Stationary Holder/Organizer

This great little stationary holder kicks off our VIRTUAL WORKSHOP. I think you will agree this will make such a fabulous gift for ANYone. Check out post # to see how this holder works great as a Christmas Organizer, the perfect place to jot down a note or handle all those store reciepts.

I plan to give THIS holder to my nephew. He is always so thoughtful with notes and thank yous. I made it a bit more on the masculine side for him. This would be a great gift for any dad!

To order a kit with this project in it simply email me and ask for the CARD HOLDER KIT. Your kit will include all supplies needed (other than adhesive) to create FIVE holders (cards, envelopes and pens not included.) Everything will be precut and prescored in your kit. Use the stamp set Happiness is a Journey, as I did or choose one of your own. These CARD HOLDER KITS are only $15. You can purchase the CARD KIT which includes five cards with envelopes for only $5. I used the mini RSVP ink pens. The regular sized pens work just as well.

Check back in an hour or so for the next VIRTUAL WORKSHOP project.


Holiday Organizer/Stationary Holder
Supplies:
Designer Series Paper
Coordinating Card Stock (one color 8.1/2 x 11 and another color 2 x 5)
Neutrals Card Stock (Whisper White, Very Vanilla or any of this sort)
Ribbon (about 20 to 25”)
12 x 12 cutter and score tool
Sticky Strip

1. Trim DSP to 4x5.
2. With the 8.1/2 side to the TOP of the cutter, score card stock at 6.1/2.
3. With the 11” side to the TOP of the cutter, score at 5.1/4 and 5.3/4.
4. Use your cutter to cut a slit in each center score to create opening for pen.
5. Feed ribbon through slits from INSIDE holder, wrapping around pen.
6. Use Sticky Strip to adhere ribbon to outside of holder.
7. Adhere DSP to front of holder.
8. Layer with coordinating card stock.Stamp image of choice and adhere over coordinating card stock.

I am so grateful...

Happy Thanksgiving! I am so grateful for YOU, my customers, my friends, my blogger buddies. I have prayed for you and I know God will bless you. He has blessed me more than I could ever imagine. Life can be tough... confusing... frustrating... and yet, HE remains the same. It is so good to have that One constant in life. I pray that you know that Constant and if you do not, I pray you might feel comfortable enough to chat with me about having Him in your life. Once again, Happy Thanksgiving! I'm not going to tell you not to eat too much today... there's too much good stuff on the table, he. So go! Go EAT! Enjoy the dance!

Virtual Workshop Sneak Peak #3

THIS is a project worth starting the holiday off with! Check out this adorable ORGANIZER. Create this as gifts to give NOW or... be sure to tune into the Virtual Workshop coming up the DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING and find out how to turn this adorable organizer into a GREETING CARD GIFT SET. As with most of the projects to be seen during the Virtual Workshop, this project will be available in kits you can purchase with all supplies included (other than your own adhesive.) See you this weekend!

Virtual Workshop Sneak Peak #2

I am IN LOVE with this card! First of all, I LOVE snowmen (and women, he.) And secondly, I get this "country Christmas" feeling when I look at this card. Want to know how to make it? Tune into the Virtual Workshop coming up the day after Thanksgiving and find out all the details. You can even order kits to create this adorable snowman card. Don't think of this as a Christmas card. It can be a "thinking of you" card or a "thank you" card all throughout the winter season. THAT is another reason I love it... it goes way beyond Christmas. See you at the Virtual Workshop!

Virtual Workshop Sneak Peak #1

Giving gift cards for the any special occassion is so much fun for paper crafters! Check out this adorable gift card holder and be sure to check out my VIRTUAL WORKSHOP coming soon THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING to view all the details for this project and many many more. Project kits will be available for purchase so make all of your gift giving fun and easy. See you at the Virtual Workshop right here on my blog. Enjoy the holiday dance!

Weekend Retreat Success

Would you just look at this paper crafted shoe?! Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen?! Although it wasn't neccessarily the cutest thing to put together, I am so glad I did so none-the-less. This was one of the projects offered as a make & take at the retreat I attended this past weekend.

Let me tell you, gals! You simply MUST plan on attending the retreat next year. It is planned for the weekend of Oct. 16 and Lois is taking reservations NOW. It was more than just a stamping/scrapbooking weekend. There were gals there sewing, quilting, gift creating, and whatever else their hearts were set to creating. It was neat to see so many different crafters enjoying not only their uninterrupted time but the fellowship of others with similar interests. And the FOOD! Oh my, the food was fantastic!

The retreat was located at the Butler State Park in Carrollton, KY which is about an hour's drive from Southern IN. (I'm looking forward to the drive next year. Since it will be in Oct, God should have the trees in beautiful autumn splender.) The meals were at the Two Rivers Restaurant. And the accomodations were very nice for the entire event. I hope some of you that I know and love will join me next year and enjoy your time as much as I did this year.

If you would like to contact Lois about more information on next year's retreat, email me for her contact information. If you would like the PATTERN FOR THIS ADORABLE SHOE, tune in to my Virtual Workshop and find out how to get it for FREE.

First Snow of the Season

My secret sistah sent me this card this week. Isn't it gorgeous?! I just love the colors she selected... so fun for snow! And it arrived the same day as our very first snow for the season. How appropriate! I CASEd her card right away because I love it SNOW MUCH, he.

Isn't the ribbon cool? She used the striped Pink Pirouette from Stampin' Up!. Wanna know how she did it? Hmmm. You will have to tune in to my VIRTUAL WORKSHOP coming up the weekend of Thanksgiving weekend. All weekend long I will have posts of ideas just like this for you to enjoy. So tune in all weekend long!

Box Kits for SALE!

Order your kit NOW! Each one of these Lavender Sentiments Box Kits include all supplies needed (including instructions and excluding adhesive) to create ALL FOUR BOXES SEEN HERE. The price is one you will not be able to pass up! Are you ready for this?... One kit (which includes all four boxes) is only $7.99! Can you believe it?!

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This was my most recently taught class at Lavender Sentiments Scrapbook Store in New Albany, IN. Lana, the owner of the store, is such a sweetheart and she is offering these kits for only $7.99 each (which include all four boxes, I know... I already said that. he.) Give Lana a call at (812) 945-0790 or email her at lavendersentiments@att.net to place your order.

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These boxes are SO EASY to put together and the supplies are already cut AND scored for you! They are the perfect size for a gift card with a few candies or jewelry or any little something special. If you end up having any questions once you have your kit, you can simply email me. I am here to serve you. :-)

Country Living Holiday Collection Promotion

Invite the warmth and coziness of the holidays into your home with Stampin’ Up!’s® Country Living Holiday Collection Stampin’ Kit. This kit has everything you need to create beautiful handcrafted ornaments.

• Holiday Collection six-piece stamp set
• Die-cut chipboard/Designer Series paper
• Whisper White card stock
• Ribbon and cord
• Pretties Kit brads
• Dazzling Diamonds Stampin’ Glitter®
• Classic and Craft Stampin’ Spots®
• Adhesives

Available November 1-December 31st or while supplies last! More details available HERE.

Here is the six-piece Holiday Collection stamp set.

Cards for a Cause

I'm SO EXCITED!!! My "tin-o-cards" brought $125 at the school fundraiser! Whoo Hoo!!! What a great way to contribute to the school! (happy happy dance)

Our Fall Fundraiser is this weekend and my donation to the silent auction will be a tin of hand made greeting cards. You know how I LOVE Stampin' Up!. Would you believe most of the items I used to create this tin were on CLEARANCE at the hobby store?! I am a major bargain shopper! The entire tin (not including greeting cards) cost me less than $7. Whoa! Of course the greeting cards are strickly Stampin' Up!. Not sure what total cost I have in them since they are all different. I included 30 cards with envelopes.

Ya know what I hate?! I hate when I create something intending to give it away and end up liking it so much I REALLY want to keep it! he he...

I hope this little gem brings the school lots of money on the part of my little family. Care to bid? wink.

Super Sketch

If you've noticed in my sidebar, there is a sketch offered for your inspiration. I hear so many of my clients say they are not talented or not creative. I tell them all the same thing... "You do not have to be creative to COPY." That is why I SHARE.

I LOVE to create... right from the ground up (so to speak.) However, I usually just don't have the time to start from scratch. That is why I love challenges. They kind-of give me something to start with. Sketch Challenges are great for this purpose. They give us a foundation to build upon. Makes it so much easier than coming up with it all. Add a Color Challenge to the Sketch Challenge and now you're really cookin' (or stampin'... whatever. he.)

So how about it? Take my Sketch Challenge. You can use the colors of my two cards show here or come up with your own. The Stampin' Up! Color Coach is PERFECT for helping with color combos. Create a card and send it to me at Gettelfinger Insurance, Kelly Jean Gettelfinger, 330 East Court Ave., Jeffersonville, IN 47130. I love happy mail (getting and giving) so you will get a little happy happy in your box as well. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

For the larger leaves on this card, I used the "Thumping" technique. I first inked my image with Certainly Celery. Then, using a blender pen loaded with Basic Gray, I "thumped" my inked image. After that, I loaded my blender pen with Pacific Point and "thumped" again. Stamped the image and oooooh, lovely.

Take the Challenge(s)

I LOVE a good challenge! And I must confess... I am a bit addicted to the SCS challenges. When my swap group ( NMBSwaps ) decided to offer weekly challenge... I jumped on the stampin' wagon right away! Challenges (for me) do to things... 1. they force me to think outside my creative box and use my own creativity and 2. they offer me ideas from other stampers when my creative box becomes a creative BLOCK (pun intended, he.)

I made this card for my very first participation card with the Stamp Something Simple Challenge found on the Stamp Something Blog. The challenge for this week is to create a card using only ONE LAYER. Since I LOVE white cards, this is my kind of challenge!

I also included two of the most recent Nimbee Challenges found on the NMBS blog. Challenge #19 was to use TEARING somewhere on your card and challenge #20 was to EMBOSS something on your card. I did both here. I used the Tearing Edge by Stampin' Up! to tear down the right hand side of my card front. Then on the back side of my opened card I embossed the outer edge using the Two Way Glue Pen and Gold Glory Embossing Powder.

Not a challenge but more of an inspiration, Cards magazine offers a section in the November issue called "Inside and Outside." The featured projects encourage card makers to "dress up" the inside of their cards in reflection of the outside. (see inside of my card below)

For my tree, I used the "Thumping Technique." If you've never tried this technique, you simply HAVE to try it RIGHT NOW, he. Seriously, it is such an easy technique that adds such a dramatic effect. I just love it!

So, how about you? Are you up for a good challenge? If so, CASE my card however you like and leave me a sweet little message here. Be sure to add a link to your card so I can be equally inspired by you. Thanks ahead of time!

November's Calendar Camp

I have the PERFECT gift for you to give to all of your loved ones this Chritsmas! These Keepsake Calendars will be the HIT OF THE HOLIDAYS! At November's Stamp Camp on Sunday, November 30th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, you will create this adorable 6x6 Calendar Keepsake Album with tons and tons of Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper left over for many more albums to create.

This camp inludes all supplies to create one 12 month, 14 page 6x6 calendar. In the camp supplies, you will receive an entire pack of Designer Series Paper of your choice (if you RSVP by November 18th.) You will also receive complete step by step instructions on how to trim down ONLY ONE SHEET OF DSP to create all 12 pages. That's right! This adorable little project only uses ONE SHEET OF DSP. These fun double-sided papers are perfect for this project!

 Calendar Kits can be ordered as well. Send your check or money order to at the address seen here. There is no s/h for ordered kits.

You may choose to give your calendar as a gift nestled within the cover of a 6x6 album (as shown below.) Or have your calendar bound by your local office supply store. My album shown in the photo at top was bound by a home binding machine. This will be a fun camp! Hope to stamp with you then!

These are just a few of the pages within the calendar.

God's Grace

I don't normally "journal" on my blog. I like hosting my blog for the simple reason of sharing God's given talent of creativity through rubber stamping with others. Today, however, I must admit I am feeling a bit overwhelmed (sigh, the house... the kids... the job... relationships... the elections... on and on and on.) Perhaps you've felt a bit overwhelmed at times? Thus, my sharing.

I wrote this verse many many years ago but it still stands true for me. I just have to make myself FOCUS to allow it to take effect in my life. The verse says this... "Imagine yourself in a pool of water, under a sheet of ice. For you to breathe, you would need to catch breaths very near the bottom of the ice just above the water. It would be a struggle. Being under God's grace, for me, is realizing I am effortlessly standing atop the firm ice looking down to see my reflection in the water." Whew! God is great!

This is a 6x6 scrapbook page using the Merry stamp set retired from Stampin' Up!. Six by six pages are so super easy for creating "me" pages. Some day... some one will want to know more about you. Try creating one 6x6 scrapbook page (every now and then) to journal about sweet little YOU. You can journal how you feel as I have with this page. Or you can journal about someone you admire or that has touched your life. Journal about what you believe or the things you enjoy. Just share about YOU. Later in life, some one will appreciate you even more than they already do.

Unfolding Changes in Our Country

I love these little boxes. Stampin' Up! use to offer them precut and prepunched. Unfortunately, they are no longer available. I still have a ton of them so I like to put them together as hostess gifts (good reason to schedule a workshop with me. wink.)

I love the verse from this retired stamp set because I believe it is so true. God knows exactly who we are and who He wants us to be. We are not changing into that person of righteousness but unfolding the beauty of Christ within us.

Please VOTE TODAY as this is a freedom made available to us through many dedicated men and women (thank you, by the way!) If you are a Christian, you must vote the Bible. To believe in Christ and not stand for His Word is to be a liar. Bend your knee with me today and pray for the elections and the outcome... no matter who is elected. God's will WILL be done and changes in this country will unfold. Are we ready for those changes?