Monthly Archives: December 2016

Stampin’ Up! Hey, Chick Sneak Peek and Some Hexagons Wire

Mornin’!  Well, the big day is here!  My Russian “son” arrives tonight!  Late, since he’s coming international… 🙁  But that’s okay, I’ll make some cards to stay awake.

Or I’ll still be making his bed back up and trying to wrap Christmas gifts.  Maybe even still vacuuming the floor.  If “last minute” was an Olympic sport, I’d have medalled several times over!

Finn had a breakthrough today.  He discovered….The Pond!  Who knew you could actually drink out of it??!  Before today, it was just a source for nibbling on really nasty mud right by the edge.  That was fun, cuz it made mom holler!

But, now he knows it’s for drinking!  I suspect that come summer he’ll figure out it’s a great swimming spot!  It’s fun watching him “discover” new things that seem so every-day to us!  Buck was sort of born an “old soul” – seemed he just knew things from the git-go.  But this little guy still has much to learn!

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Oh – and in other news, he destroyed a catnip pouch.  The cats’ catnip pouch.  He did it ever so quietly.  And then looked at me like he couldn’t quite understand why I’d take the tattered and soggy remains away from him. 🙂

So – today’s card is just a fun little silly one – using the cute chickens from the Sale-A-Bration stamp set called Hey, Chick!  This is one you’ll be able to get for free when you spend $50 during Sale-A-Bration.  Which starts on 4 Jan.  I added some…”chicken wire”….using the Hexagons Dynamic TIEF.  Take a look-see:

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Categories: Any Occasion, Friendship, Just Hello! | Tags: , , | 24 Comments

Stampin’ Up! Hexagons Dynamic TIEF Sneak Peek Gift Card Holder!

‘Sup, y’all!?  The week is progressing apace – Christmas is almost here!  I took out a second mortgage today to mail packages with UPS.  Crazy.  It’s my own fault for waiting so long – procastination is expensive, it turns out – but….really?!?  One might think I’d learn my lesson after doing the same darned thing every year.  But apparently not…

Speaking of lessons – Finn-Chewie sort of got one today from the Haflinger School for Dogs.  He – against my advice – went into the pasture with the horses this morning.  

Cerah decided she didn’t really want him around and stomped her foot at him.  Which caused him to bounce back.  Which made Cady decide he must want to play tag – which she and Buck used to do! 😉

Finn-Chewie didn’t “get” the tag thing.  All he saw was Cady chasing him – which caused him to growl/bark/tuck his wiggler and boogie as fast as he could to the fence.  It turns out that they’re a lot bigger when they’re coming at you with their heads down than they are walking docilely ahead of you to the pasture with Mom leading them.   I think he thinks they’re moving because he’s following them! 😉

Poor little dude.  Except I told him to not go in the pasture.  And I tried to call him back out of it.

Teenagers.  They have to learn the hard lessons on their own, I suppose!  Cuz parents are dumb and also boring.

Getting savagely attacked by rogue Haflinger ponies does make a kid thirsty.  Hose time!  He bites the water as it comes out! 🙂

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So – my card for today isn’t even a card.  It’s a gift card holder.  Gift cards are so easy and usually welcomed by the recipient, right?  But I always sort of feel like I’m phoning it in a little when I give them.  So, if I can give them in a cute holder, it assuages my guilt.  I made two gift card holders with the new (Occasions catalog) Hexagons Dynamic TIEF.  Take a look see:

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These are so darned easy!  I started with a piece of 4 1/2″ x 6 1/8″ Real Red card stock.  I scored it along the long side at 1 1/4″, then turned it and scored 2″ in from the other end.
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Categories: Christmas, Gift Card Holder | Tags: , , , | 8 Comments

Stampin’ Up! Let It Snow Place

Mornin’, y’all – it’s Monday again.  The last Monday before Christmas.  With any luck, I’ll be headed to the post office soon and then we can get to the next large to-do list:  get ready for company arriving on Wednesday!  Whew…good thing the holidays only come around once a year!

So – Finn is back in the news.  And the headline reads:  “Finn-Chewie Hits Puberty”!  In other words, he’s a teenager.

I know this because he’s doing all the things teenagers do – testing the limits, deliberately provoking his parents, avoiding hugs, etc.  I call him and he heads the other way – never out of sight, just not responding.  We’ll be playing with the bumper and I throw it and he races to it…and right by it to go sniff something else.  And then gives me “the paw” when I call him.  Five minutes later – coming instantly when called, trotting right by the golf cart, just sweet as can be!

Like any parent of a teenager – I love him.  But…sometimes he’s a little hard to like right now.

And then – like any teenager – right before a parent just breaks down and kills him dead….he does something adorable.

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The hanging out tongue does me in every time! 🙂  And you think he doesn’t know it?  Oh yes…he does! 🙂

This, too, shall pass and I’m betting we make it out the other side more mature and with lots of character.  Cuz…what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, yes??

My card for today is another Snow Place family portrait.  But this time that devious penguin didn’t make it into the picture!  Take a look-see:

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Categories: Everyday, General, Welome Winter | Tags: , , | 14 Comments

Stampin’ Up! Thoughtful Thanks and Falling Flowers!

Happy Sunday, y’all!  I hope you’re whittling down your get-ready-for-Christmas list.  I managed to get thru a few things on Saturday, so I have half a shot at getting things to the mail tomorrow.

Every year, around Thanksgiving, an old and useful friend makes an appearance at our house.  This came to me as one of the first Christmas gifts my soon-to-be-husband gave me.  He didn’t actually go get it – he cut out a picture of it from the Service Merchandise catalog.  Remember Service Merchandise??  Anyway, he cut it out and stuck it in an envelope.  That was a hundred years ago.  He’s gotten a little more with the Christmas spirit these days.  Meaning…he panics around the 23rd and makes a heroic effort to make up for waiting so long! LOL.

But…we went to the Service Merchandise and got…

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Yes.  The workhorse of the kitchen!  Not something I use every day or even every month.   But…when it’s needed, it’s there.  Dependable and sturdy and strong.

Kind of like my husband, I suppose you could say! 🙂

My card for today uses a fun Annual Catalog bundle: the Falling Flowers bundle, which is a part of the Irresistibly Floral Suite.  The bundle includes the Falling Flowers stamp set and the matching May Flowers Framelits die set.  To that, I pulled in the Thankful Thoughts stamp set for a couple of sentiments.  And, cuz I could, I used a little more of the gorgeous Falling in Love DSP from the 2017 Occasions catalog.  Take a look-see:

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Categories: Thank You Cards | Tags: , , , | 22 Comments

Stampin’ Up! Iconic Occasions Sneak Peek Super Simple Saturday

Mornin’, y’all!  It’s Saturday and I realized I hadn’t done a Super Simple (Single Stamp Set) Saturday in quite a while!  So…I decided to do one today.  What better time of the year for a simple, quick and easy card?  Busy as we all are…I’m betting it’s gonna be a winner!

Sous and I cooked today – got my Chocolate Dipped Espresso Chocolate Chip Biscotti done.  Made a batch of Espresso Toffee Fudge.  And a batch of Almond Fudge.  That last one – tastes like heaven!  Looks like…well.  Not heaven.  I tried to dip it in melted Almond Bark (per the recipe) and….hmmm.  Not so bueno.  We’ll see if I can make it presentable!

Got more to do over the weekend and then hopefully I can get packages in the mail on Monday.  Fingers crossed for me, people!

One of the new Host Exclusive stamp sets in the 2017 Occasions catalog is called Iconic Occasions.  And it’s got a plethora of images and sentiments that will let you make all sorts of quick and easy cards.  Check it out!

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I used it this time to make a quick get-well card.  Take a look-see:

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Categories: Get Well Soon | Tags: , , | 16 Comments

Stampin’ Up! Window Shopping for All Things Thanks Sneak Peek

Happy Friday, y’all! Hope you’re getting ready for Christmas.  My preparations have been….slower…than I need them to be.  For no more momentous reason than sheer procastination!  But, I woke up at 3 on Thursday morning, stressing over all the “need-to-do’s” on my list.  I finally got up.  Not to do any of the things on the list – just to quit trying to sleep.

But – I did do a couple of those “need-to-do’s”, so at least I’ve started to whittle the list.

Finn had a big day.  He finally found….Buck’s old orthopedic bed.  Not sure why it’s taken him so long – maybe because he always saw the cats piled up on it – but today.  Today he found it!

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Finally!  A bed big enough for him to just lay flat as a flitter.  It’s pretty obvious he likes it, huh?  Ahhhhhh….

I think I’ve done as many Christmas cards as I need to do this year, don’t you?  If you still want or need more Christmas ideas – tell me in a comment, and I’ll do some more.  Otherwise, I think I’ll move on!

Which I did for today’s clean-and-simple Sneak Peek of the Window Shopping bundle and the All Things Thanks stamp set.  Take a look-see:

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Categories: Thank You Cards | Tags: , , , , | 16 Comments

Stampin’ Up! Merry Medley and Santa’s Sleigh for the Happy Stampers Blog Hop

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Good morning, y’all – welcome to another edition of the Happy Stampers Blog Hop!  Today’s hop is all about color.  So, it’ll be interesting to see how all the Ladies-Who-Hop interpret that challenge for you!  I hope you’ll spend some time scrolling thru all their offerings today!

Here’s our colors – some of my favorites!

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I used one of my favorite-est stamps – the beautiful Merry Medley background stamp – and more of the Santa’s Sleigh Stamp set and matching Thinlits Christmas trees to make a serene and non-traditional Christmas card.  Take a look-see:

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Categories: Christmas | Tags: , , , | 14 Comments

Stampin’ Up! Tin of Tags and Jar of Cheer Stocking Stuffers

Okay, y’all – we’re counting down to a bunch of things as we move so fast thru December that it’s going to be 2017 before we can blink!  What are we counting down?  Well…..

  • My Online Host Club will kick off on 1 Jan 17!  I have room for one more person to get in on the fun.  Will you be that person!?  Check out all the details right here and then drop me a line and get your name on the list!
  • Catalog Shares are open.  There’s a list of all the goodies you’ll get and the various shares options over on my 2017 Occasions Catalog Shares page.  Check it out and get signed up!
  • The Year End Clearance is still going on!  But it’ll end soon after we usher in 2017!  Don’t miss the chance to get all your favorites – before some of them are gone forever!  Here’s a link to the Clearance in my Online Store!
  • Only a couple more days to get your last minute Stampin’ Up! orders in to ensure you’ll receive your goodies by Christmas!  Get those orders in by the 15th, okay?

So – that’s the business taken care of.  Oh wait – the other countdown is that it’s practically Christmas!  My sous chef and I are getting all ready to do our Christmas baking.

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It’s pretty common knowledge in the world of the culinary arts that the sous chef routinely sits or lays between the chef and the counter.  That way any messes can be dealt with immediately and efficiently.  He learned quite well! 🙂

He’s a pretty good helper, even if – occasionally – he’s got to get out of the kitchen and take a little chewy break.  A great sous chef is worth his weight in gold, so I – as the Head Chef – tend to….bow…to his needs. 🙂

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I did do some non-cooking preparations today, though.  I made some stocking stuffers with a few 2 x 8″ Cellophane bags, a little card stock, and the Tin of Tags and Jar of Cheer stamp sets.  Take a look-see:

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Categories: Christmas | Tags: , , | 6 Comments

Stampin’ Up! Succulent Garden Birthday Sneak Peek for the Celebrate Blog Hop

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Good morning, y’all – welcome to this month’s Amy’s Inkin’ Krew Blog Hop – we’ve got a Celebrate theme today! That’s pretty wide open – especially since Amy said we could interpret the theme however we liked!  I hope you’ll spend some time scrolling thru all the Blog Hoppers’ offerings today!

I just did another pre-order from the 2017 Occasions catalog and I got the long-awaited (for me!) Oh So Succulent stamp set and the bundled Succulent Framelits.  And since I was allowed to order everything (just a little perk of being a Demonstrator!) I got a pack of the beautiful Succulent Garden DSP.  All these products make up the Succulent Garden Suite.  Since I had them and had been itching to use them….I used them for my card today!  Take a look-see:

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Categories: Happy Birthday | Tags: , , , | 20 Comments

Stampin’ Up! Jar of Cheer and Pines!

Welcome to Monday, y’all!  I sure hope your weekend was wonderful and that you got all your Christmas cards mailed and your gifts wrapped and your baking done.

Just like I did.

ROFLMHO!!

I wish I got all those things done this weekend.  Here’s what I did get done:

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With actual ornaments!  Last year, I got home so close to Christmas that all we did was put the tree up.  Which is really all I need – I love the white lights even all by themselves!  But…I must say it’s always fun to pull out the ornaments and see the ones that we’ve gathered up together over the years.

Finn was….gobsmacked!

He was outside doing important dog work when we put it up.  He came flying around the corner – he pretty much flies everywhere – and came to an abrupt and skidding stop when he saw the lit tree!  He really didn’t know what to think of it! 🙂

I’m sure he’ll figure out that he’s supposed to raid the tree and take ornaments off of it – he’s smart that way!

My card for today uses the pretty Jar of Cheer stamp set – on the retiring list, so grab it while you can if you don’t have it already – and my favorite embossing folder ever…the Pine Bough TIEF.  I sure hope Stampin’ Up! changes their mind about retiring this one. 🙁  I also added a few Pretty Pines embellishments.  Take a look-see:

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This one played along with a few challenges.  The first, from CAS(E) This Sketch, informed the layout.

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The color palette hails from this week’s challenge at The Paper Players:

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Just Us Girls had a Trend Week challenge:

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Finally, I was inspired by the beautiful picture in the Fusion – It’s Christmas challenge.

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Whew! 🙂

So.  I started by running a Whisper White panel thru the Big Shot twice in the Pine Bough TIEF.  Then I brushed all the embossed images with my Clear Wink of Stella Glitter Brush for a little shine.  I SNAILd it on a Silver Foil mat.

My jar – from Jar of Cheer – began when I heat embossed the candle image in Gold.  Then, around that, I heat embossed the jar and “threads” in Silver.  Finally, I cut it out with the matching die from the Everyday Jars Framelits.

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I colored the flame and leaves with my Gold Wink of Stella Glitter Brush and the candle itself and berries with my Clear Wink.  I wrapped some Gold Baker’s Twine around the top of the jar, securing it in the back with scotch tape.  Then I popped the jar on the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Christmas Greetings Thinlits – I cut one from Gold Foil and two from Whisper White, and used Multi-Purpose Liquid Glue to stack them up – and to adhere it on the card front.

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I cut two short pine boughs from Gold Foil using the die from the Pretty Pines Thinlits, and a pine cone from Silver Foil.  Then I used Liquid Glue to adhere them to the top of the jar.  A small Gold Baker’s Twine bow, adhered with a little more Liquid Glue, finished off the card front.

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On the inside, I heat embossed a sentiment from Jar of Cheer in Gold on a Whisper White panel.

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I SNAILd it to Silver Foil and then into my Whisper White card base, popped the card front on with Stampin’ Dimensionals and the card was done.

For my Whisper White Medium Envelope, I heat embossed another Jar of Cheer candle in Gold on the front, coloring it with my Gold and Clear Wink of Stella Glitter Brushes…

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…and I ran the envelope flap thru the Big Shot in the Pine Bough TIEF and brushed the embossed image with the Clear Wink of Stella.

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Et Voila!  Silver, Gold and White candle-in-a-pine-embellished-jar-of-cheer for Christmas.  Hope you like!

Scroll on down for the card cuts and all the goodies you need to make this one for yourself!


HOST CODE FOR 1 DEC – 15 DEC: K2Z3RB2G

Use this host code when you order and receive a free gift from me! But, if your order is over $150, please don’t use this code (you’ll miss out on your own Stampin’ Rewards if you use it) but you’ll still get the free gift. The free gift is your choice of any item valued up to $10.00 in the 2016-17 Annual Catalog or the 2016 Holiday Catalog! And – you can even select one of the Host-exclusive sets! See my Rewards page for more details.


2017 Occasions Catalog Shares are Open!

 

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The new catalog goes live on 4 Jan 17 and buying shares (a little bit of all the new ribbons, trims and embellishments) is a great way to get a little taste of everything! If you were to buy one of every paper, trim and embellishment, you’d spend over $150! Click right here to check out the shares that are available and get your order in now!


Year End Closeouts and 2017 Holiday Catalog Retiring Products

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Promotion period: December 1, 2016 – January 3, 2017

  • All products (and discounts, if any) can be found in the Year-End Closeouts category of the online store. Check it right here!
  • Here’s a download with the Initial List of Retiring Items, but the very best way to know what’s still available is to go to the Online Store!  Hint:  There’s a lot under the “Everything” section – and be sure to Show “All”!
  • This is a great list of all the items on Clearance, on the Retiring List and in excess inventory.  Use it as you will.  Note, though, that this list won’t be updated as things sell out!
  • No minimum purchase is required to participate in Year-End Closeouts.
  • Year-End Closeouts are eligible for Stampin’ Rewards with qualifying orders.
  • New demonstrators may add Year-End Closeouts items to their Starter Kit.                                                    
    • Hint – this is a great way to make that $99 investment go even further!

Online Host Club

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Only one opening left in the January 2017 Online Host Club.  Check out all the details right here!  And get your name in before it’s too late!


Tomorrow is an Amy’s Inkin Krew Blog Hop – the theme is Celebrate.  And I’ll be back with a Sneak Peek of the Succulent Garden Suite!  

We’ll go live at 8am Eastern.

TTFN

Mary


STAMPIN’ UP! PRODUCTS USED IN THIS PROJECT:       


CARD CUTS USED IN THIS PROJECT:

Whisper White Card Stock: 4 1/4″ x 11″ (card base, scored and folded at 5 1/2″); 3 7/8″ x 5 1/8″ (card front and inner liner); Jar of Cheer die cut; Christmas Greetings die cuts (x2)

Silver Foil: 4″ x 5 1/4″ (mats for card front and for inner liner); Pretty Pines die cut

Gold Foil:  Pretty Pines die cuts; Christmas Greetings die cut

If you need any stamping supplies, I’d be very happy to be your Demonstrator. Just click on the Order Stampin’ Up! Online Now button on the right side of the screen to go directly to my online store or drop me an email if you have any questions. Happy Stamping!


Shop the Clearance Rack here. Earn FREE Stampin’ Up! Products – Join my Punkin Head Peppermint Rewards – My online customer thank you program!

Categories: Christmas | Tags: , , , , | 28 Comments

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