Christmas Cookie Swap and a Favorite Christmas Teapot

The past few weeks have been filled with lots of activity.  Lots of work, and time for some fun as well. I hosted my first ever Christmas cookie swap.  I had 19 friends and family members join us for the fun and we each baked three dozen cookies to share.  I have never seen so many cookies on a table in my life.

I had two of my nieces come and they were a tremendous help.  Little Grace (age 7) even made a Grinch guacamole for the party.  Very sweet and tasty too!

I think the party was a hit, and hope to make it an annual event.

Since it is Christmas week, I decided to take out another of my Christmas teapots.  This one was given to me over 25 years ago by my friend Sherri. Times have changed, as I used to type on a typewriter at my first few jobs, and this teapot always makes me smile to see it.  I wonder if I could still type on one after years of typing on computers!

Today I am sharing tea at:

Tea Time Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Wishing you a very happy holiday season!

Until next time!

Merry Christmas, Dear!

I have been busy in my stamp room making more Christmas cards.  Today I am sharing a pair of them with you. Both cards were made with a Simon Says Stamp set called Gnome For The Holidays.  I won this stamp set a while back, and find it fun!

Hoping to find some time to make more cards soon.  Really miss having inky fingers!

Until next time!

Christmas Cards For Pet Lovers

I was in need of a pair of Christmas cards for pet lovers.  Luckily, I have a lot of stamps perfect for the occasion.  This first card I am sharing was made using a House Mouse stamp. Aren't they precious?  I thought the use of the plaid paper and the touch of Glossy Accents on the Christmas ornament added to the holiday feel.

For the dog lover, I decided to use a new stamp in my collection by Gourmet Rubber Stamps.  I used various washi tapes and Wink of Stella for some shine on the hat.

Do you have a pet? How do you include them in the holiday festivities?  I used to have a cat named Emily.  I had a special stocking made for her and she had treats under the tree each year. I remember waking up Christmas morning to find her sitting on her stocking smelling her goodies.  Such good memories!

Until next time!

Tea Time Tuesday - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

This Friday my husband and I started decorating our home for Christmas.  The tree is trimmed and I started bringing out my Christmas teapots.  Today I am sharing my Santa teapot with you.  He is just so jolly and always makes me smile.

This weekend I started making Christmas cards for my friend Erich to give.  He asked for a dozen cards and he tends to like the humorous or sweet cards.  So the first one I made was this one.  I used a favorite vintage Santa image and a fun stamp from the Hashtag Stampers Anonymous set I won.  Hope you like it!

How are you preparing for the holiday season?  I am attending a Christmas party this weekend, and am hosting a cookie swap the following week!  Lots of holiday cheer coming my way!

Today I am sharing tea at:

Tea Time Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Hope you have a tea-riffic day!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thursday is Thanksgiving here in the USA.  I took off work today to get the house ready for the feast.  I thought I would share a pair of cards I made for my parents and my husband's father.  I used the Maple Leaf image from the Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous stamp set.  Both cards used the same stamps, but I made one an top open card and the other a standard side open card.  Distress Ink pads were used to give them a watercolor look.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampers Anonymous, Inkadinkado
Paper: Gina K Designs, Watercolor paper
Ink: Archival, Distress Inks
Misc.: Twine, Distress Tool

The backgrounds were colored with more Distress Ink (one is Antique Linen, the other Rusty Hinge).


Wishing each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!  I am truly thankful for so much, and count each of you among my blessings.

Tea Time Tuesday - Tom Turkey Teapot

With Thanksgiving approaching on Thursday, I thought I would share my Thanksgiving teapot with you.  I love the shape and the turkey!

I really enjoy breaking out my holiday teapots. On Friday, I will be breaking out my Christmas teapots for the season.  I have many to share with you!

Today I am sharing tea at:

Tea Time Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Hope you have a tea-riffic day!

Finally, Time For Card Making!

I haven't had much creative time lately.  I have a lot of home projects in the works as well as end-of-the-year busy time at work.  This week I was able to make a pair of cards for very special occasions.

The first one I am sharing is a card I made for my sister to give a friend who gave birth to a precious little boy.  I thought it would be fun to use the Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous stamp of the alarm clock.  I added the baby sounds coming from the clock! Small touches like blue gingham and safety pin were added to embellish the card.

The second is a card I made for a co-worker to give her daughter for her 16th birthday.  She asked that I use dark purple and gold as that is her daughter's favorite color combination.  The stamps I used on this are from a new stamp set I picked up by Dina Wakely.  The butterflies were heat embossed using Ranger Gold powder.  I think they really stood out great against the dark purple.

We are in the midst of a bathroom remodel at the house.  So a few more weeks of disarray and I will be back to crafting and blogging more regularly.  I sure miss it, and all of you!

On its way to lovely!

Hope you have a fabulous day and get to spend some time doing what you enjoy!

Little Boo Teapot

Today is Tuesday, so I am sharing one of my Halloween teapots with you!  This one was given to me by my sister many years ago.  I love this little ghost coming out of the pumpkin! Isn't it adorable?

I thought I would also share my candy bowl that I decorated with candy corn.  I have had this bowl for years, and when I come to the door the kids and adults alike want the bowl!

I am really looking forward to Friday night when the little goblins and witches come to visit!

Today I am sharing tea at:

Tea Time Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Wishing you a great week ahead!

Wishing You A Cozy Day

Are you a pet lover?  Do you love dogs, or cats, or maybe another type of exotic pet?  Well, I was asked to make a birthday card for a young woman who loves cats.  I was asked to incorporate a cat and the color purple as it is Chelsea's favorite color.  Let me show you what I came up with!

Supplies:
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp
Paper: Gina K Designs, Bo Bunny
Ink: Hero Arts, Memento Black
Misc: Scallop Punch

I really love the stamp set Pillow Talk by Simon Says Stamp, as it incorporates images perfect for the dog or cat lover.  This stamp set was a birthday gift to me from my friend Mariola and I get a ton of use from it as there are so many wonderful pet lovers out there.

I used to have a cat named Emily who loved to crawl onto my pillow just like this cat.  It makes me smile to remember her when I stamp these images. Emily, sadly, is no longer with me, but maybe someday I will have another furry friend in my family.

What about you?  Do you have a pet?

Until next time!

WOYWW #281 - Think Pink

Today is Wednesday, so I am sharing what is on my work desk with you!  My favorite fountain pen shop wanted to see our pink supplies.  Since October is breast cancer awareness month, I thought it was a great idea.  As many of you know, I just adore pink (heck, my stamp room is pink!).

As I was pulling stuff out, I realized how the shades of pink make me happy!  My pencil sharpener is a new acquisition, and I adore it.

Thank you, Julia, for the desk hopping fun!  I am looking forward to seeing what you are all working on.

Have a fabulous day!  Until next time!

Tea Time Tuesday - Tea and Temp-tations

Today is Tea Time Tuesday, and I am sharing my newest tea and a new tea mug!

The tea was an anniversary gift from my husband.  It is Stash Double Bergamot Decaf Earl Grey.  I had to switch my beloved tea to decaf, and wasn't able to find the Double Bergamot in tea bag form, but Alan found it loose for me and picked me up a couple of bagfuls!  The new tea mug is by Temp-tations and matches my bakeware sets.  I love the large size of it, and the cover and the adorable spoon! I am a very happy camper!

Today I am sharing tea at:

Tea Time Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Hope you have a tea-riffic day!

Baby Boy's First Birthday Card Using My Favorite Blueprint Stamp

Do you have a stamp that you reach for over and over? For me it is the cupcake stamp by Stampers Anonymous! As you know, I love the Blueprint stamps, but this one is the one that I use the most.  I needed to make a little boy a card for his first birthday, and the single candle was just perfect for the occasion.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampers Anonymous
Paper: Gina K Designs
Ink: Memento Black
Misc: Copic Markers, Circle Punches

I have been enjoying the change of season here in New York.  I am enjoying the cooler weather and all the Fall outdoor fun!  My husband and I have been to some local apple farms, our local arboretum for their Fall festivals and this weekend we will be attending an Oyster Festival.  They have a lot of vendors there who sell their crafts, so it is right up my alley, not to mention all the delicious food!

Thanks for visiting today!  I hope to get into my craft room next week and share some fun with you soon!

Sharing Love with Fountain Pens and Ink (Anniversary Fun)

This week my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary.  You may know my love of fountain pens and ink, but I am happy to say my husband has begun to dabble in the hobby.  For our anniversary, we both gave each other fountain pens and ink.  It was a fun surprise.

I always wanted a Lamy 2000 fountain pen, as I have heard lots of great things about them especially on SBRE Brown's and Goulet Pens website and YouTube channels.  The Lamy 2000 was first made in 1966 and that is the year of my birth, so that really made it special for me.  My husband loves Pilot Metropolitans and asked for a set (fountain pen and pencil). He already had a few of them and so far that is the only fountain pen he is interested in.  You may notice that I picked up a TWSBI USA this week. Lots of inky fun waiting for us to enjoy.

I decided to make my husband a card with a fountain pen theme to go with his gifts. I made a mask of a heart and stamped ink splatters inside for for the heart image.  The fountain pen stamp is by 100 Proof Press.  It was a hit and I was glad that I could merge my two hobbies of stamping and fountain pens.

After we use our pens and ink, I will share how they did!

May your fingers be inky, and your heart happy!

It is National Coffee Day!

You are probably used to seeing my posts about tea, and plenty of cards with a tea theme.  Well, today is National Coffee Day and I am submitting this card for my blogger friend Chaitali's Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  Chaitali is a lovely lady who I am lucky enough to have gotten to know a bit since I started blogging. She is a major talent, but even more important, a kind, encouraging soul.

I decided to go with a vintage feel, and used a favorite set of mine by Crafty Secrets.  Sadly, they are no longer in business, but their stamps remain among my go-to stamps for many occasions.

I hope you will hop along and enjoy some fun coffee cards (without any of those pesky calories!).

Until next time!

Using Stampers Anonymous Blueprint Stamps for a First Birthday Card

It has been awhile since I was able to put up a card I made! Time has been working against me lately. Today I am sharing a card I made for my friend to give a little boy for his first birthday.  I was only asked to incorporate blue and yellow.  I thought it would be fun to use my favorite Blueprint stamps by Tim Holtz as the images are so festive and large.  This card is not my usual small size, as I used a full sheet of card stock scored in half.

Supplies:

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous

Paper; Gina K Designs

Ink: Memento Black, Distress Ink

Misc.: Circle Punch, Wink of Stella (Clear)

I used the computer to personalize the card and even add the boy's age.  Clear Wink of Stella was added to the images to give them a shine and added interest.

Wishing Matthew a very special birthday!

Until next time!

WOYWW #276 - House Mouse Birthday

Since today is Wednesday, I am sharing what is on my desk with you.  I am currently working on birthday cards for my father-in-law and my father this week.  Today I just finished my father-in-law's card using a fun House Mouse stamp.  That mouse sure looks happy and content.  Makes me wish I had some cake!

I thought I would share Cal's card with you! I am looking forward to celebrating him on his 89th birthday!

Thank you Julia for this desk hopping fun!  I look forward to seeing what you are all up to this week!  If you haven't joined in, I would love for you to!  Visit Julia and add the link to your desk! You will have a lot of fun, and meet some fabulous people!

Until next time!

WOYWW #275 - Tim Holtz Goodies

Since today is Wednesday, I am sharing what is on my work desk with you!  Today I received my prize in the mail for being one of the lucky winners of the August Tag Challenge of the 12 Tags of 2014 on Tim Holtz's blog.  I found out I was one of the winners on Labor Day, which was such a fun surprise.  Here are the goodies that I was sent.  I am very excited about the stamp set, as I had my eye on it!

I can't wait to spend some time creating and using these fun goodies!  Thank you, Julia , for the desk hopping fun!  I look forward to seeing what you are up to this week!

Until next time!

Tea Time Tuesday - Antique Reflections

Today I am sharing another of the tea pots in my collection.  This one I found shopping one day and I knew I had to take it home.  I love the shape, and the scene on it. Even though this tea pot is new, it does have a vintage feel that I love.

Today I am sharing tea at:

Tea Time Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Hope you have a tea-riffic day!

Tea Time Tuesday - Fortnum & Mason Goodies

Today is Tuesday, and I am going to share a special gift I received this week with you.  My dear friend Monika traveled to England this summer and brought me back some wonderful tea treats!

Monika was able to visit Fortnum & Mason and was kind enough to think of me.  Tonight I will be drinking my new tea with a thankful heart. Isn't the shopping bag lovely, too? I always bring my own bags to the market, so this is something that will get a lot of use (well, maybe -  it is too pretty to carry groceries in!).

I have never tried Smoky Earl Grey, so this will be a treat!

Today I am sharing tea at:

Tea Time Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Hope you have a tea-riffic day!

Tim Holtz August 2014 Tag - Blind Bird Justice

Here I am finally getting around to making my tag for the monthly Tim Holtz challenge of the 12 tags of 2014.  This summer has been super busy with both fun and crazy things (like a flood!). I was glad to spend some time creating and getting my fingers inky today.

This tag incorporated so many various mediums (Distress Inks, Distress Stains, Distress Paint and Embossing Paste), lots of stencils and techniques and fun products, too.  I used a piece of filmstrip ribbon over the bird's eyes, so now you know why I named it as I did.

I will be giving this to my friend Ruth who enjoys my tags and as a thank you as I have been so behind in my crafting.  Hoping this autumn my fingers will be plenty inky again!

Have you tried making a tag?  It is so much fun, and it is a way of learning new techniques and having some creative time.  Visit Tim's blog and enjoy the fun along with us!

Until next time!

WOYWW # 273 - Some Pencil Love

Can you believe school is starting soon?  In some areas, school has already begun and after Labor Day it will begin here.  I have no children, but looking at my desk today, you may think I was getting ready for my first day!

Many of you may remember that I love fountain pens, but you may not know that I also love pencils.  I just picked up a fabulous pencil sharpener and went to town sharpening many pencils.  I loved it so much I picked one for my husband, and sent one to my sister in-law out of state as she was in need of one.  I think the pink color grabbed me, but the point it produces and the ease of use sold me.  I have no affiliation with Classroom Friendly Supplies, but thought I would share with you in case you ever need one!

Thank you to Julia for this desk hopping fun!  I am looking forward to seeing what everyone is working on.

Until next time!

Thrilled For You!

Today I am sharing a card I made for my husband's aunt and family.  They relocated to Long Island from Virginia and bought a new home.  While looking through my stamp stash, I came across this fun house stamp by recollections.  I heat embossed it in black and used some fun heart paper from my Simon Says Stamp card kit.

Supplies:

Stamps: Recollections, Paper Smooches

Paper: Simon Says Stamp Card Kit

Ink: Distress Ink (Faded Jeans, Worn Lipstick), Versafine Black

Misc.: Clear Embossing Powder, Heart Gems

Instead of the usual "Congratulations" sentiment, I went with this one by Paper Smooches, as we really are thrilled for them.

This Sunday we were able to visit them in their new home and I learned how to play bocce ball!  I seemed to get better as we went along, but still came in last!  I married into a bocce-loving family, it seems.  

Hope you have a fabulous weekend ahead!  My husband and I will be working in our basement as we are clearing it out after our flash flood last week.  We got it all dry, etc, but so many things to sort through and continue to toss away things we don't need.  One fun thing we will be doing is attending a barbecue with some dear friends.  

Until next time!

Tea Time Tuesday - Fun Vessel For Saving Wine Corks

For today's Tea Time Tuesday, I thought I would share something different with you.  My sister gave me this adorable tea pot to house my wine cork collection.  My husband and I honeymooned at a local vineyard, and when she saw this adorable tea pot, she thought of me right away.

I thought I would share these books I used in the photo with you.  Alice's Tea Cup is a wonderful cookbook by one of my favorite local tea shops.  The scones alone were worth the price of the book.

If you are like me, you will have a bunch of various tea books.  I love to pull them out and enjoy learning about the lore of tea.

 

Hope you have a great day!  Thanks for stopping in!

Cool Beans!

So many of my family (me included) and friends celebrate birthdays in the summer.  My schedule becomes hectic with dinners, barbecues, family and friend visits.  Today I thought I would share a card I made for my friend Eva's birthday.  She is another of my Jane Austen gals as well.  When I was thinking of what to give her for her birthday, I decided on including a Starbucks gift card, so I thought a coffee-themed card would make a fun way of packaging it up.

Supplies:
Stamps: Fresh Squeezed Stamps, Stampin' Up
Paper: Gina K Designs
Ink: Archival, Distress Antique Linen, Distress Vintage Photo
Misc.: Ribbon

This is another card using stamps by different manufacturers that I think went very well together.  By inking the background with the Distress Ink, I found the white take-away cup really stood out.  Sadly, Fresh Squeezed Stamps is no longer, but I know the stamps I did get from them will be used for years to come.

I make a lot of tea related cards as I am a big tea fan, so this was a fun change for me.  Funny thing, neither my husband nor I are coffee drinkers.  We only take out our coffee pot for company!

Have a fabulous day!

A Jolly Good Time!

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!  This weekend we attended a surprise birthday party for my good friend Monika.  Monika just traveled to England on vacation, so we had a British themed party for her.  It is only fitting as she is the chair of our Jane Austen group as well.  I love how everyone pitched in, and made food.  I made shepherd's pie, and my sister's delicious strawberry cheesecake trifle.

I thought I would share with you the card I made for Monika.  It was fun to make and used 3 different stamp sets to make it.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampers Anonymous, Artistic Outpost, Technique Tuesday
Ink: Archival Inks, Distress Markers
Paper: Gina K Designs
Misc. Bingo Marker Tim Holtz

While shopping for Monika's gift I came across a cool British themed suitcase like box to house the goodies in.  I made a faux luggage tag for it as well. I love this picture as I love that she enjoyed the card so much.

It was such a perfect day.  Friends, laughter and plenty of yummy food.  Here is a fun shot of our Jane Ladies.  One member is missing, but she was there in spirit!

That is some cake, right?  Just awesome!

Unfortunately, Benedict Cumberbatch must have lost his invitation, as he was a no-show.

Until next time!

Why Aren't Winnie's Fingers Inky Lately?

I mentioned a while back that I haven't been creating a lot of cards lately due to the summer and spending time with family and friends.  One thing that I have been working on lately is my health.  I decided to get in shape and lose some weight.  So on June 9th, I started my new way of eating and dug out my old exercise videos (yep, they are VHS!).  One of the keys to my success has been really focusing on me, and spending time doing the WORK!  Well, it is nearly 2 months, and I have lost 19 pounds so far!  I am very happy, and, more importantly, I feel so much better.

I have been doing a lot of cooking and freezing to make my meals easier to deal with after work. Saturdays have been spent breaking out 2 crockpots and dutch ovens and cooking up a storm.  This has freed up exercise time for me which I desperately need.

Many of you know I love stamping, card making and tea.  What you may not know about me is that I love cooking, and spices and herbs.  I am happy in a stamp store, and just as happy walking through my favorite spice shop Penzey's.   Having a nice supply of spices and herbs on hand makes cooking a breeze.  I thought I would share pictures of my fun spice shelves that my late first husband Charlie, and Alan, have made for me.

This is only some of my stash; you will notice lots of small jars and larger ones of those I use often.  I have no affiliation at all with Penzey's, but love their products and their company values.

Hoping to get my fingers inky on a regular basis soon.  Summer is flying by and I sure miss it!

Until next time!

Tea Time Tuesday - Creativi-tea

Today I am sipping tea in a fun mug that I found years ago.  It brings together two of my passions, crafting and tea!  Inside the mug the definition of creative-tea is noted as: n. Having more creative ability while drinking tea.  Very true in my case.  I find I create better with a nice cup of tea at hand.

Isn't the tea bag holder lovely?  My mom knows how much I love vintage images and when she saw a set of these with various ladies on them she knew she had to pick them up for me.  Mom said they would be perfect for tea parties, especially for my friends in our Jane Austen group!

Currently, I am going through my tea related stamps to come up with a birthday card for a dear friend. I have a couple of drawers dedicated to tea stamps, and many more in sets.  Part of the fun of card making for me is the process of going through my stash and picking images that "fit" a recipient.  I hope to share what I come up with later in the week! 

Today I am sharing tea at:

Tea Time Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Hope you have a tea-riffic day!