Thanksgiving Preparations... Yum..

  I love Thanksgiving. It's all about food and family. You get a day to enjoy what you have and to celebrate the past year. Love it..  Our whole family ( except Jill's family)  is getting together this year at our home. That would be 24 people. That is the most we have had at our Thanksgivings in a long time. Bring on the food. We have a 20 pound turkey, a turkey breast, and a whole spiral ham. Hope that is enough.
   Our Holiday Fair was pretty successful. We doubled our monies. We are looking to do more of a craft fair next year in hopes of improving our sales. We are looking to really just support our paper crafting hobby. My sisters, Phillis and Andrea, are coming over to work on a 6 x 6 album of their own. I want to "infect" them with the desire to paper craft... Also, I want to see how I do with a class on paper crafting.
  Since I didn't sell all my Christmas cards I am going to use them for MY Christmas cards. Smart, huh? Now I don't have to fret over making them. They are all done. I can go to Disney and not worry about what I have left to do for holiday prep.

Love the hedgehog stamp set.

Christmas cards this year

Love the inside of this card.

Finally got to use this stamps

   We made an Album in a Box to sell at the Fair, but

My smaller Christmas cards

they didn't really sell since we brought them all
back home. I love them, though. I might try
and sell them on my blog; just to see if anyone might want one. If I don't sell them, I will use them for my own photos.
   I loved this "steampunk" style album. I guess I like the vintage look of the pictures and the embellishments.

Album in a box

   Inside the album you have the same pull out photomats that the 6x6 has; plus the same tags  and pockets. I think these albums store easier than the 6 x 6 albums.
  Anyway take a look at my latest album.

Inside pocket

Inside tag

The cover holds the album pages.

Tags

 

Pocket holding tag

Cute embellishement

A flap to hold more pictures

Photomats pull out of the ends of the pages.

   I am sad to say that I made a "Thinking of You" card for a friend that fell down her basement stairs. She broke her neck, but is doing fine with a neck brace. Her husband is waiting on her " hand and foot". I am so thankful that she is alright. Pray that her recovery goes smoothly.
  Here is the card that I made for Bobbi.

Praying for a smooth recovery.

  I am working on the centerpieces for our 4... count them... 4 Thanksgiving tables. It is alot of fun figuring out how each table should look. I will post pictures next time.
  We await my sister, Phillis and her husband, Cary's arrival on Sunday. Excited to see them. Oh boy, more helping hands. Happy Thanksgiving preparations!

More, more, more Christmas!

   I have been working soooo hard on getting ready for this Christmas Holiday Shopping Event being held at the Topsham Cornerstone Church in Topsham, if I haven't mentioned this enough. My sisters and I are working round the clock to be ready. It is kinda fun doing the projects we have wanted to do, but now have a deadline to do it.. If my cards don't sell I will use them for my Christmas card this year. Good thinking, huh?
  This is what I have been working on : Card in a Box, Envelope Albums, Treat Boxes, Christmas Cards, and an Album in a Box ; just to name a few. I have  been busy.

5 cards with envelopes for 15.00.

These cards were really fun to make. I think 3.00 a card for buying 5 at a time is  not bad.
  I have made one more of the Card in a Box cards.

More cards....

Card in a Box that folds for sending

They are easy to make but the theme and the elements of the theme are time consuming. I made this box to be elves going through gifts. However, I think the elf hat covers his ears, so I am going to cut his present ears off ( Ouch!) and put them lower. My sister, Chris, agrees with me. She thinks he looks like the Grinch.

 

Card in a Box winter scene

The second Card in a Box is a winter scene with a deer and a bunny. I used white Flower Soft for the snow. I like the effect it gives the whole card.
  I plan on making at least one more. I hope it doesn't take all day. I am using Graphic 45 on the last one. I love that paper because of the quality and the artistic elements. So pretty.

Christmas Album in a Box

Opened Box with pages showing

Tags on another page

Flap on a page for more pics

Last page with tags

Love the boxes that have an album hiding inside. The box is easy to make using black chipboard. I bought the directions from Paper Hoarder, I think that is the name. Doesn't sound right, though.
  

Pyramid Treat or Gift Boxes

 
 











 I have been decorating these pyramid treat boxes or you could put a gift inside. One of the sides comes open when you remove the ribbon. I love Christmas paper especially if it sparkles. I think they look festive. If they don't sell, I will decorate my fireplace mantel with them for the holidays.

Christmas Tags

I discovered I love making tags. They are so cute. I am not sure which ones are my favorite. The Santa tags came out great. I used Enamel Accents for the buttons. On the snowflakes I just used a Sizzix die cut for the snowflake and added gems and a sentiment. Love 'em.
  I have to go rake leaves now. I hope this is the last time. Some leaves just don't want to fall. It will be good exercise and then back to work. I will be making another  Album in a Box and another Card in a Box. I hope to finish decorating my cigar boxes , too.
 Hope you are getting excited for the holidays to come. I know I am.

Christmas Craft Fair Season

   My sister's and I have decided to have a table at the Holiday Shopping Event at  Cornerstone Baptist Church in Topsham, Maine ( Rte.196. 9-1 o'clock) on November 16th. We are working feverishly to make all the projects for our table. We got together this weekend to see what we have so far.
  I have been working on making the Envelope Mini Albums. This is a new project for me. I discovered the tutorial on Pinterest and kinda like how they are coming out. This is the first one that I have finished. I am working on a second one and have that one almost done.

Envelope Mini-Album

I used Graphic 45 French Country paper. Love it.. The paper is absolutely gorgeous. The cover a embellished quite a bit, but love how it came out.

Inside pages

Inside pages with tag

Inside pages with photmat

 The pages are large enough for pictures, tags, and adding whatever you want. I think some  people might like these better than the 6 x 6 because it will hold just a few pictures. Sometimes that is all you need . It could be used as a travel journal, too. You can add whatever you want into the pockets. I hope to make a few more for people to buy. If they

Inside pages with belly band

don't sell, I will keep them for my travels.
   Betsy over at Paper, Scissors and SuperHeroes has a wonderful written tutorial on how to make these mini albums. Here is her link: Paper, Scissors, Super Heroes.

My next project I think is so cute. My sister, Chris, over at Calla Lily Studio, discovered the directions for A Card In a Box. The box is really simple. It's the "stuff" you put inside that takes all the time. Usually it is a punch art theme. I chose the Nativity Scene I found on Pinterest. Here is a link to her card. She has done a great job with these figures. I tried to case has as best as I could.
   I used my Spellbinders circle die cuts, and book die cut. I also

Card In a Box

 used my scallop punch for the little lamb.
   I typed the verse on the computer and used Tim Holtz's crackle paint for an aged look.
   The box video tutorial is great except the gal is from the U.K. and her measurement are in metrics. Check out  my sister's blog for a link to the video and the conversion into inches.
Calla Lily Studio We hope to have ten different ones. Chris has some great themes for her boxes.
                                                       What I really like about this card in a box is that it folds up and fits into a 6 x6 envelope.                                                  

The sentiment on the back.

Folded card

Christmas!!

We went to Pier One that just opened in South Portland to get some inspiration and that Christmas feeling in November. What a great place! It was way too busy. Don't go there on a Saturday. I got great ideas for more boxes and albums. Well, gotta get back to work. I will have more items to share in a few days.November 16th will be coming fast and furious.