I'm in the mood for Christmas!

This weekend I played with some DSP Christmas paper and made some Christmas cards.  I saw this joy fold card on a blog and thought it was so pretty.  It is a very easy card to make and instructions and measurements can be found here.  Here is my version.

See the large brad in the bottom left corner?  That holds the smaller card in place.  Slip the corner of the card off of the brad and
this is how it opens to reveal the sentiment.

I used last years SU! DSP paper and the stamp set Bells and Boughs which is still available. This stamp set looks very vintage to me and works perfect with this paper.  The ink used is Always Artichoke.  It looks in the pictures as a lighter green but it is dark green in real life.  I had some pretty ruby red sparkles to add to the holly on the stamped image and I think it just adds to the holly DSP that is just behind the image. 

Let me know if you make a joy fold card and how yours turns out!

Gail S.

My Birthday Surprise!!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and are having a good weekend!

My birthday is Monday and my sweet daughter sent me a package in the mail!  I am one who waits until my birthday to open presents (even when they arrive early) but my daughter isn't.  She tracked the package and called just before they delivered it to my doorstep!  When they delivered it, she wanted me to open it right a way.  Sooooo....with her on the phone I opened it and this is what she sent me:

Yep - I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDMA!!!  (Insert BIG Happy Smile)  I was so happy, I started crying.  So happy for her and Bart, they will make great parents.  Expecting date is around the 4th of July.  
The frame she sent is beautiful and the sentiment is so sweet.

She also sent me a camera for the computer to we can keep in touch AND she each other (love modern technology!!)  I was real happy with this years birthday surprise! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Gail S.

Happy Monday!

It is a happy Monday because I got to spend an afternoon this weekend in my craft room!!!  I had fun just creating and unwinding.  I made this card I am happy to say that it is ALL Stampin UP! Colors of cardstock that I used are soft suede, pink pirouette,very vanilla and the DSP Beau Chateau.  I used the Beautiful Butterfly die for the Big Shot, the Beau Chateau Sidenotes and an antique brad.  For punches, I used the Eyelet and the Dotted Scalloped Ribbon border punches.

I really like the side notes!  I bought them quite awhile ago and never opened up the package!  There are quite a few in the package and all different.  This one says "Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget"

I added the brad because behind it, on the side note, is a picture of a bee.  With the butterfly above, I didn't want the bee to show so I added a circle of pink and the brad but if you carefully, you can see his wings still showing.  After I took the pictures of my card, I noticed it and wanted to fix that so I added just a little accent from the Modern Label punch.

See....no more wings showing!  Now, this is what the front looks like:

Much better :)  For the inside of the card, I had to finish it so I used some scraps and this is what I ended up with.  I used the Photo Corner punch which is currently on clearance rake at SU! Let me know if you need any product and I can put an order in for you!

I hope you have a wonderful week.  If I don't get anything posted before Thursday - wishing you all a great, thankful Thanksgiving. 

Gail S.

Simple Butterfly

This weekend I did have a little time to whip up this simple card with some paper I had in my stash.

The butterfly is using the SU! die and my bigshot.  I love my bigshot - use it allllll the time to craft :)  This is the inside - simple and sweet. 

I left the card without any sentiment and will add something when I need it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Gail S.

Veterans Day!

Hello friends!

I have to share what I did on Veteran's Day this year to celebrate 11-11-11. 


Yep!  That's me kayaking in Nebraska in the middle of November!!  Haha! A lot of times in the middle of November, in Nebraska, the weather does not allow us to be out on the water but not this year!  The temperature when we started was 64 degrees!




The afternoon was just so beautiful and relaxing!  I went with three other women and we all had a great time.  Do you see the deer in this picture?




When we kayak we are only about 30 minutes away from the river so we take off in the afternoon and kayak for about 3 hours and then head home.

This is three of us (Deb is taking the picture) celebrating our trip out on the river and in memory of those who served our country.  God Bless Them!  Deb even furnished the wine that she got from South Dakota (yummy)



Thanks Deb for sharing your pictures of this wonderful afternoon!  Next time I need to take a camera and get some pictures of Deb in them!! She is always sharing pictures and we need to get some with HER in them. Great times, great friends, great memories!!

Thanks

Sometimes one of the hardest parts of posting (I think) is coming up with a title.  So I just titled this post "Thanks". November is a month to be thankful - although every month we should be thankful for all of the blessings we have living in this country and how fortunate we are.  I have been very blessed and count my blessings every evening!

I got my idea for this card while checking out other blogs.  Monica Gale from My many many passions posted this card on her blog Saturday.  She has so many beautiful cards - check out her blog if you have time!
                                                                                                                                                                      


She is a Stampin Up! demonstrator from England and they have some different stamp sets than we have in the United States so I couldn't use the exact items to make the card but this is my version:

I love the color combo used for this card!  I used cherry cobbler, crumb cake, very vanilla, and early espresso cardstock.  The stamp sets used are Elements of Style, Four Frames and Kindness Matters.

I need to remember to take my photos when the sun in out!  When I try to take pictures in the evening - even with my bright lights shining on the card- they turn out so dark!  If you have any helpful hints for taking better photos please leave me some!

This is the inside of the card.  Very simple and enough room to add a little note inside.

It is Wednesday so we are half way through the week.  I have off Friday for Veterans Day so I may have to craft while I am off although I do have to clean the house (I wonder which one I will pick, craft or clean house, haha)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I am always thankful for the wonderful comments you leave!!

Gail S.