Hello! I am still around!

By now you have probably figured out that this time of year I DISAPPEAR! I get so busy making things for my Cards for Missions, I just don't have time to blog. If fact, sadly, I don't even take pictures of all of my creations! I haven't made a card in ages! Cards support my cause during the year but Favors really bring in the money during the holidays. So....

Wednesday night I had my Open House and sold over $600. I am over my target of $2200 and have a new goal of $2500! A Bore Hole Well in Malawi costs $8000, so my contributions cover a little over 1/4! WooHoo!

I wanted to share my new Great Room mantel decorations. Last year after Christmas my AWESOME husband bought me 3 swags and a matching garland, on clearance! I was looking to do something different and less traditional. I hope this doesn't appear "Over-the-top!"

Comments are GREATLY appreciated! I had a lot of fun doing it!

I hope to get some pictures taken of what I have left and posted ~ SOON!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

This month it is all about breaking out of your comfort zone and trying out some non-traditional color schemes for a holiday card or tag!  Sometimes it is so easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes time to paper craft fro the holidays, so here is your chance to let loose, have fun and try something brand new! 

Sorry that it has been a while, again! I have been in full blown manufacture mode, not in create mode. When I do that I am not taking pictures and not posting! I am making Thanksgiving & Christmas favors. That is where the bulk of my sales come from, so.... gotta go where the business is!

So I chose the above color combo. It was the first one that caught my eye, so I went with it. I wanted to do more than one, but... no extra time. 

How freaking cute did this turn out??? I LOVE the non-traditional colors! 

First of all let me tell you, my husband got me a new light box for my Birthday. I used the lights when I took the picture of all of the parts I made in the last post but there was too much to put in the light box. WOW!!! The lighting is night and day. Thank you so much Al, my blog is grateful (even though Colin says my page is Lame!!!)

The bag is a Michael's 1# gift bag. I cut it down a bit. I used PTI Mat Stack #5 & Layerz, in Aqua Mist and Hawaiian Shores. I cut New Leaf pattern pack, Damask with the Christmas Tree die, I LOVE it! The pattern of the Damask mimics leaves, I think!! The handle is Simply Chartreuse Saddle Stitch ribbon. I use the Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher and then glue a strip of white card stock behind it to git it a little more strengh. I then glued clear rhinestones over the staples to cover them and more on the tree. (Enough bling for you Pam? Pat, you like it, too!) I had a pale blue rhinestone star in my stash that in real life is close to Hawaiian Shores. The tree is adhered with pop dots.

Fun bag and really didn't take a lot of time to make!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Hi! It has been a while!/ What I did on my vacation!

I am back from my extended absence. I went to Charlotte to see Al, we went to Charleston, South Carolina, then to New York, back to Charlotte and then HOME! I had a GREAT trip but there is no place like Home. We LOVED Charleston. If you ever get a chance, go! It is old and quaint, loaded with history, a REALLY cool bridge and GREAT food! 

The trip to New York was good, we got to see our Friend Gary, who we love and Al had Doctors appointments. We still do not have all the results back. His Cardiologist was happy buy not so much with the PPH Doctor but it cannot be too bad, because we haven't heard back, so..... 

What I did while I was on vacation:

 This is the bag that was FULL of parts and pieces I cut and assembled fully or partially. 

Laid out on my table

Another shot

Here they are in Costco box that I will store them in until I use them up!

I am not sure how much is here but, there are 120 Damask Snowflakes, inked stacked with pop dots and glittered! 18 felt pumpkins, some of them adhered to black Michael's bags, more on those at the end of the post.  LOTS of Tag sale #6 with Oval Limitless Layers sentiments, Seed Packet treat bags, Gift Card Holders, LOTS of Candy Canes assembled like Dawn did on the September release (You will see these up-close in later posts), Berry Baskets cuts, Front and Center cuts, Michael's envelopes with various embellishments, lots of parts of all the above and.... I am not sure what else. After I got to Charlotte on Friday I spent 3 days cutting so that I had things to do when we were not sight seeing or sitting on the beach. I took things to NYC as well. Can't be sitting around idle handed ;)

So, the first thing is the AMAZING project Nichole did back in August HERE

I LOVE this little bag. Fortunately for me, my Sister Pat *Hi Pat!* bought the dies and graciously let me borrow them. Mine is a little different. I am selling mine so I need to keep them a little more simple, and my customers haven't seen Nicole's (thank goodness) so here is mine:

I used black paper bags from Michael's and orange felt I ordered on line. I did make 5 from PTI Canyon Clay, you and see them at the back of the top picture. They are prettier, but.... I am selling these... You can get 5 from 1 piece of PTI felt. The ribbon is from Hobby Lobby. Mine do not have the back pumpkin but they are still ADORABLE! Thank You Nichole! I have already sold 8 of them! Along with most of the Candy Bar Treats I posted earlier.

I am so happy I have a lot of parts and pieces for a BIG head start on Holiday items to sell. I counted my money today. I have about $1100 since the first of the year. I will need to sell $1000 to keep pace with last year. That will only dig 1/4 of a well in Malawi, but it is a big help! I appreciate all of my generous customers!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Make It Monday #83: Card Aisle Inspiration

I totally CHEATED this challenge!!! I haven't been in a Hallmark store in YEARS! And, I didn't have time to go this week. I am leaving tomorrow to go the Charleston for week with my husband and then to NYC for his annual heart tests, so..... no time. I got my inspiration where I always do. PTI design team blogs and other blogs I follow, mostly other PTI lovers!

My last card, which always comes up first because I am to dingy to remember to post the first card last! Does that make sense? Probably only to me! And I still wish I knew how to post more than one card on Linkz from one post!!!
Anyway, here is my second take on my "shopping trip" on Dawn McVey's blog!

Don't you just LOVE the layout of this card? 

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Make It Monday #83: Card Aisle Inspiration ~ Card #3

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this card! I made me smile the first time I saw it. Scroll on down to the last post for this challenge and read about my reasoning for my choice!

My take:

For some reason the buttons and bling (for you, Pam!) came out REALLY dark. In real life, they are Hawaiian Shores, like the flower! 

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Make It Monday #83: Card Aisle Inspiration ~ Card 2

 I wish I could get my brain to function when I post more than one card for a challenge! I always forget to post the "first" one last. I tell my story of this challenge on the last post for this week!

Here is my inspiration from Dawn:

I REALLY love this card, too! I needed that sentiment to make it perfect but, alas, I'll get the stamp, soon!

No Dawn McVey but still an AWESOME layout and a PRETTY card!
Thank you for looking at my blog!
Susan

Make It Monday #83: Card Aisle Inspiration

Melissa Phillips is sharing a fantastic video with you today.  She is showcasing a bit about a fun inspirations source, the card aisle at your local store!  So if you've been in a bit of a rut and want to infuse some fresh ideas into your artwork, follow Melissa as she shows you how!

I totally CHEATED this challenge!!! I haven't been in a Hallmark store in YEARS! And, I didn't have time to go this week. I am leaving tomorrow to go the Charleston for week with my husband and then to NYC for his annual heart tests, so..... no time. I got my inspiration where I always do. PTI design team blogs and other blogs I follow, mostly other PTI lovers!

This card from Dawn McVey:

Here is mine:

LOVE it! I wanted to use one of Dawn's new sentiment stamps but my order isn't here, yet ;(  I LOVE this card and will be making more of them!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan