Sweet Stamper

Awash with Flowers Stamp Camp Project

For today's Saturday Sample, I'm showing one of our January stamp camp projects featuring the Awash with Flowers stamp set.  I love this easy-to-use, versatile stamp set!  Here, I've taken one of the new In Colors, Calypso Coral, and set it off with some of our Neutrals Collection for a simple, handmade card with classic beauty.

This handmade card is just one 16 card  projects we are making in the afternoon session of Let's Celebrate Stamp Camp.  Why don't you come and camp with us??!!  Our stamp camps are a full day (or half-day if your schedule is limited) of creative recreation aka stamping fun.  If you live in San Antonio, we are easy to find.  If you live outside the area, come in for the day.  You will be done in time to do a bit of shopping in the city before you head home.   Full details are here:

Morning Session (9:00-12:30)

• 8 versatile greeting cards (different from afternoon session) with separate sentiments so you can customize each card for the occasion when you get ready to use it!
• a decorated box with lots of dividers to hold all your cards for the year so you can easily find them

Afternoon Session (1:30 to 5:00):

• 8 versatile greeting cards (different from morning session) with separate sentiments so you can customize each card for the occasion when you get ready to use it!
• an altered Rolodex; instead of tabs with A, B, C, etc, there will tabs for each month so that you can easily keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, etc. for all your important dates to celebrate

Lunch Option (12:30 - 1:30)

• If you are attending both sessions, there are restaurants nearby (including Zito's Deli which is just downstairs from the Event Center), but if you don't want to leave, you can opt for a special lunch (details yet to be determined) and you won't even have to leave your seat! 

Prices (all payments need to be made in full by January 1st):

• 1 Session: $54.95 
• 2 Sessions: $99.95
• Camp To-Go: $89.95  (all projects plus postage)
• Instructions only: $14.95 (delivered via email)

Sign up now!!!

Cut off date for all registrations including payments is January 1, 2012.

NEW!  KITS AVAILABLE!

If you want to make extra of the boxes and/or Rolodexes, you can do that easily!  The first box or rolodex kit is $19 and additional kits are $12 each.  Shipping will be calculated and invoiced separately.  Use this form to make your selections.  If you are already signed up for the Stamp Camp or Camp To Go, then you can buy as many additionals kits for $12 each that would you like.  If you are not signed up for the Stamp Camp or Camp To Go, then the first kit is $19 and additional kits are $12.

Select Kits:

This is a charity event, benefitting Tower City Storehouse, a faith-based food pantry in San Antonio. Bring a gift of food* and get the project supplies for a bonus project!   

*The need for protein-rich, meat products are the greatest.  Please bring 3 cans of any meat protein (tuna, chicken, Spam, Vienna sausages, etc). This enables us to give a cash donation as well as ready to eat food to the Storehouse to help feed the hungry in our community.

Location: Tower City Church Event Center (410 at Broadway); 8800 Broadway (upstairs)

Masculine Cards - Stamp Camp

 At our Let's Celebrate Stamp Camp on January 14th, we will be making 8 handmade cards in the morning session and a different round of 8 in the afternoon session, with an assortment of masculine cards and feminine cards, something for everyone! 

We want to equip you to celebrate the accomplishments, the moments, and the milestones of your loved ones in 2012.  Not only will you get to make 16 handmade cards, we will help you keep the cards and dates organized with our fabulous organizational tools--handmade, of course!  You will love our card keeper box and rolodex system for keeping those birthdays and anniversaries at your fingertips, ready for celebrating.

The handmade card here features Pendant Park stamp set.  It's one of our 16 "convertible cards."  You will get to make the greeting shown here, Happy Anniversary, in addition to another one that says "just for you."  Each greeting has dimensionals on the back and is ready to add when you are ready to give your card.  Choose the greeting that best suits your occasion!

Here are the organizational tools we will help you make at the Let's Celebrate Stamp Camp.  Aren't they too cool??!! The box houses lots and lots of cards in one handy spot, and there are dividers to keep the birthday cards, friendship cards, thinking of you cards, sympathy cards, anniversary cards, etc. all in their own spot so you can grab them quickly when you need them.  The rolodex system has a spot for each month.  That way, when May rolls around, just look at the May tab, and you will see the special occasions that need some celebration!  Both organizational tools are beautifully embellished with the gorgeous Paisley Petals Designer Series Papers.  Time is running out to sign up, so register today!  Registrations close on January 1, 2012.

Let's Celebrate Stamp Camp

January 14th, 2012

2 sessions for your convenience

Different projects at each session--come to both for a full day of fun!

Registration closes on January 1, 2012

Register here

We can't wait to stamp with you!!!

 

 

Great Day SA - Stamp Camp

We are so blessed to be featured on San Antonio's premier morning show, Great Day SA, once again as we let everyone know about our Let's Celebrate Stamp Camp. Our stamp camps in San Antonio are full day events so you can enjoy creative recreation in a leisurely fashion.  And they are charity events so you can feel extra good about helping those in need while you enjoy the day. 

We are on at 9:00 a.m. today with Bridget, Paul, and the whole Great Day SA team.  What a gracious group they are!  This is our second time on the show, and we really enjoy these wonderful people who do so much to help us stay connected in San Antonio to our many local events, and their highlighting of various charity events and charities is admirable as well as appreciated.  We have a great city, and Great Day SA is an important part of it!

If you missed today's show, you can watch us here.  Stamping on live TV is a bit nerve-wracking and a bit exciting and a lot of fun! http://www.kens5.com/great-day-sa/Stamp-Camp-136377098.html

 

The project shown above is the bonus project for all our stamp campers that opt to bring 3 cans of a meat protein for the Tower City Storehouse.  For their generous donation (proceeds from the camp also benefit the Tower City Storehouse), we reward them with an awesome extra project.  It's a little box with four 3 x 3 cards and matching envelopes (using the Turtle & Co. stamp set).  What a deal!

Sign up today at:  stampcamping.com! 

Stamp Camp-Posy Punch

Here's another of the handmade cards we will be making at our January stamp camp, this one featuring the wonderful hostess set, Posy Punch.  We are so excited about our upcoming stamp camp and the 16, yes 16, handmade cards we will be making!  Each of our cards will be what we are calling "convertible cards."  What does that mean?  Well, for each card you make, you will make 2 greetings.  Then, when you get ready to use the card, you decide which greeting you want, attach, and go!  So your cards can be birthday or thank you or congratulations or get well, etc.  You simply convert your card by using the greeting of your choice.  Pretty spiffy, huh?  We think it will be lots of fun AND practical for your card-giving needs during 2012.

Watch us tomorrow on KENS5's Great Day SA at 9:00 a.m.  Gail and I will be talking about the Let's Celebrate stamp camp, doing a little demo, and having lots of fun with the stars and staff of Great Day SA.  After the busy holiday season, you deserve a little couch time, so make a date with yourself and your hot beverage of choice.  Then watch us stamping and creating handmade cards and more on live TV!

Let's' Celebrate Stamp Camp

Saturday, January 14th

2 sessions for your convenience

Come to one or both!

Different projects at each session

Registration Deadline:  January 1, 2012

stampcamping.com

 

Christmas Lodge + Quilt Card

I'm posting this beautiful quilt card with a little something from the Christmas Lodge stamp set to wish you a very Merry Christmas.This special card is just the look I wanted to share as I wish all of you a Merry Christmas on this most special of days.

I think quilt cards are just fun to make and lend a homey feel to just about any design.  Once you get all your pieces put together, run it through the Big Shot with an embossing folder for a truly quilted look!  And I love the greeting (and all the stamps!) from Christmas Lodge in the Holiday Mini Catalog.  I combined Christmas Lodge and the quilt card design to achieve a real homespun feel for this 5-1/4 x 5-1/4 card.  I love the extra large square for a really deluxe card.  It costs a bit more in postage to mail it, but I think it's worth it.

Supplies:

*Denotes Holiday Mini Catalog Items

Stamps:  Christmas Lodge*

Ink:  Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

Paper:  Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla, Real Red Card Stocks; Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Series Paper*

Accessories:  Big Shot, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon, 3/8" Very Vanilla Velvet Stitched Ribbon*, Winter Wishes Stitched Felt*

Like yesterday's share, this is one of the handmade cards from my last stamp camp (stampcamping.com).  To come to my January stamp camp, sign up quickly as registration closes on January 1st.  Start the year out right with a full day of stamping!  Or join us for a 1/2 day--whatever your budget and schedule will allow.  To top it off, it's all for a good cause.  All our stamp camps are charity events (this one benefits the Tower City Storehouse), and you will help feed the hungry in San Antonio through your registration.  We can't wait to stamp with you!

Merry & Type Stamp Set Meets In Colors

I love the purples in our two sets of In Colors and decided to pair them together for this handmade Christmas card featuring the Merry & Type stamp set.  This is one of the handmade cards we made at my last stamp camp, Homespun Holidays, as we were preparing for this glorious holiday season.

On this Christmas Eve, I wish you the very merriest Christmas ever!  And I hope to hear from you by way of comments, questions, and emails in the coming days.  I hope to actually stamp with many, many of you that live in San Antonio and the surrounding area very soon.  You can jump into my Let's Celebrate stamp camp in January.  The last day to sign up is January 1st, so you better hurry if you plan to join me. We will be making lots of handmade cards plus organizational tools to get us ready for celebrating the special moments of life in 2012.

Hopefully, you are reading this blog while you are waiting for something to come out of the oven, someone to arrive at your house, or for it to be time to go where you are going!  It's the happiest time of year.  May your Christmas be filled with laughter and joy, and may you be surrounded by those you love.  If you don't already have a church home, I invite you to our Christmas Candlelight Service at Tower City Church where my husband is the pastor.  It's 5:00-6:00 tonight and is a tradition worth keeping.  What joy to celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ!  Our service is family-friendly, so bring the kids or come on your own--whatever your situation may be.  But as we reach the peak of this happiest time of the year, take a little time to worship and pray.  Jesus truly is the reason for the season and the essence of all things Christmas.

Festive & Fun!

The Festive & Fun stamp set is appropriately named!  This Holiday Mini Catalog set covers Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day.  This card, made by one of my swapping buddies Bobbie Ganley, is a handmade Christmas card.  I love the creativity of the stamp designs in this set.  Somehow, Stampin' Up! managed to incorporate the candy cane, wreath, stockings, and holly leaf images of Christmas in one stamp!

The Holiday MIni Catalog only lasts through January 3, 2012, so hurry to get Festive & Fun stamp set and other Holiday Mini products.  The New Year is fast approaching, so don't delay.  Purchase any of these products and more from my online store:  candystamps.stampinup.net. 

Stamp Camp - Sneak Peek!

Stampers, get ready for my next great Stamp Camp in San Antonio--Let's Celebrate!  Here's a sneak peek of one of 16 cards you will make at my all-day stamping event (this one features Elements of Style stamp set).  It's creative recreation and more fun than you can imagine!

We start at 9:00 and stamp and have fun till 12:30.  There will be

• demonstrations you can watch,
• samples you can admire and photograph,
• displays to inspire you,
• new friends to meet, and
• awesome stamping projects that will have you smiling all the way through!

We break for lunch from 12:30-1:30.  You can sign up for our lunch, made especially for our stamp camp, or opt to brown bag or visit one of the nearby lunch spots like Zito's Deli and McDonald's.  Complete details are at stampcamping.com.

Then we are back for the afternoon session from 1:30-5:00.  There is a whole new set of projects for the afternoon--totally different than the morning.  There will be more of the great fun from the morning session.  Oh...did I forget to mention amazing door prizes??!!!  I think I did.  Ooops!  There will be door prizes at both the morning and afternoon sessions!

You can come to one session or both, but do come and camp with us!  Start the year out right with creative recreation, stamping your way to joyous celebrations!  Full details at stampcamping.com.

Clearance Rack Blitz

 

If you are familiar with the Clearance Rack, you already know what a great deal you can find on select products.  The "deals" have just increased!!!  Running through January 5, 2012, there are literally hundreds of new items added to the Clearance Rack!!  Some of the discounts are even up to 80 percent off retail--while supplies last!

A few notes:

• Only online orders qualify for this promotion. 
• You can include regular products on the same order.
• The Clearance Rack Blitz includes old-body style punches.
• There is no minimum purchase required to participate in this promotion.
• Qualifying Clearance Rack orders are eligible for hostess benefits/Stampin' Rewards.
• Clearance Rack Blitz items are only available while supplies last. There are no refunds or exchanges on Clearance Rack items.
• You may view Clearance Rack Blitz items in the Online Store.
• Deadlines:Phone:
  • Thursday, January 5, 2012; 6:50 PM (MT)
  • Online Store: Thursday, January 5, 2012; 11:50 PM (MT

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Stocking Builder Punch - Now or Never!

Stampin' Up! announced today that the Stocking Builder Punch (124095)will NOT carry over after the Holiday Mini Catalog expires on January 3rd AND they are only available while supplies last.  Get it now or never in my online store:  candystamps.stampinup.net.

There is also a coordinating stamp set, Stitched Stockings (123782), shown in the sample below (both these samples are swaps I received). 

What versatility is in the Stocking Builder Punch as you use it in ways that go beyond Christmas stockings!  Think outside the box, and you can come up with lots of creative ideas for another of the fabulous, best-quality punches from Stampin' Up!.

Again, this punch is only available while supplies last, so hurry to my online store:  candystamps.stampinup.net and get yours while you still can.

Christmas Lodge

For today's Saturday Sample, here is a Christmas card featuring the very popular Christmas Lodge stamp set from the Holiday Mini Catalog.  The classic, beautifully detailed images make this set easy to use and makes you look like an expert stamper even if you are a beginner!  The card below is a quick and easy card, so you can make lots of them in a short amount of time.  And its short supply list makes it very budget-friendly, too!

Stamps:  Christmas Lodge

Ink:  Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad

Paper:  Bashful Blue, Night of Navy Card Stocks

Accessories:  Embossing Buddy, Pewter Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Bashful Blue 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Dazzling Details glitter glue, 3/16" Corner Rounder Punch

To purchase any of these supplies today as well as take advantage of the amazing Clearance Rack deals relased this week, visit my online Sweet Stamper store:  candystamps.stampinup.net.

Watch Us Stamp on TV!

Mark your calendars now, because Gail and Candy will be stamping on live TV once again as we promote our next stamp camp, Let's Celebrate, a charity event.  We are so excited to be featured on San Antonio's popular Great Day SA (KENS5) show for the second time!  We will be on Thursday, December 29th, at 9:00 a.m.  Make a date with yourself to get on the couch and relax with a steaming cup of tea and the last of some Christmas goodies:)  You deserve a little down-time after all the hustle and bustle of Christmas.

You will see all the projects we will be making at the upcoming Let's Celebrate Stamp Camp on Saturday, January 14th.  There will be a little demonstration once again.  Last time, Paul Mireles really liked the Big Shot and was pretty amazed at what it can do in just seconds.  We plan to wow him again with cool papercrafting and amazing projects:)  Keep up to date with all our stamp camp news and register at stampcamping.com!  I can't wait to stamp with you in 2012...in San Antonio and beyond!

Stampin' Up! Bargains!

There are Stampin' Up! bargains galore in the Clearance Rack of my online store:  candystamps.stampinup.net.  Find savings of 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%!  You must hurry as these Stampin' Up! bargains are only available while supplies last.  You will find an array of great products at rock-bottom prices including:

• Punches
• Big Shot dies
• Ribbons
• Brads
• Buttons
• Inks
• Designer Series Papers
• Rub Ons
• Albums
• Frames
• Calendars
• Trims
• Simply Sent Kits
• Little Houses
• Window Sheets
• Chipboard
• Clipboards
• Recipe Kits
• Markers
• Simply Adorned Chains
• Ribbon Keepers
• Pastel Chalks
• Sound Cards

And so much more!  As you can see by my list, there is a HUGE number of items to choose from!  Hurry there today:  candystampstampinup.net.  Click on Products then Shop Now then Clearance Rack.  Happy shopping and saving!  Stampin' Up! bargains are the best:)

Coffee Filter Wreath

I made this beautiful coffee filter wreath with lots of coffee filters and a few Stampin' Up! products.  I love the way it turned out!  My team and my upline's team combined for a double group Christmas party, and this is the handmade gift I provided.  Each year, we do a gift exchange of a handmade item using Stampin' Up! products.  I was so pleased with the way this came out that I plan to make one for my daughter and daughters in law.

Unfortunately, my close-up shots didn't come out, so you can't really see the detail on the snowflakes, but they are made with the Northern Frost Sizzlits strip and adorned with lots of Rhinestone Basic Jewels.  I made the bow with Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon, some retired Very Vanilla Organza Ribbon, and one of the large Designer Buttons filled up with more rhinestones for just enough subtle bling (that sounds like an oxymoron!)  My coffee filter wreath was fun to make and I think it is so elegant! 

Call me today at 210-355-5729 to learn more about becoming part of my Stampin' Up! team.  We have a great time sharing creative ideas for our projects as well as our businesses, and we learn so much from one another.  YOU can be a part, too!  Let's talk:)  Maybe you will get one of my coffee filter wreaths at the next Christmas party!

Stamp Camp from Santa

You can be one of Santas's elves and give and/or receive a stamp camp ticket for Christmas!  You can help Santa bring fabulous gifts to those on your Christmas gift list who have been good this year!  Our next stamp camp is Saturday, January 14th, and a ticket to Let's Celebrate makes a fabulous Christmas gift! 

A ticket to Let's Celebrate is a gift that keeps on giving.  Not only do ticket-holders enjoy a great event, they have LOTS of things to take home with them to use throughout the year.  Wouldn't you love to make that happen for someone special in your life...assuming they have been good this year:)

Or how about you?  With visions of sugarplums dancing in your head, are there also visions of stamping in the new year?  Put Let's Celebrate Stamp Camp on your wish list and give us some contact info for your loved ones.  I will let them know about your wish list and help them make your holiday dreams come true.  Or just purchase it yourself and put it under the tree!

Full information is on the stampcamping.com calendar page, and you can get there by clicking here.  Make sure that Santa's bag is full this year by purchasing tickets (or requesting them for yourself:) to Let's Celebrate Stamp Camp.  I can't wait to stamp with you!

Bright Hopes for the Season!

For today's Saturday Sample, here's another option for using the Bright Hopes stamp set in the Holiday Mini Catalog.  This is a quick and easy card that uses minimal supplies, so you can make lots of these in no time at all.  Easy on your wallet and easy on your budget! 

The snowflake is a classic Christmas image, and here it is shown in both stamped and die cut form to add interest and beauty to this handmade Christmas card I received as part of a Holiday Mini Catalog swap.  Notice the use of the Scallop Rectangle Clearlit die.  It is actually clear, so you just stamp your image or greeting on card stock, center the die over the stamped image, and then run through the Big Shot for a perfectly centered image on your scallop rectangle.  It's super easy and works beautifully!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Bright Hopes set

Ink:  Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad

Paper: Concord Crush, Vellum Card Stocks

Accessories:  Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Snowflake #2 Die, Scallop Rectangle Clearlit; Rhinestone Basic Jewels, SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals

Shop in my Sweet Stamper online store today to get your stamping supplies as well as Christmas gifts for the crafters in your life:  candystamps.stampinup.net.

Shelli on the Today Show

Shelli made her appearance on the Today Show on Tuesday, December 6th.  Here is the video with her presenting some of our Sweet Press Cookie stamps to the Today Show gang and check out the girls in the background waving signs! Enjoy!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

 

 

Christmas Scrapbook Pages

Here are the quick and easy scrapbook pages we made in my scrapbookers club last month featuring Christmas Scrapbook Pages.  I love the idea of getting scrapbook pages made and ready to go so you just pop in your photos after the event.  These pages have plenty of room for several photos each plus journaling.  For me, those are perfect scrapbook pages!  When I designed these pages, I thought they would work great for scrapbooking past Christmases as well as the present one (like that little pun???!!!).  How many of us have photos from Christmas past that have NOT been scrapbooked???!!!  So here's the layout to get you started! 

I love the classic images and color scheme of the Holly Berry Bouquet Designer series paper in the Holiday Mini Catalog.  A little bit is all it takes, meaning you can make lots and lots of quick and easy scrapbook pages for your entire holiday season!  Scrapbook the Christmas parties you attend, trimming your tree, wrapping gifts, Christmas shopping, and more with just one package of Holly Berry Bouquet DSP.  Add a few Mini Jingle Bells, some Dazzling Details, and Glass Stampin' Glitter for a little sparkle and shine befitting the holiday season, and your scrapbook pages will positively glow!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Tags Til Christmas

Ink:  Garden Green, Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pads

Paper:  Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip 12 x 12 Card Stocks; Holly Berry Bouquet DSP*

Accessories:  Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Tasteful Trim XL Die, Naturally Serif Sizzlet Decortive Strip Die, Decorative Label and Postage Stamp Punches, Real Red 5/8" Satin Ribbon and Garden Green 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Glass Stampin' Glitter, Dazzling Details Glitter Glue*, Mini Jingle Bells*, SNAIL Adhesive, Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals

*Holiday Mini Catalog items

Scrapbooking your holidays is the perfect activity for the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.  Let your kids help you, and make it a family affair!  Shop today in my online store:  candystamps.stampinup.net to get all the supplies you need for quick and easy Christmas scrapbook pages; you will be ready in no time at all:)

12 Weeks of Christmas

My 12 Weeks of Christmas gift is still going forward, and if you haven't yet jumped into that, there is still time.  What is my 12 Weeks of Christmas gift?  Well, each year, I treat my newsletter subscribers to a weekly Christmas project absolutely free.  We start with Christmas cards and move to gifts and then wrap up (no pun intended:) with tags and wrappings.  That is in addition to the free projects, tips, and more that I already give each month in my Sweet Stamper e-newsletter.

My Sweet Stamper e-newsletter comes out around the 1st and 15th of each month.  The first one is packed with free projects, tips, techniques instruction, and more plus information about all my upcoming classes and other events.  The second monthly letter is shorter but also delivers some excellent content.  You can unsubscribe at any time, but my newsletters are popular, and I think you will like them!  So sign up today by simply clicking on the little sign up box in the upper left corner of this blog.  My 12 Weeks of Christmas gift releases each Wednesday, so you will get one today when you sign up!

Classic Bright Hopes

Bright Hopes, in the Holiday Mini Catalog, has some really classic images, and in this card, that is paired with a classic Christmas color scheme of Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Garden Green, and Wild Wasabi.  I love the classics whether it's literature, music, clothing, cars, movies, design, or colors.  And I love traditional and classic Christmas!  I received this card as part of a Holiday Mini Catalog Swap and love the look and feel conveyed.  I especially like the trim little mini-bow!  Personally, I'm bow-challenged, and I don't know if I could tie a bow that small, but it's neat and tidy and just the right touch on this handmade Christmas card!

There is still time to make some handmade Christmas cards, but you do need to get busy.  If you make a quick and easy card like this, you can put some together in no time at all.  Get your design decided on and prep your pieces.  Then turn on one of the great Christmas movies showing on TV during this month and sit down to an evening of creative fun.  You will love the results and be so relaxed as well:)  Christmas movies + an evening of stamping = special fun!

And plan more stamping for the new year.  Contact me today to reserve your place in one of my monthly card-making clubs or scrapbooking club.  Or let's put together a date for a workshop in the new year.  A workshop is a wonderful way to get together with friends and/or family for a free stamping lesson and lots of creativity and laughter.  Call me at 210-355-5729 or email me at candy@sweetstamper.com.  My calendar is already getting booked, so hurry!  There are Bright Hopes for your stamping future:)

Handmade Christmas Tag

For today's Inspirational Sunday Post, I'm showing a simple but lovely handmade Christmas tag.  I love gift tags, and Christmas ones seem extra special with the many Christmas images we have to choose from in a never-ending array of new ideas, color schemes, designs, and shapes.  This one was designed by one of my team members, Jamie Sanchez, and my team will be making this tag at our Christmas party tomorrow, and then my club members will all be making it at this month's club meetings as well.  So this little tag will get lots of mileage!  And that doesn't count the ones that will be on family Christmas gifts!  The handmade Christmas tag below features the following supplies:

Stamps:  Christmas Greetings set

Ink:  Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad

Paper:  Wild Wasabi Textured Card Stock, Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Series Paper, Red Glimmer Paper

Accessories:  Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, 3"Circle Die, Garden Green 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Pearls Basic Jewels, White Bakers Twine

Sometimes people get upset over the "commercialization" of Christmas.  Personally, I love everything about Christmas and am thrilled to see so many decorations in neighborhoods, shops, restaurants, homes, etc.  Christmas is a big deal and deserves a big celebration! 

The Wise Men, or Magi, are part of the Christmas story.  The Wise Men travelled from the East and brought gifts to Jesus.  These were not small, inconsequential gifts--they were gifts befitting royalty.  Jesus is the King of all Kings, and the Wise Men honored Him accordingly.  This is where our tradition of gift-giving at Christmas originates.  And I make no apologies for giving gifts at Christmas.  In fact, as our children were growing up, we made sure there were loads of gifts under the tree!  They weren't expensive--finances were extremely tight.  I wrapped up everything that didn't move and made gifts out of a single pair of children's socks, a new pack of pencils for school work, hand-me-down clothes, simple hair ribbons, homemade clothing (I made a simple blouse for my mother-in-law one Christmas that she wore for over 20 years!).  We only gave gifts to our children on birthdays and Christmas when they were growing up, and we didn't buy clothes before the school year, so these life occasions were a big deal in our home.  They were the only times my kids got anything new, so the anticipation was incredible, and the actual events even better:)

Now that our kids are grown, Christmas is still a really big deal in my family.  Gift-giving is still very special for us and still quite economical although finances aren't quite as tight as they were when our kids were small.  The excitement of choosing something for a loved one, wrapping it up pretty, and watching them open it under the tree on Christmas Eve doesn't get old.  We take turns going around the room and watch each person open their gifts so that we can all share the joy together.  It's fun, it's special, and it all began with Jesus.  Not only did He receive gifts, He gave gifts.  But I'll save that topic for another blog post!

Make some handmade Christmas tags for your gifts this year to make them extra-special.  Handmade, heartfelt at Christmas.

Last Day for You Are Loved

Today is the last day to purchase Holiday Mini Catalog items including the awesome stamp set You Are Loved.  The lovely images in this stamp set go beyond Valentine's Day.  Look at these beautiful handmade cards made by my swapping buddy Angela Sylvester.  They run the gamut from friendship to thinking of you to love to Valentine's Day. 

Stampin' Up! is so good at creating rubber stamp sets that coordinate well with one another and have great versatility, excellent clarity, and highest quality available.  You can purchase  You Are Loved in my online store, candystamps.stampinup.net. 

You Are Loved (123777-wood mount), (123779-clear mount)

Supplies for Sweet Friend card, my Saturday Sample:

Stamps:  You Are Loved

Ink:  Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder Classic Stampin' Pads

Paper:  Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder, Very Vanilla Card Stocks

Accessories:  Very Vanilla Velvet Stitched Ribbon, Basic Rhinestone Jewels, Simply Scored Scoring Tool

Get your Holiday Mini Catalog items now while you can. This is the last day!

 

 

Christmas Lodge Pops!

The Christmas Lodge stamp set positively pops when used with a Poppy Parade and Cherry Cobbler color scheme!  For today's Saturday Sample, I wanted to share this card that pops and even sings with color (pun intended as there are musical notes in the background of my card:).  I have loved this stamp set from the Holiday Mini Catalog.  Its versatility and ease of use is amazing!  Scroll through my blog posts of the last few months to see many more handmade cards with Christmas Lodge.

Supplies:

Stamps:  Christmas Lodge set, Music Notes wheel

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler, Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pads; Black StazOn Pad

Paper:  Poppy Parade, Very Vanilla Card Stocks

Accessories:  Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Top Note Die, Northern Frost Sizzlit Strip Die; Blender Pen, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, SNAIL Adhesive, Two Way Glue Pen, Stampin' Dimensionals

The Holiday Mini Catalog runs out on January 3rd, so order your stamps quickly while you still can!  It's not too late to make beautiful tags and wraps for this Christmas as well as gorgeous handmade thank you cards for the many holiday gifts and treats you will receive this season.  By purchasing Christmas Lodge stamp set now, you will also be ready to make NEXT year's Christmas cards next summer!  Plan ahead and enjoy the LACK of stress:)

Visit my online store:  candystamps.stampinup.net  And call me at 210-355-5729 with any questions at all.  Let Christmas Lodge pop for you!

Perfect Gift Boxes

Do you hate shopping for boxes to fit your little trinkets and small gifts?  Why not just make your own?  Try our Kraft Gift Boxes in the Holiday Mini Catalog.

 

You can personalize these boxes and make them the envy of all your family and friends.  Simply add Designer Series Paper, Accessories, color and tags and you have the perfect package to hold your holiday goodies!