Long time no see :)

Remember me :)  My extended break from blogging has been filled with sick days and nights (me first, Pete and now Andrew), skating, tobogganing and lots of board and card games.  Each night since the 23rd we have chosen a different game for game night and had hot chocolate and treats until bed time.  It's seriously time to go back to yoga!!!

While I have enjoyed my break I was sorry to leave you in the lurch.   So I'm back to my regular blogging or at least trying to as I get ready to go to Leadership on Saturday.  Can you believe I have less than a week to pack up, make swaps and go???  EEEKKKK!!!

So here is one of my creations from today.   I wish all of my followers a safe and Happy New Year!  Be sure to check back tomorrow for a sneak peek at some new Spring catalogue goodies and a new January WOW class.  This one is pretty WOW and a super sweet deal too as you get to take home a ton of projects and the stamp too!

This card design was from my friend Rose Coleman.  Check out her blog here.  She was super sweet to send me directions to make this funky fold and I can even include a gift card inside too. The little drink umbrella makes it possible for this card to stand up like an easel card.

Cheers and have a great New Year's Eve!!

K

More Clearance items added!

They've gone and done it again!

Added more great items to the clearance rack like Well Worn and Timeless Portrait Designer Series paper, Satin ribbons and Chantilly Lace trim.

Go check it out here.

Cheers, 
K 

Happy Christmas Eve!

I hope your house is buzzing with just as much excitement as mine is.  Each morning the kids wake up and announce " 2 MORE SLEEPS TIL CHRISTMAS!"  Or whatever number we happened to be at in the countdown.  And now it's just one left!  All the wrapping is done (quite an achievement for us, as usually we are finishing up on Christmas Eve), baking done, house cleaned and groceries bought!  How about you??

I have been so fortunate to receive several handmade from friends so I thought I'd share some of their creativity.  You all truly amaze me!

Enjoy and have a great holiday with family and friends!

Cheers,
K

Created by Sharmaine

Created by Deborah

Created by Stephanie

Created by Tova

Created by Michele

Created by Kim

 

One Sheet Wonder Swaps

Yipppeee!  Tuesday was a happy day - those 80+ Christmas cards are gone!!   Woo hooo!   AND my box to my parents is on the bus - double Woo Hoo!

I also had a few seconds to begin making my swap cards for the Leadership meetings in a few weeks.  I don't plan on making tons like usual but I think I'll miss out on swapping with my stampin friends if I don't have any.

I used one of the new sets called Secret Garden to create this page and then I made this one sample card.  

 Now to make 9 more to swap in Orlando.  Can you spot the new goodies?

Thanks for checking in.

Cheers, 
K

Momentum going . . . .

Must not stop the momentum.  I have almost all the cards addressed and now I just have to stuff them with the Christmas letters (made on My Digital Studio) and away they go!

Now to begin the wrapping. 

I do have a quick share of some gift card holders I made last week.  

They were so quick and easy!

Cheers, 
K

New Clearance Rack specials!! RUN NOW!

New Clearance Rack specials online today.  Shop from the comforts of home on great deals from Stampin Up.

Click here to begin.

Just some of the unbelievable deals!

Simple Alphabet for 44.39 Reg 110.95

Mocha Morning Designer Series paper 6.39

A selection of ink pads just 2.89 - Pool Party, Peach Parfait, Real Red and more.  These will go quickly!!

And not to mention a ton more like the Scallop Circles die #2 for just 9.99.  I use this one all the time!!

Go check it out now before they sell out!!!

Cheers, 
K

Can you spot the new products??

Who would have thought that having too many stamps would be challenging??  I had so many new things to choose from today it was hard to decide what to use so I just started grabbing and playing.

 I think I count 7 new things I used on this card.  Can you spot them??

Hope you have a good weekend!  My goal for getting my Christmas cards done by Friday is ka-put!  I have written nada, zip, none.  So guess what my weekend entails :)

Cheers, 
K

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly . . . and some more Good

Greetings from Burns house (the home of Christmas tree stress, pine needles and more! Man, I could write an entire blog on just the darn tree alone.

Sorry for the absenteeism yesterday and the late post on Tuesday.  It's been an interesting time of it here so I'll catch you up to speed.

Here is the Good or more appropriately was the good.

Our FIRST REAL Christmas tree.  Little did we know it was dead/dying when we decorated it.  It was "sipping" water at best and the top was beginning to dry out on day 3.

 The Bad.

Having to get a new tree :( 

 The UGLY.

Having to UN-DECORATE the tree. For me, this is WORSE than going to the dentist (which I actually like.)  This is usually Pete's job after Christmas but since we are having to do it twice this year I thought I'd take my turn.

So TA DA!   Here is the new baby once the twine came off.  It's considerably bushier than the last one and the left side seems to be . . . a little eratic on the growth meter.  That side is now facing the back.  We're waiting a day or more to start decorating again.  AND I can say the tree is drinking or gulping water like crazy so that's a good sign.

So the other Good thing that has happened is . . . THIS!

 
Yippeee!   Two of these three boxes were my pre-order with my Spring goodies and hopefully tomorrow I can get a chance to stamp!!!  

I bet you are hoping too.

Thanks for checking in and thanks for the advice and suggestions for our tree woes.

Cheers,
K
 

Quote of the day

A watched tree never drinks - Peter Burns

It's not looking good.

Off to hopefully finish off my shopping today.  Wish me luck.

PLUS my new Spring stuff should be arriving.  Wooo hoo!

Cheers, 
K

Tree help needed - stress setting in!

Quick Monday post but Pete and I need some help.  

We bought a REAL tree this Christmas our first one and it was a beauty.  Picked it up on Friday evening and had it in water, straight and everything Friday late night after my class.  The bottom had been cut and we were ready for it to SUCK up that water just like everyone has been telling me.  The tree guy even said 1-2 gallons of water.

We woke up Sat morning and maybe 3/4 of an inch of water was gone.  We decorated the tree Sat afternoon and still not much water was gone.  Sat night we got some advice to drill some holes in the trunk so we did that around midnight on Sat night.

Woke up Sunday and nada.  Maybe another 3/4 of an inch.

Now we both have tree stress.  We have googled on what to try if your tree isn't drinking and taking all the ornaments off and cutting more off the bottom isn't high on the list.  The top branches seem like they are discolouring and feel very dry.

So what if anything can anyone suggest AND if the top is drying out and if we finally get this tree to drink is there anything we can do to revive it??

Gotta love tonight's dinner time quote from Andrew - "First real tree aaaannnddd probably our last."  

Help us :(

Cheers, 
K


 

Happy Friday!

YAY!  It's the weekend!  And it's the day of my last class before my Christmas vacation begins. I plan to do lots of creating over my break so I will have lots of projects and new classes to share for the new year.  PLUS I'll be getting my new box of Spring Catalogue goodies that I'll be sure to dive in to.

My apologies in advance if my posting is a bit sporadic the next few weeks as I REALLY have to get going on my Christmas cards if they are ever going to make it into the mail.

 I spent the better part of yesterday glued to my computer (and my knitting) looking and searching for all news on the NHL situation and now I'm sad.  I'm still holding out hope that there will be a season of hockey but it doesn't look that way right now.

Anywho I just wanted to share with you a funny story from a few nights ago.  Andrew has been working for the better part of this term on the Renaissance.  He shows me this and ask me if I used these when I was in school.

 Do you know what it is???  It's a SLIDE RULER!!!

How old does he think I am!!!!  I informed him that we actually had calculators back then.

Crazy kid!

Hope you have a great weekend. We plan to get the tree tomorrow (A REAL ONE, our first real tree).  Wish us luck putting it up!

Cheers, 
K

Don't forget about those single stamps

When Stampin UP came out with their new single stamps I bought a few and put them somewhere safe.  Well today I found my 'safe' place and thought I'd ink'em up. 

This Bold Snowflake is only available as a single stamp until January 2nd, 2013.  

Bold Snowflake 132338 7.95

A non traditional colour combo - Island Indigo and Early Espresso

I CASED this one from splitcoaststampers from lizzier  The background snowflake is embossed with Versamark and Iridescent embossing powder.

 Check out this link to shop for all of the single stamps before they are gone.  Single stamps come only in clear.

Cheers,
K

Reindeer treat boxes

Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose  . . . .

A few days ago I found these online here and I thought they were so cute I had to CASE them.  Too bad I didn't find them earlier or I would have made these with my Inky Thumbs kids.  Maybe Nathan and I can make them for Christmas dinner place card holders.  Hmmmm . . . .

 Stamps - Happy You (hostess set)
Paper - Early Espresso, Whisper White, Basic Black, Pink Pirouette, Real Red, Old Olive and Red Glimmer paper
Punches - Owl builder, Small Heart, Blossom Petals Builder, 1 3/4 Scallop circle, 1 3/8 circle, 1 1/4 circle, 1/8 hold punch
Big Shot Dies - Petite Purses, Autumn Accents

Thanks for checking in!

Cheers, 
K

Kids Camp Christmas cards with variations

More Christmas cards and variations for you!

Here are a few of the Christmas cards I created for Kids camp this past weekend.

This one is a variation of one I found on my friend Anne's blog.

 Here are some of the Kids versions.

For the Club Create gals I used the same card kits at the So Stinkin Cute class but simplified some of them.  Common sense prevailed when it took the adults just over 3 hours to complete them there was NO WAY the kids were going to do it in under 2.5 hours.  Plus 8 girls all sharing one stamp set (shudder). It worked out in the end with some slight modifications.

Adult version

Club Create version

Adult version

Club Create version

 I love this set soo much and sad that it will be unavailable after January 2nd.  

** Be on the look out for the new Spring catalogue and Sale a Bration brochure.  Mine came yesterday!!  If you do not receive yours in the next week or so let me know and I'll send you one right away.  

Cheers, 
K

Holiday ornaments in style!

You are not going to believe this and I can hardly myself!

Stampin UP created a simplified kit to create the Holiday catalogue cover ornaments.

This kit has enough supplies to create 10 (YES, 10) of these ornaments. Plus you don't have to fuss or muss with the stamping or Big Shotting.  All the ornament are pre-printed onto cardstock.  You just pop them out!

The Ornamental Elegance Kit (132832) $17.95 includes:

Die-Cut Cardstock Elements
Cherry Cobbler 3-1/2" Scalloped Tulle Ribbon
Natural Linen Thread
Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons
Large Pearl Basic Jewels

Just add a hot glue gun, scissors and adhesive and you are set!  Add some bling with Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter (102023)!

These are while supplies last so hop on over to my 24 hour online store and pick some up for this Christmas or next.   You won't be sorry!

Cheers,
K

A Christmasy Kids Camp weekend!

Hello peeps :)

Sorry for being somewhat absent last week but I was happy to hear from a few of you that you were worried about me and that I was missed.

This was the last 'busy' crafting weekend for me until Christmas and I have just one Mom and Me class to go on Friday and then it's vacation! Or at least hibernation for a bit so I can start planning some new classes and gear up for the spring catalogue in January.

Friday and Sat was the So Stinkin' Cute class which was SO MUCH FUN!  Sad if you missed it and yesterday was Kids Camp weekend.  I have some pics of our food craft and in between creating with food each of the kids made some cards for a fantastic Christmas card box.  They worked so hard and are such a creative bunch. 

Here are some of our melty snowmen I found on this website.  I love how each of them seem to have their own personality.

The Grandma and Grandpa.

Little kid ready for the snow

Oops I've lost my hat!

Nap time!

Ohhh I ate too much.  This one used one of those super jumbo marshmallows! Ha ha!

Of course Andrew and Nathan were eager to make one of these in between my two classes.  I didn't try it but they both enjoyed it immensely.
 Have a great Monday and check back tomorrow to see some of the card they created.

Cheers, 
K

Snowman Cocoa

Happy Friday! 

Here is a little treat packet I will create with my Inky Thumbs this weekend.  I hope they enjoy it.

 

Christmas time is full of treats and Stampin UP has made these cute bundles just for sharing treats with friends and neighbours.  

Trimmings & Tags Bundle
Item 132769
$17.50 (a $21.95 value)
Includes

• Gusseted Cellophane Bags (25 bags; 5" x 3" x 11-1/2")
• Snow Festival Designer Printed Tags (25 double-sided tags; 4-1/2" x 3-1/8")
• Cherry Cobbler 1/4" Sweater Trim (10 yards)

Petite Treats Bundle
Item 132770
$18.25 (a $22.95 value)
Includes

• Glassine Bags with die-cut edges (10 bags; 3" x 5" x 1-1/2")
• Handmade Holidays Stitched Felt (8 pieces)
• Gumball Green 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon (10 yards)

 Contact me if you'd like to purchase these in time for the Christmas season (baking not included).

Have a great weekend!

Cheers, 

K

 

Clean and Simple

Morning

I'm soo excited because today I get to STAY HOME and work!  I ended up doing some errands and more Christmas shopping on Wed so I could stay home on Thursday.  I told Pete it is MUCH cheaper if I do.  I ended up buying myself a present too but I'll tell you about that later.

I have some cute, quick and simple cards I had planned for a class but then life got in the way and I ran out of available dates.  So here I share them with you on my blog.  I think we'll make a few of these for kids camp this weekend but we'll see what else I can create today.

I love the clean and simple look on this card.  So cute!!!  Merry Mini punch pack is too cute and available after January 2nd

An oldie but a goodie.  Tag til Christmas for this ornament but there are many more in Delightful Decorations.

Pennant Parade.  Lots of cute things things can be created with this pennant stamp and punch

 Thanks for checking in!
Cheers, 
K

PS Sorry I forgot to hit publish which is why this post is late this morning :)