Merry Christmas a la Sketchy Thursdays

Supplies Digital Kit: Jingle Jangle Mini Kit by Polka Dot Pixels; Font: Brush Script Std

Sketchy Thursdays is taking 2 weeks off from the blog for the holidays.  However we aren't going to leave those of you with some actual time to create (lucky you!) in a lurch. 

For the next two weeks we are running a special Facebook only sketch and prize on our Sketchy Thursdays Facebook Page.  Check out the FB page for details.

I used our special Facebook only sketch to make my photo card to include in my Christmas cards this year.  Like the layout?  Check out the Facebook page for the sketch.  You can only see it there!

We'd love for you to come play along with us on Facebook!

I hope everyone has a happy, calm, loving, quiet Christmas! 

XO,

Heidi

Holiday Deco

Wow!  I've been away a while, eh?  'Tis the season.  Lots of things to do, places to go, people to see, things to create (and sicknesses to endure, ugh!). 

I haven't gushed lately how GORGEOUS Precocious Paper's product is.  Here are a couple holiday decorations I made using some of her holiday blooms.

Here I made a Country Christmas Bouquet Fabric and Felt Flower into an ornament by dipping it in UTEE and then sprinkling it with a chunky Christmas glitter blend. 

The Christmas Scroll Fabric and Felt Flowers are the perfect size to top a canning jar!  This is a quick & simple but sweet gift to give a teacher, neighbor, or friend. 

Check out the Precocious Paper Etsy store.  She has lots of gorgeous holiday and everyday flowers and embellishments, as well as some adorable cards and albums.   

And don't forget to drop by the Precocious Paper blog to check out what the DT makes for your inspiration. 

Hope you are all having a delightful and calm holiday season.  I can't believe we are only a few days away from Christmas.  Off to make some yummies for the neighbors!

p.s.  There's still time to play along with this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch, too.  Don't you just love this one?

I was a bit busy last week and skipped making this one...maybe I'll find a bit of time today.  I really love this sketch!

Scrap That Poetry Joy

I'm posting a little early Scrap That Poetry's next challenge.  We were going to do a Ho Ho Ho Hop today but you know how life can get in the way of our hobbies and the hop has been postponed.  Instead, this is a sneak preview of one of the poems that will be featured on the 15th's STP challenge.

Poem by Marinela Reka:

As you may or may not know about STP challenges, you can use as much or as little of the inspiration poem as you wish, or even just use it's inspiration!  For this poem, I focused on the idea of "joy":
 

Supplies Patterned Paper: Basic Grey; Stickers: Jolee's, Making Memories; Pearls: Prima Marketing; Ornament: Wal-Mart; Ink: Ranger Industries, Clearsnap; Other: chipboard sheet

I'm a hoarder.  I admit it.  And for years I've had sitting in my scraproom a sizeable stash of the negative chipboard sheets that are leftover after you remove all the chipboard shapes.  I figured they were too cool to trash but I hadn't used any of them until I recently completed another layout for an upcoming call in Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.  I loved the way it came out so much that I just had to do it again for this hop! 

Trace all the openings and outline of the chipboard sheet onto your patterned paper and carefully cut them all out a little bigger than original size to leave a border for the chipboard to peek through.  Then ink the chipboard edges and adhere the cut out to the chipboard.  I just love the dimension this gives the layout!

 Remember to stop by the Scrap That Poetry blog on Wednesday the 15th for the next TWO poem inspirations and check out what the DT has made. 

Thank you again for stopping by!
 
Heidi
 
p.s.  The special holiday edition of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine will publish this Sunday, 12/12!  You do NOT want to miss this one, chock full of gorgeous and inspiring holiday layouts, cards, and projects!   There are even a few of Tessa's flowers in there!  :o)  A sneak peek at a couple of my projects in the magazine:

Have a great time on the hop!

Baby's First Christmas

I am in SUCH a Christmas-y mood.  I'm loving playing around with all my Christmas stash including a huge papercrafting kit I purchased from QVC at least 2 or 3 years ago.  I don't think I'd played with a single thing in the kit until now.  Its childlike whimsy and colors drew me in for this layout.

Supplies - Patterned Paper: Brenda Pinnik Designs Inc., Creative Imaginations, Me and My Big Ideas; Glitter Paper: Colorbok; Ribbon, Trim, Chipboard, Cardstock Shapes, & Brad: Brenda Pinnik Designs Inc.; Acrylic Accent: Making Memories; Die Cut: Deluxe Cuts; Rub Ons: Doodlebug Design Inc.; Dimensional Glaze: JudiKins

I have been wanting to scrap this pic of my son asleep in his first Christmas haul.  Yes, I went a bit overboard for a three-month-old.  So?!!  He was my first baby!!!!!

I'm so excited to be breaking into all my Christmas stash.  Some of this stuff is 5 or 6 years old!  Always did love these Making Memories clear frames.  I've got a ton.  I'm not sure I've ever used one before.  I adhered it to the picture with some dimensional glaze.   I've also got a ton of those Deluxe Cuts laser die cuts.  Do you ever go to the Creating Keepsakes conventions?  Deluxe Cuts always has a booth where every die cut is $1 and there's always a line a mile long.  At least, that's how it was last time I went to a convention maybe 3 years ago?  I always walked away from that booth about $40 lighter. 

Today's layout is based on this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch.  I can assure you I'll be reaching for this sketch over and over again!!!  Diana sure did rock it!

Check out what our wonderfully creative and talented Design Team made with this layout this week!  And please, come join us in the fun and play along.  You know we always have a yummy prize for one lucky random winner at the end of the week!  You have until next Wednesday night to play along.

So, how's your holiday shopping coming along?  I've pretty much finished up with the stuff for the kids but I still need to get stuff for everyone else on my list AND wrap everything.  The kids get out for winter break next Friday which gives me just one more week to get everything I need to get done without them done.  Whew!

Santa Prep

We have quite a series of rituals built up in preparation for Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve. 

We make and put out the obligatory Milk & Cookies for Santa, plus a few carrots for the reindeer.  We make magic reindeer food and sprinkle it in the front yard so Santa and the Reindeer can find our house.  We leave a magic key on the doorstep so Santa can get into our chimney-less house. 

I also allow the kids to open up one present on Christmas Eve.  It's always one of MY choosing (so they don't open their most awesome and distracting presents just before they are supposed to go to bed) and usually I choose robes or pjs, a video, or a snuggly stuffed animal to sleep with.   I feel a tad bit naughty every year because the kids get all excited to get to open a present early but then the presents aren't necessarily all that fun.  Tee hee. 

I'm really happy with my title area because I finally used one of those definition stickers that I think Making Memories made tons of a few years back.  I have them for all sorts of occasions and don't think I've ever used one before.  I'm so happy with how tranparent the sticker applied considering they have almost a frosted appearance in hand. 

This layout is based on my sketch for Sketchy Thursdays this week:

Be sure to check out the Sketchy Thursdays site to see all the amazing inspiration made for you by our awesome DT. 

OK, gotta get back to making layouts.  I'm in a frenzy right now.  I'll share them as I can.  (Most right now are being made for the Scrapbook News & Review January issue.)

What are you working on right now?  Holiday layouts?  Cards?  Presents?  Or are you taking a well-deserved crafting break? 

Scrap That Poetry Challenge December 1

How can it be December already??!! 

Earlier today I was thinking about something, thinking it felt like it just happened, and then realized it had taken place in January!  HOW is that possible?? 

The current Scrap That Poetry challenge is the poem The Tables Turned by William Wordsworth. 

I chose to use the lines,

"She has a world of ready wealth,

Our minds and hearts to bless

Spontaneous wisdom breathed by health,

Truth breathed by cheerfulness.

I've been wanting ot use this paper and flower combo with this pic of my daughter for a while now.  I miss that little dress.  Are you like me?  Do you get emotionally attached to certain pieces of your kids' clothing?  I've got waaaay more saved items than I probably should.  Oh, well. 

Be sure to check out the STP blog for all the awesome DT inspiration!!! 

Happy December!!