melts in your mouth...

A candy cane shaped tube of M&M's just screams Christmas to me. As kids, my brother and I usually found them in our stockings. Or we got them from Grandma. Red and green treats of sweet, candy coated chocolate! Yum. 

I decided to make my own version for a holiday bazaar. Smaller in size, and adorable, they don't take up quite as much space in a stocking. 

A little candy trivia for you: M&M'S are currently produced in 25 different colors available through special order on their website. I'm partial to teal! 

Happy stamping!

taste the sensation

Did you know the the very first version of the York Peppermint Pattie was not soft in the center? It wasn't! Who knew? The original version was produced in York, Pennsylvania by the York Cone Company, starting in 1940. That pattie was firm and crisp in the center. It was what separated it from it's competitors, which were all soft in the center. Just a little candy trivia for you. 

Peppermint Patties have always made me think of Christmas. Maybe it's because they are minty, like a candy cane. I decided to dress the miniatures up for Christmas, and package them in green and red. 

So that the patrons of the RCS PTO Holiday Bazaar would know that they were the real deal, and not some icky imitation, I left their back sides naked so the label could be seen. There's nothing like a chocolatey, minty snack in the middle of a hectic, holiday shopping day to pick you up!

Happy stamping!

a humongous heart

Although I am my parent's firstborn, they had a baby before I came into the world. His name was Niki. I loved to cover him up with a blanket and read my favorite books to him. He let me snuggle up and nap with him. I told him all my most precious secrets, and he always patiently listened to my troubles. I knew that he wouldn't tell a soul. We grew up together as the best of friends! And he was a Siberian Husky. Niki was my parent's first baby. Growing up with a dog was the best experience! I was a dog lover from the day I came home from the hospital. My girls are also dog lovers. Our dog, Remy, does not lack for love. Or treats! He is highly motivated by food. Just the word, "Treat!" has him running back into the house, makes him drool, and cock his head to the side in the way that all dog owners melt for. 

I've been going crazy prepping for a craft sale. I've been making stocking stuffers filled with treats for good little boys and girls. But I couldn't leave out man's best friends!

Skinny little cellophane bags filled with Remy's favorite kibble! Now Fido's stocking can have a cute little package filled with yumminess! 

If dogs wag their tails with their hearts, Remy's heart must me huge! His entire body shakes from the force of his wagging tail! Dogs are family to us, so a Christmas treat for dogs was a no  brainer for me. 

Happy stamping!

chipboard coaster frames

I recently discovered the versatility of blank chipboard coasters. And I have been having a blast exploring the creative possibilities. I'm getting ready to do a craft fair and have been trying some new projects. My favorite, by far, has been my chipboard coaster, wallet sized, school photo frames!

They have a magnet on the back, and are designed so that it's easy to switch out the photo each year. 

I posted about them on facebook, and have sold 10 of them already! So psyched to see how they sell at the craft fair. 

Happy stamping!

too good to give away

Having spent a long weekend at Wells Beach in Maine, I was itching to pullout some ocean inspired stamps to create a birthday card. I have used By the Tide more than any other stamp set I own! It's so very versatile! 

I also pulled out my water color paper for this project. I knew that I wanted to soften up the coral stamp a bit, and water color paper and an Aqua Painter were the perfect tools to achieve that look. I used markers to color in the seahorse and then stamp it. Still, something wasn't quite right, so I added a script stamp with stamped off Island Indigo ink to create a subtle background with the feel of water. A little paper piercing around the greeting added a touch of texture. This card is one of my very favorites! It's going to be hard to give this one away!

Happy stamping!

at last

I have drooled over Lovely As a Tree for years now. But for some reason, I never bought it. I earned a free stamp set and now I finally own it! When it arrived, I could not wait to use it! And for some reason, the image that was calling out to me was the large maple tree. At least in my mind it's a maple. And for some reason, the season just had to be fall. My favorite season. I know summer is preferred by most people, but summer is just plain too hot for me. I'll take the crisp air and gorgeous colors of fall any day over the humidity and heat of summer. 

I used black StazOn ink for the tree image. I stamped it onto water color paper and then used the Scallop Tag Punch and made a tag. Then I got to work with my AquaPen. I started with Cherry Cobbler. Added a bit of Pumpkin Pie and Crushed Curry. A tree wouldn't feel right to me without a bit of Old Olive. And the trunk is done with Soft Suede. Then I pulled a little of the trunk's color down and painted the ground and finished that with Old Olive. A wash of Soft Sky finished the background. 

Texture was the next element I wanted, so of course I put my embossing folders to work. Woodgrain and Square Lattice. Gorgeous Grunge provided some visual interest. And I popped up the greeting twice with Stampin' Dimensionals. And voila! My first card with a stamp set I have admired from afar for so many years. 

Happy stamping!

manly-man

There are a few men in my life who deserve a good birthday card. Unfortunately, when I buy stamps, they tend to be flowery and sweet. And although a few men appreciate a bouquet of flowers, most don't. Masculine birthday cards often stump me. Short of using dark colors, I've got nothin'. Which is why I'm kinda excited about the stamp set, Perfect Blend. It's marketed with the friendship sentiment, "coffee & friends are the perfect blend", but I decided to skip that and use the birthday greeting from Petite Pairs. And voila! A masculine birthday card that doesn't feature dark navy and tools.

I roughed things up a bit with a distressing tool to give the card some texture, and I popped up the coffee cup and greeting for some depth. See? Masculine cards aren't so scary.

Happy stamping!