Meet My Friend Sarah and Sneak Peek at November Posts.

Its always nice when out of the blue you have the opportunity to get to know someone new. I was lucky enough to meet Sarah a few months ago in a fb group and we became quick friends. Sarah was kind enough to agree to guest post this week about Family Photos. I know this is something that I start to think about this time of year. Will they be formal shots of the whole family or just the kids dressed up in their Christmas best? I can't wait to share Sarah's "take" on the whole situation.

Join us this Friday for Sarah's informative yet unorthodox post.

Also, be sure to check back later in the month for articles from other guest bloggers about holiday entertaining, keeping holiday stress in check, eating right and staying healthy during the holidays and more.

Did you visit the Heroes Of The City Giveaway yet? Those wonderful folks are at it again. This time you can win a $25 Amazon card. Winners will be drawn every day December 1st-25, 2014.

Enter to win here: 

http://is.gd/HGIxtD

Jumpstart Your Christmas Cardmaking: Pop-Up Nativity Card

Who doesn't love a good pop-up card? This card requires a wee bit of fussy cutting but the end result is so cute that its worth the effort.

Materials:

Colonial White card base & Envelope

Colonial White Cardstock

Desert Sand Cardstock

Adhesive

Crystal Blue Ink

Desert Sand Ink

Cocoa Ink

I used Glory To God Stamp Set (Retired) but the new version is Reason For The Season (You can also use the diecut pieces that are included in the design file in artfully sent)

Embossing Folder (I used a frame folder from Cuttlebug)

Cricut Artfully Sent Cartridge

The best way to tackle this card is to work on it as two separate cards and then put them together. 

Cut a 41/4 x 51/2 piece of colonial white cardstock. Using your embossing folder create the frame impression. Next stamp your city background in desert sand ink. Next add your sentiment, wisemen and star in Cocoa. Using a sponge lightly ink your sky using crystal blue ink and the ground using desert sand. Allow the ink to dry completely and then adhere it to the front of your card base.

Using your artfully sent cricut cartridge select the Nativity Pop Up Design from page 46 of your instruction booklet. You will see all the layers you need appear. Once you have cut the pieces out of colonial white and desert sand you will want to carefully fold the pop up base. The easiest way to do this is by folding the card in half like a regular card using your bone folder and then go back and gently push alternating slotted areas forward. Once you have all your folds done attach it to the desert sand base liner. I find it is easier to line the characters up once it is stable (no pun intended). If you need to stamp your images now is the time to do it and then fussy cut them before adhering to their steps.We stamped our Creche right on the back of the card so that Jesus and his family would seem to be inside it.  Stamp your sentiment in the bottom right hand corner with cocoa ink. Once you have your nativity scene together you can gently adhere it to the card base. Voila you are a pop-up card whiz.

Jump Start Your Christmas Card Making - Mary & Babe Card

The countdown to Christmas has officially begun in my house. Once the first Christmas card classes occur I
know that time will start to pass quickly and I have to put myself into high gear. I love the way that our first set of cards turned out. The ladies in the club had allot of fun with the design and I hope you will too.

The first card in the series is the Mary & Babe Card.

Mary & Babe Stamp Set

Materials:

Water Colour Pencils 
Chocolate Ink
Adhesive
Colonial White Envelope
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (or scalloped oval and oval punch)
Crystal Blue Cardstock
White Daisy Cardstock
Colonial White Cardstock
Mary & Babe Stamp Set


Cut a 81/2 x 51/2 sheet of crystal cardstock to create a card base (I used my cricut and the damask decor cartridge to get the edge you see pictured.) If your design requires a liner like mine did be sure to cut the coordinating piece out of colonial white cardstock.

Using your punches or cricut cartridge cut a scalloped oval out of crystal blue and a liner for it out of colonial white. Cut an additional oval out of white daisy that fits just inside the blue shape. I cut an additional oval frame out of colonial cardstock to frame my focal image but the other ladies chose to leave that piece out.

Using the Mary and Babe stamp from Close To My Heart stamp the image on the white daisy oval. Colour with your favourite water colour pencils. If you want to wet the image after colouring be sure that you used an archival ink. If you would rather use your alcohol based markers you will want to use MEMENTO ink.

Use Pop dots to mount your focal image to the blue scalloped oval and then to the card base.

Susan's Dog Treats Giveaway!!!

Susan Rossy, Owner of Susan's Dog Treats has offered to host a giveaway for our launch of Titan and Legend Blog Dogs. I figured since everyone else in my family is a test subject for reviews and samples it was time my young fur babies stepped up and took some of the spotlight.. Susan joined us last fall in our All I want for Christmas blog series and we are excited to work with her again. Titan and Legend are definitely big fans of her work.

Her peanut butter and bacon dog treats are favourites of not only my precocious pups but of my Mother's pampered pooches as well. I will post Titan & Legends Reviews tomorrow....as brief as they were...my dog's are pups of few words...

Enter to win a prize pack for your four legged family member and you will find out that homemade is by far a better treat than dry old store bought biscuits.

a Rafflecopter giveaway