A Passion for Stamps

Looking for holiday gifts? Great Craft fair-TODAY!

Craft Fairs are a great place to pick up unusual hand-crafted gifts you cannot find anywhere else...so if you are in the area, come and check out Wallkill Valley High School's annual Holiday Craft & Gift Fair located at:

10 Grumm Road in Hamburg NJ 07419 (off route 94)

TODAY from 9-4! 

I have a table at this fair every year, as it is the school our son graduated from and now this year is the last year for our daughter...so this craft fair is near and dear to my heart, as this school is the place that is reminiscent of some great memories...  

There is a wall in the vestibule as soon as you enter the school, which displays graduation pictures of all previous students who are enlisted in the armed services, and our son's photo is proudly displayed among them.  (He is currently serving in the United States Coast Guard).  There are photos down the left hallway of all the previous graduating classes, and in June 2011, my daughter's senior class picture will take its place on the wall, joining  her brother in that display as well.  

I have been so preoccupied with family matters and prepping for craft fairs this fall, that blogging and posting to my Twitter & FaceBook pages have suffered...I'm hoping that after this craft fair, things can sort of get back to normal again, even though the hustle and bustle of the holidays is upon us!  We are actually doing pretty well with holiday prep- we cut down our tree last weekend at Shehli Tree Farm in Vernon, GREAT place for not only trees, but hand made wreaths, grave blankets, Kissing Balls etc.  (my daughter is the manager and like her mom, she is crafty, so she makes all these things!).  We actually got our lighted reindeer, sleigh, manger scene etc. set up last weekend, but alas, the tree is outside waiting to be brought in and decorated in all its glory, and the outside lights, (traditionally MY job) are all tested, but are in a pile until I have the time to get out there and do my thing...decorating the trees and shrubs outside! So, as soon as this craft fair is over, I can plunge into holiday decorating mode!

Holiday Craft Fairs really get me in the mood for all the upcoming festivities,  such as decorating, gift-wrapping and baking to come in the weeks ahead.  I thoroughly enjoy participating in them as a crafter, creating gifts from simple things like "rubber stamps" and all the coordinating and fun accessories, ink pads, papers etc. that have made being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator for almost 15 years so wonderful!  This is still a  a wonderful and creative hobby (and career job for me)  that I love!  I hope you'll stop by and see just a touch of why I love rubber stamping, scrapbooking and papercrafts,  used in all the gifts I have made!  In the coming weeks, I'll show you some of the gift items I created for these shows, but if you can come in person, it's always so much more special. 

See you at the Craft Fair!

 

Mistletoe Market Craft Fair In Franklin NJ was last weekend!

I apologize to my readers for not blogging for a few weeks. It could not be avoided.

This fall has been extremely unpredictable..and very traumatic for our family, due to some unusual and totally unexpected and upsetting happenings.   Things are looking brighter now,  so hopefully I'll be able to keep up with my blogposts.  

If you are a subscriber to my monthly newsletter, you are aware that our family has been through some tough ordeals of late.. and you learned about some of the classes I held and that I was once again participating in some craft fairs this holiday season.  (if you are not a subscriber to my monthly newsletter, you can easily become a subscriber by adding your email address to the link on the upper left sidebar).  As a subscriber, you will also currently receive any remaining weeks of my exclusive Twelve Weeks of  Christmas Projects Events posted every Wednesday.

Thanks so much to my customers and others for your patronage who came out to see me last weekend for our Fourth Annual Mistletoe Market Craft & Consultant Fair Event at my church-First Presbyterian Church of Franklin in Sussex County NJ. 

I did very well there,  and am looking forward to my next craft fair at Wallkill Valley High School in Hamburg on December 4. 

I meant to take to a picture of my table...but totally forgot, or I would include that here on this blog post!  I was busy most of the day with customers, so it went right out of my head..

I love doing this fair at my church, because not only does it help our church, but I really enjoy making projects for Thanksgiving, as well as Christmas. 

 

THANKSGIVING BLESSING MIX JARS for sale!

I created my own version of the Thanksgiving Blessing Mix as a JAR instead of a baggie project (which was what was originally created several years ago)  and it has always been popular at my shows ever since! It makes a terrific Thanksgiving Hostess Gift!  I was inspired by the idea originally shared online on this site and  I change it up a bit each year, based on what Stampin' Up! Designer Series Papers I have on hand.  I've used other ideas from others which I shared in previous years and have modified. This year, I was trying to use up some of last years papers...but also added some from this year-unfortunately I didn't take  a pic of them...so here are some views of those using last years papers with different ribbons:

Front of Jar

Top of Jar

Back of Jar

 

  Contents of Baggie

I've sold out of all these offered at Craft Fairs...but if you ORDER NOW-by November 16th, I can have extras made up and ready to pick up by the 23rd (for those local to Northern New Jersey) or ready to mail out by the 20th. (this fee can be adjusted per your state laws).   Blessing Mix Jar is $6 (plus add priority shipping & handling of $6.50 per jar).

Please email me or call me no later than November 16th and include the state I'm shipping the order to.  Orders limited to the United States only.

Happy Harvest!

 

Mistletoe Market Craft Fair In Franklin NJ is back again!

Just a quick post to let you know that I will once again have my Stamp Table at the Mistletoe Market Craft Fair! I hope you will be able to come out and join in the FUN! More info at a later date! Please mark this date on YOUR calendar now...

DATE:  November 6, 2010

TIME: 10 - 4:00 P.M.

LOCATION:  First Presbyterian Church, 11 Main Street, Franklin, NJ 07416

C0me and visit us! Do your Christmas Shopping at your one-stop Christmas Shopping Fair!

More info to follow...

National Salute of 21 guns for Presidents Day

Courage Tile: I make these tiles and sell them individually or in sets of 4.  I also sell them at Craft Fairs. This is made with the Courage Set (115330 $19.95) found on page 67 of the current Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog. It's a two stamp set; in addition to this stamp there is a word stamp that reads "Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because it is the quality that guarantees all others.-Winston Churchill" It's a great set! If you are interested in purchasing this stamp set, you can order it from my website www.stampwithdeb.stampinup.net. If you are interested in purchasing the tiles, and/or the coordinating stamped box that holds four of them, email deb@debbiestamps.com for more information.

Today is Presidents Day.  Our son is in the United State Coast Guard, so we receive Coast Guard feed updates.

It's interesting to learn that Coast Guard members on Coast Guard Island (CA) will fire the national salute of 21 guns today at noon in honor of Presidents Day.  The salute takes about a minute and 45 seconds to complete.  The Coast Guard warns surrounding communities that there will be loud noise produced by the blank rounds when fired.

This is a time honored naval tradition which dates back centuries, when it was customary for a ship entering a friendly port to discharge its cannon to demonstrate that they were unloaded.

The following information is provided by the United States Navy with the issuance of new regulations on 24 May 1842. Those regulations laid out the specifics:

"When the President of the United States shall visit a vessel of the navy, he shall be received with the following honors: The yards shall be manned, all the officers shall be on deck in full uniform, the full guard shall be paraded and present arms, the music shall play a march, and a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired. He shall receive the same honors when he leaves the ship."
"Upon the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, the colors shall be hoisted at sunrise, and all the vessels of the navy shall, when in port, be dressed, and so continue until the colors are hauled down at sunset, if the state of the weather and other circumstances will allow it. At sunrise, at meridian, and at sunset, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired from every vessel in commission mounting six guns and upwards."
"On the twenty-second day of February, the anniversary of the birth of Washington, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired at meridian from every vessel of the navy in commission mounting six guns and upwards."

To read more go to: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq40-1.htm

Other occasions when the salute is fired are in honor of the national flag, the sovereign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, and the President, ex-President, and President-elect of the United States. It is also fired at noon of the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect, on Washington’s Birthday, and the Fourth of July.

It's nice to know the history behind the traditions of our armed forces especially how it relates to Presidents Day. Have a nice day!

My new venture-Handpainted & Personalized Snowbaby Ornaments!

I'm sorry I've been away from my blog for so long...lot's has been happening! I had several fall/Christmas craft shows, holiday stamp classes, meetings for various things, church duties, and my dad also had a stroke right before Thanksgiving...he is doing much better now, in a facility where he is receiving Physical Therapy for his right side, where the majority of the damage occurred.

I've been making and selling personalized Glass Ornaments for the holidays! I sold some of these last year at Craft Fairs, and received orders for more this year. If you follow me on Facebook, you know I posted yesterday that I'd share some photos of the SnowBaby Christmas Ornaments I've been making and fulfilling orders for this holiday season. I hand paint the faces, and personalize the ribbon on the hat with the name of the child, year and/or First Christmas, etc.  I also offer a beautiful coordinating holiday keepsake box with the child's name and year, to help identify and organize this ornament, and facilitate safe storage for years to come!

Here are some photos of recent ones I've made:

 
 

 Baby Boy & Baby Girl Glass Ball Ornaments;

Faces are hand-painted; tags for the year are provided, and can also be added to the ribbon if requested. The cheeks have a hint of color and will sparkle from the iridescent ice glitter when touched by the lights from your tree.

These are the coordinating keepsake boxes to store your treasured ornaments for years to come!  The interlocking closure is made with Designer Series Papers.  Each box has the name of the child on the front,  as it appears on the ribbon on the ornament. A gorgeous white silk ribbon and tag saying a "A Gift for you-Merry Christmas"finishes off the packaging!

The box is filled with a festive paper filling to protect the ornament during storage.

 

 Close-up view of the top of the box featuring the lovely white silk ribbon and bow, and the tag-to give it a finished look!

This close-up view shows how beautifully it is packaged and ready for gift-giving!

Here is a close-up of the ornament:

I will be taking orders for this product, as well as At Home Class Kits, Finished Product, and Retired Stamps which will all be available for purchase fom my new online store, Passionstamper's Boutique- which will open in early January 2010! 

Please email me if you are interested in more information about this product. If you would like to place an order for these lovely ornaments for Christmas 2010, please place your order(s) early in the year, as these are now in high demand!

Details such as ordering, personalization, price, shipping etc. will be will be available online on my new blog Passionstamper's Boutique and orders can be placed starting on January 3, 2010, when a link to the new site will be provided.

Be on the lookout for a Winter Storm Online Holiday Sale tomorrow afternoon in lieu of a Holiday Open House, should we receive the storm now being predicted!

Classes for 2009 have now ended. I will be resuming them in January 2010. Please visit this site again soon for updates to my class schedule.

You can also shop the Stampin' Up! ONLINE store 24/7! Now thru 12/22 you can get some deals on Sizzix Dies! I hope you are enjoying these last days before Christmas arrives! Please contact me should you have any questions and I'll be happy to assist you!

Four-piece Chocolate Nugget Box Gifts from Stampin' Up! Matchbook Die!

Well I'm getting ready for the 2009 Mistletoe Market Craft Fair at my church this Saturday October 24 from 10-3...if you happen to be in the Northern New Jersey area, specifically Sussex County, come and look us up! Go here for the website of the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin for it's location and phone number. This is our third annual event. Be sure to stop at my table to shop and chat, do a Make & Take, and don't forget to ask me for a door prize slip-I'm giving away a set of ten Christmas Cards to one lucky winner! There will be other drawings too during the day, and great food brewing in the kitchen, so come and get a head start on that holiday shopping!

I've been getting my projects ready for the Craft Fair, and working on 3-D projects. If you've been following my posts the past few days you know that I'm hooked on the Big Shot™ Die-Cut machine from Stampin' Up!, so I pulled out my Bigz XL Matchbook Die that arrived awhile ago. I've been anxious to play with it, but just hadn't been able to find the time, so it was fun giving it a try. I came up with this *sweet* little 4-piece Hershey's Nugget gift box:

 

The photo is a bit fuzzy, as I was up late working on this last night, (and I was seeing fuzzy myself by the time I took this photo), but I did a great job NOT getting a glare from the clear window sheet cover, didn't I? If I didn't tell you, you wouldn't even know it was there, would you? It's almost invisible! But it is there, a simple wrap around cover... I wanted folks to be able to see what was inside, because if you have ever done Craft Fair events, I'm sure you've experienced little children who just LOVE opening things...they are so curious and inquisitive, so they just HAVE to find out what's inside boxes when they have lids on them, and it's always when you are busy helping someone else too! I think since I'm covering the nuggets with such pretty paper and leaving the shiny edges of the candy wrappers exposed, that it's nice to show off the inside with clear packaging.

I used the Holiday Lounge Designer Series paper from Stampin' Up! (of course) and just love all their double sided-papers! You can see the Hershey's candies are wrapped in both sides of the paper (four fit PERFECTLY inside this completed matchbox!)

The die makes a little box, the wrap around lid, plus three tags, one of which is shown here. The DSP actually has little starry snowflakes on it, although you can't tell because I photographed this straight on, standing up so you could see the candies and the tag. I decided to try the Snowfall printed clear Window sheet over the white tag to carryover the snowflake theme.

Here is a rundown of how to make this project:

1. First I laid out my DSP over the box on the die; then I covered the lid with a piece of window sheet, and laid down the Snowflake window sheet over the tags, ran it through the Big Shot™.

2. Next I covered the tags with white cardstock and ran it through the machine again.

3. I stamped the greeting with ink on the white tag, then layered the snowflake tag over the white tag, so the words are visible through the snowflake window tag.

4. I assembled the box and lid according to the directions that come with the die.

5. Cover the chocolates with strips of the same designer paper.

6. I used Taken With Teal layered over a wider strip of Silver Metallic cardstock for the belly band, punched a hole in the tag and pulled the silver cord through the tie before tying the bow. 

I will make some of these, but then I'll switch to other colors and DSP for variety.

These are fun to make, go together pretty quickly and are easy-the result is SWEET elegance, so I'm sure they will sell well at the Craft show.

I hope you've enjoyed this mini tutorial...if you would like to order the supplies to make these, just email me and I'd be happy to let you know what you need!  If you would like some other project ideas check out some here.  Don't forget to leave a comment and let me know what you think of this project-and if you make some, I'd love to see it!

Have a great stampin' day!

Seeking Crafters & Home Consultants for local Craft Fair

The First Presbyterian Church of Franklin NJ is seeking CRAFTERS and HOME CONSULTANTS only for our Third Annual Mistletoe Market Craft Fair to be held on Saturday October 24, 2009 from 10-3 p.m. This is a fun show that is located just minutes off Route 23 in Franklin NJ. The church does have a wheelchair access area. There will be a DJ playing Holiday music, and the Presbyterian women always serve some delicious food in the kitchen! I am a member of the church so of course being a demonstrator, I will be representing Stampin' Up!. 

If you would like to be considered, applications will be accepted thru October 20. Please note that exclusivity is offered to Independent Consultants on a first-come first-served basis and only one representative from each company will be accepted.

Click on the following link to learn all the details and print the online application:

2009 Third Annual Mistletoe Market

We anticipate another wonderful event and hope to see you there!

Thanksgiving Stamped Hostess Gift

Thanksgiving is approaching and it's one of my favorite times of the year! It's a day when our family members are all home together to share in the holiday feast. It conjures up scents of turkey & stuffing roasting in the oven, and the house is filled with the aroma of baked pies and other goodies...I can feel the warmth of the kitchen with candles lit just thinking about it! It happens to be my son's favorite day too....all the food, relatives, followed by football game. (This year, my birthday also happens to fall on Thanksgiving-November 27th!)

It may be the last Thanksgiving we can all be together--as our son is seriously considering joining the Coast Guard, so he can follow up on his education in the Law Enforcement field, as well as obtain knowledge and experience while serving his country. He is currently in college but this will probably be his last semester, as he will most likely be going to Boot Camp next year. Thanksgiving is my son's favorite holiday-so this one will be very special for us all, as we may not be able to all be together for the next one.

This time of year also brings to mind the many blessings we have to be thankful for. As I work on projects for craft fairs this fall, I make sure I also have a few for Thanksgiving. I love the concept of a Thanksgiving Blessing Mix which makes an excellent little gift to bring to the hostess when you visit family on Thanksgiving Day! Two years ago, Stampin' Up! partnered with Country Living magazine which featured a spread in their magazine for Thanksgiving decorating. I loved the stamp set that was featured that year, and even used one of the sayings in this year's blessing mix that I put together for Thanksgiving. Last time I made the blessing mix with everything in a cello bag and topper. This time I wanted to do something a little different, so I found this cute little jar to decorate and fill:

If you follow my blog, you know I am sucker for punch art, so I knew I wanted to use punches to make my turkey. I got the idea for the turkey design from a card I saw (made by Cynthia Stember) mentioned here on Patty Bennett's blog and just expanded on it. The feathers were made with half a scallop punch on various colored cardstocks, then sponged around the edges. I used dimensionals between every layer so the turkey really pops out and attached the whole thing with Pop Up Glue Dots. (the dimension is hard to see in this photo-but the turkey really stands out nicely!)  I made the pumpkin with three small punched ovals and pumpkin pie cardstock and attached with dimensionals...

I hand drew the cornucopia on cocoa cardstock that I first stamped with Aida Cloth (a retired SU background stamp) and added a 1 3/4" chocolate chip circle behind the turkey for dimension. The bow was added with a glue dot to the top of the cornucopia.

I used the Coluzzle to make the large circle behind it all with More Mustard cardstock.

I cut a strip of Autumn Vine Designer Series paper and attached that to the jar.
This paper is so pretty and is double-sided, so it shows on the inside of the jar, too!

I printed the Thanksgiving Blessing Mix from my computer onto mustard cardstock, then used the slot punch to attach it to the back of the jar with (retired) SU ribbon.

This is the Thanksgiving Blessing Mix-I added all these ingredients to cello bags which were then sealed and placed inside the jar.

I cut a circle for the top of the jar, again using the Coluzzle, and added the saying. and sponged the edges.

I finished off with a ribbon around the top.

Here is the same designer series paper used in the above jar, but in reverse.  It was fun to change the papers and accessories for a different look.

These jars were a good seller at the Misteltoe Market Craft Event at the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin NJ that I just participated in this past weekend. (I've been busy for awhile getting ready for this fair-that's why I haven't been posting to the blog lately). I had some half-finished jars that I didn't bring with me, that I wished I had completed!  I am offering those I have left for sale to my local customers or to anyone who is willing to pick them up. Contact me at 973-827-2893 if you are interested in purchasing this lovely Thanksgiving hostess gift. The jars make a great home decor item that can be refilled every year! Offer good only while supplies last....

This year, Country living is partnering with Stampin' Up! once again-not for Thanksgiving projects, but for Christmas ones! I'll save that for my next post!

TURKEY POOP

Another project I offered at the Mistletoe Market Craft Fair this year was Turkey Poop-very similar to what I did last year, but simplified:

Do you really want to put a smile on a loved one's face? I highly recommend this humorous alternative to the more serious hostess gift above-it really makes a great gag gift! These are quick and easy to throw together and would be adorable at the place setting of your guests this Thanksgiving...

At the craft fair, two elderly ladies stopped by my table; this item caught their eye-and as they read it they suddenly burst out laughing and just kept looking at each other, laughed some more until tears were running down their faces!

Sometimes the simplest things bring the most pleasure....let me know if you would like to purchase any!

CUSTOM MESSAGE TILES

I wished I had made more of this cook serving up the turkey...but all the tiles my daughter and I have made so far, are "one of a kind".  I knew this one would be snatched up...and I was right! (there was a glare when I took the picture)

I will not be making more of this design this year, but next fall I plan to make a bunch of these.

I will be selling Message Tiles all year long in my online store...soon! My daughter Kelley helps me make these and has come up with some adorable ones! Each set includes the frame and Dry Erase Marker which is conveniently attached to the top of the tile for easy accessibility.

I have a few of these that we use around the house. When I first put one in the foyer, my nineteen year old son left me a note on it that said: "Mom-this is stupid". Well for something so stupid, need I tell you who now uses these more than any other family member to leave us messages? You guessed it! I have one in the foyer and one in the kitchen-they really come in handy...and it's easy to use-just erase with a tissue!

If you have any particular themes you are interested in, please let me know and I will try to accomodate your personal interests. I also make these up as wedding gifts. If you are in the Hardyston NJ area, come and visit me at the Wallkill Valley High School annual Booster Club Holiday Craft Fair on December 6 if you would like to purchase these as Christmas gifts, as I will have some there for sale.

Thanks for visiting!

HALLOWEEN Photos-and more stamped treats!

Well Halloween is over! We don't get many kids at all-just about 10 who were mostly our immediate neighborhood kids. We always buy waaaaayyyyy too much candy to give out to the trick-or-treaters (but my family ends up gobbling it all up, of course! LOL)

Here are some photos of our foyer decorated for halloween and a few stamped projects on display:

Cornstalks, mums and pumpkins are a must for the front deck!

My daughter painted the pumpkin face-her first! We usually carve the pumpkins out but this year, we opted to paint them instead.

This is the table in the foyer all decked out and ready for the hoards of trick-or-treaters...ha, ha! (a whopping ten!)

The huge spider is usually hung in a web, but we ran out of time this year and just hung it over the mirror. It was very effective...we had some baby spiders that we would put in the web, so we put them on the lamp instead. Timmy, one of our neighbors youngest, was eyeing them because he LOVES spiders so we ended up giving him the babies...(we can always buy some more next year). At least we know they will be loved...

The pumpkin on the lower shelf is actually a soup turine with a matching ladle I purchased from QVC last year...(don't know where the ladle is-guess I hadn't put it in the bowl yet when this photo was taken). It's beautifully painted and I love to display it from September through Thanksgiving. I actually use it for homemade soups which I intend to make a lot of this year! There's nothing that compares to the warmth of a cup of hot homemade soup on a frosty bone-chilling day, to warm you up from head to toe!

ok...back to halloween....

This is the basket of pixie sticks I jazzed up with punched circles and the scallop punch using stamps from Batty for You-what a great set to make halloween treats with! The next photo will show a close-up of them.

Do you see the BOO boxes in the background? I made these last year with Creepy Crawly Designer Series Papers-and chipboard letters, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter and ribbons. Can you make out the stamped images on the letters? You guessed it-Batty for You stamps....I'm so glad they are still in the catalog and haven't retired!

Here are the Pixie Sticks close-up. They were quick and easy to put together-alot of punching and stamping, then sandwich them together over the top of each pixie stick...I had the leftover treat bags from awhile back so I used them, wrapped some jute around with my blog info tag, and that's it! Simple, quick and easy-that's all I had time for, but it's amazing how kids love these! (even our 15 year-old teenager! She is eating the leftovers I didn't use))

Here is a close-up of the pumpkin tureen I mentioned earlier...isnt' it beautiful?

The message tile next to it is one of the projects I'm making for craft fairs I have coming up-Mistletoe Market at the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin (in northwest NJ) on November 8 and Wallkill Valley High School's annual Booster Club Holiday Craft Fair in Hardyston on December 6. If you are local, come see me! It's a nice day and a great way to get a jump on holiday shopping for some unique and interesting gifts!

This is the Spooky Spider Jar I made with Decor Elements. I can't wait to try some other Decor Elements images! This was perfect because it coordinated with our "spider" theme. (Notice the basket with candy has spiders/webs on it too!) We're not into the gore and graphic halloween stuff...but spiders are ok, even though in reality, I absolutely detest them! We have Cave Crickets in our basement-have you ever seen them? I hadn't-until we noticed them in our basement one day...they really creep us out because they are HUGE, have VERY long thick legs AND--they JUMP!! Imagine finding them in your washing machine and when you look inside-they jump up into your face! HORRORS! (no wonder I have nightmares-who wouldn't!) We keep getting rid of them but there are still some in the basement-hopefully they STAY IN THE BASEMENT..and do not migrate to the rest of the house, or I'll have to move out! I remember I told one of my good friends (she's our neighbor) about them-she had never heard of them, and said how bad could they be? I challenged her to GOOGLE Cave Crickets-and when she saw a picture of what they look like, she couldn't believe it! She said she will never set foot in our basement again....(can't say that I blame her!!!! LOL) Unfortunately, our washing machine is down there so I have no choice!!!!

Let's move on to a much more pleasant topic-fall leaves and pumpkins! This is one of my message tiles up close. What do you think? I am making a bunch of different tiles to sell...I'll post more photos of them at another time.  I like to get creative and really add detailed artwork to these.  Do you see the colored jute bow I added to the pumpkin? We have this one in our front foyer, and another in the kitchen. They come in handy (saves on writing pads!) and I use Dry Erase markers which clean up easy with tissues.  What's nice, is my family actually USES them! This tile will also be displayed through Thanksgiving because the saying is  appropriate for this season of thanks!

That's it for today. I hope you have enjoyed this little peak into our Halloween home decor (and you thought stamps were only for card-making!).  Thanks for stopping by....Have a lovely weekend!

MISTLETOE MARKET-NORTHERN NJ-SEEKING CRAFTERS & HOME CONSULTANTS!

NOTE TO ALL READERS: On October 1, I sent out a post saying I was back from a time of absence due to technical problems-right after that, I learned that folks had trouble viewing the blog-the blog just wasn't posting properly.  I've been working on it with the help of Typepad as of today, October 27 I do hope all the gliches have been found and corrected. My apologies for this lapse in communication...  It certainly has been an unfortunate inconvenience that I hope is behind us all!

MISTLETOE MARKET REMINDER to TO CRAFTERS & HOME PARTY CONSULTANTS: There are only a few days left to register for the MISTLETOE MARKET-Second Annual Holiday Event, which will be held on Saturday, November 8 from 9:00am to 3:00pm at the Franklin Presbyterian Church, on Main Street in Franklin (Sussex County) New Jersey.

We are still seeking Home Consultants and specifically CRAFTERS (no Vendors please) up until October 31, 2008. For more information, and to complete an online application and reserve a table, please click HERE 

thanks,

MORE Craft Fair Projects...

The Wallkill Valley Craft Fair is a pretty big one in our area...there was alot of traffic all day long. Again, I forgot to take a picture of my table BEFORE things started selling and being shifted around, so it doesn't look as nice as when I first started out! This time I used some crates because I had a smaller table and had to find a way to make everything fit on it..crates also give a nice sense of depth as well as provide a way to display things at eye-level for the shoppers!

My biggest seller was the nugget boxes and the chocolate bars-this time I make Christmas ones using one of my favorite holiday sets-Festive Favorites! (I'm so relieved that this set is NOT on the retired stamp list) I got this idea from another stamper (but I can't remember who to give proper credit). The box slides open, revealing a holiday greeting! I love the idea of spelling out the word "Joy" with the wrapped chocolate nuggets!

here the nugget box is closed.... 

and here it is opened!

I must have taken this photo before I decided to add a red brad to Rudoph's nose on the tag! (It was a cute addition) The tag is stamped with to: and from: on the back.

I had fun with Hershey's chocolate bars! At my last craft fair, I had the bars decorated more for adults, so this time I also added one for kids-I figured parents would be looking for stocking stuffers for their children...and so they were! I've seen various versions of the Santa Bars so I used the basic idea and changed mine to be alittle different by adding Liquid Applique to Santa's beard. I also tried cutting the beard into many strips and curling the tips, which takes alot more time to make. (I don't have any more of those left so I can't provide a photo). I think I prefer the look of the liquid appliqued beards anyway...

Stamps: Festive Favorites, Perfect Presentation (Level 2 Hostess Set)

Cardstock: Real Red, Glossy White, Whisper White, Basic Black, Brushed Gold, Glorious Green, Pretty in Pink, Blush Blossom, Kraft

Inks: Glorious Green, Basick Black, Real Red, Versamark Pad

Other: Heat & Stick Powder, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Stampin' Pastels,  Scallop Punch, Corner Punch,
Daubers, Liquid Applique (non-SU), Circle punches: 1", 1 3/4", 1/8", 1 1/4", Square Punch, Gold Elastic Cord, SNAIL adhesive, Sticky Strip, Crimper

Wow-it doesn't look like it, but alot of products went into the making of these...

A FEW TIPS: the moustache was made with a circle punch-then cutin half; the Scallop Punch was used to make the pom-pom on the hat; the bottom of the beard was made using a corner punch!

I'm really into the punches this year...there are so many cool things you can create with them!

The Perfect Presentation set is hostess set-it will be retired because the new collection will have all new hostess sets you can earn! It's not too late to get this set-simply gather together $300 in orders from you and your friends, and you will earn it! But only until December 31!

I'll be back later with more projects I made for the craft fair to share, so check back again soon! (...domestic duties are calling out to me!). And don't forget to leave a comment so I know you have been here to visit!

Oh where oh where has your Su! demonstrator gone..

oh where oh where can she be?

I've been busy since Thanksgiving preparing and re-stocking for the next Craft Fair on my agenda this holiday season-the Wallkill Valley High School Holiday Craft & Gift Show, in Hardyston, NJ which took place this past Saturday! This is the school my son just graduated from and my daughter now attends...

I used to do this craft show every year until I became a Stampin' Up! demonstrator in 1996. At that point in time, I concentrated all my energy on Stampin' Up! home party shows (until recently, called "workshops").  My kids were very young then and I wanted to build my home business, yet I still wanted to be able to attend their school events. My Stampin' Up! business enabled me to be able to do this...it was an answer to a prayer request I had for years-to be able to quit my full-time job (computer operations at a popular bank, which involved quite a long daily commute) to become a stay-at-home mom with my children-and make a difference in their lives!

Back when I first started with Stampin' Up! I was doing as many as 12-16 workshops a month (only because I was super-engergized-it wasn't a requirement!) Then I cut back on workshops, branched out and started offering some classes in my country kitchen...I used to put an extension onto my kitchen table just for classes to accomodate my customers- took up my whole kitchen so when it was time for my kids to go to bed, they had to crawl under the kitchen table to get to their bedroom! My business had expanded so, that our small master bedroom was lined with containers & organizers holding all my Stampin' Up! supplies! My husband would always say "you need a room just to store all this stuff!" so...the idea was born.

In 2000, I didn't go on my annual Leadership Trip with Stampin' Up! but instead, we started an Add-A-Level rennovation to take all three first level bedrooms and create a Stamp Studio in place of two of the bedrooms; then we created an Office using the third bedroom. Former Garage area space was used to establish a NEW front door entrance. The Two-Car Garage is now a one car garage. The plan was to create three bedrooms upstairs on the 3rd floor, including a Linen Closet, kid's bathroom, & a master bathroom. (This is now a 3 story split level house).

On the third floor is the master bedroom equipped with a private master bath, and  dressing room, the kids bedrooms and their bathroom.

My husband had always dreamed of having a living room over the garage, so this finally became a reality, as our second floor. Our "old living room" has become a new "dining room" (which we had never had before!)

When Stampin' Up!' recently announced a change in their Angel Policy allowing demonstrators to conduct business from a permanent location, I decided to get back into the arena of craft shows in the area. I love using rubber stamps to create magnificent cards and other paper crafts, but i also  am very fond of creating non-card items such as home decor, 3-D and gift items. (I also dapple in scrapbooking).

We now have a very unique split level custom built home with all of the above! We never could have done it though, without the contribution of my Stampin' Up! business! If you would like to learn more about doing what I do-which is teaching folks to FIND YOUR HIDDEN CREATIVITY by simply using rubber stamp techniques along with some awesome accessories to create cool cards, papercrafts ideas, keepsake memory gifts, home decor projects and many other countless items...please contact me now by calling 973-827-8293! I would love to talk with you in more depth about my experience as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and discuss how this opportunity  can help you and your family.  Or, you can always host a party of 9 or more of your friends and host your own party as well as reap the hostess benefits!

If I can be of any other service to you, please feel free to contact me.

Thanksgiving Card & Hostess Gift?

I wanted to do some things with turkeys for Thanksgiving...for the Mistletoe Craft Show I did last Saturday. You know, something cute that folks can give to their hostess who is serving up a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner next week, so first I made a turkey card! I think Pick a Petal is such a wonderful and versatile set-and this card is the perfect example!

Tom Turkey's feathers are made from the petals-turned around the opposite way you would make a flower...imagination that! I think it's cool when you can do that with a stamp...use it in a different way than what it was intended for!  I used the Kissing Technique to make the feather designs, punched the turkey's head with a 1" Circle Punch (sponged the edges with More Mustard Classic ink pad and cut the bottom freehand from a  scrap of Kraft cardstock (not too shabby...hey?)  The eyes are drawn on (or you could use the 1/8" Circle Punch), and the nose was made from a triangle cardstock scrap and reshaped.  Caramel Gingham ribbon is tied around his neck before attaching with Stampin' Dimensionals over the feathers.

I created the background using Kraft Cardstock and Creamy Caramel ink with the Flannel Plaid Stamp (the background stamps by Stampin' Up! are terrific!) They are actually bigger than a standard 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card so you don't have to ink the stamp twice and try to match it up...just one time gets the job done! I really like the Flannel Plaid stamp-you'll see me using it again for holiday cards-nothing like plaid for a real holiday look...

The Corners were done with a new punch from Stampin' Up! called Photo Corners Punch. It's really cool because it punches two different size corners so you can layer them on top of one another, as I did on this card...the Happy Thanksgiving greeting stamp is from the Holidays & Wishes stamp set-a simple little 6-piece stamp set with three holiday stamps and three wishes.

I really like the look of this card-it's very......country-ish, don't you think? Living here in North Jersey in "God's Country" (yeah, that's how the folks here in Sussex County refer to it here in our neck of the woods)  you come to appreciate that special "country" look...after all, they even filmed a movie at the Homestead Restaurant a few miles away and Tom Selleck played the star role!!!! (and to think-I missed it! I didn't get to see him!) They used an old horse-drawn carriage and the spot made a perfect western set...

...but before I go off on that subject, let's get back to turkey talk! Speaking of turkeys, and  living in the country, it seemed real appropriate to come up with a genuine Turkey Poop gag gift (you know, there are all those "poop" themes stampers love to make like...snowman poop, and reindeer poop, and it goes on and on (NO, I'm really NOT making this up!).  Well anyway, I came up with my own little fellow atop this cello bag of candy corn and his sad poem, and here he is:

You wouldn't believe how POPULAR this stamped gift was! I came home with only a few...and I made alot of these little critters!

This little guy is made COMPLETELY with punches....I just love punch art (can you tell???). I used the large Oval Punch, the 1/14" and 1 3/8" punches, and various Earth Element colored cardstock attached some googly eyes with glue dots..and can you guess what I used to create his webbed feet? If you go to the Online Stampin' Up! Catalog, you'll find the answer in the section with all the punches! You'll be amazed at yet another product that is so versatile, you can make turkey feet from it!  Stampin' Up! also carries these small flat cello bags that are PERFECT for so many cute little gifts...and of course to finish it off, I used our wonderful new Crop-O-Dile to punch a hole thru all the layers to insert the red grosgrain ribbon. (All  products are Stampin' Up!)

I hope you dazzle everyone with your turkey creations this Thanksgiving holiday...I think I'm getting a little "punchy" myself and in looking at the clock, I can see why! I can't believe it's 2:00 a.m. (EST)!!!! (I could swear it was just 10:00 when I started stamping and blogging! Time really flies when I'm stamping but it's AMAZING how fast it also goes when I'm BLOGGIN' about STAMPIN'!  Time for this country stampin' bumpkin to hit the hay!

More stamp projects...by Debbie Van Gieson

It's so much fun to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and to be able to play with all the toys in the catalog! There are not enough hours in the day though, to play with everything! So buying a table at Craft Fairs gives me the opportunity to really use the products and stamps!

When you read these posts, anything highlighted and underlined is linked to more information about that tag..so just click on these words to learn more about the stamps, products and other information!

I didn't make alot of Christmas cards...but chose just a few to offer. This card was actually a case-except I saw the original it jumped out at me and said SPINNER CARD! So this is the spinner card I created and also changed the Designer Papers used! I find it very relaxing to make these and folks LOVE playing with them! I showed a friend of mine one of these and she could have played with it for hours!!! Did you know they are actually therapeutic?? Evidentally they are-to the creator as well as the recipient!

I really like these colors together-Soft, yet stunning! Peaceful Wishes is a lovely stamp set!

 
STAMP SET: Peaceful Wishes

INK: Real Red, Always Artichoke, Versamark

PAPER: River Rock, Always Artichoke, Vellum Cardstock, Real Red

Accessories: Wintergreen D.S. Paper, Spring Flower Bouquet Punch, 5-petal Punch Flower Punch, Real Red Stampin' Write Marker, Pretties Kit, Dimensionals, Word Window Punch, Brayer

This card was a Workshop Wizard sample provided by Stampin' Up! I've used this as a Make & Take project at workshops this month and everyone seems to enjoy making it-The watercoloring is simple enough for even a beginner and the paper-piercing adds a nice touch.

The Big on Christmas stamp set has 3 stamps and is very popular: Happy Holidays, Noel, and (let it) Snow..I have samples of projects I made with all of them further on:

STAMPS: Big on Christmas

PAPER: Old Olive, Real Red, Watercolor Paper, Dashing D.S. Paper

INK: Stampin' Write Markers-Real Red & Summer Sun; Classic Ink Pads-Summer Sun, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Real Red, Soft Sky, River Rock and StazOn Jet Black

ACCESSORIES: Watercolor brush, Crafter's Tool Kit, Dimensionals, Grosgrain Ribbon-5/8" Real Red

I also used the other stamps in the Big On Christmas set to make these adorable Gift Card Holders I CASED from Amy Celona-she has a great website! You can find the tutorial HERE. She made them as moneyholders-I made them as Gift Card Holders since they have become a popular gift-giving idea. Can you guess which one sold out first? If you guessed the Let It Snow holder, you are correct!  These Gift Card holders can also double as money holders...with three designs to choose from, they sold like hotcakes! It's amazing how many people give money or gift cards for the holidays-it's great for folks who don't like the shopping scene...(so NOT like me! It wouldn't feel like Christmas if I didn't get out the malls and do some real shopping and fight a few crowds during the holidays!) I added some interest using last year's Fancy Fibers which came in different colors and textures...(if you click on the pictures, they will show up magnified so you can view details!) These were lots of fun to make...and very popular-I guess I need to make a alot more of these in the future so I don't run out of them!

GIFT CARD HOLDERS-CLOSED

GIFT CARD HOLDERS-INSIDE

The Make & Take project I offered at the Mistletoe Market Craft Fair for visitors to try was a holiday gift tag using the adorable TAGS FOR ALL stamp set from the Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini Collection catalog-once again, the snowmen stamped tag was also the most popular tag! I guess snowmen are pretty popular these days-throughout the whole holiday and winter season!

These tags were quick and easy to demo and make-we used the Aqua Painter and Watercolor Pencils  to color in the images after stamping with the Black StazOn Pad. Folks were amazed that you can simply "scribble" some color where you want it, then use the Aqua Painter to pull the color and blend it. The Aqua Painter has a water well at one end-when you lightly squeeze the soft-barreled pen, it dilutes the inked or watercolor penciled image so you can adjust how much color you want! An AMAZING invention! and so much easier than even using a watercolor brush with a cup of water!!! I think everyone liked the snowmen becuase we also jazzed it up with some glue and glitter sprinkled on to finish it off! (this may not have come thru in the photo-try clicking on the photo to enlarge it and maybe the glitter will be more noticeable) Of course our new Elastic Gold & Silver Cord are great ways to attach these to gifts-they also make great hangers for ornaments!

The kids were kept busy at our table playing with the two Tattoo Kits offered in the Fall-Winter Collection! One is basically a boys kit and the other is a girl's although some of the stamp images are interchangeable...the kits are WONDERFUL and kids just love them! I remember when my children were younger (just a few years ago!) and they would entertain themselves for quite a long time-stamping every inch of skin on their bodies!!! Yes, the ink pads and markers included in the kits are water-soluable and non-toxic!!  I did take orders for these when parents saw how much fun their kids had with them! They make a great gift for children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, neighbors and so on...at only $13.95 a kit!

If you would like to order stamps, papers, inks, tattoo kits etc., or anything else for holiday gifts, just click on the HOLIDAY GIFT PACKAGE on the left to link to a Holiday Wish List...fill one out for everyone in your family! Email  or call me to place your holiday order! If you order $100 or more I'll give you a FREE copy of the Stampin' Up! Spring-Summer Collection catalog coming out in January!

Don't have a catalog? CLICK HERE to view the Fall-Winter Collection or the Holiday Mini Collection ONLINE!

I will post more projects again soon, so check back! meanwhile, don't forget to LEAVE ME A COMMENT!

2007 Mistletoe Market Craft & Home Consultant Show

I took a break from posting while I prepared for this first annual craft fair at the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin, NJ 07416 this past Saturday....

I haven't done a craft fair in awhile,so this year I decided to give it a try! The day started out with SNOW! The first snowflakes of the season came down on Friday night into Saturday morning-how appropriate for the holiday show!

There were about 40 vendors there with quite a variety of crafts,gifts and  products...Of course I was there with my Stampin' Up! table-here is a photo of half of my table (I must have been interrupted and never took a picture of the rest of the table!)

Here are some of the items that were great sellers:

Christmas Fudge-These were made with beautiful new Stampin' Up! Designer Wrapping papers found in our Holiday Mini Collection-so easy to make! The tags were made using both the Mini Tag & the Tag Punches and some of the `1/4" ribbons and also the new Purely Pomegranate Double-Stitched Ribbon which I just love! The poem is perfect for those last-minute procrastinators...these were very popular and I almost sold out of them! We will be making these at my December Stocking Stuffers & Last-Minute Gifts class-they make great stocking stuffers, too...if you are in the Hardyston NJ area, you may want to check this class out-but hurry..sign-ups for this weekend's classes end this Wednesday. There are later classes in the month in case you can't make it to this one.

Apple Spice Nugget Box-Closed

Nugget Box-opened

This was another hit-these were intended as nice little hostess gifts to give at Thanksgiving...I will definitely need to make some holiday themed nugget boxes for my upcoming craft fair at the Wallkill Valley High School Holiday Craft & Gift Show on December 1 in Hardyston NJ! This is also another featured item at my December Stocking Stuffers & Last-Minute Gifts Class!

Clear Magnets in a Tin-closed

Tins-opened; inside are four clear fridge magnets-a cute way to hold papers and artwork on your fridge! These were actually designed by my 14-year old daughter who decided to help out! These papers are retired from last year...but I like them so much-I was glad to have some leftover to use for this project. We will be making these at our November Holiday Gifts & Home Decor Classes using Stampin Up! current Designer Series papers

Tomorrow, I'll show you some other items I made for the Mistletoe Market Craft Fair.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of these projects..I love feedback-it lets me know there are actually folks out there READING this blog!

I will tell you more about the Mistletoe Market later and will provide you with a link to the First Presbyterian Church and next year's craft fair dates etc. so if you are a crafter or a Home Consultant in the Northern New Jersey area, you can sign-up to participate in our event too!