Here's the list for our next blog hop. If you get lost along the way, you can click on these links to find your way back. Stay tuned, the posts will be up soon!
Helen Onulak http://www.hookedonstamping.com/
Jena DeVries http://www.livelovelaughscrapbook.blogspot.com/
Jessica Booth http://jessicabooth.blogspot.com/
Carla Ironside http://www.carlacreates.blogspot.com/
Lori Miller http://www.clearlyfromtheheart.blogspot.com/
Misty Jackson http://www.misstscraps.blogspot.com/
Jen Patrick http://www.roxybonds-scrappin.blogspot.com/
Susan Brooks http://www.stampingintheopen.blogspot.com/
Kathleen Androlewicz http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/
Dawn Ross http://www.iamahappystamper.blogspot.com/
Amy McVey http://www.clearlystamping.blogspot.com/
Antoinette Herrin http://www.godblessyourart.blogspot.com/
Jill Lucas http://scrapwench.blogspot.com/
Barbra Otten http://barbraotten.blogspot.com/
Lori Brown http://www.savingmine.blogspot.com/
Brae Montgomery http://thebrae-er.blogspot.com/
Wanda Riley http://www.creatingwithwanda.blogspot.com/
Adeline E. Brill http://adeline-brill.blogspot.com/
Kami Welter http://www.scrappin4memories.blogspot.com/
Judy Burger http://makingtimeformemories.blogspot.com/
Pamela O'Connor http://www.cherishyourmemories.blogspot.com/
Cindy Leek http://www.paperspadsandpictures.blogspot.com/
Mary Eisen http://www.mestamp2.blogspot.com/
Sylvia Jacquot http://stampinsylvia.blogspot.com/
Laura Dame http://www.thecroppersconnection.blogspot.com/
Melissa Laverty http://www.fancymelissa.blogspot.com/
Haley Dyer http://www.inkyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Terrie Dodd http://www.my-life-in-real-time.blogspot.com/
Katy Donaldson http://www.scrappinkaty.blogspot.com/
Chris Shouse http://www.houseostamps.wordpress.com/
Tammy Lea Pinchard http://mycreativeclubhouse.blogspot.com/
Krista Ritskes http://kristaritskes-simplycreating.blogspot.com/ Here I am!
Shannon Pelletier http://www.mycolorfulworldinvt.blogspot.com/
Deb Young http://www.scrapbookczar.blogspot.com/
Amy Edwards http://paisleysplayhouse.blogspot.com/
Sheila Bennett http://sheila-bennett.blogspot.com/
Kristie Herdener http://www.goofyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Jen Rubio http://www.jenrubio.blogspot.com/
Jody Gustafson http://www.cre8nmemories.blogspot.com/
Sarita Schraeder http://www.blessedscrapper.blogspot.com/
Laurie Levnik http://www.creationsbylaurie.blogspot.com/
Debra Van Patten http://memoriesoftheheartbydeb.blogspot.com/
Kimberly Smith http://verykimberry.blogspot.com/
Michelle Nist http://michellenist.blogspot.com/
Karen Norman http://www.gettinscrappywithit.blogspot.com/
Traci Godbee http://createwithtraci.blogspot.com/
Nancy Brown http://www.creativelyartsygallery.blogspot.com/
Maricar Harris http://www.maricarharris.blogspot.com/
Nona Davenport http://www.nonapearl.blogspot.com/
Laurie Newton http://scrapsfromthebeach.blogspot.com/
Dawn Heuft http://www.stamptildawn.blogspot.com/
Melissa Burch http://melissaburch.blogspot.com/
Kim O'Rear http://kimorear.blogspot.com/
Michelle Bourlet http://michellescreativeconnections.blogspot.com/
Angela Tutton http://www.tuttonstreasures.blogspot.com/
Jenifer Benner http://www.jensmessystudio.com/
Shirley Ross http://www.momnmescrap.blogspot.com/
Latisha Haag http://domestichomefrontcoordinator.blogspot.com/
Happy Hopping!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
My Advent Calendar
I saw the perfect advent calendar on Laurel Seabrook's blog and remembered seeing one like it in Creating Keepsakes last year. So, when I saw the box at my local scrapbook store, Scrapbook Emporium, I knew I wanted to make one. The little boxes are the perfect size for a couple of chocolate balls or bells, which is the perfect treat for my two little ones.
Laurel's was my inspiration for this one, down to which paper I used! I used two papers from Jingle Level 2 and the two from Jingle Creative Basics, along with some old snowflake stickers I had, some punched with a Martha Stewart punch, and some from our glitter rub-ons as well as some white daisy rub-ons. I also used our Twinkle brads and sparkles. The numbers are clear stickers that come with the kit. I do plan to cover the top and sides with paper as well, but we'll see when that happens.
It was so fun to watch the kids open each box and get so excited about the same treats. I put a little note in #25 to tell them to go look in their boots for a bigger treat (a chocolate egg with smarties inside). Christmas became so much more fun this year as our kids get older and can really enjoy it. It's magical through their eyes!
Laurel's was my inspiration for this one, down to which paper I used! I used two papers from Jingle Level 2 and the two from Jingle Creative Basics, along with some old snowflake stickers I had, some punched with a Martha Stewart punch, and some from our glitter rub-ons as well as some white daisy rub-ons. I also used our Twinkle brads and sparkles. The numbers are clear stickers that come with the kit. I do plan to cover the top and sides with paper as well, but we'll see when that happens.
It was so fun to watch the kids open each box and get so excited about the same treats. I put a little note in #25 to tell them to go look in their boots for a bigger treat (a chocolate egg with smarties inside). Christmas became so much more fun this year as our kids get older and can really enjoy it. It's magical through their eyes!
Monday, December 21, 2009
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
I can hardly believe that Christmas is only four days away! My daughter has started her first Christmas Break from school and we're having a relaxing day here at home. My gifts are all bought, although not wrapped yet. But I've got to get a move on that since we'll be opening them on Wednesday. Why Wednesday? you ask. It's a family tradition I grew up with. My mom and dad are both from the Netherlands. The Dutch celebrate Christmas, the gift-giving part of it, on December 5. It's called Pakjies Dag, or Presents Day. My dad immigrated to Canada when he was just 12 and his family adopted the Canadian tradition of opening gifts on Christmas morning. My mom didn't come to Canada until she was in her 20s. When they got married, they compromised. They still wanted to keep Christmas Day about the real reason for celebrating, our Saviour's birth, so we always opened our gifts on the Saturday before Christmas. My friends were actually jealous of me; I got my toys earlier than they did!
Fast forward to my first Christmas with my new husband. Chris grew up with the traditional Christmas Day of opening gifts. He liked the idea of keeping Christmas Day as a celebration of Jesus' birth. We don't have a particular day; we just pick one that works for us and our schedules, making sure the kids have lots of time to enjoy their gifts. The last couple of years we opened them on Boxing Day. We don't do Christmas Eve because that is when our church celebrates with a special service. So this year we decided on Wednesday, after nap and after Daddy gets home from work. I guess we're just a little different.
My mom still likes to keep Christmas Day for Christ, but with my brother and I married and trying to arrange time, sometimes the only day we can get together with my family is on Christmas Day. But Mom is trying to get us to the December 5th way of doing things. I can pretty much guarantee we'll be doing things the dutch way next year. I like it. I love that I am dutch. I'm proud of my heritage and would love to introduce my kids to Sinterklaas and Swarte Pete and the whole story of a wonderful, kind, giving man who put oranges and little gifts into the wooden shoes belonging to children all over Holland. In fact, there's even some people in my home town who set it all up with people dressing as these characters and giving out little bags of peppernoten, ti-ties, little lolly-pops coated in sugar and yummy chocolate. And of course, I'll be getting chocolate letters again this year.
So, to celebrate the Christmas season, here's the little bag I made for Arianna's teacher's gift card.
Fast forward to my first Christmas with my new husband. Chris grew up with the traditional Christmas Day of opening gifts. He liked the idea of keeping Christmas Day as a celebration of Jesus' birth. We don't have a particular day; we just pick one that works for us and our schedules, making sure the kids have lots of time to enjoy their gifts. The last couple of years we opened them on Boxing Day. We don't do Christmas Eve because that is when our church celebrates with a special service. So this year we decided on Wednesday, after nap and after Daddy gets home from work. I guess we're just a little different.
My mom still likes to keep Christmas Day for Christ, but with my brother and I married and trying to arrange time, sometimes the only day we can get together with my family is on Christmas Day. But Mom is trying to get us to the December 5th way of doing things. I can pretty much guarantee we'll be doing things the dutch way next year. I like it. I love that I am dutch. I'm proud of my heritage and would love to introduce my kids to Sinterklaas and Swarte Pete and the whole story of a wonderful, kind, giving man who put oranges and little gifts into the wooden shoes belonging to children all over Holland. In fact, there's even some people in my home town who set it all up with people dressing as these characters and giving out little bags of peppernoten, ti-ties, little lolly-pops coated in sugar and yummy chocolate. And of course, I'll be getting chocolate letters again this year.
So, to celebrate the Christmas season, here's the little bag I made for Arianna's teacher's gift card.
I used a sheet of Jingle Creative Basics, some Juniper ribbon that came with it, a gold eyelet, and the Thank You stamp set. It was incredibly easy to make, which was what I needed since I made it the night before. Nothing like the last minute!
Stay tuned to this blog on January 1st for another Stamp-of-the-Month blog hop and sneak peeks at brand new product from the Spring 2010 Idea Book!
Have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Happy Creating!