Merry Christmas! FMS267

I don't do Project Life but when I received the December kit as a gift I was delighted with all of the elements! I managed to make about a dozen Christmas cards from the various pieces, papers and embellishments including this sweet one using the tiny wooden trees.

So I am signing off until 2017 and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.  I hope you get to spend time with family and friends......and may Santa bring you everything on your list!

My talented friend Jen Mitchell has designed a great sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Hope you find some time for yourself to create and join us!

Happy Birthday

TO ME!

My friend Brian King is the guest designer at Cas(e) this Sketch this week so I had to play along!  Now I am off....cake and ice cream await!

Baby It's Cold Outside! FMS267

Snow's falling..........temperatures are falling......but a fur coat and a hot cup of coffee can get you through just about anything...................

I love this simple sketch designed by my talented friend Jen Timko!  Hope you join us at Freshly Made Sketches!

                                                 

It is also time for the Coffee Lovers Winter Blog Hop!  Crazy fabulous designs and prizes happening there - don't miss it!

Stamp Sets:  Winter Fox by Lawn Fawn, Christmas Pines by SU, Winter Wishes by SU

Year's End.........PP325, CTS#201

I can't believe my year with the Paper Players is coming to an end.  It has been an honor "playing cards" (as Michele Ferguson would say...) with this fabulous group of ladies!  I was delighted when they asked me to be their guest for 2016!  They are an amazing group.....yes talented for sure......but oh so warm, caring, supportive and fun!  It has been a wonderful experience and I thank them from the bottom of my heart!


It wouldn't be Christmas around here without watching Rudolph.......the animated version narrated by Burl Ives.....a true classic!  Can't you just hear him singing Silver and Gold?  That's the first thing I thought of when I saw Jaydee's challenge this week at the Paper Players. 

                                         



I was following the sweet sketch from Cas(e) this Sketch this week when my daughter walked in.  She started braiding the silver and gold cord I had on my desk while we were chatting.......and I said, "Wow I like that....hand it over!"  Such a fun accent! Derailed the sketch plan a bit but I went with it!
                                                                    

                                                    


Stamp Sets:  Freeform Greenery by Altenew, Merry and Bright by SU

So Much to Love.......FMS266

There is so much to love about the new Sealed With Love stamp set, coordinating dies and designer paper that I just had to put aside my Christmas card making and sneak in an early Valentine!  But don't worry I won't be able to stray away from holiday activities for long.....someone I know reminds me to stay focused on Christmas fun......after all Santa is coming soon!

Our resident Artisan Amy O'Neill has this amazing ability to make beautiful collage style cards in her own clean style - enjoy playing with all of the elements of her sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

                                                        

Stamp Review Crew: Christmas Pines, CTS#200

The Stamp Review Crew is featuring Christmas Pines today.  The possibilities of that set with its matching diecuts are endless.  I kept mine simple in the spirit of that sweet sentiment.  Recovering from this crazy pneumonia has made me slow down and simplify my life recently.  But on the plus side of it all.....................

1.  On line Christmas shopping has never been easier and the packages are now rolling in daily!  "Free shipping" are my two favorite words!

2.  I have caught up on some wonderful shows......The Crown,Gilmore Girls, Bosch......and all those Christmas specials.

3.  My favorite authors released new books this month.....Lee Child, John Grisham, John Sandford, Janet Evanovich, David Baldacci.

4.  I am wearing out my iPad browsing stamping blogs - amazing talent out there!

5.  I have missed a few gatherings but Emma brings goodies home to me. 

At a birthday party yesterday she couldn't pick just one treat for me so she picked three......and yes I ate them all!

Enjoy the hop I plan to!

If you missed Martha's wonderful work head back there!

Otherwise your next stop is with my amazingly talented friend Mike Funke!  Enjoy!

I used the sketch from Cas(e) this Sketch for my design. Congrats to that talented team on their 200th sketch!

Make it Snow!......PP324

As you probably know by now our family adores snow so I was delighted with Nance's snowflake challenge this week at the Paper Players!  I was also delighted by that inspiration photo and used it to choose my colors.  I sponged distress inks on white and cut the snowflake panel with the Northern Flurries Snowflake die from SSS.  The results were terrific!  Holly Jolly Greetings from SU provided the sentiment done in Sweet Sugarplum for the first card and Marina Mist for the second.  There are two more cards on my desk awaiting yellow and green sentiments. I love how each panel was different - like unwrapping a package as I removed it from die!

Someone else I know was rocking snowflakes this week........yes those are polar bear sneakers........

 Hope you join us this week at the Paper Players.......make it SNOW!!!

Gray Matter.......Fusion

Oh that inspiration photo at Fusion this week was too pretty to ignore! Unfortunately my camera chose to ignore the fact that the branch is a shiny embossed silver and the polka dots are silver on vellum and the cardstock is brushed silver.  My card looks just gray and white......sigh.....but on the plus side I do like gray and white!

On our Crafty Cousins Day last week we also made wreaths as well as these sweet little snowmen.  We strung shiny bulbs in gorgeous Christmas colors on a circle of wire. The results were beautiful........but since it seems to be gray and white day here on my blog this is what mine looked like - almost finishd....

Our inspiration is beautiful this week at Fusion - hope you play along!

I am also linking to Christmas Card Challenges this week.