:: Making it Merry: Latest Issue at Paper Issues ::

We are Making It Merry over at the Paper Issues blog!  Check it out!

As soon as I received the Gossamer Blue "Get Happy" collection in the mail, I knew I was going to use it for the core of my December Documented album. Such fun colors and designs! 

Here is a look at my day 7:

Pretty much everything you see here is from the Get Happy collection -- I did add a couple of things, here and there from my stash. 

left side

For this day I decided to highlight one of my favorite parts of the season, the gift wrapping!  My day 6 is on the opposite side of the above and so I started by filling the 2x2 spots with little bits. (the six snowflakes were already there from day six, along with the arrow).

right side

I used my silhouette to cut out the text, then added enamel dots from the collection in all of the "holes". I tied it up with the same string that I used on my packages and added a tag as if the page was a package itself.

The wreath stamp is from the Get Happy collection, and I stamped it directly on the photo and added in the enamel dots for little berries. The awesome flair is from {aflairforbuttons}, and I added it on the outside of the pocket.

There are lots of ways to play along with this issue; Making it Merry: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, handmade gifts, gift ideas, ornaments, holiday decor, how you celebrate the holidays, holiday traditions, holiday menu, traditional foods, decorating the tree, lighting the menorah/kinara, cookie baking, gingerbread houses, things that make you happy, use Gossamer Blue products.

Play along, share your project with us and you just might win Gossamer Blue's Main December kit:

Woo hoo!  If you want to grab a few Gossamer Blue goodies (or any other goodies) from the shop, don't forget to use the code 'orangegearle' for 20% off your entire purchase!

Hope your holidays are merry, bright, and filled with love and family!

:: it's about the journey ::

Hi friends!  I'm back on the blog at the Rubber Cafe today with a new card made from their December Kit of the Month: Take Flight.

I used some of the patterned papers and card stock to create a mosaic for the back ground and then added the stamped balloon and sentiment. Check out my full post (with supplies) here!  I have really enjoyed playing along with this kit this month!

Thanks for stopping by!  See you again SOON!

:: brown paper packages tied up with strings ::

 Hi!  Just popping in to show you a few photos of my packages this year!  Each year I love choosing a "theme" or color to use when wrapping the presents under the tree.  I don't need them to be exactly alike, but I do enjoy the idea of them "going together" and acting as part of the decorations of the season.  This year we are all about red in our house…

We are also all about diy.  Almost every ornament on this tree, Bea and I made together over Thanksgiving break.  

I started with simple red/white twine (in bulk from the $1 spot at Target) and wrapped it around the plain brown paper. Used white card stock in my Big Shot to make the tag (Sizzixs die, with coordinating stamps), and added the "B" with the same twine -- using Amy Tangerine template for the letter.  Finally, on many of the packages I punched red, 1/2"circles out of washi tape and attached to the twine.

More stitching templates from Amy Tangerine for the "+" below Bea's name, more twine, more washi dots. The star at the top is from the dollar spot at Target (burlap and fabric, comes in a 3 pack).  I stamped Bea's name using Freckled Fawn stamps.

Rinse, repeat (only this time I didn't add the washi dots, instead a punched out washi stars and added them to the tag)!

An abundance of stars have joined us in our house this season!  On several of the packages, I stitched a star on the wrapping paper before wrapping.  Bea has enjoyed this, and wants to help.  She has actually become fairly skilled at stitching stars.

 

Even Snowflake the Elf has gotten in on the action.  

See you soon!