Simple Stories 25 days of Christmas "Happy Holidays"

It has been snowing all day long here - a beautiful,light and fluffy, very festive snow. The roads are a little worse for wear, but it sure is pretty!

For today's card, I used a fave sketch that I first found during Scrapbook and Cards Today World Card making Day celebration. You have seen it here before as I used it for a Halloween card awhile back.

I would like to share at:
Inspired By - I was inspired by the texture, the colours and the "hanging in a row" effect. :) Aren't those stockings gorgeous?
 

and
Papercraft Star - Christmas
Oh how I love this artwork! I was inspired by the colours as well as the feeling of coming home, hence the sentiment on the inside of my card.
 

Thanks so much for visiting1

Shanna :)

What I used:
papers - Simple Stories 25 days of Christmas
washi tape various
twine from American Crafts
Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Antique Linen
machine stitching
Starbuck's coffee sleeves
random button (from a quilt shop)

25 Days of December - Day 1

Here is day one! Loving the vintage feel! I figured out a way to include our Christmas letter. It covers a lot about the past year so a good way to include journaling. I journaled on two shipping tags and tucked them behind the photo. I could easily have included more photos on this day since it landed on a weekend, but alas I ran out of space. Oh well - nothing saying they can't end up glued to a page on a day when I didn't take any! There is that matching ribbon I mentioned. The photo is of my youngest decorating the little tree in his bedroom.

Cheers,
Shanna :)

25 Days of December - the beginning

I am doing a version of December Daily based on a class I took at the Scrapbook and Cards today Crop that came to Thunder Bay in October! This is my first time attempting this sort of project. I am using many of the products that were included for the class, but adding stuff from my stash and pretty much doing my own thing. So although 99% of this project will be my own design, I am using many of the products included in the kit and it did originate as a class.

One of the places that I stuck close (but not exactly) to the original design was on the cover. I love the gold Luxe rub-ons from pink paislee that were included as well as this gorgeous "wooden" album by American Crafts.

That gorgeous wide twill ribbon was included, but I managed to find a smaller one that matches almost exactly at Target of all places! You will see it on future pages.

Here is the title page. I decided to put this photo of my two handsome boys right on the front page. I was so thrilled that they cooperated to get this photo. We don't do a Santa photo every year, but I was glad to get this one since I was still in need of a photo to send with our Christmas Cards! Also, the photo was taken at the end of November, so the cover seemed like a good place for it. Just love that owlie paper that was included in the kit!
Hope to be back soon to share a few more pages!
Thanks for visiting!

Shanna :)

Wishing you Cheer

BRRRR, we are in a deep freeze! When we woke up this morning, the temp was a balmy -26 c, but felt like -35c! Currently, it is -24 but still feels like -35c! Can you say long-johns??? 

Today's card is for the current challenge at CASology - snowflake. A fairly quick card to put together, but there I go again with those dimensional elements - no so mailable this time, lol! Oh well, thankfully I am able to hand-deliver some of my cards!

Cheers,
Shanna :)

What I used:
sentiment - SU
paper - Kaiser Craft "Silly Season"
felt snowflake - SU from stash
button - MFT

You Sleigh me!

So, I am still in need of several mailable cards... Here is a CAS card I came up with using a new set from CTMH and a brand new set from Scrappy Moms that I had been looking forward to playing with.

 I made a few more but replaced "You sleigh me" with Merry Christmas as I figure not everyone will appreciate the pun! Whew, thank goodness for CAS cards when it is getting this close to the big day!

I would like to share at:
Little Red Wagon - Santa
Christmas Card Challenges - black and white
Jingle Belles - linky party!


Thanks for your visit!
Shanna :)

What I used:
image - CTMH C1567 "Santa Claus"
sentiment - Scrappy Moms "A Holiday to Remember"
cranberry & black ink

Best Christmas Wishes

Apparently, I took a little blog holiday! We had our second annual Carolling night on Friday and it was fabulous! We carolled in our neighbourhood, collecting food and donations for our local RFDA (food bank) along the way. After warming up with apple cider and hot chocolate, we had a fabulous old-fashioned sing-song accompanied by guitar/piano right in my kitchen - it was so old-fashioned and so FUN!

 

I used this stamp awhile back to make a bulkier card, but this is my flatter version for mailing.  While signing and addressing my cards this year, I realized that somehow I had managed to make most of them 3D and very few were well-suited for mailing. I made twelve of these and may need to make a few more as I make my way through the list. I love that the image gets full attention as it is such a gorgeous stamp.

I would like to share at:

Papercraft Star

 

 and 

Inspired By

 

 These gorgeous photos made me think of getting out to take part in fun and traditional winter activities. Speaking of which, the boys and I headed for the ski hill on Saturday afternoon. It was opening day - only the bunny hill so far, but it's a start and a whole week earlier than last year - whoot whoot!

Have a fabulous week!

Shanna :)

What I used:

stamp - Inkadinkado

Warm Winter Wishes

December is here!!! 
The challenge at Saturated Canary is distressing. If you stop by often, you will know how much I love distressing! I have had this little cutie for awhile and finally got a chance to colour her! Her name is Nikki and she can be found in Krista's shop here.

A peek at the inside. Just had to use some of the fun and funky papers included in this fab pack I found at Home Sense when I was in Toronto last week! 

I would also like to share at:

My Mum's Craft Shop - winter/Christmas

and

Christmas Card Challenges 

Thanks for stopping by!

Shanna :)

What I used:

papers - Crate Paper "Snow Day"

image - Saturated Canary "Nikki" 

sentiment - Stampendous "Changito Snow Play"

buttons - MFT

Baby, it's cold outside...

Really, it is!!! This morning it was -20 with the windchill! BRRRRrrrr...

My boys are jumping for JOY!!!

What? We are a family of skiers you see. And that means that we do the "snowdance" well before most "normal" folks have made appointments to put their winter tires on. (I really don't like to shovel it, but I DO like to play in it!) The word on the street is that both local ski hills have been making snow for days - this is EARLY and very exciting! The conversation at my breakfast table this morning involved my eldest begging me to take him to the "other" hill to ski if they opened this weekend before our hill (where we hold season passes.) Time (and the weather) will determine what happens I guess! lol

Yikes is it Wednesday already? Where did the week go??? I have this sneaking suspicion that time is going to fly by for the next few weeks...especially if the ski hill opens early! Geez, maybe some of those Christmas decorations might end up hiding in their boxes. Hmmm, decorate or ski...

Here are a couple of cards I made for Shopping our Stash this week. The challenge is to use up some stash making a holiday or winter themed project - no problem! I still need to make several more holiday cards to get sent out and the deadline is quickly approaching! I would also like to share at:

Christmas Card Challenges

I have had this adorable SU snowman set in my stash for awhile now and I don't recall using him on anything other than a simple tag, so it was time to get him on a card. Isn't he just the cutest?

Using these fab Cosmo Cricket stickers made these cards come together even quicker!

Thanks for stopping by!

Shanna :)

What I used:

stamp - SU "Snow Much Fun"

papers - Simple Stories

washi, twine, misc buttons (Thanks Donna!)

Cosmo Cricket stickers

Happy Birthday

Good morning,
 I was away for work this past week - left Tuesday night and got back very early this morning. I just made it to the airport in Toronto in the nick of time as they were in the middle of a winter storm, the roads were in rough shape as we made our way there. I was lucky to tack on a short visit with my sister and nephew on the end of my trip. While I was away though, I missed both my son's and my husband's birthday - they were born on the same day!

Here is the card I made for my son before I left. I had been planning to pull out all the packaging from gifts received in order to make my son's card since it is difficult to find stamps etc. featuring some of his favourite characters, and along came the current challenge at Shopping Our Stash! We are meant to use product packaging on our creations. If I recall correctly, these little characters were on a package of mini figurines my son rec'd for his last birthday. Anyhow, having them on hand helped me to create a fun themed card despite my lack of stamps that suit. Hooray!

Thanks for your visit! I'm off to make heads or tails out of what has transpired at my house in my absence - and then get geared up for the birthday party tonight!
Shanna :)

What I used:
packaging from toys
papers: DCWV "The Generation Tech" stack
Around the block "dymo gun"
circle punch

Joyful Tidings

Today's card is for the current challenge at The Paper Players - to make a CAS card with leaves. My take doesn't involve what traditionally comes to mind when you think of leaves, but I think Holly leaves must count, lol! I no longer have need of any fall themed cards, but still need lots more Christmas!

While making this, I had been thinking how nice it would be if I had a "Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas" sentiment. Guess what I found after I finished? So, I will be back another day with a slightly different version of this!

Thanks for stopping by!
Shanna :)

What I used:
papers - Kaiser Craft "Silly Season"
sentiment - SU "Christmas Messages
Starbuck's coffee sleeves,
MFT button
SU envelope maker

All I want for Christmas is YOU

Hello! Today I have a card to share for Less is More. This week, they are looking for CAS cards that include some patterned paper.

I used scraps from the card posted yesterday - I LOVE this paper and didn't want to waste any of it, so here it is incorporated into a CAS card. Here is the inside - the second half of the sentiment reads "and a few other things, but mostly you". I love the new Christmas Messages set from Stampin' Up and I think I have managed to use almost every sentiment in the set!

I used the current sketch at Lily Bee to get the creative juices flowing.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Shanna :)

What I used:

papers - Simple Stories

stamp - Stampin' Up "Christmas Messages"

Starbuck's coffee sleeves

burlap, twine

MFT button

Oh what fun! Ugly Christmas Sweater

Hello and Happy Sunday!

A very happy Sunday it is, as I found time to put this stinkin' cute image by Saturated Canary on a card! She is "Ugly Christmas Sweater".

I cracked open my brand new Simple Stories "December Documented" paper pack - woowee, do I ever LOVE it! I think I may have NEED to get my hands on more of this gorgeous paper! I also used my NEW Stampin' Up Envelope Maker for the first time. Just look at that fab matching envelope! I am giddy with excitement!

Is she not just the cutest even wearing the "ugly sweater"? I want a pair of tights like that!

 And here is the inside...I am pretty excited about the inside actually, lol. I mean, just look at those gorgeous polka dots! I just won't feel right writing in there, lol!

I would like to share at the following challenges:
Saturated Canary - sketch
Shopping Our Stash - use something on your desk (Starbuck's coffee sleeves & the ribbon)
Christmas Card Challenges

Thanks so much for visiting!

Shanna :)

What I used:
Saturated Canary - Ugly Christmas Sweater
papers - Simple Stories "December Documented"
Starbuck's Coffee Sleeves
sentiments - Stampin' Up "Christmas Messages" - I am loving this!!! A must have!
buttons - CTMH
copics:
hair - E25, 31, 50
sweater - R59, 39, 56
skirt - T8, 6, 4
tree - YG17, 25, 11
skin - E11, E00, E000
eyes - B00
bag - E31
leg warmers - BG78, 75, 72

Friends & BYOS

Hello!
Just a quick post to sharing a couple cards I made awhile ago. I have new things to share, but waiting for the sky to lighten a bit to take some photos. It is so overcast and rainy here!

The first was a belated bday card for my dear friend Danderella. I was trying to step out of my comfort zone colour wise.

 The second was just me playing with a recently acquired CTMH set back when I was trying to get my mojo going again after a long time way, lol!

Hope to be back soon with some more Christmasy stuff.

Shanna :)

Merry Christmas Trees

Hooray for Friday!!!

I have managed to make a card for a few challenges.

At Shopping Our Stash, they are asking us to use something that was hanging around on our desks - in this case it was the burlap and that fabulous star that was not even from the same paper line,as it was cut out long ago, but happened to match perfectly with my project! 

Here is the second card I made. I am partial to the first though as I like the texture offered by the burlap and I prefer the script paper as well. Either way, two more cards for the growing stash that soon needs to be mailed!

At Jingle Belles, we have been prompted to think about our fave holiday traditions. I LOVE this prompt and could really go on and on and on...I have so many fave traditions! Today though, I was thinking about trees. 

When we were very young ( there were four of us, I am the eldest), my Papa (my Mom's Dad) used to stop by our house on Christmas Eve, or sometimes a few days before Christmas, and deliver four tiny little pine trees that he had cut down from his property so that we could each have one for our bedrooms! We so looked forward to this and couldn't wait to prop them up in mason jars, string them with a small set of lights and decorate them our very own selves!!! Because of this tradition, we started to receive a new ornament each Christmas (often more than one each year once family member caught on) and Mom let us each keep our very own shoe box of special ornaments. Each year, we would pull them out and hang them on our darling little "Charlie Brown" tress as I liked to call them. 

After awhile, Mom found us some artificial trees for our rooms. We liked the real ones, but Mom allowed us to put the artificial ones up much earlier which we were happy about. By them time I moved out on my own, I had enough cherished holiday ornaments to decorate my very own seven foot tree (and then some actually). I have kept each and every one and they bring back such fond memories of Christmases past each year when I remove them from their tissue paper. My own boys now have their own artificial trees and love putting them up each year, so the tradition continues! It won't be long now before the decorations come out...my rule is always to wait until after Remembrance Day.

 I would like to share at:

Inspired By - photo




Jingle Belles - Favourite Holiday traditions
SOS - use something on your desk
and
Little Red Wagon - use trim (in this case burlap - hmmm, is that trim?)

Thanks so much for visiting!
Shanna :)

What I used:
stamp - CTMH D1166 Vintage Christmas
ink - CTMH Olive
paper - Kaiser Craft "Turtle Dove"
burlap, twine, misc. buttons
edge distresser

Life etc.

Hey there,
Today's cards are for Inspired By. Please see photo below...
The sketch is an old standby that I've used several times before, but I cannot recall where from - my apologies.

Thanks for stopping by,
Shanna 

What I used:
papers: Bazzill Basics "Lucy's Crab Shack" 6x6
stamps: SU "Full of Life" and Hero Arts "Good Friends"
burlap, twine

One layer CAS Thank You

My card today is for two challenges:
Shopping Our Stash - Thank you
and
Less is More - one layer Thank you

I do like the simplicity of it. The tree is so very majestic just on it's own.

I hope you've had a fabulous weekend!

Shanna :)

What I used:
CS - SU Crumb Cake 
tree stamp - CTMH C1559 Always Grateful
sentiment - CTMH Thank You

Best Christmas Wishes

Hello Saturday!

Today's card is for Jingle Belles where they want to hear about our Holiday Traditions. As a little girl growing up with three siblings, my Mom was famous for saying "get outside and blow the stink of ya!" LOL She believed in good old-fashioned playtime outside and we would spend hours sledding, building forts, making snow angels and skating on the little pond in our back field. I remember one ice storm we had - it covered the road in a coat of ice thick enough that we put on our skates and skated up and down the country road in front of our house. I remember coming in from outdoors and hanging up all our sopping wet mittens, toques and scarves beside the old wood fireplace that Dad kept stoked around the clock. I recall flinging bits of snow at the stove and hearing them sizzle and evaporate. The smell of wood smoke still brings me home...

This stamp, recently acquired from The Scrapbook Cottage - the store that was set up at the Scrapbook and Cards Today crop last month right here in Thunder Bay, ON - was perfect to depict more than one of my fave holiday traditions. Because of having all that fabulous free time at home when school was out, we spent even more time enjoying the outdoors over the holidays. I just love the "old tyme" feel of this stamp. What do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Shanna :)

What I used:
CS - kraft and SU Always Artichoke
patterned paper - MME Lost & Found Christmas
stamp - Inkadinkado by Brenda Walton
ornament punch - SU

Hello

The current cue over at CASology is brown. Here is my take on it.

Just a real quickie today folks, but I think I like it! And here is a peek at the inside.

Thanks for stopping. Happy Friday!
Shanna :)

Winter Wonder

Here is a card inspired by the following challenges:

Christmas Sweet Stampin' - male Christmas card
Winter Wonderland - white and blue only
and
Christmas Card Challenges - pop it up (popped up the mittens in the corner)

I love how it turned out and plan to make a few more.

Thanks for visiting!

What I used:
stamp- CTMH D1241 Winter Wonder
papers - Bo Bunny
twine - CTMH
die - mittens - MFT I think (thanks to Danderella)
ink - outdoor denim CTMH

Wintry Wishes

 This past week, I got my hands on "Wintry Wishes" - the adorable Penguin Hostess set from CTMH and couldn't wait to play with it. It was serendipity because there were a few challenges that inspired me to pull them out and make a stack of CAS cards. I also go to use some of my new CTMH washi tape - yes I bought more Lee-Anne! A girl cannot have too much washi! lol

If you want to get your hands on this set and/or the new washi tape, be sure to stop by Donna's blog for more info. here.

 I do apologize for the pictures. Now that the daylight saving time has ended, it's going to be more and more difficult to get good pics. I just have to be really organized and photograph things during daylight hours on the weekend, but if you're trying to play along with a challenge, that can be difficult. Anyhow, my apologies for my less than stellar photos. 

 There are three adorable penguins in this set and two fab sentiments as well as a couple tiny snowflakes. I love all of them. I think I like this last one the best because the washi is thinner and seems to balance better, but I think all of them are pretty cute for CAS cards and very mailable!

 I am playing along with the following challenges:
Jingle Belles - creatures
Crazy 4 challenges - black and white plus a pop of colour
and
Christmas Card Challenges 

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Shanna :)

What I used:
stamps - CTMH C1560 Wintry Wishes
various washi including the new Christmas Washi from CMTH

Birthday hearts

This one is for Seize the Birthday this week. It was also based on a sketch shared here over at Scrapbook and Cards Today on World Card making day! Such a fun sketch and it inspired me to use up more of my Starbuck's coffee sleeves by cutting out several hearts.

I have a bit of packing to do as I am heading out of town for work for a few days. If I get it done, maybe I can duck into my scrap space for a bit...Dinner is Beef Barley soup - the kind you make a day ahead to let the flavours "mingle," so all I have to do is heat it up! Woot woot!
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
Shanna :)

What I used:
papers - Carta Bella "Traditions"
Starbuck's coffee sleeves
CTMH B1362 Tag the Occasion
vintage button
SU embossing plate

Grateful and miss you

Hello Saturday!!!
I have lots of projects to share, but haven't managed to get posts written and posted. Here we have a card I made for my lil' sister. Even though we live in the same province, we are17 hours drive away from one another (or approx. 2 hr on a plane plus the drive to and from the airport). So, we don't typically get to see each other more than maybe 3 or 4 times in a year. But, when she was on mat leave last year (went back to work in August), we spent lots of time together. We made a few visits to her in Southern ON and she visited us in Thunder Bay 5 or 6 times throughout the year and would stay for a week or so at a time. It was AWESOME to have so much quality time with her and my nephew! Our boys are very close as a result and now that she is back to work, I've been missing her so much!  I entered this card into the "SCT - 123" challenge at the Scrapbook and Cards Today crop event I attended in Thunder Bay. You had to use: stickers, chipboard, twine, 1 envelope, 2 cardstocks and 3 patterned papers. I did find it a challenge to incorporate this combination of things onto a card, but really enjoyed it and I love the outcome!

I am so lucky to have had a fab visit with my sister and nephew and the rest of my family just last weekend! We managed to escape (sans children) to the city to attend Creativ Festival for a few hours. It was such fun to visit and shop and not worry about our three boys! Love you sis, thanks for making time to hang out with your big sis! And thanks Ma for taking on all three boys while you prepared a fantastic meal for all of us!

 I just couldn't resist using this fun sentiment (that was recently gifted to me by Danderella) inside the envelope as it was exactly how I was feeling at the time. 

I would like to share at Shopping Our Stash where the current challenge is "stitching". In addition to the distressing, I added stitching along the edge of the patterned paper. I love stitching on my projects and tend to go through phases when I stitch on everything for awhile.

Thanks so much for stopping by,
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Shanna :)

What I used:
papers: Basic Grey "Out of Print"
chipboard - Michael's
die - MFT
metal embellishments - CTMH
envelope - Maya Road

Treasure life's little moments

Here is another card I made for the stash using that fab sketch from a few weeks ago at CAS(E) this sketch.

Bed is calling my name loudly so keeping it short for tonight. Hope to be back soon,
Shanna :)

What I used:
stamps: - CTMH A1109 A Sip and D1306 Treasure Life
Indian corn blue ink and CS (CTMH)

"Merry" for Jingle Belles

 Happy Monday! Thanks for visiting while I was out! I had a fabulous weekend at Thunder Bay's first Crop & Create Crop. Just the girls and the scrappin' supplies - pure bliss!!! We rented rooms at the hotel even though the venue was in our hometown just to make the experience that much sweeter!  We scrapped to our heart's content, then stayed up sharing stories and loads of laughs for half the night. I've come home super inspired and itching to get back in the scrap room but alas, the real world was waiting for me first thing this morning. What a great weekend it was and I do have some stuff to share...

This card was made for a few challenges:

* Jingle Belles - I'm dreaming of a pink Christmas (and a cure!) - the fabulous gals over at Jingle Belles are donating $4 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for every card shared during this challenge - what a wonderful idea! 

* Summer's Colour Suite for September was one of the challenges at the crop (see inspiration photo below) - this was a different colour combo for me. I love putting pink and green together, but would not have thought to use a bright pink and would never have chose beige. This one stretched me for sure, but I love the results!

*Simon Says Stamp - Christmas

*Christmas Card Challenges - Christmas/Winter with the option of flowers

and a peek at the inside:

Have a fantastic week!

Shanna :)

What I used:
sentiment on outside - SU thinlits dies
sentiment on inside - CTMH B1412 Perfect Fit - Holidays
paper: Basic Grey "Eskimo Kisses" - yes I still have some :)
buttons: MFT