The Holiday Sale is Here

Woo Hoo - the Holiday sale is here.  It was exciting waking up this morning and finding out what goodies were going to be available at fabulous prices!

Don't miss out on getting the Simply Scored or the Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps at a reduced price until the end of today ONLY!

Click here for all the details on this Online Extravaganza at my online store.  Remember, anyone who places an order through my online store gets a gift from me.

Happy Shopping -

As a side note - I have been flying off my feet with card camps and trade fairs - once the dust has settled in my stamping room - and I've put everything away - it will be time to do a challenge or two and get ready for the next set of events.

Hope your having a fantastic day!
Joan

Holly Snowmen

Well I had fun with these little guys this afternoon!  I used the colours from this weeks' Paper Players  - River Rock, Always Artichoke and Riding Hood Red.  The sketch is the Mojo Monday Sketch.  I must say that I love this combination of colours and I can see me doing this sketch again. 

I put the Always Artichoke mat through the Big Shot with the Striped Embossing folder going in two directions.  After I cut out the holly leaves using the Stocking Accents die, I folded them and slipped them through the crimper.  The holly berries are raised on dimensionals and have Crystal Effects added to make them glisten, and I added Dazzling Details to each of the snowmen's hats that have pompoms.

I cutting away to get ready for two nights of Christmas Stacks this weekend and another trade fair.  I'm glad I have Allison to help out.  I'm "paying" her with a hair appointment tomorrow. Works for me!

Hope things are working out your way too.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Joan

Embossed MashUp!

 I've been working on Christmas cards all week so I was thrilled this morning when I saw that this weeks' Friday MashUp! was moving away from seasonal cards.  The SUO Challenge this week was to create a card for someone you're thinking about - my aunt hasn't been feeling very well lately, so I will be sending this her way.  The mashup today is:

1. Make a project featuring "A Girly Theme".
2. Or Make a project using "Your Favorite Technique".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Girly project using your Favorite Technique

I love embossing - both heat and "dry".  Heat embossing is just so magical!  I used white embossing on the Melon Mambo piece and then coloured in the leaves with white gel pen.  The flower pieces were put through the Big Shot with the Finial Press embossing folder.  (I don't believe I've ever written down that folder name before! Ha ha)

I haven't shared any pages from my anniversary book for a while - so here are the next two in line.....

 My husband has come to my classroom a couple of times on Valentines day delivering a huge Hershey Kiss for me and  packages of small ones for my students.

Laughter is an important part of any relationship - good for the spirit, good for the soul, good for our health.

Hope you find something you can laugh about today - I'm off to get ready for a class tomorrow.  Have a good one!  Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Fresh Creation

 I do not like how my camera deals with Cherry Cobbler paper!  It's always so dark - even when I "fix" it through editing, it just doesn't look like it does in real life.

Oh well - today's card comes courtesy of Create with Connie and Mary and Freshly Made Sketches.  I knew as soon as I saw the sketch that I wanted to create a scene that I split into panels.  Unfortunately I don't have many sets that can work that way - and I'm NOT getting more!!!! (Who am I kidding - of course I'll get more as soon as the new mini comes out! - Duh!)  The colours today are from Create with Connie and Mary - Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard and Basic Black.

I created a second card for my Mother's friend since I wasn't sure how happy I was with the Concord one.  I'm going to send both of them to her and she can make her selection.

The sky looks like it's not quite sure what kind of weather it wants to throw at us today - I got all my plant pots and deck furniture dealt with yesterday so I'm pretty much ready for anything now.

Hope you're having a wonderful day - and thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Joan

Recipe to Create

I love when there is a specified "recipe" to follow on challenge blogs.    This week at The Paper Players they have a "Let's get Cooking" recipe challenge which means a project that includes:

•  3 different patterned papers
• 2 different ribbons
• at least one punch
• and a sprinkling of glitter

I've used 3 different designs from the Beau Chateau DSP.  I've included the Chantilly crochet trim and the Velvet Stitched Ribbon.  I used some Linen Thread to gather up one edge of the crochet trim to create the rosette.  Three punches were used - Modern Label, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border and I used the Decorative Label punch to create the curved edges on the central piece.  The dressmaker's mannequin is covered in Dazzling Diamonds.

I hope your day is going well for you!  Thanks for stopping by for a visit!
Joan

Mucho Mojo

 I ended up creating two cards using today's Mojo Monday sketch.  The Soft Suede Butterfly was my first creation with a background collage using images from Established Elegance.  It took a while to get to that point because I was dead set on using Mocha Morning paper - but it just didn't work out.  I do, however, like this final result.

The second card might be a birthday card for a friend of my Mother's.  This photo didn't turn out very well.  I used Concord Crush, and I may just do it over again using a lighter background so that the collage of images shows up better - they are the important part of this card.  I'll give it another try tomorrow.

I got my report cards done today - I told myself I had to before I got to play.  The other thing I have got to do this week is get my head around what I'm going to have the kids doing for this years' Christmas Concert.  Time will fly by once this little break is over.

Hope your mojo is working for you today.  Thanks for stopping by!
Joan

Silvery, Snowy Thanks

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted a card - AND the fact that I missed an entire Friday Mashup!  I have been busy these past two weekends, and I did spend this whole last week preparing for a Christmas Trade Show - but still!  Well, I have this whole week off - so in between doing report cards and tweaking things for the next Trade Fair - I will be catching up on my usual challenges.

So - this week at the Friday Mashup they were looking for heat embossing and gratitude.  We've celebrated our Thanksgiving already - so I thought I'd gear my card towards thanks at Christmas or in the winter.  The sketch is from Stamping 411.

I embossed these wonderful Serene Snowflakes with silver embossing powder.  I used the Versa Mark Pen to touch the snowman's buttons and added embossing to them also.  The Lace Ribbon Border was punched from the Brushed Silver Paper as well as the one little Northern Frost snowflake which I had leftover in a drawer waiting to be used.

Well - I am thankful for this week off - I've got lots of upcoming events planned and need the time to prepare, in addition to necessary jobs, reading, cleaning, napping! 

Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday afternoon.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Joan