Scraps for a Phindy's Place Challenge

Here it is the end of the year and the DT over at Phindy's Place Challenge Blog must be like the rest of us and have lots of scraps they're wanting to use and not just toss. The sad part about this challenge for me, is that with so much going on here with DD and her family visiting and getting ready for my Open House, I only had time for one challenge and am barely getting it blogged in time.

This sweet image from the Winter Cuties collection from the Phindy's Place Store is called Hot Cocoa. I've colored her with Copics.

This paper layout  has the effect of bargello that you see in needlepoint where the patterns repeat, but with a dropped down effect. The paper is all from my scrap box.  I didn't have time to create a sentiment or find one, so this card can go however it's needed.

SMT #55 at Sassy Cheryls

Here it is Tuesday night, and I'm about to miss out on one of my favorite challenges, Show Me Thursday on Sassy Cheryls Blog. Just for posting what you have going on in your life each week and entering it in the Sassy Cheryl's blog, you might win a free Sassy Cheryls image. Just so you know there's another good side to this. You get a chance to nosey around in other people's spaces and therefore, get to know some really talented people and not just in crafting.

This week's SMT for me is all about getting ready for the Swoope Christmas Open House. This is the 27th year my DH and I have hosted his family for Christmas night. It's a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun. I had my Christmas tree decorated two weeks ago, but the rest of the decorations have been sitting in boxes waiting for my BFF to come over and do her thing. In past years, her DD would do it for me, but she's moved out of town. Well it was worth the wait and in the meantime, I finally started doing some cooking for the party. So here are pictures of what I've been doing all week.

The top picture is fruitcake cookies. These are my DH's favorite cookie and the only cookie that doesn't scream my name. Too bad I can't fix only fruitcake cookies, then I wouldn't have to worry about overeating the wrong thing. The second picture is fudge I made with JDK or Judy's recipe. This one not only screamed my name but jumps up and down and waves at me. First thing this morning after cutting it and getting it in the can, I took it, along with one can of fruitcake cookies(recipe makes like 10 dozen), biscotti and pecan brittle down to the camphouse. At least 3 miles from home, they're not screaming quite as loudly and I can't see them jumping up and down and waving.

I'm a fairly decent cook and I can craft most anything, but decorating is not my forte, so this afternoon, my BFF came over to decorate for me. She didn't make it until about 4:45, but by 6 she was through and my house looks great. One of the things that I wanted her to do was to use antlers from deer my DH has killed through the years(man doesn't get rid of any of them and he's been hunting a LONNNNNNGGGGG time) These are the antlers before and after the transformation.

This picture is of the counted cross-stitched Christmas pieces framed and hung over the sofa. The coffee table has my Fontanini natitivy set. This is the one thing MM has been waiting for me to get set up. If you're looking for the perfect gift that you can continue through the years for a child, may I suggest the 5" Fontanini nativity. The pieces are made in Italy of a resin polymer and hand painted. They don't break and yet they are utterly beautiful. You can add a piece each year.

This is my foyer. The mantle is free standing and not surrounding a fireplace. The mantle was in the parlor in the house where my DH was raised. Before the house fell down, they had a drawing for the mantles and furniture in the house. My SIL actually owns the mantle, but when she moved from Columbus, she took it out of that house, and so far hasn't asked for it back.  The framed angel is cross-stitched and hangs there all the time.

This is a picture of my dining room table and the washstand that are in there. I'll give you a better picture of the table next week, when I post pictures from the Open House with all the food in place.

In the kitchen she worked up this decoration over my kitchen sink. The ornaments are counted cross-stitch that I made many, many years ago. I still have to do the breakfast room table, but that will wait until the day of the party, since we're still eating in there. I'm glad it was dark so you can't see the cobwebs on the outside of the windows.


Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and here's your invite.

WOW at Sassy Cheryls

The challenge set by Sassy Judy over on the Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog was to create a White on White creation. Is there anything more elegant or classically beautifully than white on white? I love it in children's clothing, so how much more fun to create it in a card.

This adorable image from the Sassy Cheryls Digi Store is called Bowlegged Cutie Stamp. She's colored with Copics, and that's all the color you get, so I made sure that she was colorful.

The wonderful thing about white on white is that by using a punch or two, a diecut, embossing folders, Pearl Shimmer Mist, a few pearls and a couple of buttons, along with a delightful and you have a card anyone would be happy to receive. I hate that the pearlescence of the Shimmer Mist doesn't show up in the pictures.

Now that I have this challenge done, I can start thinking about some baking and decorating. Someone reminded me that a week from tomorrow is Sunday, and I'm hosting an Open House. Time to change gears.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday.

CAS Card 2 at Phindy's Place

I've just enough time to post my second CAS card for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog.

Again I've gone with a Phindy's Place cutie called Cheery Chat. Please checkout all the cuties at the Phindy's Place Store. The papers are again from my scrap stash and the sketch is from Clean and Simple Stamping Blog.

And here I thought I was going to miss out on this week's challenge.

CAS Cards at Phindy's Place

The challenge this week at Phindy's Place Challenge Blog is to create a CAS card. You can use any image you want, but you get a double entry if you use a Phindy's Image. I love to improve my chances any way I can. This week with my daughter and her family arriving for the holidays, and having to do some babysitting and having a test run, I really didn't  think I was even going to be able to do a CAS card. Thanks to my DH though, instead of going to sleep when I got home from the test, I was wide awake and slipped out to TM this afternoon for some card making.

The image used in this first card is called Flower Frock and is one of the Phindy's Place cuties from her STORE. I've colored her with copics. I actually found the sketch on the Clean and Simple Stamping Blog and the papers are from my stash. Off to get this one entered so I can get my second card blogged.

I want to thank the DT for making this a CAS challenge or I wouldn't have made it.

Show Me Thursday #54

You have to love an artist that is  willing to offer up a free image without having to create a project of any kind. All you have to do is post what you're doing in your life this week. That's exactly the awesomeness of Sassy Cheryl over on her Sassy Cheryl Blog. A chance for a free image just for letting us nosey around in your space.

This week definitely isn't going to be showing my workspace. My younger daughter, her husband and MM arrived yesterday after a 2 1/2 day road trip from Phoenix. They were here when I got home from my WW meeting and MM needed to get outside and burn off some cooped up energy. We started with a hike back to the new WOT-wildlife observation tower(or deer stand) that DH built and erected back behind the pool behind our house. This is a picture of MM and Grandpa on the walk back. What is it about little boys and sticks?

From the WOT we walked through the woods to our neighbor's to check out the WOT that he built for his grandchildren who visited over Thanksgiving. They have two pups and this picture is of MM petting them. This is huge, since my BIL's dogs totally traumatized him about 2 years ago. This was huge.

For at least the last 15 years, a family down the road from us has been caroling us each year at Christmas. It has become the highlight of Christmas to me. Besides the parents, there are 7 children. The oldest is grown and in pilot training with the Air National Guard. That didn't stop him from being here to participate. Last year there a couple that were sick, but this year all 9 were outside our front door to sing "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Joy to the World". As if that isn't enough, they always give us a plate of cookies. I should have videoed, but I did take a picture.

So snap a shot of what's happening in your life this week and post it HERE. Hey, I won last week, so that means you could win this week, plus I highly recommend that you pop around to each entry's blog. It's always inspiring.

A Second Entry for December's Anything Goes at Phindy's Place

Much to my surprise and probably yours too, I'm back with a second entry for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog's Anything Goes with a Phindy's Place image. I really didn't have time to make another card, but then Cec challenged us to create a card with this newest of images from the Phindy's Place Store called Bird Tree. How could I not take up the challenge(especially after seeing the image and seeing a tree made using the branch punch on a card).  The two just went together. The image is colored with Copics.

The tree was cut out with the Sissix Christmas tree die and then covered with branches using different shades of green using my Martha Stewart Fir Branch punch and my Martha Stewart bird punch.

The papers are from two different digital designers. The tree paper is from Lily Bimbles Woodland Kit from My Grafico and the plaid paper is from Shery K Designs Christmas 6 pack. Need to get this posted on the blog before time runs out. I'm loving the way this card turned out.