Glitter Embossing Powder!

Happy Saturday!

New Year's Eve!  Wonder if I'll make it to midnight.  I'm quite happy to vein bed at 9:30pm but I know the girls will want to stay up.  Ahhhh youth - when you want to stay up more than you want to go to bed.I wonder exactly "at what age" that tide changes *lol*

I'm still playing "catch up" with some of my Christmas projects that I didn't get around to posting.

This one uses the RealRed embossing glitter in the 2016 holiday catalogue.  If you follow my business Facebook Page you may have seen my first (and ridiculously long) video back in August where I shared "opening my box of new toys".  In that video I was disappointed that what I thought was glitter was really embossing powder … but Iw as wrong - it is actually the best of both worlds - embossing GLITTER!  I love the look of it but I did find it a little difficult to tell when the powder was "done" - the "melt" wasn't as obvious as it is with regular embossing powder.  Still fun and fabulous, you just have to make sure the powders "set" or the glitter will just fall / fun off.

I used the Wondrous Wreath set and Holly Berry Builder Punch to make this card ...

Although I didn't end up using the HOLLY punched pieces (the bow just looked better) I wanted to share a fun trick you can use to easily line up your holly stamps and coordinating punched pieces.

Rather than punching the pieces and then trying to line up the teeny little images to stamp on the teeny little pieces, and instead of wasting a bunch of paper by stamping the image one at a time and dying to punch them out … make a punch template!

Grab some scrap card stock and punch out all the pieces from the punch.  Like so ...

Then you take your stamps, place them IN THE PUNCHED HOLES, grab your clear block and press down, adhering the stamps to the block.  Like so ...

You now have the perfect positioning of the stamps.  You ink the stamps, stamp on your paper and then can punch out the pieces perfectly, with no waste.

You can do the same with the berry pieces ...

So there you have it.  A cute, glittery card and a new trick to try out!

Have yourself a very happy New ear's Eve and a stampy Saturday!


Tam

Bundle Up!

Happy Friday!

Wow, has the week ever flown by!  Hard to believe it's December 30th already!  As always, I'm looking forward to the new year - and I'm looking forward to getting back to a routine.  Our sleep schedule are all OVER the place- kids staying up late, sleeping until stupid-o-clock (like 12:45 PM!) - Craig stays up late and sleeps in - I'VE been up until midnight the last 3 nights in a row (unHEARD of for me!)  I go a *little* insane tippy-toing (COULD be a word!) around every morning waiting to start my day so ya- bring on the new year and routine!

Speaking of the new year … have you thought of your "word" yet?  Your ONE WORD for the year?  The ONE WORD that will be your focusing all you do for the next twelve months.  The ONE WORD that help you keep your attention and direction in your actions.  I choose a word every year.  Some years my word has helped me more than in other years.  I think my most "successful" word was "Enjoy".  That year over and over and over I kept hearing "Enjoy" in my head.  It helped me "be in the moment" in everything I did. When I was playing with the kids.  When I was crafting.  When I was with friends.  Whatever I was doing I made sure to enjoy the moment.  It was a great year.

I try to come up with a new word every year. It's not an easy task, narrowing down your focus to a single word.  I want to live purposefully.  I want to be grateful.  I want to enjoy.  I want to grow.  I want to be healthy.  So many things … one little word.

Although I may still change it I think this year I'm going with "Why?".   I've never had a questioning word before but I think it will work for me this year.  I think it will help me be mindful of what I am doing … WHY I'm doing it.  I think it will help me focus my attention on my INTENTIONS.  Am I doing something because I WANT to or because I feel I SHOULD or HAVE TO?  … and does it matter?  I think all too often we all just go through the motions.  We do what is expected of us or what we've always done in the past. This year want to question WHY I'm doing what I'm doing and then determine if it's something I truly NEED to be doing or if it is something I can cut out of my life. I think it will work.  I think it will help me grow and change in positive ways.  I think it's a good word.

Give it some thought.  What will YOUR word be this year?

Right! Enough reflective rambling - let's get down to some serious business - saving money!  *lol*

The 2016 Holiday Catalogue is retiring next week.  Most retiring items are still available for purchase but WILL be gone at the end of day January 3rd (Tuesday!) so act quickly if you still have any items on your wish list!  You can see the list of retiring items HERE.  If you are in Canada you can order through my ono-line store HERE 24/7.  If your order is under $200 make sure you enter the Hostess Code 2P3NWEMY at the checkout to receive a "thank you" gift from me in the mail!

Today I want to point out that although some PRODUCTS are still carrying over to the Occasions Catalogue, the current BUNDLES are NOT carrying over.  When Stampin' Up! releases new catalogues they often "bundle" coordinating products, offering you a 10% discount when ordering the items together.  those bundled discounts are only offered when first released. When items carry over they are NOT …. so get your bundles NOW to save that 10%.

Here are the bundled items offered in theHoliday Catalogue ...

  

 

Phew!  There are a lot of them!  Don't wait - these items are either retiring or, if they aren't, will cost you more in a week so get 'em now!

Pop in again soon.  Until then, have a stampy day!


Tam

Merry Christmas Cards ...

Happy Thursday!

Gosh …. where do I start?  I HATE when I go so long between posts!  I have lots to say but I don't have the 6 hours needed to say it all *lol*

Christmas has been fantastic - as usual.  I must say, this year I found the run-up to The Big Day more stressful than usual. I found it SO much harder to shop for the kids this year. It's a tough age for both - 13 and 11 - They still *want* toys but recognize they don't actually play much any more.  I managed a fairly good mix of "grown up" gifts (hair straightener and hair products) and "kid" gifts (Lego, mechano sets, LOTS of books).

Since Christmas I have been TRYING to relax but if you know me you know trying to relax tends to stress me out!  I'm SO conditioned to always be multitasking that I don't even know HOW to relax!  I did have a few days where I took a nap … and a few days where I've done some DEEP cleaning … and the entire family DID succeed on our goal of "3 days without handheld electronic devices".  I'm now starting to "work" a little.  Craft room has been organized (happens every December!) and I am now ready to start playing with all my new stamp sets!  The Occasions Catalogue starts Jan 4th and my Open House is Jan 6th.  Eek!  That's next Friday!!  Fingers crossed my creative juices are flowing this week as I have lots of work to do if I want to get some samples ready in time!

I wanted to play "catch up" a bit today so thought I'd post pictures of all the FABULOUS handmade cards I received this year.  Thank you my creative friends!  I love (and keep) them all!

Mary Poole

Lin Barry

Amy Barry

Angie Graham

Wilma Sannino

Claudine Dulaba

Genevieve Parrent

Helen Dublanko

Ann Kurjata

Alicia McG

Liana Supple

Heather Dailey

Lucie Vardaro

Lisa Henderson

Corina Michetti

Wanda Corcoran

Handmade cards.  I love making them, I love giving them and I love receiving them.  I hope you got a lot of love in the mail this year too.

Thanks for popping in - I hope to share some more Christmas projects this week … and projects from the new catty VERY soon!

Have a stampy afternoon!


Tam

Paper Pumpkin December 2016

LOVE this kit!!! …. so does Alicia! It's a GREAT way to document the year … or an event. Alicia wants to use it to put pictures other and her besties. I want to use it to document my trip to Disneyland with Becca … or the month of December with out Elf and and antics. How about a little wedding scrapbook??
They are $28.35 (includes s/h/gst). It includes EVERYthing you need (the supplies, rotary stamp and marker) - all in one box. I DO HAVE ONE ON HAND IF YOU NEED A LAST MINUTE GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS! The young girls LOVE this kind of thing (just sayin' …)



I BELIEVE these are available for purchase tomorrow (but don't quote me - I find out for sure WHEN tomorrow … I'm just guessing!)

You can order through my online store here - use hostess code 2P3NWEMY at the check out and I will send you a special thank you in the mail!

Have a stampy day!!


Tam

Birthday Bright Project Kit

Quick, Easy, Lovely Gift!

Happy Sunday!

Just waiting for the family to wake up … and procrastinating on walking Doodles … so thought I'd post a fun project I made last week.

Looking for an inexpensive teacher gift?  Or need a hostess gift for an Open House or dinner you may be going to over the holidays?  I have the PERFECT idea for you.  Check.  It.  Out.

As always, my lighting leaves a bit to be desired but you get the idea lol.

Hit Costco and get the 3 pack of Sparkling juices.  I bought mine last month but last week they were on sale for something like $6 or $7…that's only around $2 per bottle!  I bought some originally thinking it would be a nice treat for the girls to have on Christmas Eve (at our annual living room picnic snack/appie "dinner") and again on New Year's Eve.  I then made plans for lunch with two of my favourite ladies and wanted to give them a little *something*.  These bottles were perfect!!

For the packaging I used our large gusseted bags …

.. They are 6" x 17" and you get 25 of them for $12.  They are food safe and are PERFECT for a bottle of *something* or a loaf of bread.

I made the tags to match the colour of the label on the bottle.  I was heartbroken that I no longer had any Purely Pomegranite paper or ink left from years ago… sold it off at one of my garage sales.  Oh well …. a quick scan of my supplies and I found that the Pear Pizzazz and Watermelon Wonder made a pretty close match (may have squealed a little at that point …).

I used my Cheerful Tags and Here's to Cheers products (which I got in a bundle at 10% off … note the Here's to Cheers set is retiring and only available until Jan 3rd!!!)

I stamped the sentiment in the Watermelon Wonder ink and punched it out with the 2" circle punch.  I then stamped the bottles and punched them out with the 1 1/4" punch.  I added clear Wink of Stella to the bottles and the word "Cheers".  A single rhinestone on the wine glass finished it off.

I tied a piece of white thick Bakers Twine around the next of the bottle and attached the tag to that.  For a finishing touch I added a bow of our (retired) white satin ribbon.

I love, love LOVE how this turned out and am giving it as a hostess gift to my niece who is having us all over for an Open House this afternoon.  Perfect!  I even had a friend ask if I was giving it to the teachers this year as she liked the idea so much SHE wanted to give them.  (Our kids have the same teacher so didn't want to copy if I was giving them).  A GREAT, economical gift for teachers that is a) consumable (which teachers love …) b) it's different (it's NOT another bottle of hand lotion … which they get 20 of each year) and c) it's super quick, easy, economical and key-UTE!.  See?  Never worry about ideas - I've gotcha covered!

OK - enough lounging around - the dog isn't going to walk himself so I better get moving.  Hope you have a fun, stampy day!


Tam

Here's a picture of Koda …. he's not as into Christmas cheer as I am! *lol*.  Yes … I spend a LOT of time alone.  My youngest keeps telling me "Mom … you need friends."  hee hee. 

Have a fun day!