Christmas Gift Envelopes

Every year at Christmas I try and make a special handmade paper craft item for my two children and both my grand kids. This year, Since my grandson in now a teenager I wanted to make something I could put a gift card and note in. I came up with these two pocket mini cards to do just that,

The cards were very simple to make, I used a plain white envelope 4 by 9 inches. I folded the envelope to 4 by 5, snipped of the ends and added my favorite Christmas papers on them which this year was Kaiser Craft, My Minds Eye and of course Graphic 45!

I used the front pocket for the gift cards and the back for a little handwritten note to each of them. They really loved received these and were touched by my note cards (I always say mushy things to them in my notes lol)

The card on the right I actually used an old Christmas Greeting card left over from last year!

Passionate About Art: Thrusday Freebie Vintage Postcard from France

I have another blog that usually just has my freebies listed on it. I want to share that site with you today. Its at
Passionate About Art. Todays freebie is a lovely French Maiden all dressed in Pink, its a vintage postcard from about 1914 or so. All my freebies are listed over there, its just eaiser to keep track of what I am doing on two different blogs. Does anyone else have two blogs?

Happy New Year!

Well my friends its a new year and this year I thought I would list the top 5 items I got in 2012 that I just could not seem to live without.

1. I finally got my ATG gun, It took me until 12-29-12 to get it but it was on sale 50% off, how could I resist??
2. All of my iamroses flowers, if you haven't checked out this website hurry over and take a peek now, I will wait...
3. Spellbinders Donna Salazar Roses die, wow this makes great roses, I will post some soon.
4. Any of the Graphic 45 papers, if you haven't seen these wonderful papers you are really missing out on some of the best art for scrapbooking.
5. Tim Holtz scissors, these are the strongest scissors I have every used, I even cut  my dogs rawhide bones with them and they always stay sharp, a serious must have for me.

So there you have my favorite top 5 items of 2012, What are your favorites? I can't wait to see what my favorites will be in 2013 lol.

Holiday Cupcakes!

Its Holiday time and around my house that means baking and more baking! This photo is just a quick one of my homemade chocolate and cream cheese filling with homemade frosting! I can say that these cupcakes are truly worth waiting all year for...yummy!

More baked goodies!

 Below is Orange Biscotti

 Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Lemon Bars

 Prefrosted Cupcakes

So there you have it, Biscotti, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Lemon Bars (before cutting) and other misc baked items. I hope you all eat well and have a very happy Holiday Season this year!

All About Bows!

This year I decided I was getting a little tired of the same old holiday decorations. We've used these same decorations for 15 years or more and this year I just couldn't look at them anymore! I decided to made some new bows for my tree instead!

I don't know about you all but every year after Christmas I go to the craft stores and stock up on items that are now marked way down. Ribbon is one of the items I just love to pick up at a sale price. I had about 10 spools of wire ribbon in my stash and thought hmm what to do with these, so of course I went on youtube and looked up bows and found a great video tutorial on how to make them here.

These are the results of my first few attempts of bow making! I think they came out great and the best part is they look fantastic on my tree.

Bliss!

Okay so I thought I would try and do some art using only pens and paper and markers and this is what I came up with! Now to be fair I absolutely stink at drawing. When I was in school I drew stick figures and always got terrible grade in art ( I know right, who does that??).

My daughter says just doodling or drawing something makes you get your creative juices flowing and right now I could use that as its Holiday time and I would like to come up with something different than Christmas tags to give on my gifts.

 I chose following my bliss since reading the art journal book, Journal Bliss: Creative Prompts to Unleash Your Inner Eccentric by Violette. I loved reading this book and looking at all her eye candy. So do I think I am going to be a great artist like? No, but I will have more fun just doodling with pretty colors and hopefully will jump start my creativity before the holiday gifts are unwrapped!

Holidays Are A Coming!

So to start off this Holiday Season I made my first Christmas Tag. I like to make these to use as a decorative item on the box my homemade Christmas cookies come in. They are a big hit with my family and friends and there is much trading with them at the family party every year. It makes my heart proud to have my handmade items be so "collectible".

Items used to make this tag are Ranger Craft Tags, Tim Holtz Distress ink, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch,
a vintage postcard santa, K & Co small tag, Spellbinders die, and a new Stampendous Christmas Background Stamp (love!), tulle, Recollections plain white flower and red ribbon.