Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas Morning

Hello my friends! How are you today? I hope that you are not feeling stressed in these last few days before Christmas. Remember that if you forget a gift card or burn your cookies the world will not end. The 25th will pass and the 26th will come and life will go on. You can give that gift card for the New Year and buy some cookies at the grocery store.
It's easy for us to get caught up in all of the "stuff" and forget the true meaning of Christmas.

Anyhoooo...here is another ornament. I used my very favorite image from the So Jolly Magnolia collection: Christmas Morning Tilda. It looks like Magnolia-licious is currently out of stock of this particular stamp...but be sure that she will be back!
As a curly haired girl myself, 0I was thrilled to see Tilda with some curls! LOL! Then my pal Suzanne Dean told me that the this particular image looked like me. Now, although we email and chat quite a bit...we do not live near by one another...and have not yet met....so how did she know that I hardly ever get out of my jammies?! LOL! There were several other curly haired Tilda's in this collection...why did she choose the one in her nightgown as me?! We had some good laughs over that!

I took pics as I went along to share the EASY process of making these ornaments.
At this point, this tutorial won't be much use to you until next year. Although, I think that if you used Non-Christmas images you could hang it in your window or something like that for the whole year.
If you have any questions please ask. I will reply for all to see, as I am sure that someone else will have the same question.
Please click on the pics to see the image larger.
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Supplies needed:
  • Flat glass ornament. Available at AC Moore for $1
  • paper scissors
  • 3/16" hole punch
  • colored image on card stock
  • patterned paper
  • thin self laminating sheet
  • 1/4" Scor-tape or memory foil
  • microbeads (not needed if using memory foil)
  • Ribbon and/or cord for hanging

Back of Ornament:



Blank Ornament from AC Moore:

(There are many different shapes and sizes!)******************************************************


Step 1: stamp and color image on card stock.
Remove the gold cord from the glass ornament as this will be in your way.
Center glass ornament over your image.
Lightly trace around the ornament.
Don't forget to trace the hole where we will insert the ribbon later.
Use this line to cut the image out. You can cut directly on the line.
Do not cut out the hole for the cord.

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Step 2: Choose a Patterned Paper to decorate the back of your ornament. This is especially important for people who use coloring mediums that soak through the card stock...like Copics. You don't want to have an ornament that is pretty in the front and icky in the back. I chose a pattern that was not too fussy.
***Because the glass ornaments are not symmetrical you need to place the image face down on the side of the paper that you want showing to trace it. Otherwise it will not match up well when you put them back to back.
The pencil lines will not show by the time we are through...so you need not worry.
*****Do NOT cut this out yet!! Read Next Step*****

****************************************************



Step 3: Cut out a piece of the self laminating sheet slightly larger than the size of the ornament. Peel off the white backing and place the laminate over the outline on your patterned paper.
Now you can cut out the back of the ornament.
Here is a link to the kind of sheets that I have. Basically it's just a clear sticker. This will protect the paper on the back of the ornament from wear and tear.
If you want to personalize the ornament with a name or year on the back I suggest doing so BEFORE putting the laminate on.


*****************************************************


Step 4: Adhere the 2 pieces together back to back.
The laminated side should be facing outward.

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Step 5: Trim the excess from the back piece.

*************************************************


Step 6 : Use the appropriate size hole punch to punch out the hole for the cord.
The 3/16" size is a perfect match.

******************************************************





Step 7: Sandwich your image and glass ornament together. Be sure that it is lined up properly...including the hole at the top. If it seems not to be, than flip the glass over. As I mentioned, these are not always symmetrical. Try to trim off any pieces of card stock that is hanging past the edges of the glass.

Hold it in place and wrap your Scor-Tape around the edges of the ornament leaving a lip on both the front and the back.
I started at the top and wrapped it all the way around...I overlapped a little at the end.
This the trickiest part to explain so I took pictures of several views.

(I also think that you could use Ranger Foil tape instead of Scor-Tape.
If so then you do not need the beads)

*************************************************




Step 8: Before peeling off the backing of the Scor-tape, run your finger along the edge to make sure there are no bubbles Then fold the tape over the glass in the front and the laminate. Press firmly and try to make sure there are few bumps. You don't want the micro beads to get under it. You can remove the tape backing now.

***************************************************




Step 9: Cover the Scor-tape with beads. Make sure there is no tape showing. Use your fingers to press the beads firmly into place. You may have to dip and press several times to get full coverage. (In my sample above I used a mixture of blue, green and clear beads. I do not suggest using clear beads with colors...the clear beads look like empty spots.)

*********************************************************
Step 10: Put your cord or ribbon through the hole and enjoy your creation!
(I looped some gold cord through, then tied a bow around the cord.)




Below are the Copics that I used to color my image.
(additional colors like skin and cheeks are in my side bar)



I hope this was useful for you. They are quite easy to make!

Happy Holidays!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Christmas Memories


Stamps: Penguin Hug from Motivet. Sentiment from retired from SU
Paper: oh gosh...I can't remember right now
Other: Gold Embossing Powder; Martha Stewart snowflake punch
and snow flake border punch; Nesties label die and snowflake die;
Gold Ribbon; Iridescent Gold glimmer mist;
Kaiser White pearls; other gold pearls
Card Measures 6" sq



Hello Friends! Thanks for coming by today!
Wow another week is gone. One week until Christmas. Where has December gone? Remember as kids that December seemed so impossibly LONG...why now does it seem to be over in a blink? And why is it that now instead of feeling excited, I feel jaded?

Christmas is so magical as a child. Orla is eight this year...it is bringing back memories of the Christmas that I was 8. I think that was my favorite Christmas EVER. I remember that we had sold our house a few months before and was waiting for a new house to be built...so in the meantime the 5 of us live in a 3 room apartment. A kitchen, a bedroom and a living room. Usually we had lots of decorations around the house. We use to go cut down our tree every year. But that year due to confinement and stuff being packed away we just had a small "faux" tree. But we had lots of laughs. And Santa was extra good to us that year. It was 1983 and I, like most other little girls wanted a Cabbage Patch Kid! (hmmm...I wonder if that is when my desire to adopt a child some day began!?) I really wanted one with a pacifier too. :) Also on my wish list that year: Michael Jackson's Thriller cassette tape...um, and a something to play it on I got all three! I know there was other stuff too...I can't imagine a Christmas went by that I didn't want and get some Barbies. I LOVED Barbies. I also remember that my little sisters got Cabbage Patch Kids too. My mom now tells me that she got lucky and on several occasions had walked into a store and they had just gotten a shipment of CPK dolls in. So she would get what she could and even got some for her friend's kids.
It was only a few months later that I found out the truth about Santa. :( I hope that Orla still believes for a few more years. Speaking of Orla...she does not have much interest in dolls. Not even Barbies!!!! I am not sure if she is my kid. LOL! She, at the same age that I was hoping for a Cabbage Patch Kid, has dreams of Ipods and her own cell phone!! ACK! No way is she getting a cell phone!!!!!! I went back and forth about the Ipod. Finally I caved and bought her one. She has been told that she is not responsible enough for Santa to bring her an Ipod and that she should not expect one. So I think she will be SO EXCITED to get her pink Ipod. That and a few small things. She has never been much into toys. She has always preferred a pad of paper and a pen and writing her own stories or reading about polar bears or geography. She likes facts over fiction. I did get her a 2010 Guinness book of word records that I think she will find interesting. And a kids book about Barack Obama that I know she will love....she loves politics! :) I certainly wasn't thinking about Ronald Regan when I was her age and listening to my Thriller tape! LOL!

Enough of my blabber!! Today's card uses the Penguin Hug stamp from Motivet. And Oh my gosh...I LOVE IT!!! They are just so stinkin' ADORABLE all snuggled up together! I think this would make a cute card for a friend or your snuggle-muffin. Heehee I can see a valentine with this or a for a winter Birthday. I just love it!! Anyhoooooo, this card was made for this week's challenge over at the Motivet blog. Stephanie has a FABULOUS sketch this week! You can check out the deets HERE.

The patterned paper that I used has a really pretty shimmer to it. SO although I was happy with how the coloring of the image turned out...it looked a little "blah" when I but it in front of the shimmery paper. So I dug out my Glimmer Mist and sprayed it on. Ooohhh...aaaaah! Now I was happy! I took a close up of the the image trying to show the shimmer and Glimmer....but glitter and shimmer and sparkle don't translate well across computer screens. This is always so sad. But click on the picture to see it larger and try to get the effect. :) I definitely have to use my Glimmer Mist more often!!


Ok...well it is nearly 3 am. I still have to make Orla's lunch for school tomorrow. And iron school clothes before I go to bed. So I better finish this up.

>>>>>But before I go, I would love if you'd leave a comment and share your favorite Christmas memory. Or a beloved childhood gift. Or something that made your Christmases special as a child.
I always love reading your responses.
And I think it's fun to take a few minutes to remember the magic!


Have a Stupendous Weekend!!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Patting Myself On The Back...



Hello!!! Thank you so much for stopping by today!!!

Sometimes I think I am so clever! Heeheehee! Isn't great when once in awhile we impress ourselves? ;)
I am patting myself on the back for 2 reasons today. The first being that I convinced 8 talented, creative, kind-hearted, Fantabulous ladies to be on my 3 Clovers Thursday Challenge team!!
Not only am I lucky, so are you!! They share their creativity each week with you. Each of them have a different style that is unique to them...and I am so thankful for these girls!
If you can, please make an effort to visit their blogs and thank them for being a part of my team. It would really mean a lot to me and likely to them. Spread the joy during the holidays!

Ida P. Krause
Jane Bosi
Kristen Catalano
Lisa Somerville

Lorie Ames
Mary Jo Price-Williams
Sharon Caudle
Sue Kment


The next reason that I am patting myself on the back is that I bought this plain glass ornament at (AC Moore for only $1) and actually made something with it!! And I only bought 2 instead of 50. Heeheehee...we all know that I have a bulk buying problem. But here is exactly why: Now I wish I bought more!!! And I can't find any more now. :( Boo Hoo!! AND, I was even pretty impressed with how well the ornament turned out!! You know, sometimes I make things and I enjoy making them...but they look kind of cheezy. Or they are impractical. But this, I would actually give to others AND hang on my own tree! Hahahaha


When I emailed this to the lovely Diana Crick, to put in the Magnolia-licious store gallery, she asked me how I made it. So I tried explaining...but I don't think I did a very good job. The short answer is that the image (the SOOOOO PRETTY SILENT NIGHT TILDA) is done on regular cardstock and is under the glass. Also, I laminated a piece of patterned paper and put that behind the cardstock to make the back pretty too. (The laminate is to make is more durable)
This is all held together with 1/4" scor-tape. I then covered the scor-tape with microbeads.
If this isn't clear let me know. I will do a photo tutorial if their is enough demand. After all, I have a second ornament! LOL! If I knew how to use my video camera I would do that...but I only know how to video things...but not get it off the camera and onto my computer....YIKES! I still have stuff on there from when we went to VietNam to adopt Maeve in 2007!!!!!

I hope that you can come back tomorrow.
I have card to share that uses THE CUTEST Motivet image!!!!


Have a Tremendous Thursday!

3 Clover Thursday Challenge #44

Welcome to
3 Clovers Thursda
y Challenge
#
44!


Thanks for coming by today!
We hope that you enjoy this weeks challenge!

this week's theme is:
Ornaments

To participate please upload your card to your blog or SCS and leave
a direct link to that post in the comments section of this post

Then we can all enjoy your creations!
When uploading to your blog or scs please link back to this post so that everyone can join in on the fun!
If you upload to SCS please use 3CTC44 in the keyword or title so that anyone looking can easily locate it.

The Lovely & Talented Challenge Team has cooked up some
STUNNING samples to get your creative juices flowing!

You can get to the blogs for each of the girls by clicking on their names. Don't forget to leave them a little {{love}} (comments) when your visiting!





Weren't those Super Dee Duper
!
?


What are you waiting for?! Go forth and CREATE!!!


Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Spreading Love

This is Ethan. Ethan is 7 years old. He has neuroblastoma (cancer). And it is spreading.
Ethan is the cousin of my best friend, Kristen. You can read his entire story on her blog.


Ethan also has an older sister named Sierra who who worries about him and takes such good care of him.

Both Ethan and Sierra love to get mail. Do you have an extra card or even two that you can send them this Holiday Season? It doesn't have to be a handmade card. It would really make their day!!!

Ethan & Sierra's mailing info:
Ethan & Sierra Smith
27 Donna Street
Nashua, NH 03060

Please feel free to share their story. Help us spread the love!!

Thank you and God Bless.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Bailey's Irish Cream Bars

Hello! Here's a merry recipe for you!

I like to bake anytime of the year but especially Christmas. I made these for the neighborhood Christmas Cookie exchange a few years ago. They were a big hit.

However, when making them in these quantities this recipe gets expensive! You go through those bottles of Bailey's pretty quickly!! A little in the mixing bowl and a little for me! LOL! ;) just kidding!


Ingredients:
***For Cake:***
1 package yellow cake mix
3 eggs
2/3 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1/3 cup oil
***For Swirl:***
1 can cream cheese vanilla frosting
1 package white chocolate chips (12 oz)
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream



Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a jelly roll pan (about 15 x 10 x1 ). Mix cake mix with eggs, Irish Cream and oil. Set aside 1/2 cup of prepared cake batter for swirl. Pour cake batter into prepared pan. In a small bowl, blend all swirl ingredients. Drop large spoonfuls of this mixture over the cake batter. Swirl with a fork to make a marble effect. Bake 25 - 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.



I have also made a Bailey's Irish Cream cake...but can't find the recipe at the moment! There are lots of Irish Cream baking recipes on the internet...and they all sound yummy!

Enjoy!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

♫ ♪ ♫ It's Begining to Look a Lot Like Christmas ♪ ♫ ♪

Stamps: Santa's little Helper from Magnolia-licious
Paper: from the Magnolia So Jolly Collection

Other:
5/8" organdy ribbon; unknown teeny tiny buttons; Craft Boa; Polar White Flower
Soft


Hello! Thanks for stopping by today!!

I hope that you don't mind that I decorated for the holidays around here! I usually try to keep the ol' blog fairly simple and uncluttered...but it just doesn't seem right not decorating it up for Christmas! :)

I have 2 cards to share with you today. Above is my card for this month's Magnolia-licious DT December DT sketch. Although, we have started to stray away from strictly sketches! This months hostess with the mostess is the oh so unbelievably talented Cheryl! Cheryl has challenge us to make a card in a shape other than squares or rectangles. You can read all the deets at the Magnolia-licious Highlites Blog about how you can participate.
Shaped cards are always a challenge for me. I never know what to do. As I mentioned last week, my inspiration at any given moment usually comes from me wanting to use a specific product or image and working the rest of the card around that. This is no different. I cleaned up my craft room a little over the weekend and found a few things that I forgot I had. One was this white fluffy boa. I know I bought this several years ago for a purpose...but forget what that purpose was! LOL! Anyhoooo, I was determined to use this. Finally I settled on a mitten. The great thing is that a mitten is such an easy shape that I could even draw the template freehand. Hahaha...I always say that if I could draw I wouldn't need to stamp! I would just draw up my own images. Unfortunately even my stick people leave a lot to be desired. HAHAHA. So I chose this ADORABLE Tilda to perch herself upon my mitten. Have I mentioned how much I {HEART} this Christmas line from Magnolia?! Each image is cuter than the last!

I am going to move right along to my next card. Because as usual it is after 3 am when I am typing this post up! And I rescheduled yesterday's appointment to today! (I know! I said I wouldn't...but it was snowing so heavy!)


Stamps: Retired SU! Snowflakes
Paper:
Sugar Coated
White from Doodlebug; Navy; Brushed Silver
Other:
Navy Organdy; Martha Stewart Snowflake punch; blue and clear rhinestones; Silver pigment ink; Iridescent Ice embossing powder from SU!

Card Measures 5.5" sq


Today's 3CTC was a little hard for me. Most of the stamps I use these days are "line art". Meaning that they need to be colored in. ANd I was having a difficult time finding one that would be suitable using only the colors White, Blue and Silver. What was I thinking when I came up with this challenge?! LOL! I must have seen a card that I thought was pretty elsewhere that used these colors. :)



I thought about a card that I had made several years ago. And decided to "CASE" myself. But to somewhat improve on the original card. Jeesh! I hope that improved on a card that I made 5 years ago! The thing is: I thought I totally rocked that card back then!! LOL! Didn't we all?! LOL! You can see my original HERE.


As I mentioned in the recipe above, I used silver embossing ink...but Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder. (um, yeah, Christmas is about the only time I ever do any embossing...I am just too lazy the rest of the year to pull out that heat gun and all those little powders!) Iridescent Ice EP is a clear EP with sparkle to it. But because I used the silver ink, it maintains a silver color. In the close up picture I am trying to show that sparkle.

I hope that you enjoyed these cards today. I have to go to bed!

Have a Joyful Thursday!


3 Clover Thursday Challenge #43

Welcome to
3 Clovers Thursda
y Challenge
#
43!


Thanks for coming by today!
We hope that you enjoy this weeks challenge!

this week's challenge is:
Blue-White-Silver Holiday Card

To participate please upload your card to your blog or SCS and leave
a direct link to that post in the comments section of this post

Then we can all enjoy your creations!
When uploading to your blog or scs please link back to this post so that everyone can join in on the fun!
If you upload to SCS please use 3CTC43 in the keyword or title so that anyone looking can easily locate it.

The Lovely & Talented Challenge Team has cooked up some
LOVELY samples to get your creative juices flowing!

You can get to the blogs for each of the girls by clicking on their names. Don't forget to leave them a little {{love}} (comments) when your visiting!






Weren't those PULCHRITUDINOUS
!
?


What are you waiting for?! Go forth and CREATE!!!


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