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« November 2011 | Main | January 2012 »
Some items have been reduced to 80% off. If you have not checked out the clearance rack for awhile, you should really do that now! This is the best deal I have seen for a long time. It won't last long, so take advantage of it while you can.
HAPPY CRAFT SHOPPING!
I am very excited to participate in the PAPER CRAFTER'S LIBRARY new Design Team Call. The Paper Crafter's Library is a membership site owned by one of my favorite crafters, Andrea Walford and her sister Sophia Landry.
Over the last four to five years I have purchased Class Planners and other items from them. I love their crafting style, as well as the help their planners have provided. Some of my best classes were built around their ideas. Therefore, I am very excited to have the opportunity to submit my application to join their Design Team.
The requirements are to show three of my best projects. I have chosen a wide variety -- an altered art project, a cute holiday gift box and a mini scrapbook. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!
HOLIDAY GIFT
This Gift Box holds 12 Hershey Nuggets and is a favorite of my customers. I make a lot of these each year to sell at the boutiques and craft faires I attend. They are fairly quick to make, and are very impressive.
Mini Baby Album
I have made so many of these I have lost count of the themes I have made (Wedding, Christmas, Graduation, Birthday, etc.) It all started with Andrea's "I Heart U" project planner that I purchased. This one is for our new little granddaughter who turned one in August, 2011. I made 5 of these to send to her grandparents for Christmas. The one shown is mine! My customers and I love this style -- it holds a huge number of pictures -- 22! Not possible you say! It is True -- simply pull on the ribbon to see the pictures inside. The first view is the mini album closed. The following views show the album open, and the pictures that hide inside until you pull the ribbon tab. That is how we get so many pictures in one small mini album.
Through my business I have become good friends with my favoite Pampered Chef Consultant, Yvonne Platisha. (We have fun holding parties for each other.) When I saw their tool caddy I knew it would work on my craft table! Then my friends started asking for one. And here we are -- I offer them in my store on this blog.
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Each one of the tool caddies is different, based on the Simply Scrappin' Kit I use. Check out "My Store" to see how it works with the items in it.
I hope you agree that this assortment of projects reflects the work I do. Wish me luck!
Happy Stamping and Crafting!
The most commonly sung song for English-speakers on New Year's eve, "Auld Lang Syne" is an old Scottish song that was first published by the poet Robert Burns in the 1796 edition of the book, Scots Musical Museum. Burns transcribed it (and made some refinements to the lyrics) after he heard it sung by an old man from the Ayrshire area of Scotland, Burns's homeland.
It is often remarked that "Auld Lang Syne" is one of the most popular songs that nobody knows the lyrics to. "Auld Lang Syne" literally translates as "old long since" and means "times gone by." The song asks whether old friends and times will be forgotten and promises to remember people of the past with fondness, "For auld lang syne, we'll take a cup o' kindness yet."
The lesser known verses continue this theme, lamenting how friends who once used to "run about the braes,/ And pou'd the gowans fine" (run about the hills and pulled up the daisies) and "paidl'd in the burn/Frae morning sun till dine" (paddled in the stream from morning to dusk) have become divided by time and distance—"seas between us braid hae roar'd" (broad seas have roared between us). Yet there is always time for old friends to get together—if not in person then in memory—and "tak a right guid-willie waught" (a good-will drink).
But it was bandleader Guy Lombardo, and not Robert Burns, who popularized the song and turned it into a New Year's tradition. Lombardo first heard "Auld Lang Syne" in his hometown of London, Ontario, where it was sung by Scottish immigrants. When he and his brothers formed the famous dance band, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, the song became one of their standards. Lombardo played the song at midnight at a New Year's eve party at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City in 1929, and a tradition was born. After that, Lombardo's version of the song was played every New Year's eve from the 1930s until 1976 at the Waldorf Astoria. In the first years it was broadcast on radio, and then on television. The song became such a New Year's tradition that "Life magazine wrote that if Lombardo failed to play 'Auld Lang Syne,' the American public would not believe that the new year had really arrived."
I think this sample is probably even quicker than the one I showed you on Tuesday. This version works for the men in your family -- and punching the stars make it quick and easy. The sizes are the same as the Tuesday post -- scroll down for that. I used the large star punch and the small star punch for the embellishment. Inside I used a small circle punch to add a finger hole. That makes it easier to pull the money out.
Have fun with these and contact me with any questions or help you need. Trust me -- these can be made up at the last minute without any stress. I may have a surprise for you tomorrow -- another type of money or Gift Card holder.
HOLIDAY MONEY HOLDERS ARE GREAT!
40 to 45% of American adult make one or more resolutions each year.
Among the top new years resolutions are resolutions about weight loss, exercise, and stopping to smoke. Also popular are resolutions dealing with better money management / debt reduction.
The following shows how many of these resolutions are maintained as time goes on:
- past the first week: 75%
- past 2 weeks: 71%
- after one month: 64%
- after 6 months: 46%
While a lot of people who make new years resolutions do break them, research shows that making resolutions is useful. People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't explicitly make resolutions.
What Does This Really Mean
Of course numbers only represent averages and do not reflect on YOUR personal situation. However, there are a few questions you may want to ponder as we approach 2012:
■What kind of New Year’s Resolutions do you typically set (money, health, self-improvement, or relationship-oriented)?
■ Why do you set these particular resolutions?
■ What do you hope to gain by achieving these resolutions?
■ What will you do to be more successful (than the typical person)?
■ Do you believe you will be happier on December 31, 2011 if you are successful in achieving your resolutions? If so, be aware that this is rarely the case – your attitude is more important than the results.
■ And finally, what could you do to improve your level of happiness TODAY, rather than believing your happiness lies in the future?
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. This year, instead of looking forward to what you want, spend your time reflecting on what you have. This is especially important during these troubling economic times.
And if you do set a resolution, set a “theme-based” resolution rather than a “goal-based” resolution. This will increase your level of happiness AND participation in the coming year.
I wanted to show you some cute gift card holders and unfortunately I sold them all at the boutiques and craft faires I have attened in the last two months. Since MONEY HOLDERS are also useful at this time of year I have a sample that is not decorated for Christmas, but all you need to do is swap out the Designer Series Paper. These money holders are quick to make.
The card stock is Night of Navy 8 1/2 x 6 3/4" scored at 2" and 5 1/4". The Designer Paper is 1 3/4" x 6 1/4". The Very Vanilla belly band is 1 1/4" layered with Night of Navy (1 1/4") before being punched with the Pinking Hearts Border Punch (117649).
The silk flower is from the Retired Pretties Kit. I chalked it with Very Vanilla to match the Designer Series Paper and the Very Vanilla card stock. Added a little bling with the brad and it was done. A tip for fitting the belly band is to cut it longer than you need, lay it on your work surface, and lay the project across it in the middle. Then gently crease the card stock to match the size of the money holder. I like to glue the ends together in the front. After the embellishment is adhered, the seam disappears. Just a bit more professional. Right?
Check back in a couple days for another sample of a:
MONEY HOLDER FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
Did you miss me yesterday? Sorry, I did not have a post for you. However, when you see today's post you will realise how busy I have been. My new friends Lisa came over with her friends to assemble 250 WEDDING INVITATIONS! I spent three days with my downline and friends getting everything ready. It was a big job, but so much fun to spend that time with my friends. In the picture below the Bride to be is on the right. Unfortuantely I did not think to take this picture until after three of her friends had gone. Oh well, at least we have this one.
Here is the Invitation we designed -- Lisa loved the Confetti Cream card stock as it goes well with her "casual themed wedding". She will be married near Palm Springs in the desert and has chosen very appropriate table coverings and decorations.
Shown above is the inside of the card. We prepared 250 invitations and party favors! Have you counted how many leaves, birds and hearts that adds up to. Yeah, a lot! The basic supplies included the Builder Bird Punch, Small and Large Heart Punches, and the Mini Milk Carton Die. The doily on the belly band is from the Pennant Big Shot Die. Our card stock colors are Confetti Cream, Soft Suede, Pear Pizazz, Tempting Turquoise and Pacific Point.
I would love to help you with your party planning. Contact me to work out the details.
CONGRATULATIONS LISA!
HAPPY HOLIDAY SHOPPING EVERYONE!
There are several colors which are traditionally associated with Christmas - like this site uses Red, Green and Gold. But why do we have them and what do the colors represent?
Most the colors and their meanings come from the western/northern european traditions and customs when Christmas is in the middle of winter and it's dark and cold.
Green
Evergreen plants, like Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe have been used for thousands of years to decorate and brighten up buildings during the long dark winter. They also reminded people that spring would come and that winter wouldn't last forever!
The Romans would exchange evergreen branches during January as a sign of good luck. The ancient Egyptians used to bring palm branches into their houses during the mid winter festivals.
In many parts of Europe during the middle ages, Paradise plays were performed, often on Christmas Eve. They told Bible stories to people who couldn't read. The 'Paradise Tree' in the garden of eden in the play was normally a pine tree with red apples tied to it.
Now the most common use of green at Christmas are Christmas Trees.
Red
As mentioned above, an early use of red at Christmas were the apples on the paradise tree. They represented the fall of Adam in the plays.
Red is also the color of Holly berries, which is said to represent the blood of Jesus when he died on the cross.
Red is also the color of Bishops robes. These would have been worn by St Nicholas and then also became Santa's uniform!
Gold
Gold is the color of the Sun and light - both very important in the dark winter. It's also the color of fire that you need to keep you warm.
Gold was also one of the presents brought to the baby Jesus by one of the wise men and traditionally is the color used to show the star that the wise men followed.
Silver is sometimes used instead of (or with) gold. But gold is a 'warmer' color.
White
White is often associated with purity and peace in western cultures. The snow of winter is also very white!
White paper wafers were also sometimes used to decorate paradise trees. The wafers represented the bread eaten during Christian Communion or Mass, when Christians remember that Jesus died for them.
White is used by most churches as the color of Christmas, when the altar is covered with a white cloth (in the Russian Orthodox Church Gold is used for Christmas).
Blue
The color blue is often associated with Mary, the mother of Jesus. In medieval times blue dye and paint was more expensive than gold! So it would only be worn by Royal families and very rich people. Mary was often painted wearing blue to show she was very important.
Blue can also represent the color of the sky and heaven.
