Hanukkah Celebrations - Happy Hanukkah

We get to celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah at our house...twice the fun.  My husband grew up celebrating Hanukkah with his adopted parents and that tradition has continued with our kids getting multiple holidays every year.  So, our family always has a Menorah on our mantle right under our wreath, and we also used to play the dreidel game when the kids were younger.  When my husband and I were dating as teenagers, I asked him to teach me the Hebrew prayer said as you light the candles, and I have never forgotten it.  It's fun to me because it's in another language.

Anyway, I always buy Stampin' Up!'s Hanukkah set each year to have more options for Hanukkah cards and tags.  Here's what I made this year with the Hanukkah Celebrations stamp set (the star piecing design is copied from the sample in the catalog).  I used Midnight Muse and Marina Mist.  I also used Illuminate ink on the star of David card and tags and used the Gold Stampin' Dazzle marker for the candle flames...just colored them on right over the Midnight Muse ink.

Happy Holidays ~ whichever ones they may be!

Waiting for Santa - Advent Calendar Frame

I saw this frame idea once and knew it would be perfect for our "25 and Counting" stamp set.  I love that it's elegant, small, and that it doesn't involve coming up with any treats…just marking the day.  I used the set for all the tags except I swapped out the "25" stamp with the one in the Merry & Type stamp set since I wanted something more elegant.  There's also a "25" in the Joyous Celebrations stamp set, so you have 3 options if you own all 3 of these sets!  The 25 and Counting stamp set is also on sale for 50% off during Stampin' Up!'s Online Extravaganza just through Wednesday, the 28th, so it's a great time to pick up this set.

The clothespin is a small craft one hot glued to the glass.  I used glue dots to attach the December banner and the ribbon, but you could also hot glue them.  Any soft or big ribbon would look great…I used Always Artichoke Seam Binding ribbon.  Then I just got out all my punches, embossing powder, Champagne Gimmer paper, Red Glimmer paper, embossing folders, and ink so I could make all the little tags.  I did use a few retired items to add to the variety.  The colors are Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer, Red Glimmer, Marina Mist, and Always Artichoke.

The easiest part was the inside of the frame.  I used the Early Espresso Core'dinations card stock embossed with the Holiday Frame embossing folder and then sanded to reveal the inner core of the paper.  To display, just put a Christmas mug, little tin, or candy dish by your frame with all the tags in it ready to change out each day.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Online Extravaganza Starts Monday - 10 Days of Discounts up to 50% with Doorbusters!

Stampin' Up! is having their annual Online Extravaganza from Monday, November 19th through Wednesday, November 28th.  It's 10 days of saving up to 50% on our favorite crafting items.  Doorbusters are on the first and last days of the extravaganza.  Click here for the list for of all the items on sale and the 24 hour doorbuster items.  The Big Shot is 20% off on the first day (Monday) so if you've been waiting to get a Big Shot on sale, the wait is over.   Also, don't forget that hostess awards start with orders of $150 and more.  For online orders, they are called Stampin' Rewards but are the same thing.  So, make sure you click the "Claim Rewards" button before you finish your online order.

Also, as always, you earn points with me on your Online Shopper's Reward Card for all online purchases through my website.  I start a card for you after your first purchase and keep track for you.  Your card expires 2 years after your first online purchase which is plenty of time to cash in on the $50 in free items of your choice when you fill your card (good in the US only).

Happy Shopping!

Talking Tags - Record Personalized Messages for Cards, Scrapbooks, Games, Everything!

Stampin' Up! announced so many new things all at once...I'm trying to get all the information out to you asap!  Look for more information in the next day or two about the Online Extravaganza next week!

In the meantime, check out this cool new way to leave messages or instructions in a greeting card, on the back of a photo, in a scrapbook, on a gift tag, in a letter, for babysitters or dog sitters, for scavenger hunts, for Easter egg hunts, for murder mystery dinner games...the list goes on.

They come in sheets.  You get 10 tags for just $7.95 (item 129723).

How to record a voice message:

1. Download the FREE TalkingTag App on your smartphone from talkingtag.mobi, iTunes(r) or Google Play.

2. Adhere the message tag to the flat surface of your choice.

3. Open TalkingTag App and scan the code.

Record your message (recording starts immediately, so make sure you're ready!).  You will have the opportunity to listen, re-record, cancel, or confirm your message after you've completed recording it. Each label allows up to 60 seconds of a greeting, song, or message.  Instructions for the recipient to play the message are right on the tag.  Messages are saved for two years, so they can listen to it over and over.

This is too cool...I'm ordering some for myself today!  You can too by clicking on my Shop Now link on the sidebar or wait until Monday for the start of the Online Extravaganza (NOV 19th - 28th) which includes the Big Shot for $79.96 (Monday only)!  I'll post separately with more about that.

Texture Boutique Embossing Machine - Video

Hummm...can you say cute and portable?  This is a limited item that Stampin' Up! is testing out.  There are only 4000 available, so if you're interested, order it online asap.  Here's a video of it in action from Stampin' Up! home office.

2 ways to get it:

Texture Boutique Bundle

Item 132700

$39.95 (a $45.85 value)

Includes: 

• Texture Boutique Embossing Machine, 1 Pair of Standard Embossing Pads, 1 Mylar Shim
• Flower Garden Textured Impressions Embossing Folder-Stampin' Up! exclusive
• Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder-Stampin' Up! exclusive

Texture Boutique Embossing Machine

Item 132657

$29.95

Includes:

• Texture Boutique Embossing Machine, 1 pair of Standard Embossing Pads, 1 Mylar Shim

Happy embossing!