Yes .. for 2008 one of my resolutions was to use my Janome sewing machine that I bought for sewing on cards. I bought this sewing machine the day after Thanksgiving 2007 at a sale at Hancock Fabrics for $29.99. Everyone had said how easy it was to use to sew on cards. Even though I had it I have been so intimidated by it. Not sure why. I have sewed a lot of stuff in my day and had my own sewing machine since I was 6 or 7. So before today and 2008 ended, I was bound and determined to pull out my Janome and JUST DO IT!!!
Coincidence maybe, but Gina K. also had a challenge on her blog today to sew on a card. And she has some great tutorials on how to sew on cards using your Janome. I read through all of those again and DID IT!
1st Sewn Card
So I used Doodlebug patterned paper and the Spring Dream set by TAC. I colored the flower with colored pencils and OMS. The sentiment is from the Tag Tidbit set. Obviously I sewed on the card. I then added another piece of thread with the white ribbon. Added hardware. Viola!
Now don't let this fool you ... I had a lot of "tries" before I got one to look this good. I messed around with tension and stitches and finally success!
Now maybe my resolution for 2009 should be to make 2 cards with sewing on them! LOL!
Still in the theme of what kept me busy the last couple of weeks ....
Ho Ho Ho
I had a few ATCs that I needed to make to catch up on swaps. I made these really cute Santa ones. I used the Gift Tag stamp set by TAC. I stamped Santa on Green cardstock and then on White cardstock. I cut them out and then paper pieced them. I colored Santa with Copics. The Merry Christmas and Ho Ho Ho is from a Hero Arts set and stamped with Palette Noir. I added a red grosgrain ribbon and mounted it on black.
Of course over the past few weeks I was also busy making Christmas cards....
This was my main card that was sent to the majority of my friends and family. It was simple, quick, and I think it was really cute.
Christmas 2008
This card uses the Homespun Holiday set by TAC. I stamped it in black and then added clear embossing powder to it (made it real shiny). I then colored in the wreath with prismacolor alcohol markers. I matted the image on green and then added the red and white polka dot paper made by American Crafts.
Wanted Magic Hat
I made quite a few of these cards too. The stamp is by Printworks. and was stamped in black. I masked him and then sponged Reflection Blue Palette in the background as sky. I colored the rest of the image with colored pencils and odorless mineral spirits. I matted the image on blue and then added DCWV pattern paper from their Christmas Paper with Glitter Collection.
Ho! Ho! Santa
I had a bunch of this Ho! Ho! paper hanging around and thought it would be perfect for some cards. I used the Santa in the Everyday Events TAC set. I colored him with colored pencils and odorless mineral spirits. I mounted him on a black scalloped circle and then added some black ribbon. Ho Ho!
Be Merry with Stars
This was a one-of-a-kind Christmas card. I only made 1 of these for Christmas and it went to a very special friend. I liked how the star paper worked with the image. This image is also from the Homespun Holiday set by TAC. I colored the image with colored pencils and OMS and then added Diamond Glaze to the ornaments to make them shiny and 3-D. I matted everything on yellow and added "be merry" from the Tag Tidbits set.
Ok here is another thing that kept me busy over the past couple of weeks!!!
This year for Christmas we decided to give family photos to our parents. My brother Adam had a baby girl in September (Emma) and I thought it would be great to get all of us together and do some family photos. Aside from wedding photos I don't think my brother and I have had family photos done since we were about 9 and 13. I really loved how they all turned out.
All of Us
Tony, Chase, me, Adam, Emma & Irene
Cute Family
My Family
(I love this photo of us)
Cute little Emma sporting the Santa Hat (3 months old)
Chase and his new cousin Emma
(he really preferred the pic of her bawling as she looked at him - LOL)
We have a lot of great neighbors in our subdivison and we really like hanging out with them and having our kids play with their kids. We always try to give them a little something for the Holiday. This year was no different.
I came up with Sugar Cookies in a jar. I found a recipe and put all of the dry ingredients into a jar. Then provide them with a recipe and they can finish them by adding the wet ingredients (eggs, milk, etc.) themselves. I also included powdered sugar for making frosting, food coloring for the frosting, cookie cutters, and decorations for on top of the cookies.
I decorated the bags and personalized each one with the family's name.
The contents of the bag
I had a lot of fun putting these together and hope they realize how great of neighbors that they truly are!!
So as you can see from my blog (or not see) ... I was very busy in the weeks up until Christmas with everything from cards to cookies, to work to parties ... you know ... the hustle and bustle of Christmas. So over the next few days I will share with you what I was up to during that time ....
Now you have to understand that where I work we don't do a lot of "fun" stuff .... sure we go out occasionally after work for a drink or a bit to eat but nothing like this.
So we had to pair up with others in our department or the planning department and make cookies. I was paired up with my co-worker friend Korinne. We made cookies at her house (thanks Korinne - you did have the best and biggest kitchen for this :) ).
We made three kinds:
1. Ho Ho Bars - tasted just like Ho Hos that you would buy at the store but in bar form - Yummy! Even Homer loved them!!
2. Chocolate Brownie Cookies with Mint - I started out with the basic ingredients for these cookies but then didn't know if I wanted to add Heath bar pieces or walnuts or crushed Andes mints. So we made some of each and did a taste test at Korinne's house (for some reason we didn't have any trouble finding volunteer taste testers - Korinne's boys). And the winner was the ones with the Andes Mints in them. We put them on a platter and them hung them on the tree tied up in bows.
3. Mice Cookies - so the contest was for cookie AND PRESENTATION. This next entry was ALL ABOUT the presentation. First we took Oreos and twisted off the tops (do you know how hard this actually is???) Since we couldn't find red or green Oreos we sprinkled them with colored sugar. Then you take a maraschino cherry and dip it in chocolate (if you have maraschino cherries with stems this would be good because then your mice could have tails ... ours had no tails). While the chocolate is still hot stick an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss to it as it's head. Then place 2 slivered almonds as it's ears. Place the entire thing on the Oreo. Later you can go back and add eyes to the Kiss with decorative gel or frosting. And viola!!!
And for presentation purposes I present the Mouse House .... all decorated for Christmas (an actual critter cage)
And do you know who won????? :)
.... Look at our Trophy!!!
complete with utensils, a hot mitt, and cookie cutters.
Now how do we top this next year??? We kind of set the bar pretty high!!!
Let it Snow
I picked up this cute cute snowman stamp in North Carolina at AC Moore while visiting Sherri. I love AC Moore. I sure wish we had these in Illinois.
Stamp is by Inkadinkado. Let it Snow is a Studio G $1 stamp from AC Moore too. I cut image out with my scalloped oval nestability and edged it with metallic rub-ons. Added more rub-ons to the blue base and tied a black and white ribbon on it.
Well I know my time is coming soon .... I recently found my old friend Allison on facebook and we reconnected after losing touch for 10 years or so ... we were commiserating about getting old and turning 40. So I had to make one of my "special" cards for her. I had sooo many pics to chose from. These are from our high school year books and she was my maid of honor in my wedding. The main pic is our "cool locker" in high school. We had the best spot centrally located in ETHS (just outside the library). She just got the card in the mail and loved it!!! Happy Birthday Allison!!!
Front of Card
Inside of Card - with Her New Hubby & Baby!!!
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