Fabulous Friday - Blueprint Challenge

On this Fabulous Friday New Years Eve edition, we have a fantastic blueprint challenge from the lovely Carolyn. Here is her blueprint...isn't it awesome?

Here is her interpretation!

Thank you Carolyn for this awesome challenge!

From all of us at Scrap Shotz, we wish we all a Happy New Year and all the best in 2011.

Fabulous Friday - Anything But Challenge

Hi there, Laurel here. My challenge for you today is anything but a card or scrapbook page. I upcycled a can from some chipboard elements. I covered it with paper and stickers from the Echo Park Wintertime kit and made a tag to match. I will put some homemade hot chocolate, some mini marshmallows, mini candy canes and a Tim Hortons gift certificate. This is going to be a gift for our mailman. So I would love to see what you do for my anything but challenge.

Thanks - enjoy your Christmas Eve!

Be Inspired! in December - Candy Cane Wrappers

2 more days until Christmas; are you ready? Here is a quick and super fun gift idea from Stephanie!

If you’re looking for an inexpensive easy to make gift to hand out over the holiday season, here’s a great idea that I saw on a blog.

Start with a box of candy canes.

 

Remove them from the box but leave them wrapped. Go to your printer and print up a bunch of Christmas sayings in strips. Leave space between the lines and cut the strips.

Put a small amount of adhesive in the middle of the back side of the strip and fold it around your candy cane. More adhesive will hold the ends together.

Trim the ends with decorative scissors or just clip. Now you have a small gift for your children’s friends, the baby sitter, or the children in your neighbourhood!

These are just darling! Thanks Stephanie for your inspiration!

December Be Inspired - Making Rosettes

Looking for the perfect personal touch to any gift or card? Well, design team member, Laura Gilhuly has the perfect tutorial for you today!



Supplies:
3 strips of paper 12 inches long. The width is up to you. If you wish a wider rosette, if you choose over 1 1/2" you will need to cut two strips and glue them end to end. The ones I chose to do are 1/2 inch

glue gun
scoring blade or score pal
button, pearl or other accent for center
punched circle smaller than the flower

1) score your strip of paper every 1/4 inch and fold like an accordion

2) overlap the ends to form a tent and glue together

3) lay your circle on a hard surface and push the center down and squish together to form the rosette

4) put some hot glue on your punched circle.

5) pick up your rosette and place on the circle

6) hold in shape until glue is dry

7) add button or gem to middle

and voila you have your own rosette!

Here are some examples of some rosettes

Thanks Laura for the inspiration!

December Be Inspired - Candy Cane Peppermint Bark

Yum yum yum is all I have to say!!! Here is Stephanie's super secret candy cane peppermint bark recipe. Thank you SO much for sharing Stephanie!

I started with a really good quality Belgian white chocolate. Generally speaking, the better quality chocolates have a higher cocoa solids content and will melt really easily. Be careful with white chocolate as it will burn if you heat it too much.

Here we go! Melt about 2 cups of white chocolate. I used a double boiler for mine. While this is melting, take your candy canes and remove the wrappers.

Next you will need to break up 12 candy canes. I put mine in a double Ziploc bag and used a hammer. Don’t pound them too much as you want small pieces but not dust. Add your broken up pieces to the melted chocolate.

Stir these up together and spread the mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place the sheet in the fridge to cool. Once it’s cooled, break into smaller pieces and enjoy!

Thanks for sharing Stephanie!

Spotted in the Gallery!

I just love browsing through the gallery lately... everything is looking so festive! It really gets me in the mood for Christmas!



Our card tag this month was a lot of fun... and I'd like to share this card posted by Dawn... I just love how she stamped the sentiment on the Christmas ornament!




Hope all your holiday crafts are coming right along. Please drop by the gallery and share them with us!

Fabulous Friday - Chromotherapy Challenge

On this Fabulous Friday, we have an awesome Chromotherapy Challenge from Laura.

When I think of winter I think of the bright blue skies and white snow so for this month I am going to make it easy (I know everyone is super busy this time of year) I want to see you use these two colors (and variations of) in your project! have fun ladies!

Thank you Laura for this great challenge!

December Be Inspired - Making Envelopes

I love love love Laura's inspiration for today. I cannot tell you the number of times that I have run into a problem finding an evelope that will fit! Grrrr!!!

We all have those white sheets of paper that come in our new albums. Really what do you do with them? Well they are perfect for making envelopes for larger cards.

The one I created for this is perfect for those 6 1/4 x 6 1/4 cards. You can go smaller or bigger, just adjust the size you cut your square.

1) Cut your paper in a square and mark the center.

2) Lay it in front of you like a diamond. Fold up the bottom so the peak touches the center.

3) Fold the bottom down again and fold in the two sides so their peaks touch the center.

4) Fold the bottom up again

5) Apply a bit of strong glue (I used aileens white glue) and let dry.

6) Fold down the top.

7) Decorate the front.

Have fun!

Thanks for showing me how to make a custom envelope Laura!

December Be Inspired - A PaperCrafter's Christmas Wish List

Are your loved ones scratching their heads on what to get you for Christmas? Or as you pondering what to purchase for the papercrafter in your life? Well, this post is for you! I've scoured the Scrap Shotz store and rounded up what I think would be a thoughtful and wonderful gift to receive this year.

In David Letterman style, let's start with #10! If your MoJo goes missing, just pick up this fantastic book by Becky Fleck. She is amazing and this time she has included card sketches and digi sketches along with her awesome layout sketches.

Coming in with #9 is Copics! With the amazing array of colours, it is no wonder these pens have taken the scrapbooking and cardmaking world by storm!

And in the #8'th position is the Scor-Pal or its baby sister, the Scor-Buddy. I am primarily a scrapper but let me tell you, I use the Scor-Buddy all.the.time! I love it!

The 7th position is the Scrapbook and Cards Today and Becky Fleck Page Maps joint product, the 2011 Calendar. This is a beautiful keepsake.

And how about this beauty in the 6th spot? Every girl deserves some luxurious ribbons and these beautiful ribbons from Websters Pages and American Crafts do the trick!


Holding the 5th position is one of the hottest fibres in the industry, twine from The Twinery. Gosh, the colours are endless. Here are just a few to whet your appetite!

The 4th position is the typical gift that keeps on giving! I am talking about the American Crafts Dear Lizzy album kit. Gosh this kit is loaded to the brim with papers, chipboard elements and stickers...and and and...an album too!!!! This is an awesome gift for the beginner, novice or expert!

Ooooh I'm into the Top 3 now!!! OK the 3rd spot is the We R Memory Keepers Sew Easy Tool. If you love the hand sewn look, you will love this tool. The handle and heads are sold separately. This is versatility plus!

  The 2nd position is an Imaginesce iRock and gems. This hot little tool is priced well and will last for a very long time.

And drumroll please, at the top of the list is a 6 month Scrap Shotz kit subscription! Who wouldn't want a pizza box brimming with goodies every month like this...

What do you think??  What do you like? I would love to hear from you!

Pssst! Today is 15% Tuesday at Scrap Shotz, a fantastic day to Christmas shop! *wink* *wink*

Be Inspired! in December - My Christmas Miracles

Today we have some great inspiration from team member, Laura Gilhuly.

Every year we do our Christmas layouts and cards, so I thought I would help out with some titles, poems and quotes you may want to use on those merry layouts!

Quotes

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~Burton Hillis

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through! ~Author Unknown

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Charles Dickens

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. ~W.T. Ellis

Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles. ~Author Unknown

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
The gladness of Christmas give you hope,
The warmth of Christmas grant you love.
~Author Unknown


May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
~Ada V. Hendricks

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect. ~Oren Arnold

Titles

'Tis the Season
98% Nice 2% Naughty
A Gift From Santa
A Special Gift
A Taste Of Christmas
A time for giving
A Time of Wonder
All Hearts Come Home for Christmas
All wrapped up
Babes in Toyland
Baking Memories
Believe in the magic of Christmas
Celebrate the Season
Christmas Blessings
Christmas Chaos
Christmas Cheer
Christmas Cuties
Christmas is a Clause for Celebration
Christmas Joy
Christmas Kisses
Christmas Memories
December Magic
Deck the Halls
Families are a special part of Christmas
Gingerbread Boys!
Happy Birthday Jesus
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Holiday Happiness
Holiday Hoopla
Holiday Magic
Holly Daze
Holly Jolly Christmas
Home for the Holidays
I Believe
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Jesus is the Reason for the Season
Jingle All the Way
Joys Of The Season
Little Elves
Magical Holidays
Merry and Bright
Mistletoe Magic
My Christmas Angel(s)
Rejoice
Some Assembly Required (putting together toys)
Twas The Night Before Christmas
Unwrap the FUN!
White Christmas
Wise Men Still Adore Him

Poems

Our Christmas Wish For You

Our Christmas wish for you
Is not a simple one
For we wish you hope and joy and peace
Days filled with warmth and sun

May you count your blessings, one by one
And when totalled by the lot
May you find all you've been given
To be more than what you sought

May God be your strength and light
May your spirit never grow old
May all your clouds have silver linings
And your rainbows pots of gold

We wish this all and so much more
May all your dreams come true
May you have a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year, too …


'Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house.
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that ST. NICHOLAS soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name.
"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL,
AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT."

Here is Laura's layout titled, My Christmas Miracles.

Thank you Laura for this great inspiration!

Spotted in the Gallery!

This week the gallery was BURSTING with Holiday goodness! I just had to share these cards that Lorraine uploaded... (and yes, I am having a major case of bow envy but I have noone to blame but myself!)

Fabulous Friday - Blueprint Challenge

Today we have an awesome Blueprint Challenge for our Fabulous Friday series from Stephanie Schan.

Here is the blueprint:

And here is Stephanie's interpretation:

Beautiful Stephanie! I look forward to seeing your interpretation in the gallery!

Be Inspired!

I was going to say that there is Inspiration Everywhere at Scrap Shotz for the month of December but Jessica Sprague stole my line! LOL I am hoping that you will check the Scrap Shotz blog regularly throughout the month of December for some holiday inspiration.

At our house, we start every December, no matter how old you are (!) with the advent calendar. Over the years I seem to have accumulated various advent calendars. Sure, I have a few "fun" calendars that are filled with chocolates and fortunes for fun things to do and I also have some that tell the story of Christmas. My family loves both!

This year I put together my Kaisercraft advent calendar using the Graphic45 Christmas Past papers. I love everything about the calendar and the papers. The advent calendar and papers can be purchased through Sandy - just give her a quick email or click on the links to shop online.

Here is my calendar.

Advent calendars come in all different shapes and sizes. I encourage you to be inspired by my calendar and make a version all your own!

Please link me up to your advent calendar!