SNOW!!! Happy and Sad Day

                         Pictures taken on TVA Reservation

How about this???? A white Christmas in Alabama! I have never seen this much snow on Christmas day. If we have any snow (which we usually don't) on Christmas, it is usually just flurries. O.K., I know this isn't much for a lot of you but more came. LOL
This is the first time in my life I haven't been able to go out of town to visit with family on Christmas day so it
is really hard. The meteorologists were predicting a little snow but I didn't think it would be enough to keep us home. We decided to try our 2 1/2 hr. trip to my sister's house but the farther we went, the worse it was and we heard another band of snow is expected later today. Plus, we are expecting the roads to be bad tonight. I sure hope my sons and their families get here safely . One is coming from Georgia and the other two hours away in Huntsville but it is worse  there than here.

No Christmas feast for me today. I do have the dishes I prepared to take with me but that isn't like the real
Christmas day meal. Well, things could be much worse so I will try not to be too disappointed.

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!!!!

I've Been Tagged!

My blogger friend, Marisa/Rosemary Reflections has tagged me with some fun about 'Four Things'.

Here is what I came up with:

Four shows you watch:
1. NCIS
2. Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel
3. Law & Order: SVU
4. Pawn Stars


Four things you are passionate about: 
1. Family
2. Singing in choir
3. Church
4. Telling the truth

Four words/phrases you say a lot:
1. Good grief
2. Bless your heart! (yes, some of these are southern talk)
3. For Heaven's Sake!
4. Just a minute, just a minute! Especially when I'm on the computer blogging, uploading, or        commenting and someone asks me to do something.

Four things you learned from the past:
1. Never give up on anyone
2. You're never too old to learn
3. How you live your life influences your children and everyone around you
4. Love conquers all

Four places you would like to go:
1. Alaska
2. New Zealand
3. Japan
4. New York City during Christmas holidays

Four things you did yesterday:
1. Slept until 9:00 a.m. (because I woke up in the night for about 2 hrs.)
2. Cleaned up the kitchen after dinner guests the night before (yes, I left it overnight) LOL
3. Went to Lowe's
4. Talked on the phone to my out of town sis

Four things you are looking forward to:
1. Hot summer
2. Seeing my children and other family during Christmas
3. Working in my yard again when Spring arrives
4. Starting choir rehearsals again in late January

Four things you love about winter:
1. Getting it over with (Did you guess I don't care for winter?)
2. Snow,  if we are fortunate enough to get any
3. Warm fireplace
4. Wearing boots and pretty scarves

Four people I've tagged to play along:  (It's o.k. if you have no time as I know everyone is busy, but it is fun.)
Carol-Our Little Inspirations
Julie-Julie Makes Cards
Lynne-Ruby-Dooby-Doo's Stampin Spot
Joanne- .The Inky Ocean Gazer
Please have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

I Heart You...Forever

Oh, I'm hearing we may have snow on Christmas day here in my area of of North Alabama. Please don't let that happen as I need to get out of town and back the same day. When it snows here, we don't have all the equipment the Northern states have to clean our roads because we just don't need it very often.
I can't imagine not having Christmas with my family...plus, what would I eat? They would be having a  delicious Christmas meal and I would have to eat a peanut butter sandwich. Yuck!  After that yummy meal, I guess I could make cards all day.

This week at the Stampin B's Design Team blog challenge, Lois challenged us to use ribbon anyway except for a bow or knot. I went with a scrunchy ribbon. I love the ribbon and really didn't want to scrunch it but I will use it later and you can see how pretty it is.

I don't think I could give this to my hubby with the sweet ribbon on it.
I suppose I could make another one and give them to my boys to give their wives, although that wouldn't be the same as if they selected them. You know how they stand for hours in the card store searching for just the perfect card. ~Grin
I really shouldn't say that because my hubby does look for just the right card...I can tell.  They are always very sweet and meaningful

I stamped, embossed, and cut out my hearts and placed them point down inside the Punch All Over the Page. Scrunched my ribbon, added a sentiment and I think it is really easy to see the rest.

Sure hope everyone has a Merry and Blessed Christmas!!

I'm entering my card into five other challenges, all easy peasy. All of them are 'Anything Goes'.
Allsorts #83-Anything Goes
Aly's Sunday Sketch ASC32-Anything Goes
Sugar Sweet Paper Treats-Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp-Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly-Anything Goes

Recipe:
Stamps: Hearts and Stars "1" by Autumn Leaves, Stampabilities-'I Heart You' sentiment
Paper: Stampin'Up! Cherry Cobbler and Pretty in Pink, black cardstock from Hobby Lobby
Ink: StazOn jet black
Accessories: Punch All Over the Page by Martha Stewart-Rose Window, VersaMark Dazzle-Frost, red glitter embossing powder, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, ribbon from Hobby Lobby

QFTD40, CES Challenges

It's ONE week until Christmas and I'm busy wrapping Christmas presents, hubby is out getting up leaves. Thought I would post a VALENTINE card...from one holiday to another. I sure don't need another Christmas card.

I made my card for three challenges:
QFTD40 on Splitcoaststampers: I cased a card made by Jo aka reddyisco. I love her style of cards. Here is her card I cased.
 I changed from her leaves to hearts.

CES Challenges #17 - Anything Goes
Totally Gorguss #61 Make something for someone special  (mine is a valentine)

My hearts are punched and falling into a pile showing a heap of love for that someone very special.
This was an easy card and I just went with stamping and punching.

Recipe:
Stamp:Stampin'Up! Yummy
Paper: PTI white cardstock, Stampin'Up! Cherry Cobbler and Pretty in Pink cs, black cs from Hobby Lobby
Ink: Stampin'Up! Cherry Cobbler
 Accessories: Stampin'Up! oval and oval scallops, Martha Stewart heart graffiti punch, Fiskars heart border punch, Mark Richards gold metal brads

Our Daily Bread Designs:SNTODBD24, Creative Card Crew, Stamps R Us

I have a tip that I learned the hard way. Don't wear nail polish while making cards. I haven't done that in a long time and thought my nails would look nice manicured. I used to keep them polished but when I started making cards I had no time for that. That is not a good thing, is it? I decided to polish them over the weekend and I can't tell you how many times I have run my finger over the card and it left a slight smudge of color. Ugh! Of course, you know the camera would magnify it a zillion ties So, I would have to start over. Now, the polish has to go.

I used a Sizzix frame for my card and I don't know the name of it. My sister gave it to me and I'll try to find what it is called and post it. It punches out in three sections. I used a gold leafing pen on one section and stamped the sentiment on one. The paper I used was a beautiful, already embossed sheet. I added a wide, light blue ribbon, a couple of flowers, and beading.
I made this card for three challenges:
Our Daily Bread DesignsSNTODBD24-Use a scripture and make it the focal point of your card
Creative Card Crew -Anything Goes
Stamps R Us-Anything Goes

Recipe:
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs-Sing for Joy
Paper: Off white embossed sheet from a LSS and no name on it, PTI white cardstock
Ink: Stampin'Up! Night of Navy
Accessories: Sizzix die cut frame, Say it With Studs self-adhesive embellishments, blue pearls, Prima spring mix (flowers), 18K Gold Leafing Pen 

Stampin B's Design Team

You sure won't have to read a bedtime story for me tonight. I am ready for the bed. I really didn't do that much today but Mr. Sandman is knocking. Maybe it is just the stress of getting everything finished before Christmas. Do you think we try to do too much and it kind of sometimes takes the wonderful spirit of the holidays away? I do and need to work on that. How??? Not sure. LOL

I am hostess this week for the Stampin B's Design Team challenge. I was thinking maybe everyone would have their Christmas cards made by now and ready to do another kind. I asked that we make a baby or toddler card. I never see to have those when needed.  My card is more for a toddler. I made a trifold pocket card and the tutorial can be found here in Splitcoaststampers resource section.

I love dots and had this wonderful pad of paper with rings and dots and it is all matching paper. I used the Spellbinders circle, scallop nestabilitie and plain circle to cut out the circles to attach to my arched piece of paper. You can pull up the arched piece and leave a sentiment on it or stamp another image...just whatever you want. Added a belly band and placed the train edge punch on it with the embossed sentiment and ribbon on top. Then, added the star and a button.


Recipe:
Stamps: The Paper Studio-Bedtime Baby for the sentiment and the ABC
Paper: Deja Views-The Sharon Ann Little Ones Collection/paper and punch-out tablet
Ink: Night of Navy, StazOn cherry red
Accessories: Martha Stewart edge punch-Train border, misc. button and star, piercing tool, heat embossing tool

Wreath, Our Daily Bread Designs- ODBDSLC41, Stampin' Sisters in Christ #69

I made a couple batches of cookies today and  some fudge, and because I was really wanting to do Our
Daily Bread Design's Shining the Light challenge, I hurried to the craft room. Besides the fun of making my card, the doorbell rang and guess who it was? The postman bringing my order from ODBD. Part of it was a Christmas present  and part of it  was for me. Yea! This made for a good day.

ODBD gave a choice of inspiration and I chose this wreath over the fireplace mantel (shown below). I used the small pine and cones from Sing For Joy and stamped in a circle to make my wreath. As, I was having a bit of a hard time getting my wreath  rounded, I got out a circle nestabilitie and stamped inside it. Worked great! After stamping, I cut it out with the nestie.  I stamped in green and then in brown so I could cut out some out the pine cones and have them brown and popped. You know how sometimes some have turned and some haven't. I put some glitter on the cones and tied a ribbon.
I really have enough Christmas cards and thought I can use this for a winter encouragement card if needed.

So, here are the two challenges I'm doing:
Our Daily Bread Designs ODBDSLC41-Inspiration Challenge
Stampin' Sisters in Christ-Based on this scripture EPH. 4:29, create a card or project that will compliment, encourage, or cheer someone in need of uplifting.---- I don't see how the verse I used could do anything but give encouragement: Ecc. 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Recipe:
Stamps: ODBD Sing for Joy, ODBD Scripture Collection 1
Paper: PTI white cardstock, Greetings of the Season paper pack made for Hobby Lobby-Christmas 2008
Ink: Memento Bamboo Leaves
Accessories: Spellbinders circle nestabilities (2), Spellbinders long, classic rectangle set for sentiment, The Ribbon Boutique (Hobby Lobby), Stampin'Up! Dazzling Diamonds, glue stick

QFTD39, TLC303, Speedy the Cat's Friends #33

Let me tell you, it is cold down South. It snowed all day yesterday (small flakes) with a terrible wind. The high temp was 28....brrrrrrrrr. Snow didn't stick much at all because of the wind. We get really excited here when it snows because we don't have it that much, but after about 2 days, I don't like it anymore. Today is in the 20's for the high, also. This cold needs to go north and stay. Give me 85 degrees and that is perfect for me.

My card is for the QFTD challenge on Splitcoaststampers to honor Bridget aka bfinlay. This is her card that I cased. Beautiful, isn't it?

My card is also for the TLC303 challenge on Splitcoaststampers to do sponging.

I am entering this card into the challenge for Speedy the Cat's Friends #33 at Mark's Finest Papers to do paper piecing.

The flower is from a stamp set I won playing Speedy the Cat's Friends challenge a few weeks ago. I stamped my camellia 3 times, once on patterned paper  for paper piecing, stamped the leaves once, layered this on my circle nestie, added a ribbon and sentiment and it's finished. Easy!!! Just what I need so I can get to my Christmas baking.

Recipe:
Stamps: Mark's Finest Papers-Apples and Camellia, Stampabilites-Distressed Background, Studiog for leaves
Paper: PTI vintage cream cardstock and PTI white cardstock, Greetings of the Season dp by Hobby Lobby, Christmas 2008 paper pad
Ink: Memento desert sand, Memento rich cocoa
Accessories: Spellbinders circle nestabilitie, Offray ribbon-French Block Brown

ODBD-SNTODBD23, Flourishes Winter White, A Spoonfull of Sugar, Delightful Challenges

Used the same stamp set for the sentiment as the image above. Placed inside the card.

This may be the last Christmas card I make this season..or maybe not as I love making them so much. I am using a stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs. I love birds and thought this was a beauty.

 I will be sending this to my choir director that leads our community praise and worship choir. It consists of appx. 150-200 voices and sings heavenly music. I don't think he will even mind having the pretty, more feminine bow and brad as he knows what the card signifies.

I decided to do an 'out of the box' technique with this pretty bird as his tail feathers and the branch are so perfect for it. I did the watercoloring of my image with Tombow markers and a watercolor brush, added some glitter to the berries and a pretty ribbon and brad. The die cuts are Shapeabilities listed below in the recipe and I used a Cuttlebug Swiss dots embossing folder.

I am entering this card into four challenges:
Our Daily Bread Designs: SNTODBD23-Christmas Cards
Flourishes: The Winter White Challenge-Wash in white was a pop of color  This is my 2nd entry. With the first card, I used a beautiful Flourishes stamp.
A Spoonfull of Sugar: challenge #133-Christmas card
Delightful Challenges: embossing, wet or day

Recipe:
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs-You Will Find Refuge for image and sentiment
Paper: PTI white cardstock, Stampin'Up! Cherry Cobbler,Tim Coffey Designer Paper Pad, Canson watercolor paper
Ink: StazOn Saddlebrown
Accessories: Spellbinders Shapeabilities Fleur Di Lis and Fancy Tags, Spellbinders Labels Four, Tombow Markers and watercolor brush, Stampin'Up! Dazzling Diamonds, glue stick, Ribbon Boutique sheer blue ribbon, Say It With Studs by Prima Marketing

Stampin B's Star Challenge and Blog Award

The Stampin B's Design Team challenge given by NancyRuth this week is to use a star or stars on your card.
I used a Sassy Cheryl's digi called 'Holding the Star Snowman'. I think he is just so cute. I love snowmen so much I am surprised all my winter and Christmas cards aren't made using snowmen.
My card was an easy one. I cut out the star and gloves, embossed, and glittered. Added a ribbon and misc.
blue button. I colored his scarf with Copics and dyed the ribbon with Copics to match.


Recipe:
Stamps: Digi by Sassy Cheryl's-Holding the Star Snowman, Hot Off the Press-Christmas Words (sentiment)
Paper: PTI and Georgia-Pacific white cardstock, Stampin'Up! Not Quite Navy, My Mind's Eye-Signature Christmas Holiday Glitter Book
Accessories: Cuttlebug cut and emboss for frame, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, EK Success edge punch-Starry Night (used to punch out small stars on sentiment piece, grosgrain ribbon dyed with Copics, Crystal stickles, VersaMark Dazzle-Frost, glitter embossing powder on large star, Copics for coloring

I am also very excited to receive a blog award from my friend Julie at Julie Makes Cards. Thanks so much!

I get to pass this award to three blogs that inspire me. First, I have to tell you three things about me that make the person I am.

I love to sing and sing in two choirs-church choir and a community praise and worship choir with appx. 150-200 voices
.
I like to needlepoint and that used to be my main hobby BEFORE card creating came along. I especially love pretty, needlepointed sofa pillows.

I really like going to college football games and was a cheerleader in my younger days. Go Team, Go!!!!

I am passing this blog award on to these three ladies who make beautiful cards and inspire me to do better.
Carol-Chocolate Crafts, and Bears, Oh My!
Carol-Our Little Inspirations
Davi-Alstromeria's Artistry

Pay these ladies a visit and enjoy their beautiful work.