Christmas is Coming!

I started my shopping at 1pm Saturday.
I think I am done.
Yes! 19 people on the list, gotta check it twice but I think I got everybody.
Although, now that I say that, I just get a coupon for something on Max's list. One more trip to Toys 'R Us?? Am I a sadist?
What's great about waiting til the last minute is that you are so eager to get it done that you make more comprimises. Your sister wanted a red cardigan, oh well, she's getting blue. Your brother wanted a particular book, now he's getting a bookstore gift card. Amazing how much easier it is. And with gift receipts on everything, it is foolproof.

I have to say that this holiday really brings out the worst in people.
I had at least 4 extremely rude sales people over the past 4 days and for no good reason.
I had at least 5 people push or hit me with their bags.
And I saw at least a dozen whining, crying children and at least that many demanding what they wanted. For everyone one of those bad behaving children was a parent using the "santa's watching" threat. Didn't seem to be working very well.

Max also bought me something very special from the jewlery counter at Target. He is so excited about giving it to me he has tried to tell me about it or give it to me every day since he bought it. I think what excited him the most is that he spent his own money he has been saving. There was talk last week that he wanted to buy me a diamond ring so people would think I was married. I asked why I would I want people to think I was married.
"So men will leave you alone."
What men? Where? There are men bothering me? No, seriously, what men?
I've gotten "diamonds" the past 3 years and I suspect that will be under my tree again. He likes to buy them big and gawdy, and like a good mom, I will be wearing them to Chrismas dinner blinding my whole family.

Christmas will start on Saturday for us and continue right on through Tuesday. Nothing like 4 whole days of the stuff. It seems to get longer and longer every year.
I got my Xmas cards done, now all I have is the wrapping, finish a scrapbook, making treats for Max's class and making his birthday invitations.
Oh and Chrismas cookies...Ok, I'm exhausted now just thinking about it.

Waste Time...Make a Difference

Cut your very own online snowflake and Target will donate money to the Salvation Army!
So, if you are like me and always looking for a way to waste time when you should be busy at work, then this is a great little spot for a little fun and make a donation by doing it!

Create Your Own Snowflake

I know there are problems with the commenting feature, I am having trouble commenting to all of you as well. Just know I am reading. And commenting to myself. LOL

Question of the Day...

You look at this card and you think:
(a) That looks just like a storebought card, cool.
(b) That looks just like a storebought card, uncool.
(c) How boring.
(d) So many supplies and she makes that?!?!?
(e) It's just a card. I don't care.

I know I don't even have time to contemplate this, but I still don't know what I am making....ugh!

Am I the only one?

Who hasn't started making the Christmas cards that should have been sent last week?
Who hasn't started shopping?
Wait, I take that back, I bought 1 present.

Only 11 days left, guess I should start.

Scallop Edge Tip

I saw this tip on Splitcoast and I couldn't wait to try it out for myself. As a person who loves the punches, this was right up my alley. I am always telling people how great the Slit Punch is, seriously the best $5 I have ever spent on the tool and this just adds to the list of reasons why.
I apologize for the quality of the photos, I hope this makes sense nonetheless.

How to make a Scalloped Edge Circle With the Slit Punch!

#1: You need to make a "donut" first, a circle with the center cut out. I use the Circle Scissors, I love it. I have heard complaints about this tool, but the trick is to use a glass mat as your cutting surface. With a glass mat, this tool is your best friend. Cut out the center of the circle first and then the outer rim.

#2: Here is the "donut", remember that the outer circumference of your donut needs to be slightly larger than the size of your finished product because you will be "trimming" next.

#3: Now, slide the Slit Punch through the center of the donut and begin punching your petals. Remember to try and line the petals up end to end as you are looking at the punch from this angle. Also, after you punch a petal, be sure to push it back down before you slide your punch over otherwise you will tear your paper.

#4: Her is the start of the scalloped circle, petals side to side (I know it is kinda hard to see).

#5: After you have gone all the way around the circle, you will need to snip the petals to cut away all the outer paper.

#6: Here is the finished Circle, now all you have to do is add it to a great project. If you are just covering the center, the inside of the donut does not have to be perfect because it is going to be covered anyway.

Here is the Scalloped Circle used as a flower with new Loves Me paper and the Pocket Notes :

Here is another card with the center covered with a new Diecut Sticker:

You can also do a scalloped edge, which is what I used on this card, love all the sparkle, hate finding pieces of sparkle on me 6 days later!

If you don't have this punch, add it to your Christmas list or at least be sure to get it in January during Sellabration time. With this there is no need to buy the Scalloped Circle punch and limit yourself in the size of the circle....the possibilities are endless.

What a Day...Already!

So, this morning as I left the house, I reached into my coat pocket to pull out the car keys.
The car keys weren't in my pocket.
I thought it was odd.
I tried to think back to last night when I had them.
I searched the house.
I always put the keys in my coat pocket.
And I knew I had locked the car doors. (I have a fear of someone trying to sleep in my car at night, you never know)

Max walked out to the car.
"Great mom, you locked the keys in the car."
In my defense, the keys fell out of my pocket when I grabbed my gloves.
On the front seat lay one glove and my keys.

UGH!!!
Now I am still at home, only a dollar in the wallet, so no bussing it for me.
The boss just called and wants me to cab it into the office, so I guess I will have to work that out now.

But before I leave....
New card made with the new papers, stamps and diecut stickers in the Winter Mini.
And while I was sitting around at home this morning, watching Martha (love Martha), I crocheted a scarf for my little sister. It was super chunky yarn, wacky multi-colored. And with a size 'P' hook, it only took an hour to work my way through the whole skein. I need another one to make it a little bit longer, but I love how fast it was. Plus, this is the third time I have crocheted this skein, the other two times the width just wasn't right. Again, huge thanks to Connie because without her tutoring, I wouldn't have been able to do this at all.

I have more cards and a cool trick to post tomorrow, but for now, I must figure out a way to get my butt to work.

Note to self: Get spare set of car keys to keep in the house!

Snow Day!

I woke up to this.
I have a snow day, Max still had school. Can you believe that?!!
It took me 25 minutes to brush off the car because underneath the 6 inches of snow was ice and man was it heavy. Then it took 20 minutes to get him 10 blocks to school. The insanity of people trying to drive on unplowed city street was extra nutty around the school. I actually saw the poor school security guard pushing cars that were stuck.
You would think that people who live in Chicago where it is destined to snow at least twice a year, would know how to drive in this weather. You would be wrong.

Yesterday, before the big snowfall, I bought a snow brush and batteries. So today is a super heavy photo day!

First are my swap cards which happily made there way to California this week. It features a new stamp set, Taggers Dozen and new Loves Me double-sided papers. The pinwheel spins and the handy "track" was made with the Word Window Punch. Love that tool!!

The second card was made with the same stamps and papers, but also features the new Mini Tag punch. Love that you can now layer it with the larger Tag punch!


Last weekend I was so happy to get my tree up although I swear this is the earliest I have ever put the tree up. I bought this tree a couple years ago because I needed a pre-lit tree and this one is super skinny. My anorexic tree fits perfectly into my little apartment though and really, it is just a place to showcase my ornaments.
This is one of my favorite ornaments. I remember getting it sometime around 1980. It was attached to a beautifully wrapped present and I remember thinking that it was the coolest "tag" I had ever seen. I think my aunt gave it to my sister and I, she would be the type of person to add this special touch. What I love most about it is that not only does it show our address at the time, which I would have never remembered. But it instantly takes me back to being a kid everytime I see it. What is super funny, is that I now live about 6 blocks from this address. Talk about Full Circle.

I also had this idea a couple years ago that if I made an ornament every year featuring scrapbook papers from that year, I could have my very own little scrapbook tree. And each year I could look back at the years and papers past. I thought it would be super cool, but never got the tree. So the ornaments are collecting on my tree just waiting for their very own home. Here are a few of the ornaments:

This last picture is my mantel. It looks Ok now that all the Christmas crap is on it, but in general, I have no clue what to do with it. Seriously. I have no art really. I have no big picture, although I guess I could get one.
Ideas? Thoughts?? For Christmas I will probably add a wreath on the wall, but after Christmas it will go back to being all naked and awkward.
And what do I put on the mantel? And how?
I think I need help.