gift wrapping ideas....

always looking for new and fun ways to wrap your christmas gifts?
i found a few for you :)

silver tissue paper:

fabric:

handmade papers ( have the kids help!)

kraft paper

monograms:

use photos:

Fun & Edible Holiday Wreaths

I found this one here. Wow--too beautiful to eat!

Feeling in the mood to bake? Check this one out...

Williams Sonoma...you own me. Lovely gingerbread wreath, isn't it?

You can view the article for more details on how to make these. Makes me want to run in my kitchen and get started!!

Homemade gifts

I love making and receiving home made gifts, how about you?

Hi everyone, Tina here wanting to share one of my favorite hot cocoa recipe's that I got from my sister and how I started putting together little gift boxes filled with the cocoa for gifts.

The ingredients:

3 1/2 C powdered sugar

3 1/4 C instant non-fat dry milk

2 C instant chocolate drink (Quik)

1/2 C malted milk powder

1/4 C cocoa powder

3/4 C non-dairy creamer (cremora)

The boxes were cut with the Stampin up bigz fancy favor die

Included with the cocoa I put a tag that reads;

add 3 heaping tablespoons to one 10 ounce mug of hot water

What's on your list?

Laina here today...Girls, if you haven't started dropping hints for the hubby or loved ones, now's the time. Here are a few new scrappy items you may want to consider for your list.


Martha Punches - a girl can never have too many. I'll pass on the diamonds. Give me good tools.



Elizabeth Kartchner's new book. I haven't bought a new book in ages. I'm getting this one.



Scrapbook Trends - now that Simple Scrapbooks and Memory Makers are gone, I'm left with only CK and Scrapbooks Etc. It is a steep price to pay but there are very few ads and tons of great pages. (Warning! Very  few two pagers in this magazine.)



Epson Stylus 1400 Wow! A large format photo printer for less than $200. A friend has one and I love it! We printed our own 12x12 paper in minutes. (Scan your last piece of  beloved Scenic Route paper and print over and over again!) I want one to be able to print journaling right on the background of my 12x12. I think it would be really cool to print 12x12 photos and scrap directly on those. Now if they could just make an affordable scanner for scrapbookers...


Wood Veneer Sheets from StampinUp I'm so gonna get this. Can you imagine how cool your die cut letters would be?


Paper Flower Kits from the Paper Source. I want to make ALL of them. The poppies are beautiful too.

So what's on your list? Share your ideas below so that we can all add to our lists as well!

Thankful.

...for each and every one of you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

An Organized Christmas

My dear friend Amy is something I'm not...ORGANIZED. She had the MOST adorable planner with her last week, and I went home, haunted by the notion that I too could be more together than I thought possible...

So being the wonderful gal she is...she brought me her version over, along with a binder to get me started. Awww...wasn't that thoughtful?

She turned me toward this website, and I printed off everything I need to get myself together this holiday season. And don't you know...I think I can actually DO it this year. The printouts are WONDERFUL--and they've thought of everything!! There is even a "to do" list that goes week by week for those who are more organizationally challenged like myself.

I'm in the process of making it cute, too. I'll show it off soon...

In the meantime, mosey on over there and print those worksheets out. You too can do it this year!!

December Daily Information

For those of you who purchased this kit and received the extensive email on how I constructed the WIP December Daily, here is the photo you are asking about...

Hope it makes more sense now!! :) The tied accordion part then folds out.

And for anyone still on the fence, please email me at Turay413@gmail.com if you are still interested. I have TWO left, and once they're gone, they're gone. This has been my second largest selling kit in the past 3 years--thank you for your support!

The size is called half-pint, and the pages measure 5.5 x 8.5. I'll continue to show updates throughout the month of December, showing examples of what I did with mine.

Off to work on Thanksgiving treats I found here. Oh, my... I just love that blog...

Enjoy your day!!

Black Friday

I love how you don't even have to wait for your Thanksgiving Thursday paper anymore to know what is on sale for Black Friday! My favorite site is http://bfads.net/. Tons of deals are everywhere this season for us scrapbook enthusiasts.
If don't already own a Cricut Expression, tell you someone you love to go to Walmart on Thursday and get this amazing deal for you. (I really really love the green one Mom - and I wouldn't have to constantly borrow yours!) It comes with two cartridges as well.


Walmart, Joanns and Michael's are selling Cricut cartridges for $30 or less throughout the weekend. Time to get that holiday cartridge you've been wanting.

The best scrapbooking deals around the Cleveland area won't be on Black Friday though, you will have to wait until the following weekend for the annual Pulsar Warehouse Sale!

Local girls, you don't want to miss this sale! It's the ONE time of the year the Art/Craft building opens their doors to the public.  We are on the 5th floor, yet there are other art vendors in the building who will be selling their items (mainly on the 6th floor).

 

Most of you know I design products for part of Pulsar's business called  3BIRDS.  The products are sold on HSN and other various retail outlets.  When a person purchases a product on HSN and decides to return it, it goes to HSN, then HSN sends ALL those returns to us!  So, we have an overstock of product that is deeply reduced for selling.  This was our biggest, most busy year on HSN.  So needless to say, there will be plenty of items for sale.  We also work with some major wholesalers out there and we get pre and post production samples that are also being sold (Bazzill, Fancy Pants, Bella Blvd., just to name a few). the sale is a great place to purchase teachers, babysitter, etc gifts.

Word has quickly spread with each passing year on how good this sale is.  I will be there on Saturday - so make sure to say hi! See you at the sale.

Projects

Wanted to share some of the projects that folks were working on last weekend. I took great pleasure in walking around, seeing what everyone was into...

Cathy completed this in class...

Molly worked on layouts...

Amy's twisted layout about a game had me "crackin' up"...

I took this class over at Archiver's two weeks ago and LOVED how my recipe book turned out. This is Cathy's version of the same book. If you can get your paws on the Cosmo Cricket Early Bird chipboard--consider yourself lucky!! They're hard to find, for sure...

Mine will be the perfect gift for my cousin. Cathy is doing one for each member of her family, mixed with photos and family recipes. Cute idea!

This was a really popular class. So much so, that I'm offering this as a Project Kit for January at Work in Progress. Stay tuned!!

Amy's step mom has an awesome pumpkin collection, so she created her this beautiful mini book showcasing that collection. These photos don't do it justice! The book is actually pretty large--and her details really brought the photos to life...

Lots of people passed this board around, making tags...

My sister Chrissy made a ton of these for teacher appreciation gifts at her son's school. Totally cute, filled with candy!! I love that the Darice brand is only $1.99 per can, too!!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

The Bertram Inn 2009

*Warning: Picture heavy!*
We came, we saw, we scrapped...

And we vowed, "What happens at the Bertram, stays at the Bertram."

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of hosting 42 women at the second annual Fall Retreat at the Bertram Inn. Really hard to put words to my experience. I returned on Sunday night, feeling completely exhausted, yet totally re-energized and excited to create even more...

Most everyone arrived early afternoon on Friday and set up camp. There is a beauty to having your own 6' table when you crop, leaving it whenever you want to eat or chat, and returning to it. There were also empty spots where folks could set up their computers, printers, Cricut Machines and supplies. The ladies were generous and shared their supplies and stories and lives with not only me, but each other.

Lots of friends reconnected, and lots of people made new friends, too...

The food was heavenly. And even though you can't tell in these photos, the weather was amazing! Many enjoyed lunch on the patio on Saturday (not common in northeast Ohio in the middle of November, for sure.)

One of my roomies, Melissa. I barely saw her because she's an early bird and I'm a night owl. I love my Willow Trader friends for sure!!

And Tami gets the prize for traveling the farthest. She joined us all the way from Las Vegas!! It is really something when you get the chance to meet folks you chat with online. I have got to know Tami over at Willow Traders and Get it Scrapped, and chatting with her in the wee hours of the morning was a hoot...

(Next year, I will not permit photos of me to be taken after crying and thanking everyone. But after 3 days of bonding in pajamas mostly, it doesn't really matter after a while, ya know?)

There were a total of 10 classes. There are bits and pieces of 2 class kits left. I brought two huge bins of page kits (I only sell them locally, not online) and I left with a total of eight. Lots of kits on clearance, and advance selling of the December kits. It was fun to get feedback in person (a rarity for me!).

The most popular item and class was the December Daily album. Tis the season! The same class was also the most popular last year...

My WT pals. They are such an amazingly talented group of ladies, each with their own story. L to R--Sandy, Linda, Tami, Melissa and Cammy. Thanks for traveling, for your friendship, for sharing your stories and swapping supplies. You guys are just wonderful!!

I did mention the food, right? Not sure which was my favorite...the cookies, the rolls, the late night sundae bar on Saturday, or the pasta...

The worker bees...

Happy to see so many women taking time for themselves, sharing and laughing and yes, even crying some too...

And my new bff Barb from Wooster turned me on to these. Oh. My. They are heavenly. Meeting Barb and Jill was also a huge kick for me. Next time, our friend Veronica must join in on the fun...

I'm so glad you all came...

Iced Cinnamon chip cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 package (10 ounces) cinnamon baking chips
ICING:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup shortening
1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in cinnamon chips.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
In a small bowl, combine icing ingredients; beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes or until fluffy. Spread over cooled cookies. Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.

Lots of special thank yous to a ton of people here, so bear with me. I truly know that this event is made special by all you who give me feedback, help out with all you do, and support me in putting this event on. I am always amazed by women and their capacity to reach out and help. I'm very blessed for sure.

Jeanie (my sweet friend in the first picture at the top), your water bottles with the weekend motto were over-the-top. I love you and your signature color...PINK. Thank you for putting such care into them for all of us to enjoy.

Mary Ann (my sweet friend and roomie in the second photo), thank you for showing up and pitching in all the time, never expecting a thing in return for all your hard work. Your help in hauling, helping others, working when I was out, and hello--sharing your SUPPLIES with everyone--I can't thank you enough. You are someone very special to me and I love you.

Becci & Carla--thank you for your help in unloading and organizing. Your attention to detail, your thoughtfulness in sending me photographs--you are wonderful beyond measure. Thank you for being so helpful to me!!

Cammy, Tami, Linda, Jill, and Barb--thank you for traveling to attend the weekend crop. I really hope you enjoyed yourselves, and I hope you can join us again. Thank God for the internet so we can all stay connected, right? You guys are wonderful!

Molly--thank you for taking my camera so I could have pictures, and posing with a funny face with me...

Katie, Tina & Janet--thank you for sharing your personal stories with me and the other ladies. We love you and honor you as friends, and as mothers, and your friendship enriched our experience, whether you're aware of that or not. You bring your stories and scrapbooking to a personal level that puts a lump in my throat, and we are better for knowing you.

Tina & Deb--You rocked that hot cocoa mix, ladies!! Thank you so much for putting those together with such love and attention to detail. When's the next trip to the Ashery?

Laina & Tina--Thanks for representing the design team and Work in Progress Kits. So many of the ladies complimented you to me--I hope you know how much it means that you came and shared yourselves with us for the weekend.

Jen--Thank you for always being there and keeping me focused and sane. God, I love you.

Karen & Laura--Man, those photo cubes ROCK. Thank you for searching store after store, making phone calls and running all over to get them for all of us. I plan on doing a post on these babies all by themselves. Thank you for thinking of us when you saw them--everyone loved them!!

To whomever invented Diet Coke--Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for keeping me awake.

To the ladies at my dinner table on Saturday--and you know who you are--thank you for the laughter, the discussion, the personal stories of incontenience (yes, at the dinner table), and the insanity of it all. My lips are sealed. hahaha...

To all who attended, thank you for sharing your time with me. Your support of me and this business is truly immeasurable, and I treasure your friendship. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And last, but certainly not least, to my sister Chrissy...thank you for being there. Your hard work, attention to detail, superior math skills and organization made this all possible. I'm so glad we get to share Thickers!! :) You are the best sister on the planet, and spending time with you while doing all this was a total kick. I totally couldn't have done this without you--I love ya!!

Looking forward to doing this again next year, too...

And for those of you who are interested in joining us for local crops, I've updated the schedule for the next few months into 2010 here.

More project sharing in tomorrow's post...