Holiday Cards, August Edition!

So, I had this bright idea that it would be great to do 4 Christmas Card workshops, one each month starting in the summer so that we could avoid the November scramble: "Oh, Geez Louise, HOW MANY DAYS until Christmas??? I need to start my cards!!"

The August workshop is this Friday, August 22, open house style from 11:00 a.m. to 12 midnight (come as your schedule permits). Here are this month's designs:

Wanna join the frosty fun? Contact me for a kit! 12 cards, 4 each of three designs, plus envelopes, $22. 

Hope to see you Friday! 

Cards For A Year, August Edition Sneak Peek!!

Every month I host two ongoing workshops here in Peeptopia. We stamp and cut and emboss and glue our way to Paper Nirvana! Usually the designs are a secret but hey, how about a sneak peek?

This month's Cards For A Year workshop features a NEW stamp set designed for Close To My Heart's Australia and New Zealand customers. It's called "Cute Koalas" and luckily for us, we can get it here in the U.S. It can be ordered by contacting me or ordering online here: Cute Koalas 

I also used the "Balloons" single stamp and some other CTMH sentiments to create these adorable cards. These koalas are just so so so so cute!! I love them!

If you are already a Cards For A Year Workshop member, the ready-to-stamp kit for these cards will be waiting for you on Sunday August 24! 

If you're not a C4AY member, contact me to get your pre-stamped kit. $11 gets you everything you need to create these 4 cards, plus envelopes and complete instructions! 

Happy Scrappin'!

Pizza Box Happiness!!!

Yesterday I got my monthly shipment of paper happiness from Club Scrap, the very first company to offer a monthly delivery of scrapbooking supplies 15 years ago. Their papers are top quality and their designs are exclusive. You won't find this in your craft store! I've been a satisfied member for 7 years. That's a lotta paper!!

This month's kit theme was Cinema. Here's a shot of the Pizza Box love: papers, ribbons, stamps, washi tape... wahoo! Kit colors were grey, black, white and this gorgeous plummy raspberry purple.

Of course, that wasn't all that was in the box. There were sales. Ummmm....half-price sales. 

"Big Deal" Club Stamp and Lite kits were half price. Half! Papers, embellishments, tags, brads, ribbon, and a full sheet of very cool stamps. Did I mention they were half price??

"Graffiti" Lite was half-price too. A white souffle pen, ribbon, stickers, papers, cutaparts, and those mattes!! It's hard to see, but the finish on that paper is metallic, smooth and matte finished like brushed aluminum. May be the most incredible paper I have ever seen, 100% hoard-worthy. Half price!

"Hydrangea" Club Stamp was 50% off, too. Those stamps are so beautiful, I can't wait to color them!

But that's not all! Later in the month they had kit papers at 70% off, making them 33 cents a sheet for 12x12". Club Scrap papers are extra heavy, color saturated and have lovely textures and finishes. So... I bought my favorite colors!

The red in the center was more of that brushed aluminum finish. The original price on it was a whopping $2.50 a sheet, so I coveted but didn't buy more than the two sheets that originally came with my "Tribal" kit...until now. 89 cents was much more to my liking! The rest of the sheets were 33 cents, even that pretty copper metallic. 

If you're looking for some bargains, head on over to Club Scrap and click on "Shop" then "Outlet". Lots of great things at great prices and you don't have to be a member to shop (but members get an additional 10% off)!

The Best of the 20th Century...

I love Turner Classic Movies, so much so that I switched cable providers to get it. It's the only channel I watch about 90% of the time. This is why.

Today was Judy Garland, all day long, on TCM. Summer Stock, Meet Me In St. Louis, Easter Parade, The Clock, In the Good Old Summertime, and this masterpiece, A Star Is Born. This clip is proof  positive that there has never been, nor will there ever be, a singer as good as Judy.

Anyone can carry a tune. Judy knew how to convey a lyric with such emotion and masterful timing that the song was transformed into drama. She held the complete attention of her audience for those few minutes, taking them with her into the heart and soul of the story she was telling.

This song, even more than all the other wonderful songs in her repertoire, is the one that GETS me. Every. Single. Time. It was shot in one continuous take, and Judy, in true star fashion, nailed it the first time. Watch her after the vocal for that cute little wink as the band finishes. She knew she had it.

"The Man That Got Away" is a roller coaster ride with steep drops, sudden twists and hairpin turns as only Judy can deliver. She sings, I am transfixed. I find myself holding my breath as she delivers one powerful note after another. The poignant pauses, the soulful phrasing... they just rip my heart out. This song, like no other, showcases the vocal control and the heartbreaking vulnerability that made her a legend.

So, my friends, here you are: Judy Garland, the best singer of the 20th century. She was a little tiny woman with an enormous talent that will never be equaled. Listen, enjoy... and don't forget to breathe.

Box Cards and a Recipe!

Today I hosted a Box Cards Class taught by our friend Phyllis!

The peeps made these 4 adorable pop-up box cards. Aren't they cute? Phyllis added her own special touches to the cards, which were cut from files purchased at SVG Cuts. I especially liked the labels on the tiny wine bottles, which were made from scraps of text gleaned from an old medical dictionary. We had lots of fun comparing the words on the labels. It turns out wine cures everything from depression to insomnia, LOL!

It was a little odd for me to be the helper, but I managed! I handled the paper embossing duties while Phyllis and Marsha did the Peep wrangling. I also provided the coveted Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sandwiches that we enjoyed at The Scrap Pad, and a quick dessert that showcased the fresh peaches I'd gotten from Schlagel farms. Here's the recipe for the dessert, my own invention:

Sugar Cookie Fruit Tart

2 tubes Pillsbury Sugar Cookie dough

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese

1/2 c. brown sugar

Fresh Fruit as desired (I used fresh peaches)

1 cup jelly or preserves (I used homemade peach jam)

Coarse white crystal sugar (optional)

Press cookie dough into an ungreased jelly roll pan. I use big half-sheet restaurant pans from Sam's Club; if your pan is a little smaller, just pat the dough into the pan to form a crust layer about 1/4" thick and save the rest of the dough for baking cookies! This also looks very pretty made in a round tart pan (halve the recipe for a standard round tart pan). 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the dough is baked in the center. Cool.

Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. It will take a few minutes for the sugar to dissolve so do this while the crust is baking and let it stand. You may want to add a little more sugar if your fruit is too tart. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the cooled crust. 

Peel and thinly slice the fruit and arrange on top of the cream cheese mixture. Place the jam or jelly in a heatproof dish and microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds until warm and syrupy. Brush jam onto the fruit to glaze the tart. Sprinkle with crystal sugar if desired; cover and chill until serving time.

Some fruits to use: Peaches, nectarines, plums, kiwi, all kinds of berries, bananas, pears.

Pardon me...there are leftovers in the fridge. getting some now...

There's NOTHING Like a Good Haul!!

Ahhhh...CLEARANCE!!!

Was any word ever sweeter??

So, I went to JoAnn's today for this:

                                        
                                                 And I came home with this:

But could you blame me????? Look!!!

There was clearance washi for 97 cents!!! I do NOT have enough washi. 

Ever. 

And glitter tape!!!

And BE STILL MY HEART, Tim Holtz for less than half price????

I needed those things, whatever they are. 

Really. 

I DID!!!

And I had to have some goodies to add to upcoming workshop kits!

 The best bargain of the day was this lovely MS Border Punch for $5.97. 

Did I mention I had a coupon for an extra 20% off my entire purchase? YEAH!!! So it actually cost me $4.77!

As I was going to the checkout, the allure of the paper aisle called... and I resisted! 

I DID NOT BUY PAPER!!!!!

(I bought cork.)

It was 50% off less 20% so it cost $8.00. 

I had to have it!!!!!!!

So, in the end, my $2.99 paper mache "S" cost me $51.

It ain't easy bein' crafty...