My Mom Turned 80!

My mom and my sister Pam!

My nieces, nephew, Aunt Edie, husband, and kids were seated at this end of the table! My mom and dad, brothers, cousin, and sisters-in-law were seated at this end of the table. My mom and dad!

My Aunt Edie, who is 87!

My brothers!

On February 6th, we headed to San Antonio to have lunch with my mom, who turned 80! What a fabulous and amazing thing to celebrate! I'm amazed at how well my mom is doing and how good she looks! I'm just hoping I got those good genes! My dad's sister (my Aunt Edie), who is 87, was able to join us, too! After lunch, we headed over to my brother's house where we spent the afternoon visiting and enjoying some wonderful desserts that my sister-in-law made! What a happy day! I felt really blessed to be able to celebrate an 80th birthday with my mom!

Our Valentine's Day Celebration!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! Last night the whole family enjoyed a nice meal at the Cheesecake Factory in Sugar Land. I had such a good time and I thoroughly enjoyed having the kids with us (because they normally won't be seen in public with us - horrors!)! We laughed and ate and laughed and ate and I came home sick, so that means everything was wonderful! Take a look at that dessert - it's a Snicker's Bar Cheesecake and it was dee-lish! I'm happy to say that I have a happy heart (I think there's a stamp that says something like that) and I hope you have a happy heart, too!

Three for Free Valentine's Day Cards!

I had a Three for Free event last Thursday where my customers could stop by and make three Valentine's Day cards for free! We had a blast and these are the three cards we made! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!

More Valentine's Day Card Samples!

Many of you requested that I post these samples on my blog, so here they are! Some were taken from other demonstrators' blogs, some were taken from Stampin' Connection, some were swaps given to me by my friend Michele Smith, and the sweet little polka-dotted heart was taken from my sister! Enjoy the samples!

Stampin' Up! Box!

Isn't this fun? This is what is printed on our boxes we're receiving now from Stampin' Up! Isn't that the truth? Extreme excitement is definitely what happens when I receive a box of goodies! Thought you'd enjoy seeing it!

Valentine's Day Cards!

I just had my Valentine's Day Camp Wannastamp last weekend and I had some card samples out to share! Some of the cards are cased from other demonstrators and some are my own or slightly changed! I received several requests to PLEASE post them on my blog, so here they are! ENJOY!

Valentine's Day Candy Box!

This box reminds me of the old-timey candy boxes we used to get at Valentine's Day! I can just smell the chocolates inside! The recipe is below! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!, except for the candy! Recipe: Paper: Chocolate Chip - 5-1/2 X 4-1/4(4); Real Red - 5-1/2 X 4-1/4 (2). The top of the box is scored at 1-1/16" on all four sides. The bottom of the box is scored at 1" on all four sides. Real Red scrap; Very Vanilla scrap; Cardboard - 5-1/2 X 4-1/4(2). The cardboard gets glued to the Chocolate Chip card stock before you run it through the Big Shot. It just makes the box a little more substantial! Stamps: Polka Dot Background (sorry, this one is retired); Love You Much (Page 44 of the catalog) Ink: Chocolate Chip Miscellaneous: Big Shot; Top Note Die; 2-Way Glue Pen; Sticky Strip; Scissors; Paper Snips; Scallop Circle Punch; 1-1/4" Circle Punch; Stampin' Dimensionals; Real Red Wide Grosgrain Ribbon - 16" long; Candy

Valentine's Day Gum Holder!

Okay. Is this cute OR WHAT? I'm salivating all over this because it's stinkin' cute and stinkin' easy - my favorite way to stamp! This is one of the items we'll be making at my Valentine's Day Camp Wannastamp! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!, except the gum, of course!

Recipe:

Paper: Pretty in Pink - 6 X 4; score the 6" side at 1", 1-1/4", 3-3/4", and 4"; Whisper White scrap for the tag

Stamps: Whoo's Your Valentine? (Page 45 of the catalog)

Inks: Chocolate Chip Marker

Miscellaneous: Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder; the Big Shot; Sticky Strip; 3/4" Circle Punch; Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon - 7" long; Scissors; Sweet Pea Stitched Felt; Stampin' Dimensionals; Modern Label Punch; gum

Valentine's Day Clear Fancy Favor Box

WOW! I love this! Isn't this just the cutest thing you've ever seen? Who wouldn't love to receive this on Valentine's Day filled with your favorite candy? What a great wedding favor, too. I just love stamping and being able to make amazing things at home! Thank you, Stampin' Up!, for giving me all the tools I need to do that! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!, except for the Hershey's Chocolate Kisses! Recipe: Paper: Thick Window Sheets - 12 X 6; Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper (the chocolate chip flower) - 11-1/2 X 1-1/4; Pretty in Pink - 2-1/4 X 2 (for the scalloped heart); Very Vanilla Scrap Stamps: Tiny Tags (Page 28 of the Occasions Mini Catalog) Ink: Chocolate Chip Miscellaneous: Big Shot Machine; Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder; Fancy Favor Die; Sticky Strip; Scissors; Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslits Die; Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon - 11-1/2" long; Paper Piercer with Mat; Chocolate Chip Epoxy Brads; Hershey's Chocolate Kisses; Stampin' Dimensionals; Tiny Tag Punch; Stampin' Sponge

Valentine's Day Clear Pillow Box Treat Container!

You can NEVER go wrong with little ideas like this one! It's good for any holiday or occasion - and it's quick and easy because it's made with the Big Shot - hand's down my favorite accessory from Stampin' Up! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!, with the exception of the M&M's - and if Stampin' Up! would sell M&M's in our color palette, wouldn't the world truly be our happy place? Recipe: Paper: Medium Window Sheets - 5-3/4 X 5-1/4; Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper - 5 X 1-1/2; Real Red - 5 X -1-3/4; Pretty in Pink scrap (for the heart) Stamps: Tiny Tags (Page 28 of the Occasions Mini Catalog) Ink: Chocolate Chip Miscellaneous: Pillow Box Die; Big Shot Machine; Bone Folder; Sticky Strip; Scissors; Paper Snips; M&M's; Red Satin Ribbon - 15" long; Heart to Heart Punch; Stampin' Dimensionals

Valentine's Day Card!

I just don't think you can get more Valentiney than this - and that's why I love it! It just looks like candy and you're supposed to eat it! I got this wonderful card idea from Ilina Crouse - I love everything she does. The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Pretty in Pink - 8-1/2 X 5-1/2; Real Red - 5-1/4 X 4; Pretty in Pink - 5-1/4 X 1; Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper (the vanilla flowers) - 5-1/4 X 1/2; Pretty in Pink - 3 X 2; Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper (the chocolate flowers) - 2-7/8 X 1-7/8; Very Vanilla - 3-1/2 X 2; Real Red - 3-5/8 X 2-1/8; Very Vanilla Scrap Stamps: I Heart Hearts (Page 14 of the Occasions Mini Catalog); Well-Scripted (Page 19 of the Occasions Mini Catalog) Inks: Chocolate Chip; Pretty in Pink; Real Red Miscellaneous: SNAIL Adhesive; Stampin' Dimensionals; Paper Snips; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Scallop Trim Border Punch; 1/8" Hole Punch; Real Red Satin Ribbon - 7" long; Scissors

Love Blocks!

YEAH! Valentine's Day is coming up fast - and aren't these "Love" blocks a perfect gift to give to someone special or a super-special decoration to place on your desk, bookshelf, or fireplace mantel? Most of the embellishments are new items from our Occasions Mini Catalog! FUN, FUN! I'll be offering these "Love" blocks at an open house on January 30th, so contact me for details if you'd like to come and make some! I LOVE YA'!

Thank-You Notes!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We had such a wonderful Christmas and New Year's, and I've been busy stamping all of our Christmas present thank-you cards! I know this doesn't look very Christmas-y, but isn't it gorgeous? I have turned it slightly sideways so that the light can pick up the Soft Swirls Texturz Plate embossing from the Big Shot. I think it looks so RICH! This type of card could be used with any greeting - my favorite kind of card! I may just have to tuck this idea away for my stamp camp next month when I'm thinking about doing all-purpose cards! Several of my customers have mentioned they'd like to start off the year with a stash of birthday cards, thank-you cards, and sympathy cards! Wouldn't this card work well for any of those topics? I hope you all have a fantabulous 2010 filled with all things you find dear! I'm in the process of planning our Valentine's Day Camp Wannastamp and I know you are going to FALL IN LOVE (no pun intended) with the things we'll be making! Details coming soon!

My Digital Studio Christmas Card!

Here is the Christmas card I printed using My Digital Studio! I am absolutely loving My Digital Studio and all the neat and cool things you can make with it! I just need an extra ten hours a day to play with it - it's my new favorite toy!

Red Hots Christmas Ornament!

Here's a cute Christmas quickie for the holidays! This was a freebie I offered at my Santa's Workshop. It makes a perfect little gift to give during the holidays! My friend Katherine said she made 16 of these to go on each person's plate for her Christmas dinner! I love that idea. The little box makes it look so cute and easy to store from year to year! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!, with the exception of the red hots and the glass ornament!

Recipe:

Paper: Chocolate Chip - 5-1/8 X 5-1/8; scored at 1-1/2" on all four sides. For larger ornaments, the measurement changes to 6-1/4 X 6-1/4, scored at 1-7/8" on all four sides. Whisper White - 2 X 1-3/8 (for the tag); Old Olive Designer Series Paper - 9-1/2 X 3/4"

Stamps: Sweet Season (P. 29 of the catalog)

Inks: Chocolate Chip Marker; Old Olive Marker; Real Red Marker

Miscellaneous: Paper Snips; Sticky Strip; SNAIL Adhesive; Christmas Ornament; Red Hots; Mistletoe Ribbon - 7" long; Silver Cord - 7" long; Stamp-a-ma-jig; 1/8" Hole Punch

My Christmas Card this Year!

Many of you will remember this card that we made at a home workshop not too long ago; however, I changed the color to white and red, which is always so striking together! I also made a gazillion My Digital Studio cards, too, which I'll post soon! I think this is so pretty - just wanted to share! Of course I copied the original idea from Splitcoaststampers. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!

Christmas Ornament Wall Rub-ons!

Gosh, I'm getting to where I REALLY LIKE our wall rub-ons! Problem is, I don't have enough wall space, so now I'm changing out my cookbook hutch seasonally! I put up these red Vintage Ornament rub-0ns and I'm enjoying them in my kitchen! It just makes everything feel so Christmas-y! I probably should have used white rub-ons, but I'll order some white ones before this catalog expires and put them up next Christmas! They're so pretty, I hate to take them down! That's the problem -you get attached to them being there! It's such an inexpensive way to decorate, though - the rub-ons were just $16.95, and I've had them up for weeks! I noticed we don't have any snowflakes or Valentine's Day Rub-ons, so what am I going to put on my hutch for January? I'll come up with somethin'! Maybe I could make my own snowflakes with the Big Shot and our rub-on sheets! Hmmm.....interesting! I'll show you whatever I come up with! Wish we had a big snowman die!

My Beautiful Pies!

I LOVE THANKSGIVING! Randy and I have so much fun in the kitchen together making our favorite dishes on Thanksgiving! We have a difference of opinion on what constitutes a traditional Thanksgiving dish! He loves to have mashed potatoes, but it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving to me without sweet potatoes; he doesn't like cranberries, but I love to have some type of cranberry dish; he loves oyster stuffing (so do I), but I didn't grow up having that; he hates pumpkin pie, but me and Hunter can down an entire pie by 8:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving day! Needless to say, we have quite a feast because Randy cooks what he wants and I cook what I want and, well, we have plenty of food to last several days - BUT ISN'T THAT THE POINT, TO HAVE LEFTOVERS? Of course it is! This year we had my friend Mary join us for Thanksgiving dinner, so it was a very special day for us. We are so thankful for so many things, and one of those things is our good friends - and Mary is certainly that! Just had to show off Randy's prize-winning turkey, my pumpkin pies (Hunter's favorite), and my buttermilk pies (Haley's favorite)! We had a good day - and we are VERY thankful for all the wonderful blessings we receive on a daily basis!

IT'S A WINTER WONDERLAND!

Okay, let me preface this by saying that I live in Houston (Katy), Texas, and we don't see snow very often, maybe once every five to ten years, so this is like a WINTER WONDERLAND to us! The kids got to come home early from school because the weather is supposed to get worse as the afternoon goes on! We don't have snow tires here and we don't know how to drive in snow and ice, so everything shuts down! The kids are running around outside, without coats (because we just can't be bothered with coats in Houston), throwing snowballs at each other! My daughter made a perfect snow angel - HOW OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN? NEVER IN HOUSTON! It's so beautiful and we're having so much fun! I think I'll go fix a big mug of hot cocoa!