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 :).