Christmas Gift Tags

I made about 22 or so of these for Grandma's Bazaar. (I cut out some mega cool ones with my Cricut too but I was so excited to give them to her that I forgot to take a picture--- I know right! Who does that?!)

Anyway, this was super east!!

I do love that ornament punch! The swirly ornament stamp (that you see in red in the middle and to the left is from Tags Til Christmas, a new SU set. The other stamp (with less swirls and such) is from the Delightful Decorations set. I am just smugly in love with both of those sets! I think it's the ornament punch that I am truly smitten with!

Oh and, I entered these into the CardMaker challenge called, Bling for You. It's super hard to tell from the picture but there are tiny half pearls at the center of each tag...Stinking cute if you ask me!

Sugar Crash Blog Hop Candy Winner

Random.org said commenter #9 is the winner! Congratulations Thea! You have one week from today to contact me with your address! Thea said "Great, simple idea. Thanks!"

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my blog this weekend. I hope to see you back again.

Sugar Crash Blog Hop-- Yeah!!

*Give away closed.* (See post dated 11/8/2010 for winner.)

WELCOME!!!! You are on the CardSwaps Sugar Crash Blog Hop! You should have arrived here from Chi Chi Memories and Natalie. If you did not, take a look around here and then head to the first stop... You don't want to miss any of this greatness!! (BTW, there are 17! stops and you won't want to miss a one! There are many prizes to be had and the only way to cash in is by leaving a comment on the posts. Plus, it's just nice to leave a little love don't you think?

Before I get to my project, I would like to invite you over to CardMaker Magazine's Card Swaps! We have a Sugar Crash Crop going on! You must come over and play...plus there are more prizes. (Don't head out quite yet, I have something to show you before you leave...and don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win... and because you are nice and you want to leave some love for me :)

Ok, here's my project: Stinking Cute Photo Holders!

If you have spent much time around here, you know that I make several things for my Grandma's Church Bazaar. I made several of these for her Bazaar this year.

This one is my favorite! (I think because it's one of my favorite pictures!) I did spray my Hobby Lobby open stock paper with Tattered Angles Glimmer Mist to up its glitter factor but I will admit, it is not very Christmas-y... Don't worry, I am your Christmas girl! Let me show you first how I made these functional little do-dads.

I started with these. (Yes, I purchased them. No Staples did not pay me or ask me to show them off.)

Then, I got out my scrap paper drawer and began cutting pieces 1 1/4" x 2". Some pieces I sprayed with Smooch or Glimmer mist. Next, I creased the paper around the binder clips (mostly to make sure it was going to fit correctly). I used Terrifically Tacky Tape (the red roll) on each side (so three strips of tape total) and stuck down the paper. (Credit: When I couldn't get mine to stand up correctly, I watched this video.)

I selected ribbon to coordinate with the paper. (The pink is from Michaels (below), JJ put it in my stocking last year. The black is fab! satin ribbon from Stampin UP!) I put a little bit of adhesive on the ribbon right where it goes around the silver parts of the binder clips... otherwise, the ribbon rides up and there's no where for the picture to go.

Here's my Christmas sample:

That's paper from the open stock at Hobby Lobby. Those snazzy chicks in the photo are my sister and I in San Fransisco a couple of years ago.

House of Jones Holiday Traditions

Our first Christmas as husband and wife, I decided we needed to start some Christmas traditions! (Now, every since I have had my own Christmas tree (i.e., not living with my parents) I have left the tree lights on all night long on Christmas Eve and slept in the living room... JJ does this with me too. And someday, I will let our children do the same I am sure.) So, that first year, which was just last year in case you are counting, I bought us both fun/cute Christmas PJs to wear to bed on Christmas Eve. My thoughts were that our Christmas morning pictures would be better since we wouldn't be in old sweats but... I don't even think we took any last year. Anyway, that's our thing! And I love it! And JJ plays along with my game!

Now! Leave me some love for a random chance to win my candy.... can't really show it to you... but trust me! I am the last blog on the hop. Head on over to CardMaker and check out the challenges. Have a ball with all the challenges and thanks for stopping by!

In case you are lost... start with Lora and hop on through.

Lora

Carolyn King (Guest Designer)

Meredith

Ashley

Christy Croll (Tiddly Inks - Guest Designer)

Susie

Diana

Jane

Traci (Guest Cardmaker)

Angelina

Tami Mayberry (Guest Designer)

Irina

Ana

Margaret

Natalie (Chi Chi Memories - Guest Designer)

Laura <--- You are here!

Card Maker Message board is your last stop from here - http://www.cardmakermagazine.com/cardswap/index.php/board,57.0.html

Did you vote?

I was at the poll before the sun came up this morning. Can you believe it? Me? The girl who loves to sleep. Yep, I was there!

Have you been there? Pretty much no matter where you live in this great country, you can still get your hind end to the polls. Don't know how you should vote? Just ask; I'm happy to tell you. ;)

Really, GO! Cast your opinion! Hurry!

To me from me, Happy Day!

It's not even my birthday but I totally just ordered myself two new Cricut cartridges! Oh yeah! Die Cut Central was having a great sale.... $29.99 each!

I have been dying for "Give a Hoot" since it came out. So I thought... great time to get it! Then, I was looking around and have been liking "Country Life". Then I noticed that it had a quilt on it and I am going to be making some scrapbook layouts for my Grandpa Leroy. I thought, what the heck! I am going to work tomorrow aren't I? Might as well get them.

Yeah me!

Mr. Frans Vanderpool

Many of you know that I drive an incredible distance for work. I always use my GPS, even though I know where I'm going, just to make sure that I am on schedule to arrive on time. For about a year, I just had the plain voice (American, basically no accent, woman) but I had chosen a name some time back for my GPS:

Mr. Frans Vanderpoole He's British :)

So, I changed up my voice...think Sean Connery. And, I love it. Just between you and me, I snicker almost every time he tells me to turn!

A trip to The K

For those of you unfamiliar, The K is the new Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals. JJ, my good friend Leslie and I took a trip to Kansas City to see the Royals take on the Rays.

We saw the Friday night game, second one of a three game series. KC won! It was also Friday Night Fireworks which were incredibly cool but all I had was JJ's Iphone to take pics with so.... yeah, not so good.

Anyway, here we are in our blues!!

JJ, Me, Leslie

The stadium is really nice! If you are in the KC area, you really should check it out. And the best part!!! The tickets are pretty reasonable!!

Iris Folding Answers

First of all, thanks for stopping by on World Card Making Day. In case you missed my iris folding card, you can see that whole post here. I must say, I was really impressed with how my card turned out!!

I received so many lovely comments {thank you} and a few questions. I'd like to take this time to answer the questions.

1. Percy the Black Cat commented that she thought it "would be interesting with fabric". I had not thought of that before the Cat's comment but I immediately thought of Stampin Up's new Christmas fabric! Now that would be fancy!!!

2. Several comments including one from Gail Varland mused that making the card must have taken a long time. Honestly, it took about an hour. This was my FIRST try, I had to choose papers, then choose again :) and then re-cut them because I had been too chincy the first time and my strips weren't long enough.

3. Several people said they love the technique and the card, then followed with "but I can't do that". To which I say, "Yes you can!". Seriously, with a pattern, the directions I wrote and the Youtube video (check the original post)... it is super easy...for real!!

4. Lora, you can come over to my Cavern anytime!! :)

5. There was one more comment with several questions but... I accidently deleted it and I can't seem to locate it now. Sorry!

(If you left a question and I missed or deleted it or you have another, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email. If I know the answer, I would love to help you out. Even if I don't know the answer, I will post your question and see if my friend Terrie stops by...she's the iris folding Queen!!)

Rats!!

My laptop has the black screen of death! I am hoping that the video card died or something and that the whole thing isn't junk!! Anyway, I have some things to show you but I am not sure how I am going to handle the whole downloading of pictures since I am using JJ's work laptop right now.

Well...I was planning on purchasing some antique sleigh bells this weekend but I guess I will toss a few more Benjamin's on the pile and go for a computer instead. Ugg!! Maybe my good friend Lora can pull off some magic for me and I can get bells after all!

CardSwaps World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop!

Iris Folding!!! It's new to me but how stinking cute is this!?! (OK, don't skip to the pictures quite yet!!)

Ok, the dirt: You are on the CardSwaps World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop! Welcome!! You should have arrived here from Jeanette's. Doesn't she have cute stuff!? If you got here differently, make sure you start at the beginning and work your way around. You won't be disappointed, I promise!!

Challenge: CASE challenge. I found a thread on Iris folding on CardMaker message board and decided to try my hand! The thread references recipes found on Circle of Crafters for inspiration. I chose this cutie. There's also an article in CM News Letter!

Technique: I watched this video posted by nightcats (very well done) to get my feet wet. Did I mention that I had never done Iris Folding??

I traced the pattern onto card stock (held it up to the patio door).

Next, cut out the inside only. You will want to preserve the outside or the negative image. Then, tape your negative image over the recipe or map and start laying your papers down, following the pattern.

Oh! About the papers... Choose your papers (4 different ones for this pattern), cut them into 3/4" strips. The video said 5/8 but I found these to be just a little too small given the size of my pattern. Then start taping them down:

I just used scotch tape. Keep going, and going, and going. Once you have covered all the numbers, flip it over and here's what you will have from the pretty side:

I added a Rich Razzleberry center and a sparkly gold topper. Love it!!

Be sure to hop around!! Leave a comment on every blog by midnight CST, October 3, 2010, to be entered in to a drawing for prizes (Waa--hoo!!). The full list of prizes are on Lora's blog.

My story: I started papercrafting...dabbling in scrapbooking over 10 years ago. I was in college, had no money so I just used whatever I could come up with.... And I loved it!! I had made a few cards here and there but just wasn't too happy with the way they turned out. Then!! About a year and a half ago, my friend Lora (who was really just my neighbor back then) invited me to a Stampin UP party. My cards and my wallet haven't been the same since!! But I love it! I have made some new great new friends and met tons of people through playing with paper. Probably the coolest thing that has came about primarily because of paper was an extremely successful fundraiser to benefit my Relay for Life team for the American Cancer Society. Last winter I hosted a Cancer Crop and raised over $1200 for my Relay team. WOW!!

Your next stop on the hop is Faith Skrdla at Designed 2 Delight. Hop on over and See her!! But before you go, leave me some love so you can win!!

Here's the whole list:

Lora

Jeanette

Laura <--- You are here!!

Faith Skrdla (Designed 2 Delight)

Redonna

SusieQ - http://lilbitofme-susan.blogspot.com/

Jane - http://jane-notsuchaplainjane.blogspot.com/

Lori (representing Stretch N Bubbles) -http://lorispurplegiraffes.blogspot.com/

Irina - http://sami-creativityworld.blogspot.com

Meredith - http://whatsnextma.blogspot.com/

Ana - http://anaggarciam.blogspot.com/

Dustin Pike - http://dustinpike.blogspot.com/

Diana - http://b4ustamp.blogspot.com

Angelina - http://angel-artdesign.blogspot.com/

Ashley - http://handstampedbyashley.blogspot.com/