Happy USA Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for the inspiration and friendship you all provide. Your creativity and kindness are irreplaceable.

On this day, even if you don't live in the USA, give thanks for your family — whatever that family is to you. Be it your birth family, adopted family, online family, or close friends, give a little shout out for their presence in your lives.

Here is my contribution to Thanksgiving: pumpkin pies and a candle jar decorated with CTMH rub ons.

Papercrafting Sneak Peek

I needed a short break from Holiday crafting so I moved on to something I am finding super exciting. I love, love, love, this paper and stamp set. It is from Close to my Heart, but it isn't available to customers yet. January will be National Papercrafting Month, and this paper will help us celebrate that. I will give you a couple sneak peeks before it is available. Without further adieu, I present the desk organizer I made...

Supplies (all CTMH except as noted):
B&T Duos (secret packet)
Cardstock: Juniper, Colonial White
Paint around the edges: Create-a-Shade Paint with Creme Brulee reinker added
Colors: Juniper, Creme Brulee, Tulip, Sorbet, Colonial White
Tag: Dimensional Element from Dazzling Die Cuts collection, attached with Colonial White Waxy Flax
Desk Organizer: Bare Elements

Thank You Card

I was hoping to cheat and find some cute challenge this card would fit into, but the truth is I just made it for a friend with no internet blog challenge backing. It is made, however, from the Center Charms pattern out of Jeanette Lynton's Originals Card Confidence program.



Continuing my month of Dazzling Die Cuts, I attached the Twilight circles to Twilight cardstock then sanded the raised edges. And shockingly, I actually embossed the Desert Sand "T". The B&T Duos paper is from the My Reflections Simple Pleasures paper packet. Oh, and the tag is also a Dazzling Die Cut.

Dazzling Die Cuts

Our CTMH Constant Campaign for this month is so cute and inexpensive. I just had to share. Below is a picture of the display board I created and bring with me to gatherings and workshops.

Colors: Twilight, Creme Brulee, Bamboo, Outdoor Denim

Pumpkins

The best time to get pumpkins is after Halloween. We picked up 16 small ones at the Wagner Farm and decorated them sans carving. The daughter did an excellent job with paint pens and feathers, while I chose a simple homage to my alma mater.

Fall Card

I had a blast making this card for a swap with my SBS-12 sistahs.




All materials CTMH:
Cardstock: Colonial White (card and image bases), Cocoa (solid layer), Indian Corn Blue (scalloped circle)
B&T Duos: Stripes from Magic Moments
My Acrylix Stamp Sets: Thoughtful Seasons (leaf, pumpkin, and HARVEST sentiment), Tiny Typewriter (asterisk in between HAR and VEST)
Exclusive Inks: Sunflower (leaf), Cocoa (pumpkin and sentiment)
Ribbon: Sunflower Organdy from Autumn Harvest Ribbon Round
Tag: Dazzling Die Cuts small tag in Sunflower, adhered to Dimensional Elements chipboard tag
Waxy Flax: Chocolate (to tie tag to bow)
Eyelet: Hollyhock

Incredulous

I can barely put to words my feelings now. I am stunned, happy, scared, anxious, and elated all at once.

My husband voted for the first time today. I am so proud of him. All the poll workers clapped when they found out he was a first-timer! Here is a picture taken with my Blackberry camera. It's not an artistic masterpiece, but it captures a memory I will hold dearly in my heart.

Autumn Squash Book & Christmas Cards

For Michelle, who will be hosting a workshop next week, I present the Autumn Squash Book. Not squash like the gourd, but squash like smashing something. The multiple folds in this book allow it to squash. So fun!

And, of course, I am making a few Christmas cards here and there:

And now, my photo of the day.

Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch

To fulfill a promise, DH and I took the daughter to the pumpkin patch today in Corrales. We quickly discovered that we had chosen a perfect day to go. Being the last day, there was no crowd, and we were able to take home as many pumpkins as we wanted for free. The pickins were slim, but we chose 16 adorably cute, small pumpkins. In the maze I was grateful that DH took the lead. I was a bit panicky at first, thinking of Children of the Corn, but it was actually lots of fun.

And the photo I have chosen for the photo-a-day challenge:



Now it's off to create a squash book in preparation for an upcoming workshop!

Photo-a-Day Challenge Kick-off

I have taken on a personal challenge to take a photo each day during the month of November. I want to get to know my new(ish) camera, and I want to work on my stick-to-it-ness.

My first photo depicts a little bit of each person in our family. I wanted to start with something from our everyday lives, and what better than something we scan over each day, consciously or not.



Also, as an Autumn gift, I decorated a candy jar for my boss. Not only is the jar functional, it is so stinkin' cute, if I do say so myself!



My favorite element on the jar is the "D", which is an alpha from CTMH's November Constant Campaign, Dazzling Die Cuts. I have been working with these textured cardstock goodies for a week or so and having so much fun. Look for more artwork using these die cuts this month.

November already?

I can't believe we are already in November. Amazing! Here is a card I created using the Close to my Heart November Stamp of the Month, All Decked Out. The stamp set is so cute because it you can create so many different snowmen. Here is the first one I made:



Materials (All CTMH, except as noted)
Cardstock: Bamboo and Crystal Blue(sanded with fine grit side of sanding block from Sanding Kit in a circular motion all over), Twilight Textured (edges sanded with medium grit side of sanding block), White Daisy
B&T Duos: Plaid (left side base) and Twilight Snowflakes (hat, nose and scarf) from the Aspen, My Reflections Paper Packet
My Acrylix Stamp Set: All Decked Out
Other: Prisma Glitter set with Bonding Memories Glue

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And while I was in the holiday mood (and had out my Aspen paper packet), I made a simple piece to go on the mantle.

Materials (All CTMH, except as noted)
Cardstock: Bamboo (distressed with Edge Distresser) and Creme Brulee (sanded with block from Sanding Kit)
B&T Duos: Plaid from the Aspen, My Reflections Paper Packet (distressed with Edge Distresser)
Letters: Dimensional Elements alphas (sponged with Exclusive Inks in Twilight and covered with Liquid Glass)
My Stickease: Aspen, My Reflections
Silver Hinges and brads
Other: Silver hinges and brads, Bonding Memories Glue, Coasters (from stash)