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Good morning!

Hopefully by now many of you have ordered Stampin’ Up!’s Country Living Holiday Collection Kit.  You know how I feel about this fabulous kit.  It has so many fun trinkets inside the kit and today I wanted to share a few projects that you can do OUTSIDE of what’s in the kit.  All of these projects today are ones that we did in my clubs this past month.  My goal is to show how versitle the kit is and the stamp set can be used way beyond the Holiday season. 

My little Rudolf may look a little sad, or as one of my friends said, "Are you sure he wasn’t drinking?", but he’s so cute.  The sentiment came from the Holiday Collection stamp.  You can pretty much tell how I made Rudolf from the picture, but I wanted to tell you the antlers were made using the Tulipe Bigz Die that is EXCLUSIVE to Stampin’ Up!  I love that die cut.  It’s very elegant.

This Chocolate Stick holder holds three Chocolate Covered Peppermint Sticks inside.  I used the Enjoy Stamp from the Country Living Stamp set, Holiday Collection.  I *LOVE* that particular stamp the most.  Oh the milelage that stamp will see.  I love how it fits PERFECTLY inside the 1 3/4 circle punch. 

This is your standard 2-5-7-10 Box that we revisited this month.  Every stamper has pastels (or at least you should) but I think the more we get into stamping we forget to use this GREAT tool.  There are so many great techniques that you can use your pastels for and this month we did Poppin’ Pastels on the box.  We used the Big Snowflake Jumbo Wheel in VersaMark and then used a sponge dauber dipped in pastels to POP the snowflakes out on the Baja Breeze cardstock.  Another fun element on this box you will notice is the Embossed Snowflake is placed onto the Bottom portion of the Basket & Blooms die cut.  It fit perfectly and the snowflake was punched out using the 1 3/4 circle punch.  WOW, I love that punch.  This makes your seasonal gift making super fast and easy. 

So there you have it!  Three projects that are super fast and cute and perfect for the season!

I hope you each had a wonderful Thanksgiving and survived the crazy shopping crowds on Black Friday!  I did enjoy a little shopping but not as early as my husband did.  He LOVES to get up for those  DOOR BUSTER deals.  Me, not so much.  I enjoy my sleep while he fights the crowds.  I did enjoy a little shopping but must admit to walking into one store and seeing the LONG line and walking straight back out.  Patience is not something God gave me.  I came home and went straight to my stamp room and enjoyed a day of stamping and more catching up. 

I wanted to share a Tile I made about a week ago.  This is a decorative tile using Glassy Glaze over Pigment or Craft Ink.  I love making these tiles and they are always a WoWser when I make them at a class.   When I make these I feel like an artist and I love when my customers make these because they feel it too.  They are no fail and always beautiful.

For this tile I used the Upsy Daisy stamp set along with En Francias background stamp.  I stamped the background first using Creamy Caramel and then used a few different inks on the Upsy Daisy stamp.  I know I used Really Rust, Close to Cocoa and Pumpkin Pie.  To get this different color effect, I used sponge daubers.  Once you have stamped it, pour your Glassy Glaze over the tile.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Let the tile cool.  Once cool you can embellish.  This time I used one of our GREAT Rub On’s.  This particular "friend" Rub On came from the Greatest Moments Rub On’s. I adhered the banner using Pop Up Glue Dots.  Those things really stick to ANYTHING.   I really love how this turned out.  I added some ribbon and Viola’ ~ you’re done.   These make the perfect gift for anyone.  For more tile samples, click HERE!

 Thanks for stopping in.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  Don’t forget to sign up for my Holiday Helper Newsletter.  Tomorrow is Day 3 of great projects being shared. Sign up is on my side bar to your right.

November has really been a busy stampin’ time here.  I had many stamp classes as well as Stamp Camps and Clubs to boot.  Now add in a few craft shows and you have ONE busy busy month! 

This months stamp camp was a lot of fun and I am so excited to share with you the projects we made.  My focus for stamp camps this month has been "gift" giving.  I think we mastered that this month.  LOL!  Here are a few projects and I am also including they instructions so you can make these projects in your home.  :)  I hope you enjoy them.

 This adorable little box is actually a box that can hold those cute little mini loaves that you bake.  Now since I am not really a baker or COOK for that matter, I made a cute little table center with pine cones and such for my Thanksgiving Day table setting.  I used the stamp set Harvest Home.  We watercolored the image using ink pads.  I did emboss the image using Basic Black Craft ink and Clear Embossing Powder to make it an easy watercoloring image. 

 Click HERE to download the instructions!

Next project was SUPER cute and SUPER easy!  I think I heard a few of my stampers squeal when they made this.

This opens up and has layers of cardstock inside to place pictures on.  I used Green Mono Glue to keep the Big Felt Flurries Snowflake on.  Love that Ski Slope Designer Paper.  It really is a BEAUTIFUL Designer Paper. 

Next is a simple little Kit Kat bar covered with Designer Paper from one of the Prints Packs.  I ***LOVE*** the Country Living Holiday Collection Kit and EVERYTHING inside that Kit.  The stamp set is WELL worth the money!!!

Click HERE for the instructions for the Kit Kat and Mini Scrapbook!

Then we did these adorable Chocolate Peppermint Sticks!  I love this idea because they are simple, and you can make a ton of them FAST. These are great little trinket gifts to give to those friends you just cannot live without.  I have a ton of people like that.  They just make me smile. 

I have used sooooooooooo many of the Season of Cheer Rub on’s by Stampin’ Up! this year.  Besides Chit Chat being my favorite Rub On’s, Season of Cheer ranks right up there.  If you have the punches, then this set of Rub ons is right up your alley.  Nothing seems better to me than rubbing on a sentiment and then punching it out.  This is what makes this sooooo fun and simple.  I am sure I will be asked where I got those yummy chocolate peppermint sticks…. COSTCO. 

Click HERE for the instructions!

Lastly, our Stamp Camp ended with the cute Snowman Tins.  I loved making these tins this year.  They are Snowman Soup!  I posted this a little while back on my blog HERE!

Now HERE are the instructions!

I hope these little projects bring you some stampin’ cheer!  I know they did to myself and my customers. 

NOW BIG NEWS!  I will be doing a 12 days of Christmas Gift Giving Blitz starting on Thanksgiving Day!  There will be tons of fun projects just in time for you to make for the Holidays!  You must sign up for the newsletter in order to receive them.  You will see the SIGN UP on the right column of my SIDE BAR! 

Wow!  I didn’t mean to take such a long break from the blogging world and thank you to so many of you that have wondered WHERE I have been.  Have you ever had a week (or two) that has just been crazy out of your mind?  That’s been the last two weeks for me.  I claimed to be Super Woman the last two weeks and yesterday I buried my cape and had a party.  I realized that even Super Woman cannot do it all and I surely CAN’T!  So just what kept me busy besides the usual family life?  Craft Show preparation as well as classes I am working on.  I love this time of year because I think we as paper crafters can really make the BEST gifts that family and friends can love forever.  I see so many great ideas and I just want to lock the doors to my stamp room and get creating!  Then a little one tells me they are hungry or that they have no clean underware. I thought I bought 30 pair for a reason!!! 

So, yesterday I had the realization that I really am not the Super Woman I thought I was and I’ve come to terms with it. I had to break down and clean the house and do laundry.  Instead of Super Woman I turned into a bitter soul stomping around my house as I despise cleaning.  Once I got that done, I came down into my stamp room and truly wanted to cry.  I have never seen my room such a disaster.  I cannot create unless it’s clean.  My friend Christy came into my room and I think she GASPED.  Crap was everywhere.  It looks much better now.  I broke down and cleaned that too. 

Enough chatter.  Here is what I have been working on.  Some of these were for the craft shows and some for classes. 

The Chef guy was a Thank You card I made for three of the area restraunts that donated food for our Cards for a Cure last month.  We couldnt’ have done it without them.  Macaroni Grill supplied food for 100 people and it was AWESOME!  I spent more time than I had on these cards but I loved how they came out being popped up and a little dimensional.  I don’t use this set as much as I would like to. 

Here is one of the scratch pads I made for a craft show this past weekend.  These sold out half way through the show.  :)  This made me happy!  Here is another one:

This was the only Christmas one I had on the table.  I have another show in two weeks that will keep me busy.  Lots to make for that one too. 

Time to get creating this morning.  I hope I am back to regular midnight stamping now.  Thanks for being patient with me and as always… A HUGE thank you for just stopping by!  I appreciate you!

Wow!  This week has been crazy and I can’t believe FRIDAY is here.  I’ve had a lot of classes I have been working on that I’m really excited about as well as a few deadlines that I procrastinated until the bitter end.  Then lastly I had to take a few hours to clean my house.  Not something I enjoy at all.  However, the floors in my kitchen were DISGUSTING and I couldn’t stand seeing Alexis slide on the floor any longer without me cleaning it. 

I have a few things to share that I thought were cute and I have a beautiful card that I will share tomorrow.  The camera battery went kapooie as I was trying to upload tonight.  Go figure. 

Now, let me announce something about myself that I think most my friends and family know!  I SUCK AT SENDING CARDS! I am great about sending downline cards, but I truly SUCK at sending birthday cards.  I am on a misson to redeem myself.  Tonight I worked on a few cards and I have too many friends and family that had to be born in September and October.  Jeesh!  I do love them all dearly!

Here is a simple little card with Pocket Silhouettes.  Isn’t that a fun stamp set?  I really love how simple the cards can be with this set.

With the many craft shows coming up, I am trying to work on a few different things to have on my table.  Every year I usually do all the poopies and soups.  Last year my craft show partner in crime did the most darling ones.  I took a break.  This year I wanted to do something different.  I played with this idea tonight:  Note, I used the star punch for the nose. 

Boy, that Top Note Die Cut is by far the best die cut I have ever used.  Recently a demo friend of mine came to my meeting and she brought all these cute little Christmas characters made with the Top Note.  I didn’t get a picture, so this is what my brain remembered.  Inside the tin will hold hot cocoa, marshmellows, chocolate chips and a candy cane.  Perfect little gift for teachers or a friend.  Maybe even the family member that doesn’t like the cold weather.  Dang… I should make one for myself. 

Then keeping on the hot cocoa idea, here is another little something:

Once again I used that yummy chubby ribbon that is just awesome.  I also used the Christmas Rub ons "Sugar and Spice."  I can’t remember if this is the one in the Holiday Mini but I love them.  Again, the Top Note Die was used as a topper.  Simple little gift.  This is just a 3 1/2 x 12 piece of cardstock folded to fit a Hot Cocoa pack.  I used the Coluzzle to make my circle opening.  It wasn’t easy trying to figure exactly where the hole should be. 

Hope you’ve enjoyed!  Have a super weekend and check back tomorrow for another "pretty" birthday card.