Blog Candy alert !!!

Well everyone.. As I was reading over today's post (which I actually typed yesterday)... I had an ahhhh.... haaaa... moment (aka.. that little light bulb went off and I said whoops...) since today is day # 3 I really can't wait 2 more days to reveal what my blog candy is.... so I'm going to post it now..... So you're all in luck.. You'll find out 2 days early.. You'll see why in a second... (I apologize for the size of the graphics these are from the OCC website)...

Has anyone heard of Operation Christmas Child... now to be referred to as OCC ??? If not, allow me to explain just a tad but please at any time feel free to head on over to their website for all of the important deets that I may erroneously leave out.. Please note that all of the information I have here came directly from their website..

Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God’s love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. People of all ages can be involved in this simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus Christ.

So what can you do to help spread the love of Jesus to a child this holiday season.. Well, you can do 1 of 4things...

1- you can send a shoebox of goodies to a child ages 2-14....

2- you can donate a monetary gift to OCC and they will fill a shoebox for you

2- you can serve at a collection location during national collection week 11/17-24 (that's why I'm letting the cat out of the bag now.. I want everyone to have as much time as possible to get their shoeboxes together and dropped off my Monday the 24th)... (or)

3- if you reside near Atlanta GA, Boone NC, Charlotte NC, Denver CO, Minneapolis MN, or Orange County CA you can volunteer at a processing center...

Shoeboxes... Pack a shoebox...

to pack a shoebox you would simply use a standard size shoebox or clear container, pick if you want your shoebox to be for a boy or a girl and the age range, fill it with gifts (please see website for gift ideas), include your $7 donation to assist with shipping and between 11/17 and the 24th drop it off at a collection center near you. (please see website for locations).. Or you can send your gift box directly to...

Samaritan’s Purse

Operation Christmas Child

801 Bamboo Road

Boone, NC 28607

If you think you' re running out of time and can't pack a shoebox yourself... But you would still like to send one .. OCC has made it super easy for you.. Simply go HERE and you can EZ give a shoebox donation online instead of in a shoe box. EZ Give is a simple, convenient way to make your shoe box donation online by using a credit or debit card, eliminating the need to place a check inside the box. After completing your donation, you will be able to print out special EZ Give shoe box labels included in your e-mail receipt that indicate you have made your donation online rather than placing it inside your shoe box gift.

To volunteer at a collection location or at one of their processing centers PLEASE check out their website for additional information..

So now how to I entice you to spread a little holiday cheer to OCC... Well, with a little blog candy... Here goes...

If you participate (and you'll let me know by posting a comment on this post .. and this post only) you name will go into my blog candy drawing.... So how can you be entered?

1- if you send a shoebox please post a comment with a link to a picture of your shoebox before you drop it off...

2- if you choose to ez donate... please post a comment to that effect and

3- if you choose to volunteer.. please post a comment as to the date you volunteered and where...

t's that simple...

what will you win? Using the random # generator I will randomly choose 1 lucky winner who will receive a $15 gift certificate to Roses on Paper...

Now here's 2 extra little goodies...

1- if you send a shoebox and get a child involved ... if your child adds a homemade holiday card to the box I will enter all of the children in a separate give away and send him/ her a small token as a thank you for the holidays.... When posting a link to the shoebox please let me know that the card was enclosed.. and,

2- if you post a link to this blog candy and get people involved through your blog you will be entered into a drawing for a separate candy goodie of 2 new UNmounted Stampin Up stamp sets... The world over and alphabet soup...

It's that simple..

So get filling those shoeboxes.... You only have until the 24th to get it dropped off at a collection location...

Just a note.. this post will remain on top of my blog until my drawing on the 26th. This way everyone has time to get their comments posted.... Hugs and Happy Holiday's...

Lisa

Day 5... Baby it's cold outside

sorry -- I started this 2 days ago and never finished it....





I saved this for little guy for last because right now he's my all time favorite...

Well... favorite so far this season... I just keep plugging along with the holiday cards... I think I'm at the point now where I'm going to start giving them away... But I just can't help myself.. I (((HEART))) Christmas, Santa's, Snowmen... Love 'em all...

This card uses a fun snowman stamp I picked up last year from WhipperSnapper Designs.. It's Snowman Skater. And I just adore the color combo... Next only to Chocolate, blue, red and vanilla together.

For this card I used....
Stamps... Snowman skater (WSD), Out on a limb (PTI) and 2 various snowflakes 1 Basic Grey and 1 WSD

Ink.. black stazon, soft sky, brocade blue and various copic markers

Card Stock... blue bayou, brocade blue and whisper white

Accessories... Stickles, SUP stitched grosgrain,

So tell me.... Do you have any fun plans for the weekend. My plans this weekend are to work on my gifts for my secret elf.... Finally a stamping weekend... Don't forget to put together your OCC packages and get them to a drop off my Monday....

Have a fabulous weekend everyone.. Hugs,

Lisa

Day 4... Isn't Shimmerz BEE-A-UTIFUL

I used to think that glitter was my favorite.. But now... I honestly think it's Shimmerz paints. They add a delicate bling (and who doesn't like a little bling bling on their cards?) to your images...

For this card I wanted to do a little something 'simple' using this adorable tree I found in Mike's dollar bin... A week ago I ran into the new Mike's in town and can you say... OMGosh... Overload... It was awesome. They had sooooooooo much... and so many new dollar stamps. I'll never go to the other 2 Mike's around here... I'm now a loyal patron of the new Michael's in Latham...

For this card I switched back to the 5 1/2" square to give myself a little extra working room... Using my SUP stamp-a-ma-jig I lined up 3 trees and then stamped 2 more on scrap whisper white card stock.. After coloring all of them to match using my copic markers... (Hey Gina is it time for another shipment yet.... I think we need 2 a month.. ah nah... that wouldn't work, I'd never be able to afford new supplies)... after giving the markers a few minutes to dry I covered the trees with ButterCream Shimmerz.. let then dry. Once they were dry I added glassy glaze to the pots and the red bows for that little extra something.. When everything was dry I cut out the two extras.. Applied pop up glue dots to the back and then added them between the other 3 trees so that they pop off the page a little. Using coordinating Basic Grey 6x6 paper, SUP card stock and the new SUP alpine grosgrain ribbon... I thought HUMMMM it still needs a little something. So I whipped out one of my PTI stamps, stamped my sentiment and covered that in the ButterCream Shimmerz. Once dry, using my SUP circle punches I cut out my sentiment and a piece of the coordinating Basic Grey paper.... added another pop up glue dot and thought... HMMM not quite yet... Where's that black marker of mine.... A little detail work around the edges and VIOLA.... What do you think?

Have you all started working on your Holiday cards yet? If so, I'd love to see them..

Happy Stamping...

Hugs,
Lisa

Day... 3... We need you to come down to the police station for a

Line up... Apparently there have been some mischievous elves, snowmen and reindeer in the neighborhood and we were hoping you'd be able to identify them in a line up.... Apparently Santa's little helpers have been blowing off a little steam and whooping it up around town....

First we have our snowmen.... They have been charged with stealing carrots from the reindeer's and using them for who knows what... You can tell that some of the snowmen have ...can we say over indulged in the apple-tini's as they used the line up to salute, waive at the photographer and strangely throw 'snowballs' at each other.

Mr. Reindeer can you identify which snowman stole your carrots......

And now we have our elves..... a little over indulgence in the malt liquor (I know but that's their drink of choice).... and look what happens.... One elf pulled the beanie hat down over the eyes of another, gave him a wedgie and all heck broke loose... Now they all stand here praying Santa will be lenient on them..

Can you tell who the ring leader of the group is?

And last but not least we have our reindeer... Who after over indulging on Mike's hard lemonade were retaliating against the snowmen.. since there may be children present.... we'll just leave it as a public display of lewdness.... a few of our snowmen are now a little 'yellow'.....

Sadly one ring leader found it be very funny.... Can you tell which one that was?

So now the jail is packed full of reindeer, elves and snowmen sleeping it off.... Tomorrow we'll send them back to the North Pole to let Santa deal with them...

Until then.. Their mug shots will be posted all over the Internet

and sent out on my Christmas cards.... If this is what they do in mid-November.. Can you imagine what they do on December 26th?

Are you ready for hint #3...... November 17 - 24th.... Has anyone figured out what it is yet? The first person to guess correctly will win an New Unmounted Stamp Set... Which I will reveal on day 5.

Happy stamping everyone..

Hugs,
Lisa

Day 2... It's Snowing Outside....

No not really.. But this week it will be cold enough here to snow and their actually calling for snow showers most every day next week.... Since there's hardly any frost in the ground it's not really going to stick.. It'll just be flying around making everyone with a plow (including my deranged when it comes to plowing... but I still love him DH).... crazy wishing for snow... It brings back the Dunkin' Donuts commercial of the man sitting in a lawn chair watching the first snowflake fall... Yep that's my husband... It's true and can you believe I married him... LOL

Today's card was cased from this card of Pine's.. It's so simple card and that's what I love most about it.. Just like with Pine's card I cut my card stock lengthwise.. Folded in half at 5 1/2"'s and then on the side that would be the front using my paper cutter took another inch off the front side. This gives it the asymmetrical look.

Don't you just love the new Marvy snowflake Punches.. I picked up mine from PTI only because I could not find it elsewhere not even on line... I'm sure soon it'll start showing up but I needed it NOW !!! This particular one is the Mega 2 1/2" which coordinates with the Snowfall Additions stamp set.

This card uses.....

Card stock... Close to Cocoa, Soft Sky and Whisper White cs all from SUP

Ink... Soft sky & Close to Cocoa, Canvas by Palette

Stamp sets... Snowfall Additions (PTI) and Merry Christmas was from the $1 bin at Michael's. The little squiggly was from my "Santa Baby" stamp set by Basic Gray

Accessories... Versa Mark, iridescent embossing powder, glitter glue, fine white glitter (for the snowflake.. I covered mine in glitter before punching it out), mega marvy snowflake punch, pop up glue dots and Martha Stewart twill ribbon..

Are you ready for today's clue..... Whether big or small.... shoes come in it.

Have a wonderful day everyone..

Happy Stamping :)
Lisa

5 Days of cards..... Day 1

Hey everyone.. I know I've been promising you lots of project so here goes... I have 5 days worth planned for you and then a HUGE surprise at the end... the surprise is still in the planning stages but I can give you a hint... If any of you read Melondee Langworthy's Blog (if not head on over and give her a look seeeey... she's linked under "you have got to check this out"... ) you're familiar with her Drive-thru Thursdays.... So here's a quick little hint... It has to do with PIF (paying it forward).... so get those creative juices flowing.... Stop back each day to see what I've been up to and for another hint....

Today you're in luck.. I'll give you a 2nd hint... Christmas is for children.... and it's important to remember the "True meaning of Christmas"..

Even though I'm trying to get into the Christmas spirit I have 1 more quick Halloween card for you... Why am I showing you a Halloween card 2 weeks after Halloween??? I just love how this came out and it's so easy to adapt it to Fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Remember back a few weeks ago I did a little enabling which seems to be something I'm really good at (right Teresa????) and told you all about this set that I just had to have from TreeHouse stamps... Well, just as soon as it arrived, I knew I had to ink it up. This creepy hat was just calling for a pair of googlie eyes... LOL

Here's the full card.. I just love it... For this card I used...

Stamps... Creepy Crawly (THS)

Card Stock... SUP -- black, kiwi kiss and whisper white... Haunted Cosmo Cricket DS paper

Ink.... Black stazon, Green, Grey, Orange and Purple copic markers, Kiwi Kiss & Tangerine Tango SUP

Accessories.. Ranger glassy glaze, orange, purple, black and green stickles, SUP circle punches, misc word felt tape and pop up glue dots.

Have a fabulous day everyone... And remember to come back tomorrow for day 2 and hint #2..

Happy Stamping,
Lisa

Sheetload's Blog Candy Blowout

OMGosh.... Run don't walk on over to

Sheetload of cards

to check out their November blog candy blow out... Here it is..

I've made sure entered.. Have you?

We have winnah'ssssssssssssss

Congratulations... and thank you to eveyrone who entered my blog candy give aways... We have 2 winner's.. Wanna see what they won?

Our first winner... is.... DRUM ROLL PLEASE !

Dannette from Dannie's Creative Outlet

She won.. Orchid micro beads, a Flavia embellishment set, Creative Memories petal passion kit, White and Black Stampin Up Magic mesh, a package of tags, prima flowers and 2 white and 2 silver snowflakes.

And, my 2nd winner (for linking me to her blog is)..

Bumblebee Creations..

She won... primsmacolor pencils. blending stump, sharpeners, Stampin Up Art decor rubon, 2 silver and 2 white snowflakes, natural Stampin Up majic mesh, a magnetic clipboard with pen, cork alphabet letters and blue micro beads.

Congratulations ladies.. Please email me your snail mail address and I will get these shipped off to you.

and now on a personal note.. You will never believe what I fell into yesterday.. Are you ready.. Can you guess what this is? Can you say a primitive Hoosier.... And how much would you think I paid for this....

$30.... Yep you read that right.. No typo here. 30 / $1 bills.... I was shocked. I love it. I'm not quite done decorating it... But I still love it.

Happy Stamping everyone !!

Lisa

Can you see me...

Jumping up and down.. I'm so excited I absolutely can't contain myself.. I realize that most of the time I'm slow to get on a band wagon.. BUT I have to say that I so adore these Magnolia's... for those of you who don't know what a Magnolia is please GO HERE and check out Magnolia-licios UK.. they do ship to the US so you don't need to worry if you just fall in love with them like I did..

Well, let me tell you.. My new BFF from SCS Tammy... Sent me an entire envelope of stamped Magnolia images. (Tammy.. YOU ROCK GIRLFRIEND.. Thank you from the bottom of my heart).. So I just had to use one for my sister's birthday on Tuesday..

This particular image is #255 Tilda with Cowberry Muffin.. And OMG is she not the cutest thing you've ever seen. After I had colored the entire image with my copic markers I added a little "Angel Wings Shimmerz" to her dress, apron, stockings, cheeks and the sentiment "Make a Wish" to give it a little shimmery glitz. My sister always loves a little bling bling.

Here's the full view of the card. I used..

Cardstock.. All from SUP kiwi kiss, pink pirouette, whisper white and the Bella Rose DS paper..

Image... Tilda stamped in black..

Ink... various copic markers

Accessories: large oval nestabilities, 1 1/4" as well as the 1" SUP circle punch, Angel Wings Shimmerz, kiwi kiss striped grosgrain ribbon, Diamond stickles (for the top of the cowberry muffin), pop up glue dots and last but not least some misc. rubons.

I'm going to need to practice my Magnolia coloring.. But not too shabby for my first try..

And oh, if you haven't already done so.. DON'T FORGET TO GO HERE to enter my blog candy give away..

Happy Thursday stamping everyone.
Hugs,
Lisa

Halloween Sweet Treats...

Are these not the most cutest treat bags you have ever seen? I came across these Box-in-a-bag on SCS and just knew I had to make a few for Halloween (and I'm sure their be some for Christmas as well)..

First let me say a VERY VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU to Diana Gibbs (Stampin' With Di) for this awesome tutorial.. for the complete instructions with pictures please go check out Diana's BLOG HERE !!!

These are super easy to make what you need is..

4 1/2 x 4 1/2 piece of card stock (scored at 1” on every side), and then score diagonally across the squares formed in the corners.

5 1/2 x 11 piece of designer paper

1.5 x 11 inch piece of designer paper

Red-liner tape

Round Tab Punch

Scallop Edge Scissors or punch

Ribbon and

Whatever else you may want to decorate your bag with.

First, Apply adhesive to the corners of your box and fold to form the box shape. I placed adhesive on both sides of the folds so that it would hold it well when folded. You'll see what I mean when you go to fold it.

Apply red-liner tape along one long side of your large piece of designer paper and also along one short side on the back side of the paper.

Peel the liner off and adhere the long side around the box even with the bottom (starting in the middle of one side of the box). When you get all the way around the tape on the short side with overlap and adhere the bag together with a seam down the back.

Use the scallop edge punch on the long skinny piece of designer paper and then adhere it around the bottom of the bag.

Adhere two tabs to the top of the bag - you can punch holes with the slot punch or use jumbo eyelets to run ribbon through.

Decorate as desired. (these directions were adapted from Diana's tutorial) !!
For mine I used... Cosmo Cricket Haunted paper with coordinating CC Haunted stickers and chipboard.. Black grosgrain ribbon and an orange textured paper (for the tags) that I found in my stash of scraps. These are so awesome because you are only limited by your imagination (and what embellishments you have.. LOL)

Once these were assembled I filled them with what else.. White chocolate covered pretzels with Halloween sprinkles and jimmies... YUMMO.. Ok I'll admit it. I ate 1 small broken one and OMGosh it was so delish... I found that 1 bag of the melting chocolate will cover 1 bag of the pretzel rods... So you'll need equal bags of each depending upon how many you're making.

And now for my matching card... Don't you just love these witchy legs.. I'm truly sorry. I purchased this stamp last year (Maybe from Ellen Hutson's store).. I seem to have forgotten who made this stamp.... I choose to color all of my legs in green, purple and orange copic markers. I then added purple and orange stickles... Because I just ((HEART)) glitterizing my cards..

Here's what the final card looked like.. The background card stock is SUP and then the designer paper is Cosmo Cricket Haunted. The ribbons are Maya Road. and the eyes are the coordinating stickers from the Haunted collection..

And lastly.. Don't forget to GO HERE TO ENTER MY BLOG CANDY GIVEAWAY... You have until sometime on the 8th to enter... Who knows what time I'll roll out of bed on Saturday. This day light savings time has me exxxxxxxxxxxxxhausted..

Have a safe and wonderful stamping day everyone !!!

Hugs,
Lisa

Blog Candy Update.....

Happy Tuesday everyone.. Just a quick blog candy alert...

First don't forget to scroll down to this post and enter for a chance to win my blog Candy... Do not enter your comment here cause' I'll miss it.. make sure you enter it on the actual post. If you link me to your blog and others enter (and mention you sent them) you Will receive additional entries for a 2nd goodie bag....

Secondly.... Would you like to win a $15 gift certificate to Roses on Paper (a great place to pick up Magnolia stamps) as well as some other goodies.. if so, Head on over to Bumblebee Creations to enter for a chance to win !!!

Have a wonderful day... And please DON'T FORGET TO VOTE !!!!

It's a very sad day

I'm not sure how many of you are aware but a week before I went to Jpeak (the sky is falling, the sky is falling... whoops sorry a little regression) my 'puter crashed and burnt. Well, a friend was able to fix it.. but in doing so, he had to basically re-load (if that's even the correct terminology) it.... So since the only thing I used it for was my pictures (from Snapfish), my I-tunes (which is what it was trying to upload the latest version of when it crashed and went to the blue screen of death) and the Internet.... there wasn't much he had to reload on it..

Now being completely computer illiterate as I am.... I was under the impression that my I-tunes was saved out in the intergalactic galaxy known as apple I-tunes so all was good. I made my mind up that as of today I was heading back to the gym. In preparation last night I thought (there I go again.. thinking) it would be a good idea to download a few more songs and charge my I-POD.....

WELL WHOLLY MOTHER OF GOD... I had no idea that your I-tunes are saved on the hard drive of your 'puter..... So when your 'puter crashes ... EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR SONGS ARE G-O-N-E GONE... so when you plug in your I-pod it freaking erases your songs..... OMG.... So here I am thinking.. well, I bought all close to 300 songs from Apple I-tunes, I must be able to get them back RIGHT !!! .. Oh no, go read the disclaimer (here I'll give you the brief jaw dropping version).. Oh no my friend, you can only download your music once. If you need to do it more than that... break out the ole' wallet yet again... But in order to save yourself from this .. hmm what was the word they used.. oh yes... 'regrettable situation'... Regrettable situation.. GIVE ME BACK MY MUSIC I PURCHASED FROM YOUR STORE!!! ... is to make regular back ups of your music and video files... A little late now apple wouldn't you say... you should have told me that before my 'puter tried to sync to my I-pod and wiped it all away.... So right now my glorious I-pod that I loved so dearly is blank and has nothing to say to me..it just sits on my desk staring at me...heartless and empty.... Now the only thing I can do is take it to my 13 YO niece and see if she can download some music to it so that once again my beloved friend will be able to sing to me.. Please learn from me.... back up your I-pod regularly.. How you do that I have no freaking clue...

Since I spent last night hyperventilating and soaking in a nice hot bath (which didn't make it any better) I didn't have a chance to download my pic's of all of my projects... Sorry :( But here's an awesome consolation recipe to share.. This is soooooo yummy. It tastes just like my grandma's pumpkin roll....

Microwave Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting... (Thank you OH)

¼ cup egg beaters

1/4 cup canned pumpkin

3 tbsp whole wheat flour

2 tbsp SF caramel syrup (DaVinci or Torani) .. I used SF caramel ice cream topping

2 packets Splenda

2 tbsp nuts/berries trail mix, chopped

Several good shakes of pumpkin pie spice

2 tbsp SF vanilla or butterscotch pudding mix powder

3 tbsp vanilla soy milk

1 scoop Vanilla Unjury whey protein isolate

Mix dry ingredients-- pour into wet ingredients in a glass measuring cup. Do NOT cook in plastic-- it heats too fast. Cook 4-5 minutes on HIGH. Let it cool, dump it out and slice it-- I'd slice into 3 or 4 slices. (I made 3 thicker ones)

ICING:

1 oz FF cream cheese per layer of cake (you make 2 slices of cake, double this, etc.)

drop of vanilla extract

splash of caramel DaVincia (or SF caramel topping again)

a little soy milk until spreadable

Mix with a spoon until clumps are gone and spread on a cool cake slice. Tastes better when you let it refrigerate a bit.

NUTRITION (this is a rough estimate) PER SLICE (if you make THREE slices!)

141 calories

2.25 fat

13.3 carbs

15.4 protein

TTY all tomorrow...

WHOOPS.. I almost forgot.. scroll down to my next post.. Don't forget to enter there (not here but comment on that post) for a chance to win my blog candy.. These pictures will also be posted later today/ tomorrow am..