Designer Chat with Christy Riopel

 

 I have been blessed to write for the Canadian Scrapbooker over the last four and a half years I have been so lucky to meet some simply amazing people! They truly are talented. One such {inspiring} and beautiful lady is Christy Riopel and I am so glad that I can call her a friend! Christy has always made me feel so comfortable at any event, she always makes me smile, and she always has a bed for me to crash in when I am teaching in Calgary. She gives the best hugs too!!! I invited Christy to be part of the Christmas Love Campaign’s Designer Chat to chat a little bit about Designing, Christmas & Love.

So… Without further ado, I would like to welcome…

                                                  Merry Christmas everyone!

Welcome to the Christmas Love Campaign and
thanks Susan for having me!
Growing up in a single parent family, Christmas was a difficult time
for my family. There just wasn't money for presents or extras. Through
out the year we often went without things or made do with what we had,
but my Mother would do her best to make Christmas as special as she
could.
A big part of that was making gifts for each other. One year I
remember getting a vanity table made out of wooden crates. I loved
that table and felt so grown up sitting at it. Some gifts were less
successful but still make us laugh; like a set a matching blue and red
striped nighties that   my mom made all of us. They made us vibrate
like a TV screen test pattern when we stood beside each other and were
so narrow you had the pull them up over your knees to walk up the
stairs to bed, making you look like a psychedelic penguin.
I learned to crochet, knit, sew, bake, can, make chocolates, and many
other skills in the pursuit of making a special gift for someone. I
sewed doll clothes out of scraps and old clothes for my sisters. We
would draw pictures, or make jewellery for each other.
The best part of those gifts was the anticipation you would feel as
you carefully planned and constructed your gift. As years went by we
could afford  to buy gifts for each other, but it never felt as good
as those gifts we welded by hand for each other, in fact home made
gifts are still my favourite to give and get!

Materials for card: Core ‘dinations card stock, fibre putty, Unity
stamps, Martha Stewart edge punch,  unknown ribbon and Susan K. Weckesser Inc. Crafter’s Workshop stencil!!

Be sure to visit Christy’s BEAUTIFUL BLOG and say hi and spread some Christmas Love! Make sure to also check out her work at the Canadian Scrapbooker because she really ROCKS!

I love how Christy used my Susan K. Weckesser Inc./ Crafter’s Workshop Stencil! AWESOME!

Thank-you SO Much Christy for stopping by & sharing your wonderful story! I SO agree home-made gifts are the best! xo

You can find my stencil here. 

Be sure to drop the Christmas Love Campaign Facebook page and see all the contests that are happening ! You don’t want to miss a thing!

           Our next Designer Chat will be on December 18 ….be sure to join us!

Winter Wonderland Diorama

Hi everyone Jennifer here today. I don't know about you but I remember when I was a kid we made "di0ramas" at school as projects.  I have had this little box kicking around for a while, it is an old package from Prima flowers.  I knew one day it would come in handy.  I dug it out when I though I would make a little Winter Wonderland scene.

First off I cut a piece of paper to fit the back, it was the sun image from the Beautiful Daydreams paper.  I then put a circle of Spellbinders bling around the sun. 

I then stamped 6 snowman images on paper and cut them out leaving an extra bit of paper below the snowman to make a stand. 

I then cut out some pieces of green paper from the backside of the Live in Colour paper.  I shaped them into a bows of a tree and pop dotted them together.  On top I added some Ranger Enamel Accents as snow on top.  I added a blue bling star to the top.

On the back side of the clear part of the box I dotted it with the same Enamel Accents to resemble snow.  Then I added glitter to them.   On the front I stamped the sentiment "Let it Snow" from Susan K Weckesser Unity Stamp set, Itty Bitty Snowman. 

I pieced everything together layering the snowmen and tree to the back ground.  I folded the bottom on each snowman and glued them to the box.  Some of the snowmen I cut short so they looked like they sunk in the snow.  Around the snowmen I tucked batting (from sewing) in between to make it look like snow. 

To finish it off, I tied a bow around the whole thing. 

What a cute little diorama, that snowman melts my heart. 

Not sure where in my house this will grace but I am sure I will find a special spot.

Thanks for coming by to look, hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday season, Best Wishes to all!!!

Jennifer

Designer Chat with Margot Potter

I have so privileged to meet so many super talented and amazing designers, crafters and artists over the last year from all over the world. They have have truly {inspired} me, so during this Christmas Season…. I decided to ask them to chat a little bit about Designing, Christmas & Love.

My first guest is the beautiful and super talented Margot Potter. I met her at the very first CHA the I ever went to and being the shy person that I can be (yes, this chatty little Ukrainian CAN be shy), Margot made me feel truly welcome. I think we chatted for maybe just five minutes but something about her lovely personality made me feel right so welcomed!

So… Without further ado, I would like to welcome…

Christmas Kindness

The Christmas season allows us a little glimpse into the best (and sometimes the worst) of human behaviour. The curtains are pulled back and people all get just a little bit more real this time of year. Everything moves at such a rapid pace, we’re busy and overwhelmed and disconnected. We spend more time staring at screens than we do staring at real people. It’s becoming epidemic, this constant need to be chatting or texting or messaging on social networking platforms. I’ve seen people stand in line at a checkout talking on their phone the entire time, completely ignoring the check out person as if they weren’t even there. People chat and text while driving, parking, shopping, dining. When we’re so distracted by virtual reality, it’s easy to forget to practice the little common courtesies, but I believe these have the biggest impact. A door opened for a frazzled shopper, a smile and quick conversation with the cashier, an extra something in the tip for the waiter...it all has impact. I like to think these small kindnesses are like ripples on the water, as they push outward they get bigger turning into waves.

It’s easy to point to the grand gesture or write a big check at the holidays, but these small kindnesses are important too. In fact, these small kindnesses are becoming an endangered species and they matter immensely. If we can move outside of what I call our ‘me bubble’ and allow for the opportunity to connect with others, magical things happen for all of us.

I’m going to try to hold this in the front of my mind this holiday season as I move through the world outside of my little studio. I, too, am busy, distracted and disconnected. Random kindness and senseless acts of beauty are at the top of my agenda.

Whatever you celebrate this time of year, may it be merry and bright.

Love,

Madge

www.margotpotter.com

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter™

The Fine Art of Shameless Self Promotion e-book is getting rave reviews, do you have your copy yet? (http://www.margotpotter.com/products/the-fine-art-of-shameless-self-promotion)

                       Be Happy DIY Feather Ornament

Thank-you SO much Margot for your wonderful words and for dropping by!
Stop by Margot Potter's Blog today... not only is she talking about the Christmas Love Campaign, but she has a little gift for you too!
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Please take some time to check out Margot Potter’s Blog cause it really rocks!!!  And…. Margot has a new eBook out that is really super neat that you can check out HERE.

Remember to stop by the Christmas Love Campaign Facebook page to see all the amazing contests and give aways that are going on! If you haven’t already…come on over and join in the fun and help #craftuplove!!! The Next Designer Chat will be on December 14.

Have a super CREATIVE day!

hugs,

Susan

Wrap it Up–Christmas Love Campaign Challenge

Gifts come in all shapes and sizes, but a beautiful bow always excites me rather on a wrapped package or even a holiday gift bag.   How about one on a card?
Let’s give a fun challenge this week and you will be entered to win a FREE copy of Project Dig Deep Ebook by Becky Higgins with Big Picture Scrapbooking.  

• make any card with a BOW!
• don’t forget the envelope.  It’s all in the packaging, right?  Give the envelope any personalization or custom make an envelope.
• take pictures of your card and envelope
• give your card away to someone (try a random stranger in the grocery market or workplace this time)
• Share your project with us and tell us who or where you gave your card away on the Christmas Love Campaign Facebook Page
• come back to this post and leave a comment with a copy of the link to your post on our Christmas Love Campaign Facebook Page

Winner will be chosen from the comments left on this post that meet this challenge by 12/15/2012 and announced on 12/16/2012!  

SO MUCH Going ON……Winners, Colors, Contests…

 

{cOlOrEd IcE} VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

So why the pictures of my colored ice….. well, I was putting this blog post together and my face is SO swollen from a little big of surgery that I had to have yesterday. When I came across these pictures that I took last winter… well, they looked SO inviting and refreshing and colorful…so I had to share them again!!! Which leads me to … COLOR! I LOVE color and PANTONE just announced … Drum roll please….

 

What do you think of the color of the year?

Personally I think it is getting us back to those earthy tones that were popular in the late 70’s – early 80’s. I remember my mom always buying fabrics in warm earth tones and matching tweeds. I would complain because she would lovingly sew me slacks that would itch me something terrible. Oh children sometimes! I really do love the color though. Very inviting!

Down to Business

Tags of Love Contest Winner

Thank-you to everyone who took the time to be part of this fun Christmas Love Campaign contest. The winner is Linzie Head. Congratulations Linzie please email me at susiebeestudios@gmail.com.

Linzie made these cute tags! Aren’t they wonderful!

To see Rhonna Farrer’s winner please go and check out Rhonna’s wonderful blog HERE. Thank-you Rhonna for letting us be part of the fun!

Get READY for the NEXT Christmas Love Contest!!!

SO….. Here again are the Links for FACEBOOK.

              

So have fun! And do something nice for that friend that is so AWESOME and always does something nice for someone else! Can’t wait to hear the stories!

Have a wonderful day!

hugs,

Susan

Tickled Pink {Poised and Pretty}

I don't know about you all, but December is pretty much a whirlwind for me. It seems you get thrown right in head first once Thanksgiving hits. My birthday is December 3 and with the holidays, comes school activities, community events, family gatherings, gift buying, present wrapping, baking, the list goes on...

But one thing I like to try to stop on top of is THANK YOU NOTES. These little gems can come in so handy at the last minute. There is so much to be thankful for this time of year and we should all remember to remind those who are special to us we are grateful. So, I created this one to send off to a loved one for a birthday gift I received. It's so fun and colorful mixed with vintage...so that's basically me, in a nutshell! 

I used Susan's papers for this as well as the Poised and Pretty stamp set. {One of my all time very favorites!!!!} For this coloring technique, I used watercolor paper and Tim Holtz Distress Markers to blend and shade. Such a simple technique that looks super cool.

Finished the card off with some floral washi tape and Studio Calico wood veneer stars...now it's ready to be shipped out. Have a LOVELY day! xoxo

Erin

Winner from Susan K Weckesser Inc & Unity Co Blog HOP!!!!

All of us here at Susan K Weckesser and Unity Stamp Company want to thank you for taking the time to join us for our first Blog Hop.   This hop was much fun and very special as we shared simple Christmas Card ideas.   We hope you found some inspiration (I'm confident you did!!! ).

So, without further delay, the winner chosen from comments left on Susan K Weckesser Inc Design Team blogs is.....

...

...

...

*** Julie Odil ***

Please contact cheryl@cherylswindow.com and I'll give you directions how to claim your amazing prize package.

Congratulations, Julie.