White Christmas

I finally got around to catching a couple of photos---the first is a very white and fluffy wreath. 

It's made of from a coat hanger and lots of pieces of plain white cotton twill ribbon are tied on.  Then we filled in here and there with bits and scraps of other white and silver ribbons found in the scrap box.  Hanging in the store window it almost appears feathery.  I just love how fluffy and light this looks. 

And then here is a very poor view of the tree I made for the window.  The other views (from outside, through the window are the good ones).  But a few of the roses show in this photo, so I am posting it anyway. 

The roses are made using the Sizzix Flower #5 die, grunge paper, pearl dabber paint, metallic gold and pearlescent beige brilliance inks.  They are glued to magnets so they can be rearranged on the tree or removed for other seasonal decor.  I also tied on some ivory tulle and stuck some pearls on the tulle.   I think before I give this away at Christmas I will need to add a few more grunge roses, at least to this side anyway. 

So this is my kind of White Christmas, not that other frozen, slippery stuff that we have outside right now.  If it could snow all light and fluffy, that would be one thing.  But that rarely happens here. Today was sunny at least and after the bitter cold that followed last weekends snow, the sun has been a welcome relief!  Tomorrow more snow... so goes winter here in Wisconsin.

On my to do list for this week: 
--finish 7 Gypsy printers trays (gifts) almost done, needed the photos I had printed this evening
--finish handmade ornament (gift), almost done
--get my Christmas cards done (notice I did not say finish, as in I have not started them.  heavy sigh)
--wrap and mail packages to CA
--somewhere in here I should be baking some cookies, but I don't see that happening till maybe Sunday night

hmmm, it's possible. 

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

a big old snowy mess outside for the weekend. 

It's supposed to be cookie baking weekend for me and my daughter... But I am having serious reservations about driving out to her place on Saturday in the coming storm.  It'll depend on which way this storm goes.  Perhaps Sunday will be baking day and Saturday will be finishing my gift making and getting my cards done. 

Today though looks to be all clear for tonight's Elves Workshop!  And I have to remember to pick up all the little extras I may need for crafting and cardmaking should Saturday turn out to be nasty.  Nothing beats soup cooking away on the stove and a day of paper crafting when it's snowing up a storm outside and I want to be ready!  Let's see Stickles, white embossing powder, cardstock,  buttons, clear glass ornaments... what else, ummmm  bling...need some bling, bling!!! 

Meanwhile, the last time I was out at Kim's it was bath day for Miss Izzie.... 

Now how's that for a little baby goodness!? 

And in an effort to keep working on mr. jacob's school album I have the following layout ready to plug his freshman photo into it. 

School photos used to be a challenge, but there is so much out there this year to work with to make great layouts that I am flying through the years of school pictures.  Now what is proving harder to do are the sports pictures and that isn't because of a lack of sports related papers and such---it's my poor pictures  ha!! 

The above layout was done with papers from Reminisce, Bazzill cardstock, EK border punches and Sizzix scalloped border die. 

Ta for now!

Feeling Like January

I am having the hardest time getting in to Christmas mode this year.  It already feels like January outside!  Feels even colder since I was out in California the week of Thanksgiving. 

The Elves Workshop should put me in the right frame of mind.  Good friends, pretty projects, Christmas papers and ribbons, gift and decor ideas.  It promises to be a really fun evening! 

But, since it already feels so sub-zero cold like January, I got a head start (yeah, fancy that!!! a head start!) on my January Sketchy Monday class sample. The December class is up at the store... and I do love that one, but thought I'd post the January one here (just a bonus since I am feeling massively guilty over not posting). 

This double page layout was created using new Hot Cocoa papers from Fancy Pants, cardstock from Bazzill and some snowflake and border punches from EK and Martha, plus a large snowflake die from Sizzix. 
Happy winter!