{ Elle's Studio gift ideas, Project 365 - week 45 }

I am not sure where this week went, but it's gone. Lots of stuff happening around here. Decorating for Christmas, shopping, going to the North Pole Express, Christmas party, hanging out with friends, trying to stay warm....Then, look what arrived!!!! A box full of goodies from Elle's Studio.

I know, I couldn't wait to get started. I didn't want to wait until the last minute so I decided to package some of my Christmas gifts...I used Gingerbread Dress-Up stamp set, Holiday Circle tags, and these beautiful Holiday papers. I stamped the gingerbread doll on kraft cardstock with black ink, stamped the dresses on Holiday papers and cut out. I packaged the little gifts in a paper bag, tied fabric ribbon and added the Holiday Circle tags. This came together so fast. Each package contains this 6 piece mini cookie cutter set. I added a flower with a brad to each doll and glitter to the bottom of the dress. I am thinking about attaching a gingerbread cookie recipe to the bag printed on Vintage Moments at Christmas tags.

Project 365 - week 45 ***I am adding my photos to my Picasa album to the right. I have taken a photo a day every day, and I have a photo of Alex for each day.

11.8 - at the park.

11.7 - I taught him to use my CD player. There is this CD that we got in a box of diapers that he loves and listens to it over and over.

He came to show me the stickers he found.

11.6 - playing outside.

11.5 - I wanted to have a photo taken of us, but he didn't want to. 11.4 - feeding ducks at the pond. 11.3 - having a snack with his friend Emma. 11.2 - Grapevine Botanical gardens taking some pumpkin photos.

{ Fun with beads and Shimmerz }

I posted this project on Shimmerz blog today. The blog is packed with inspiration and ideas on how to use Shimmerz. Don't forget Shimmerz Design Team Call.

Here is a fun little layout I created using beads and Shimmerz. I just love these photos of Alex learning how to blow bubbles this summer.

I wanted to replicate the "bubbles" on the page so I came up with this idea to use beads. I was out of town when the idea came so I had to play a bit when I got home. I have a huge box of beads. The small ones were too small. I like the larger ones and I love the impression they left on the page. I grabbed a bunch and randomly placed them on the page. I made sure all the holes were looking up because I wanted the round impression. I used Rock-A-Fella Blue Shimmerz Spritz for the background. I waited a bit for the page to dry before I removed the beads. This is what it looks like now. I sprayed the Rock-A-Fella Blue Spritz really heavy in some places because I wanted it to look like water droplets. I punched 3/4" circles from cardstock and painted them with December Sky Blingz. Look at all the shimmer. I used a mix of patterned papers from October Afternoon, Crate Paper, Sassafras Lass and Studio Calico. The stickers are by American Crafts and I used Elle's Studio clear stamps for my journaling spot called Whale of a Time.

What do you think? Give it a try. This would make a perfect background for a different layout.

***I added Christmas tags to my Etsy store.

{ The Cutting Cafe' gift card holder }

I love this new template by The Cutting' Cafe!!!! The easiest gift card holder I have ever made. GIFT CARD AND MONEY HOLDER SET - TEMPLATE. In this set you get 2 gift card holders...one vertical, like the example here, and one horizontal with a nice cover. You can see a beautiful example that Tracy made here. Plus, you get a money holder and 20 different sentiments to use for any occasion, not just Christmas.

I just printed the template on white cardstock and cut it out. I covered the inside with patterned paper before adhering it all together. I used Martha Stewart punch to punch a border strip out of paper and then used a strip of paper and wrapped it all around the gift card holder. I wanted the back to look finished as well. All the papers are from the December Details collection by Bella Blvd.

I used 1" circle punch to punch an opening on the front. The circle sentiment is from Christmas Circle Set 2. I love that set, too. I added Prima flowers to the center and Martha Stewart baker's twine that I was finally able to find. Here are couple of my favorite note pads that I made. I used Making Memories Mistletoe collection paper for my base from My Scrapbook Nook December kit. I added some bright colors from Sweet Celebration collection by Bella Blvd. I loved the original design of these and I just changed the little details.

Somebody Is Going To Win A December Kit from My Scrapbook Nook!

Between now and Christmas upload your creations to our gallery and you will be entered to win a Free December kit!

Winner will be notified via Message Board pm.

Good luck!

Here are some awesome examples from our Design Team Members.

{ Impression Obsession DT color challenge - white, Project 365 - week 44 }

I used 2 Sketches 4 You sketch #40 for this all white challenge by Impression Obsession DT. It was fun, my first monochromatic card....I did add black sentiment and my journaling note has black on it.

I stamped the background with Cover-a-Card Fizz rubber stamp (CC013) and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I couldn't get it to show in the photo, but the embossing powder has glitter in it, so it sparkles. This stamp is 5.75 x 5.75 inches and it covers a standard size card, I love it! Small Tree Border (E8293) is stamped with VersaMark and embossed with white embossing powder. I cut out three trees and adhered them on a journaling note with foam tape. I added Bazzill strip and some fun trim that I found in my ribbon box. I added some ribbon, tulle and a white pom pom with touches of silver from my stash. I stamped the Holiday Cheer sentiment (A5516) with black ink on a strip of paper and tucked it under the bow.

I hope you'll take the time to visit the other designers' blogs for inspiration! Laura, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Kathy, Julie, Deborah and Shirley.

***Would you like to see your card featured on the Impression Obsession blog? Email your challenge cards using Impression Obsession images to Shirley. Every week, cards will be selected to showcase on the Impression Obsession blog!!! You can win a $25 gift certificate.

Project 365 - week 44.

10.26 - just a photo of Alex in his warm pajamas. 10.27 - feeding the ducks. 10.28 - signing Halloween cards for his friends. 10.28 - he loves his horse game now. It is hooked up to the TV and it had alphabets, numbers, animals, that he can change with riding the horse. Fun songs and sounds, too. 10.30 - on his way to Chloe's Halloween party. My cute little monster. 10.31 - taking some fun photos for Halloween. 11.1 - he has his little animals in the crib that he sleeps with and he takes different ones out each time. You never know what he will pick. Sometimes he takes them all out.

{ Elle's Studio Design Team, December Daily 2009 }

I have been asked to join Elle's Studios design team along with five other amazing designers. I am so excited and I can't wait to get started. If you are not familiar with Elle's Studio, you have to check out their products. Fun tags, labels, clear stamps, digital downloads and awesome project on their blog.

The six Design Team members for the first half of 2010 are:

Paige Evans

Samatha Sibbet

Jenni Hufford

Mel Nunn

Laurie Rodick

Daniela Dobson

Here is my December Daily 2009 album. The photos of all my pages can be seen HERE. If you have any questions let me know. I went through my stash of papers and I had way too many to choose from. I was looking for anything red, green and black. I did use My Scrapbook Nook December kit for some of the pages and the front cover.

These are the little embellishments I made. They can be used on a card, scrapbook page, tag, gift....I used them on my December Daily and I used a tag for my card below. I am selling this little kit in my Etsy shop. Here are the pages that I added the embellishments. As I mentioned, if you want to see all the pages, you can find them here. I can't believe it's December! I don't like the cold, but my birthday and Christmas are in December, so it's my favorite month.

Let me know if you are making a December Daily album.

**** Project 365...I am still taking photos daily. I am updating my Project 365 folder, on the right side...I just haven't had time to post them here. I will work on that. If you want to see anything new just check there.

Here is one family photo from our trip to Arizona. This was taken at Saguaro National Park in Tucson.