Christmas Swap Gift

I can't believe it's the end of January already! Sheesh!

OK, so I just had to send someone a photo of my swap gift from my downline Christmas party, so I thought I'd post the photos here as well. It's decorated with flowers made from Tim Holtz's Grunge Paper, which I'd usually ink w/Distress Inks, but since it was a Stampin' Up! gift, I thought I'd try it with SU Classic inks & products. You've got to excuse my PJs ... I'm in them most of the morning! But, you can see my new camera my wonderful DH got me for Christmas! lol

The colors came out totally different than I expected ... the frame was colored using Bordering Blue ... I wanted it lighter, but I love the way it turned out! I stamped the roses using Studio 490's 6-petal flower and cut them out. Then, I embossed the flowers with the Swiss Dot Cuttlebug folder in my Big Shot & inked with Pumpkin Pie (I know, it's looks like More Mustard). The leaves I cut out using the Little Leaves Sizzlit--the Sizzlits have wires instead of steel blades, so it didn't cut all the way through, but I just clipped it with my Paper Snips. I inked the leaves with Old Olive ink and then stamped with En Francais using Basic Black ink. I also distressed the edges of the frame & flowers using Close to Cocoa ink.

After creating & molding the flowers & leaves, I attached them to the frame using Aleene's Tacky Glue.

Project Order class was cancelled

Well, if you're looking for photos of the projects from last night's class, they aren't here ... in fact, I didn't even make the projects. I had my 2nd exercise class with this Nazi instructor, and I was sooo sore, that I notified all the "maybes" and decided to cancel. All I wanted to do yesterday was soak in a day long HOT bathtub!

No Christmas cards this year

Sorry everyone, but I never got my Christmas cards made this year. I've been apologizing to everyone I've been talking to, and I feel soooo guilty. I thought I'd get them done this week after coming home from Arizona, but my house is a wreck, and I've just go so much to catch up on. Rick wants me to just save the supplies for Christmas 2010 (Ahhhhh! use old supplies?!). I do still have to get my little gifts out to the nieces & nephews who I don't get to see over the holidays, and I might have to actually *ack* buy *ugh* some cards to send the money in. All I know is, if I don't do it soon, they'll be Valentine's gifts!

I'm home

Just got back last night from a wonderful week in WARM Phoenix. Stampin' Up! held their Leadership convention and a Regional there, and not only did I finally qualify to go, but it was the perfect location ... warm weather and half my relatives live in Arizona! I went for a whole week and had a wonderful time visiting relatives in haven't seen in years (and I mean years ... some I haven't seen in about 30!). I finally got to meet my beautifully sweet great-niece Kaydence (wanted to put that one in my suitcase!), and got caught up with my big sis Karen. She was just the best hostess all week too! I can't believe how many relatives she contacted to come and visit me while I was in town! She's just the best!

Well, right now I've spent half the day trying to just catch up on emails ... guess I should get in the shower! Anyway, I'll post photos from Leadership and family soon as I get caught up!