🎶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.

 

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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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