Sylvia's Stamping Corner

AFTER THANKSGIVING, SNOW AND DECEMBER IS ON IT'S WAY

I went to bed very late. I looked outside to find it indeed was snowing again. Although we got about two inches(which is not much), most of it was gone by mid-day. The trees however, glistened for awhile and were so beautiful. This afternoon, the birds were out eating the bread crumbs my grandson threw out yesterday. My children and grandchildren all arrived home safely.

My day went as it usually does after I have had a house full of family. I cleaned up a little, washed and collected trash. The cats were the only company I had today, no Colin running downstairs saying "Nana! You're up!" Tigger cried, looking for someone, finally giving up and sleeping on the bed in the guest room as if to say, I can get on this bed now.  Tonight all four cats gathered in the living room, staying close by. I got up and moved to the craft table after dinner to make cards. I had to get Bugsy out of my chair.

At first, I had a hard time concentrating on my card. I wanted to do a Christmas card, but could not focus on an idea. I finally decided to finish a birthday card I had started. It seemed to come together. It is very simple, with soft colors. The second card I did was a Christmas card. Again, it is a simple card. Sometimes those are the best.

I had a surprise on Wednesday. I sold another Sock monkey card on Etsy to  a woman in Scotland. I was really excited, as I spent four years living there. I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. I want to thank my family who traveled for coming. I know it was a sacrifice to travel so far. I enjoyed your company, especially you Colin and Kate! Nana loves you.

NOVEMBER SWAP CARDS

I meant to post our swap cards last night. However, I was so tired and still did not get to bed until after 1am. The cards are really good this month. Kudo's to everyone. I hope everyone enjoyed doing them and each of you had a nice Thanksgiving.

Brenda's card is a fold out card. A really good idea. Brenda used fall colors, orange, brown, and old olive.  I believe she used her Big Shot and an alphabet die to make her fall letters. She also used a scallop and circle punch. Very Nice! The white square you see in the center is the inside of the card. She put a picture of her grandson inside. Good job Brenda.

Christina used a sketch from Splitcoaststampers. She used the Upsy Daisy StampinUp stamp set, with Chocolate Chip Craft Ink and Clear Embossing Powder. Along with More Mustard card stock and designer papers, she embellished it with gold brads. Very nice card Christina.

Natalie used my favorite fall stamp set. This StampinUp set is for all seasons. She used Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss and Very Vanilla card stock, Close to Cocoa, More Mustard, Really Rust, Mellow Moss, and Chocolate Chip inks, Designer paper, and rhinestones. Using a punch for her message embellishment was great. Natalie also cut out leaves and layered her tree. Good job Natalie.

My card, I posted in an earlier post. I am still not sure if it looks finished. I wished I had used textured card stock. As this challenge has to be mailed by a specific date, I decided not to redo it. I chose a StampinUp set that I could water color. I wanted to do something new with it so I made a window. I really like the colors. I hope you enjoy all the cards this month. We will be back for next months swap.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FAMILY, FRIENDS FROM THE NELSON'S IN COLORADO

I am up late again. I just finished posting my challenge card. I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I know many of you around the world do not celebrate our Thanksgiving, but I know you all enjoy sharing a day with family and friends.

I spent another day with my family that is visiting for this holiday. My husband was off, so we got to be together as a family. I worked on my challenge card most of the day. I took time out to go out to lunch and time out to prepare and eat dinner. Today, I will be baking a pie, cooking my favorites, turkey and dressing, and all the other wonderful, delicious dishes.

I am grateful for my family, here and away. A special shout out to my son Andrew, who is in College Station, cooking dinner for his wife and friends. Yes folks, he cooks a good turkey dinner. Also a special hello to my brother and his family out in California. They also, alway have a big group of people they share the day with. I am thankful for the many blessings that have come my way. I am celebrating my 37th Thanksgiving with my husband. We have spent every Thanksgiving together, here in the States, in Indonesia, my son Andrew's first Thanksgiving was there, in Nigeria, in Scotland, and in Saudi Arabia. We have had many good dinners with friends and family all over the world. I have many good memories. God bless everyone on this Thanksgiving.

KWERNER COLOR INSPIRATION #32

This was an exceptionally fun challenge. Christmas colors and glitz make a great combination. The colors were Riding Hood Red, Sahara Sand or a metallic, Very Vanilla, and Whisper White. I used Brushed Silver card stock as my metallic.

 My stamp set was Stampin'Up!,  Christ is Born. Card stock was Riding Hood Red, Brushed Silver, Very Vanilla, and Whisper White. I also used the Bella Rose designer paper. Ink was Riding Hood Red. Accessories used were, Vanilla half pearls from Pretties kit, Silver bead do, silver cord, Crystal Effects, 1/4" red grosgrain ribbon, Tombow adhesive,Stampin dimensionals, the Decorative Strip  Sizzix die "Join In the Cheer".

 My card base was the Brushed Silver card stock. I stamped the poinsettia with Riding Hood Red on both Very Vanilla and Whisper White card stock. I used the Very Vanilla poinsettias for the first or bottom layerof the flower   and the Whisper White ones for the top layer. I cut each petal out. The bottom layer was glued and the top layer I used stampin dimensionals and Crystal Effects. The centers were vanilla half pearls and silver beads. On the word Peace, I used glue and the micro beads on the silver card stock. Hope you enjoy my card.   

IT'S A GREAT LIFE HAVING GRANDCHILDREN, GIVING THANKS

I stayed up really late last night working on my card, so tonight I am posting the pictures that I said I would last night. I spent the day tired, but loved hearing over and over, I love you Nana! My grandson is almost four and is so much fun. My granddaughter will be four months on Dec 2 and is so happy except when you take off her clothes.

 The first picture is one my daughter, Auntie Amy took while Colin and I mixed up sugar cookies. The second is of Kate on the floor, while I was asleep downstairs. The last one is a full picture of my Give Thanks Banner, which Amy took. I must tell she had a hard time getting the right light as well. Hope you enjoy all my pictures.

I will be posting my challenge card tomorrow night. I actually started it, but decided to go to bed before 2am so I could enjoy my children and grandchildren tomorrow. I will try and finish and post in the morning. Colin said he wanted to make a rainbow tomorrow, so we will have to try!  The picture is still a little dark. We had to take everything off the wall to get this one. 

GETTING READY TO CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING WITH FAMILY

About now I am wishing it was spring. It is late and I am really cold. I suspect I am cold, just because it is really late. Anyway I am posting a late summer picture of one of my hummingbirds. It is not the best picture content wise, but the hummingbird is beautiful.

I spent the day finishing up the last of my cleaning. I vacuumed my downstairs hall(tile), then used the steam cleaner. My cat, Daisy, thought it was so much fun to run in one door, go around and come through the hall and out another door. Of course the idea was to leave paw prints on the wet floor. We finally finished downstairs and then went up to cook. My grandchildren, my son and daughter-in-law arrived before 3pm and my daughter got in about 7:00pm. After cleaning up from supper and steam cleaning the kitchen floor, I sat down to make a card.

I used a poinsettia stamp for my card tonight. I will probably repeat this card changing some of the leaves of the flower. I do like the concept pf the design. I used crystal effects on the poinsettia leaves I cut out and half pearls which I tinted with the Kiwi kiss ink. The card is really much prettier than shown in the picture. I will be posting pictures of Colin and Kate tonight, as well as my Thanksgiving banner. It is after midnight , I am running late as usual. Have a great day.

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY IN COLORADO

I spent all day cleaning house. I alternated between stand up stuff and stuff I could do while sitting down. I am almost through. I guess it is a good thing because the kids will be here Monday. The house is never going to be perfect because I have too much stuff!!! Oh well. what is perfection?

Well, our run with football is over. Congratulations to Oklahoma on their win. They played a great game. I still believe in Texas Tech. I believe they have played their hearts out all year. I believe they will recover from this and will come back and play again. After all they are young men, and will grow with each experience. Congratulations Texas Tech for how you have played the game this far. The red rose is for Texas Tech and all Red Raiders everywhere.

Now to cards. I found the thought process easier tonight, when I made this card.  However, I am not making my midnight deadline, posting. I actually picked up some scraps on the table, picked out the stamp set I wanted to use, and came up with a good card. The mistletoe in the left corner is embossed,cut out and mounted with dimensionals. I am not sure it will be clear when the photo is posted. The cardinal was water colored with the blender pen. He is bright and cheery. As always, I hope you enjoy the card.

GIVING THANKS FOR THE BEAUTIFUL DAY IN SOUTHERN COLORADO

One day cold and icy, the next day is like today, sun shining and back in the 60's. I spent most of the day indoors cleaning. This time it was the craft room. It was really bad, but I am finished for now. I could get rid of most of the room and still have to much in it. My legs definitely know I was standing on concrete all day.

I delivered orders and collected our swap cards. They are really nice. I will be sending Brenda's to her tomorrow. I will be able to post them next week. I work on an angel tonight. At first I thought I would make a tag, but she turned into a card. I do not think you can see the embossing, but the angel is embossed in clear and her wings in iridescent ice. She is beautiful. I hope to make a tag out of her the next go around. I am having a hard time finding enough time to stamp as I still have a lot to do before my family gets here on Monday.

Also, a shout out to Natalie. She called me and warned me not to get out yesterday, as it was icy. She and her husband had already fallen. I hope you will feel better tomorrow and Thanks for thinking of me. Leonie, I am thinking of you as well, all your warm weather!!!! Cheers to everyone and spend some time on Saturday stamping!

A COLD, ICY, AND RAINY DAY IN SOUTHERN COLORADO

As predicted yesterday, we awoke to all the things except snow. Our high today was 29 and our low for the night is expected to be 28, which it is now. When it is like this, I have a hard time concentrating on what I need to do. I just want to stay in bed. However, I did get up. I am not sure how much I accomplished today, but it just means I will have to work really hard tomorrow.

Tonight, I redid the card from last night. After adding what I did, I really like   it, except I wish I had used the textured card stock. I want some texture, but am afraid I will ruin it if I add something else. So I am posting it and will think about it.

 I also made a quick snowflake card. I used the outside of the die snowflake I cut for the snowflake ornament on Sunday. It was a perfect size. Yeah, two for one!!!! I embossed it a little and glittered it. I should have stamped "Let it snow", but I am a little afraid to say those words out loud. I want it to wait to snow until after Thanksgiving, so my family can travel safely and have nice weather so everyone can enjoy outside.

I got my Valentines pre order today. I am so anxious to work on Valentines. Am I crazy or what? The heart punch is awesome. Everyone needs to get the special. The paper is gorgeous!!!! I just wish it had a new ribbon. Oh well, I guess we can't have everything. Tomorrow is Friday. Then one more day until the big game. Go Texas Tech! Beat Oklahoma!!!!

THANKSGIVING, A DAY TO GIVE THANKS WITH FAMILY NEAR

My husband and I were on a roll yesterday, getting quite a few things done, preparing for a house full of family. The phone rang early this morning. He was off, but they needed him to come to work. As I had not anticipated this, I had to get up too and fix his lunch and breakfast. That set the tone for the day. I can not believe I am still up.

Our weather is supposed to be icy in the morning, maybe even a little snow. But by Friday, we are supposed to be back in the 60's. Thus the picture of the last snowy day that we had. I will be tending fire all day if it stays as cold as they predict.

I worked on more Thanksgiving cards today. I am posting this one. The stamp set is my favorite fall one new in this catalog. I plan t add one more thing and will post again tomorrow night with the changes. Sometimes, I have to scan it in and see it on the computer, before I know what else it needs. The pumpkins are on the inside of the card. The two circles are actually the frame around the window that I made with the coluzzle. I will take a side view tomorrow, with the camera. In the meantime enjoy.