🎶What Are You Doing New Years Eve?🎶

https://youtu.be/aSq1cez_flQ

Twenty-seven years ago Chris and I had our first real date on New Years Eve. Somebody we knew had a party at the old Hotel Bentley in downtown Alexandria. Quite a few glasses of  champagne and a New Years Eve kiss and the rest is history! It's been a long time since we celebrated New Years Eve outside our cozy little house. We've done the crazy partying...I'm just fine with some home cooking, a nice glass of wine or some egg nog, and a little guitar and ukulele around the fire pit. I may even dress for the occasion, but barefoot if it's warm and comfy slippers if it's cold. You never know what this crazy Louisiana weather will do!

I don't have to decorate much for New Years Eve since I usually leave my tree up until after New Year's Day. It's festive and I can really enjoy it after the hubbub of Christmas! I did make a little conversation piece this year...



This little magical folding box was inspired by a Club Scrap®  project from 2010, The Magician's Box. I adapted it to create a mini version using the ATC sized Imagine Crafts SHEET metal, Staz On ink, and Club Scrap's After Five unmounted stamp collection.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NvG_2UytoY]

Click here to view a downloadable PDF flipbook tutorial of The ATC Magician's Box

I should set up a camera to film the curious who open it and try to tie it back together! To be continued...



Challenges entered:

Club Scrap's 12/2016 Project Use it!

Mixed Media Place December 2016 Challenge

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Oh Christmas Tree!

I'm a little late getting my tree up this year, but it's finally decorated! I have a huge collection of ornaments, but I always seem to put up the handmade ornaments my babies (now grown men!) have made over the years first. By the time they are all up, I don't have room for any more. Some of the paper ornaments are missing a little glitter, but all in all they are just as pretty as the day they gave them to me.



Twenty-six years later and my Hallmark Keepsake ornament still works! My little sister (who was 11 at the time) gave it to us our for our first Christmas. It's one of the first ones I put on the tree.

 

[wpvideo ooKnmDvA]

 

Trying to get this crew together to decorate the tree is almost impossible. Luckily I am a machine when I'm tired and make up my mind to "get 'r done".  They appreciate the end result though!


I even put up my Dickens Christmas Village with a week to spare!



My favorite thing to do at Christmas? Admire my Christmas memory tree filled with the most precious ornaments made by sweet little hands once upon a time.

[caption id="attachment_4451" align="alignnone" width="480"] Club Scrap card stock and stamp images. Images and card stock edges inked with Versamark and embossed with Ranger Ink Gold embossing powder, then colored with Faber Castell Big Brush markers. Gems from my stash. [/caption]

 



Do more of what makes you happy!



Challenges entered:

Cards in Envy Celebrate the Season Challenge

Love to Scrap Challenge Blog #92 Anything Goes

PINspirational Challenge #181 



Club Scrap 12/16 NBUS Challenge

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Christmas Wishes

Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may. I wish I might, make this wish I wish tonight. 

(Close your eyes tight and make your wish)...Mom taught this to us and I taught it to my boys. One day they'll teach it to their babies.  A lot of wishes were made on those first bright stars. Some came true and some didn't. I still catch myself reciting that little poem to myself on a clear night.

My Grandma Judy always gave us a little present at Christmas. I was 5th of 27 grandchildren. She might give homemade cookies, a pair of socks (for the boys) or panties (for the girls), a bottle of nail polish, colors and a coloring book...but her classic gift to the little ones was a Little Golden book. I was fascinated with the realistic drawings in this 1972 version of The Christmas Story.



Mom would read this to us on Christmas Eve in her school teacher voice. I loved the page with the Three Wise Men following the Star of Bethlehem. We had a star for our tree once that looked just like the drawing! Dad would always hold the youngest up to put the star on the tree after it was decorated. That was an important job!

My card woke up all of these Christmas memories. I love when that happens!

[caption id="attachment_4293" align="alignnone" width="533"] JFFRS Stamptangle Star Large and Small, JFFRS Christmas Background stamp images. Star images stamped with Versamark ink and embossed with Ranger Ink Superfine gold embossing powder, background stamped with Versamark and embossed with Ranger Ink Clear Superfine embossing powder. Emboss resist background with Faded Jeans and Salty Ocean Distress inks. Spritzed the background with homemade Perfect Distress in Pearl in a mini mister for shimmer. Edges distressed with a Tonic Studios paper distresser. Ribbon and gems from my stash. [/caption]

My Christmas wish...Peace, Love and Happiness. What more could you ask for?



Challenges entered:

Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog Let it Snow

A Vintage Journey December Challenge Winter Magic

Fab 'n Funky Challenges #329 Christmas

Fusion Challenge It's Christmas!

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Feed Him Walnuts and He Will Crack Open a Tale

The Christmas season has begun! It's cold and rainy, a perfect day to decorate for the holidays! I'll put on my favorite Christmas movies and light my Christmas Cookie Yankee Candle (it's almost gone, sniff, sniff!) and scurry around like an elf spreading Christmas magic! I have to psych myself up for this, though I enjoy it so much when I'm finished. I LOVE a little Christmas tree with my coffee in the mornings!

I really wanted to start the season off by going to see the Nutcracker ballet. Things didn't work out, so my reverie while crafting will have to do. Look how cute!



JFFRS Stamptangle Nutcracker image stamped in Black Soot Distress Ink and embossed with Ranger Ink Superfine Clear Embossing Powder. Image colored with Sharpie markers and a little sparkle was added with Diamond and Yellow Stickles. Eyes and teeth were colored with a Signo White Gel Pen. Card stock from the Club Scrap Literature collection. Tassel made from embroidery thread.

I found a great tutorial for tassels on youtube and made mine out of embroidery thread.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjYOmBJhZc]

I wanted some sheet music in the background of my photo, so I googled Nutcracker sheet music and found the Nutcracker Suite! I printed on copy paper and spritzed it with water to dampen it. I rubbed Vintage Photo Distress ink on my craft mat and spritzed with water to make lots of ink puddles. I laid the damp paper on top and patted it to spread the ink. While it was still wet, I gently tore some of the edges and then "creatively" crumpled the paper. I dried it with and heat tool and it looks like aged sheet music!

I may have to make a few more of these to give as little Christmas gifts or to add as tags on presents. So perfect for Christmas reading with a cup of cocoa!



"The nutcracker sits under the holiday tree, a guardian of childhood stories. Feed him walnuts and he will crack open a tale..." Vera Nazarian

Come join the Christmas/Winter Challenge at JFFRS for a chance to win a JFFRS gift certificate! Details here!



 

 

 

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Christmas in Paradise!

Close your eyes and envision sunshine, white sand, a warm breeze, crystal blue water and a tropical drink in your hand...

♫ Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you from the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas to you♫

Yep, I miss the beach. I haven't had a beach vacation in a few years and I miss it terribly! That yearning was rekindled when I received my latest Club Scrap kit...Paradise.



I haven't made Christmas cards in a few years, and I saw this on Pinterest when I was looking for ideas...



A little of this kit, some of that...AND some little Santa hats and my card was born!

[caption id="attachment_4230" align="alignnone" width="800"] Club Scrap Paradise Deluxe kit components, Club Scrap By the Seashore sand dollar image, Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz Cling Mounted Rubber Stamp Set-Crazy Things [/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4231" align="alignnone" width="800"] Sand dollar images stamped with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and dusted with Perfect Pearls in pearl. A little sparkle added to the Santa hats with Diamond Stickles.[/caption]

Jeez, now I have the Beach Boys songs rolling around in my head! Sigh...I miss the beach.

♫ Don't worry, be happy! ♫ ♪



Challenges entered:

Club Scrap 11-2016 Card Sketch Challenge

Shopping Our Stash 279  Warm and Fuzzy Challenge

Time Out Challenges with Optional Twist of Glitter/Shimmer

Pile it On Challenge #122 Two patterns

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I Shook My Family Tree and a Bunch of Nuts Fell Out!

I had a great "crafternoon"on Friday with these crazies!



We made Christmas slime...



Shrinky dink ornaments...



[caption id="attachment_4163" align="alignnone" width="533"] Millie wanted a "good picture" of hers before we shrunk it![/caption]

(Even Steph got in on the action!)



And snowmen tealight ornaments and Christmas tags! Whew!



Ellie, Millie and Haylan  made a tutorial for the snowmen tealights! One take, these girls are pros!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS3zlx9TKm0]

They even did a little facepainting...

[gallery ids="4178,4176,4177,4174,4175" type="square" columns="2"]

Of course I had to make something too!

[caption id="attachment_4188" align="alignnone" width="533"] JFFRS Acorn stamp embossed with copper foil embossing powder and painted with Perfect Pearls mixed with water. Sentiment printed in Photoshop Elements. Club Scrap card stocks.[/caption]



They crafted for almost 7 hours, with breaks for BJ's Pizza, Shirley Temples, reindeer chow and taking turns in Uncle Chris' massage chair! It was a fun ending to a Happy Thanksgiving. Lots is good food and family. I love my people!

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.a.chapman/posts/1241929285869814

Do more of what makes you happy!



Challenges entered:

Addicted to Stamps #221 Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion Challenge # 339 Always Anything Goes

Just Add Ink #338 Inspiration

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It's Christmas Thyme!

Welcome to the last stop on the Club Scrap Christmas Thyme blog hop! If you've arrived here from Hetty's blog,  you're in the right spot. If you'd like to start at the beginning head over to Club Scrap and see what Karen has created for you, then grab your favorite beverage and enjoy the hop!

I tried not to be THAT person, the one with POPD (perfect ornament placement disorder), but I became her. (Shaking my head...)



On a positive note, I still have the ornaments my kids made in daycare-tiny handprint Santas, paper plate angels, thumbprint reindeer, wreath Christmas photos. My tree is a memory tree, no decorator tree for me. I can tell you everything about each ornament that I carefully pack and unpack each year. I save everything! I get that from my mom, she still has ornaments we made in the 70's!  My mom started collecting her Dept. 56 Christmas Village when we were kids. By the time I was in high school, the village had spread to a nice sized city with a suburb! It is so much fun to look at when she has it all out. Mom and Dad started giving Chris and I pieces of the Dickens Village the first Christmas we were married.  Thanksgiving Day was my 26th wedding anniversary. Our little village has grown too over the years! It is usually the first thing I put together when I decorate for Christmas. Of course my kids always wanted to help (a few broken pieces here and there), but it wasn't anything a little glue couldn't fix!

The Club Scrap Christmas Thyme kit reminds me of my Dickens Village, I'm drawn to that vintage look! Remember these?!



My grandparents always had these little paper advent calendars on the coffee table during Christmas. We loved looking at these and opening all the little hidden compartments! When I saw the Christmas Thyme digital kit house image, I knew what I wanted to make...



Using Photoshop Elements(PSE) I enlarged the house and the Christmas tree images to fit on 12x12 paper and sent it off to be printed at Persnickety Prints.





Then I chose some Christmas images to resize and strategically place inside each window pane. I printed these on card stock.



Using a craft knife I cut the window panes to open to reveal the images I would adhere behind them.





And a little surprise for day 25...Christmas Day!

[caption id="attachment_4119" align="alignnone" width="800"] Christmas gnome from the Gnome for the Holidays Digital kit. Also available in the I'll Be Gnome for Christmas UM/Stencil set. [/caption]

From our "gnome" to yours, it's Christmas Thyme!



 

 

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Giving Thanks

I'm thankful for a lot of things in my life, even the bad things. The bad things made me a better person and appreciate the good things even more. I must have done something right, because the universe rewarded me. These people make me believe there is good in the world and to "Be the Good"!



I have to brag on my husband a little bit. Chris planted a fall garden this year, with the help of our boys. I thought he was crazy. He is doing a "no till" garden with cardboard and homemade compost. It looked like a mess at first, now I just need to shut my mouth and let him do his thing. He planted red clover and rye grass as a cover crop to provide nutrients, aerate the soil and hold moisture. All the new sprouts are Italian and elephant ear garlic, carrots, Swiss chard, broccoli, turnips, cabbage, mustard and collard greens and muscadine vines for jelly.  It looks like the universe might reward us with a bountiful harvest!



This sweet guy was very patient while he waited to be petted during the photo shoot! When he's had enough and wants attention, he'll sit on your foot and lean on you. He's getting bossier with age!



In honor of Thanksgiving, I made this card to remind me to pay it forward, give thanks for all of my blessings and to be the good.

[caption id="attachment_3978" align="alignnone" width="3648"] JFFRS stamptangle pumpkin medium and JFFRS stamptangle eclectic garden stamps. Club Scrap cardstock. Copper foil embossing powder. Sentiment stamped with a mini alphabet stamp.[/caption]



I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, eat lots of good food and spend quality time with family! Be the good!



This card was a winner at Cards in Envy!



Challenges entered:

colourQ Challenge #368



The Card Concept #62 Thanksgiving



Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 385



Cards in Envy Thank You Challenge 

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