostess set for today's Sketch Challenge on SCS. (Search SC207 to see them all) It was a quick card--just some masking and crystal effects did the trick!

More SA Elf Gifts!

My Elf was so sweet on day 2 and 3! I opened a Regal Rose Ink Pad and a package of the big flower brads. Yippee!

Today (day 4), my daughter opened a gorgeous LOVE table decoration for me! (I hadn't order this set and paper so even more wowie.) The letters are yummy VELVET....hmmmm....perhaps made with the Big Shot? Which of my SA friends has that big nice Alphabet???? Hmmmmmmm......

We are now allowed (per demo support-I have an incident number in which I was told NO earlier and YES today) to post preview and promotional sets on blogs and websites as we wish.

SA Elf Gifts-WOWIE!

On SCS/splitcoast, I chat with a great group of demonstrator friends I met at SU! Convention last summer. We decided to do a secret elf exchange for 12 days before Christmas. I listed my favorite color as Baja Breeze, and could this be more perfect? I can't wait to show it off at my new catalog open house! Even the big mod mum rub-on will console me in the loss of the big mod mum in Fabulous Flowers which is retiring!!!

And such a gorgeous card with it too! (I can only hope my Secret Elfette likes her things as well as I do, but her gift is goofy for today. hee-I'm bad!) Here's a picture of my entire fabulous haul in wrapped glory! (Well, I took day 8's present to stamp club last night, so I'll keep you in suspense until Day 8) What a great Elf! Even the paper is coordinated! I admit I gently shook -yep I do that- the boxes (which are mostly stamp boxes by the way), and I think I may have a stamp set one stamp at a time in different boxes! :)

Not a Creature was Stirring....but a Peanut Butter Mouse!

Peanut Butter Mice

1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup butter (no substitutes), softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup peanut halves (roasted not raw)
2 tablespoons MINIATURE M&Ms
Red shoestring licorice-separated into strings 2 inches long



Cream peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour/until easy to handle.

Roll into 1 inch balls…..place 2 inches apart on baking sheet, and pinch one end into a taper for the nose. Insert 2 peanut halves in the center of each ball for ears. Add a brown or red M&M for the nose and use two brown, blue or green M&Ms for the eyes.

Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until set. On pan, gently insert a read licorice piece into each cookie for a tail. (Yield 5 dozen)

TLC198 Vellum Shade

This is a simple little shade embellished with only iridescent ice embossing powder and markers (on the back side). I promise it is better in real life. I really enjoyed today's challenge. It was simple and fun.

I used the Winter Post snowflake on both the top and bottom edges in Brocade Blue craft ink and the house from To You and Yours in the middle as well.

I stamped the dove from this set on each side of the house as well for a little more sparkle....I wish you could see it glisten in the photograph....sorry!

Ho Ho Ho Candy Bar Holder and Emma's tags

When I made a Candy Bar Holder with the Snowman from Merry and Bright in a square punch, my daughter said it was silly for it to have Ho Ho Ho on it with a snowman......touche'. So here it is re-done with Santa's smiling face from Deer Friends.....I stamped the Sweet Treat ring in Old Olive (it has the gingerbread man in the center) since this is a candy bar holder :)

There is a notch in the sleeve that allows the Santa scalloped circle (stapled to the end of the candybar) to tuck into the holder. The HoHoHo's were made with the Short Order Alphabet, and the designer series paper is the Ski Slope.

My 6 yo (mentioned above :) ) made these two tags, and I helped tie them onto the presents and wrote our names on the snowflake one. She loves to stamp!

Enhancing a Simple Tag

This tag is an example of creating something and then enhancing it to a More is More level. It is done by the dirty dozen team on SCS to show how embellishments can add to a project.

The original was a cute and simple tag--perfect for creating a quick batch for many gifts. To step it up (for a special someone perhaps) I changed the ribbon to the wider striped ribbon and added the sponging technique in Always Artichoke both on the edges of the Very Vanilla/image layer and on top of the leaf areas. I also added an Always Artichoke cardstock layer, Always Artichoke brads, dimensionals, and an Always Artichoke cut out with punched berries in the same Ridinghood Red cardstock.

I also re-inked my inkpad which goes to show how important that can be too :).

2009 Coaster Calendar

I think I'll do this coaster calendar for my last fall stamp club meeting in January......It is easy and showcases the Hostess Level 1 DSP (My club members will have to be flexible about the color) as well as the big shot.

Christmas Fishes!

This little shaker card (sand) is a pocket card designed for a friend. She has wallet size pictures of her family on the beach inside the pocket. Lots of Fun!

DVD tin in Maine Blueberry

This Maine Blueberry SU! paper looks nice on a DVD tin I think.....I included a 3X3 card which is a great way to use small scraps.

Featured Stamper 92 CASEing Wendybell

Today the Featured Stamper on SCS is Wendy, my friend from the SCS Challenge Chaser thread on SCS. Wendy is a sweetie I met in real life when she hosted all of us CCers at her house during Convention this summer! Thrilled to find a beauty of hers to CASE, I chose this card: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1118687?cat=500&ppuser=79179 I was a rebel and didn't use a Butterfly which is Wendy's trademark (right now at least--they have sentimental meanings for her in addition), but I made a Christmas card instead.

Mom's Birthday Card

This card is a CASE of Becca Stamps on SCS for the Featured Stamper Challenge (FS91). Her work is elegant with lots of perfectly tied bows....my bow is just okay :)

I admit this one isn't all SU!, I wish we had liquid applique in every winter catty! For this card I mixed the white with Pink Pirouette reinker to get a pink frosting. I also shined the cherries with a bit of Crystal Effects.

Christmas cards for church

Each year I make 50 cards for our church's alternative Christmas charity card sale, and 15-20 other members do too. They are sold for $5 a card (with the required SU! copyright stamp on the back) and the local/outside charities benefit from the full price.


This year, I found some cards I liked on SCS to CASE. (Copy And Share Everything) I loved the simplicity and ease of replication for these two designs. I changed them just a tiny bit (color on the card on the right and the main image on the card on the left), but they are pretty close to the original creations by stampinjules951 and jaymerz. Thanks for sharing ladies!


A little tip: The Ridinghood Red scalloped layer on the white card is just four of SU!'s scallop square punches adhered together under a 2-1/4 inch square of white cardstock. Easy and cute!

Season of Simple Grace Criss Cross Card

I'm happy to have finally made a layout I like with this set. The long flowing robes of the wise men have kept me from fitting the entire display on one layer, so this works for me. This is a prototype-it needs some embellishing and detail before becoming a batch of swaps I need to get in the mail asap. I used the simplified Criss Cross design for which you make a regular card and cut it diagonally, flip the piece that is cut off and attach the sides with sticky strip. This method (as opposed to the 2 layered 4-1/4 X 11 inch sheets for a criss cross card) saves paper and weight for postage.

Transparency Snowflake Christmas Card

Last year when transparent cards were so popular, I didn't need another Christmas technique idea. This year I needed an idea and remembered these. :) I also needed a different color combination. The red is just to show off the snowflakes, and the card is only Pink Pirouette, White and Kiwi Kiss.

October's Birthday Promotion

Stampin' Up! is offering eight sets at 20% off in October to celebrate the company's 20th Birthday! I made an example (for each of the two I currently own which are on sale) for a Demo Challenge on SCS. I'll be adding a couple more new sale sets to my collection soon!

First is a 12X12 scrapbook page using the Crab & Company set with the Maine Blueberry Designer Series Paper. Stampin' Up! punches and a simple layout made for a quick and easy page.

This is a pocket card CASE'd with changes from a demonstrator friend's swap card. Here is a link to Amy's blog although I couldn't find her swap card on it: http://amysings.blogspot.com/

For a separate (Wicked) demo challenge on SCS, we were to create a tiny milk carton using these instructions by the original creator, Rochelle W.: http://impressionsbyrochelle.blogspot.com/2008/01/teeny-tiny-milk-cartons.html

I couldn't resist a comment on Santa's great idea of setting up the cookies and milk treat for himself at each house! It is a pretty small container (designed to hold 4 Starburst candies), so I will probably hang it on the Christmas tree.

Bleaching Technique Very Merry Snowman

I created this card for my November Christmas Technique class. It was quick and fun. I used Baja Breeze with black craft ink and clear embossing powder. I markered-over the bleached hat and scarf after bleaching out the snowman with an aquapainter. I also stamped the snowflakes with bleach, and then finished the card with punches and the new Ski Slope designer series paper. The sentiment is from the Level 1 hostess set Best Yet.

Cammie's Blog Candy benefit for the Alzheimer's Association

Visit Cammie's Blog here: http://myblogbycammie.blogspot.com/ to see her story and blog candy contest as well as her stamp set that benefits the Alzheimer's Association.


For the contest, we were to create a card for a caregiver of Alzheimer's patients. My first card is for a friend's mother. This may not be what Cammie had in mind (so I did two), but I wanted to support an Alzheimer's patient's wife who is certainly a caregiver as well. I used the Organic Grace Hostess Set, Sanded Background and my current favorite sketch by JanTInk (blog linked on the side bar).

My second card I will give to my friend and ask her to ask her mom to give it to the staff or a particular caregiver as she feels led. This card uses the Organic Grace fern, the Inspired by Nature coneflowers and sentiment and the Top Note SU! exclusive Big Shot die.

Bookmark for TLC187

For the technique challenge from Monday on SCS, I made this bookmark using the Haiku paper and Eastern Blooms set....and then since I had an extra bit of Tangerine cardstock, I made an OSU bookmark for my daughter using the Wanted set to create "Bullet" on the front. With football season starting, she is very aware of cheering for a team :).

All about the Shoes.....

This card (layout brought to light by SCS user ID justcrazy -Thanks so much for sharing!) was created for the Sketch Challenge on SCS (SC194). It uses several "techniques" including using Crystal Effects and a drop of reinker for a shiny melted surface, mixing Crystal Effects with Dazzling Diamonds for a glitter layer, and making a broom from a bamboo skewer and SU!'s hemp twine. If you join me at my technique class on October 2nd, we'll make this card :)

Below are the two views of this treat basket box which was one of the make and takes at my last club meeting. I saw it in this small size (6 inch square) coming home from convention in a saffron color made by SU! demo Cheryl Kruger, and when I realized the 5 pieces from Eat Drink and Be Scary would fit perfectly I had to try it. The Ghostly Greetings paper and striped Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain Ribbon finish it nicely I think.(A tutorial for the 12 inch size is available on SCS here: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ee/index.php/resources/tutorials/treat_box/ )

Season of Simple Grace

I used Reinker drops on a baby wipe for an inkpad for this card. I used it on the new Bella Toile Background and for the Christmas stamp from the Punches Three Hostess set. Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus look better in the solid to me though. :) I took this color combination from one of my favorite convention swaps which I received from Connie Ingram of Littleton, Colorado. Thanks for sharing Connie!

Beate's latest challenge

I made this card for Beate's Inspiration Challenge shown on her blog here: http://beate.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2008/09/09/be-inspired-challenge-22/

It was too pretty of a picture to pass up being inspired by :). I came up with this using the new hostess sets Punches Three and Organic Grace. After using the white gel pen to highlight the flower petals, I decided to use the cracked glass technique obviously inspired by all the glass bottles :).

Masculine Swap Card

I finally finished these cards for a swap just minutes before the post office closed. Whew! This card was made using the Happiness Is a Journey set and the Top Note Bigz Die. I sponged all the edges in Close to Cocoa and used Clear Embossing powder over Not Quite Navy craft in on Kraft cardstock. The green hue is Old Olive, and I sponged the ribbon a bit to tone it down and provide a more masculine look.

Halloween and.....

Here's a silly Halloween card that uses the Eat, Drink and Be Scary set which will be available October 1st. It is a fun set, and since I volunteered to make the gallery index for SCS, this card shows all the pieces in the set. (The bats are background paper from the Ghostly Greetings Designer Series Paper.)
Since I'm rushing Halloween, I might as well rush Christmas.....:).... This masked A Cardinal Christmas card in Ridinghood Red and Whisper White uses the Bella Toile Background as the filler.....My husband preferred this card to the plain version below so I used the masked version for a swap. I still like the plain version :).

For another swap, we were required to use one of the sketch challenges on Splitcoast. I chose SC66 for my card, and again used A Cardinal Christmas-this time with the new Wide striped grosgrain and Very Vanilla and Mellow Moss. I used a sentiment from To You and Yours in artichoke as well. These cards are likely parts of my class or Stamp a Stack offerings coming in October.