"Hand Made" Fun

With our first real snow this morning, it IS beginning to feel like Christmas.  As Thanksgiving approaches, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season always sneaks up on me and goes by way too fast.  I try my best every year to get as much done as I can before Thanksgiving, but even so, it still seems like there is not enough time in the day to do all I want to. 

During the month of November, I always make a point to make and finish our "Hand Made" Ornaments for our homemade Christmas tree.  Ever since our daughter was a baby I have created hand/foot print ornaments.  It is fun to see how big both kids hands and feet have gotten.  This is the first year their hands have been too big to combine in a joint ornament.  I think next year I may have to use thumb prints to keep the ornaments at a manageable size.  Here is a Studio J layout I created talking about our tradition. 

Drum roll.....here is this year's ornament.....SANTA!  I saw an adorable porcelain hand print ornament similar to this and just adapted it to paper and to my kids' hands.  Aren't they adorable?  I am tickled with how they turned out.

 The hats noses and mustaches are just paper pieced on. The kids helped me put on the eyes and added the fluffy paint to Santa's Hat.  To make fluffy paint, simply combine equal parts shaving cream and Elmer's glue.  I let the kids use their fingers to decorate.  When the paint dries it has a spongy consistency and looks and feels pretty cool.  Would be great for a snow scene painting too. 

Here's to the first of many holiday posts!  Happy Crafting!

~Amy

Grateful for YOU!

As many of you may know, I am holding my 1st Annual Christmas Card Extravaganza Christmas Card Workshop this Saturday.  I became a Independent Consult with Close to My Heart in May.  I signed up really just for the good discount, but after holding a gathering at my home I found a few faithful scrapbookers who wanted to join a monthly club.  Now I hold a class once a month with a handful of friends who enjoy getting together to scrap, chat and enjoy some time away from their "Mom" roles. 

I am by no means a "big time" consultant and am happy with my few fellow scrappers that encourage me to be creative and enjoy the same hobby as me.  I am thankful to be able to share this fun hobby and hope to continue to for some time. 

As a momento of thanks and appreciation, I created these cute gift/candy bags using CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge to give to those attending my workshop.  Don't you love the the AP Cartrige oval snowflake tags?  Plus the Silver Glitz Gel gives them just the right amount of sparkle. 

Can't wait to share these little treasures! 

~Amy

P.S.  Please check out other gifts/cards of appreciation at this weeks Heart 2 Heart Challenge.

A Quick Tip

Tip of the Day:  Aluminum disposable pans with lids make the best package to deliver treats in. 

 Right before Halloween, while searching for cute bags/containers to deliver cookies in, I found these great pumpkin cake pans.  Because they had a lid, I knew they would work great to carry cookies.  Tie a bow around it and it makes a super cute gift.  I am keeping my eyes open for holiday style pans....regular square and rectangle pans would work too.

~Amy   

Juniper....more than a tree.

Juniper is more than a tree if you scrapbook using CTMH products.  It is also a beautiful blue-green color used in a variety of cardstocks, B&T papers and in exclusive inks.  In this weeks Heart 2 Heart Challenge, we were asked to create something using the Autumn color combinations of Autumn Terricota, Juniper and Bamboo. I really like the pop of Juniper with the Autumn Terricota, they look beautiful together.

 In addition to the beautiful color combination, I also uses this month's Stamp of the Month, Cherish the Day.  It is a very versitile stamp set that I know I will be using a lot to personalize birthday and annversary cards as well as add to layouts to document specfic dates.  Plus by using The Cricut Art Philosophy, I was able to cut out some nice fall shapes and the ticket shape to make this simple Thanksgiving Day card. 

Purchase the Stamp of the Month for $5.00 when you purchase $50.00 dollars or more in Close to My Heart products.  Just visit my website to get shopping. 

~Amy

A few spots left!

Don't miss out on my 1st Annual Christmas Extravaganza Card Workshop, Saturday, November 19th at 10AM.  Make 10 cards for $10.00 and enjoy an early holdiay celebration.  Fun door prizes, holiday treats and a morning of relaxing and crafting.  I have about 4 spots left, so let me know if you would like to come. 
~Amy

Dirt and Feathers!

 For some reason, this year for Halloween, the kids decided on costumes that were a little unconventional and different.  I don't know how they came up with them, but once they decided, they were pretty much set in their ways an could not be swayed.  So for much of the week before Halloween, I was surrounded by all things boy and lots and lots of pink feathers.   Simple supplies around the house went from this......

......to this!  I love my continuous shoot camera, as it allows me to get an array of emotions and faces from my kids.  I think my little flamingo and bulldozer loved their costumes.  Best thing about them is that they were no sew and fairly easy to put together.  Enjoy! 

~Amy