Holy Moley, look what a little encouragement did...

I cannot thank my Facebook encouragers enough for helping me with my Christmas cards today. I so wanted to learn the print and cut feature on the Cameo but I was so intimidated. I was pointed to a wonderful fellow Facebooker's Youtube page (Hi Jin of Under a Cherry Tree) and watched her video (as well as Silhouette America's) and set to work. I managed to get all the my cards done. Here they are:

I am astounded by how easy this all is!! Everything was cut with Cameo Silhouette except for the ornaments. Those were from a Creative Memories embellishment pack. Sorry for the poor pics but I was so excited to post these :) Until next time.....

It's almost Christmas....

and here I sit trying to decide if I want to make my cards using Print n Cut feature or do it the ole fashioned way. What a dilemma. Since I have not had a post in a bit I thought I would do a bit of an update. I have taken on a new position (an entire department in fact) at work and the hours are grueling as I have inherited a bit of a mess. My craft time has been pretty much squashed. Good news is I am on vacation from work until the 31st. I would say sorta on vacation as I still check emails and such. But come the 26th-the 28th, they will need to live without me. Here is the reason...

On my last trip South, Dad just did not seem right. He had lung cancer a bit over 2 years ago and he was experiencing a lot of pain on the same side. Over two months he began deteriorating and finally agreed to go to the ER. Well, his cancer is back and he is facing a very serious surgery next month and then chemo and radiation. I appreciate all your good thoughts and prayers during this time and I hope to squeeze in some creative time to keep me sane. Well, I better get back to my cards. Wishing you and yours from me and mine, a very happy holidays :)

Until next time.....

Crafty Card Gallery Blogaversary Challege- Nov 29, 2012

Here we are for another fun filled challenge brought to you by the Hostess with the Mostess, Miss Jen from Crafty Card Gallery and The Buckle Boutique. We received this bling in the mail and I have a gamillion ideas for it! We always make a card for one project and I had lots of Fun, Fun, Fun (so nice I had to say it thrice). Here is the card that I made with my Cameo Silhouette and some Jolee's Stickers.

Here is how you use their Dazzling Diamond Self Adhesive Bling! Bling!

Directions:

Peel the protective cover away from the sticky surface. Cut with scissors, paper cutter, or die-cut. When using a die-cut machine: use deep cut blade and cut on the backside. Adhere to paper, fabric, electronics, shoe arches and more! Not intended for children under age 13.

I really wanted to make a non-card project but decided to do a throwback to my cross stitch days. Here is another card that I made.

For this one I used my new Creative Memories Diamond border maker cartridge and some CM bling. This is an exclusive for Rewards Club Members and is used with the Border Maker System. If you join the Rewards Club you get:

• An immediate club credit.
• 15 percent club credit earned on the retail amount of each order. (Learn more about Digital Center purchases.)
• Access to exclusive products.
• Exclusive offers and promotions and email updates.

So why not give yourself a holiday treat and sign up today HERE. You will be so glad that you did. Thanks for stopping by. Until next time...

CCG Birthday Banners for Foster Children

Banners for Foster Kids Birthday Parties Blog Hop

Hi! Welcome to Foster Kids Birthday Party's Blog Hop! Many of you may be familiar with CardMonkey's awesome banner hops for kids... I was so inspired by them that I wanted to find another opportunity to do good with my crafting. I happened upon a volunteer at Birthday Magic at a work event &  followed up with them. They loved the idea of handmade birthday banners, so I put out the call and I was lucky to have 15 awesome crafters join me! So today you will get to see everyone's creations!

If you've never heard of Birthday Magic, you can see their site here:

http://www.volunteersac.org/birthdaymagic/

BirthdayMAGIC is a program of the Volunteer Center of Sacramento, which provides personalized monthly 

birthday parties to children currently living in Sacramento area homeless shelters, transitional living facilities, community programs or residential treatment centers.

The goal of BirthdayMAGIC is to brighten the lives of children by providing fun, meaningful and memorable birthday parties during what can be an awkward and challenging experience in their lives.

Each month, children living in these shelters will celebrate birthdays – through financial support, volunteer help and the BirthdayMAGIC program, these wonderful children will receive a birthday party thrown in their honor.

BirthdayMAGIC | Volunteer Center of Sacramento

www.volunteersac.org

BirthdayMAGICis a program of theVolunteer Center of Sacramento, which provides personalized monthly birthday parties to children currently living in Sacramento area homeless shelters, transitional living facilities, community programs or residential treatment centers.

For more information on sponsoring a party please contact us at info@volunteersac.org or call (916) 567-3100.

So now, sit back & enjoy all the great banners!!!

You should have started the hop at: Jennifer Restivo http://www.craftycardgallery.blogspot.com/ And if you've been following along, you should have come from Jamie's Blog. 

Here is the whole lineup so you don't miss a thing:

Jennifer Restivo http://www.craftycardgallery.blogspot.com/
Madeleen Field http://madeleenscraftcorner.blogspot.co.nz/
Jamie Moore http://cristyscreationsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/
Susan Bermudez http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/
Suzanne Roseberry http://www.zannieberry.blogspot.com/
Shawn Mosch http://craftychicsblog.blogspot.com/
Melissa Pinter http://pinkpolkadotscrapping.blogspot.com/
Kim Varonin http://socalcraftycreations.blogspot.com/
Lisa Thorpe http://bitbythecricutbug.blogspot.com/
Jessica Shelton http://jessicascraftshaque.blogspot.com/
Cristy Sova-Davis http://cristyscreationsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/
Tonia Williams www.twcards.blogspot.com/

Again my Silhouette Cameo is getting a real workout! Here is the whole banner hung up:

And the closeups. I tried to make them generic as possible so a boy or girl can enjoy these:

I am so glad that you hopped on by to see what we have made for such a worthy cause. I am offering a little blog candy too! By leaving a comment below, you will be entered to win a $20 Creative Memories gift certificate. So leave a comment and then hop on over to Suzanne's blog. Until next time.

It's Official!!!!

I have been published!!!! (Can you hear me dancing all the way over here in Jersey?) I am blessed to be on an amazing design team headed by Miss Jenn of Crafty Card Gallery. When she put out a call for her magazine, I decided to submit some items. Well, here we are:

You see that snowman card in the bottom left corner? Well, that one is mine! I am going to have to order print copies of the magazine too. If you would like to order your own copy of this HIGH QUALITY magazine (it comes digitally or print copy), you can go here: http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/466058 I hope that you will join me in my happy dancing. Until next time...

Cardmonkey's Christmas Banners for Special Needs Kids Hop

Christmas Banners for Special Needs Kids BLOG HOP, November 10-12, 2012

"In the eyes of children, we find the joy of Christmas. In their hearts, we find its meaning."

As joyous as Christmas is for most families, for some, their holidays are filled with worry, medical treatments and tests, and pain -- for their child must be hospitalized or she or he needs long-term care rather than being home with their families. 

For these kids, Santa doesn't slip down a chimney but rather, often comes in the guise of community volunteers who help make the season bright.  

This is the second Christmas season that our own band of dedicated and loving paper crafters have come together to make Holiday banners for children who are too sick to be home for the holidays.  Welcome to the Christmas Banners for Special Needs Kids blog hop!

I am especially pleased that this year, not only have our numbers of generous crafters swelled so our Hop is over three full days, but also, that we have partnered with another great cause and recipient of our banners!

By teaming up with Madison Womack's I FEEL THE LOVE PROJECT, the banners our crafters have handmade will be going to the hospitalized children at Children's Hospital Central California! 

First, let me show you the banner I made for today's post. I'll be sending this to Madison and the children at CHCC who are benefiting from the I Feel the Love project in December. I am always super excited to make banners for the kids and I used my Silhouette Cameo to make this. It was so super easy to do.

Now, have I inspired you to make and donate your own banner or a Christmas card or two to the I Feel the Love Project?  I hope so!  Because if you will, you'll be entered into a drawing to win my:

CARDMONKEY's SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

Super-Fantastic Gift Basket

Throughout the month of December, I'll be adding crafty goodness to this basket so that it will be over-flowing and ripe and ready for under your tree. I'll be picking the winner on Christmas Eve, announcing the winner on Christmas Day, and if you win, you'll have the basket in your hands by New Year's Day!! 

Stay tuned to the CardMonkey blog over the next few weeks leading up to the drawing, as I'll be posting the contents of the basket as they mount. 

 OK, so to win the GRAND PRIZE (all continents are welcome!), here's what you must do:

1.  Be a follower of the CardMonkey blog and tell me in your comment how I can contact you.

2.  Leave a comment telling me what you plan to make and send to the IFTL project by their deadline, December 10.  Then do it!  Go to www.ifeeltheloveproject.blogspot.com for mailing information for your card or banner.  Your card or banner MUST be received by Madison by the deadline to be eligible to win the GRAND prize!  

NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME??  You can still win great blog candy just by being here and commenting on as many banner makers' blogs over the course of the next three days.  

Since we have more than 50 banner makers today, tomorrow and Monday, I'll be picking 5 blogs at random, and then one random comment from that Blog site, for that commenter to win one of five great prizes, which are:

1. Susan Bermudez, Independent Consultant for Creative Memories, donating a $20 gift certificate for Creative Memories products from her catalog (http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/susanbermudez/).
2. Scrappin' Madge: $25 Gift Certificate to The Scrappin Lounge Shoppe (http://madgesscrappinlounge.storenvy.com/)
3. Fresh Brewed Designs: Two prizes - One prize is a rubber stamp, Item #497 "Cutie Pie Ice Skating" (http://www.freshbreweddesigns.com/item_497/Cutie-Pie-Ice-Skating.htm), and the other is a $15 Digital Stamp gift card.
4. The Paper Temptress (www.papertemptress.com) - Owner Patricia Dunbar will donate a $25 Gift Certificate to her online store, the Paper Temptress.
5. The Pinque Peacock (www.pinquepeacock.com) - Owners Jessica Shelton will donate a gift certificate to her NEW store (products are being added daily -- watch as she grows!)
6. In addition, Close to My Heart Independent Consultant Lucy Kelleher will award a $20 gift certificate to a randomly-selected hopper who visits her blog (http://love2createitall.com) and/or Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/LucyK.CTMH) and posts a comment about the banner blog hop

P.S. -- Be sure to check out as many blogs as you can, as several will be providing their own blog candy with their own requirements.  If I catch them along the way, I'll add them to this list, as a shout out of gratitude, and also so you don't miss out on some sweet candy(canes!)... 

The Line Up For Monday, November 12:  

1. Ellen ~ CardMonkey - http://cardmonkeyspaperjungle.com/
2. Marianne - http://paperorfabric.blogspot.com/
3. Beckie ~ http://justbcreativecrazy.blogspot.com/
4. Tami - http://tamboscreations.blogspot.com/
5. Heather D. - http://joemamainks.blogspot.com/
6. Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/
7. Susan B - http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/
8. Jamie M. http://craftygirl21.blogspot.com/
9. Linda Simpson - http://lindasimpsoncraftypieceofheaven.blogspot.com/
10. Theresa ~ www.thescrapbookingqueen.com_
11. Vicky - http://www.luvmygypsy.blogspot.com/
12. Debbie T-  http://debbiescrafttime.blogspot.co.uk/
13. Pam Funk - http://dreamersklub.blogspot.com/
14. Shelly - http://kccroppers.blogspot.com/
15. Alina - http://neverstopscrapping.blogspot.com/
16. Lisa L. - http://lisascreativeniche.blogspot.com/
17. Nancie - http://alittlepieceofmebynancie.blogspot.com/
18. Dorcas - http://craftycardangel.com/
19. Debbie _http://craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com/
20. Rexann - http://ibecircled.blogspot.com

I am so happy you came by today and don't forget to leave a comment to be entered to win a $20 Creative Memories gift certificate. Your next stop is: Jamie M. Until next time.

New product (to me) and New Years

Greetings all!

It has been quite a do-nothing weekend. I needed to get caught up on some crafting and calls. I had one more New Year's card to make and wanted to make a card for my baby brother who is having surgery.    
Here is the results of the weekend's activities:

The New Year's card was made with my Cameo. I inked the edges of the champagne glass and added the bells as a wine charm. The Beatles card is made with C&D Visionary Inc stickers. I saw them and just knew I had to get them to make a card for him. It is all stamped and ready to go tomorrow. I have to start getting ready for an all day crop on Saturday. Thanks to my hubby for being so sweet (I love you honey).

Remember that the new LIMITED EDITION Nov/Dec Creative Memories catalogs are available via email and once these products are gone they are gone. One of these is the newest EXCLUSIVE Cricut Cartridge, Holiday Frames and Tags. This cartridge can be used ALL YEAR ROUND. I hope you will stop by and check out my site HERE.