Merry Christmas

May the joy and blessings of Christmas

be with you and your family!

Just a few more holiday cards for this year

Hello blogland!  I have a few quick holiday cards to share with you today which will probably be the first in my stash for next Christmas :)  All were made with some of the new StampersBest holiday releases.

 Happy Holidays Kirby rubber stamp

Pointsettia Ornament

Holiday House

Elf Wrapper

Holiday Mail

Go check out all the stamps at StampersBest HERE and use the coupon code MBS10off when you checkout to save 10% on your order :)

New Design Team at Crafting by Designs

Hello blogland!  I'm so thrilled and proud to announce the newest DT for Crafting by Designs:

Cindy Leek

Chrissie Tobas

Rene van Wyk

Julia Vazquez

Aletha Jane Williams

Tammy Smith

Sharon Duff

Angie Smith

Doris T (you're here)



We've got some great things planned for you starting in January so please be sure to stop by and join us!!  Click on the link HERE to join - see you there :)

Snowmen and Sugar Queens

Hello blogland!  Ten days till Christmas and I think I'm finally catching up!  I'm done making Snowman Soup, Reindeer Poop and the adorable Snowman candy bars, and happy to say my daughter and I raised more than $800 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society via Team in Training.  Now my daughter will be going to do a half marathon in Disney World next month as the final part of this great fundraiser.  So proud of her......

I do have something to share - I made a banner for my oldest daughter who is doing a craft fair this weekend.

I used my Cricut Imagine to cut out the letters and a Sizzix top note die for the backgrounds, added some glitter and the Sugar Queens banner was ready.  And speaking of Sugar Queens, need a sugar fix?  Do you like cake pops?  Looking for a special holiday treat like hot chocolate on a stick? Go check out her Etsy store HERE.  Fantastically delicious :)



Paper Piecing a Poinsettia

Hello blogland!  I've finally found a free moment to play with a few of my new stamps from StampersBest and wanted to try something different with the pointsettia.  It's such a nice size, so I gave paper piecing a try and here's what I came up with:

I used a piece of dotted red paper from a DCWV Christmas stack and used a Martha Stewart gold glitter pen to highlight the gold dots.  Then I just used some green and white scraps for the rest of the flower and leaves and tied some red/white ribbon on the bottom and used a new sentiment stamp to finish it up.  You can see all the new StampersBest stamps HERE. 

I just love snowmen...

Hello blogland!  A few weeks ago I told you about helping my daughter with a big fundraiser for the Leukemis & Lymphoma Society via Team in Training, and we've been whipping up some Snowman Soup Packages and Reindeer Poop.

These have been flying out the door as fast as we can make them, so THANK YOU to everyone who has purchased them.  Take a look at what we came up with today........

They're giant 4.4 oz Hershey Chocolate bars in this adorable wrapper courtesy of Laurie Furnell, then topped off with a warm fuzzy pair of stretchy gloves.  Do you love them - I can't stop making them! So not only do you feed your sweet tooth, you get a warm pair of gloves AND make a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I know you're all thinking "I can do that", but in case you can't or don't have time and think this is a great way to support a great cause, please check them out in my Etsy store HERE.  Thank you! 

Ok, now I've REALLY got to get back to my Christmas cards!  I got a lovely box of new stamps from StampersBest that are just screaming for me to play with them, so I'll be back tomorrow to show you what I made with them :)

More new holiday stamps from StampersBest

Hello blogland!  If you're like me, you're still making holiday cards, and I've got a new batch from StampersBest to play with this week.  Check them all out HERE .  Take a look at a few:

Create a Christmas Ticket Rubber Stamp Set

Do you like elves?  If so there are four more that go along with Elf Garland Dance Rubber Stamp.

How about penguins?  This little guy is just adorable and can be found HERE.

There are tons more, too many to show here.  Want to save 10% off your order?  Use the coupon code mbs10off at checkoff.  Better yet, want 15% off your order?  Use coupon code thanksgiving from November 24 to November 28 only and get 15% off your total order!

Up to my eyeballs in Snowman Soup and Reindeer Poop

Hello blogland!  This past week my daughter and I have been as busy as little elves making Snowman Soup kits and packages of Reindeer Poop for a holiday fair next weekend.  Wanna see?

The Snowman Soup kit is a packet of Swiss Miss hot cocoa and a baggie of mini marshmallows.  Isn't he adorable?

And this little baggie of Reindeer Poop is really chocolate covered raisins.  What were you thinking it was?  We made a ton of these and all are available in my Etsy shop HERE.  100% of the sale of these items are being donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society via Team in Training, which is a huge fundraiser my daughter is doing.  Need a little something for a teacher gift or for the mailman and UPS guy, or for a Christmas cookie exchange? Please consider giving them one of these :)

Operation Write Home Veterans Day Blog Hop on 11-11-11

Hello blogland!  Operation Write Home is hosting a very unique bloghop for Veteran's Day this year! With the date being 11-11-11, they've invited 11 amazing companies who LOVE our heroes to join in this special event on Veteran's Day weekend. The hop will begin on the Stars and Stamps blog HERE- mark your calendar and please join us! 

In the mean time while we wait, check out the great tutorial on the OWH Stars and Stripes blog for a pop-up easel card HERE.

Design Team call for Crafting by Designs

Hello blogland! If you're not familiar with Crafting by Designs, we're a small group looking for some new crafty members and several new Design Team Members.  Interested?  Sure you are!  We have two new challenges each week, we love sharing new techniques and projects with each other while having daily chats and some fun.  To become a member go HERE.

We're also having a Design Team call for a few spots beginning in January.  If you'd like to be considered, here's the simple requirements:

 1) Sign up for a 6 month term

 2) Participate in at least three challenges per month, preferrably more
 3) Share some of your projects and talents with our members
 4) Comment on challenge and gallery projects
 5) Be willing to share the CBD fun on your blog (if you have one)
 6) Have a friendly personality with a desire to create

To apply, please email me at Momsbeenscrappin at yahoo dot com with the following:
 1) Your name
 2) Your email
 3) Your blog (if you have one but not required)
 4) Tell me a bit about yourself, any DT experience (not necessary), and why you'd like to join our DT
 5) Two of your favorite card projects

What's in it for you:  Friendship from a great bunch of crafters and some great design team experience :)

That's it!  We're not a high maintance group and vary the challenges each week to include Copic/Markers; Cricut/Die Cutters; Color Combos; Use Your Stamps/Scraps; Sketch; Clean and Simple; you get the idea - something for everyone!

This call will be open until December 15th and chosen designers will be contacted by December 18th.  Come join us!!

Clean and Simple Holiday Cards

Hello blogland!  Like everyone else, I'm wondering how it got to be November already!  And like everyone else, I've been working on holiday cards and having a ball! First, I needed a nice clean and simple design to use for some card sets for a fundraiser for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society that my daughter is doing.  I headed right to some of the new holiday designs from StampersBest and have had a ball using them.

Candy Cane Rubber Stamp

Christmas Tree Rubber Stamp

Sentiment from the Christmas Holly Borders Set

Christmas Ornaments Rubber Stamps



Decorated Reindeer Rubber Stamp

And here's one using one of my favorite Unity Stamps:

Cute, right?  Are you still looking for some holiday stamps?  Hop on over to StampersBest and get 10% off your order total by using the coupon code MBS10off at checkout. 

Holiday Card Boot Camp 2011

Hello blogland!  It's been almost two weeks since I've gotten to play in my craft room, but now that I'm all caught up with the other stuff, I've got all day tomorrow to play.  But what did I do today?  I signed up for Holiday Card Boot Camp 2011 and I can't wait!!  No matter how many holiday cards I've made, I can always use some new inspiration and who better to get it from then Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Warner.  Haven't heard of Holiday Card Boot Camp?  Go HERE for all the details and come join me, but hurry - classes start on November 7.

New StampersBest Stamps

Hello blogland!  Are you working on your holiday cards yet?  I've been trying to get a few made each week since the summer because..... it's October already!!  This year I'll be using these adorable little snowmen (or is it snow people) from StampersBest. 

This first stamp is Snowman Hugs found HERE

This stamp is Snowman and Birdies found HERE

This stamp is Snow Family found HERE

If you're not a fan of the snow people or to see more of them, go check out some of the other holiday and new releases from StampersBest HERE and if you use the coupon code mbs10off when checking out, you'll save 10% off your order.  And after you've bought your stamps, check out the contest they're running on the StampersBest blog HERE and their Facebook page HERE for a chance to win a lovely bunch of their stamps.

New challenges at Crafting by Designs

Hello blogland!  It's Friday and that means two new challenges at Crafting by Designs.  The first challenge is a color challenge based on this beautiful picture from Littleblueprints.blogspot.com

What a lovely autumn picture and great inspiration to make a card!  Want to join us?  Sure you do - send me an email or leave a comment on this post and I'll send you an invite.  All challenge entries are eligible to win a prize from this month's sponsor Basically Bare.

Operation Write Home Blog Hop

Hello blogland! Welcome to my stop on the Operation Write Home blog hop! I'm already elbow deep in holiday cards, how about you?  Here's a few cards I'd like to share with you:

I've got a thing for snowmen and these are both stamps from StampersBest.  I've been making cards for Operation Write Home for two years now and always have them in mind when I'm making cards for challenges during the year - I try to make two of the same card and one goes right into the OWH box.  This way I have a nice variety of cards to send to our heroes, and one for me!  Enjoy the rest of the hop!

Haunted House free digi from StampersBest

Hello blogland!  Did you get your free haunted house digi from StampersBest?  Hurry while it's still up - go HERE to download it.  Here's what I did with mine:

I colored it with copics and used some silver stickles on the trees and Glossy Accents on the moon and windows.  Spooky!

Be sure to stop by on Saturday October 1st to join the Operation Write Home blog hop!

Crafting by Designs Challenges and a free Halloween digi from StampersBest

Hello blogland!  What's better on a rainy Friday than playing with some new stamps for some challenges at Crafting by Designs!  We have two new challenges this week: one from our guest designer Sharon Duff who chose a Halloween theme and the other is embossing.  The embossing one was easy - I pulled out my box of embossing folders and here's what I ended up with:

I used a piece of Tim Holtz Distress cardstock and the embossing folder really makes the color pop, and it highlights the Memento Inks I used on this big StampersBest stamp.  Easy peasy :)

Now the Halloween challenge was a bit tougher - I just realized I did not have one single Halloween stamp!  But a Sizzix die would due:

Layered on some DCWV paper and more Tim Holtz cardstock and it's all set to go.  And if you're looking for a great Halloween digi, check out this great haunted house freebie - yup I said freebie - from StampersBest HERE.  And be sure to stop by their store HERE and check out all their stamps - and use coupon code msb10off to get 10% off your order.

Two new challenges at Crafting by Designs

Hello blogland!  It was so nice to be able to play in my craftroom again, but it seemed as if my mojo wasn't anywhere to be found.  But after playing for a little while, I did manage to get a few cards made for our two new challenges at Crafting by Designs.

First up, Use Your Stamps:

For this first card I used a stamp from StampersBest and chose to use some fall colors and layered the image on some DCWV cardstock and design paper.

This little guy is from an Inkadinkado stamp set.  I stamped him once on the white base then again on some designer paper, cut him out and used some pop dots to give him a 3D look.

Next challenge - CAS, my favorite.

I used a few StampersBest stamps and chose to use some fall colors ink pads and not color in the image, then layered it on some DCWV paper and a few little pieces of bling to bring out the ink colors.  Easy peasy.

Go check out all the new releases over at StampersBest. Want 10% off your order?  Use the coupon code msb10off when checking out.  Want to come play with us over at Crafting by Designs?  Sure you do - send me an email or leave a comment here and I'll send you an invite.

Two new challenges at Crafting by Designs

Hello blogland!  Just a quick post today so I can finish getting my craft room ready to play again.  No rain for 4 days now and my basement if finally dried out - hope it stays that way :)  I wanted to share our two new challenges at Crafting by Designs.  The first is "Bling it on" - make any kind of project using some bling.  Here's a great sample made by Sharon Duff:



Next up is "Ink it Up" - use at least two kinds of ink in your project: ink pads, alcohol ink, perfect pearls, glimmer mist, whatever.  Here's a little card I made using four Tim Holtz Distress inks.



Want to play?  Sure you do - send me an email or leave a comment on this post with your email addrss and I'll send you an invitation to Crafting by Designs!

Never forget

Remembering those lost and those saved

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me....

New Releases at StampersBest

Hello blogland!  Rain + basement = no crafting for me for another week.  Hurricane Irene may be long gone, but it rained all week in NJ which brought more water into my basement where my craft room is.  Hopefully the sun will stay out to help dry everything up so I can get some crafting done.

While I wait for that, I think I'll need some retail therapy, and I'm starting at StampersBest.  They just released a ton of new stamps for September: borders, sentiments, winter, animals, floral, halloween and so much more.  Go check them out HERE.  Want to save 10% on your order?  Use the coupon code msb10off at checkout.