Randy's Birthday Cake!

Today is my husband's double-nickel birthday - AND MY NIECE KIM MADE HIM AN AWESOME GOLF CAKE! Randy loves to play golf, so this cake is perfect for him! Didn't Kim do a fantastic job? By the way, if you'd like Kim to make a cake for you (any theme), you can contact her at katycakegirls@gmail.com. She makes desserts for any occasion! THANK YOU, KIM!

Christmas Card Workshop Fun!

This past weekend was my Christmas Card Workshop - the BIG DADDY-O of all events that I have each year - and this year's Christmas Card Workshop was so much fun! It was a Friday through Sunday event and we made a little over 1,500 Christmas cards! We listen to Christmas music, sample each other's Christmas goodies, drink egg nog and Poinsettias, and have a blast! I asked for permission to post some of the gals' pictures on my blog - and they said SURE! I even got a picture of Kevin using the Big Shot - and he's the one who brought the adorable Santa cookies! We always look forward to seeing what Kevin is going to bring to the Christmas Card Workshop each year - and he didn't let us down!

Santa's Workshop Item!

I'm offering my customers a Santa's Workshop on December 11th and 12th - open-house style! Just preview the items below, let me know which items you'd like to make, and how many of each item you'd like to make, and I'll have the supplies and paper all cut and ready for you! All you have to do is come and enjoy the day making the items you've selected for the special people on your Christmas gift list! We'll be busy, busy, busy, but won't it be fun!!

This cute little money holder is a great stocking stuffer! The Bermuda Bay card stock with the Real Red Polka Dot Ribbon is such a nice color combo - and with glitter all around Rudolph, there's also lots of BLING! The biggest BLING, though, is to open it up and find MONEY inside! I'd love to find this with a $50 bill inside under my tree!!

Santa's Workshop Item!

I love this - personalized notecards! Each box holds eight monogrammed notecards and eight envelopes! Inside the open embellishment of the notecard are different designs from either the Soft Suede Designer Series Paper or the Melon Mambo Designer Series Paper. When you add that special monogram on top, it makes a beautiful monogrammed set! To finish it all off, you add a monogram to the box for a very personalized Christmas gift! I'll take one of these, please! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!. The recipe is below!

Recipe:

Paper: Soft Suede - 11 X 3; score at 3/4" on the 3" side, and at 1", 5-1/4", 6-1/4" and 10-1/2" on the 11" side. Soft Suede Designer Series Paper - 4 X 2 (for the front of the box); Soft Suede Designer Series Paper scrap; Soft Suede scrap; Very Vanilla scrap; Soft Suede Designer Series Paper - 3 X 2 (for the inside of the cards); Very Vanilla - 4 X 3-7/8 (for the inside of the cards to cover up the designer paper)

Stamps: Monogram Sweet (P. 49 of the catalog)

Inks: Soft Suede

Miscellaneous: Paper Snips; Sticky Strip; SNAIL Adhesive; Scallop Circle Punch; 1-3/8" Circle Punch; 1-1/4" Circle Punch; Stampin' Dimensionals; Soft Suede Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon - 17-1/2" long; Scissors; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Elegant Notes (P. 168 of the catalog)

Santa's Workshop Item!

Everyone needs a 2010 calendar! It's a wonderful and useful gift to give during the holidays! This double-coaster calendar looks gorgeous propped up on a table or desk and it will remind you to live each day to the fullest and to - LIVE WITH PASSION! Dot in your special dates with a brand new pencil eraser and ink to add that extra splash of color each month!

Santa's Workshop Item!

WOW! Aren't these gorgeous? These are decorative tiles to display during the holidays! They look beautiful when they are displayed in a stand, but you can also just have them out on a table, too! Be sure to place some rubber or felt nubbies on the bottom of the tile, though, so you don't scratch your table! I love the vintage look of these tiles! Very classy and elegant! I got the idea for the Chocolate Chip ornament from Kimberly Van Diepen's blog, but Debbie Townsend suggested I offer red, too, and it turned out beautiful! Thank you, Debbie!

I'll walk you through the steps of how to do this! 1) Using the Vintage Ornaments 1 stencil and a sponge dauber, fill in the stencil with Chocolate Chip Craft ink (or Real Red Craft ink) and then bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. 2) Once the tile has cooled, use the flourish stencil from Vintage Ornaments 1 and a sponge dauber to fill in the flourish with Very Vanilla Craft Ink. Then bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. I have found that being very conservative with the ink makes a big difference. You can always add more ink, but once you've used too much, it's a big mess! 3) Once the tile has cooled, place the first Vintage Ornaments 1 stencil back into place, which leaves the Chocolate Chip Craft ink (or Real Red Craft ink) exposed. Touch all over the exposed area with a Versamark pad. This gets the ornament sticky with ink! Then pour Glassy Glaze Enamel Embossing Powder on it and the powder will stick to the Versamark ink. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes! 4) Once the tile has cooled, you can embellish as desired! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!

Santa's Workshop Item!

This will brighten up your holidays! It's a reminder that the season is full of joy, right? Things can get pretty hectic and hairy during the holidays, so this will remind you to take a deep breath and be joyful - just keep telling yourself that! This is a beautiful wall hanging. The scallop square pieces are made with chipboard, so they're nice and sturdy. The Real Red card stock has textured polka dots on it, which you probably can't see from the picture. The letters are also made with chipboard. This is a decorative piece that everyone would enjoy during the holidays!

Santa's Workshop Item!

Here's a cute little stocking stuffer - a gift-card holder! What I like about this gift-card holder is that when it opens up, you have room to write a message inside and the gift card is tucked into a little pocket at the bottom! It all folds up nicely and is bound with a ribbon and an aluminum circle tag! I'd love to find this in my stocking on Christmas morning! I copied this idea from Splitcoast! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! The recipe is below!

Recipe:

Paper: Real Red - 10-1/4 X 3-3/4, scored at 1-5/8", 4-5/8", and 7-1/2"; Merry Moments Designer Series Paper - 3-3/4 X 1-5/8; Very Vanilla - 3-1/2 X 2-3/4; Old Olive - 3-3/4 X 1; Very Vanilla scrap for tag

Stamps: Season of Joy (P. 32 of the catalog); Tag Tree (P. 208 of the catalog)

Inks: Real Red; Real Red Marker; Old Olive Marker; More Mustard Marker

Miscellaneous: SNAIL Adhesive; Scallop Edge Punch; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Sticky Strip; 1" Circle Punch; Old Olive Wide Grosgrain Ribbon - 14-1/2" long; Scissors; 1/16th-inch Hole Punch; Natural Hemp - 6" long; Round Metal Edge Tag; 2-Way Glue Pen; Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

Santa's Workshop Item!

This little guy makes me melt! He's on the front of a miniature bookcase that holds four miniature photo albums to put your Christmas photos in! The little bookcase is covered in stars, just like the books, and it makes the cutest little gift for the holidays! The case is 3 X 3; the pages inside the books are 5-3/4 X 3. Each book contains enough pages to hold eight photos, so you can get 32 photos in this little bookcase! AWESOME! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! The recipe is below!

Recipe:

Paper: For the case: Kraft - 6 X 4-1/2 (2). On the 6" side, score at 1-1/2" on both ends. On the 4" side, score at 1-1/2" from one end. On one of these panels, completely remove both small squares and fit the pieces together to form the case. Very Vanilla - 2-3/4 X 2-3/4; Soft Suede - 2-7/8 X 2-7/8. For the books: Kraft - 6-3/8 X 3; score at 3" from both ends to form the book spine. Very Vanilla - 5-3/4 X 3 (2 for each book); Very Vanilla - 2-1/4 X 1-1/4 (2); Soft Suede - 2-3/8 X 1-3/8 (2); Very Vanilla - 2 X 3/4" (2); Soft Suede - 2-1/8 X 7/8" (2)

Stamps: Just Beclause (P. 19 of the Holiday Mini Catalog); Nursery Necessities (P. 76 of the catalog); Sporting (P. 78 of the catalog)

Inks: Basic Brown; Creamy Caramel; Soft Suede; Bravo Burgundy; Bravo Burgundy Marker

Miscellaneous: Stampin' Dimensionals; Stampin' Sponge; Paper Piercer with Mat; Antique Copper Brads (4); Blender Pens; Stamp-a-ma-jig; 2-Way Glue Pen; Dazzling Diamonds Glitter; SNAIL Adhesive; Soft Suede Ribbon - 2" long (2); Sticky Strip; Scissors; 1/8" Hole Punch; Kraft Taffeta Ribbon - 10" long (2); Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon - 10" long (2)

Santa's Workshop Item!

These are the Decor Elements blocks that are offered in the Holiday Mini Catalog. I must admit I was a bit intimidated about decorating them, but they were actually FUN to make, and now I'm thinking of all kinds of possibilities to use them for! Each block is 3 X 3, so they make a very impressive holiday decorator piece to display! The card stock measures 9 X 3, and then you score the 9" side at 3" and 6". You need two pieces for each block and you simply fit them together to encase the whole block! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!

Santa's Workshop Item!

This cute Real Red itty bitty box and itty bitty notecards and envelopes is one of my favorites for the holidays! It makes such a perfect itty bitty gift to give someone during the holidays! This itty bitty box holds eight itty bitty notecards and eight itty bitty envelopes - and the itty bitty notecards can also serve as itty bitty gift tags! C U T E! I got this idea from Ilina Crouse's blog! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! The recipe is below. Recipe: Paper: Real Red - 8 X 5-3/4 (for the box); Whisper White - 3-3/4 X 2, scored at 2" (for the notecards); Old Olive - 2 X 1/2"; Real Red - 2 X 1/2"; Whisper White - 6-1/4 x 5-1/4 (for the envelopes) Stamps: Berry Christmas (P. 20 of the Holiday Mini Catalog); Christmas Punch (P. 14 of the catalog) Inks: Old Olive; Real Red; Chocolate Chip Marker; Old Olive Marker Miscellaneous: SNAIL Adhesive; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Paper Piercer with Mat and Grid; Uni-Ball Signo White Gel Pen; Sticky Strip; Red Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon - 12" long; Scissors; Natural Hemp - 6" long; Big Shot Machine; Bitty Box and Envelope Die; Extended Premium Crease Pad

2009 Christmas Card Workshop!

Here's a GORGEOUS card we made at the Christmas Card Workshop this year! This idea came directly from http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/! As soon as I saw it, I KNEW it would be one of the cards I'd offer at this year's Christmas Card Workshop! Since some people weren't keen on using brown for a Christmas card, we did half in Soft Suede and half in Real Red. They're both beautiful! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Soft Suede - 8-1/2 X 5-1/2; Very Vanilla - 6 X 5-1/2 (for the Scallop Square Die); Old Olive - 3-3/8 X 3-1/8; Very Vanilla - 3-1/4 X 3; Very Vanilla - 5-1/4 X 4 (for the inside of the card) Stamps: Berry Christmas (P. 20 and 21 of the Holiday Mini Catalog) Inks: Old Olive; Real Red; Soft Suede Miscellaneous: SNAIL Adhesive; Big Shot Machine; Scallop Square Die; Petals-A-Plenty Embossing Folder; Stampin' Dimensionals; Real Red Wide Grosgrain Ribbon - 14" long; Scissors; Stamp-a-ma-jig

2009 Christmas Card Workshop!

Here's another FUN card we made at the Christmas Card Workshop this year! Anyone with kids would love this card (hey, most adults would love it, too)! Using a red brad for Rudolph's nose is so cute! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Chocolate Chip - 5-1/2 X 4-1/4; Certainly Celery - 10-1/2 X 4; Always Artichoke Scrap; Whisper White Scrap; Real Red Scrap; Chocolate Chip Scrap Stamps: Sparkly & Bright (P. 41 of the catalog) Inks: Chocolate Chip Miscellaneous: SNAIL Adhesive; Stamp-a-ma-jig; 1-3/4" Circle Punch; 1-3/8" Circle Punch; Paper Piercer with Mat; Real Red Brad; Stampin' Dimensionals; 1" Circle Punch; 3/4" Circle Punch; 1/2" Circle Punch; Real Red Wide Grosgrain Ribbon - 15" long; Scissors

2009 Christmas Card Workshop!

Here's a GREAT card that we made at the Christmas Card Workshop this year! So simple, but so elegant! Since some people were not so keen on using brown for a Christmas Card (what are you, nuts?), we made half Soft Suede and half Real Red cards! Both are beautiful! I got this card idea from Kimberly Van Diepen's blog! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Soft Suede - 11 X 4-1/4; Very Vanilla - 5-1/4 X 4; Very Vanilla - 4-1/4 X 2-1/2; Soft Suede - 3-1/4 X 2-1/4; Very Vanilla - 3 X 2; Very Vanilla - 5-1/4 X 4 (for the inside of the card) Stamps: Tree Trimmings (P. 28 of the catalog); Christmas Greetings (P. 28 of the catalog) Inks: Soft Suede; Real Red Miscellaneous: SNAIL Adhesive; Big Shot Machine; Finial Press Embossing Folder; Stampin' Dimensionals; Stamp-a-ma-jig; 2-Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds

2009 Christmas Card Workshop!

Here's one of the cards we made at the Christmas Card Workshop this year! I hope you can see how the tree is covered in Dazzling Diamonds and it REALLY looks like a winter wonderland in person! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Bordering Blue - 11 X 4-1/4; Whisper White - 4-3/4 X 4; Real Red - 4 X 1 Stamps: Branch Out (currently on the dormant list, but still available for purchase); All Holidays (P. 43 of the catalog) Inks: Bordering Blue; Real Red Miscellaneous: SNAIL Adhesive; Stamp-a-ma-jig; 2-Way Glue Pen; Dazzling Diamonds Glitter; Scallop Edge Punch; Paper Piercer with Mat

2009 Christmas Card Workshop!

Here's one of the beautiful cards we made at the Christmas Card Workshop this year! I got this wonderful idea from my stamping friend Elizabeth Hurst! Isn't it just luscious? The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Bashful Blue - 8-1/2 X 5-1/2; Whisper White - 6 X 5-1/2 (for the Top Note Die) Stamps: Heard From the Heart (P. 142 of the catalog); Snow Swirled (P. 36 of the catalog); Baroque Motifs (P. 131 of the catalog) Inks: Whisper White Craft; Bashful Blue Miscellaneous: Stampin' Dimensionals; Stamp-a-ma-jig; White Embossing Powder; Heat Tool; 2-Way Glue Pen; Dazzling Diamonds Glitter; Sponge Dauber; Big Shot Machine; Top Note Die

Christmas Lunchbag Scrapbook!

I've been making SO MANY Christmas items lately in anticipation of the Santa's Workshop I'll be offering in December! Here's an item I love! While it's not one of the items I'll be featuring at my Santa's Workshop, I still wanted to share it because I think it's so darn cute! It's just a standard lunchbag - and all lunchbags vary in size, so I can't really give you the recipe! You'll just have to grab a bag and measure it to determine the size of your little inserts that fit into the openings! Once I folded the bag in half, I cut a tad off the closed side (the bottom of the bag) to create an opening. Then I placed two inserts in each opening, allowing lots of space for Christmas photos or keepsakes! Isn't it just the cutest thing you've ever seen? And it's so easy to make! Many of you will remember years ago the bigger lunchbag scrapbook I made that I keep under lock and key so it won't get damaged! I'll place that scrapbook on my blog soon 'cause it's a goody! GO MAKE MERRY!

Chrystyna Bryndzia's Home Workshop!

Here is one of the cards we made at Chrystyna's home workshop - and it's a marquee card! When you open it, the little curtains inside the circle move to the side to reveal a surprise underneath! What may not show up in the photo is that the Real Red card stock and the Kraft card stock were wheeled with the Sassy Sparkles wheel. The Christmas tree is all sparkly with Dazzling Diamonds Glitter! To learn how to make a marquee card, you can visit http://stampspaperscissors.typepad.com/ and click on "My Videos" to see the August 29th, 2009 post, the Marvelous Magical Marquee Card instructions! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!

Recipe:

Paper: Real Red - 8-1/2 X 5-1/2 - score at 2-1/8" from each short end; Very Vanilla - 5-1/2 X 4; Old Olive - 5-1/2 X 3; Kraft - 3-1/4 X 2 (2) - score at 1/2" on one of the short sides; Merry Moments Designer Series Paper - 5-1/2 X 1/2" (2); Merry Moments Designer Series Paper - 2-1/8 X 1/2" (2); Whisper White Scrap

Stamps: Sassy Sparkles Wheel (P. 25 of the Holiday Mini Catalog); Punch Pals (P. 40 of the catalog); Grateful Greetings (P. 8 of the Holiday Mini Catalog)

Inks: More Mustard; Chocolate Chip; Basic Brown; Certainly Celery; Old Olive; Real Red Marker; Versamark

Miscellaneous: SNAIL Adhesive; Paper Piercer with Mat; Old Olive Brads (4); Scallop Circle Punch; 1-3/8" Circle Punch; Pencil; White Eraser; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Sticky Strip; Scissors; Blender Pen; 2-Way Glue Pen; Dazzling Diamonds Glitter; 1-3/8" Square Punch

Chrystyna Bryndzia's Home Workshop!

Here is one of the cards we made at Chrystyna's home workshop! This card makes me melt and it might just have to be my Christmas card this year! I love using nontraditional Christmas colors - and this card fits the bill! I rubbed the outside edges of this card along the Gold Encore pad - and it looks so classy! I saw this card on http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/. The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!

Recipe:

Paper: Kraft - 6-1/2 X 6-1/2; Very Vanilla - 6-1/4 X 3 (2). I placed the vanilla pieces on the inside of the card. The vanilla piece on top covers up the brad holes you're going to make and the bottom vanilla piece makes your handwriting easier to see! I also outlined the inside vanilla pieces with the Gold Encore Pad

Stamps: All Holidays (P. 43 of the catalog)

Inks: Chocolate Chip; Gold Encore

Miscellaneous: Chocolate Chip Wide Grosgrain Ribbon - 20" long; Scissors; SNAIL Adhesive; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Sponge Dauber; Paper Piercer with Mat; Gold Brads (3); Vintage Ornaments #1 stencil (P. 29 of the Definitely Decorative catalog)

Tina Gorcie's Home Workshop!

When Tina hosted a home workshop, we made a beautiful snowflake 4-pack! We bundled all four cards together with the envelopes, tied a beautiful white organza ribbon around the whole bundle, and attached a coordinating snowflake tag! It makes a very sweet and special handmade Christmas gift for someone - or NOT - maybe you'd like to keep it yourself! The recipe is below! OF COURSE all supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! - the rubber-stamp company that rocks my world! I hope it rocks yours, too!

Recipe:

Paper: Whisper White Textured or Bashful Blue - 8-1/2 X 5-1/2; Whisper White Textured or Bashful Blue - 2 X 2; Whisper White Textured or Bashful Blue - 1-3/4 X 1-3/4; Bashful Blue Scrap; White Textured Scrap

Stamps: Best Wishes & More (P. 64 of the catalog)

Inks: Bashful Blue or Whisper White Craft

Miscellaneous: White Organza Ribbon - 18" long; Scissors; SNAIL Adhesive; Stampin' Dimensionals; Stamp-a-ma-jig; 1-3/8" Circle Punch; 2-Way Glue Pen; Dazzling Diamonds Glitter; Paper Piercer with Mat; Clear Rhinestone Brad; White Embossing Powder; Heat Tool