Festive Flurry Wreath by Lauri Ingram

This Festive Flurry Wreath, created by Lauri Ingram, is the November Bonus Project for Craft Project Central!  Nothing rings in the holidays like snowflakes and glitter.  Highlighting the wonderful Winter Frost DSP and the Festive Flurry Bundle, brighten up your door with a shimmery, glimmer wreath.

Instructions for creating bonus projects can be obtained by subscribing to two or more months in a row at Craft Project Central; putting the Craft Project Central badge on your blog; or by referring a friend and when that friend subscribes, letting Craft Project Central know.  To learn more about this bonus project and all the other November projects at Craft Project Central, head on over to Craft Project Central!

A Day Away...

My belly is full and my heart content.  I have decided to take a day off to let my food digest and my heart continue to sing :)  Wishing you and yours a wonderful weekend filled with love!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving and Recycled Magazine Page Envelope

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  You Can Choose Another Story
Stories, myths, legends, history - they all come to mind as we enjoy the beginning of the holiday season.  I notice how many stories surround the holidays - stories about where we have come from; stories about where we are going; stories about what and who we are.  I also am aware of the stories I tell myself - stories about who I am, what I need, and where I am headed.  My stories aren't always ones I want to keep reading - stories of not being good enough; stories of not having enough; stories of needing more time...more talent...more supplies.  A lot of stories of want.  I'm tired of some of my stories - tired of the power I give to them - tired of the energy they drain from me.  I realize I can choose another story.  A new place to put my energy.  A new legend.  A powerful myth.  Something I can believe in and live into.  Yes, you can choose another story.  What will it be?
I want to wish those of you celebrating Thanksgiving a season of gratitude and appreciation for all that you are, all that you have been, and all that you will be.  My your blessings be abundant, your sense of satisfaction deep, and your heart full.  Today I also share with you a simple little project that began with the belief that I have enough right here, right now - I tore out a magazine page - something I might otherwise have recycled - and I turned it into an envelope with the envelope punch board, a bit of gesso and a touch of stamping!  Can't wait to see what I fill it with and who I send it to!

And the winner is....

Tammi!!!!  Thanks so much for your comment on my project over at Craft Project Central!  I will be contacting you so that you can access your free November subscription!  Congratulations!!!!!

Envelope Punch Board Photo Holder by Laurie Zoellmer

This bright and fun Envelope Punch Board Photo Holder was made by Laurie Zoellmer!  This photo holder is designed to hold 4” x 6” photographs, but with the Envelope Punch Board you can adapt it to any size you want. Pair this cute photo holder up with your favorite designer series paper and the possibilities are endless!  We’ve also included the instructions on how to make this “pocket style” file folder card.For all the instructions for this set and the other November projects at Craft Project Central, head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of November!!!!!

No Title Required

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Some Days I Am Rendered Speechless By The Beauty Of Nature....Most Days, Actually
I didn't use any photo editing software - I'm hoping you see this as I saw it on my recent travels.  Just a chance encounter with the sky while walking to dinner somewhere in Washington, DC.  It literally stopped me in my tracks and rendered me speechless...

Greeting Card Set with Decorative Box by Monika Davis

This all-season Greeting Card Set with Decorative Box was created by Monika Davis.  This all occasion greeting card set has a matching decorative box to hold them. It is the perfect present for anyone. It’s easy to make and can be mass produced without any difficulties. The box, with its magnetic closure, can be re-used over and over.  Great too for a stamp camp, or as a class project.  For all the instructions for this set and the other November projects at Craft Project Central, head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of November...
Or, if you feel lucky, head on over to Craft Project Central and comment on my project.  I will be selecting a winner on November 27th (in honor of Thanksgiving) who will receive a free subscription to the month of November!  Good luck!!!!!

Holiday Sale!!!! November 20 - December 2!!!!

It's time for online holiday shopping! Now through December 2nd get incredible discounts-up to 50 percent-on some of your favorite products! This is the perfect time to stock up on some of your favorite items or to give Stampin' Up! a try.  Click HERE to shop now!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Let Color Inspire You!
I have been in love with the Venetian Romance designer series paper since I first set eyes on it.  Okay, love might be a strong word for designer series paper...but there was just something about it!  The more I think about it, the more I realize it was the combination of those beautiful colors that really drew me in.  So I decided to use a similar color palette for this card that I created for my Thanksgiving Stamp-a-Stack last weekend.  Island Indigo, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding and Early Espresso....sounds like a wonderful meal on a Caribbean Island! :)  I rolled out the gingham wheel and the grass stamp from the Wetlands stamp set.  I added more pattern and texture with the scallop punch and the chevron embossing folder.  The sentiment is from Label Love.  Yup, color can definitely inspire you if you let it!!!!
I hope you have an incredibly wonderful weekend!  As I am writing this (on Monday, November 18), I am sitting in a hotel room in Kansas City, thinking about where I will be when you are all finally reading this!  I plan on being at home (if the Universe helps me out), enjoying a wonderful weekend and holiday week surrounded by love and warmth!  There's no place like home!!!! :)

Season of Style Ensemble by Jen Arkfeld

This fun and festive Season of Style Ensemble  by Jen Arkfeld is perfect to Deck the Halls and wrap up the gifts!  Why not make some cute décor and great packaging to match?  This ensemble includes an up-cycled project – a wall hanging from old CD’s!  Plus some adorable gift boxes and a festive jar to use for holiday giving, too.  Want to get all the instructions for this ensemble and the other November projects at Craft Project Central?  Then, head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of November...
Or, if you feel lucky, head on over to Craft Project Central and comment on my project.  I will be selecting a winner on November 27th (in honor of Thanksgiving) who will receive a free subscription to the month of November!  Good luck!!!!!

Blossom Punch Turkey Thanksgiving Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Keep Pushing Yourself Past The Discontent
This card was the final item I created for my Stamp-a-Stack this past weekend.  I had seen people make turkeys using the 2-step bird punch (I'm actually beginning to wonder if there is anything you CAN'T make using the 2-step bird punch!) and I thought they were adorable.  But somehow the blossom punch caught my eye and I decided it would make gorgeous feathers!  So I altered some of the ideas I had seen and came up with this.  Now the story behind this card is a bit more complex than I have let on.  Yesterday I mentioned I had been traveling like a crazy woman lately and I was trying to come up with card designs under tight pressure.  Well, I created 2 or 3 cards prior to this one and each one that I created just didn't feel right.  I was discontented.  One part of me was tempted to just go with a design I wasn't totally thrilled with, just to be done with it.  But the other part of me just couldn't accept that feeling of discontent.  So, I decided to push through it.  This card never would have come out of me if I hadn't pushed myself past the discontent.  It can be hard to push yourself further...and easy to give in to "good enough."  And, sometimes, that might be exactly what you need to do.  In this case, what I needed to do, was push past it.  I was rewarded for the effort (at least I think he's cute and a great reminder to me to give thanks for the ability to push past the discontent :)  Happy Turkey Day!!!!!  (p.s.  In case you start looking for this sentiment stamp, I must confess that it is from a retired set :)  For some holidays I tend to go digging in my retired stamps to find appropriate holiday greetings.  I just can't seem to bring myself to purchasing new sets every time a holiday rolls around) :)

Thanksgiving Turkey Place Cards

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Invite Someone Into Your Home To Create With You :)
I have been traveling like a crazy woman lately and, in the midst of it all, I decided I had to have a Thanksgiving Stamp-a-Stack at my home over the weekend!  I should have called it a "Stamp-A-Flock" since each person was making 8 turkey place cards in addition to some Thanksgiving cards!  By the time those turkeys were all stamped, it looked like a hen house! :)  I used lots of designer series paper that had been piling up in the craft room :)  We also used the Envelope Punch Board to create little boxes to hold a peppermint patty.  The turkey heads and bodies were made from a variety of punches and the greetings are from the Wetlands stamp set and Teeny Tiny Wishes.
Watching everyone create and chat with one another made me recognize yet again how important it is to share the gift of creativity with one another!  Open up your heart and your home - invite someone in to create with you! :)

Frosted Holiday Decor by Gayle Smith

These gorgeous Frosted Holiday Décor items were created by Gayle Smith.  If you love decorating for the holidays, you’ll love creating this fun and frosty tree and wreath to add to your holiday home decor.  Make several and give them away gifts!  Makes for a fun holiday class or camp project too!
Want to get all the instructions for creating these festive items?  Head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of November...
Or, if you feel lucky, head on over to Craft Project Central and comment on my project.  I will be selecting a winner on November 27th (in honor of Thanksgiving) who will receive a free subscription to the month of November!  Good luck!!!!!

Beautiful Birthday Present and Ikat Photopolymer Stamp Set!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  A Surprise In A Mailbox Can Make Your Day!!!!!!
I have been traveling a lot lately and it's been quite exhausting.  Changes in time zones, routines, locations - the idea of stillness is so attractive to me right now!  In the midst of all the tumult I was home for 2 days and a package arrived for me from England!  The minute I saw who it was from I knew that package was going to contain something special!  I opened the package and inside was a box that was decorated with papers and inside the box was this AMAZING card from my beautiful friend Helen!!!!!!  (You can check out Helen's blog here!!!!).  I fell in love with the gorgeous clay leaves and acorn!  They are colored so beautifully!!!!  This gorgeous card and the very special message inside provided me with stillness and love in the midst of all my craziness.  Thank you Helen!  You have shown me, yet again, that a surprise in a mailbox can really make someone's day!!!!!!

 

Check out this great new photopolymer stamp set!!!!!  It's called Eye-Catching Ikat (#134624, $13.95).  These designs will give an exotic fabric-like texture to your projects!  It's available starting today!  Click HERE to shop now!

Sunflower Creating Pretty Cards - Sketch Challenge #29

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: The Floor Is For More Than Walking :)
As I am typing this, I am actually sitting on the wood floor in my craft room.  Yes, a part of the reason is because my craft room table is so covered my laptop didn't stand a chance of finding a spot.  And...my chair is being occupied by a bunch of boxes of rubber stamps.  But, part of the reason is actually that I enjoy sitting on the floor!  Chairs can definitely be overrated!  You can find me sitting on floors in airports, hotels, living rooms and convention centers.  My legs outstretched.  My back leaning against a wall...or couch...or in my case right now, a shelving unit.  I feel grounded on the floor (pardon the pun :).  I feel supported and, in a way, safe.  I also like the change in perspective (except for some of what I am seeing now...some scraps of paper...a few dust bunnies :)  Yes, the floor is for more than walking.  Give it a try.  Come have a seat :)
I made today's card for the Creating Pretty Cards - Sketch Challenge #29 over at Craft Project Central!  I combined a few of my favorite things - the Sunflower background stamp, Venetian Romance designer paper, seam binding ribbon, Smoky Slate card stock and an embossing folder!  Feel free to join in the Sketch Challenge!  If enough people participate, Craft Project Central will be giving away free month-long memberships to some lucky winners!!!!

Getting Ready For Santa Gift Set by Julie Beltramo

I love this Getting Ready for Santa Gift Set by Julie Beltramo!  This gift set will make anyone excited to get ready for Santa!  The Covered Notepad will help you keep track of who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.  Then, as Christmas draws near, you can give the Hot Cocoa Tote and Mini Muslin Bag of Gift Tags as a gift.  Or, why not make a few sets of it all as part of your holiday gift giving?
Want to subscribe to the November edition of Craft Project Central and get 10 wonderful tutorials (including the one for this project) for only $10?  Head on over to the Craft Project Central website HERE!

Punch Scraps and Gel Pen Flowers

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  You can't use up creativity.  The more you use it, the more you have. - Maya Angelou
I keep relearning that it's okay to create ugly art, bad art, unfinished art, art without a purpose other than to create.  Why?  Because you are at least tapping into your creativity and honoring it.  You are allowing the flow and not getting in its way with your judgements and concerns.  And, as Maya Angelou says, the more you use it, the more you have!  So release the flow...and see where it takes you!
For this card I once again turned to all the misfit punch shapes sitting on my craft room table.  They didn't have a home so I decided to create a special garden for them.  The punched shapes were sponged, layered and stamped and then placed on the card with some white gel pen stems and leaves.  Is it my best art?  My most special card?  An outstanding display of color and layout?  Who cares!!!!  What it is and what it is meant to be is me releasing the flow of my creativity.  And now, more of that creativity is on its way!!!!! :)

Journal Page

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Make Room To Create With What You've Got On Hand
I've been traveling quite a bit lately and when I travel I struggle with not being able to create.  I wish I could take my whole craft room with me, yet I know that is not realistic.  I also haven't quite figured out how to take along a small stash of supplies that I can turn to when the need to create overwhelms me on the road.  So on my most recent trip I decided to take along a small journal and some permanent markers to see if they could fulfill my need to create on the move.  One night, after eating dinner, the desire to create something - anything - struck.  I had no idea what I wanted to do, I just knew I wanted to create something.  So out came the journal and the black pens and out came this page.  Sometimes you just need to make room to create with what you've got on hand.  In this case, some paper and some black pens.  Yes, I will be taking them on the road again with me :)

O Holy Night Boxed Set by Kris McIntosh

This gorgeous O Holy Night Boxed Set by Kris McIntosh includes a beautiful set of Vintage style Christmas cards and Tags, and the matching box to keep them in!  If you would like to subscribe to the month of November over at Craft Project Central, you can receive step-by-step instructions for this wonderful project and 9 other projects in November!  10 projects for $10!  Head on over to Craft Project Central HERE!

Morning Meadow and Metallic Pan Pastels

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Indulge Your Desire To Play
I'm not sure what prompted me to buy them.  Actually, I'm quite sure.  I somehow happened upon a video where someone was playing with the metallic Pan Pastels and after watching the video I just had to have those darn pastels (I need to stop watching videos!).  So I treated myself to the set and when they arrived I set them aside...until a few hours later I could feel them pulling me into the craft room!  I just had to play with them!  I had no idea what I was going to do!  I just knew that I needed to open those pastels and start playing with them.  I needed to learn how they felt and what they could do.  So, I embossed a piece of card stock with the Square Lattice, took out some little sponges, and went to town!  I ended up with the background panel that you are seeing on this card.  Of course I then needed to figure out what to do with the panel! :)  The card is what happened as a result of indulging my desire to play with those Pan Pastels.
I have to say that I'm still not sure how the Pan Pastels really work or what I can really do with them.  But what I do know is that they definitely brought out my desire to play and for that I am grateful! :)  How can you indulge your desire to play today???????