St. Luke's Craft Show 2010

So this is Stephanie at our booth at the St. Luke's Craft Show last fall. I sold more than anyone, however, it wasn't very busy since the show was in many diffeent classrooms, rather than a large area. So it was difficult to see everyone and get around. I think the parking may have been difficult, but I don't know for sure. We had fun getting ready...my girlfriends came out to help finsih up projects and then to set up. Stephanie and I had a fun time regardless! I think I 'll look for some other craft shows...especially now that Bob is retired...hahaha!

Christmas in July?!?!?

So here are two gift bags that contained gifts from a hubby to a wifey for Christmas. Part of my services include gift wrapping of holiday, birthday or special events. So - don't want a new vacuum or blender for a gift from your sweetheart? Give him/her a Stampin' Up! Wish list and tell him/her to contact me! Consider it done! Lookie what you could receive!!! I don't know about you, but these days, the wrapping excites me as much as the gift! LOL It's all in the presentation! So get that Wish list going from our new 2010 -2011 catalog - and hook me up!! You'll be glad you did! LOL

There were more gifts that I had wrapped, and here is a link to two other gifts for the same person. Kris' gifts. This was one of the most fun days of my holidays! I love to make other people feel good and I KNEW how much it would mean to Kris to have such fun, fab gifts to open! And I knew Peter would be happy giving such gifts! I LOVE when a plan comes together!

So if you would like to have gifts WONDERFULLY wrapped for a holiday or a birthday or other special event, give your wish list to your honey and have him/her email or call me - leave the rest up to us!!

The Gifts I Made MY Secret Sister, Cassie

Well, what do you do when your Secret Sister is one talented lady and from Texas (everything's bigger and better in Texas ya know! lol)? Well - you kick it up a notch that's what!! So check out what I made for Cassie! Besides some purchased gifties: I made her a journal; a flower arrangement using my Big Shot, my inherited floral skills, and my luscious Corduroy buttons to make Daisies and Black Eyed Susans!, and then some lovely SU rub-ons for the lil watering can (I really scared myself with how well this turned out!! LOL); and I followed many of my talented stamping sisters (especially Gretchen Barrows) on the trail to creating the flower pot cards...and I really like how this turned out too!; and finally - a tin with a belly band and a Dahlia flower - that my own little baby Stephanie helped me make since I was short on time...Enjoy the pictures!

sorry - its a little blurry - take it from me though...

very beautiful IRL!

My Faculty Friends Christmas gifts...

I always like to give a lil somethin' for a gift at holiday time...and these are the ones I made this year...I filled small tins from Target with candy and a Christmas dish towel...I tied on some coordinating ribbon from Stampin' Up!, and punched out some tags using my new scallop square punch...they were pretty cute...I gave out about 12 of them...

My gift from Judy

My girlfriend Judy is a former history teacher, and took a trip to Israel recently. Kindly, she brought back souvenirs for her friends, and I was lucky enough to be a recipient. She brought us necklaces made from shells from the Sea of Galilea. So, since the necklace was strung on a rough string, I (after a suggestion from Judy herself!) made the shell into a bookmark. I used my Big Shot to cut out two larger scallop circles from chipboard (and it cut "like butta") and sandwiched the ribbon in between the scallops. I then tied the Baja Breeze ribbon onto the shell charm Judy gave me. Its hard to see unless you double click on the pic, but the inside part of the shell has a dove charm that says "peace", and then is filled in with a clear substance. I used the new Designer Series Paper called Parisian Breeze to decorate the scallop circles. Then I had a flower with a clear gemstone brad in it from something else I had been working on, and I added that as well. So now I have a beautiful religious bookmark with the soft muted color of the sea as an accent. It is truly a very special gift.

Judy is so kind to me....she's like my spiritual cheerleader. She just sent me a note (using one of the note cards I had made her for her birthday) about having faith through a rough time we are having right now ...She reminded me of the story of Esther and sent me a copy of the reading to encourage me. She and the gang of my other friends (the doll club) are all a gift from God as it is...and they have been a wealth of support to me these last several weeks...and I am sure in the upcoming ones as well....I even get a pep call every morning from Kathy....so while times are tough.....things are good.....and friends are golden....

Judy's Birthday gift

This is the gift I gave to Judy for her end of the year birthday. I LOVE the Bella Rose paper and so knew it would be perfect to create a folder and note cards for my girlfriend. She is always sending out little notes and so I thought this would be perfect for her...and she loved them!

Check out this ADORABLE Santa!!!

I am going to have to research the lovely woman who posted this on Beate's list serve...but I CASE-d this....because it is SO STINKIN" CUTE!! It uses the Big Shot (available from Stampin' Up!) and the Top Note die ... It consists of 3 die cuts in Whisper White, Real Red, and Blush Blossom. I used the small 1/2" round punch for the holly berries, used the small oval punch on Handsome Hunter paper and then trimmed them up to look like holly leaves, the 1" round punch for his nose and the 3/4 punch for his mouth, and 1/4" round punch for his hat pom pom...I sponged pink cheeks and edged his nose with Pretty In Pink ink...and lastly, used some googlie eyes from the craft store...I kept the Santa on the candy cane stick but cutting a strip of whisper white 1 3/4 X 5 1/5, scored the piece at approximately 1 1/2 inches from both ends and then used the 1" round punch on both ends, and attached the middle portion of the white strip to the back of Santa. Then I was able to slip the candy cane stick through the two circles to hold it in place. The candy cane stick was one of those fabulous finds at the Dollar Tree, where they are 2 for $1....Put the whole thing in a clear gift bag and tied it off with Real Red grosgrain ribbon... DONE!!!! I am making them for my students and for my grand kids....they are so very quick and easy!!!! Try 'em, you'll like 'em!!! LOL

Grad gift card

Here is a quick masculine graduation card that I made for a family gathering/celebration last weekend. It was a quick 1-2-3. We learned how to use the 12X 12 paper cut into a four inch strip so as to make a card with a pocket (for cash or gift card) at last year's regionals in Philly.

Recipe


Stamps: Great Grads (currently on dormant list)

Paper: Tangerine Tango textured and regular, confetti white, chocolate chip, DSP Hawaii Papaya

Ink: Chocolate Chip Ink

Access: 5/8 grosgrain choc chip ribbon, 1 3/8 and 1 3/4 circle punches

I couldn't help myself!!!

OK - so this little book is very "pretty" for a toddler learning to write, but I couldn't help myself!! You know how much I LOVE making this out of our Bitty Board Book... and the only DSP I could pre-order was Bella Rose (you'll have to forgive me if I screw up and call it "Rosabella" - several years ago I had the pleasure of performing the role of Cleo in the musical Most Happy Fella at the local college - and I am having a brain misfire...every time I write or say it - it comes out "Rosabella" and not "Bella Rose"!! Argghh! Rosabella was the lead and I was her side kick! Eh - could be worse!! LOL) Anyhoo - back to the point at hand - my grand-daughters (6) all have and love "pretty" things - so they would all love this...my step-daughter and DIL's all have done the pretty route....while sticking to primary colors and sports and dinosaurs and such for the boys (5). Yeah....I know.....its fabulous to be a really young "Gram" ...ahhhhh, the blessings of a second marriage!! LOL OK OK OK -- so here's the book! We saw this demo'ed at convention in Denver in 2007...totally cool idea!! You write right on the page cover with the dry erase marker, wipe it off and give it a go again!! TA DA!!!! Enjoy!

Good ol' Summertime!!

Now - I really hope that the little set of Tart & Tangy from the past mini catty makes it into the new catalog, because there is so much you can do with that little set!! For instance...take a gander at the little gift set that was part of my girlfriend Kathy's birthday package...I found a cute magnetized notepad that screamed SUMMER at me - and combined it with a great 3 X 3 Tart & Tangy gift card...you can make any kind of gift set this way - and those notepads are available everywhere! Just match up the colors and images...and then....wallah! GIFT SET!! Hope you think it is as stinkin' cute as I do!!! (and Kathy too!! She loved it!! right, Chatty??!?!?!)

The Secret Sister Gift I received - DDSS10

Thank you to my secret sister Pam! Look at the great stuff she sent to me!! I have to retake one of the close up shots as my camera is being a little fuzzy lately - of course its most likely me!!! LOL But check out these great gifts! I am sooo sad I decided I was unable to be a secret sis this round - but with everything going on - I thought it best to wait for DDSS 12.

Can you see it says Pixie DUST on the glitter!? LOVE THAT!

My Mothers' Day gift from Stephanie

Look what Stephanie made me! Its us with Queen Shelli! We had this taken at Session II Convention 2007. It was our first convention. She put it in a frame and decorated it with our Stampin' Up!® Rub-ons...Came out nice, eh?