Staci Shuck

Monday Madness on Tuesday...12 x 12 Diecut Sheets!!!

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome...I just want to get my feelings out there right off the bat!  That's how I'm  feeling about the 12 x 12 Diecut, sticker and chipboard sheets!  I used to ignore them...and after creating and playing with them over the last few weeks, I am not sure why.  I believe My Mind's Eye was one of the first companies to begin creating them with their paper lines and now they are everywhere.  I would purchase a sheet once in a while for one specific design on the sheet and I remember feeling guilty paying for the entire sheet for that one little shape.  Oh my...what was I thinking????  

That brings me to Monday Madness, celebrated today, Tuesday, December 27th, since yesterday, the 26th, was an official holiday as well!!!!  My card making adventures of the last 2 weeks brought me closer to the diecut, sticker and chipboard sheets.  With my new Hero Arts cards, my paper stash and a few of these for Christmas and Birthday...the creative cardmaking challenge began.  Let's just say that I've made more cards, with great fun, ease and enthusiasm, than I have in years!  So easy!  I LOVE these sheets for that reason.  I added a few creative elements and changed them up a bit to use more stash, but kept them plain and simple! The best part is that I KNOW I can create a page layout or two in the same design as the card!!!!  It's a 2 for 1 kinda deal! Here are a few I came up with...a birthday card for my Mom (sorry it's a little blurry....I was so excited I couldn't keep the camera still long enough to snap the picture!)...Christmas cards .... and more Christmas cards....
At this rate I may actually have Christmas cards to mail out next year!  But...I must point out that one card...bottom right in the photo right above...see that word "December"...silly me...it's upside down!!!
 I was waaaaay to excited to be creating and totally missed that!  Soooo I reminded myself that "there are no mistakes in scrapbooking" and pulled my tools of the trade out... Nothing beats Helmar 450 for these little mishaps and a chipboard border pieces fromt the diecut sheet I was using!  This is what I came up with...
There you have it...a mistake turned "embellishment opportunity"! 

Hope you had an extraordinary Christmas with many "embellishment opportunities"!!!!  Go dust off those diecut sheets and get to work!

Happy Monday...on Tuesday!

Staci

 

Don't fall off your chair!!!!!

Shocking I know, to hear from me twice in the same week...sit tight, it will be short but very, very important!  As THE day draws near  I begin to think about the new year.  I don't do resolutions but do attempt to make goals, I may fall short but I always have a great time working towards them.  Last year I decreased, yes, just decreased...my stack of hoarded wool sweaters and I created 130 some 12 x 12 page layouts which didn't quite meet my goal of a page a day but...it's more than I started with and I DID USE MY STASH!!!!!  Those goals will continue this year and with the help of Stephanie Ackerman and her new class....

I just may be able to reach my goals a little easier!  You'll want to go HERE to register and get info.  Class starts January 1, 2012 and goes all year!  I'm registered and getting organized!  

That said...I hope you are still on your chair and haven't needed any medical attention due to the shock of my posting so frequently this week!  I may surprise you again, so be prepared just in case!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Hustling and Bustling....Monday Madness

Hope you are enjoying the hustle and bustle of the season.  There is always so much to do.  I have vowed to keep calm, do what can be done and ENJOY the season.  We've got exactly 6 days to go!  It's starting to look a bit like Christmas and we even had a bit of snow covering the ground this weekend! Hmmm...might we have a white Christmas?  

The lights are up in our downtown, Christmas music plays and the air is very crisp to say the least.  It is winter in Central Pennsylvania!  Our dear Nori is even huddling under a lamp for some extra heat... Oh the life of leisure she leads!  She is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Christmas Tree so she can shimmy up the branches and lounge amongst the ornaments and lights!  She gets very protective of her Holiday Tree Fort!  I'm sure there will be a post or 2 on that subject.

Moving on...It's official...I have retired....from ONE of my jobs that is!  I am enjoying VERY MUCH being at Grove's full-time now.  It has truly been a year of change and there are still changes to come...they may have to rollover to 2012 but they are coming.  Stay tuned. 

Today is Monday, so I'll share a bit of Monday Madness...CARDS!!!!  This whole retirement thing has messed with my creative time a bit.  Adjusting to the new schedule and such has been challenging to say the least! Slowly it's all falling into place.  I took some time in between customers at the store to create this week!  This is what I came up with.  Again using my scraps and working with what was in front of me.  Here are a few Christmas cards...

using some My Mind's Eye Christmas from the Lost and Found collection and a touch of Tim Holtz holiday bling!  All placed on a Hero Arts card base with white interior.  Love those cards from Hero Arts!  I also really love using up these scraps!

I also created a few other cards, only one of which I'll show...the others are a surprise and I'd hate for them to hear about it before it's time!  December is a big birthday month for us...in addition to Christmas gifts...we wrap birthday gifts!!!!  This year we did a few special birthday cards for another special person...

Hope you have some cards making in your future!  They are quick, easy and it's a great way to use up those scraps!

Back to the hustle and bustle!  

Merry Christmas!

Staci