2011 Best Dressed List!

Pals Paper Arts is unveiling its best dressed list for 2011 today!  We had so many beautiful creations this year it was hard to pick a favorite for each month!  I got the honor of choosing April and November! 


We had a punch challenge in April that proved to be very popular!  We stampers do love our punches!  I chose this beauty done by Nance Leedy.  Subtle and oh so elegant!

A ribbon challenge in November inspired Sandie Conner to think outside the box!  I loved her creative use of ribbons on this adorable little gobbler!

Head on over to Pals Paper Arts to check out the rest of the best for 2011!  We hope you join us next week at PPA when we kick off the New Year with a color challenge..........and a few new faces!

Noel......PPA125...Tags

Looking for some holiday spirit?  Break out the cookies, warm up the hot chocolate and.......... 


1.  Watch The GriNch - the cartoon version narrated by  Boris Karloff!


2.  Recite the pOem "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and have the kids (of any age) add sound effects every time you pause.


3.  Read the book The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - it is the best Christmas story ever!  Well except maybe for the original one  :)


4.  Write this out:   "ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ" 
Tell your family it's a clue to a Christmas carol and promise to sing it for them if they guess it. If they can't figure it out they will have to sing for you. When they finally give up say:  "No L"  and then sit back and enjoy the show!


Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!

They Say It's My Birthday!

And it is my birthday!  Before I head off to work at the library I thought I would share some of the wonderful hand stamped cards I received so far today!  Nothing like being optimistic that there will be more waiting when I get home from work tonight!

My crafty friend Sharon sent me this sweet treat!  She knows my #1 food group is cake!

This flower came all the way from California hand made by Patti MacLeith!  That wrapped denim ribbon center is fabulous!

This "cherry" delightful creation arrived this morning from my walking partner Barb.  And I am happy to report the card was accompanied by a tin of hand dipped chocolate covered cherries! Beyond delicious!

And this perfectly vintage card was sent by the Wee Inkling lady herself - LeAnne Pugliese! And yes I adore it!

Finally this beauty in blue from the Pals' Fearless Leader Mary Fish!  Nothing like presents and bling on your birthday!

Holiday Greetings 2011! PPA 124

 

The Paper Players recently had a challenge to use a non-Christmas stamp to create a holiday card.  With that in mind I created this card for PPA's sketch challenge using the typewriter from a brand new set called You're My Type. Makes me think of someone just sitting down to type out the annual Christmas newsletter.  Someday I may just do one myself..........after I get signed releases from family members so I can write the good stuff :)

See You on the Christmas Tree! FMS 15

See you on the Christmas Tree!  I have no idea what that means but my parents said it to me every night during the Christmas season once our tree was up and decorated.  So naturally I said it to my kids. I smiled this week when I opened my daughter's Christmas card.  It was signed "See you on the Christmas tree!" Putting up the Christmas tree is still one of the all time best activities of the year.  There is nothing better than lighting it up for the first time - always magical!  Taking the tree down...........another story........


                      

Let's Celebrate - with Blog Candy......PPA123

Fred is clicking his heels in excitement because Pals Paper Arts is "Puttin' On The Ritz" this week!  Go for the glam and enter your card in our challenge.  I'd be clicking my heels together if I could because it is also time for our annual Blog Candy Blowout!  By entering a card this week at PPA you will be eligible to win blog candy from each and every design team member!  How much fun that will be for one lucky crafter to receive all of those packages of goodies! Enter your card by next Tuesday and that lucky crafter could be you!

                             

December Birthdays.......FMS14

My daughter and I share the same birthday week - the week before Christmas!   Between upstate NY winter weather and the holiday rush it hasn't always been easy to pull off two family gatherings before Christmas - but we manage!  Now you may be thinking that since my daughter is all grown up and I am oh so old that we really should just combine our birthday parties.  Seriously?  We only get one birthday a year and we are both determined to celebrate it on the exact day we were born!  That has led to some creative ways to celebrate and get people together!  So again this year we will gather on the 14th and the 20th and then again for Christmas on the 24th and the 25th.  Interesting that our family never celebrates New Year's together..........wonder why.............


                       

Classic Christmas....PPA122

I used the beautiful color combination at Pals Paper Arts this week and worked the Mojo sketch using a stamp from Easy Events.  The result - Classic Christmas!