Christmas with Sparkle

Christmas is coming, and that means my Christmas Stamp a Stack is right around the corner. My theme for Christmas this year -- SPARKLE! I am in love with some of the new (and the old) SU options to make things glimmer, and sparkle is simply my favorite accessory! While preparing for this class, I had a long stretch of being in pretty unreasonable pain, and sitting for a long spell of designing just wasn't working out, so I relied on the design talents of other amazing cardmakers for my designs. Usually designing is my favorite part of this process, but it is so wonderful to know that when it is not an option, there are so many great resources out there for help -- Splitcoaststampers.com is my favorite place to go to be inspired! Thankfully, I started on new medication this week, and am feeling MUCH MUCH better, so I'm hoping that the streak continues and I'll be back to my old stamping self again soon!!

Anyway, here are the designs I have so far for my Christmas Stamp a Stack...I have a box of goodies arriving today, so that I can work out one more card before class next weekend.

This first card uses the Medallion stamp to create a wreath image in Old Olive. I used Frost White shimmer paint, mixed with rubbing alcohol in a mini mister to create the shimmer, and our new Dazzling Details glitter to add sparkle to the berries.


This card (design courtesty of JanTink) uses the Snow Burst embossing folder, the Scallop Square Die, The Northern Flurry snowflakes, and the Ovals Die (mask) for the Bigshot. I sponged the oval in Marina Mist, stamped the image in Night of Navy and added touches of Frost White Shimmer paint directly to the image with a makeup applicator. Of course Rhinestones finish of the sparkle!

This one sparkles! I love using non-traditional colors for Christmas cards - and this one is certainly non-traditional, with Blushing Bride, Early Espresso and Soft Suede. I embossed the tree image from Christmas Lodge in Irridesent Ice embossing powder, and added halfback pearls for just a little extra shimmer!

And finally, my favorite! I love this fabulous snow friend from the set "Snow Much Fun" ...isn't he the cutest! I added Mica flakes to the bottom for a snowy sparkle, and Dazzling Diamond glitter to the snowflakes and the snowman himself...and a ton of Rhinestones for his sparkly buttons!

Well that's it, off to bake some brownies with my daughter, and wait for my package to arrive so I can get one more card ready for class :)

Have an awesome day!

BOO!

I finished making treat boxes today for Lauren's class for Halloween. We haven't done any Halloween crafts the last couple of years, as my kids have been off track during the month of October, but this year Lauren starts back to school on October 31st, so obviously - must have treats! She and I searched quite a bit to find the fun project we liked best, and this is what she picked - I found the template for these on a great blog www.chicnscratchlive.com . The blog is filled with tons of fun tutorials for projects like these! Lauren helped with punching, emossing spider web heads, etc. so it was a real team effort and I think they turned out pretty cute! Now to get busy with Christmas Cards!! I still can't sit for very long, so projects are going slow, but I have a few ideas in the works for my Christmas Card class, should have pictures ready next weekend so hopefully I will find time to share them!

For those of you that read my last post about my health and are waiting for the update here, I am happy to say that everything is fine! I do not in fact have cancer! Doctors tell me that my bone marrow is "unusual" and "unique to me" in that I do indeed have a decreased bone marrow signal, but funtionally this is not causing any effect on my blood/ plasma production etc. So it is not cancer, and it is not harmful! I am still on medical leave however, related to my Fibromyalgia and ongoing back and body pain. It has been a long couple of months, and although my muscle spasms have decreased with not sitting for extended periods, I still am struggling with quite a bit of pain. I think the best I can hope for at this point is learning to tolerate the pain to the best of my ability, and working through it finding strength where I can, as it seems this is just all part of who I am and what my life will include. I am hoping to return to work on November 1st - keep your fingers crossed for me that all works out and I can remain strong and positive through the challenges that life brings!