Merry Monday #90, Jingle Belles old and new, Holly Jolly, and Hazel, of course!

Happy Friday everyone!  It is indeed a happy Friday because my family and I are going to eat for *FREE* tonight at the new Taco Bell where I'll soon be working!  YUMMAY!!!  ;)  But I know no one is here to read about THAT...so how 'bout a pretty picture instead?

I've been dying to use my *new* 2011 Spellbinders Heirloom Ornaments to make an ornament!  Here is the first of hopefully many!  I had alot of fun making it, even though the whole process took a few days, starting and stopping!  The paper is from the Recollections "Believe" 12x12 pad.  You can see I also used my loved Spellbinders Poinsettia die set too, along with the MS fern? punch, and the Sizzix Scribbles Swirls die.  The flower, leaves and ferns are all made from vellum that I inked with my TH Distress inks.  For the swirls I wanted a different material, so I tried the DI for the first time on photo paper.  Worked great!  I am SO HAPPY with this ornament!!!  :)  Here's a close-up pic:

Anyhow, these are the challenges I am linking this to:

Jingle Belles:  Old and New (my paper is old(ish), and the 2011 ornament die set, new)
Merry Monday #90:  Ribbon or Twine
Holly Jolly:  Ribbon or Lace
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra:  Anything Christmas

Thanks for having a look today, and enjoy yourself, whatever you are doing!  :)

~Marie~

ETA:  I just checked out Hazel's other challenges (I don't know how she keeps up with so many!), and found that this will fit in nicely, so I'm adding them to the list also.  Just found out this will also fit into the challenge for Christmas Cards All Year Round, so adding it there as well!

CHNC #158:  Upcycle, repurpose, or use a freebie (I used some "chipboard" that I saved from some packaging as the base for my ornament.)
CHNPPC (Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge):  Use patterened paper

I finally did it!

I've been wanting to do this for a good while now...I finally organized and labeled my Distress Inks !!!  Here's a pic:

Don't mind the brightness...I had a lot of lights on in my room.  As you can see, I still have room for more!  Gotta hit the hay...just wanted to share that!!



Marie

Happy New Year!

I know some of us in the world are already into the New Year, but here in PA we still have a few hours left in 2013! 

 

While we're waiting to celebrate, I thought I'd pop in and share a card or two that were made recently, just because I wanted to!

 I wanted to use the Memory Box mitten die that I had gotten as part of my early Christmas present from my hubby!  I also broke out a tool that I used often as a kid to make pom poms.  I don't have a pic of it, but all it is is a set of plastic circles in different sizes.  I used the smallest set for these, and some Twinery twine that I had won on a blog hop.  Cute, huh?  :)

 

Here is George from Stamp Fairy again!  I just love this adorable snowman!  In this scene, he is obviously getting ready to decorate his tree for Christmas!

Even though I made these cards for fun, I am going to link them up to Hazel's regular Christmas challenge, where she is asking for any Christmas cards made that weren't shared yet.

 

Well, we had to stop at Dunkin Donuts to do this, and we are getting hungry for the shrimp we are making tonight, so I'm ending this post and getting linked up!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE, and may 2014 be your best year yet!

 

~Marie~

 

Merry Monday #88, and hello to all my bloggy friends!

Greetings everyone!  It has been SO LONG since I posted on here with a card to share!  I was still in touch though, keeping my eyes on all of your craftiness!  :)  I just wanna share this really quick before I show you my card...

This is a pic of our Pretty Kitty...yes that was the name I picked for her!  She was hit by a car the day before Thanksgiving,.  My girls and I were so sad!  Even now, I wonder why it happened, because she NEVER went near the road when a car drove by.  All we can guess is that she was chasing a barn cat and didn't realize where she was headed...I miss her fuzzy little face greeting me when I came home from work!

 

Well enough of that, here is my card for this week's Merry Monday:

 

 

The image is from the Whimsie Doodles set called 'Tis the Season Images.  I followed the layout from a card on my Pinterest "Card" board.  The dp is from the Winter Wonderland 12x12 pack from K and Company.

Well, I guess I'd better end for now and get this linked up.  We are going to see my grandmother this afternoon, and I'm not even showered yet!

 

Take Care and Merry Christmas!!

 

~Marie~

 

ETA:  Adding this to Hazel's Christmas Extra, and to her weekly Christmas challenge too!

Hello!

Hey all!  I just wanted to pop on here for a minute to explain my absence this week....it's been a bit rough for me.  I lost my job of 8 years (long story), but I wanted to leave anyway.  I was just hoping to actually have a job lined up beforehand, ya know?  On top of that, I found out that a high school friend of mine was murdered...which has all of the rest of us asking, "WHY?".... He was such a good guy, and had only just gotten married 2 years ago.  He was a bit commitment phobic, I think!  Every time it crosses my mind, I feel so sad....

Anyway, I just wanted you all to know what was happening, in case anyone was wondering where I was.  Please, if any of you say prayers, keep his widow and his sister in your prayers.  Thank you!

~Marie~

Holiday traditions...

Howdy bloggers!  I just realized that since Lauren and Stef of Jingle Belles have so graciously allowed me to be their guest this week, I really should make a post about my card!  The idea I had suggested was family traditions around the holidays.  Here is my card:

The tradition I miss the most was when our family would gather at my grandparents' house after the Christmas Eve service to eat Grandma's homemade goodies and talk.  What great times those were!  That tradition mostly stopped after my grandfather died 23 years ago, but when my Dad passed away the day after Christmas almost 8 years ago, the tradition stopped completely.  My grandmother's heart just isn't in it anymore!  Sorry for the sad thoughts there, but I wanted to share that with you all.  

Anyway, my card features an image from Stamp Fairy called George Cocoa.  Isn't he just the cutest?      

I love making cards using George!  The dp is from a DCWV 12x12 stack called Mrs. Claus' Kitchen. I love that stack!  I tried to color my image to match the colors in the dp, and used kraft as my base.  The image and dp piece are matted on a dark red card stock, and then I distressed the edges with Frayed Burlap.  A tiny sentiment from Studio G and some green bling finished it off.

I hope I didn't upset anyone too much with my kinda sad story today!  If I did, I apologize.   I hope that won't stop you from checking out the wonderful cards and traditions over at Jingle Belles this week!  Thanks for stopping by!  

~Marie~

Festive Friday #20 & Winter Wonderland blue and white

Hello, and happy Sunday!  What are you all up to today?  My girls and I are watching the Hallmark channel's Holiday movies....LOVE THEM!!!  I'm just waiting for them to play my favorite one:  "The Christmas Card."  Sigh...ANYway, here is the element challenge photo inspiration for this week's Festive Friday:  Wreath

And here is my submission:

Now this you would have to see in person to see how pretty it really is!  I was inspired by the pic to make a nice fluffy white wreath using a gift wrap garland I bought at Walmart.  It's wired, so I just kept wrapping and gluing it down to the scalloped circle I cut out of white card.  When it was all glued down, I took some Arctic Ice Stickles and rubbed it over top with my finger, which of course, isn't very easy to see in my pic.  IRL, the blue in the glitter matches the paper and ribbon.  I adore this sentiment from TPC's Chrsitmas Glamour set, but I used  Brilliance Moonlight White ink and clear embossing powder on it...maybe I should have used white ep?  It's difficult to see even IRL.  Sigh, live and learn!

I'm adding this to:  

     Hazel's Christmas extra for November
     Winter Wonderland's blue and white
     Simon Says Stamp:  Anything Goes
     Cute Card Thursday:  Sparkles
     Christmas Card Challenges:  Pop it Up (dimension)

Well, gotta get going! 

Take Care,

~Marie~

Merry Monday #81, Santa!

Nothing like waiting until the last possible minute to get this made!  Here's my card for this week's :  Merry Monday #81:  Santa

This jolly Santa face and the sentiment come from the Holiday Filigree set by Inkadinkado.  You cannot tell at ALL that they have been heat embossed with red tinsel embossing powder, which is really pretty IRL!  The patterned paper comes from the Recollections Bright and Jolly 12x12 pad.  That's about it for this card!  Gonna get it posted and linked, and then I'll be back to post my Festive Friday card.  I'm also adding this to:  

Hazel's Christmas extra for November
Simon Says Stamp:  Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday:  Sparkles

See you soon!

~Marie~

Winter Wonderland: Check this out!

Happy Wednesday bloggers!  I'm here on this fine fall day to share with you my card for this week's Winter Wonderland challenge.  They have asked us to use checked/tartan papers, ribbons, embellies etc...so here is what I went with:

My plaid paper comes from the Recollections Jingle Bells 12x12 pad.  The light blue cardstock comes from the Seaside paper pack also by Recollections.  Used the Spellbinders' snowflake embossing folder on the top layer of cardstock, and distressed the edges with Tumbled Glass.  Also did that to the edges of the image oval.  You can barely see it, but I used a scalloped oval cut from vellum to back the image panel.  I got the idea from this card, made by Greta.  Thanks for the inspiration, Greta!  :)

In case you're wondering, this adorable bear is Jake, from StampFairy.  He can be found here.  I SO love Gerda's bears!  :)  The sentiment comes from Studio G.

What are your plans for this evening?  We plan to go to a local Halloween parade.  Pretty directly, I will need to get myself ready, and start boiling water for hot chocolate!  :)  Guess I'll get this linked up, and here is where it's going:

Winter Wonderland:  Check This Out!

Jingle Belles:  Not a Creature was Stirring...

CraftyHazelNut's:  Christmas extra for October

Simon Says Stamp:  Anything Goes

Thanks for "checking out" my blog today!  LOL

Take Care,

~Marie~

Merry Monday #80

Happy Saturday afternoon bloggy folks!  I hope we are all doing well and enjoying whatever is planned for today.  I worked 6a-2p, but now I am home smelling the YUMMY meatloaf that Chad has in the oven, and trying not to drool all over the keyboard!  Well, I know you didn't come here to hear about our supper for this evening, so let's get to the real reason...my Merry Monday card for the week!

The prompt this week is:

                           Use Music or Create a Carol Inspired card!

Aren't those kids just the cutest?  :)  Here is my card:

This is my all-time favorite Christmas carol.  I especially love to hear Bing Crosby sing it!  I have had this music sheet and others that are similar in design saved on my computer for several years now.  I used to always use them when I made teabag medallions...now I think this one looks great with the Spellbinders poinsettia die!  After I attached the flower, I thought it needed a    little something more, so I added the twine, and then added gold Stickles to the  twine.  That is hard to see in the photo.  The center of the flower has more of 

those gold beads I have used in the past.  The edges of the music panel are distressed with Frayed Burlap, and all is mounted on a dark green card base.

Well, the meatloaf is calling...gotta run!

Take Care,

~Marie~

ETA:  Here I come again, Hazel!!  I also joined in on Hazel's current weekly challenge...thanks for letting me know, Hazel!!  :)

 

 

ETA AGAIN:  This card was an honorable mention at Merry Monday!  YIPPEE!!!  :)

OK, ok, so I lied...

about posting another pink card, that is!  I found this challenge from The Alley Way Stamps, and since they had some freebies available, I decided to join in.  And as luck would have it, the challenge involves a little PINK...for Jingle Belles!    Here is my card:

Not my usual, but I like it!  Broke out some of the washi tape I bought at Michael's awhile ago.  :)  Colored the image and sentiment with Sharpies, distressed the edges of the image and sentiment panels with some hot pink ink, and DONE!  Simple and cute, if I do say so myself!  :)

Adding this to Hazel's challenge also!

Take Care,

~Marie~