2022 Desk Calendar

             Happy Friday My Blogger Friends!

Today we are doing our traditional Black Friday/State Streets Outing.  We head down to State Street in downtown Madison and do some SHOPPING and of course more family shenanigans.  We will also start setting up for our Annual Gingerbread House Party that kicks off tomorrow at Noon.  You can check back tomorrow to see all that fun unfold!!!!

Here's a few pictures of our Thanksgiving Day Shenanigans.........

Of course, our gatherings wouldn't be complete without testing out a new cocktail......OH YUM!!!!

And our family ALWAYS gathers in the kitchen for snacks and beverages before our dinner is served.

Bring on the FOOD.......

Everything was DELISH!!!!!!

And after dinner we follow our traditions and play a NEW board game.  This year we had three new board games to try out.

And of course, there were three different kinds of pie.  I experienced only two of them.

Now ....... On with my blog post for today.  I am KICKING OFF the "30-Day Countdown to Christmas" Challenge.   This countdown will include a new card or project I created for Christmas this year ........ And here is Day 1 of my "30-Day Countdown to Christmas"............

Every year ..... I try to make a desk calendar for my sudio and this year I kept the same Designer Series Paper (VERY RETIRED) for my calendar.  This is the DSP I have used to decorate my studio.

My calendar is a piece of Melon Mambo card stock that is 3-3/4" x 10-1/2".  I have scored that piece at 4, 8, 9 and 10.

I added a small piece of DSP to the top of my calendar and then added 'White 3/8" Glittered Organdy Ribbon' around the top.

The base creates a perfect little stand and is surprising how well the construction of this piece is.

My calendars were purchased on ebay from "The Sassy Stamper Shop".

And talk about a quick and easy kind of gift.........

I will probably be making a few of these for my friends!

Thanks for joining me today!  I'll be back tomorrow to share another '30-Day Countdown to Christmas' creation with you ...... Hope you can make plans to stop back and join me for that share.  Keep Living Your Dream!

Happy Thanksgiving

           Happy Thanksgiving My Blogger Friends!

Well, yesterday was a stay in your jammies kind of day till about 4pm.  Twoie and I spent some of the morning hanging out with Maddie..........

And I got busy making a cheesecake for Thanksgiving and while the cake was cooking.......I went downstairs and did some coloring.

Today is the big "Berbee Derby Run/Walk" and my youngest daughter got their numbers.........

And race day t-shirts.

Then, I spend the evening catching up with my bestie friend JoAnn.  We met up for dinner at one of the local sports bars in Oregon ........... And spent over 3-hours catching up.  I'm planning to head out to her new home (they just built) on Tuesday for lunch ....... And can't wait to see what they built.

My blog post for today is continuing the 25-Day Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving.  I will continue to share with you some amazing projects that I am most thankful for.......And here is my final Day 25 of my "Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving"...........

My Thanksgiving card for today is probably the most BEAUTIFUL card I made this month.  It just SCREAMS Happy Thanksgiving to me.

I started off with a Soft Suede base card.  To the center of my card.....I added a White panel and stacked three panels of 'Harvest Meadow Designer Series Paper' across that White panel.

Then I cropped out three GORGEOUS leaves from the 'Stitched Leaves Dies' and arranged those to the front of my White/DSP panel.

All that was left to do was add my Thanksgiving wish ....... And that was cropped out using the 'Word Wishes Dies'.

So there you have it friends.

Hoping you have a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving Day.....

And you are surrounded by those you LOVE!!!

Thanks for joining me today!  I'll be back tomorrow to share another '25-Day Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving' creation with you ...... Hope you can make plans to stop back and join me for that share.  Keep Living Your Dream!

Stacking Thanksgiving Boxes

            Happy Wednesday My Blogger Friends!

Well......I spent the morning yesterday with my hairdresser friend in Middleton.  And I have to say that whenever I get the opportunity to have my hair permed by Laurie......I JUMP AT IT.  

Here I am......Check out all those GREAT curls.

After my perm ........ I headed back to Oregon and created the Christmas treats for my granddaughter Hailey's dorm.

Then at about 4:00 ..... I headed over to my friend Kellie Miller house and she had set-up her front patio with the fire pit and several heating elements.  

When it got dark ........ my DCAVS friends showed up for some cocktails and LOTS of laughing, as we FONDLY remembered the GOOD OLD DAYS when we were all involved with the DCAVS.

And now let me share my blog post for today.  It is continuing the 25-Day Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving.  I will continue to share with you some amazing projects that I am most thankful for.......And here is Day 24 of my "Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving"...........

How GORGEOUS would these stacking boxes look on your Thanksgiving table this year.  I used the 'Harvest Meadow Designer Series Paper' ........ And you CAN NOT image how FAST these come together.

The boxes can be filled with all kinds of YUMMY goodies ....... OR ....... Start a new tradition and fill them with some Christmas ornaments and pass them out after your Thanksgiving dinner.

The smallest box is a 6" x 6" piece of Evening Evergreen card stock.  And the lid is a piece of DSP that measures 4" x 4".

The middle box is a 7" x 7" piece of Evening Evergreen card stock.  And the lid is a piece of DSP that measures 5" x 5".

And the largest box is a 8" x 8" piece of Evening Evergreen card stock.  And the lid is a piece of DSP that measures 6" x 6".

All three base boxes are scored at 2" on all four sides ....... and the lids are scored (with a shim) at 1" on all four sides.

I used the 'Gold 1/4" Shimmer Ribbon' to wrap up all three boxes......

My sentiment is from the 'Sparkle of the Season' set and I used 'Gold Embossing Powder' to add some EXTRA WOW FACTOR to my sentiment.

The finishing touch was adding three pretty leaves frm the 'Seasonal Swirls Dies' and I attached those to the corner of my sentiment piece.

Just couldn't be HAPPIER with the way this turned out.

Tell me what you think my friends.

Thanks for joining me today!  I'll be back tomorrow to share another '25-Day Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving' creation with you ...... Hope you can make plans to stop back and join me for that share.  Keep Living Your Dream!

Ghirardelli Treat Holder

           Happy Tuesday My Blogger Friends!

Well my friends ....... It has officially turned COLD here in Madison, Wisconsin.  YIKES ..... It was 22 degrees when I went out yesterday morning to have breakfast with Lynn.   

And things really didn't heat up much throughout the day.  Unless of course......You think 27 is a heatwave.

 

I was THRILLED beyond words to have my two grandsons join me for dinner last night.

And following true to our family traditions ........ Both Steven and Jared joined me for dinner and a quick photo opportunity.

My blog post for today is continuing the 25-Day Gratitude Contdown to Thanksgiving.  I will continue to share with you some amazing projects that I am most thankful for.......And here is Day 23 of my "Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving"...........

Check out this FUN Ghirardelli Treat Holder that I created!

I started out with a 3" x 8-3/4" piece of Cinnamon Cider.  I scored that piece at 1", 4-3/4" and 5".

Next, I added a 2" x 8-3/4" panel of 'Beauty of the Earth Designer Series Paper' around the center of my Cinnamon Cider base.

To secure my holder closed ..... I added some 'Gold 1/4" Shimmer Ribbon' around the center and tied it off into a pretty bow.  And my sentiment is from the 'Joyful Life' set ..... and that is stamped onto a Cajun Craze tag from the 'Ornate Dies'.

I did add some of my Kadie's Stitching Lines around the outside edge of the DSP and that helped to make my Designer Series Paper just POP off the Cinnamon Cider.

And here is the SURPRISE when you open it up!

On the left hand-side ...... I stamped my sentiment.  I used the 'Pretty Pumpkin' set along with more of the 'Beauty of the Earth Designer Series Paper'.......

And on the right hand-side ..... I added my YUMMY treat!

So there you have it friends........

Just doesn't get any EASIER to create!!!!

Thanks for joining me today!  I'll be back tomorrow to share another '25-Day Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving' creation with you ...... Hope you can make plans to stop back and join me for that share.  Keep Living Your Dream!

You Make a Difference Every Day

          Happy Monday My Blogger Friends!

Well my friends.......Went out yesterday with my oldest daughter Cheryl ........ And we picked up all the fixin's for our upcoming Gingerbread House decorating party on Saturday, November 27.  Here's a few pictures of Cheryl and Hailey waiting for me when I arrived in Madison on Saturday afternoon ....... And check out what happens when I leave my camera on the dining room table and Brooke and Jennifer decide to do some selfies.

My blog post for today is continuing the 25-Day Gratitude Contdown to Thanksgiving.  I will continue to share with you some amazing projects that I am most thankful for.......And here is Day 22 of my "Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving"...........

Check out this BEAUTIFUL card I created for my downline members for the month of October.

I started this Very Vanilla base notecard off with a layer of Cajun Craze and topped that with the FABULOUS 'Cork Paper'.  OH MY GOSH FRIENDS ........ If you haven't tried this paper ..... It's a MUST TRY.  You can not believe how light and easy it is to use.

Next, I grabbed some Early Espresso card stock and used the 'Painted Labels Dies' and cropped out the PRETTIEST wreath.  I used the 'Inspired Thoughts' stamp set to stamp my sentiment (with VersaMark) and then sprinkled it with 'White Embossing Powder' for a SERIOUS WOW FACTOR LOOK!

I die-cut several leaves from the 'Giving Gifts Dies' ....... And topped my wreath off with a PRETTY 'Linen Thread' bow.

And that's all this card took to put together.

So what do you think my friends....PRETTY or WHAT!!!!

Thanks for joining me today!  I'll be back tomorrow to share another '25-Day Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving' creation with you ...... Hope you can make plans to stop back and join me for that share.  Keep Living Your Dream!