All snug in their beds …

all snug in their beds

The children were nestled, all snug in their beds; While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads…  

Looks like we have one snoring baby mouse and another sucking his thumb!  🙂   Who would have thought? 

Sorry for no posts this weekend; We celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday at our home with 23 guests!  Needless to say, I’ve been resting most of the day today….still have my bathrobe on!  

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for HOUSE MOUSE MONDAY!!   🙂

Visions of sugar plums

Very cool website alert! :)

http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/      Be sure to make your own snowflake!   🙂

Spellbinders Nestabilities Frame Tutorial

Thought I would do another quick card using the Spellbinder’s Nestabilities’ dies to frame my image.  I’ve had several emails asking how I embossed the frame on the card that I did earlier this week ~  which can be found here:   https://mycardz.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/happy-holidays/    

Home for the Holidays

[This certainly was a good excuse to take pictures with our new toy! :)]   

One comment as to why I chose this sentiment ~ Doesn’t it look like the wreath on your front door?!!  😀      ( . . . Well I thought so!) 

Here are the basic steps I used for the embossing on this card:     

P.S.  (I sometimes leave out some of the basic info, so if there are ANY details you might have a question about, PLEASE don’t hesitate to send me an email.)

1.  For the particular dies I’m using, the standard mat works…I’ve noticed they now sell a larger mat that can be cut to size, which I think works much better for the new larger dies.   

Recipe:   Plate A…Plate B…rubber mat 

Step 1

2.  Place your card stock on top of the rubber mat….then place the two consecutive dies together, “nested”.    [for this card I used the Labels dies; For my previous card, I used the Squares dies.]

Step 2.

3.  Add additional Plate B and “buffer” ~ I use a cork mat that I purchased at my local hardware store which comes in a kit that includes two rubber mats and a cork mat.   [Sorry my cork mat has been used LOTS of times and, obviously shows the wear.]

Step 3

4.  Run through the Cuttlebug!    🙂    That’s really it!   Here are some pictures of the results:

"Innie"

"Outtie"

 I personally think either side works well as an embossed frame.

Here’s a closeup view of this particular embossed, framed card: 

closeup view

Note about the stamps used in this image:    Wow, I had SOOO much fun AND, it was soo easy to use the Tapestry Stamps for this wreath.  There is an awesome tutorial on the website for the Ruber StampsTapestry (I think my DS agrees!)  I was fortunate enough to find two indivdual stamps for both the holly leaf and the berries at my local scrapbook store (and just used different ink colors) Scrapbook Memories, located in Janesville, Madison and Appleton, WI!  🙂    Both of these stamps can either be purchased individually or in sets at http://www.rubberstamptapestry.com/    

Uh oh… I think I’ve found a new obsession!!!!!   🙂

House Mouse Challenge No. 15 ~ Polka Dots

Season's TWEETINGS?

Happy HM Monday!  Our challenge this week is POLKA DOTS.  I was very excited about this one…I LOVE polka dots!  I’m amazed at how many items ~ ribbon, paper, brads, etc., I have that incorporate PDs! 

The sentiment is computer generated, couldn’t resist it.  When I asked a friend for their opinion as to a sentiment, they thought it looked like the birds were angry with the mice, since the house looks like it could be a bird house!  The suggestion was “Get out of our house“!!   LOL    I decided NOT to go with that one.  🙂

Hope you are able to play along with us for this FUN challenge!  And, don’t forget to stop by and see what the other DT members have created….always amazing.   Short week this week….YAY!

Angry Birds???

Tweetings

Happy Thanksgiving….after the meal!! :)

HM ate tooooo muc

It looks like this little guy ate a bit toooo much…which is usually the case on Thanksgiving Day!   Hope you have a very, very Happy (and peaceful) Thanksgiving this year.  I know I’m VERY thankful for each and every one of you!  

Alka Seltzer

Snow Bunny Bella! :)

Snow Bunny Bella

Finally was able to use one of the Bella images from the very kind and talented ~ Susan at http://www.susansdayoffcreations.blogspot.com/.   

I was surprised with a new camera tonight!!  Holy Cow ~ this is a mega camera; I’m used to just pressing a button to take a picture…not anymore.   Hmmm….you know what they say about old dogs?   This dog may have to take some classes.   But, wow, what a VERY cool gift!!   🙂     Let me know if you can tell the difference.   Thanks for dropping in!!  

Bella

Believe in the MAGIC of the Season :)

Magic

This is another one that my DS (LOL…Darling Sister) stamped from her collection and sent to me!  I think it’s from Penny Black…I love all the PB images.  I have the new set of the Twelve Days of Christmas….so be prepared, lots more PB coming your way!   Played again with my Koh-i-noor pencils and gamsol and added some Stickles to the berries, snowman and the word “Magic”.     Hope you’re enjoying the weekend!  🙂

Believe

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays

 

Happy Saturday, more importantly!  🙂    I’m going to post a few cardz that I put together a while ago, since I have a ton of things to do in preparation for Thanksgiving.  We’re having about 20 people this year, and I tend to go a little crazy getting ready! 

The pine cone stamp and sentiment are from Inkakinkado.  I used two nested Nestabilities to frame the image on PTI white card stock.  The brown pine cone background paper is from SEI.  I added a little Stickles to the image for some sparkle….can’t have too much sparkle! 

Here’s a closeup view:

Happy Holidays closeup

Tilda Says Her Prayers

Tilda Praying

I’ve had this stamp for quite awhile and really needed a break from Christmas cardz!  Magnolia stamps seem to be VERY popular lately, especially since they are now being sold in the USA.  Wasn’t sure how to “ground” this one, so I added what is supposed to be part of her bed….not sure if it comes across that way.  I did have fun adding all the pink frilly details.   Here’s a closeup:

Bless You

Just a quickie today ~ Hope you have a great Thursday!  Two more days til the weekend…Yay!   🙂

My PTI Hostess Challenge Quilt Cardz

When I found my inspiration for this challenge…it REALLY made me wish I knew how to quilt.  I fell in love with this design for a Christmas table runner and place mats.  So, the next best thing ~ Quilt Cardz!

Christmas Wonderland Info Sheet

If you go directly to the website that features this table runner, you will find more detailed information.  I just put together bits and pieces of the original instructions, editing the pattern to use the PTI quilt blocks and scanned it into my computer; a lot of the details are lost in the scanning process.  Sorry about the poor editing on my part!     http://www.unitednotions.com/fp_xmas_wonderland.pdf 

I was soooo inspired, I actually made two cardz! 

Christmas Quilt Card

These cardz were really sooooo much fun to make.  For this card, I used the plain quilt block from the Quilter’s Sampler Additions, and cut the blocks in half where needed.  The larger center block was cut with a 1 inch punch.  I think this is a great way to use up any scraps of paper you may be keeping ~ if you’re like me and can’t bare to toss anything!  🙂   The sentiment is from the new Silent Night set also from PTI.

Quilt Blocks

The second card was done using the other pattern provided.

Friendship Quilt Card

Here are some closeup shots of the Friendship Christmas Quilt card:

Friend

 

Rose brad

 I was pretty excited to find that I had a brad with a Christmas rose from BasicGrey…it seemed to match the center rose on the quilt perfectly!  The sentiment is from the PTI Quilter’s Sampler set.

Sorry for the length of this post…I just get carried away!   LOL   Thanks for your patience.  🙂

Hope you are able to play along ~ all information can be found on the PTI Forum site at http://forum.papertreyink.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=19   This challenge is CMWC33.  Thanks for stopping by.  🙂

My bad! (as they say nowadays!) :)

I’ve been a bad blogger!!  😦    I’ve received some very special recognition awards recently and have not yet responded to them!  

 (I really do think it’s time for me to retire from my full-time job to stay at home and make cardz and be able to comment on all the blogs that I love and haven’t had a chance to even visit for awhile!    hmmm…I’ll have to work on that!  🙂  

 I do apologize for the length of this post…I promise it won’t happen again!  

 

One award is from Carolyn Bounds  http://pmsetc.blogspot.com/ ~ my dear, dear friend from the House Mouse Challenge design team.  She really has to be the sweetest person around ~ I can’t say enough about Carolyn and her amazing talent and her very kind words that have helped me through some tough times.  This is the award Carolyn presented to me:

You Inspire Me

How cool is that??  Thank you so much Carolyn, it definitely made my day…week…year!!   (Especially coming from you…my creative mentor!)  

I would like to nominate the following people for this award:

America at http://cardsbyamerica.blogspot.com/

Lori at http://www.loribarnett.blogspot.com/

Feenie at http://www.justfeenie.blogspot.com/

Ann at  http://whitchcraft.blogspot.com/

Karen at http://krbskorner.blogspot.com/

*****************************************************************************************************************

Carolyn also gave me this award!!  She really is an amazing person!!   

Arte y pico award

The rules for this award are:

(1) Select 5 blogs that you feel deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
(2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog.
(3) Each award winner (upon acceptance) should show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
(4) Link to the Arte y pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
(5) Show these rules.

I would like to nominate the following five people for this award:

Els at http://els-galfi.blogspot.com/

Susan at http://www.susansdayoffcreations.blogspot.com/

Heather at http://www.joemamainks.blogspot.com/

Mueppi at http://mueppis-bastelwelt.blogspot.com/

Emma at http://stamp-addict.blogspot.com/

************************************************************************************

A third award from the lovely and very talented Karen from KrB’s Korner http://krbskorner.blogspot.com/   Karen is also one the nicest people around and I’m very fortunate to have gotten to know her and call her my friend.  Be sure to check out her awesome blog: 

 

 

Kreativ Blogger

1.The winner may put the logo on their blog.

2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.

5. Leave a message for your nominees.

 I would like to nominate the following five people for this award:

 Carolyn at http://pmsetc.blogspot.com/

 Janneke at http://jannekesfreubels.blogspot.com/

 Jennifer at http://thimblesbobbinspaperandink.blogspot.com/

 Stacy at http://twinshappy.blogspot.com/

 Tracy at http://www.craftytracysstampingcorner.blogspot.com/

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 And, last, but definitely not least from Els at  http://els-galfi.blogspot.com/.   I’ve been tagged!!

Els is another very, very sweet blogging friend who does some awesome projects.  I really appreciate this Els…and I’m so sorry it has taken so long to put this together.

 I now have to share 7 facts (simple or weird) about myself.

 1.        I was a Girl Scout Leader!   For about six years, to my oldest  DD, Jennifer’s class.  She’s now 32, so it’s been a long time! 

2.       I love colors!  (purple is my favorite) 

3.   This love of colors is what actually brought me to work with stained glass.  I still have my workshop with tons and tons of glass; I keep all my little pieces since I could never toss the beautiful colors out!!   Here’s a quick picture of one of my projects: 

Abstract Waves

closeup

4.       My new love, Papercrafting ~ has truly taken over ALL my spare time.  My glass is unfortunately collecting dust!  But, I really am enjoying this whole process.  It’s so amazing how wonderful papercrafting people are!  I’ve really met some very awesome friends during these past few months that I’ve been doing this.

5.       I LOVE to spoil my SIX grandkids!  It’s all true what they say about grandkids…and mine certainly are the cutest in the world! 

6.       I’m the youngest of five kids (the baby!) – my oldest sibling is 18 years older than me!

7.       Hmmmm…one more!   I LOVE Thanksgiving.  It’s my very favorite holiday ~ lots of food and no presents required!  I tend to cook for an army, so we always invite lots of friends and family!   Give me a call if you’re free!  J

 I think that’s about all I can share for now…    Hopefully, I didn’t bore you to tears!

The tagging rules are:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

To try to keep this post somewhat short, I’m also tagging everyone I listed above!!  

 

 

 

 

 

I also apologize to anyone who may have already received any of these awards….it just shows you how much you are loved!  🙂

 

And anyone who reads this far in this rather long-winded post ~ REALLY deserves an award!!!!   😀

 

House Mouse Challenge No. 14 ~ Christmas

Yay, a pretty easy one this week!  All about Christmas.  Our very own DT member, Jennifer, is sponsoring this challenge and giving some very, very nice blog candy.  So, please join us in this challenge…Tis the season!  🙂

'Twas the night before Christmas

This image has been one of my all-time favorites!  How cute is that??  I used the computer to add the excerpt from the story…it really couldn’t have been more perfect for this scene.   Here’s a closeup:

Not even a MOUSE!

Both the kitty and the mouse were colored with Copics, cut out and attached separately.  The light bulbs were also cut out and attached ~ I used some clear EP to add a little shine.   Used the new gold shimmer cardstock from PTI for the background.  The bow on the side is from a tutorial found at Splitcoast http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/dsp_bow/

Since I wasn’t able to join in last week, I made ANOTHER Christmas card!  🙂   (Sounded like a good excuse to me!)   I used real wrapping paper for the gift box and frame around the image and sentiment.

Your friendship

The flap on the gift box is adhered with dimensionals, it’s hard to see in this photo.   And, in case you’re wondering what is on the sides ~ it’s tissue paper!  🙂   Just like kids, they tossed it to the side.  We had a debate at our house as to whether I should add the tissue paper…I won!  🙂  Here’s another closeup shot:

Surprise

I really hope you’re able to join us this week…and have a chance at the blog candy.  Be sure to stop by the challenge blog to see the beautiful creations by my fellow design team…who are ALWAYS so creative! 

Happy Monday….it’s nice to be back!  😀

Sugar & Spice and everything MICE!?! :)

Everything MICE

Just a reminder to be sure to join us tomorrow for the 14th House Mouse challenge.   🙂

Frosting Cookies

May you never forget the flavor of Snowflakes! :)

Snowflakes

I really LOVE this sentiment!  It’s sooo true…snowflakes have a very distinctive flavor; More importantly, the flavor of snow seems to bring back memories of childhood ~ back when you could eat snow and no one thought you were crazy!!  All of my brothers and sisters have moved from WI to warmer climates, so this is for them.  🙂

The light purple centers are painted with Shimmerz, in lilac.   Here’s a closeup for you to see the “shimmer”.

Shimmerz

Ho~Ho~Ho! :)

Antlered Penguin

Couldn’t resist this little guy!  The stamp is called Antler Penguin from Memory Box.   He’s colored with pencils and gamsol, cut out and attached with dimensionals.  I added a little red stickles to the bulbs on his antlers.  The ho, ho, ho is computer generated.   I’m sooooooo happy to be making cardz again!!   And thank you to my very dear friends for your comments ~ Can’t begin to tell you how much it means to me.

Hope you have a good Sunday!    Don’t forget about tomorrow ~  Happy House Mouse Monday!   😀