Doodle Pantry Release

Well it's release day at Doodle Pantry Stamps which means my GDT spot officially starts! These are the two cards I created for this release...the next one is on the 20th so watch for that coming up!

Ewe'r the Best Card

This one is done using the new Critter Tops (Sheep). I combined the sentiment inside the heart! I'm thinking I might make a bunch of these for my son's valentine's for his class!  It is a pre-coloured image which I LOVE when I'm in a pinch for a quick image! (Thank you Laurie!!) 

The wool on the sheep's head is actually a Q-Tip end! I needed something to make it wooly and that's what came to mind!

I got the card base from the Dollar Store. I love them! They come already embossed and I just add the card front.

(Supplies: Basic Grey Nook & Pantry papers and button, Critter Top Pre-coloured image from Doodle Pantry, Distress Ink from Ranger, Q-Tip, Foam Tape, Card Base from Dollar Store)

Juicy News

This one I used the Critters All Tops and the Grapes Freebie and the sentiment from the Juicy Strawberries image. When I saw the worm, I wanted to have him coming out of some fruit.

(Supplies: Basic Grey Green at Heart papers, Felt flowers, Basic Grey Kioshi Button, images from Doodle Pantry)

These two cards are on the Doodle Pantry page for this release! I was so excited to see that! 

Thanks for checking out my creations...I'll be posting some more Doodle Pantry creations this month so keep a watch for them! I got some other cute images and there'll be more on the 20th from the next release! 

Guest Designer!

I got an email from Laurie over at Doodle Pantry today asking if I wanted to be a guest designer for them for the month of January! OF COURSE I SAID Y ES! I love the DP images! They are so sweet and cute! The birdie card I made for my application is still in its birdcage! (It's a much cleaner birdie than the real thing!!).  I actually forgot about this! It was over a month ago I applied for it! 

I'm excited to create with the new DP images which are being released on Wednesdays (the 5th & the 20th) so make sure you check back to see what is being released.

You won't wanna miss it!

December's Hazzard Country Card Challenge

Here is my set of cards for the Hazzard County Card Challenge. I didn't do the whole challenge though because I haven't sent them out yet! (shame on me!) 

Looking forward to the new challenge ladies!!! :D

Supplies List:

Cardstock:  From my stash!

Pattern Papers: Basic Grey Jovial and Lime Rickey

Sentiments: Thank you fabric labels - Colorbok

Gems: Dollar Store

First "Digis with an Attitude" card...

I recently discovered Digis with an Attitude...this super cute digital company not only has cute little "grumpy" images, Cindy-Lynn is from Northern Ontario! I love when I find a Canadian company that I can support!

This is the first card I created with "I HATE MORNINGS"...

I paper pieced her PJs...the papers are from K & Company and I coloured her hair and skin with Copics. 

I even dabbed on a little bit of pink distress ink on her skin to give her a bit of a rash! (Mean, I know!!)

Thanks for checking it out!

My Top Ten Cards for 2010

Here are my Top 10 Cards from 2010. I had a hard time choosing just ten! I had a lot of favorites from this year! These are the ones that made the cut!!
A custom order for a client

From Sassy Studio Designs

Santa Baby published in Scrapbook and News Review Holiday Release

From Sassy Studio Designs

My Doodle Pantry Guest Designer Application card

From Doodle Pantry

I designed this one for a card class I taught! OF COURSE, I had to use the Panda!! 

From Doodle Dragon Studios

My favorite image from SOG...I just LOVED colouring her hair!!

From Some Odd Girl

I LOVE these pre-coloured images! This cute caterpillar made for an adorable card!

From Wink Wink Ink

Created for a graduating Army Cadet. Great job Will!!! Congrats again!

From The Stamping Boutique

This card is designed to support Ovarian Cancer with the teal ribbon (the awareness colour ribbon). If you purchase this set from ABS, you will help support the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

From Anita Be Stampin

Again, this set from Stamp Insanity was released to help support Breast Cancer but I coloured this image teal again. That's what I love about these blank images. They can be coloured to go with whatever cause you need it for!

From Stamp Insanity

Created for my cousin who got married this summer. It matches the colours of their wedding. 

From Mo's Digital Pencil

Thanks for checking out my cards! And thanks to Suzi for this cool idea! 

Christmas Preparations

Okay, so it's Christmas Eve...are you ready? I think I am...I have some goodies to deliver to a few friends and I want to grab some last-minute groceries so that's what my plans are for the day! Then we have a family Christmas to go to. 

I've been decorating a bit more seeing the kids are getting older and I can put more stuff out without it them tearing it all down! This is the desk at our front desk for all our Christmas cards...

 ...and the little tree with our Sesame Street decorations! Thank you Good-Will for my $1.50 tree!

 So this year I bought a gingerbread house for the kids to do...well, after about 6 tries, we finally got it put together...and the kids went to twon on decorating it!! Trenton's side is a little more neat than Miss Jocelyn's!!

I did the front! And added the marshmallow snow-fort down the side of the house!

This year for our Jesus Present, we decided to make cookies and deliver them to the residents at Conestoga Crest. The Jesus present was started by my parents and now I do it with my kids. Usually it's a devotion book or a Veggie Tale movie but this year I wanted to start doing service projects with the kids. Eventually one day, I'd like to go to the House of Friendship and do a meal for the homeless people! 

So, this is the kids, decorating the bags for the cookies. Trenton is writing his name and Jocelyn's name on each bag (We have 35 to do!).  He'll REALLY know how to write his name and Jocelyn's name by the end! Jocelyn got to put the stickers on each bag. And I stamped them with "Jesus is the reason for the season". 

I hope the kids will learn that Christmas isn't just about Santa and getting gifts but also for sharing their wealth and helping others who maybe don't have as much as we do. The kids are really on board with this! It's great to see!!

Here's a sample of the bag! I'm so proud of my munchkins!

Wishing everyone a very Merry CHRISTmas! I hope you have a great day with family and friends and food and fellowship!

Just a quick post!

This is a card I created for one of our students for her birthday last month...she loves Cars so we thought this might be appropriate!! 

I coloured it in PSE and popped it up with foam tape. It's pretty simple but cute! The paper reminds me of stop signs! And the colours are "Lightning" colours!

Happy Birthday Corinne!

Supplies:

Basic Grey pattern paper

American Crafts ribbon and "smile" button

Ranger Distress Inks

Image from Colouring Pages for Kids website

PhotoShop Elements (PSE)

Sensational Walnut Fudge

I've had a few requests for this amazing fudge recipe so here it is! You probably won't wanna serve this to the kids...it does have amaretto in it...only a tablespoon so it's up to you! (I don't give it to my kids cuz I don't like to share it!!! My husband's lucky if he gets any!!!!)

(Photo taken from candy-making website - not my image!)

Submitted to the Taste of Home Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook 2006 by Lorrine Kyger.

1-1/2 teaspoons butter, softened

1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate)

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup icing sugar

1 tablespoon amaretto

Dash salt

1 cup chopped walnuts, divided (feel free to omit if you have nut allergies)

Line an 8-inch square pan with foil and grease the foil with butter; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chips; stir until smooth. Stir in milk, icing sugar, amaretto and salt. Stir in 2/3 cup walnuts. Pour into prepared pan; sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Chill for 2 hours or until firm.

Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut fudge into 1-inch squares (feel free to make 'em bigger if you desire!!!) Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/4 pounds.

ENJOY!!!

Where's the line to see Jesus?

My mom sent me this music video...it's so touching. It really puts all the hustle and bustle into perspective.  It touched me so much that I had to share it with you all. Yes, my kids "believe" in Santa, but they also know that the real meaning of Christmas is Jesus' birthday. What are you doing to celebrate Christmas?


Here’s the story behind the song:
 

While at the mall a couple of years ago, my then four year old nephew, Spencer, saw kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Having been taught as a toddler that Christmas is the holiday that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, he asked his mom, "where's the line to see Jesus"? My sister mentioned this to my dad, who immediately became inspired and jotted words down to a song in just a few minutes. After putting music to the words, and doing a quick recording at home, he received a great response from friends. He sent the song off to Nashville without much response, except for a Christian song writer who suggested adding a bridge at the end of the first chorus. My dad then asked if I wanted to record the song to see what we could do with it. I listened to the song, made a few changes to the words to make it flow better, and we headed to Shock City Studios. 

It was at the studio where Chris, owner and producer, rewrote the 2nd verse and part of the chorus... with goosebumps and emotions high, we were all hopeful and felt like we had something special. The demo was recorded in just under 2 hours and sent off again to Nashville ... still no response. 

Two weeks before Christmas last year, my cousins Greg and Robbie decided to do a video to see what we could accomplish on YouTube. The first day we had 3000 hits and it soared from there. We received e-mails, phone calls, Facebook messages from people all over asking for the music, CD's, iTunes, anything... we had nothin'. After a couple of meetings with Chris following the amazing response, we got serious. 

We headed back into the studio this past spring... this time with guitars, drums, bass, pianos, choirs... the real deal..... and here we are today. Getting iTunes set up, a website put together, and loving that thousands upon thousands of Christians have come together.... remembering the true meaning of Christmas. 

Out of the mouths of babes come profound truths that many adults cannot understand. Hopefully Spencer's observation will cause people all over to reflect on the love of Jesus, and that one day we will all stand in line to see Him. We are most thankful to our Heavenly Father to have this chance to share our music with you.

Merry Christmas everyone.

The Christian Story of the Candy Cane

(Image by Meljens Designs - Coloured in Photoshop by Amanda Newton)

I'm giving this to my Sunday School class tomorrow...brings a different meaning to the candy cane...and we just thought it was a Christmas treat!

1.  The candy cane is in the shape of a shepherd’s staff.  Jesus is our Shepherd, and we are in His flock. 

2.  Turned over, the candy cane is a “J”, the first letter of Jesus’ name.  It is made of hard candy to remind us that Chris is the “rock” of our salvation.

3.  The red stripes on the candy cane represent the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for each one of us so that we can have eternal life through Him.  It also symbolizes Jesus’ stripes, or scars, which He got when He was arrested and whipped.  The Bible says we are healed (of sin) because He took those wounds. 

4.  The white stripes on the candy cane represent Jesus’ virgin birth and His pure, sinless life. 

5.  The flavoring in the candy cane is peppermint, which is similar to hyssop.  Hyssop is of the mint family and was used in Old Testament times for purification and sacrifice. 

6.  When we break our candy cane, it reminds us that Jesus’ body was broken for us, such as we do with the bread when we have communion.

7.  And, if we share our candy cane and give some to someone else because we love that person, we are sharing the love of Jesus.