The rest of the Christmas cards

I am SO going to do Sparkle's Christmas Card Challenge for 2009. I was working on Christmas cards up until 4:20 PM on December 23rd. The worst part is, I actually started my Christmas cards back in September. I think that starting so early gave me a false sense of security, and then other projects kept getting in the way, and sometimes I just wasn't motivated, blah blah blah... So, in 2009 I WILL get my Christmas cards in the mail December 1st. Here are some of the cards I made this year.

This shaker card was for my BB sistahs...Evensong Creative Basics paper pack, Snow Friends stamp set, Clear Sparkles, snowflake button and glittery stuff in the shaker from various crafty stores.




This shaker card was made in October using the November Stamp of the Month, All Decked Out and Evensong papers.





This is the ACTUAL final of the first accordian card I made. I posted the picture I took before adding the "Christmas", which was heat embossed with gold embossing powder.




These next two photos are of the second accordian card I made (tutorial is available here).

Everlasting papers, Evergreen stamp set and Holiday Craft Buttons.

Evensong Creative Basics papers, Cuttlebug Christmas Ornaments embossing folder, and Holiday Craft Buttons.

Evensong Creative Basics papers, December Word Puzzle stamp set.

Evensong Creative Basics papers, Evergreen stamp set, Cuttlebug Snow Dots embossing folder.

Evensong Creative Basics papers, Festive Frills stamp set, Red Sparkles and glitter glue.

Everlasting paper pack, Snow Friends stamp set, Stampendous! Crystal Snow glitter.

Evensong paper pack, Festive Frills stamp set, Cranberry embossing powder.

Evensong Creative Basics papers, Festive Frills stamp set, December Word Puzzle stamp set.

Some of these cards are from Close to My Heart Originals Card Confidence Program (I have the old version, but the new and updated version is available now only through a Close to My Heart consultant), some of the others I just made up as I went along. Now to get started on next year's cards.

Gifts in a jar

I decided to make cookie mixes in a jar for Christmas gifts for teachers, daycare providers and neighbors. I found a lot of recipes, but the two that sounded the best I found on Organized Christmas. I chose Oatmeal Scotchies and Cranberry Hootycreeks. I don't know what a hootycreek is, but how could I pass up a cookie with a name like that? Plus, it has cranberries AND white chocolate chips, it must be delicious.

These are the completed jars for my son's teacher and teacher's aide, and the three daycare ladies. I made gift tags by folding a 3" X 6" piece of cardstock in half and then cutting a circle with my Nestabilities (making sure to leave a part of the fold intact). I stamped the image (from the December Word Puzzle), then embossed with clear detail embossing powder. The inside was stamped using the now-retired Christmas Tags stamp set).



I bought the fabric at Wal-Mart, and printed out a 7 inch circle to use as my template. I then cut it on on my Versamat using a rotary cutter. Super simple.



The first batch I didn't think to use rubber bands to secure the fabric to the jar, I simply tied on the ribbon. The subsequent batches have rubber bands keeping the fabric on, and the Cranberry Grosgrain ribbon is simply decorative.




The recipes on the Organized Christmas website each have a PDF file with the directions so you can easily print the decorative label to attach to your jar. I was going to make my own labels, but time always seems to slip away. I found that a lot of the recipes for gifts in a jar have more ingredients than the jar has volume, so you have to work REALLY hard to get everything in the jar (which is why I didn't make as many Oatmeal Scotchie jars, it is VERY hard to get everything to fit-however, the Cranberry Hootycreeks were a perfect fit and the colors are nicer). I still have a few more to make before I am finished, and I will definitely make these again. I am already planning for next year, I think I will make a soup in a jar.

Another Christmas card

I've been working on some new cards and finishing off some incomplete cards the past few days. This one was inspired from the CTMH consultant artwork BB. I don't remember the consultant who posted, but I believe she had been inspired by another consultant. Door and panels made from Colonial White cardstock, ink distressed with Bamboo. Stamp set is Festive Frills, berries colored with Stickles, door knob is a large gold brad, ribbon came from the craft store.






The inside of the card is Ponderosa Pine cardstock on the left side, image is from December Word Puzzle and was embossed with Gold embossing powder. The right side has Everlasting paper layered over Cranberry cardstock. The sentiment (from Festive Thoughts) is stamped in Cranberry ink on Desert Sand cardstock, which was ink distressed with Desert Sand.

I only made a few of this card, and I don't know if I will make more. I probably should, I've already done the hard part (stamped and cut out the wreath) for I think five more. Let me tell you, that wreath is some work to cut out. I think cutting it out is a huge improvement over just stamping it on a circle.

Woohoo! I won!

I entered a drawing on AaronB's blog the other night, and I won! I will be receiving the Jr. Legal Pad folder she made using the September Stamp of the Month Treasure Life. She has the template for this and other projects available at her Etsy store, and all of the proceeds are going to Operation Smile. She has set a personal goal to raise enough money to fund three "Smiles" this year. Check out her store and see if you can find something you like AND support a great cause.

Christmas Accordian Tag Card

I LOVE the internet. I was searching for directions to make the super-cute cards that were on the counter at The Stampin' Post (since I didn't get to take the class), and I happened across this post of an accordian tag card. This lady is WAY talented (and patient, she did a 15 panel card). Anyway, I took her advice and tried a shorter word. I used Ponderosa Pine, Desert Sand and Cranberry cardstock and inks, Everlasting papers, Star Struck and Victorian Snowflake stamps, Friendship Alphabet Small, large gold brads and Christmas tree brads, CTMH ribbon. I think I will use this to go with a gift-in-a-jar for the neighbors for Christmas. This is DEFINITELY not a card that will get mailed.

Closed...

Open...

Christmas Gift Card Holders

Today I made some gift card holders for the three gift cards I will definitely be giving this year. I have been reading up on holiday tip etiquette to decide who else I "should" be giving a holiday tip to, so I may end up making some more later.

These two are flap cards., I found this style on Splitcoast Stampers. The one on the left was made using Everlasting paper, Bamboo, Cranberry and Ponderosa Pine cardstock, December Word Puzzle stamp, Marvy Uchida punches (2" circle, 2 1/2" scalloped circle) and clear embossing powder (on the ornament). The one on the right was made using Evensong papers, Cranberry and Garden Green cardstock, Festive Frills stamp set, Stickles, and some gold ribbon. Both cards are 3 1/2 X 4 1/4. The tutorial for these can be found here.



Inside...

This one I also found on Splitcoast Stampers, but there was no tutorial. I just copied and worked it out as I went. This one was made using Evensong Creative Basics papers, Cranberry and Olive cardstock, Festive Frills stamp set, Cranberry Grosgrain ribbon, Stickles and Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. I also added a white snowflake button (I removed the part you would actually sew through) and a gold Christmas tree brad. The original can be found by searching for "gift card" on Splitcoast Stampers (my Internet Explorer crashed before I bookmarked it).

Inside...

The bad thing is, I spent a good portion of my day making these (including my fruitless search for a slot punch). I ended up going to JoAnn and Michael's before heading to two different scrap/stamp stores in Old Town Temecula. Luckily, Deborah at the Stampin' Post is way smarter than me, and suggested that I make the card slot using my 1/4" long-reach punch, a straight edge any my exacto knife. The good thing is, I think they turned out pretty cute. Now I just have to buy the cards to fill them.

100 Things

I saw this on Liane's blog, and thought it would be neat to see everyone's answers. I have bolded the ones I have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Fostered a rescue animal

Finally on the bandwagon

Well, I was starting to feel left out, so I finally broke down and started my blog. I had actually begun the process several times before, but I always got hung up at the name. And tonight it just jumped out at me. Scrap Wench, of course. I love to scrap, my bowling ball is personalized "Wench", and my Mobsters name is Scrap Wench. Less for me to remember that way! Hopefully this will get me crafting more. And I guess I will have to install Photoshop on my computer sooner rather than later.