HOOT, HOOT OWLS

Well another year is almost coming to a close, and even worse tax time is almost upon us!!  I don't know why, but as soon as New Year's Eve is upon us, I start fretting about paying taxes again on money that I already paid taxes on when I was working.  Something about that just doesn't seem right.  Hindsight, I should have taken everything in cash when I was working, put it in my canning jars, and buried it in my back yard.  Most people would say:  "Oh no, Sandi, you need to invest it to make more with interest."  Well, have you looked at how much interest you are getting on your savings lately, or checked out your 401K to see how much you are making on your investments???  Trust me, the government is double-dipping on my money with more in taxes than any interest I am receiving on my investments.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a firm believer about saving your money.  It's just that instead of canning my vegetables all those years (to put money in savings), I should have just put my money in the jars (and of course, I would have sealed the jars because we all know that money gets really dirty if you just put it in a box).

Oh my gosh, here I go showing my age again by rambling on about a subject that has nothing to do with what you came here for -- but at least it is good advice!!  Tomorrow is my husband's birthday, and of course I waited until the last minute to make his card, but it's done.  YES, YES, YES -- I hate doing masculine cards (doesn't everybody????).  So this is the best I could come up with:


I used the "Eastern Blooms" stamp set and the "Owl Punch" to create this card, using the Direct to Paper technique.  I have to say it was rather difficult to create the sunset without having my "Bordering Blue" classic ink, but I was bound and determined to use only current product.  I ended up using "Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise, and Pacific Point Classic Inks" for the sunset and a little "Basic Gray Classic Ink" for the snow drifts.  I also used "My Digital Studio" to do a personal sentiment on the outside and inside.

 

No, I don't have another project to share so I thought I would show you a Christmas Day picture at my daughter's (Tricia's) house for dinner and gifts.  Most of my children were not able to be here this year for Christmas, but Tricia made it very special for all 19 of us attending.  So here are the names of three of my loves in my life (from left to right):  Emily who just bought her first house at the age of 20 and moved into it that week; her sister Holly who turns 16 in February, Gary, my birthday boy husband; and Tricia my daughter who is in every picture she can pop into before the shutter clicks.

Well it's time for me to figure out what I'm going to fix for dinner (let's see, hot dogs or egg sandwich?) so I leave you with these words:  May your New Year bring you many blessings and peace for ALL!!
Sandi
"I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old."
 -- Psalm 77:11

MORE GIFT BAGS WITH STAMPIN' UP PRODUCT

Merry Christmas Everybody!!

Just a quick posting to wish all of you a beautiful day and to share my last Christmas project with you.  I'm so sad because tomorrow I will be packing all my beautiful Christmas Stampin' Up product in a box to, hopefully, use most of it again next year.  I can honestly say that I did not get to use all of my Christmas stamps this year (I even have one set that did not get mounted -- I know, I can't believe I am admitting to that, but it is a set I won and did not get a chance to use).  I will keep a few stamps out to use with Winter birthday cards and for a few scrapbooking pages for my Christmas pictures.  I do have to say, the company (Stampin' Up) created some of the most gorgeous stamp sets this year I have ever seen (anywhere).  Along with the fabric and other accessories, they really came through with the very best product on the market.

Here is the last of my gift bags I made -- as you can see, they are very simple and really took about 10 minutes to finish.


Using the Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper, Jolly Old Saint Nick Stamp Set, and Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding.



Close up so you can see Santa's chunky glitter.



Okay just one more picture, as I think they are so cute -- LOL

Merry Christmas,
Sandi
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you." -- John 14:37

GIFT BAGS & POUCHES

Okay, I am in "panic" mode right now!!!  I'm suppose to be at the grocery store getting supplies to start baking tomorrow -- and that is just "NOT" going to happen today.  Why?  Well I am still making gifts and wrapping -- stop laughing Tamie, I know what you are saying!!  All my stamping friends know me well enough to know how SLOW I am (so does all my family).  But hey, a girl can't have everything (but, I sure wish I was Ms. Speedy like Tamie, have Ronda's patience, and my daughter's body).  So I just have to work with what God blessed me with (please, somebody tell me what that is????).

So here is some of the gift packaging I have done so far (still have more gift bags to make).  I am having so much fun, but I'm going to pay for it as I look at my laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc., which hasn't been done for two days.  Instead, this is what I've been doing:


Can you tell I'm in love with the Candy Cane Designer Paper, Fabric, and Rub-Ons which go with the stamp set "A Cute Christmas."  

 

Lot's of sparkle with the Silver Glass Glitter, Basic Rhinestones, and "Iridescent Ice
Embossing Powder."

 

Don't forget to click on these pictures to enlarge (actually maybe you shouldn't because my "oopsies" show up more.





I know this is out of focus, but was trying to show you how much they sparkle.

  

And here are some more of my paper-sack pouch bags, using the same product as my gift bags along with the fabulous "Candy Cane Fabric" and a little bit of "Champagne Mist" on my tissue-paper roses.

 

A close-up of one of the pouches.  I just loved how these turned out.  You can actually enlarge this and check my sewing -- I'm getting better!!


If I get time before Christmas, I will post the rest of my projects/gift bags.  Yep, I do wait until the last minute but feel pretty good being as I was gone the whole month of November and didn't really start until about ten days ago.

Peace to all,
Sandi
"[Love] believes all things, hopes all things."  -- 1 Corinthians 13
"Love looks beyond what people are, to what they can become."

A LITTLE MORE CHRISTMAS!!

And a "Crispy" good morning to all!!

Is it cold out?  Heck Yes!!  Is the sun out?  Heck Yes!!  Am I ready for Christmas?  Heck NO!!  Do I really care about all this?  HECK NO!!  Aah, the joys of being old, there are just so many perks that come with age.  I now have an excuse for dressing funny, forgetting everything, driving erratically, saying inappropriate things, wearing glasses after 40 years of wearing contacts (yes, you loose a lot of your vanity when you get old -- but I still have a little more than "normal" hidden back in my brain), loosing control once in a while (and I'm not talking about THAT KIND of control ladies), and finally my very favorite:  when I choose to be vain, people don't get jealous anymore (I don't want to brag or make anybody jealous or anything, but I can still fit into the earrings I wore in high school.)  So for all you women out there that are collecting Social Security -- isn't LIFE GRAND???

Oh my gosh, I was having so much fun telling you how wonderful life is that I forgot this is my Stampin' Up blog -- E X C U S E    ME!!  So let's get on with it and show you some pics of my last Christmas cards I made yesterday.  But first, here is a special treat (some more of that "vain" stuff coming out).  Below is a video of my older grandchildren wishing you a Merry Christmas.

Featuring (from oldest to youngest):  Blake (black hair), Emily (strawberry hair), Zachary (blond hair with dimples), Holly (brown hair), and Nicholas (another blond).



All three of these cards are a little different (couldn't make my mind up on which I liked), and were my version of a card originally created by  Jill Hilliard (thank you Jill!!).  Click on the cards to enlarge for details.



You probably can't tell by these pictures but I used SU's awesome Candy Cane Designer Fabric for the top half of the Top Note die, which was embossed with the Petals A Plenty Embossing Folder.  And of course to go with the fabric I used the awesome A Cute Christmas stamp set and the Candy Cane Big Designer Buttons.



I think I liked the Baha Breeze colored button better (see above).

Okay, I need to get started wrapping gifts.  I hope you enjoyed my post today and my video -- I'd love to hear your comments.

Sandi
"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading." - - Chambers 

SHOE BOX SWAP

Good Morning America!!

Gosh it's been a long time since I have said that!!  But I feel pretty good as I have gotten a lot accomplished since I last posted.  I think I have completed all my Christmas shopping, but won't know for sure until I have my gifts wrapped (that is a whole story all by itself).  Picked up Avery Labels so I can address my cards, but still have to create them (LOL -- saving the best to last).  Got up and made cookies this morning, then made a Christmas cookie plate with my Decor Elements (if you remember, I already posted 3 of these I made this year but somehow those disappeared when my daughters and grand-daughter where here).  Then, I put together my stuff for Ronda Wade's RubberQueen shoebox swap tonight and created a paper sack pocket pouch for a gift (and that is a whole story of its own too, but suffice it to say I hope my next 4 pocket pouches will turn out better in the sewing department).

Even tho I did a crapy job, I'm going to show you what they look like.  I do like my swap card, but would have liked it better if I would have done more with it.  However, after my 1st shoebox swap, I was instructed to KISS (keep it simple stupid -- I think that is what it stands for???).  Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep something simple -- I bet most of you have this same problem.  Anyway, here they are:


Our theme for the shoebox swap was either Valentine's Day or Birthday cards.  This card can actually be used for Valentine's Day, Sweetheart Day, Anniversary, or just about anything -- very versatile!!  I used Pretty in Pink Craft Ink on the "Lots of Love" Letterpress Plate (debossed on Melon Mambo) and the Rose Pink Fine "Cosmo Glitter" for edging around the embossed punched heart.  My personal goal for the card was to use product that I have never used before that was still current but sitting in my cabinet gathering dust -- for shame!!  I loved working with the fine glitter -- it had been a long time.



And here is my FIRST attempt at making a paper sack pocket pouch.  Hey what can I say, my sewing maching if almost 50 years old and it does crazy things!!  I did think my wrapped gift turned out nice using SU's beautiful "Deck the Hall" designer fabric.  So much easier than using paper!!


Okay, now if I hurry and clean up my mess I will still have time to take a short nap!!!  My reward for staying focused this morning.

Until next time,
Sandi
"I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But, if you focus on God, your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you." -- Source Unknown (but I agree).

IT'S DECEMBER 1st EVERYONE!!!

HEY EVERYBODY -- IT'S TIME TO GET INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!!!

Here it is 24 more days before Christmas and I haven't gotten one Christmas card done, only a few presents, and no stockings hung. I'm back home and ready to get my fingers inky, so don't expect to hear from me for a couple of days while I create!! But just to get you and me into the Christmas spirit, here is a little film from last year that I thought was cute and wanted to share:

Okay, now I'm getting into the Christmas spirit. First things first: start writing up a list of things to do and then I will be off running!!

Wish me luck.

Blessings to all,
Sandi