Blogging Friends Blog Hop--Holiday Beginnings

Hi All,

Welcome to the December edition of  Blogging Friends Blog Hop!  My friends and I have been busy created some amazing items to share.  This months theme is centered around the holidays of Christmas and Hanukkah or a snow theme.

If this is your first time around my blog....Welcome!  I'd love it if you would follow me.  And please don't forget to leave me a comment.

If you are following the blog hop, you've traveled here from Anna M's page.  She's a very creative lady!

Here's what I've created....

I purchased some inexpensive white candles and made a trio using the Sleigh Ride Edgelits dies.  I cut each die out using a scrap piece of paper.  I used that as a template and sponged Night of Navy onto the candle above the die cut.  I then used Crystal Effects on the white part of the candle and glittered it with white glitter.  I also used some green, red, gold & brown stickles for added pizzaz!
See below for some of the items used to create these.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

I decided to get really busy and make another project....

I created a mantle banner for our living room!  It was fun deciding how to decorate my trees.  I just love the versatility of the Festival of Trees stamp set.  You could design a new tree every day for a month!  The paper in the Merry Moments paper stack is sure to bring a smile. The plaid, polka dots and ornaments will make some cute items.  I also used a red, green and white stickles to give my trees some dimension.  See below for the items used to create this.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

If you are interested in purchasing any of the above items, please click on the Stampin Up Holiday catalog to the right.  It will lead you to my online store. 

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you've enjoyed my creations!  Don't forget to leave me a comment.  Click the button below to continue on to Libby's blog.

Or click on a name below

1.) Crystal Komara

2.) Lisa Kmiec      

   3.) Anna Masciovecchio

4.) Chris Pochatek---You are here!   

5.) Libby Fens 

6.) Anne Power 

7.) Danica Ferrante

8.) Deb Smart

9.) Jessica Mink 

10.) Mary Blocher  

  

Blogging Friends Blog Hop--November, a Time for Reflection

Hi All,

    Welcome to the November edition of Blogging Friends Blog Hop!

     It's November 1st and for most of us that brings thought of holiday dinner, turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce.  All the food groups we love but only seem to eat once or twice a year. Personally, I think cranberry sauce is underrated.  Especially homemade. Nothing like the aroma of cranberries simmering on the stove...pop, pop, pop they go. I have a great recipe for cranberry relish that I make 3 or 4 times before the cranberries disappear from the groceries.  I freeze it in tubs for the warmer weather.  It's very refreshing to eat on a hot summer day, especially with some grilled chicken and vegetables.  I'll post the recipe later this week.

    November makes me thing of everything turkey!  So I had lots of ideas for this months Blogging Friends Blog Hop challenge which is Thanksgiving/Fall themed.  This little guy came to me while I was at work.  Just popped into my brain.  I rushed home and put him together in no time flat.

I hand cut his beak and used the Espresso ink pad to color a pie piece box I received in a Paper Pumpkin kit earlier in the year.  You just never know what might show up in your Paper Pumpkin kit or how you may end up using them!

I hope you enjoy him!


Here's some of the supplies I used to create him.  The tail feathers, arms & wattle are all Vintage Leaves stamped & die-cut.  I used the Early Espresso stamp pad to color my pie box. I used my triangle punch for the beak. The eyes were punched as well.  His sign is hand written.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

I made a second project for the Blogging Friends Blog Hop.  I wanted to show my appreciation for some lady friends at a crop I was at recently. 

 The picture doesn't do it justice.  There were a couple chocolate Kisses inside each box.  And a pull out pop up card. The card fit inside in a nice neat little folded package so when it was pulled up each person got a special message from me telling the I was grateful for them!  

Thanksgiving is a great time of year to embrace your family and friends and let them know they are truly special and loved.

I am grateful for my wonderful husband and children, my loveable grandkids, all my family and my friends.  I carry them with me always in my heart.

Wishing you all a
 Blessed Thanksgiving! 


                             This is the inside card from the box.


Here's the supplies I used to make this treat box.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Make sure you hop on by to see what the rest of the group is doing. 

1. Crystal

2. Lisa

3. Anna M

4. Chris---You are Here!

5. Libby

6. Anne P 

7. Danica

8. Deborah

9. Jessica

10. Jodi

11. Mary

Friday again??!

Well....here I am at Friday again!  Where does the time go.  Seems to just quietly creep right by me.

Life's been pretty noisy this past week.  I've been preparing for a 2 day crop & I will be the Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  I've made a easy Christmas card for the make and take using Night of Navy & Whisper White paper with the new Sleigh Ride Edgelits dies.  I totally cased it, but made it my own in small ways.

I had supervision while preparing my demo card.  My cat baby, Roma, set on my table watching me like...hmm, how do I say...well like only a cat can.  She was in her vulture pose, poised to strike at anything that suited her fancy.  Scissors, twine, pieces of paper and egad, a stamp pad.  I can picture my rug and hardwood right now with little paw prints in Blackberry Bliss and Blue Lagoon...hahaha.

I also made a really cute something-something special for each of the ladies who will be attending.
I'll give you more information on that later.  (No...Roma did not supervise while assembling these.) 

I have so much stuff to bring to this crop, that I've enlisted the help of my husband.  When I asked him if he wanted to go help me set up, he told me that he's not interested in scrapbooking with me LOL!  Bless his poor heart....I almost didn't want to hurt his feelings and tell him it wasn't an invitation to scrap with me, I just need the muscle to unload the car!  I will insist he wears steel toe shoes though.  Funny story and I will share it share with you soon.

While I was pulling papers, ribbons, inks and all the other myriad of paper crafting supplies I needed to take with me, I found several cards I made that I had totally forgotten about.   I'll post them this weekend, live from the crop. 

Until then...Have Fun & Stamp On!
Hugs,
Chris

Time Flies

Hi All,

     Can't believe it's been over a week since I posted.  I've been on vacation for the last week...well almost.  I did work on Monday!  Been bee-bopping around with my husband.  Antiquing, indulging, apple picking, fishing, gambling.  Whew...I'm tied just thinking about all the running we've been doing.  Not to mention the medical tests I've got to get done.  The Dr. found a lump under my arm so I was scheduled for a mammo & an ultrasound on Thursday.  Turns out the place I was supposed to go to (won't mention their name) cancelled the ultrasound over a week ago and never told me.  Now I'm scrambling to get it done and soon.  The suspense of what this lump is, well it's making me crazy.

     I've been trying to stay busy to keep my mind off things.  Here are a couple calendar pages I made for a swap.  I picked October as my month as Fall is my favorite time of year and Halloween is a favorite holiday of mine. 

 

Check out these super cute Owl salt & pepper shakers!
Cracker Barrel...under a buck

Check out my black cat "retro" candle holder. 
Comes with a Skeleton brother & Pumpkin sister!

 



Thanks for looking! 
Hugs,
Chris

Blogging Friends Halloween

Welcome to the FIRST ever “Blogging Friends Blog Hop!”
Up until one month ago we were a group of Stampin’ Up! demonstrators located all across the U.S. and Canada whom had never met before. Well, actually, we still haven’t met yet (in person). . . But, through our common bond of Stampin’ Up! and a shared love of papercrafting we have created a fun new blog hop. Please join us on the 1st of every month to see what wonderful things we have created!



Hi All,

I am very excited to be part of the Blogging Friends Blog Hop! We are a passionate group of Stampin Up Independent Demonstrators located all over the USA and Canada. We are very much looking forward to sharing our love of stamping and paper crafting with you. You will learn more about each of us as you Blog Hop thru. I hope you will find many fresh and fun ideas to CASE and make your own!

Our first Hop theme is Halloween. This is quickly becoming my favorite holidays of the year to decorate...why I have almost as much Halloween decorations as I do Christmas decorations! I am fortunate that my husband likes to decorate with me, when I let him and only if he puts the stuff where I tell him...LOL.

This week I used the new Howl-o-Ween Treat Clear Mount Bundle to make this cute card. The eyes of the skeleton are they eyes of the owl from inside the card. I used the "Boo" from the Boo to You Framelits die set on the inside to cover the punched holes. The paper is the 2014-2015 In Color Backgrounds Designer paper. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it.

Stop back in November 1st for our Thanksgiving theme Blog Hop.
Till then
Hugs,
Chris

https://libbystamps.wordpress.com/2015/10/01/october-blogging-friends-blog-hop/
http://powerstampin.blogspot.com/2015/10/blogging-friends-blog-hop-stampinup-Halloween.html
www.maryblocherstamping.blogspot.com
http://www.mybeautyscraps.com/2015/09/1BFBH.html
http://stampandcreate.net/blogging-friends-blog-hop/
http://thecrazychaotichouse.blogspot.com/2015/10/blogging-friends-blog-hop.html
http://amomhavingfun.com/halloween-card-ideas-october-blogging-friends-blog-hop/
www.superstampgirl.com/blog
http://lisakmiecstamps.blogspot.com/2015/10/blogging-friends-blog-hop.html
http://stampwithanna.blogspot.com/2015/10/its-time-for-blog-hop.html
http://stampedbychris.blogspot.com/2015/10/blogging-friends-halloween.html




www.superstampgirl.com/blog

lisakmiecstamps.blogspot.com

stampwithanna.blogspot.com

stampedbyChris.blogspot.com You are here!

libbystamps.wordpress.com

www.stampspaperink.com

maryblocherstamping.blogspot.com

www.mybeautyscraps.com

www.stampandcreate.net

thecrazychaotichouse.blogspot.com

A Mom Having Fun

Using What I Have

I think I mentioned that I am trying to use my stamp sets instead of letting them sit in a drawer collecting dust. Make that wasting space. I'm not sure how things in drawers collect dust. Unless you are sanding something I would think a drawer is a pretty clean space. Isn't that the whole premise of a drawer...to keep things clean, not dusty! Enough about dust, check out thsi card, "Thinking of You"

I found the leaves in some floral stuff I had in my repertoire of craft supplies. You can't see it in the picture but there is bling in the corners on the right side, it's different for a change. The paper is from SU last year and the stamp set is Kinda Eclectic. Cute don't you think!

I'm off to see tonight's lunar eclipse, the Blood Moon!
Till next time...

Hugs,
Chris

Old Friends

I just read that an old friend from high school, well her father passed away. I think about her from time to time but I haven't seen her in years. I did make contact with her about 8 years ago, but fell short of following up. She's in real estate. Her picture shows that the years have treated her well...she hardly looks any different from how I remember her. I have one great picture of her with my old high school sweetheart. Long hair, jeans and a mid-length suede-leather coat. Some of you remember those...they were actual leather. However knowing what I know now, wouldn't wear it today, animal cruelty and so on. Every time I think of my friend, I think of this photo. I cherish it more than one might expect. It reminds me of a simpler time in life. We were fresh, young and looking forward to the lives ahead of us. As I read the obituary, my mind kept wandering to that photo, and although our lives have taken us down different roads, I'm thinking of her and sending prayers her way. Love and prayers to you Colleen...you are never far from thought.

Hugs
Chris

Cool Weather musings

I love the fall. The days are full of sunshine and happiness and the evenings are crisp and cool. This kind of weather makes me feel like nesting. One side of me wants to snuggle under a blanket while sipping warm cider and listening to the crackle of a roaring fire. The other side of me wants to cook...yes you heard me right. Cook. Maybe some slow-simmered soups, some white bean chili or a company pot roast full of leeks, potatoes and carrots in a wine infused gravy. Can you smell it!

This time of year also brings out the "Holiday" in me. I'm pulling out my all purpose fall decorations. You know the one's that can be used from September thru November. The every growing trove of pumpkins and gourds, fall leaves, and table dressings that will carry me thru to Thanksgiving but are the perfect color for Halloween. I call these boxes my multi-décor boxes. They come out in late August and don't get put up until the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Ah yes, the weekend of Thanksgiving. Black Thursday and Friday. I don't venture out, I'm home nesting, preparing and planning for Christmas. I can tell you that I pull out the decorations but I can't say the house is done that weekend. It's like a work of art, it takes time to layer and contemplate where my next decoration will go. I arrange, arrange again and do a final re-arranging until everything is just so...perfect in my eyes.

Which brings me to a card that I just finished. I played with it and toyed with it. And re-arranged it multiple times. I finally found my mojo and now I think it's perfect. A one of a kind work of art. Hope you like it too!

Hugs
Chris

Here's the tools to make this card (Note: I used the Soft Suede Marker for the Pine Cones)

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Butterflies are...on Sale!

Hi All,

As I mentioned in my last post, the Monarch butterflies are breezing thru NE Ohio. They inspired me to create today's card. This is my "case" of a card I saw on Pinterest.

I love the softness of the card yet it makes a dramatically bold statement. I found the butterfly in my sewing stash. I never did get around to ordering the Butterfly Thinlits. I thought all was lost until now! I couldn't believe my eyes, there they were in the Weekly Deals. I picked up my set this week. Now I can't wait to get my hands on them. I have a special project in mind to use them on!

Until next time....Have fun and Create on!
Hugs,
Chris

The blue background is some old Stampin Up Paper from a calendar set,2009 to be exact. The blue ink is Bordering Blue. I had the ribbon in my scrap bag and the butterfly was in my sewing supplies. I can't for the life of me remember the stamp set I used. It's making me crazy! I also used the following products. Hope you enjoy!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

A Butterfly Beautiful Day

Hi All,

What a beautiful day it was today in NE Ohio. The Monarch butterflies are making their annual winter trek to Mexico. It's a 3000 mile hike from Canada & the US. I've seen so many this past weekend. They are truly stunning insects. I love to watch them float on the wind but I worry that they will get hurt in traffic. I know...sounds kinda silly. They have come very close to flying into
my windshield. I have to remember not to swerve so I don't hit them at the same time I am mesmerized by their flight & beauty. Their favorite plant for nectar is the Milkweed and I hear it's getting scarce. It's a cool plant with dainty orange blossoms and an almost fern-like leaf. I have some in my front yard. It's a perennial and does spread some. Yet I haven't seen a Monarch near it. Not to worry, good things come to those who wait!

Hugs,
Chris

Mama's Proud

I was thinking about my 3 children today, 2 girls and a boy. All are adults now and just like I did, they are going thru the ups and downs that life has thrown their way. I wish I was telepathic. Maybe I could have changed persuaded them to change their minds about doing things that might create hardship for them in the future. I wish I was the "Great and Powerful Oz" and was able to given them a heart that would never know heartache. I wish I had a fortune that they would always have life's essentials and never run out.

Alas, I am not the "Powerful Oz" and I don't have an money tree in my yard. But...my kids...they're all right. They have taken some hard knocks and have learned to rebound a better person. They have each other's backs when needed. They are not afraid to call each other out if one steps out of line. They laugh at each other as well as together. They share ups and downs, sometimes only thru me. My kids...I am proud of each one of them. Proud of the separate person each one has become and prouder still that they remain close. When I'm gone, I will go knowing they are there for each other.....always!

Using a Stamp Set a Week

Hi All,

I have been with Stampin Up for a year now. I joined to because I love their products, I wanted to earn free stamp sets and I desperately needed inks. I had the opportunity to go to Utah last year for Create, Inspire, Share. I didn't have to be asked twice! I became enamored with the entire line of products. Plus as a demonstrator I had the opportunity to see the Holiday Catalog and purchase goodies from it before it became public.

I have been slowly building my stash of goodies. I'm in love with the stamps sets. Doesn't matter if they are wood, clear or photopolymer. I truly enjoy being able to mix and match the sets to create something special. I have a lot of the ink colors, but there are oh so many more to collect! Did you ever try to make a card or a scrapbook page where the colors just don't seem right? Sometimes it's just the "tones" of the colors. Let me tell you, Stampin Up knows their "tones". Paper, ink, ribbon and embellishments match so well that heck, can someone send Shelli to my house to match my clothes?

Getting back to the stamp sets....I recently decided to start using one set a week. Sure I was using a set or part of one till it was practically thread bare. I needed to start pushing myself to create with all my sets. Oh yeah...I'm buying more as I do this. The way I see it, I should be busy every week while I'm still on this side of the dirt. Then I want to be buried with the sets I haven't used. I need something to keep me going in the afterlife.

Here's my first week's card....hope you like it.
Hugs
Chris

Warm & Inviting--Christmas Card

This card was so much fun to make! I love the new Festive Fireplace stamp set. So many cute things to make. I used a piece of white vellum for the cut out. The candle changes color but I love it when it goes from yellow to red. Really makes the logs look ablaze!

These are a few of the items I used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Stampin Up Holiday Bundles

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Getting a Grip on Blogging

Hi All,

I'm finally blogging!  It's taken some trial and error but here it is.
I am looking forward to sharing my creative ideas with you as well as some
thoughts, antidotes, recipes and decorating/storage ideas.

Hugs
Chris