Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas Everyone and Happy New Year! I hope that your celebrations were everything you hoped for and more. For those who don't celebrate the holiday I hope you enjoyed your day no mater how you spent it.

This is my poor dog Scully. She was not thrilled to be an elf but I couldn't resist. She is a sweet little dog who put up with the hat and neck piece for all of 30 seconds.

I have two cards to post today...the first is taken from one of my stamping magazines and altered. It was so simple to use a couple of embossing folders and a few scraps and I was set. I will probably make a few non-holiday variations of this card to put in a last minute gift I am working on. I won't see my friend until New Year's Day so I should have enough time to finish...good thing she doesn't read my blog, right?

The last card was a clearance stamp set I got at Michael's some time ago and some bling I had left over. I used a scrap of ribbon and colored with my beloved Copic markers. As I looked at this picture I see some ways to improve the coloring I did but since the five of these I made were mailed before Christmas I guess I'll put my changes into effect the next time I work on this image.

Drummer Boy

I really like how this card came out. I pulled out a Debbie Mumm scrap pad I picked up last season for the DP and some scrap cardstock that I ran through the music embossing folder that Cuttlebug puts out. There is a little gold inking around the music and the gold stars and voila. I colored with my Copics.

Thankgiving Weekend Ramblings

************************RAMBLING ALERT*******************

What an odd weekend this has been for me. No turkey this year (my husband and his brother wanted ham for a change). No father-in-law at the table complaining how cold it was and talking about how much warmer it is in Florida.

This is the first year in ten or more that I wasn't out with the other nuts at 3:30AM looking for the "best" deal on Black Friday. Our Chrstmas tree, which usually makes an appearance Black Friday afternoon is still tucked away in the basement and probably will stay there until next weekend although we did take advantage of a beautiful Sunday afternoon to get the lights up outside. I have 25 Christmas cards completed and I have about six projects I will most likely finish before Christmas because I won't be out going nutty shopping.

I think that this year more than any in memory I am thankful for everything I have. While my husband and I both have jobs the economy has hit his industry hard, making the finances tighter around here than ever before and in tightening our belts like so many others in this nation it has given us both time to reflect on what is really important and shopping isn't it. I sat in my craft room and marveled at my own excess. I have stamps that have never seen ink, ink that has never seen a stamp and a full gamut of bling, baubles, ribbon and the like that I couldn't use in a year (or two or three...).

So, to cap off my intorspective post, here is a partial list of some of what I am thankful for...

God and all the blessings he continues to grant us
My husband and son and family
Our health
The friends I have
Our jobs (especially mine that provides great health care)
Living in a country where I can stand on the street corner and share my beliefs with anyone who will listen
My sisters...the two related by blood and those of the heart
My students, who so wonderfully teach me about life
My silly dogs, Mulder and Scully, who love me no matter what and always wag their tails when they see me

I am also grateful for my cyber friends. Your comments have brightened many a day for me.

Lori

Sleigh Full of Toys

I have had this SU set for a long time and yet this is the first time I've pulled it out and used it. I made six of this card to send out this year. The picture isn't great...it has a lot of shine to it that just isn't coming through. I have a couple of fall cards to post later today or tomorrow.

Have a great Sunday!

Christmas Card, Version 1

These are the first batch of Christmas cards I made...I went to my first Crop in September with my friend Rosemary and instead of scrapbooking, I used the 12 hours of time (less the time spent eating, visiting with a lovely set of ladies, and running my husband to get his car from the mechanics) to work on a couple of designs. I would never make it on a design team because I can't remember who the image is by or even where I got it. I think the DP is DCWV and I know I colored the images with my beloved Copics.

Happy Wednesday!!

A Boo-tiful Card

This card is one of about five I made with hanted house Sizzix die I picked up for 50% off at AC Moore and a cute little skeleton by Eat Cake Graphics I got from Cathy at Paper Garden. The card came together in a flash.

Back in Action!

Where exactly does time go? August slipped into September and now we are half way through October! I've been sort-of crafty since my last post and have a few things to share.

Here is an unfinished card I am working on. The images are from Stamps by Judith. I really like her stuff, especially the versatility of them. This image is actually three separate stamps. I colored them with my Copics and will just be adding some ribbon with a tag saying "boo" on it to finish it off.