Christmas Greetings Blog Hop, Day #2

If you are here for the Christmas Cookies and Cards Blog Hop, please click HERE.

Welcome to the Christmas Greetings Blog Hop (12/2-12/4), featuring Christmas cards made by some very talented ladies. Stop back to each of the HopStops daily this weekend to see a new card on each day. We'll each have a Christmas gift to brighten the day of a winner chosen at random from those who leave comments and follow.

Here is my card for Day #2, Saturday December 3:

I fell SO in love with these little elf fairies that are from Penny Black Stamps. I paper pieced her dress, and used Copic Markers to color her.  I trimmed out her hat's fur using Liquid Pearls.  The paper, banner and "joy" letters are from Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker. 

I have the ornament swinging from the window ledge, cut using a Spellbinders "Our Daily Bread" window die.  I filled the panes with acetate. For the inside of the card, I printed a ClickArt Online image of a sky, ornaments and pine tree, where there's space enough to write a message. 

For my blog candy, I have a super sweet pair of Stainless Steel soft-handled scissors by Recollections. These have adorable pink/white padded finger holes and terrific tiny-points for intricate fussy cutting. 

To win, simply leave a comment on this post and be a CardMonkey follower.  In your comment, please leave a way for me to contact you, when you win.  Winner will be chosen at random on Sunday, 12/4 and posted on Monday, 12/5.  Come back on Day #3 tomorrow and post a comment then too, for an additional chance to win!!  Thank you and good luck!

... AND do come over to see my projects for the Christmas Cookies and Card blog hop this weekend, too!

Now hop over to the Treeeeeeemendous Tina for your next stop. Here's the entire line-up, in case you get lost:

1.Angela Holt http://www.theblingtheory.blogspot.com        BLOG STARTS HERE!!! 

2.Cally Ann http://callyanncraftycreations.blogspot.com 

YOU ARE HERE:  

3.Ellen Card Monkey Jarvis http://cardmonkey.business.blogspot.com 

HERE'S YOUR NEXT STOP:

4.Tina Riley http://parablesproductions.blogspot.com 

5.Kristine Koeing http://crystalsoftime.com
6.Janet Murray Nagai http://www.createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/
7.Candace Zentner http://www.scrappin2littleprincesses.blogspot.com/

Christmas Greetings Blog Hop, Day #1

Welcome to the Christmas Greetings Blog Hop (12/2-12/4), featuring Christmas cards made by some very talented ladies. Stop back to each of the HopStops daily this weekend to see a new card on each day. We'll each have a Christmas gift to brighten the day of a winner chosen at random from those who leave comments and follow.

Here is my card for Day #1, Friday December 2:

You may recognize this card if you're a subscriber to Cricut Magazine ... I got the idea from their pages.  

I didn't have candy cane striped paper, so I made my own on my computer/printer. (Cute!!!)  I typeset the sentiment too. For the reindeer, I used the Doodlecharm Cricut cartridge, and embossed the face with an argyle pattern, just because....

For my blog candy, I have a super sweet pair of Stainless Steel soft-handled scissors by Recollections. These have adorable pink/white padded finger holes and terrific tiny-points for intricate fussy cutting. 

To win, simply leave a comment on this post and be a CardMonkey follower.  In your comment, please leave a way for me to contact you, when you win.  Winner will be chosen at random on Sunday, 12/4 and posted on Monday, 12/5.  Come back on days #2 and #3 and post comments then too, for additional chances to win!!  Thank you and good luck!

Now hop over to the Treeeeeeemendous Tina for your next stop. Here's the entire line-up, in case you get lost:

1.Angela Holt http://www.theblingtheory.blogspot.com        BLOG STARTS HERE!!! 

2.Cally Ann http://callyanncraftycreations.blogspot.com 

YOU ARE HERE:  

3.Ellen Card Monkey Jarvis http://cardmonkey.business.blogspot.com 

HERE'S YOUR NEXT STOP:

4.Tina Riley http://parablesproductions.blogspot.com 

5.Kristine Koeing http://crystalsoftime.com
6.Janet Murray Nagai http://www.createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/
7.Candace Zentner http://www.scrappin2littleprincesses.blogspot.com/

When was the last time you went on a Picnik?

... not the kind where you spread your checkered blanket under a tree, and Yogi Bear descends to steal your "Pic-nic basket, Boo-Boo."

But, the website -- www.Picnik.com??  It's this site where I make the collages and add text to my photos. I love the site so much!  It allows tinkering and, essentially, digi-scrapping and all sorts of neat things. And it's EASY-PEASY to use!! The upgrade to "Premium" and its cost is SO worth it -- and I say that without any compensation or discount or anything...

Check out this Picnik Collage I made of grandbaby Charlotte through the year -- beginning (top left) with birth, then at One Month, Month Two, etc.   Picnik made it so easy to convert each of these pics to B&W, soften the sides, use rounded corners, etc.    Try it, you'll LOVE it!

Feel Better, Brookie!!

Mobile by Julie Tucker-Wolek

Hi Friends!

For those who have followed my blog for a while know these two things about me, for sure: I am deeply touched by the children with health challenges, and I ♥ Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker (NSS) paper.

Well, these two things collided in the Paper Jungle this weekend....

The blog coordinator for NSS's Doghouse is a sweetheart named Julie Tucker-Wolek. Julie enables encourages my addiction to NSS ... I follow her posts on her blog and am inspired by her work.  I also stalk enjoy her posts on Facebook. You should go to Julie's blog just to find such adorable stuff like the magical Christmas decoration at left.  :):):):):)

So while I was following along, I saw the touching pictures of Julie's daughter, Brookie.  Brookie recently had another round of laser surgeries to remove port wine stains. Despite the blisters and pain, dear Brookie continues to smile. 

I asked Julie if I could make and send a card to Brookie, and she said yes! :):):):)  Here's the card I made, using NSS papers for the main part, and a Hambo Stamp digi-image to go with.   

If you too would like to make/send a card to Brookie, please send them to me and I will forward them to the Wolek Family.  (E-mail me at Cardmonkey@comcast.net for my USPS address.)

I also plan on submitting the photo of this card (and link here) in the Card Patterns Sketch Challenge #143.  Here is the sketch I followed to make this card... I'm not a sketch challenge monkey (this is my first!) but it was fun to stretch my thinking (and the height of my card!) to participate in this!

FEEL BETTER SOON, Brookie!  Keep smiling!!!

First birthday Decorations

My grandbaby Charlotte's first birthday celebration is in two weeks ... it's hard to believe that this time last year, we were on pins and needles awaiting her birth. How much joy she's given our whole family since then!!


My daughter Emily and her hubby Josh have picked "penguins, snowmen and snowflakes" for the theme of Charlotte's first party. 


Today I was able to finish a banner that I've been working on for a while ...

These adorable penguins are GRAPHICS by GOODNESS & FUN at mygraphico.com. 

I printed the penguins out on 8.5x11" cardstock using my HP Officejet, then fussy cut them, added some cardboard support behind the "hands" so I could add eyelets. I tied them together using black satin ribbon, highlighted with white/gold bows. From each of the "hands", I strung fishing (clear) line and hung ice-blue snowflakes cut using Cheery Lynn Designs diesI purchased at a discount from Happy Scrappy.  I embellished each of the lines and snowflakes with rhinestone adhesives from Mei Flower.  The snowflakes above the banner are simply adhered to the wall using Scotch double-sided tape.

Next up, I'm finishing up party favors that are Emily's design. She is gluing one baby food jar on top of another, tying a fleece scarf at the neck, and decorating the jars as if they're snowmen wearing stove pipe hats. In the top jar, she's putting marshmallows, the bottom will hold hot cocoa mix. This is a little sign I made for the treat table!

Monkeying Around on Thanksgiving Day

New York's famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade featured 3 new floats. Leave It To CardMonkey to notice that one is none other than a flying monkey, Julius:

Julius the Monkey makes his Thanksgiving Day Parade premier in 2011!

Side view!

Getting ready for the big day!

Making the Monkey!

Thanksgiving Blessings, One and All

... from my favorite ONE (celebrating in less than 2 weeks!), grandbaby Charlotte!