Forest Friends

Hi!  Just a quick note before I head down for the night.  I didn't get anything uploaded to Etsy today as I had planned. I ended up doing other things.  I made some stamping trades and had some packages to mail out today, plus went to the courthouse and picked up Jenna's and Antonio's marriage certificate for them and mailed that out also, and ran some other errands.  Practical Cents had everything 1/2 off in the store today and I found a few things there.  But I did finish 2 towels tonight and started a third.  I am not feeling so great at the moment.  I sure hope I am not getting sick.  My eye's are swollen and puffy, my ear hurts and I have a sore throat.  I am hoping that I will wake up and feel good in the morning.  I made this card for Danene Quigley's birthday.  I used the Stampin Up! Set Forest Friends.  It is a cute little set.  I have a thing for cute owl stamps right now, and this little guy is a cutie!

Big News!

Good Morning!  I am working on setting up a shop at Etsy.com.  My user name is elainemwilson if you would like to take a look at it.  I will be listing some items on it for sale later today and I hope to put a link on the blog so it will be easy for you to get to.  But right now I need to go back to bed and get some zzzz's!  See ya later!  Elaine

Jen's Wedding Pictures

The big day that we have all been waiting for arrived yesterday.  The wedding was gorgeous, the flower girl and ring bearer did an excellent job, it all went off with out a hitch.  I ran around doing things up until a minute before the wedding started, and I am not exaggerating about that.  I literally finished pinning Brittany's dress and then was walked down the aisle by Zach to my seat.  I am not a drinker....but could have used a stiff drink about then!  LOL  But from then on, everything went perfect and I cried while they were saying their vows.  Both Antonio and Jenna were just radiant and they enjoyed every second of their special day.  I only have about 40 pictures, I didn't take any at the reception, just relaxed and enjoyed things, in between more running around.  But the photographer's were taking pictures' every second of everything so I will have lot's later on I am sure.  They release everything they took to Jenna and then she can have whatever she wants made.  They don't put copyrights on them which is really nice.  Courtney Ryan, Jenna's childhood friend and her partner James do photography on the side.  We ended up with 93 people being there with 3 of them under the age 2.  The dinner was excellent, everyone had a nice time, it was a riot to watch the little kids dancing, an overall GREAT day! 

The Wedding Card

This is the wedding card I made for Antonio and Jenna.  I used the stamp set Together Forever, and used God's Blessings for the verse inside.  Of course Taffy had to be up on the stamping desk while I was working on it.  She was picking out flower's with her teeth out of my "Prettie's Kit".  Little stinker....she is something else!  You can't help but hold back a chuckle....she is just like having a two year old in the house.  And she is almost 2 by the way, she will be the end of February.  Then a little while later, I was ready to shoot her as I caught her walking across the curtain rod that is above my colbalt blue and blue & white collection and I about had a stroke!  LOL  I am telling her to get down...and she is backing up across the curtain rod.  Man.....that cat!  Any whoo...I used the new Bride's paper that is in the catalog for the base of the card.  It is so darn pretty!  You will love it....very elegant!

Wedding Treat Boxes

Merry Christmas!  I hope this finds you all safe and warm, and enjoying our dear Savior's birth!  We decided last night to change our Christmas to Saturday due to the bad weather.  So our family will be traveling home Sat. morning and we will start around 11:30 with Christmas Dinner, open gifts, then go out to Carlson's to decorate the reception hall, and back to Adams for rehearsal at 6:00.  It will be a packed busy day, but will probably be better for me in the long run rather than 3 long days!  I filled the treat boxes yesterday and thought you would like to see them.  There are 90 of them laying on the table.  The stamp set is Stampin' Up's! Together Forever and the "D" is from Lovely Letter's.  Isn't it interesting that both of my girls married names will start with a "D"!  It is hard to tell in the photo's but the "D" is popped up with dimensional's.  Have a joyous day!  Hugs!  Elaine

It's Christmas Eve...

Merry Christmas Eve!  It sure does look like Christmas out there.  I hope every one stay's at home, safe and sound until this nasty weather subsides.

I was out yesterday in a little bit of it as I went up town late yesterday afternoon, around 4 I think and got home around 5:30.  I went over to the church and figured out how I was going to attach the pine bough decorations that Sarah made to the pews in the church.  I also hit both of the dollar stores, bank, Pamida, Subway, and Practical Cents.  I am happy to announce that I found a small TV for $10.00 yesterday that I will hook up to a VCR and use at the wedding reception.  I tried it out last night and it works like a charm.  So Mary Poppin's has something else to pull out of her magic carpet bag!

I wrapped the last of my gifts while talking to Melissa on the phone last night and finished making this cute card.  Aren't these little marsh mellow people just the cutest!  Love it!  I talked with Jenna last night and she is off from work now.  She started her vacation as of last night and will be off till January 3rd.  She is very excited about the wedding.  I also had a long visit with Diana who is very excited about spending her first Christmas with our family, and she can't wait for the wedding and to spend time here.  We were busy making lots of plans.  I had told her that I had gotten her bottle water but had forgotten tuna fish.  She loves to make tuna fish sandwiches for us when she is here with her "Secret" recipe.  So I need to go to the store yet before they come to get tuna fish, macaroni and cheese, and popcorn.  That is what she requested.  It sounds good to Grammy.  She is such a sweetheart and I can't wait to have her here.  I am hoping that I am past the stressed out part this week, and am now into just enjoying it all.  I really had to pray hard about it all yesterday as I have really been wound up about it, which is not good, on top of the flareup I have been having.  Today's plan is to put the ribbon and bows on the vases for the tables, fill treat boxes with M&M's, and punch hole's in the snowflakes.  AND....REST!!!  Enjoy your day .....wherever you are!

Merry Christmas Bobby!

This is a special card I made yesterday for my Godson and nephew Bobby.  I put a gift card inside.  The shutter's, bird and cat's are all popped up on dimensionals.  Can you guess the names of the two cats!?!?!?!   I know that Brooke will take one look at it and say, "There's Molly and Taffy!"   LOL

If you are traveling this holiday season...please be safe!  Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays.....Merry Christmas with Love!  Elaine

Nuts

Yesterday I showed you the tags for the nut cans and I decided to show you how I ended up decorating them.  I took scrapbook paper and went around the can's then I cut out a Christmas tree with the Big Shot.  I sponged on layer after layer of different colored green's, 5 color's in total to get the dimension on it, ending with Handsome Hunter.  It is hard to see in the photo but it look's pretty cool.
My thought's and prayer's go out to the Giessel and Renner family's as they mourn the loss of Derek.  I had planned on going to the funeral but have been in a flare up on & off the past two days so have been in bed a lot.  Yesterday afternoon it got really bad and I was down the rest of the day from about 4 o'clock on.  I am trying to get it under control...if I can, so will be in bed most of the time the next few days.  Melissa and Isabelle stopped over in the evening for a little bit to exchange Christmas gifts.  They gave me some beautiful things to add to my Hershey's collection, and for stamping.  I am going to head back to bed to see if I can get some more zzz's in.  I didn't sleep the greatest last night.  I hope you are all getting all of your holiday preparations done.  Elaine

Christmas Tags

Hello!  I have been up since 5:30 this morning as the van needed to be in the shop by 8 this morning.  So I couldn't go back to sleep.  I am now ready for a nap and think I will go take one after I finish this!  I have been working on some tags to go on some of my special package's.  I gave the gals that came to my holiday gift packaging class  print out's of some fun "saying" and gifts to go with them.  Here are a few that I chose to do this year for some gifts.  I found these cute little Sprite bottles and made up tags for them.  The rest of the tags I thought it would be easier for you to see if I just shot pictures of the tags rather than putting them on the gifts right away.  These go on can's of nuts, whoppers, and a package of mints.  Hmmm...who will the lucky recipients be !?!?!?  I have to tell you that creating tags out of scraps, and punched scrap's is one of my favorite things to do.  Hopefully after Christmas I will have time to "play" and make a bunch more to sell.   I called my sister last night and talked to her for a few minutes before she headed out the door for a meeting.  Brooke wanted to talk to me and she jabbered for about an hour.  She played Christmas Carol's on the piano for me and asked me if I would read her a story out of the Magic Story Tree Book.  I said sure and asked her which one she wanted to hear.  She said she didn't care so I asked her which one is her favorite and she said King Midas.  That is my favorite one too, and is Sophie's.  So I read that to her.  We also had to have a big discussion about the Webkinz, and how many outfits I had done now.   Also she wanted to know what kind of outfit one of them was, and the color of it.  Then she was satisfied.  It is interesting, you would think she would want to be surprised, but the fun of it all seems to be in the journey, the planning with Aunt Elaine.  She also told me that she had been to Hobby Lobby and she had bought 8 sheet's of special felt that we could make clothes for the Webkinz with when she came for Christmas.   She described all 8 pieces to me, in detail, along with all of her Webkinz, plus her Christmas dress.   She also read to me the letter I had wrote her a few weeks ago.  AND....she wants me to bring a sewing machine to Christmas!!!  Hmmmm....what do you think is more important!?!?  Opening presents or sewing with Aunt Elaine!?!?!  She also has been making capes for all the Webkinz and she asked if I had velcro as two of the capes that she made at her friend's house have velcro, the rest do not.  She is fortunate to have an Aunt who I swear she thinks is Mary Poppins and can just pull out what ever she thinks we need out of her magic carpet bag.  She is definitely a joy, and my little ray of sunshine.  I do wish she lived closer.  Now if I could only become Samantha of "Bewitched" and wiggle my nose and just "be" where ever I wanted  to be.....life would be absolutely perfect!

Sewing Away....

I have been upstairs sewing today and just came down to have a sandwich and thought I would do today's blog post at the same time.  I made this little red and white striped t-shirt for Brooke's webkinz this afternoon.  It went together fast.  It reminded me of the days when my girls were little and I made a lot of little knit shirts and sweatshirts for them.  I used to dress them a like and I have lots of cute pictures of them in matching outfits.  The other picture's are of the reversible jacket I made for Brooke too.  Now that was an all day project but it turned out adorable.  I think she will really like it.

I got the treat boxes all finished last night and I am happy about that.  I was exhausted again by the time I got them done but I went back to bed this morning and slept in later.  I plan on having a quiet week to get rested up for the big weekend!  The van goes in the garage tomorrow to have the other 2 bearings fixed so I will be home.  I would like to make a trip to Practical Cents to see if I could find a little TV/VCR combo cheap that we could use at the wedding reception to keep the kids occupied.  I have a little box of stuff packed for them to do, but I know that movies would work best!  I have seen a lot of them in the past but probably won't be able to find one when I want it.  I should have thought about it sooner.  Oh well...no biggie!  Back to work, I go!

Wiped Out!

Good Afternoon!  Yesterday, I met Jenna in Madison at Panera Bread for lunch.  Then we headed over to David's Bridal to pick up the dresses and so that I could learn how to put up the bustle on the wedding dress.  We got everything loaded in the van that she wanted me to bring back here and then we headed over to Target to finish her Christmas shopping.  We got that done then headed to Michael's to pick up some more things for the wedding.  We parted in Madison and then I headed back for home.  My trac phone got a real work out yesterday between phone calls to both of the girls all day long yesterday.  Sarah and Zach met me at the Tanger Mall in the Dells so that they could pick up Sarah's dress.  We then discovered that Jenna and I had forgotten to pick something up there, and Sarah and Zach will go to get it this week.  :-(  I stopped at Family Dollar when I got back to town and dropped the wedding program cover's and candles off at the church.  By the time I got home it was 8:30 and I still had to haul dresses upstairs and unload the van.  The dresses got hung upstairs, the veil's put out to unwrinkle, and her white fur cape out of the package and hung up.  It looks like wedding land in the fabric room!  By this time I was exhausted and just left everything where it had landed in the kitchen.  I got my jammies on, grabbed the laptop and phone and called Diane as she had called several times looking for me.  She was suppose to go along with me on Friday but was having trouble with her furnace so didn't dare leave it.  I never even turned on the TV last night and the cat's and I fell asleep with the laptop tucked in by my side.  I was up several times to go to the bathroom and once to grab something to eat, but ended up staying in bed napping, and answering phone calls.  Jenna called this morning and we discussed a bunch more wedding stuff.  I need to make about 30 more treat boxes as we have had more responses come back in than which we orginally thought would which is wonderful.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate too.  Right now, we are at 70 adults and 20 kids, and I believe she invited around 100 people, mainly family and a few close friends.  A very good response considering that the wedding is 2 days after Christmas, and on a Sunday to boot!  Around 2 o'clock today, I finally crawled out of bed and got dressed.  I am still tired but not as bad as I was.  I get so exhausted some times that I can hardly breathe and this was one of those days.  I did get things put away and/or hauled upstairs today, got the mail and hauled some trash out.  I think I will go to do the rest of the stamping for the treat boxes, and then lay in bed, watch TV and cut them out!   Fortunately, I don't have to make the boxes, just the decorations for the tops of them!  Only 8 days left till the BIG DAY!!!!

A Basket of treats!

I had picked up these cute little snowman and Santa Claus treats when we were in Mauston this week at Walgreen's.  I made up 8 of them last night.  The card stock is cut at 3 1/4" x 11.  Then you score at 1 1/2" and 5 1/2".  The 1 1/2" part get's folded down and then is punched with the fancy scalloped edge punch.  I ran adhesive along the sides to glue it together and tied a piece of retired Riding Hood Red ribbon around it.  The gingerbread boy is from the retired Level 2 Hostess Set Dear Friends.  If you recall, we made several cards last year at the Christmas Stamp a Stack with it.  It is punched out with the 1 1/4" Circle Punch, then matted with a 1 3/8" Circle in Basic Black and then matted again on a Scalloped Circle. A quick and easy project!

More Bumming!

Today, Lady Di and I headed to Plover to do more Christmas shopping.  We had fun shopping for her grandson's, and I picked up a few little gifts today.  We had lunch at the Golden Corral.  I sure wish it would warm up...it is too darn cold!

More ho, ho, ho, and off to the doctor we go!

The morning started off with an order for a Stampin' Up Gift Certificate.  So I made that up, and delivered that, dropped some stamping stuff back off at the church and then went to the library.  I had a CD waiting there to be picked up.  Sometimes it is a big surprise what I have ordered as sometimes it takes months and months to get something and by the time I get it, I have forgotten why I ordered it.  Today was one of those days.  Tonight I played it and now remembered why.  The CD is The Fray, The Fray.  I ordered it because I really like the song that is on it You Found Me.  Their music has been on Gray's Anatomy.  If you have not heard the song, it is about someone finding GOD on a street corner smoking a cigerette,  they have hit bottom, they feel they have been calling out to him for years and he has not heard them.  One of those songs you can kind of make your own interpretation of.  It kind of reminds me of a friend of mine who accepted GOD on a street corner as a young boy, yet some day's believes in GOD and other day's he doesn't.  On the days he does, he asks me many questions.  I pray that I answer them correctly and help him to move closer to him.

Any whoo....on with my day.  Lady Di and I headed over to Mauston this afternoon and she picked up some Christmas gifts that she ordered, we did some shopping at Walgreen's and then headed over to the Mile Bluff Clinic to my doctor's appointment.  I will do physical's and a mammogram in March.  I discovered that I am starting menopause, and what I thought was ovary pain is hip pain.  Another arthritis starting in this body.  I was not so thrilled to hear about that.  I was very surprised about that at first but should not have been as my dad, my uncle, and my late Aunt all had hip problems.  I always thought that when people had hip pain that it was on the outside of their hip, as that is where I have always had it in the past (part of the FM) not were it joins the body.  Dr. Bjelland showed me a picture of the hip that was on the wall and it all made sense then.  We discussed some other things and then I set up my up coming appointments and then Di and I headed over to Culver's for supper.  I got the cat box cleaned and dishes done tonight and I am now heading to bed.  I am glad to have picked up a few more gifts today.  Almost done with the shopping!  Have a good one!  Me

Home Sweet Home

Today didn't go anything like I had planned but worked out good anyways!  I went over to Curves right away this morning and took down my display of products and brought it home.  Di and I had planned to go to Madison today as she wanted to go to Toys R Us but we decided against it because of the bad weather.  I stamped most of the day, took a nap, made a casserole, and stamped a bunch of gift tags.  A friend called and I headed upstairs to wrap gifts while we were talking and I got a bunch of gifts wrapped.  It really went fast while talking on the phone.  I do not like wrapping at all, so this was great to have a good start on it.  Last year how I coaxed my self into doing it was I that I would stamp a gift tag, then wrap a present, then stamp a tag....back and forth!  LOL  Whatever it takes to get the job done! I made more elaborate tags last year.  This year I quick whipped some out with the Delightful Decorations stamp, punched them with the ornament punch and then tied ribbons on the top.  Quick and cute!
One thing that is nice this year is that I am doing my wrapping upstairs, on top of my cutting table in the sewing room and can leave the wrapping paper, tape and scissors right out, and the gifts are in the closet right next to that room.  Usually I am hauling packages down the stairs, trying to find a place to put them down here after they are wrapped so that I don't have to drag them back up again, and then have to find a place to stick the wrapping paper...etc. (or look at the mess!).  So I think this year it is actually going to be enjoyable!  It is such a pleasure to be able to use the sewing room.  One thing I need to look for is a clock for that room.  I get up there and I don't have a clue what time it is, and the hours zip away.  Oh...I just remembered that my pretty blue and white clock from the store should be down in the basement.  I will have to go on a hunting mission for that.  I need to bring some gift boxes up from down there anyways.  I hope that all of your holiday preparations are going smoothly!  Hugs!  Elaine

Delightful Decorations

Hello-  I didn't get my posting done yesterday as I went to a Cookie Exchange and I was wiped when I got home but it was fun.
Today's projects were made with the Stampin' UP! set Delightful Decorations and the Ornament Punch.  A fun set that is in the current mini catalog.  The first picture is of a gift tag that I punched on the fold so that it flips open and you can write who the gift is to and who it is from on the inside.

I don't normally think of bashful blue and chocolate chip as Christmas color's but it does work on this card.  I love the combination, very different but very pretty.

I just finished talking to Jenna a few minutes ago.  Only 14 days till the wedding now!  I hope you are all finding some time to stamp in between the holiday rush.  Elaine

Snowman Ornament Box

Good Evening!  I had lots of people in and out today picking up stamping order's. Mom was also here to pick up the Christmas gifts that we ordered over the internet, and Carol was here to pick up the snowflakes that she is going to spray with glitter for me for the wedding.  In between things I made Russian Tea Cakes for tomorrow's cookie exchange at Angela's and rounded up my container's that I will need to bring my cookies home in.  We are doing an ornament exchange and I decided to make a box to put my ornament in and here it is.  I think it turned out really cute.  I used the Stampin' Up! Box #2 die.  I clip off the side flaps and left the back of the box straight up instead of folding it down inside.  I used the Snowflake Punch to make the Snowflake on the box flap and blinged it up with some Stickles.  The snowman is a Sizzix Snowman Die that I had and I paper pieced his hat, brim, scarf and arms.  A little red button tied with some linen thread adorns his hat.  I did some faux stitching with a Chocolate Chip Marker around his scarf and put a snowball on his branch with a dimensional.  Some Wild Wasabi stitched ribbon is tied around the bottom of the box and the tag is made from the Level 2 Stampin' Up Hostess Set Christmas Punch.  This is the first I have played in my stamping room and it was so much fun!
Have a great weekend!  Elaine

Important Stamping News!

Good Morning Stampers!  Today starts the 12 days of Christmas Sales with Stampin' UP!

Dates: December 11-22, 2009

Things to Remember:

• The sale begins Friday, December 11, 2009, 12:01 AM (MT), and ends Tuesday, December 22, 2009, 11:50 PM (MT).
  
• Items must be ordered by December 15, 2009, in order to arrive in time for Christmas.
  
• Discounts range between 15-25 percent.
  
• All items on sale will be posted on the first day of the promotion and can be purchased for all 12 days.
  
• There are no quantity limits.
  
• There are no qualifiers to receive the discount.
  

Product Offering:

Item	Page #	Description	Regular Price	Discounted Price
114515	195	Flower Burst Embosslits die	$11.95	$8.96
114516	195	Cherry Blossom Embosslits die	$11.95	$8.96
115957	195	Thanks Embosslits die	$11.95	$8.96
114513	195	Sweetest Stem Embosslits die	$11.95	$8.96
115952	195	Hi Embosslits die	$11.95	$8.96
115951	197	Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Medium Sizzlits die	$74.95	$59.96
113446	197	Build a Flower #2 Set Sizzlits 4-Pack die	$19.95	$16.96
114509	197	Big Bold Cupcakes Sizzlits 4-Pack die	$21.95	$18.66
113448	197	Hearts Set Sizzlits 4-Pack die	$19.95	$16.96
113457	198	Tulipe Bigz die	$21.95	$16.46
115954	198	Two Tags Bigz die	$21.95	$18.66
114524	199	Fringed Flower Bigz die	$19.95	$15.96
114523	199	Decorative Accents Bigz die	$19.95	$15.96
114534	199	Flower Bigz Clear die	$19.95	$15.96
113473	199	5-Point 3D Star Bigz die	$19.95	$16.96
113472	199	Circle 3D Ornament Bigz die	$19.95	$16.96
113470	199	Flower Layers w/Leaf Bigz die	$19.95	$16.96
113465	199	Bird w/Leaves and Flower Bigz die	$19.95	$16.96
115961	200	Perfect Setting Bigz XL die	$42.95	$32.21
113483	200	Pennant Bigz XL die	$39.95	$29.96
113484	200	Baskets & Blooms Bigz XL die	$39.95	$31.96
116760	201	Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz XL die	$39.95	$29.96
116759	201	Pop-Up 3D Ball Bigz XL die	$39.95	$29.96
114890	201	Matchbox Bigz XL die	$42.95	$36.51
113458	202	Flower Layers Originals die	$15.95	$13.56
114336	158	Kraft Décor Elements sheets 12" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$10.36
114334	158	Dark Gray Décor Elements sheets 12" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$10.36
114337	158	Chocolate Décor Elements sheets 12" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$10.36
114335	158	White Décor Elements sheets 12" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$10.36
118797	n/a	So Saffron Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118798	n/a	Rose Red Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118799	n/a	Taken With Teal Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118800	n/a	Pretty In Pink Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118801	n/a	Bashful Blue Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118802	n/a	Real Red Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118803	n/a	Old Olive Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118804	n/a	Black Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118805	n/a	Night of Navy Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118806	n/a	Certainly Celery Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118807	n/a	Tempting Turquoise Décor Elements Sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118808	n/a	Clear Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118809	n/a	Pumpkin Pie Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118810	n/a	Pixie Pink Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118812	n/a	Sahara Sand Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118813	n/a	Gable Green Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118814	n/a	Basic Gray Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)	$12.95	$9.71
118815	n/a	Chalkboard Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2)

 All order's that were placed at this month's Stamp Camp's have arrived and are ready for pick up.

Our next stamping event will be on Tuesday, January 5th at 5:30pm and will be Doris Kolberg's Stamping Party.  We will start with dinner and then stamp after wards.  The new Occasion Mini, Sale-A-Bration, and Decor Element Catalog's have arrived and you are welcome to stop and pick one up.  The Occasion Mini will be mailed out directly from Stampin' Up to most of you (if I have an address on file & I only earn so many of those for free) so some of you will need to get that directly from me (as usual).  You are going to love all the new stuff....lots of new products!  My order arrived yesterday (but I was gone bumming) and I hope to get a chance to play with it today.

After much thought and prayer.....I have decided to slow down my stamping schedule.  You know I love doing stamp camp's and I love being with all of you and I am thrilled that you all enjoy it so much that the business has grown to the point that I could hold this many events per month.  There are many reason's for this decision, but mainly I want to be able to spend more time with my girls & their families.  So....I have decided to do what I have been doing in the summer months and hold 1 party a month.  It will always be the 2nd Monday of the month at 5:30 pm, with a different hostess each month, at the church.   Please email me with which month you would like to be the hostess.  After I get all the month's filled, I will print out a new schedule.  From time to time, I may hold some special classes.  I am starting this new schedule effective immediately, but note that in January our one monthly event will be on Tuesday, January 5th at 5:30.  Please share this information with your friends that are not on the internet.   I have a LOT of information to share with you on the 5th.  You won't want to miss this event.  Please RSVP if you haven't already.  Thanks!  Elaine

Ho Ho Ho....off to Tomah we go!

Hello!  Lady Di and I took a road trip to Tomah today.  She had a doctor's appointment there.  On the way over, I asked her if she had read the blog last night.  I asked her what she thought of it.  She said "I thought you have been in the house too long!" and she started laughing.  She then told me she had laughed the whole time while reading it.  This is not the first time she has told me this.  She knows me so well that she KNOWS when I need to get out of the house!  LOL   Any whoo....we had a great day.  Lots of fun and laughter.  We went to Walmart and I bought some groceries.  I am happy to report that I got my grocery bill down from $82.00 to $65.00 and saved $17.00 with coupon's.  I am finding out that certain places will not take internet coupon's, Pamida, Dollar General, and IGA won't accept them.  But Walgreen's and Walmart do.  So I am a happy camper.  Di treated me to Chinese which was very good, and then we went to Good Will before heading home.  We had a great time....thanks for getting me out of the house Di!

Tough Economic Times.....

Taffy Wilson reports that due to tough economic times....she has returned to school to get her master's degree in computers.  She also notes that Miss Elaine's friends on the IM think that her and Molly shop at night while Miss Elaine is sleeping.  This is simply not true noted Taffy Wilson (well..just a tiny bit.....we love fabric and we keep hauling that in at night while she is sleeping.  During the day we pretend to hate the UPS man.  But we really do hate his truck.)  Miss Elaine refuses to watch the news so that is the only time we can really find out what is going on out in the world is when she is sleeping (and with her weird sleep patterns, it is WORK for us just to find a time to get on the computer.)   Miss Elaine says she finds out enough news from her new's junkie friends.  Taffy says it was hard to find out that the world was in a recession as they eat really well but her first clue was when Miss Elaine started looking for coupon's on the internet for cat food and kitty litter.  I try to stay slim and trim Taffy notes.  But climbing the curtains at night really puts Miss Elaine in a bad mood.  They say on the computer that exercise is good for you, well when I exercise, the spray bottle seems to appear.  I don't think they know what they are talking about.  Studying seems to be a better solution.  It is a quiet activity and I don't get into trouble, in fact, she seems to think it is kind of cute.  You know the ole' saying....if Mama ain't happy....nobody's happy!  Time for a cat nap!......Stay tuned for more adventures of Molly and Taffy!

Let it snow!

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!  Well, those of us in Wisconisin are getting snowed in at the moment.  And that is just fine with me.  If we are going to have bad, weather, get sick, or what ever...it needs to happen now so everything is perfect for the 27th!  Today I finished the cutting of the snowflakes.  I am guessing that I have over 125 of them.  My friend Carol will pick them up and spray them with spray glitter, and then they will be all set to hang up for the wedding reception.  I am allergic to paint so Carol said that she would do them for me.  Little Miss Taffy is sitting up here on the computer desk.  She has decided this week that her new favorite place to be while I am working on the computer is to lay between the keyboard and the monitor.  Silly girl...but it is cute that she wishes to be by me.  I ventured out about 5:30 tonight  and went over to check my Tastefully Simple display at Curves.  Then I made a trip over to Pamida as last night 2 out of 5 of my flood lights in the kitchen burnt out so I went and bought a couple of bulbs for them.  Now that I think about it, I should have bought 3 more as they all tend to go out at once.  They last for years and then all of a sudden, they all start to go out.  Maybe I will get lucky and the other ones will last awhile longer.  I have the last of the wedding stuff done (I think) until the weekend of the wedding so now I can start working on Christmas stuff.  I think I will work up in the sewing room tomorrow.  I was going to head up there tonight but didn't make it up there.  Stay safe, and warm!  Elaine

Happy 90th Birthday Uncle Bob!

I had a really fun night last night.  I went to a 90th birthday party for my Uncle Bob Herriot.  It was held at Jimmy's Dell Bar in Wisconsin Dells.  I have to say, of all the supper clubs that I have eaten at, this is my very favorite.  It has probably been about 15 years since the last time I was there.  They had piano music and the lighting is low, yet you can see good, it is very beautiful place, romantic, and very nice for special occasions.  Last night the dinner was held in a special room that I had never been in before and it was a beautiful room too.  It was so good to see all my cousins and relatives.  Every one was so happy to see one another and were in a festive mood!  All 13 of my cousin's made it home for this special party for Uncle Bob.  What an amazing mile stone to achieve....90 years....I can't imagine living that long.  And he travels all over the place which is pretty cool that he is able to do that.

I happy to say that I have all the treat boxes made for the wedding now.  Yahoo....another project crossed off of my list!  I have busy cutting snowflakes today with Angela's Cricut Expression and that has been fun.  It is a really cool toy!  Tick, Tick, Tick....only 3 weeks till the big day!

Holiday Gift Packaging Class

This can be used to give a large cookie as a gift or a CD or DVD holder.  The next item is made with the Top Note Die and can be used to package small items as a gift.  The third picture down is a picture of a holiday cracker.  It doesn't "pop", you untwist the ends to open it.  It is a project that takes lots of folding and scoring but well worth the extra work when it is finished!

This project uses the Scalloped Square Die and is perfect for a bottle of perfume, rolo's, candy canes, you name it.  A very fast and cute project.  The gals also received 9 pages of patterns and other inexpensive Holiday Gift Giving Idea's.  They were headed to the store when they left here to buy things to do some of them.  We worked with Christmas music playing and had a great time!