Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Hope you had a great Christmas. I just wanted to share the card I sent out to family. I have been so far behind at getting anything done this season. I didn't get my cards out until the Monday or Tuesday before Christmas! I was amazed though how quickly I got this card together! John took the picture on Saturday, I think. I got it off the camera and uploaded to Walmart and picked up the pictures, all in one day! That night I designed the card and got it all together! Jessie helped with the bubble of what Emily was saying. Hope you like the card. So beside getting my card out late, I didn't even get to bake all the cookies I usually do either. Going through menopause has really been difficult! Can't seem to stay organized and able to get things done like I used to! Well I hope you have be able to enjoy whatever holiday you celebrate. Now here comes 2010! Oh boy! Cyndy

December Technique

Well I had to reschedule my technique class again, but we finally had it! This is the side step card we made. I usually take the picture outside, but the weather hasn't been cooperating, so had to do it inside and used the flash. Well it burned it too much! The hardest part to this card is the cutting and scoring. It can be confusing, but once you get the hang of it, not too bad! We also used the embossing folder that's in the Holiday mini catalog for 3 of the ornaments. I recommend to punch the ornament out first and then run it through the embossing folder, otherwise it could get stuck in the punch! On the chocolate chip ones we used the gold shimmer paint to give it some sparkle. We also inked the other ornaments in the Classic ink then with a dauber applied the gold shimmer paint directly to the stamp and then stamped the image to give it some sparkle as well. Give it a little bit to dry before punching the image out or it can smudge.

These next 2 photos are the star ornament we made. It's not really a card, but

I've been wanting to do this for some time and this was the right time of year to do it! I tried to have the photo of it closed show first, but still figuring out how to manipulate everything! So the first photo is what it looks like when you have it open and the second is closed. This is really a very simple ornament to make. If you've ever made a "squash" book, it's the same idea. This is an origami technique and I've loved doing origami for a long time and this is a great way to bring stamping and paperfolding together!

For our third technique, it was definitely not a card! For those of you who haven't been to a technique class, I usually do cards. The techniques don't have to be done on just cards, but it's usually the easiest way to learn the technique. So this last one was another ornament using glass etching. It's really another very simple

technique, just takes a little patience and time. For this one we use the Sizzix Big Shot dies and the vinyl decor elements along with glass etching creme. If you ever try this, I would recommend putting the creme on thick. I usually this this first and then go onto to something else while the creme dries. It doesn't have to dry completely before removing, just follow the directions on the brand that you get.

Well I hoped you enjoyed the projects and can join us in January for my next class! Happy Holidays! Cyndy

December's First Snow

Well December has just begun and had our first snow storm. I got a part time job at Coldwater Creek in Chester, through a friend of mine. I had never shopped there, but after going to the store and working with all the wonderful women there. It's such a pleasant place to work and shop! Well back to my story. I had to work this weekend. They talked about snow coming but just didn't think it was going to happen. While I was at the store, the snow started to come in the afternoon. By the time I got out (4pm) there was probably a couple of inches on the ground, sticking to the roads and making a BIG mess! The drive home took a lot longer then usual. It continued to snow till about 9pm. I think we got about 4" of snow. The driveway wasn't too bad. Because of the warmer temperatures on Sunday it helped melt the snow. Thank goodness it was on the weekend and didn't have to sit in rush hour traffic! The next day, was a beautiful sunny day. I wanted to get a picture of the tree tops with the beautiful blue sky, but didn't get a chance before I had to leave for work. But John must have gotten these pictures later in the day. This is actually our 2nd snow storm for this season and it's not even winter yet!

Horseback Riding

Well I'm catching up on my November's activities. Just a short post from when John and I went riding. We went again the next week, but didn't take pictures that day. The day of the pictures, it was a really mild day with lots of sunshine. I only had to wear a light jacket! We go down to Footbridge Park in Blairstown and ride to the airport and get coffee or a bite to eat at the Airport Cafe. Then here's another picture of us outside the cafe at the airport. Some nice lady came along and offered to get a picture for us.

SU Holiday Party

Well I don't know what happened to November by it just flew right by! I did get a chance to go horseback riding with my husband during a couple of the warm days we had. Also this month my wonderful upline Tina had us get together for our annual Holiday party. We usually have this in December, but think everyone was busy to do December. Anyway we had a great time. Everyone brought an appetizer or a dessert to share. Pauline brought a star/card/ornament and Tina insisted that we all make one. We also all made a gift to swap. It had to be something made with SU products. Here's a picture of the box I made and the inside. I also made some ornaments to go in the box. Some were ornaments I made last year using the die cut "peace, love, joy, cheer". I also had made the star/card/ornament that Pauline had brought to show everyone and another ornament we made from our shoebox swap in September or October. It was Louise DelVecchio's. You use DSP and the ornament punch. It was so simple I made a few later that week. We play a game to see who gets what. It's a lot of fun and you may not go home with the gift you first pick, but you do go home with one of the gifts. I forgot my camera to take pictures of all the gifts, but if you go to Colleen's blog, she has pictures of all the gifts. Enjoy! Cyndy

Halloween

Well now that I seem to be back up and running, I thought I'd get at least one picture posted of our recent Municipal Alliance event. Every year the Frelinghuysen Municipal Alliance sponsors the "open house" at our town hall. We do a drug and alcohol free events and Halloween is one of our biggest events. We prepare hot dogs, punch, hot drinks along with lots of candy! We had 150 hot dogs and had to borrow some that were left there. Even though the weather was iffy, we had a great turnout! Here's a picture of our crew and som of our place decked out! Everyone seemed to have a great time!

Computer

Well I think I finally have everything running ok. Had some major problems and still working on getting everything back to what it was. Had to send in my laptop to have one key fixed. Well they couldn't just fix the one, they had to replace the whole thing! Well I bought a new 16GB flashdrive to back up everything. That went fine. Used it a couple of times and then couldn't get it to read on any computer! Oh, how crushed I am! I'm missing pictures from June through October along with numerous files which will takes months to replace. Looking into having a data recovery company try and retrieve the files. Let you know how that goes! So when I got my laptop back, I had to put all my software back on. Thought that was no big deal! Spent the week doing that, a little at a time. Then it started "not responding" to everything, whether I was just trying to open a file or surfing the web! I spent the entire last Friday fixing that! I was having a real meltdown! I was planning on spending the day preparing for the craft show I was doing the next day at the local Blairstown Presbyterian Church. Welll that didn't happen. I have things working again, brought it into the office and had Brandon do his magic so I could work at the office as well. I'm still putting all my favorites back into my favorites file AGAIN! There is that love/hate relationship you have with your computer. I hope all that kind of stuff is behind me. I think I'm going to look into an external hard drive I can use to back up everything from time to time. This is not worth all the frustration and time!

Stamp swap

Well I sent in my laptop in the shop to get the one "key" that popped off. I've been dredding doing this, but needs to be done. Now I have to use my husband's computer which is so as malasses! So here is a quick post of some of the projects we did at my upline Tina meeting the other night. This first one, is the one I did. My sideline Ginger Gould did a similar one with us in a fall theme. The instructions were posted on our SU site and had wanted to make one for the longest time. It's such a cute little book. Would go perfect in your bag to show off your family!

This one was designed by Colleen Benedetto. Such a cute little wagon. We kept on saying all the wonderful things we could put in it as well as make it for different holidays.

This ornament to the right was designed by Louise Del Velvecchio, this was so easy yet so elegant!

The snowman ornament was designed by Tracy Bakunas, this was another quicky but again so cute.

The next one was this Top Note box. Love the holiday paper in the catalog, was going to get, but forgot, got to make sure I pick up this pack! This box was designed by Kathryn Roberts. Beautiful!

These last two were also fun, and just as charming! The left one was using our matchbox die cut and the new sizzlet folder die for the tags, the sizzlet die for the trees, snowflake & bird and the embossing folder. Debbie Modrowsky designed these. The far right was designed by none other then our fabulous upline Tina Rosenkraus. This was using the boxes in the holiday mini as well and a piece from one of the extended Bigz die cuts. You could put a photo there and use it as an ornament or just a decoration during the holidays. Loved all these projects and now have some great ideas for classes!

Enjoy! Cyndy

Octoberfest

Well I finally uploaded my pictures from Octoberfest and Eileen sent me a couple so I can share our group photo. I had a great time and came home exhausted! My Elizabeth girls (as I call them, but they are not all from Elizabeth!) stopped at Newton for dinner and then on to Shoprite to pick up their last essentials for the weekend and got lost getting to camp. My local friend Debbie and I reserved our sleeping spot and then hung out in the dinning hall for the rest of everyone.

Saturday, the weather was beautiful and the first half was rather relaxing. After breakfast I treated myself to a massage and then went to my basketry class. The class was taught by my friend Debbie Zvanut. She told me some time ago that my sister Pam was the one that taught her how to weave! Well Debbie does a beautiful job on her baskets and I always enjoy taking her classes. My friends from Elizabeth and I decided were going to go out to her place, outside of Allentown, and make a basket some weekend. Well I didn't get my basket done during the class. I never do, but did finish later that night (that was around 2am!). We had a lunch break, which was great as usual (so was breakfast). They always have so much food. Here are pictures of me finishing my basket with my instuctor and my finished basket!

The afternoon, I taught two stamping classes. One was a stationery box with a card, gift card & tag to put into it. My other friend Debbie helped me to prepare for these classes along with helping me teach them as well. This class was a bit difficult and took a bit longer, but we got it done! The second class was much easier. They made an explosion box. Here is a picture of my sample, along with what the inside looked like. I found several different variations on the internet. The one we made was just one sheet of 12x12 cardstock for the base and an 8 1/8" square of DSP for the lid. Everyone was able to use more of their creativity on this one. Wish I had taken some pictures while they were working on them, but at this point I was pretty tired! Everyone who wasn't done used the free time we had before dinner to finish up.

After dinner we had a white elephant sale. In case you don't know what that is, everyone brings stuff they don't want anymore, they sell raffle tickets and you take a chance at winning what you put your tickets to. Camp earned enough money to buy a new funyak! Way to go!

Saturday evening after dinner, they had a fire in the dinning hall (not to worry, it was in the fireplace) and sang girl scout songs. I was a bit tired and wanted to finish my basket, so I along with the rest of our group went back to our cabin to hang out. Some did some scrapbooking, some just read and others finished their projects as well. My friend Diane wasn't able to take my explosion box class, so she stopped in to make one herself (sort of!) My friend Diane is not a crafter and always lets me know, but I think secrectly she enjoys it! So this time as she made her box, I got her to be more involved. Here is a picture of her making her box.

Finally here is a picture of our group! My Elizabeth girls are planning another adult weekend in Febuary, can't wait!That's all for now! Will have to be out in that nasty weather later today. It's the Marching Band "Music Under the Stars" fund raiser. The band is doing quite well so far this year, they have come in first place at each competition. They are a very focused group of kids and really put their all into their performance. I hope they move things indoors, but will be prepared to be outside if necessary!

Last Wish

Going through my email this evening I received this information today from my pastor and thought, why not post this on my blog and I could really get the information out. This boy, Ethan Theilmann, from Franklin, NJ who is seriously ill and is hospitalized at Newton Hospital.
He has a final wish to receive a thousand birthday cards to celebrate his upcoming birthday on Monday, October 19th.
If you are able to send him a card, his family would be much appreciative.
The mailing address is: Ethan Theilmann, 19 Auche Drive, Franklin, NJ 07416.
Let's try and grant his wish, I know we can do this!

Fall Fest

Now for Fall Fest. We had such a great time. Besides all the great displays, speakers and make n takes. It's also so nice to see other demonstrators that I haven't seen in a long time and get a chance to catch up on how they're doing. My upline Tina asked some of her downline to do a demo during our event. So I offered and did one the new Shimmering Paint that we carry. I had a lot of fun doing it. Here is one of the cards I did. I used the champagne to heat emboss the image and then colored it in with the frost white.

I'm now going to try and post a picture or two of a swap I got from Michelle Zindorf! It was a pity swap too! I feel so privileged! I now have to send her a card. Isn't this a beautiful swap! I did get a few other swaps, which I'm going to be sending them a swap in return. Well that's all for now. I'll try and post again soon with more pictures from Fall Fest and my Kids Stamp Camp. Got to work on my album I'm creating with our new "My Digital Studio". As a demonstrator I was able to pre purchase it. In just a few days, customers will be able to purchase. It is such a great paper crafting tool! More later.

Technique Class

Well I wanted to post much sooner then this, but it has been a very busy month so far! I seemed to go from one project to another with no down time. Now that Fall Fest is over I have a bit of a breather before the next event. First here is a picture of a card we did at my belated Technique Tuesday class. This was really fun to do and looks really elegant in person. We used alcohol inks to do this, but I'm sure I could have used the SU Classic inks in a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol like doing polished stone without the metallic ink.

Supplies:

card stock

aluminum foil

alcohol inks & applicator

blending solution

Xyron

Black Stazon

embossing folder

Big Shot

So here is how to do: Take a piece of cardstock (doesn't matter the color). As far as size goes, it depends on what you're going to use it for, here I used 3 3/4" x 5". Place you're card stock through a xyron or cover one side with double sided adhesive and place on a piece of aluminum foil (sticky side to foil) slightly larger then your cardstock. Fold over the extra foil to back. Now load up your cotton ball/piece of felt or whatever with about 2-3 drops each of 2 different ink colors. Dark colors work better on this project. After you have the in on your cotton ball add alcohol unless you're already using alcohol ink you then add the blending solution. Now pounch your cotton ball/piece of felt all over the piece of foil covered card stock. Do this until you're satisfied with how it looks. Place your piece into an embossing folder with the foil towards the negative side and run it through your BIG SHOT. Take out and with a juicy Stazon pad (black) swipe it over the raised part (embossed). Add to card and embellish as desired.

Sept. 7

Well yes it's been a long time since I posted. I am going to try and get back to posting on a more regular basis. So many things have happened over the summer and with the kids getting back to school, I'm hoping to get back into some sort of routine. I work so much better with a routine. That can be boring, but when it does, I can just change the routine! John has been busy getting the last minute details together for the Ren Faire he is helping to put together with the Warren County 4-H teen council. It's going to be this Saturday and Sunday. We're hoping the weather will stay dry for at least while the faire is running. The forecast so far doesn't look great, so please pray for good weather. You can go to http://www.warren4-hrenfaire.org/ for more information. The whole family will be working this event and hope it is a big success.

Ok, so here goes an upload. Hope it works! .
I did it! This card is a swap a I did for Tina's last downline meeting. It's using our new shimmering paints. I just love this product. I'm working on different ways to use it for a demonstration at our Fall Fest later this month. The ornaments do shimmer, it's just hard to photograph to see it. I plan on doing this as part of my technique class for this month. The card below is a card we did at last month's technique class. It was a bit of work but you really get the WOW when people open it. Hope you like it.

I also need to get my retired stamps and kits together for this weekend. My friend and sideline Debbie Giannos will be having a table at the Succasunna Day this Saturday. I was hoping to be there with her, but have to be at the Warren County Fair grounds instead! Maybe next year! Debbie and I are selling our retired Stampin' Up! sets along with scrapbooking and card kits. Anyway if you can't make the Ren Faire on Saturday, stop by Succasunna for their fair. Here is the link for that event http://www.roxburylibrary.org/ Well I have to get going we're having a BBQ this afternoon and got to get some things done before company comes over!