Merry Christmas From My Family To Yours

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas Eve

Have a safe and Merry Christmas Eve Everyone!!

Clean and Simple Card

I made this card a few days ago to enter in the

 Ellen Hutson LLC Hero Arts Wood Take 'n Make challenge.

You were to use a Hero Arts Wood Mounted stamp in your project.

  I did a rather clean and simple card with what I had on hand...

sometimes I love clean and simple...

other times I load on the layers..

.guess its as the mood hits me...LOL.....

I love this little flower stamp by Hero Arts...it's called "Row of Perky Flowers"....

it is dated 2001.....I think I need to purchase some new Hero Arts from Ellen....

and boy does she have some good ones "I have to have"!!

A Sad Day at The Hover House

Sept 5 1996 - Dec 21 2011

Goodbye my Sweet Friend

Bubba

I miss you already!!

Sweet Little Snowman Birthday Card

Wow....I can hardly believe it has been over a month since my last post!

I have a few things to share with you today!

First up is a card I made for a granddaughter that turned one!

I saw a similar card on Pinterest and used that for my starting point!

I cut the shape on my Cricut...added a hat and a scarf made from a bit of "baby girl" ribbon I had.

I had intended to add a banner for the snowman to hold, but because I ran out of time...sigh...

I had to exclude it!

Next up is a picture of a beautifully wrapped gift I received!

My sister, daughter, niece and Mom are doing a countdown to Christmas this year...

we had to buy each other 8 gifts, and have 24 to open, one each day...it has been so much fun!!

We did this last year, too, but it was all card making.scrapbooking items....

this year it was anything!

And last is a picture of my Nellie.....

she is all decked out for Christmas....

she goes tomorrow for a haircut......

I love her like this, but because she doesn't shed and her fur is so heavy, she is just too hot!

Snowflake Pizza Box

This week at Joan's Gardens the challenge is to make a pizza box with a band.....

I wanted to make a fancier band, but because of not being able to punch an edge punch

one handed, I settled for a snowflake strip I cut from some Christmas designer paper....

however, by standing up and putting alot of pressure on my punch I was able to punch 6 snowflakes for my box.....I added "Stardust" Stickles to each snowflake for some "sparkle"....

under each snowflake is a "flourish" I cut from Sizzix.....

this die was a free one when purchasing some embossing folders...

I also embossed my entire box with a swiss dots embossing folder...

it feels good to finally be able to create again......

I have been making Christmas tags with leftovers from previous years when I hosted a

"tag" making day...I miss those...and now am addicted to making all my own tags for Christmas....

Less Is More Challenge Meets "Rock & Roll"

This week on the Less Is More Challenge we are to use red and orange....

I chose Melon Mambo and Cherry Cobler by SU for my inks....

my card is very simple and not at all what I had started out to do....

I inked my stamp in one color, then "rocked" and "rolled" it in another...

I like the color variations it gave my leaves.....

I had intended to add a sentiment, but decided I like it as is......

I am off this AM to a craft show......

my hubby has been out of town since Wed and returns Sunday afternoon...

I have to admit I am enjoying it VERY much...LOL

So while he has been gone I have been busy downsizing my fabric and craft supplies.....

making Christmas tags.....

Christmas shopping.....

and pretty much whatever I want...sigh!!

Vintage Postcard ~Challenge at City Crafter

I came across this fun challenge at City Crafter......make a postcard that you could mail to someone...

now how fun is that??

I stamped my postcard with an awesome santa image....

cut out some holly leaves with my little old and much neglected QuicKutz.....

added 3 little red Swarovski Crystals for the berries....

found an old 5 cent Christmas stamp for the back......

I love the City Crafter Challenges in that they are so "unique"...fun!!

Since you all know I had the arm/hand surgeries I haven't been able to create much the last several weeks....

but I am slowly progressing....

and decided that I am going to try challenges again.....

and try to make them all for the holidays to get ahead a bit.....

now don't forget to scroll on down and sign up for my "giveaway"!!

Happy Birthday Little One

It's so hard to believe it's already November.....it will be Christmas before we know it!

And the time changes this weekend....ugh...this is the one (fall back) I can't stand....

Well...onto my "creation"

I made this card for my grandson's first birthday which was Oct 29th.....

I used my Cricut cartridge "Birthday Bash"....

love this cartridge for cards for the kiddos...

it has a ton of layering to cut out....but well worth it......

that's it for today!!!!

Kick Off For Old Fashioned Christmas Craft Show Giveaway

I am joining in with an Old Fashioned Christmas Blog Craft show beginning on Nov. 11th thru the 13th.....you will be able to visit all these wonderful blogs and shop right from your home!

I am offering a free "prim" squirrel and his bag of acorns .....

all you have to do to enter is

1....post on your sidebar about this event...and

2....post on your blog about this event...and

3....become a follower...and

4....leave a comment on THIS post telling me you did....and 

thats it...you will be entered..........

if you scroll to a few post below you will see all the participating blogs....

I will be reposting these the days of the show!!

I also will be posting a few "sneak peeks" this week and next.......

The Rusty Thimble is Having A Giveaway

Brenda at the Rusty Thimble is giving away some of her awesome goodies...a darling Elf and some ornaments.......go HERE for all the details........lots of ways to "win"!!

Also come back later to my blog...I have a giveaway myself!!

Shabby Tea Room Homespun Fall Challenge

I finally am able to do a challenge...a slow start with my hand, but at least I am making an attempt for "normal".......

that being said, I decided to do a Shabby Tea Room Challenge "Homespun Fall".......

I gatheedr a scrap of lace into a flower....cut some Maple leaves with my Kwikcut.....

added some burlap scraps I had left from a previous project...a few more details...

and my card was funished!!

Come back later tonight for my "giveaway" for the Christmas online craft show I am doing.......fun!!

Seeing Stars on Halloween

This week on Less Is More the challenge is to use "stars"........I used an Inkadinkado pumpkin stamp I had with stars stamped in SU Only Orange.......the sentiment stamp is one I have had for years....I added the black baby rick rack to finish it off.......

Update on my arm/hand surgery........I am still wrapped and in a hand brace....I am tired of it...and at this moment, there is no signs of improvement...but it is a 3 to 6 month recovery...so am still working, typing, struggling one handed.......I realize I could be alot worse off...and I am grateful for that.....but it still is frustrating to say the least...was trying to tie a ribbon earlier and cried as I could not do it...I know...I am a big baby...but I think I am sick of the whole mess...maybe I need to learn to tie bows with my feet...LOL!!!!!!

Don't forget to come back November first for a "crafty" giveaway...and mark your calendar for the blog Christmas Craft show I am participating in Nov 11th thru ther 13th...info in the post below!!

Christmas Craft Show In Blogland starting Nov 11th

Hello My Friends!!

I am joining up with several artists in having a "blog"

Old Fashioned Christmas craft show

 sponsered by Old Road Primitives....

what a fun and easy way to shop.....

in your jammies right from home.....

the fun begins Nov 11th......

bookmark or subscribe to my blog as starting Nov 1st I will be having a giveaway for those of you that post on "your" blog about

this amazing event....

stay tuned for more details!!!

Hi, Ladies!

Please "Save the Date" for the weekend
of November 11th, 12th & 13th
for ORP's

"Old Fashioned Online Christmas Craft Show"!
Please join us for this very Unique & Special Event!

Meet some very talented artists!

You will have the opportunity to purchase

some unique, handmade, one-of-a-kind items!

The "Best" part of all is you don't even have to leave your home!

Shop online from home!

Below you will find a list of all of our 

"Christmas Craft Show" Participants...

The Bear's Blog 

Crafts by Jodi

Countryside Cottage

Laura's Little House

Salmon Falls Prims

The Barn Hollow
Happy Valley Primitives

Cat Nap Inn Primitives

Buttermilk Creek Farm

Designs by Guka
Old Road Primitives
Sweet Bear Creek Whims
Grandma Kringle's Country Crafts
The Farmer's Attic
Santa & the Mrs. 
Olde Crow Mercantile
Huckleberry Lady

Cynzplace

Primitive Country Cabin
Yorkies Primitives
Olde Annie Primitives 
Mel's Designs from the Cabin
Country Cents 
Colleen's Craft Shed

Ellie's Country Accents
The Cottage Works
Beyond the Attic Door
All Cooped Up
Sew Many Raggedies 
CounterCrafts Primitive Treasures 
Nellie's Nest 
Shell's Vintage Charm
Hickory Ridge Primitives
 

Looking forward to seeing you then!!!

Less Is More Challenge ~ One Layer With a Heart

this is my entry this week to the less is more challenge....

one layer and use a heart....

i did this all with one hand.....

cut a heart  reverse mask on my cricut and then stamped on my cardstock....

sorry this is  so brief...

and sorry i cannot leave comments back at this time....

it was difficult enough to make the card and post it....

i go to the dr tomorrow to have my surgery looked at, as it is causing me great discomfort...sigh

When It Rains It Pours

update on my surgery...

as i sit here typing one handed, i have to laugh......

our household is in a shambles.....

i am in my splints up to under my arm to my fingers...

and as i type this, my hubby is in bed  moaning from hurting himself on thursday.....

he was loading a hay wagon on a trailer and heard something pop in the calf of his leg

he refused to have it looked at.....

now its worse.....

i had to stand on the toe of  his boot while he tried to pull it off......

i finally had to use my good arm to pull it off....

he is susposed to be taking care of me....

funny how things can change....

it's 2:30 in the morning...

he wants me to take him somewhere tomorrow to have a look at his leg.....

we certainly are a pair.....

all one can do is laugh......

Less Is More Challenge~The Color of "Your" Eyes

...........and don't it make your brown eyes blue......lol......

for some reason this challenge makes me think of the old Crystal Gale song...

the challenge from Simply Less Is More is to create a card using your eye color...

I chose to use a 2 step stamp set from SU  using both Bashful Blue and Pacific Point...
the flowers were stamped and then cut out and mounted slightly "popped"....
I used a silver ribbon for the stems.....
now on another less then happy note....

 tomorrow I go in for my arm and hand surgery.......

I hope it solves the problem.....

will be in splints for 3 weeks.....

recovery is 3 to 6 months, if at all!!

It's All About Circles @ Embellish Magazine

Circles~circles~circles is the challenge at Embellish Magazine this week....

I used my Cricut and cut out a "circle" tree........

I decided to distress the edges of the card using a distress tool.....

simple, I know...but I like it....

and with only one hand, it took me longer then it should have....

I sure hope the surgery works!!

Shabby Tea Room Challenge "Chevrons" Number "2"

I made a second card for the challenge at the Shabby Tea Room.....

the challenge was chevrons and using the colors orange~blue~green~cream~brown....

you can see my first entry by scrolling down.....

I cut this little Halloween kitty on my Cricut and stamped with a small flourish  all over....

added a couple of green gems for his eyes.....

cut him a little witch hat and glittered it a couple of times...

stamped and layered two little pumpkins.....

I added some ribbon...and since the hand issue I am not able to tie bows at this time...

I tried several times to add the "tricks & treats" as a tag tied to one of the ribbons.....

but my left hand refused to let me do it...sigh...

so I had to settle to leave that part off and added them at the bottom.....

I will be glad when I "hopefully" have the use of my fingers again....

anywho...this is my finished chevron project!

Shabby Tea Room Challenge "Chevrons"

This week at the Shabby Tea Room the challenge is "Chevrons" and to use the colors blue,green, orange cream and brown!

I made a couple of cards...the first with an organza flower I made with a tim Holtz die......

I cut 4 layers of each flower (4 flower shapes~16 flowers).......

ran a needle thru the center with thread.....

and instead of using a candle to "curl" the edges, I used my heat gun......

the layered doily underneath is one I cut from my doily die....

the stamped green maple leaves I stamped 3 times and cut each out...

underneath all the layers is a vintage postcard stamp....

what I love about this stamp is the postmark if 1908 and it is from Michigan...

how bout that??

For my blue on the card I added two teal blue leaf picks.......

my chevrons are the rick rack!

I'm Going Batty!! Just For Fun Challenge More Then 4 Sides

I have a fun wreath to share with you today........

I saw this batty wreath on "pinterest" and tracked it down to Carina Garner's blog HERE.....

I think mine is a bit smaller then hers but I love it anyhow!

I cut 2" bats on my Cricut and then just glued them on with a glue gun......

very fun....very fast...very easy!
I am entering this in the "Just For Fun challenge any shape with more then 4 sides HERE!!

I am working on a fall wreath also.......

much more involved using rosettes....

but it will take me a while due to my hand issue....

speaking of.....I have surgery on it Oct 5th.......

they are cutting at my elbow and into the meat of my hand.....

I won't go into all the "gory" details...but I will have 2 splints for 3 weeks......

it frustrates me already as I am not a "sit on my behind" kind of gal........

so all that being said I am sure I will not have much to post unless it is super easy to do with one hand!

Now back to Pinterest......

do you pin???

If not, click on my link above right and check out "my" boards.....

wow...so many creative idea's.....

I now need new ink for my printer I have been printing so much!

I have made a few of the recipes

Autumn Salad.......YUMMY!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake....super YUMMY!

Apple Crumble Pie...really YUMMY!!!

go and check all the fun out!!!

Shabby Tea Room Boys Will Be Boys

This week at "The Shabby Tea Room" the challenge is Boys Will  Be Boys...

a bit of a different challenge for them.....

I am not good at boy/masuline cards at all...in fact they make me cringe..lol

but I gave this one a try.....

the sentiment is....

"That best portion

of a good man's life,

his litttle namless,

unremembered

acts of kindness

and of love"

Don't forget to scroll on down to see my awesome witches shoe cards!!!

Witches Shoe From Pinterest

Hello Blogger Friends!

I've been gone due to my hand "issue"....

but I managed to put a few things together.....

You all know by now my "love" for "Pinterest"......

I found this lovely tutorial there for a witches shoe card...

it is cut on the Cricut with the cartridge "Happy Hauntings"...

go HERE for the tutorial...so fun!!

only difference on mine is I haven't  done my "tags" for the shoes.....yet

it was a struggle just to do the shoes basically one handed...

what should of taken about an hour, has taken me all day!

I go for a test on Monday for my hand...all I know so far is that the muscle is deteriorating....

surgery is forth coming!

Less Is More Challenge ~Color~Metallic

Even though my left hand is not working yet, I decided to try and do a challenge.....

I choose the Simply Less Is More challenge which happens to be "color"...

the color is Metallic....(click on photo for a better view of the copper)

I did a very simple card with a strip of metallic which had copper in it....

the sentiment is from SU, stamped with a Dew Drop Brillance called Cosmic Copper

the card seemed to be slightly "too simple", so I added my flower...

I really like how it turned out....

I will try to leave as many comments as I can...

keep in mind though I am one handed...sigh!!

Take A Peek

Scrapbook Cards Today Magazine had a summer photo contest...I entered a picture of my sweetie granddaughter  "Little Miss Kendall" jumping out of her cousins Barbie car...I didn't win, but out of 100's I did get an honorable mention.....click on the link above and it is the second photo...fun!

I am still suffereing with the use of only one hand...annoying to say the least....so today I opted to wash the logs (yes I have to wash logs, the downside of owning a real log home...ugh)...at least it only took on hand, except it was hard to wring out the rag every few minutes...one more day to go and that job will be done until April......I will be working on some fall/Halloween cards and projects, soon...after I get my logs (and windows washed, too)...sigh!!!!!!!!!!!

Casual Fridays Challenge ~ Book Inspiration

Wow.....where have I been?

I have a pinched nerve somewhere and it has made my left hand useless....

so forgive my "typing"....

it is all one handed.....

and it so hard to do anything....

very frustrating to say the least...

I choose to do a challenge by Casual Fridays.

use a book for inspiration and the colors black~white~red...

I choose the book "A Skeleton Key"....

nope, haven't read the book, don't even know what its about, but it worked for my card...lol

because of being one handed, I dropped the words in the wrong place....

it is what it is....

as soon as I can type with 2 hands, I will be back to leave comments for you all...

I am off to the casino for the $100,000 drawing...

don't worry,I don't have a gambling problem...

I just printed my losses for the last 5 years and they average about $92 for each year....

wish me luck

PS:....I only need one hand to push the button...LOL!!!

Scare Bear Pattern Kit Giveaway @ Sweet Meadows Farms

Want to win a pattern kit for a Scare Bear from

 Sweet Meadows Farm

  Go for a visit and sign up...

you know you want to!!

Scrap Happy Challenge

This week at City Crafter they are having a "scrap happy" challenge

I could do about 500 of those with all the scraps I have....

but I chose a simple card using a scrap piece of

Kiwi cardstock I had...it isn't quite big enough for a reg. size card

but it turned out kind of cute.....

I also have a BIG bag of premade punched and cut flowers

 so I pulled one of those out

the green gems have been around for about 4 years...

so guess I met the challenge!

On another note...do you do "Pinterest"??

click on my link above and you can see all my pinboards

wow...it is so addicting....

but so fun......things to sew...

things to papercraft....

recipes....

holidays...and best of all

most have links back to the blog or site

for all the info......take a peek!

~Garden Party Hat~

I have finally found a "bit" of time to create!

I am joining in the Shabby Tea Room Challenge "polka dots"......

I cut a "garden party hat" with my Cricut.....

and had so much fun decorating it.....

with some shimmery green ribbon....

a gorgeous lavender rose......

wonderful pearls.......

wouldn't "you" love to have a hat like this??

Butterflies

This week at "Less Is More" the challenge is a theme...

being "things that move"....

my first thought was something with wheels...

but after spending about an hour in the garden trying to take pictures of the butterflies.....

that soon became my inspiration......

because, boy can those things move....

I tried for at least 30 minutes to get the Monarch butterfly picture

he (or she) was annoying to say the least....

it seemed that he was always behind me....

and when I turned around he would fly off...

but I finally managed a pic!

I colored my butterfly with "Copics".

 This was another butterfly I took pics of...there were several of these!

I also have a few pics of the caterpillar........

New Blog Alert ~Take a Peek

I love Michelle Palmer's blog...have you seen her creative art??  I own a piece...I love her work....now her daughter "Alaina"  has started a blog called "Avery Hill"......as well as her own Etsy Shop...she has a bit of a give away....go take a peek.....you can also find Michelle's blog on my favorites list on my side bar!

I wanted to share my gorgeous PeeGee Hydrangea with you...

it is so tall it is as tall as the house....

and almost as wide!

It is a beautiful white....but....

is starting slowly to change to it's pink and sage green color...

I love this thing....

the shape is so pretty!

Just For Fun Challenge ~ Black and White

Just For Fun this week is using "black and white".....

I knew as soon as I saw the challenge I would use my "very" retired SU wolf set....

the sentiment is from Unity, but I thought it fit well (and it was sitting out from my last challenge)....

I embossed the image and used Ranger Black embossing powder.....

I love how this stuff works so good....

it seems I sometimes forget all the cool stuff I have to work with...

and I just added some new goodies to my stash yesterday......

On another note.....

our vacation was wonderful...

for the most part we had beautiful weather...

many a hour was spent kayaking...

lots of eating, too...

more on all that later!!