Challenge 437~Dear Doily, Stampin Up

I needed to make a sympathy card for a dear friend, who lost her dad unexpectedly.  I'm not so good at making sympathy cards so I searched for a sketch challenge that would be able to give me a hand, and I found one.  

I will submit this card to the challenge at:

Try Stamping on Tuesday

   

The stamp set featured in this card is:

Stampin Up: Dear Doily 

I really love the Blackberry Bliss ink Color, and the font of the sentiment. It's so lovely.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

PJ

PP470~Woosh Snowman, Stampin Up, Skiing Snowman Merry Christmas

 I made this fun card for the challenge at:

The Paper Players

  

My Frosty the Snowman decided to go skiing.  So he's swooshing over the snow glistening hills to "woosh" you a Merry Christmas.   

The stamp set featured in this card is:

Stampin UP:  Woosh Snowman from 1998 and I paired it up with the delightful new DSP from this year's stampin up Holiday catalog.  

I'm including another picture of our side yard.  We got a few inches of snow for Frosty.   

I shared a few more pictures in my last post, but I thought just one was needed to show that indeed we can make a snowman.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

PJ

Sketch #344 Wonderful Year, Nothing Sweeter, Stampin Up, Merry Christmas

I didn't think I was going to have a chance to enter the challenge this week.  Well, with thanksgiving and then trying to decorate the house for Christmas that takes a lot out of me.  But Praise the Lord I did manage to find a spot of time to play with my stamps.  I even surprised myself with this card because the paper is not something I normally would purchase for Christmas.  I am one of those very nostalgic Christmas card people, Navy Blue, with white or Silver, Red Green, or vintage colors, but this was stepping out of the box for me. I have to say, it's not to shabby.   

The stamp sets featured in this card are:

Stamping Up:  Wonderful Year

Stampin Up: Nothing Sweeter

I will submit this card to the challenge at:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

I'm sharing a few pictures of our snowfall today.  We got about 4-5 inches.  The morning Dove does not look impressed with it, however he does look well fed, and thanks to my husband who keeps the feeders full. 

Speaking of my sweetheart, he also worked on putting our Christmas lights up out front. 🎄

I think he did a fabulous job.  

He always decorates a couple of the trees in the side yard for me to enjoy.   I LOVE that.   Otherwise I don't get to see the lights out front, so that's no fun.  Well, unless I'm driving by the house or something.  AS you can see our home is on a busy street and also quite a steep hill, so with me being unsteady I don't walk out there with out him.  So now I can sit in my home and see the lights in the yard.

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving. 

I had a realization this weekend.  I've had an Etsy shop for a couple years now.  I am pleased with it, but it's not very profitable.   However, I still like the idea of trying to sell my cards.  But I also am a stampin up demonstrator and I'm really no good at sales.  I am more of a hobby stamper.   Just can't seem to get others as excited about stamping cards as I get.   So here's what I thought, I should not think about cards as a way to make money for myself my hobby, but rather as a ministry to others.  So that's it folks, I'm just going to keep making them, add a few to etsy, but not be overly concerned about it, and then perhaps lay low with my stampin up purchases to not break the bank so to say, but still have some supplies to make cards to send out to people and make them happy. Of course I always love entering challenges so that a fun thing to keep me motivated.   I just got a bit obsessed with trying to make money from selling them.  I think God wants me to give more instead.   Sorry for rambling I just wanted to share with you all. 

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

PJ  

SSC218 GOT CIRCLES?~Making Christmas Bright, Snowman Season, Nothing Sweeter, Stampin Up

 Happy Thanksgiving🦃.  Today I will be spending the rest of my day in the kitchen.  I plan on making the pie, apple crisp, fudge and candy today.  Then tomorrow the meal, and it looks like we might be packing it up to having Thanksgiving down by our son, and our daughter and son in law will be coming too.   I hope it will be nice driving weather, today it's snowing and blowing here.  I'll share a picture at the bottom.

I will submit my card to the challenge at:

Sunday Stamps

The stamp sets featured in this card are:

Stampin Up:  Making Christmas Bright

Stampin Up:  Snowman Season

Stampin Up:  Nothing Sweeter

Do you ever get the feeling your hobby is too expensive?   I do, and today as I think about all the stamp sets I have (which is not that many)  I'm feeling very grateful.  For in this hobby I've found a way to escape the constant pain and frustration of what is now my life.  Of course I'm always holding on to hope that I will have a job again,  because I'm not much of a sales lady for stampin up,  And I'd truly like to be able to help my sweet hubby with our bills.  Mostly medical.   But at this time of year I'm thankful for my stamps and this blog, and the ability to share with others,  I'm even thankful for my Etsy store. 

But my family, and friends,  that is what I'm so very thankful for💝

I hope you have a Blessed Thanksgiving Day.  May God bless you and your family.

 

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

PJ

TMS #530 ~ Farmhouse Christmas, Stampin Up

 I made this card for the challenge at:

Tuesday Morning Sketches

 

The stamp set featured in this card is:

Stampin Up:  Farmhouse Christmas 

I really like how this card came together.  I didn't think I'd use the little truck at first, but then I realized I cut that upper strip so wide it needed a little something so the addition of the truck was perfect.  

I'm also including a picture of our little buddy, HP.  He has a sore paw and is not happy to have it wrapped up.  Even though he's not in a playful mood, he's still guarding his ball.  Notice it's under his paw.  

I am having a black Friday sale in my Etsy shop all week.  I hope you will stop by and check it out.  

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

PJ

PP468~Signs of Santa, #Elfie, Stampin up

 Oh boy this card turned out so cute😊 especially since when I took the picture with my camera the light hit those snowflakes and made them sparkle.  

I'm going to submit this card to the challenge at:

The Paper Players

The stamp sets featured in this card are:

Stampin Up:  Signs Of Santa

Stampin Up: #Elfie

I added a bit of the puff paint to the North Pole sign, and the little caps on the Elves.   I think it turned out nicely.   

I really love that sentiment on the inside. I will be using that on a lot of my Christmas cards this year.

I'm also including a picture of the calendar cards I made for my Etsy shop.   They turned out really nice this year.    Next week I will be having a black Friday Sale.  I'm hoping I will be able to sell a few items.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

PJ

Sketch #343~Perfectly Plaid, Holly Berry Happiness, Wishing You Well, Stampin Up

 Goodness gracious, this little card was being difficult, as far as picture taking goes.   It reminded me of parents trying to get their little ones to pose for the perfect Christmas picture and it just won't happen.  Those are the most precious pictures, however, when you're trying to take a nice picture of the card you made for a challenge and it's not cooperating.. UGH!!  I don't know if it was the gold glimmer that threw off the lighting but nevertheless, I eventually settled for this one.  

I will submit it to the challenge at:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

The stamp sets featured in this card are:

Stampin Up:  Perfectly Plaid

Stampin Up:  Holly Berry Happiness

Stampin Up:  Wishing You Well

I moved the bow to the bottom of the tree, because quite frankly it was too huge for the wreath on the side, and perhaps if I hadn't already glued down the tree I could have shared the space a little better.  Oh well.  It's finished now.  

I'm also adding a picture of the calendars I've been working on feverishly.  I wanted to get them done and put them in my shop, I plan on having an authentic Black Friday sale next week.  How official sounding.  I hope you will check it out. 

Thank you for stopping by.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping 

PJ