Images from Christmas

I can not believe that Christmas is over and 2008 is coming to a speedy end itself.

I have so much to do this week, but it still feels like I am vacation - needs to be a mind over matter or maybe just being a better steward of my time:^)

Last week was packed full to the brim with activity and fun. The Saturday before Christmas we shopped, Sunday we wrapped and baked, Monday we celebrated with the Dieterlens and mom arrived. Tuesday was that ice storm, cookie baking and a party with friends (thankfully we just had to head across the street, but even that was a little treacherous).

Christmas Eve we baked for Christmas day - and had our traditional fondue. Christmas was Christmas - and over in a blink. We opened, we ate, we played and we relaxed. The day after we shopped.

Saturday we headed to Hardinsburg - and came back Monday evening. I feel tired again just typing all that we did! I will add some additional pictures later and now need to wake my daughter and decide what our day holds.

Camp is Monday - and for those of you who know me well, will not be suprised to know I don't have one project created yet (not even in my head!). The decorations also need to come down - but I do truly hate to do that - I had thought this weekend may be good, but I can't wear myself out before the Colts play! oh, and there still is.....New Years Eve!!

let the celebrating begin...

We did Christmas with my dad on Saturday and today begins a week long time of celebrating the birth of Christ with family and friends - today we are hitting the Japanese Steakhouse - for lunch and I am already starving :^)

However, I have not showered - but our house is looking very clean and yesterday we got thru some of the baking - Serg makes Yugoslav Potica (walnut bread rolls) and Ris made Oreo Truffles

tomorrow is cookie making day - a must have (albeit, dreaded) part of Christmas....

Christmas is coming...

and much too quickly..... :^)

We made nearly 15 acrylic scrapbooks and about 10 candy kabobs this week - and I did 3 batches of Sticky Date Pudding last night - today most of these things will be off to wish a merry Christmas to friends and co-workers.....

how can I still have to much to do?

trees by Tami - candy kabob made by me, but inspired from ones I have seen online (and a heck of a cute - albeit, giant - one at TJ Maxx!)

Are you an Indiana Stampin' Up! demonstrator?

If you are - you are welcome to join my demonstrator group for a great weekend in January for stamping, sharing and business tips!

Simply email me for information - registration will close on January 5, 2009.

The sample is another from Susan - a peppermint frosted marshmallow with an adorable tree toothpick. Simply too cute to eat!

Sale Continues!

Free $15 item
With any $70 or over in merchandise ordered

(you will qualify for free shipping AND any other $15 or under item)
You can combine the 10% off retired set promotion and/or the 20% off catalog sampler promotion and use those sets as part of your $70 order - great time to save.

to qualify for the free merchandise, orders must be sent to me via email with credit/debit or paypal payment.

Offer Expires: Friday Dec 19 9am EST

today's ornament is from my friend Susan!

Christmas Shopping Special!

All orders over $70 sent to me by 12/19 9am EST will qualify for one $15 or under iitem FREE with FREE shipping!

Choose what you need, gifts to give or supplies to finish off those last few craft gifts. Stampin' Up! recommends not ordering any later than 12/16 for Christmas delivery.

Here is one of the Chipboard ornaments from the Holiday Mini - we made them at camp and now it has a place on my tree. They are especially pretty covered in the chunky glitter, but then, glitter makes everything pretty!

Need Help with Christmas Ideas????

http://astore.amazon.com/paperscapes-20

I have been asked on more than a few occassions about things in my home, movies we watch, food I prepare, etc...

I have compiled a site where you can go not only see many of my favorite things - but purchase them too!! It is an Amazon based site - and you still have several days to order and get things in time for Christmas.....

If you are still looking for someone on your list or you need to still suggest gift ideas to someone purchasing for you - may I suggest:

*DVDs - Love Jane Austen, but not all videos do her writings justice - but the ones that do - wow! Enchanted, well, it's Enchanting! I have added some new ones this year, BBC and PBS did a great job on some Jane Austen - and Cranford another English story. We watched Wives and Daughters for the first time this year, but I think it may have been around for a while. Lots to choose from!

*Cookbooks - easy peasy Artisian Bread, cupcakes, Aussie favorites and a few Southern Living classics that I use repeatedly

*Art books, music and books that will make you think, laugh and cry. Francine Rivers "Mark of the Lion" series is fantabulous!

To visit the store and get gift ideas go here:
http://astore.amazon.com/paperscapes-20

You can send the link to your hubby with a few hints - make his life a little easier!

a little bit of this and a little bit of that.....

I am going to try to play catch up and get a bunch of stuff up today....

starting with ~a snowman 'bouquet' that were my trades for Achievers Night on Tuesday

and here is a trade I got - will have more of those to show you - from Annette - love the freeze dried snowballs!

And retired sets that I need to go thru and decide which ones to use for January's Retirement Camp - you won't want to miss this last chance to use some of these great stamps

Stampin' Up! posts retiring list today + they have some great specials!*Stampin' Up! is offering 10% off sets on the retiring list from now til Dec 23rd!

*They are also offering FREE shipping on orders over $70 between now and Dec 23rd!

Tuesday special...
*purchase one retiring set (at the 10% off discounted price!)
and get a second (lower priced set) at 40% off the catalog price!!

*purchase TWO retiring sets (at the 10% off discounted price!) and
get TWO more sets (lower priced set) at 50% off the catalog price!!

*All orders over $150 also qualify for hostess benefits (all hostess sets will be retiring) - combined with the free shipping and above specials - now is a great time to buy!
Day 7 special is good til noon EST Dec 10th

Quick Card

Here is a quick card if you are still needing to make your Christmas cards! An added bonus: it uses only white cardstock and scraps of Christmas designer papers! Two stamps - assorted circle punches are you are on your way!!

Retiring list will be out shortly - for great specials on those, make sure to join my email list!

Camp Projects

We ended up doing a total of 8 projects - I will try to get them all posted so you can see what you missed.

This is a fun 3d Bag Tag - I was pleased how it turned out. Using rub ons and the Star Bright kit from the Holiday mini made it one of the quickest projects we did - but looking at it you would never guess!

Christmas Camp!

Oh, what to do! The last camp of the year is tomorrow. My goal for camp is 6 projects (though I seem to have a problem sticking with that number, there is always just 'one' - even 2 or 3 more projects I would like to do).

I have been jotting down Christmas themed projects for well, months. I need to narrow it down - I don't think the ladies coming tomorrow want to do 30 or 40 projects - they might need to go home at some point!

On the list so far - a lovely Christmas cottage card using the Top Note, the two tins I posted this week and this fun little Christmas pick that I came up with all by myself! Oh, that just leaves 2 (or 3 or 4 or 5!!) more spots. Anyone want a Christmas camp part two?!

Look closely at the snowman - he is a styrafoam head on a lollipop stick. Then he is adorned with lots of items from the pretties kit, brads, felt snowflakes, chunky glitter, ribbons, embossing powder and inks. All held together with sticky strip and tombow multi!

off to start hacking away at my list.....

Christmas Stampin!

Tomorrow I begin my Twelve Days of Christmas - stamping version. Discounts, freebies, ideas, and more! Not all offers will be on my website - to see them all - you need to be on my email list. You can easily subscribe in the box on the left of here!

Above are two projects we will be doing at camp this Friday! Hope to see you there - and if you can't make it, then you can always to a camp by mail version!