Christmas Note...and Jam!

I love the Signature stamp sets designed by Dawn McVey at Papertrey Ink.  They are my favorite sentiment sets EVER!  I especially love sentiments that are a little "off the beaten path" like the one used on this card - Just a Little Christmas Note from the Signature Christmas set.  It is perfect for those special friends that you want to send a special handwritten note.

Tomorrow is jam day.  I had a freezer full of strawberries that I've pulled out to make strawberry jam.  I just can't wait to see the rows of my favorite, yummy jam lined up in pantry.  There will also be plenty for a few special holiday gifts! 
Thanks for stopping by, and God Bless!

Happy Fall!

Northern Illinois is having some amazing fall weather!  I know it won't last forever, but I'm grateful for every day that it's holidng on.  Each crisp, beautiful day helps to keep me a little more focused on finishing up my crafting for fall before I totally shift to the holiday season.  As for the day after Thanksgiving...well, that's a whole other story!

 Today I have two cards that showcase my favorite crafting combination - PTI and Cosmo Cricket.  I've said it before - they are a marriage made in heaven!  Each of these cards uses the same basic elements: a simple sketch, a Rustic Cream card base and a layer of Kraft, Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg Paper Pad DP, Mat Stack 2 in Kraft and coordinating Vintage Buttons (dressed with rustic twine, of course!).  Oh, and I can't forget the Orange Zest satin ribbon. 

Each card also uses stamps from the super versatile 2009 Autumn Tag stamp set.  Don't you just love how these cards are so similar but so different?  Most of all, I love how simple these cards were to make! 

 I've been looking for something fun to make for my kids as a fun Thanksgiving treat.  I know - they're adults, but until they fill my home with grandchildren to spoil, I'll still make the treats for them.  I found these A-DOR-A-BLE turkeys, and I just had to make some!  They were super easy to make, and I can't wait to put them on the Thanksgiving table.   

I was a little sloppy with the white frosting base, but in my perspective the more the frosting the merrier!! 

Have a great day, and God Bless!



Imagine Believe Wonder

Happy Friday!!  Don't know what are doing this weekend, but I'm sure we'll be busy, as usual!  Hopefully we'll have some time to just veg or see a movie - those are the best weekends, arent' they?   

I have a cute card to share using the same sketch I used for this card.  It's a simple sketch with such a neat impact.  I love, love, love the baker's twine and the big button - such fun!

I also love using Kraft as the card base - it just gives such a "homespun" feel!  I know..."homespun"... now that's about a blast from the past but I like it, and I'll probably be using it again! 

Have a super day, and God Bless!

Supplies:

(All supplies are PTI unless otherwise noted)

Stamps - Holiday Spirit Sentiments, Journaling Lines

Paper - Kraft, Pure Poppy and Rustic Cream, October Afternoon (Very Merry) DP

Ink - Pure Poppy and Chai Vintage Tea Dye, Basic Black (SU!)

Other - Aqua Mist Vintage Button and Pure Poppy Baker's Twine, Corner Rounder (SU!)

The Holly Bears the Crown

I'm stopping by for short post to share a card that I made for the Week 5 Challenge over at the Papertrey Ink forum.  I LOVE the Merry Little Christmas set from the October release - the sentiments are amazing!!  One of my favorite holiday carols is The Holly and the Ivy.  ...of all the trees that are in the wood the holly bears the crown...  There's something about that that just speaks to me! 
   

The song also reminds me of my 8th grade Christmas program.  I sang a solo - don't remember my song - but two of my best friends sang "The Holly and the Ivy."  I was so jealous, because I wanted to sing that song!  Funny isn't it, what we remember?  I also remember the beautiful green jumper that my mom made for me to wear for my solo.  I can't remember if it was corduroy or velvet, but while I'm sitting here I can remember how special I felt wearing it that night!

Thanks for sharing these memories with me!  God Bless!

Supplies

(All supplies are PTI unless otherwise noted)

Stamps - Merry Little Christmas, Framed

Paper - Kraft, Pure Poppy, Cosmo Cricket (Jolly by Golly) DP

Ink -  Ocean Tides and Chai Tea Dye, Soft Suede (SU!)
Other - Aqua Mist and Pure Poppy Vintage Buttons, Tea Stained Wrinkle Ribbon, Button Twine, Amuse Microdot Twinkle Stickers 

'tis the season...

...to be jolly!  Popping in to share a simple holiday card today while I'm cleaning and listening to some Christmas music.  I LOVE all kinds of holiday music, and it wouldn't be unusual to find me belting out some jolly tune along with anyone from Bing Crosby to Elvis to Randy Travis literally any time of the year! 

Have a great day, and God Bless!

Supplies:
(All supplies are PTI unless otherwise noted)
Stamps - Communique Curves
Paper - Kraft, Rustic Cream, Crate Paper (Snow Day) DP
Ink - Chai Tea Dye, Soft Suede (SU!)
Other - Pure Poppy Vintage Buttons, Ripe Avocado Grosgrain Ribbon, Button Twine

So Grateful

Today I'm sharing a card I made for my husband for our upcoming anniversary.  I may not always tell him but I am extremely grateful for everything he does for us and that he is MY husband! 

I also have a short story to share.  I may or may have not written before that I had a stroke seven years ago.  I have mostly recovered except for a few minor issues that I still struggle with.  Early in the days of my recovery I had huge problems processing large amounts of stimuli, so imagine what it was like when we went grocery shopping at WalMart!  We had checked out and were on the way to the car when hubby remembered that he had forgotten something and said that we had to go back into the store.  I told him he should go ahead by himself while I took the cart to the car and loaded the groceries.  I made my way there but when I got there and opened the trunk I literally could not remember how to take the groceries from the cart and put them in the car!  I was so overwhelmed that I just stood by the car and cried.  When he saw me standing there he ran across the parking lot and just hugged me, telling me that everything was okay and helped me into the car.  Now, when he doesn't pick up his socks or remember to take out the trash  I just remember that moment, and all is forgiven!
For him, it's also true that the way to his heart is through his stomach, and  I often make special little treats for him.  I found this adorable little treat at Family Fun magazine. 

Acorns made from doughnut holes - how cute is that?  And bonus, they just happen to match the card I made him!  I'm sure that little fact will be lost on him, but I'll know.

I have one final photo to show off the card (I liked it so much I made an extra one) and the acorns using the Warmer Vintage photo effect that I got from Maggie Holmes Photography.  So much fun!

Thanks for looking, and God Bless!

Supplies:
(All supplies are PTI unless otherwise noted)
Stamps - First Fruits
Paper - Kraft, White, Plum Pudding DP, Basic Grey (SU!)
Ink - Chai Tea Dye, Ocean Tides, Crumb Cake and Soft Suede (SU!)
Other - Limitless Layers Die, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Paper Piercer and Mat Pack (SU!) Zig Zag Punch (EK Success), Signo Uniball Pen 

Gift Giving #1

I adore the holidays, and one of the best things about them is giving gifts.  I am one of those people who loves giving so much more than receiving.  I spend hours making lists and planning, working on handmade gifts and creating the perfect packaging. 

I think the rules of gift giving are pretty easy:

-  Bigger is not always better.

-  The gift seems more special when the packaging is just right.

-  Any holiday occassion can be an opportunity to give.

I'm so excited to be sharing some of the gifts I have planned for my family and friends this year right here on the blog over the next few weeks. 

One of my favorite little gifts to give is soap from Bath and Body Works.  I always wait for the sale and make certain that I also have a "$10 off your entire order" coupon so I can get those beautiful bottles of soap for $2 or less!  I try to stay away from giving lotion because I worry about giving a scent that someone doesn't like, but I know that everyone washes their hands!  This is perfect as a hostess gift, for the friend you want to remember with just a little something or for your own dinner guests. 

Isn't it true that the right "packaging" makes this extra special?

I added tags to several bottles and put them in a vintage basket as a little something for some friends who will be coming for brunch in a few weeks.  I love that I have something to send with them as they head out the door!

Thanks so much for stopping by -

God Bless!

Supplies:
(All supplies are PTI unless otherwise noted)
Stamps - Fillable Frames #9
Paper - Fine Linen, Distressed Dots
Ink - Chai Tea Dye, Early Espresso (SU!) 
Other - Ocean Tides Vintage Buttons, Tag Sale 1 Die, Button Twine, Ocean Tides Twill Ribbon, Marvy Snowflake Punch, Prima Flowers

I love fall, and have such lovely fall memories! Halloween was a very special time when my children were young, and we'll never forget the fun costumes I made for them each year. This year my grandson, Timothy, wore the very devil costume that I made for his Daddy so many years ago. It's a moment I truly treasure!
I have wonderful memories of watching my daughter in junior high and high school bands marching through countless parades and of cheering for my son's pee wee and school football teams. A Facebook friend posted recently about waiting for the local high school's homecoming parade to start, and I remembered like it was yesterday my husband and I driving football and and FFA "floats." What seemed like a million miles driving then are a million wonderful memories now.
I also fell in love with my husband during a beautiful fall more than 30 years ago. After several weeks of dating (which you know means you're in a serious relationship when you're 17) I was over the moon to be invited to his Grandparents' home for Thanksgiving dinner. I was so NERVOUS, and believe it or not I still remember what I wore! (I won't go into the dirty details, but suffice it to say it was definitely a reflection of 1979! hehe!) After an amazing Thanksgiving feast everyone gathered in the living room, and Grandma brought out a huge bowl containing her delicious homemade caramel corn. Oh, how I loved that caramel corn, and I still do. Each fall I make it at least once, and this year I'm sharing this special treat with a couple of good friends!  Here it is, all packaged up and ready to go, and you'll find the recipe below.

I had so much fun making this tag with PTI's Gobble, Gobble stamp set and the coordinating die.  I guess I kind of turned him into a "Button Bit" by putting the button on his tummy!  I cut the die with thin cork and added cardstock to make his feathers bright and fun.
I'm also sharing the wonderful card I received from Cindy Holshouser in PTI's fall swap.  I got this card some time ago and have just now been able to photograph it to share.  Sorry for the tardiness, Cindy, but thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful card!  I love it!

Grandma Plote's Caramel Corn

7 1/2 quarts (30 cups) popped corn
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

In large sauce pan bring to a boil brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt.  Boil , stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla (it will foam and bubble). Pour over popcorn and stir to coat well.  Bake on a large baking sheet (I use a huge shallow pan) for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes.  Cool and enjoy!

God Bless.

Supplies:

(All supplies are PTI unless otherwise noted)
Stamps - Gobble, Gobble
Paper - Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunset, Orange Zest, Distressed Dots
Ink - Chai Tea Dye, Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunset, Orange ZestOther - Vintage Buttons, Cork, Tag Sale 1 and Gobble, Gobble Dies, Dark Chocolate Twine, booglie eyes (Michael's), Distressing Tool and 5/8" Real Red Ribbon (SU!)