The Holiday Heyday Sale ends on Dec. 17th (or while supplies last).  There are many great buys still available.  One of the best deals is the Grab Bag.  You can purchase $100 worth of Close To My Heart goodies for just $30.  Here’s a sample of what came in one of the grab bags already shipped out:

* My Acrylix Classic Caps
* My Acrylix Random Thoughts
* My Accents – White
* Chocolate eyelets
* White Sassy Strands
* Summer Carnival Sassy Strands
* Clear Inspirations- Thank You
* My Stickease Floral Tapestry
* Black Base Pages 12×12
* My Reflections Elegant Bouquet Level 1
* Textured Cardstock pack in spring colors

A couple of other great items still available: 

Magic Moments kit – includes 12×12 preprinted pages, ribbon and brads (would make a great calendar gift!)

Sassy Strands for $1.00

Ribbon rounds for $4.00

Level 1 paper packs for $5.00

Card Kits for $6.50

Let’s Play Ball stamp set for $6.00 (orig. $18.95)

Precious Alphabet for $8.00 (orig. $22.95)

Shop here:  www.clearly.myctmh.com in the Holiday Heyday Sale.

Waxy flax is so easy to work with.  I reach for it every time I need to thread a button.  I prefer it over embroidery floss or even hemp because it doesn’t shred when you start working with it.  Plus we have 11 beautiful colors that match our cardstocks and inks perfectly.  For this card I tied two of the HeartFelt die-cut wonder shapes together with waxy flax.  I left the ends rather long – 1 1/2 inch or so.  To give the waxy flax a different look I twisted it so it started curling on itself.  Just keep twisting and twisting to get the achieved look.  You might have to snip a tad bit off the end that didn’t curl. 

Recipe:  Heartfelt Wonder Die-Cut shapes, Many Thanks stamp set, Back Country paper pack, Love Letter rub ons, Chocolate cardstock, brads and stamp pad, Crystal blue cardstock, sandpaper, stipple brush, Olive stamp pad and Bamboo waxy flax

For your amusement here is a little spoof about the midnight stamper making her Christmas cards going around on the internet a few years ago.

“Twas the Week Before Christmas” by Sherri Campbell
(who has WAY too much time on her hands *Ü*)

‘Twas the week before Christmas
and the house was a hush.
Save the stamping of rubber
in a last minute rush.

The cardstock was cut
with precision and care,
In hopes that a greeting
would soon be stamped there.

The children were tucked in
their beds around eight,
but now it’s 10:30–
How’d it get so late?

And I in my PJs
with blurry red eyes,
had finally arranged
all the stamping supplies.

It started out simple
(it does every year)
just make a few cards
for friends who are dear.

Nothing too fancy–
just an elegant touch
A gold embossed image,
some ribbon and such.

I pressed ink to paper
(it looked crisp and clean)
a sprinkle of powder,
then heat for a sheen.

When what on my green Christmas
cards should appear?
Why a tiny gold Santa,
with sleigh and reindeer!

But with little stray flecks,
and some missing spots, too,
I knew in a moment
this one wouldn’t do.

Then I tried it again,
once more, and another.
“I will get this right!”
I said to no other.

On pigment! On powder!
On heat from a gun!
Now ribbon! And envie!
Can I make fifty-one?

“I can do it!” I said
with all of my might.
And looked at the clock–
’twas well past midnight.

I went straight to stamping
out card after card.
“This might take all night,
but at least it’s not hard.”

But after I finished,
they looked a bit lame.
I didn’t want fancy,
but these were too plain.

And then in a twinkling
a thought came to mind.
“I’ll just dress them up
and then they’ll be fine.”

So I went in my craftroom
and looked all around.
Then back to the table
with all that I’d found.

My Fiskars I brandished
(I wasn’t a quitter).
And soon I was covered
in EP and glitter.

A bundle of papers
I spread on the table
to find the right background
(quite sure I was able).

With fibers that sparkled,
a mulberry sheet
was just the right choice,
my card to complete.

I started to smile
when the cuckoo came out.
“It’s now 3am!”
That bird left no doubt.

The cap of a marker
I held in my teeth.
I’d lay in some color,
or maybe gold leaf.

My broad little face
was all beaded with sweat.
But I wouldn’t give up!
Well, not at least yet.

There was glue on the table
and ink on the floor.
I laughed at the site,
though my fingers were sore.

I did not complain,
just kept up my work.
When more things went wrong,
I did not go berserk.

When I finally finished,
one card, around six,
it looked pretty good
after all of my tricks.

“I’m keeping this one.
My work on it shows.”
So clutching my card,
up the staircase I rose.

I crawled into bed
at the first crack of dawn.
Creativity spent,
motivation all gone.

But make no mistake!
I promise one thing–
“You’ll all get your cards!
But you’ll get them next Spring!”

Shopping starts at 9 a.m. MST

Online shopping here:

www.clearly.myctmh.com

HURRY for best selection and please be patient as the ordering system will be jam packed.

View the list here:  http://houseostamps.wordpress.com/sale-stamps-paper/

Welcome to our Blog Hop featuring the December Stamp of the Month – Notice the Details.  If you came here from fancyMelissa’s blog you are on the right path.  Please follow along below to continue our blog hop. 

 This set of 41 stamps will help you record all the special days in your life.  With phrases like “Marvelously Ordinary” and “Celebrate the Everyday” even your most simple days take on special meaning with this stamp set.  I created a birthday card with the SOTM and also featured the stamp set, Delightful Things.   I particularly like the center of the flower which demonstrates a pewter brad threaded through a button hole. 

Now head on over to Misty’s blog to see what she came up with for the December Stamp of the Month.

Don’t forget the December Stamp of the Month is only available this month.  You can even get one for free with a $100 order.  Or get 25% off with a $25 order, 50% off with a $50 order, 75% off with a $75 order. 

• Cut and score your card bases
• Cut your layers of paper for the cards
• Stamping/Embossing the image(s)
• Coloring in the images if necessary
• Attaching layers
• Adding embellishment(s)
• Stamp the inside of your card with message
• Stamping the back of card with “made by…”
• Sign your card

I don’t know about you guys but I have about 10 piles laying on my stamp table of cards in progress and really, really, REALLY want to move on to something else.  So I’m going to work really hard this week to get the majority of my cards done.  Here’s to a really productive week of card making!

In the new card pattern book from CTMH, Wishes, there are a lot of card bases that are circles.  I think these are so unique and really make a card stand out.  I also think they look especially festive this time of year – especially when you add an ornament “top” to it and a ribbon, like I did on this first card.   To make these cards I cut my cardstock into 5 x 10″ strips and scored at 5″.  So you have a 5″ square.  Then I used the 4 1/2″ circle on the (retired) coluzzle to cut my circle.  I laid the template over the card and then moved it a bit so there was at least 1″ for the fold and then cut my circle.  It fits beautifully in an invitation envelope. 

If you don’t want to go that route, there is a CD included in the Wishes book that has all sorts of templates, including a circle!

Recipe:  Jingle paper pack, Holiday Jingle stamp set, Holiday Trinkets stamp set, Just for the Holidays stamp set, Creme Brulee stamp pad, white daisy stamp pad, silver embossing powder, Tulip stamp pad, Twilight stamp pad & cardstock, Green embroidery floss, Twinkle brads, white eyelets & ribbon, sandpaper, circle punch & corner punch.

  I made these cards awhile ago and forgot to post them for you.   Duh!  I used a pattern from the book Wishes for these cards.   Obviously one friend had a baby boy and the other had a baby girl.  The boy card looks so whimsical with the Animal Crackers paper and the girl card looks so elegant with the That’s Amore paper pack. 

Boy card Recipe:  Animal Crackers paper pack, Sweet Baby stamp set, white ric-rac, Dutch Blue textured cardstock, brads & stamp pad, foam die-cut numbers, scalloped circle punches (non-CTMH), Summer craft buttons & colonial white waxy flax.

Girl card Recipe:  Tha’s Amore paper pack, Sweet Baby stamp set, Colonial white ribbon rounds, Blush  textured cardstock, brads & stamp pad, foam die-cut numbers, scalloped circle punches (non-CTMH), Clear craft buttons & colonial white waxy flax.