I have a good friend named Amy...

I have a good friend named Amy.

We met about a year ago online through the blogs and then in real life this summer, when I moved to Illinois and just a few miles from her house.

I have several new loves in my life that I can blame on her which include a serious addiction to Panera Cinnamon Crunch bagels {sandwich sliced of course} and my new Cuttlebug {if you don't know the story of my Cuttlebug and how I have one now totally thanks to her influence, you need to go read my post...here. It's a good story}

Along with the Cuttlebug, you know that you have to have dies and embossing folders, right? Well, just about the time that I got my Cuttlebug, Hobby Lobby started carrying the Spellbinders nestabilities and Amy was very helpful in pointing this out to me. :o) So, I also am carrying a huge crush on all things with the Spellbinders logo on them and that brings us to the point of this rambling...

Spellbinders is running a DT Contest!!!!

The only thing better than a drawer full of dies is getting them free to play with all you want. Needless to say, I am definitely trying out for this one! Amy, are you going to join me?!??!

The Life of a Perpetual Procrastinator...

Kat is asleep.
I had 2 hours to get some of my Christmas cards assembled.
But I still need to write my Christmas letter...
and I still need to take photos of the kids.
Then a new stamp caught my eye....
that has nothing to do with Christmas...
and decided to make a Valentine instead.

There will always be another Christmas next year, right?

Winner!!!

Congratulations, catdidit!!!
You win the stamp kit!
Email me your info and I will get it out in today's mail... snowchris_01@yahoo.com

Holiday Hip Hop

Hip-Hop!!!

This is our final hip-hop for 2008.
Angela has some amazing things planned for Unity in 2009
so let's finish off this year with a flourish and head on into 2009!

I have a couple of things to share today. The first is a layout that I created titled, You're Not my Little Boy Anymore. Funnily enough, the first thing that my DH said when I handed him this layout was, "Wow! He's so tall." So it's not just me that feels like that when I look at this photo of 13 year old DS.

The journaling on this says, "I look at this photo and all I see is that you aren't my little boy anymore. You are getting so big, becoming so composed, finding your true-self. I'm so proud of you!"

You may recognize the overall design of this layout. Yes, I used Amber's card sketch this week to give me the inspiration for how to lay out my scrapbook page. Thanks Amber!
Supplies used:
*Unity Stamp Co. Our life, Our Stories
*Unity Stamp Co. Hullabaloo
*Scenic Route paper (red)
*Basic Grey paper (dk. brown)
*Bazzill Kraft
*American Crafts alpha stickers
*Making Memories bitty alpha stickers
*Heidi Grace brads
*brown inkpad

My second project to share today was inspired by a post that Angela made on the Unity SCS forum looking for a CHA make-n-take. I love challenges like this (to create something super-fun, with loads of visual impact, but with minimal supplies & effort.) And this is what I came up with...

It's just a fun little sign. I have mine hanging off the door handle to my stamp room, but you could use it as a luggage tag or hanging off a tote bag...just a fun little thing to have.

Supplies used:
*Unity Stamp Co. Worn Music Background
*Unity Stamp Co. Remember Happiness (flowers)
*Unity Stamp Co. Cocktail Party (chandalier)
*Take Note Die Cut (Stampin Up)
*Mini punch (stampin Up)
*sentiment done on the computer in Word
*Martha Stewart bling
*American Crafts ribbon
*Rhonna Farrer paper (pink)

Now for the fun! In honor of the holidays, I am giving away a little bit of blog candy. Leave a comment here today and I will choose and post my winner in the morning. The winner will win the Simple Pleasures kit. Just make sure to leave an email if you don't have a blog on your comment so that I can let you know if you are the winner.

Now you need to finish up the blog hop and head on over to Laura's extremely inspirational blog!

Shivering in the Midwest...

Brrrrr! It is cold...and icy....and snowy! Yesterday our high was 17...today it looks like it is going to be about 20. I am not sure that I am built to survive the Midwest and wishing that the snow fairies would come and de-ice my car...or at least go grocery shopping for me. ;o)

I have a few things (very few...LOL!) to share with you today, but first things first...

HaPpY BiRtHdAy, KaRa!!!!!
I hope that you have had a fabulous day!!!

And now a little art to share with you...this is a card based upon Amber's sketch this week over on the SCS forum. I am so glad that she is back with us and immediately got back to her sketches after her ankle surgery. I love the style of them (in fact, I love them so much I have made another project using this sketch, but you won't get to see it until hip-hop on Thursday.)

I used several different stamps on this card. The little owl journaling block is from the Our Lives, Our stories kit. The little tree branch is a cute little stamp that I just got in. It's one of those stamps (Princess floweret) that I have had in my cart at least 4 times before I finally broke down and bought it...I am so glad that I did...it's so cute! And finally the Whateva is from this month's kit of the month, Little Reminders... such a fun stamp!

For the center of each of the little flowers, I added a bit of orange glitter detail. The stamps are watercolored using my watercolor pencils and then I added a bit of white highlight with my white pen.

Supplies used:
*Unity Stamp Co. Little Reminders
*Unity Stamp Co. Our Lives, Our Stories
*Unity Stamp Co. Princess Floweret
*Daisy bucket paper (orange)
*SEI paper (turquoise floral)
*Bazzill
*watercolor pencils
*orange glitter
*Memories brown inkpad
*ribbon

I do have a couple of other projects in the works right now that I should be able to show you soon, but quite honestly, this is where I am trying to concentrate my time...I have got to get these Christmas cards finished!!!

Following along the Hip-Hop Trail...

Welcome to this week's edition of Hip Hop!!!

I hope that you have been enjoying the hop so far!!! If you have just stumbled along to my blog and have no idea what I am talking about, then you need to head over to Angela's Unity blog and follow from there. You will eventually make it back here again.

I have three things to share with you today and all of them have come from various challenges.

This first piece is a tag that I made for a trend challenge from a new blog from PaperCrafts, called Moxie Fab World. I wanted to feature lots of the different trends that she was talking about, so this piece uses an extra-ordinate amount of different stamp kits. Sorry about that everyone, but I really love how it turned out even if you do need 6-7 kits to re-create it. ;o)

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Flourishing Family Tree

*Unity Stamp Co. It's the Little Things (big mushroom)

*Unity Stamp Co. Enjoy Your Story, Laugh (deer)

*Unity Stamp Co. Thinking About the Good Times (owl)

*Unity Stamp Co. Our Life, Our Stories (little mushroom)

*Unity Stamp Co. Floral Fantastical (Hope sentiment)

*October Afternoon paper (woodgrain)

*KI Memories paper (blue)

*K&Company Amy Butler paper (green)

*ribbon

*watercolor pencils

*Martha Stewart border punch and twill

The tag measures about 4" x 8". I used watercolor pencils on most of the stamped images and paper pieced the blue leaves on the tree using the KI paper.

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This second card was inspired by the challenge issued by the Unity Addicts for this week. These girls are TALENTED (go check out their blogs...Angela links them up every Wednesday!!!) They issued a challenge to scraplift the new Virtual Stamp Night Moderators Team for Splitcoast which just happen to all be Unity Design Team Member: Jen Buck, Jimmi, and Maren. I love everything that these girls create, so it was really hard to choose just one card to lift, but I had the new Ginormous Cupcake kit that hadn't gotten inky yet so I chose to CASE this card from Maren.

My dad has a birthday coming up right after the new year so I tried to make this more masculine looking using the Cosmo Cricket Mr. Campy paper line although I did have to add just the tiniest bit of glitter to that paper-peiced icing. :o)

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Ginormous Cupcakes

*Cosmo Cricket Mr. Campy paper line

*orange glitter

*Scalloped oval nesties

*cuttlebug

*Fiskars Threading water border punch

*Martha Stewart twill

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For my final card, I made this using this week's SCS sketch, #206.

I still haven't made my Christmas cards (I know, you all know me pretty well by now so that is really not a shock. LOL!) We will see what I end up doing. Some of you may receive this one!

Again, the images on this are colored using the watercolor pencils.

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Bitty Christmas Tags

*K&Company Brenda Walton Peppermint Twist Collection (I adore the retro look to this paper collection...definitely my favorite this year!)

*Fiskars Threading Water border punch

*ribbon

*pop-dots

Now you need to head over to the amazingly-talented Linsey's blog and be sure to leave a comment because she is the Queen Of Comments!!! Not only is she uber-talented, but she makes everyone feel amazing about whatever they have created...a truly wonderful soul!

Missing: One blogger!!!

I know, I know!!! I desperately need to update this thing, but the stockings have needed to be hung, warming by the fire has been required, bows and wrappings have needed to be done, and I have simply been enjoying the season with my family.





I promise to do better and will definitely be back tomorrow for HIP-HOP!!!

Hip-Hopping Happenings...

ETA: Congratulations Beate, You WIN the Alphabet!!!

{email eryn@unitystampco.com and let her know your mailing info and that you won Worn PolkaDot Alpha from the blog candy)

Happy Hip-Hop Everyone!!!!

How has the blog hop gone so far? I am sure that it is full of the normal eye-candy...I love seeing what everyone creates every week...it's so fun!!!




I have three projects to share with you today. My first two feature the December kit of the month...Little Reminders. I know that we all say it every month (but that is only because Angela and her artists continue to get better and better), but I LOVE this kit...it's so darn cute!!!



For my layout, I used this kit, the swirl stamped across the bottom, behind the title; the basket and Bliss in the scalloped ovals; and the Love quote at the top of the layout. I also added one of the journaling blocks from Our Life, Our Stories. Everything that is stamped in red has been clear embossed and I used watercolor pencils on the basket to color it. The layout is based upon the Inspired Blueprints Sketch #5.

Btw, this is my mom with the kids when she was here to visit last month...JacqueB for those of you on the Splitcoast forums!


Supplies used:
*Unity Stamp Co. Little Reminders
*Unity Stamp Co. Our Life, Our Stories
*Making Memories Ledger Paper
*Crate Paper Die-Cut paper
*Scenic Route Sonoma paper
*Bo Bunny floral paper
*Bazzill cardstock
*American Crafts alphabet stickers
*rickrack
*watercolor pencils
*Marvy Uchida oval punches

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I also created a very simple card using this kit and the SCS sketch for this week... Looking at this today, I think that it needs a bit of glitter on the snowflakes on those cute mittens...wouldn't that be fun?

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Little Reminders

*K&Company Christmas paper

*watercolor pencils

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And guess what, you are at the end of today's blog hop!!! That means that I have the blog candy. We are giving away this wonderfully cute alphabet, Worn Polka Dot Alpha!! I love this alphabet and think that it probably gets overlooked in favor of all the really cute images, but you can do some amazing stuff with it. These letters are 1 1/2" each so you can really make a statement with them. I used them on this purse that I made for my neice Emily for Christmas.

The purse came from Hobby Lobby ($6!) I stamped the journaling block from Our Life, Our Stories onto muslin using StazOn. The E is actually stamped using Pigment Ink (no, you wouldn't want to wash this). I then pinked the edges of my muslin, ironed it on using wonderUnder, and then used embroidery floss to finish it off on the purse.

To create another fun little embellishment, I stamped the owl from Mix Up of Cuteness onto Shrinky dinks, colored it with colored pencils and punched it with my mega scallop oval punch to create an extra little tag/fun for the purse strap.

Here is another fun example of how you can use this alphabet to create monogram cards (great gift idea...esp. for teachers and friends!) BTW, this is a card that I created almost a year ago when I got my first kits of Unity stamps. Who knew then what a huge part of my life you all (and these stamps) would become. :o)

Now leave a comment here to be eligible for the drawing for this fun alphabet at the end of the day today. And come on over and join us in the chat and fun over at the Splitcoast forum!!!

I don't do tags...

I swear I don't... :o)

But first, I have a winner to announce...Congratulations, Becky!! You won the Unity stamps!! (send me an email with your mailing info and I will get them out to you! snowchris_01@yahoo.com )...and thank you to you all for sharing what you are making for your Christmas gifts...some fun ideas and gifts listed there!
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But now back to those tags (that I don't do...) I have seen my name attached to this one too many times lately to ignore it. First of all, thanks to all that have nominated me for this one...I think that you all liked my 12 days, didn't you?!? (there are a few more ideas to come...) You girls that have nominated me are some of my all-time favorite bloggers so it is huge that you have included me on your lists. THANK YOU!!!

I have said it before, but I am going to say it again...I am a blog addict. Not only do I try to regularily visit all the blogs that I have linked on here, but I have another 75-100 blogs saved in my favorites link on my computer that aren't listed here. Do you think that I have a problem?!?! If I do, don't tell me...I love it. I love the way that you step into someone's blog and you feel like you are transported into their lives/their home. Each blog has it's own feel...comfy cozy, shabby chic, modern and fun! I love that and because I want to share some of that love, I thought that I would share some of my new-finds-now-new-favorites blogs with you that I don't have linked on here and share this award with them.

*Everyday Musings by Alexis
*Beates Verden
*Hemidemisemiquaver
*Anna Maria Horner
*The Big Reveal
*Paper, Scissors, Superheroes


Oh, and if you are listed here on my blog, you already know that you are one of my favorites, so consider yourself tagged!!! :o)

A Layout for a change...

I have been so busy with my 12 days stuff the last couple of weeks, that I have been dying to get into a layout. I did this one using the bonus sketch for October on the Inspired Blueprints blog (have you been over there yet??? Awesome sketches!!! AND a new one was posted today that I am sure you will see a version of here soon!!)

Details about the layout:
I used the bonus sketch from October for my layout. The journaling says: "When Jacob started 8th grade, he got in the habit of taking Kat for a walk before he left to catch the bus. She liked it A LOT!! So we would all get our turn walking Kat- even on the weekends.

Supplies used:
*Scenic Route papers and stickers
*Unity Stamp Co. Our Life, Our Stories stamp kit
*Flower punches
*old dictionary
*Heidi Grace brads
*Martha Stewart border punch
*Pink Paislee alphabet stickers

Don't forget to comment on my 12 Days of Christmas Creating- Day 12 post below for your chance to win the Unity stamps!!! I'll draw a winner tomorrow night!

12 Days of Christmas Creating- Day 12- Twelve Buttons

WARNING: PHOTOS OF MIA & EMILY'S GIFTS ENCLOSED!!!

You thought that I forgot didn't you? No, instead I have just been spending some quality time with the family and not so much time on the computer the last couple of days. Nothing too exciting...just relaxing together...watching movies and football, sitting in front of the fire, leisurely reading together. You know, just fun together time where we are all in the same room. I know, shocking isn't it?

But I am back now with my finally 12 Days project. This is a project that I saw posted by Rhonna Farrar and totally fell in love!!! You can see her post about them here. For my bracelets, I decided that I wanted to make them for Emily and Mia. Kara sent me their wrist measurements...so I am really hoping that they fit with enough room to actually clasp them...cross your fingers for me.

The green one is for Emily (who is 9) and the blue one is for Mia (who is 3.) I glued the buttons all together and onto the ribbon and then also sewed them on so they should be attached really sturdily.

For the ends of the ribbons, I used an embellishment/ribbon clasp that I found in a Making Memories Ribbon & Attachments kit. Then I simply added jump rings onto the end of that with the bracelet closures. For the ribbons, I cut the end with pinking shears and then just folded under the last 1/4" on each end under the ribbon clasp. They are really so easy and cute to make! I think that I may just need to make one for me too (am I too old to wear something like this?!?)

And that is our final project of our 12 Days of Christmas Creating. I hope that you have enjoyed it and maybe something along the way inspired you. As for myself, I am feeling much more prepared for the coming holiday than I normally do this time of the year. Thanks for indulging me!!! And now, how about a giveaway? I have 2 Unity Christmas stamps to give away, Jesus is the Reason and Do Not Open. Simply tell me if you are planning to make anything this holiday season and I will do the drawing from all the entries Tuesday evening (Dec. 2nd.)

Unity Stamp Co. is Looking for a Scrapbooking Design Team!!!1

Unity Stamp Company is accepting applications for a ROCK STAR Scrapbooking Design Team, to compliment its existing design team.

Using Unity product is encouraged, but not required.

Please email Angela a link to your blog and also TWO of your stellar layouts that best represent your style.

Your name, address, and a small paragraph about yourself would be appreciated.

Submissions should be directed to: angela@unitystampco.com

Due Date: December 20th, 2008

Requirements:
***Mandatory Blog updated TWICE USING UNITY, of course, on a weekly basis.
***8 projects per month loaded to your blog AND Scrapbook.com or TWO PEAS AND Splitcoast StampersWeekly participation in the SCS Scrapbook Challenge.
***PARTICIPATION in HIP HOP THURSDAY BLOG HOP and at SOME POINT DURING THE EVENT a bit of conversation.
***On your blog, I would like a clear link to Unity Stamp Co. Blog and Website.
***I would like you to include the list of Unity Stamp DT Members from you blog. Keeping it all full circle.
***It is mandatory that any EXCITING UNITY NEWS (ie: Kit of the Month, New Releases, Hip Hop Thursday, NEW DT Members, Guest Designers are announced on each DT Members blog on the date of occurence.
***Extra project requests from Unity will be made of the ROCK STARS. I may need projects done on a timely matter. ( ie: idea tag samples, or other special projects for expos, CHA, Special BOARDS for Stores, etc.) .
***REQUIRED Monthly Submission into magazines 6 month term renewable upon request/review.Benefits: To be given per request.Looking forward to seeing your submission!
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AND....

Unity is having a BLACK FRIDAY SALE!!!

Not the FIRST Sale on the block...but perhaps the BEST!!20% offall purchases through FRIDAY!****************************************************

COUPON CODE: THANKS

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...better yet...FREE HIP HOP Sentiment STAMP WITH EVERY ORDER!!!!

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AND!!!!
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BEST THING YET!!!!Orders OVER $50.00 gets Christmas List for $1.00Orders OVER $75.00 gets Almighty God for $1.00Orders OVER $100.00 gets FALL FESTIVAL for $1.00Orders OVER $150.00 gets Giggle Grove for $1.00Click HERE to find all the SALES!(no substitutions!)THINK GIFTS!THINK FUN!THINK SELF!(it's OK....REALLY!)If you aren't happy, nobody's happy! Treat yourself!

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Handles Included on SALE!With the 20% off you can get theFULL SET of Unity Handlesfor only$44.00.That is an AMAZING Deal!Click here to order.PLUS you get a FREE ROYAL DAY background stamp WITH the Handles!Our Life, Our Stories Kitonly $35.00 PLUS 20% off!What a Deal!
August Kit of the Month By Jessica Rose
$35.00HIP HOP SPECIAL!
So...This kit is $35.00 PLUS 20% off!
What a Deal HERE too!
November Kit of the Month!
ONLY 3 More DAYS!
Sign up for the Kit of the Month and get NOVEMBER'S Kit for $24.00 TODAY!
THIS IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE 20% off SALE!!!

Hip-Hopping the 12 Days of Christmas Creating- Day 11- 11 stamps...

Geez, it has been crazy busy this morning trying to get everything ready for this post. Thank goodness, Jacob is home today to help out with Kat. It just took a bit of bribery with XBox time...

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Originally, I only had one project planned for today...it was going to be 11 pencils (i.e. a sketch folio for Jacob holding watercolor pencils.) But then I started playing some more so now I have quite a few projects to show you although they are ALL incredibly simple!!!

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Sketch folio...

I made this using the same brown woolen felt that I have been using for the girls' shawls. Because it is felt, the construction on this is super-simple...no raw edges to worry about. I cut all my edges with my pinking shears just to give it a more decorative look.

For the stamped detail, I simply stamped some muslin using StazOn ink and the June KOM and then worked on bringing some detail to it by adding a bit of embroidery. I am still not 100% thrilled with the look of this so I will probably be adding more embroidery detail. If I do so though, I will be sure to share it with you.

The inside has three pockets which hold the sketch pad, a case of watercolor pencils, and a waterbrush. Since I have rediscovered my love of watercolor pencils, DS has been wanting to play so I thought that this would be a fun gift for Christmas. If you would like further details on how to construct this, I can share, but it really is just 2 piece of fabric stitched together with lines sewn in the middle to create pockets...super-simple.

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Backpack Tags:

DS has lots of friends who are girls and this is a quick gift idea for them, although I will probably make him a couple too. They are backpack tags. The plastic piece can be found as a luggage tag or you can find them in office supply stores as name tag holders. The inserts measure 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".

I created three coordinating ones using some old DCWV papers. Simply slide them into the plastic holders and add a ribbon or ball chain to attach it to the zipper, and you have a fun little accessory.

Stamps used: *Unity Hey Chick, Unity Sweet Zzzz's

Stamps used: Unity Batch of Bitty Fun

Stamps used: Unity Batch of Bitty Fun

For a twist on this idea, you can create a bitty card. This particular card has a #1 coin envelope inserted into it which is perfect for holding a gift card so you could give your gift of a gift card and then your receiver will have a double-sided backpack tag too. This serves an even better use because now your teen or pre-teen has a place to keep a dollar or two, id, or even a phone card for emergencies (since the invent of cell phones, you just don't see pay phones anymore so our teen carries a phone card so that we are sure that he can get hold of us if necessary...no, he's deprived and doesn't have a cell phone yet.)

This card is decorated on both sides. Above is the front, below is the back.

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Christmas Card:

And finally, just a quickie card share using some of the recent releases... Ho, Ho, Ho and Stocking of Elegance.

This is a 3x6 card so it's little, but sweet. I added a bit of glitter to the stocking to glam it up.

Now you need to continue onto Patter's Creative Blog to be even further inspired.