Santa's On His Way!

Okay, okay, I know - I didn't post at ALL yesterday!
Can I just tell ya', I don't have enough hours in the day right now. There is so much going on in our life - all of it GOOD STUFF, but Oh, so much of it at one time. And I hate dropping the ball on anything, especially YOU guys!

Anyway, thanks for being so patient with me. You wouldn't believe the number of projects I have stored up to share - and I will get to each one of them!

Today I wanted to show you what the Stampin' Fools made last night:

We had such a great time in the studio together! Christmas was definitely in the air, with lots of gifts and goodies being shared, treats to eat and of course - fun stampin' projects! I love these ladies so much!

So, just in time for Christmas, Santa made his appearance in the studio. I'd seen many projects using Santa's suit over the past few months and finally decided to make my own version. Here is the cute tote:

It's an old, old design idea that uses one full sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock for the tote. From there, you can decorate it however you wish. I saw Selene's photo tutorial for it on Stamping 411 yesterday and it all just clicked for me! Make a Santa tote!!
Here's the link to the Stamping 411 tote tutorial for you: Tote or Card Holder Tutorial

For mine, I used Real Red cardstock for the body, Shimmer White for the furry placket, Silver Glimmer Paper for the belt buckle and Basic Black Satin Ribbon for the belt.
The fur was made with the Vintage Wallpaper Folder in my Big Shot and I just tore down both edges. The belt buckle was made with the small size on the Scallop Square Duo Die.
The handle is Basic Black cardstock cut at 3/4" x 11". It's attached with two Silver Jumbo Brads. I made the tag with the Tags Til Christmas stamp set and used my Tag Punches to punch it out plus the layer. It's tied on with Baker's Twine. SO easy!!

Here's the card I designed to go with it:

All the same supplies, just a regular card size of 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" folded.

On the inside, I used two Whisper White panels. One for our family photo on the left (no, the Stampin' Fools did NOT use my family photo, even though some of them asked me for it! ha!), the other for the greeting stamp. I used one from Many Merry Messages stamped in Real Red.

Really quick and easy projects to complete, but they are sure to bring a smile to anyone's face!

Ok, so that's it for today. I'm headed out the door to go pick up stuff for Emma's 14th Birthday Party Sleepover. Yep, I'm a crazy woman! 8 teenage girls all in my basement overnight! Aiyiyi!! What was I thinking?!!
I can tell you this - it will be LIGHTS OUT at Midnight! No cranky kid running around here tomorrow! Hmmph!
And Momma needs her beauty sleep!

Have a good one and wish me luck!
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge - Bright Butterfly

Good evening folks! I know I'm a wee bit late getting my 411 card posted for you, but will you forgive me if I have a good reason? Ok, good. Oh, you want to know what that reason is, eh? Well, my hubby came home early from work today and decided to come to the skating rink with me and Emma. Which in itself is great! But, we then headed to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner - Famous Dave's! We LOVE their bar-be-que and deep fried pickles! Yummy! Check out these pics here from Emma's birthday in December. Yep, she chose Famous Dave's for her 13th birthday dinner!

So thanks for being patient with me in my lateness. I knew you'd understand!
Here's my operator card for this week's 411 Sketch Challenge -

I got my issue of a popular stamping magazine in the mail earlier this week and this was a color combination that really caught my eye. I thought it was so cool that the Sale-A-Bration Ice Cream DSP from Stampin' Up! had all those same colors in it. Nothing like being on trend! It was so refreshing to make something really bright, fun and summery. The weather has been so cold everywhere lately that I knew this color combination would warm us all up!
I used Pacific Point, Melon Mambo, Whisper White and Daffodil Delight. The DSP also has Peach Parfait and Old Olive in it, so in person, this card really has a light, fun and airy feel.

Here's the sketch we had to work with:

I stayed pretty true to the sketch this week, my biggest deviation was not wrapping my ribbon all around. But I liked having the ends loose, kind of reminded me of ribbons on a big straw hat. Here's a close up of my focal image, it's hard to see, but I've put Dazzling Diamonds on the little cut out butterfly - we all need a little bling!

The color spatters are actually two different colors. I used my Color Spritzer tool with a Pacific Point Stampin' Write Marker on the background and Melon Mambo on the focal image. And I know you can't see this in the photo, but that beautiful swirl image from the Bliss Sale-A-Bration stamp set is Heat Embossed with Pacific Point Craft Ink and Clear EP. So pretty in person!
I used a gift from my friend Lee Conrey to make the sweet double satin bow, isn't it lovely? The whole focal point is popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals.

All the attention to detail on the front meant that I had to jazz up the inside too. Here's a little peek at the inside:

Nothing fancy, just a few stamped images and some more spritzing, but it sure does make a difference when you add a little extra!

So now that you've stopped by, please take a minute to visit the Stamping 411 Blog and see the other Operators take on the sketch, I know they will inspire you - maybe you'll even want to join the challenge and make your own card. That would be great!

Have a great weekend everyone, see you soon!
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch - Funky Love Flower!

***Pre-posted since we are in Lake Placid, NY right now!

Ok, I'll admit it! I really struggled with this week's Stamping 411 Sketch! I tried 3 times to make this card what I had in my head and nothing was working out! That may have had something to do with all the distraction of having to leave a day early for our trip, but STILL! You'd think I could keep it simple!
Oh, well, I've said it before, Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug!

Here's my card - you be the judge!

Now, don't be distracted by the cute little cupcake stand - even though it is adorable! I did that on purpose to make you think the card is cuter than it is! :) I actually DO love the flower on the card, so there, that is something!
Here's the sketch we had to work with:

Seems simple enough, right?!

Anyway, I kept it pretty simple, just using Basic Black, Whisper White and the valentine's dsp from the Occasions Mini. I made the flower with the new Fun Flowers die - love that thing! and crumpled up the flowers and sponged them with Pink Pirouette ink before putting them all together with a Jumbo Brad.

The center was stamped with the XOXO stamp set with Real Red Craft Ink and embossed in clear ep. I punched it out and added it to a circle of Red Glimmer Paper, adding a Rhinestone Jewel to the "o".
More Rhinestones are on the Blushing Bride Twill Ribbon that runs alongside the Polka Dot embossing that I did with my Big Shot.

Ok, the more I write about it, the more I like it. But I'd still love to hear what you think!
Be sure to leave me a comment and then go visit the Stamping 411 Blog and see what the other Operators came up with! I know they will inspire you!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch - Sympathy in Saffron

Welcome back to my blog stamping friends!
Have you had a good week? Things have been a little odd here this week, but all good - really! With the snow we had, Emma had 3 days off school so we've spent a lot of time in our pj's the past few days - it's kinda nice to be honest. But I have a feeling that if I do that too often then one day Mark will come home from work to find me right where he left me - probably not a pretty sight! Good thing I have the lure of stamping to get me up and moving! :)

This week's Stamping 411 Sketch turned out to be perfect for me. I needed to make a sympathy card for an old friend who lost her Father a few days ago - always hate to have to make these cards - and the focal panel was the perfect size for the image I wanted to use.
Here's a look at the front of my card:

I hadn't used So Saffron in like, forever, and I thought it would be a nice color for this card - sending my message, but in a soft, feminine way. I started with a card base of 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" which is a standard A2 sized card. I layered it with another piece of So Saffron cardstock that I ran through the Big Shot with my Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder. It's sized at 3 1/2" x 5 1/2". After I texturized it, I sponged it all over with So Saffron ink to give some depth to the embossing. Using the sketch as my guide, I added a thin strip of Wild Wasabi across the bottom of the embossed piece, the added a scalloped border piece of Vellum Cardstock. I used the Scalloped Border punch on the Vellum.
Here's a look at the sketch:

I followed it pretty closely this week, just adding the ribbon and bow under the focal panel.
The focal image came from the Thoughts and Prayers stamp set, actually all the stamps I used are from that set, and I used my Stampin' Write Markers to color it in on the block before stamping. Wild Wasabi and So Saffron - soft and lovely for a sympathy card. The focal panel was popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals over the ribbon, and I added 3 Gold Brads across the top left. The greeting was punched out with the Scalloped Oval Punch and adhered to the front of the panel with Tombow adhesive.
Here's a look at the inside:

For the floral image, I simply huffed on the already colored stamp to re-moisten the ink and stamped it on a piece of Naturals Ivory cardstock. It lends a softer image for the inside of the card and doesn't distract from the greeting. I sponged this piece around the edges as well as the front focal panel. To me, sponging in a light color just adds softness and makes it more inviting.

So that's it for this card - it was lovely to work with these soft, pretty colors again, I sure hope the card and it's message let my friend know that she is loved.
Be sure to stop over at the Stamping 411 Blog and see what the other Operators created for you. We love it when you visit us!

Happy stamping everyone!
~~Robin

Stamping 411 - Red Velvet Valentine

Good evening stamping friends!
It's time for another Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge - and this week's took me down memory lane big time!
Here is my card for this week:

and here is the sketch:

Now let me tell you, I was so inspired by a Real Red Monochromatic card that I saw demonstrated at Leadership last week, I just couldn't get it out of my head. When I sat down to do this week's sketch for the Operator Team, my first thought was to do red monochromatic. And since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, that's the direction I headed.

My entire card is Real Red and I started with a standard cardbase of 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" folded cardstock. It's layered with another piece cut at 4" x 5 1/4". On that layer, I embossed the background stamp French Filigree using Versamark ink and Clear embossing powder. Oh, it just looks luscious in real life - I wish you were here to see it!~
That layer was wrapped with Real Red Satin ribbon and the bow was added after I had my focal layers attached.

I am so in LOVE with the Real Red Glimmer Paper - who doesn't love glitter that doesn't come off? Amazing I tell ya'! I cut a piece at 2 1/4" x 4" and then punched the bottom across with the Pinking Hearts Border punch. The next layer is cardstock cut at 2" x 4" and I adhered it with Tombow Multi Adhesive. That works very well with the Glimmer Paper.
The glimmer hearts were cut out with my Big Shot and the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit and each one has a red cardstock heart mounted on top of it with Stampin' Dimensionals. The center heart was embossed before I punched it out with more Versamark and Clear Embossing Powder. I used the large heart image from the Filled with Love stamp set. The cardstock hearts were all punched out with the Large Heart Punch. For a final touch, I added a single Rhinestone Jewel to the center heart - just a little bling for sparkle!

Now here's the Memory Lane part for me. Today is my Dad's birthday, yep, he is 75 years old today and we are so fortunate to still have him with us this year. Anywho, when I was little, Valentine's Day always came on February 15th. You see, we didn't have a whole lot for extra so my Dad, who didn't want Mom and I to not have a Valentine at all, would go to the store on the 15th and purchase us each a heart shaped box of candy for half price. I never cared that he got it on sale, I just loved that he cared about me enough to make sure I had a Valentine's goodie. Making this card today reminded me of the beautiful heart shaped boxes that he brought me as a child. Some were embossed red foil, others red velvet, but all beautiful and truly straight from his heart. My Dad is just a beautiful person inside and out. He would say that he wasn't a very good Dad, but I beg to differ. He worked two, often 3 jobs just to make our ends meet in the middle and never a day went by that he didn't tell Mom and me that he loved us. He missed some events in my growing up years, but I never doubted where his heart was and he was always there when I truly "needed" him. And really, isn't that what counts?
So Dad, if you are reading this today - your special day - please know that you are my hero and I love you with all my heart. Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Now, for all of you folks that have read this far, wipe your eyes and be sure to check out the Stamping 411 blog today. The other Operators have created some wonderful projects for you and you surely don't want to miss them!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch - Vintage Framed Flowers

NOTE: I've edited the content of this post to include card details at the bottom for you! Thanks for being patient with me!!

Hey there everyone! I am just stopping by quickly to get this card posted for you all.

I had ZERO time to post while I was in Nashville for Leadership Conference - it was wonderful and I am anxious to tell you all about it, but that will have to wait until Monday when I finally get home and get my photos uploaded.

For now, I'm back at Tiffany's house where she had her downline meeting today and I was the featured speaker. It just occurred to me that I'd not gotten this card posted for the Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge so I hopped on here to at least get the post up for you!

Here's my card:

I also made this for my private GoDivas swap group at Leadership.

And here's the sketch this week:

Here's a little close up of the focal image and details:

I used a bunch of fun new stuff from the Occasions Mini for this one and I PROMISE that I'll come back on Monday and fill you in on all the details, but for now I'm going to log off and encourage you all to go visit the Stamping 411 Blog and check out what the other Operators created this week! I know the projects will be amazing!

Stamped blessings,

~~Robin

Card details:

I used Very Vanilla cardstock for my base and cut it lengthwise for a piece that was 4 1/4" x 11". I folded it in half to get the center crease, and added a piece of the Springtime Vintage DSP to the lower part after tearing it and sponging the torn edge with Crumb Cake ink. I opened up the card again and ran the front through my Big Shot with the new Framed Tulips embossing folder. Next, I sponged Crumb Cake ink lightly all over the embossed areas to highlight them.

For the focal point, I used a piece of Rose Red cardstock, layered with a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock that had been stamped with the Teahouse Background stamp and Rose Red ink - love how this looks like wallpaper! Using the Baby Blossoms Stamp Set from the Mini, I stamped the frame image with Crumb Cake ink on more Very Vanilla and used my Paper Snips to trim it out. The flowers were stamped a scrap of Very Vanilla and punched out with the Wide Oval Punch. After sponging all of these pieces with Crumb Cake ink, I layered them up, using Stampin' Dimensionals under the oval piece and the Rose Red piece. I added two of the Pearls Jewels to the frame and then a sweet little bow of Pear Pizazz Seam Binding to finish it off.

Sweet, simple and pretty - it reminds me of something my Grandma would have loved, how about you?

Thanks for waiting on the details for this one - I have the BEST readers out there! I'd love to know what you think of this card!

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch - Granny's Butterflies

Howdy stamping friends!
You'll never guess where I am! Ok, yes, I did tell you yesterday that I'm in Lowell, MA for Emma's skating competition this weekend. That's true, but you'll never guess where I am tonight as I'm posting this!
I'm at my buddy Selene Kempton's house! You know, THE Selene Kempton that founded the Stamping 411 Blog?! Yep, that's the one! She lives within 20 minutes of where the skating team is staying - and since I had a few hours of down time tonight, she brought me over to her house so we could stamp! How fun, right?! I'm so lucky because Emma's team skates up here every January so we always get to meet Selene and her family at The Owl Diner for breakfast. Usually that's all the time we have, but this year we had to come a day early so we get play time!

So, now that you know all that stuff, would you like to see my card?
Ok, here you go!

I have to tell you that when I first saw this sketch, I was less than enthused. But when I started to get the vision for my card and began to build it, I just loved the result!

That's the beauty of making the sketch your own - it's all in how you interpret it, just like the inspiration challenge I do each week. I've found that some of my best work comes as a result of one of these sketch challenges - they are a great jumping off point to let your creativity run free.

For this week's card, I started with a base of Pear Pizazz and built up from there.
The Designer Paper is the new Springtime Vintage from the Occasions Mini. Let me tell you - that paper is drop-dead gorgeous! You HAVE to own it or you will regret it.
Anyway, both the lower portion of the main panel and the butterflies are made with it. I love how all the patterns work so beautifully together.

I used Very Vanilla for the panel base and ran it through my Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dot embossing folder. Then I rubbed Crumb Cake ink all over it - actually, it's rubbed all over everything to give it an aged look. The greeting is from the amazing Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set and I used the Modern Label punch to punch it out.
The bow is some of that yummy new Pear Pizazz Seam Binding and I added a Rose Red Vintage Flower Adornment to the center. Just beautiful! You are going to LOVE those too!

Now check out the other side of the card:

That oval is cut with my Big Shot and the Scalloped Oval Frame Die. I simply cut it to make my layer and then added the little Pearl Jewels. The butterflies were curled with my Bone Folder - kind of like how you curl that thin ribbon for a package. I mounted them with Mini Glue Dots and baby, this card was done! :)

So, another Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge - too fun! Be sure to check out the other operators creations by visiting Stamping 411 - and while you are there, play along with us this week! We love to see your creations!

In the meantime, I'm going to go enjoy my stamping time and skating time this weekend! Have a great one and come back on Monday - I'll have a new post for you!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch - Crazy Love

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Can you believe it's almost 2011 already?! Wow! This year has flown by. I know I say that every year, but really, this year has just zoomed.
Does that have anything to do with having a now teenaged daughter? Hmmm, I'm thinking that has a LOT to do with it! Ha!

We're spending a quiet New Year's Eve with some dear friends and for the first time in 13 years, we are childless on New Year's Eve! Yep, Emma is off to her first ever All-Nighter Lock In with the youth group at church and our friend's daughter (her bff) is with her. What's really funny is that we four adults had the hardest time deciding what to do with ourselves! We finally decided on a quiet dinner at their home with board games and the ball drop at midnight. I'm sure we'll be dropping by then too! Haha! I'm too old for an all-nighter!

So now you know my plans for the evening, how about a card? Yep - I do have one for you, and it's a doozy!
Take a look-see:

Here is the sketch we had to work with this week from Stamping 411:

I had such a hard time with this sketch! It's kind of busy and that little tag element just really threw me. So, I went with my gut and changed it up a little bit, but it still looks kind of crazy to me. Yep, crazy love. Catchy, eh?

I did get the chance to pull out my Big Shot and the Letterpress Plates for this one, and truth be told, I really liked working with it. Very easy and I love the look! I used it on the belly piece with Real Red Craft ink on Pretty in Pink cardstock. It's hard to see in the photo, but the letterpress plate created a red de-bossed image on the cardstock - very cool!
I also used my Big Shot and the Perfect Polka-Dots embossing folder on the Whisper White piece, it didn't really need it, but I figured what the heck, more is more today! :)

The DSP, Filled with Love stamp set and the little clear Bitty Button are from the Filled with Love Bundle Special that SU! has going on right now - I used the tiny heart and the large heart from the stamp set. The XOXO greeting and background stamps are from the stamp set of the same name and it's a sneak peek from the upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog.

The love tag is from the Tiny Tags stamp set and I used the Small Heart Punch, Medium Jewelry Tag Punch, the Large Heart Punch, the Scallop Trim Border Punch and the Modern Label Punch on this card. Wow, 5 punches, hmm, didn't realize I'd done that until just now! Love me some punches!

So, about 7 Stampin' Dimensionals gave their life for this card along with a Silver Glimmer Brad and some Dazzling Diamonds Glitter. The only thing non-SU! on this card is the white thread - a gift from my friend Kimberly. It's antique white twine that she discovered on a bolt in an antique store and so generously gifted me with. Maybe SU! will get some white thread someday!
So, did I mention that there's a lot going on with this card? It's probably because of the ungodly hour that I concocted this creation - 6:22 AM. It was too noisy to sleep last night - don't ask - so I was up early, making coffee in my Keurig and trying to decipher this sketch. No wonder it's crazy love. Busy, crazy, but the question is, do you like it?

I'm anxious to see what the other Stamping 411 Operators came up with for this sketch, how about you? Be sure to stop over at the Stamping 411 blog and check them out, ok? But only after you read to the end and see who won my Blog Candy from last week!

Drum roll please........................

I had Emma choose a number between #1 and #158 (that's how many comments were left for the blog candy posts here) and she chose #63.

Congratulations to
Lynn Embrey!!!

WooHoo!!
Lynn and I go way back - we used to be in another company together and recently found each other on Facebook. I didn't even know she read my blog, but as evidenced by her comment, she does! Yippee!! Here is what Lynn said:

Bet you didn't know I read your blog, too! Thank you for your Christmas post, and sharing that devotional. I pray that many who read it, realized for the first time what Christmas is all about. My favorite song for Christmas is Mark Lowery's "Mary, Did You Know?" As a mother, we can all look at our kids and think, "I wish I had known..." Imagine how Mary felt as Jesus grew, surely showing signs along the way that He was different, and when His ministry began those last three years of His life...healing, calming, performing miracles...just being the great I AM! Whew! I get goose bumps all over again. Love that song!

Thanks for visiting Lynn and be sure to contact me privately with your address so I can get your Blog Candy out in the mail to you pronto!
And I also wanted to say thanks to all of you who left a comment and shared so many beautiful compliments, thoughts and recollections with me. You touched my heart immensely this past week and it was a great reminder as to why I keep my blog - it's to maintain contact with you and share what I love so much!

Wishing you a blessed New Year with all the good things life can hold!
May it be full of stamping and joy!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin
(See you next year!)

Blog Candy from the 411 Operators!

Happy Boxing Day! :)
(That's for my Canadian and British friends!)

Yesterday my family enjoyed a wonderfully special and relaxing Christmas Day and I hope you were able to do the same with your loved ones.

If you read my post on Christmas Eve, you know that as one of the Operators of the Stamping 411 Blog, I am giving away some special Blog Candy this week! I mentioned it briefly in my post, but really wanted to keep that particular message that day about the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus.

So, today, I wanted to be sure to SHOW you exactly what I am giving away for my part of the Blog Candy! Yes, all eight Stamping 411 Operators are giving away gifts just because we appreciate the support, readership and participation from all our stamping friends! All you have to do is visit each Operators Saturday posts and leave a comment as directed by them.
(Click HERE for the link to my Saturday post.)
To be entered to win my Blog Candy, all you had to do was share with me what your favorite Christmas Song or Music is. Be sure to leave the comment on the SATURDAY post along with a way to contact you if you are the winner! Winners will be announced in our New Year's Eve posts later this week.

Have a wonderful week stamping friends - I'll be back on Thursday with some new creativity for you, but in the meantime, I'm taking a short blogging break while we go visit family for the holiday.
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 - The Song of Christmas

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Hello stamping friends! Merry, Merry Christmas to you!
As I reflect on this season and all that it means to so many, I often turn to the music of Christmas. The beauty and truth of this wonderful time of year is easily found in not only the beautiful carols of years past, but in the new music that we often hear on the radio today.
My card reflects a bit of old and new today - a much loved Christmas Carol - one of my favorites from childhood, combined with a new, fresh design from the Stamping 411 blog.
We are sharing from our hearts this week on the 411 and each of us is offering up some special Christmas Blog Candy for our readers. I'll be sharing more about my gift in a post on Sunday, but for those of you reading here now, please leave a comment and share your favorite music of the Christmas season.

The idea for this project was conceived when we were driving home the other night and we were listening to Christmas music on the radio. I was just sitting quietly with my eyes closed and thinking about how much the beautiful lyrics about the birth of Jesus blessed my heart and brought me peace. It was odd to have the sketch design pop into my head then, but I clearly pictured all the elements of this finished project as I sat and let the music wash over me. Sometimes it's just meant to be I suppose.

Music is a huge part of my life as both Mark and I sing in choir and on the praise team at our church, but more than that, music brings me to worship more than any other medium.
At this time of year especially, it's easy to let the commercialism and political correctness of our world overtake the truth surrounding the birth of our Lord. The music of the season brings me back to this truth time and time again, reminding me to worship the King of Kings, not the stuff of the world. It is amazing to me that the King of the universe would CHOOSE to "make his dwelling among us", but He did and in doing so, gave up his throne only to be "despised and rejected by men", eventually giving His very life that we and all that came after us could know the hope of Heaven.

Let me share a bit of my devotion from today - it speaks so well to His great love for us. I hope it will speak to you as it spoke so eloquently to me.
"A woman on earth tells her fiance she's pregnant. The baby isn't his. Now the neighbors are talking about the disgrace. Nine months into the pregnancy they have to leave their home to fulfill a census enforced by the government. The town is packed full of strangers, each one concerned with their own issues. There is not a single room available for the young couple. So they find a stable that would at least provide some shelter.
And there she has her baby.
No family to welcome Him.
No cute outfit to put on Him.
No crib for Him to sleep in, only a manger,
a feeding trough for animals.

Yet, God had come, and they named Him Jesus.

Why would God exchange His throne for a manger? Why would He leave the beauty, perfection and glory of heaven for the messiness, the scandals, and the brokenness of Earth?

He came for us.
He came because we could not reach Him.
He is too high, too holy for us to connect with. We were trapped in a curse, held by a ruthless captor. And because He is so good, He couldn't just leave us that way. When perfect Justice sees oppression, Justice must act. When perfect Love sees His beloved in peril, He must rescue.
So God came down. He left His perfect home and came down to dwell in the mud and the sweat of life on earth. He came down because He loved us.

As you hear Christmas sermons and Christmas songs this season, allow them to affect you.
Your God left His perfect throne, surrendering Himself to the limitations of a human life, surrendering to a plan that would lead to His death and your rescue.
You are deeply loved, child of the King.

May your soul feel its worth this Christmas."

Please enjoy this video by one of my favorite groups - Casting Crowns
It's called "While You Were Sleeping"

Merry, Merry Christmas to you and yours this year!
I pray that you will find your heart's desire in the love of family and friends this season, and most of all in the abundant love of Jesus, our Saviour!

Christmas Blessings from my family to yours!
~~Robin

A Clean and Simple Christmas

Hello Stamping friends!
I am so happy to report that finally, everyone in my house is on the road to recovery! That nasty little cold made it's rounds through all three of us, but in true Christmas blessing fashion, we are all going to be well in time to celebrate Christ's birth with our family!

My post today is a very quick one, mainly because I am still sooooo behind on wrapping and cleaning in anticipation of our parents coming in for the weekend! I spent about 3 hours on Sunday afternoon creating 40 of these cards for my downline team and actually got them in the mail on Monday - another Christmas miracle! If you want all the card details, I've got them all for you over on Stamping 411 today for the monthly Clean and Simple feature.

I've always loved this stamp set - Christ is Born - and love how it's elegant simplicity is all you need to really share what the true meaning of this season is all about.

I love how the simplicity of this card reflects how Jesus was willing to give up his throne in heaven and come to earth, humbly and simply in order to be the salvation of the entire world.
Gold for his royalty, cream for his purity and red for his precious blood, there has been no greater gift to us in all of history.

Christ is Born!
Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad!

Stamped blessings to you and yours today!
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge - Sugared Treats!

Do you ever stamp while you are talking on the phone?
I don't do it often, but after finishing this card the other day, I'm thinking that I should.
I love it!

This is my card for the Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge this week and I started with this sketch here:

As you can see, I flipped it and made it work for my design. Perfectly ok to do!

I'd been working with the Candy Cane Lane suite of products a lot lately and still had the candy cane patterned paper out. I wondered how the little gingerbread man from the Got Treats stamp set would look with that paper and voila - a card was born! Ha!
(Kimberly, if you are reading this, THIS is the card I was making while we talked the other day!)

It's pretty straightforward, Real Red, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White cardstock along with the Candy Cane Lane Designer paper - love the brown tones with this!

I inked my stamp with Chocolate Chip Craft ink and heat embossed each one with Clear Embossing Powder and my heat tool. It's hard to see in the photo, but they are adorably shiny and yummy looking!

Here's a close up:

I inked the greeting from Sweet Season with Stampin' Write Markers and stamped it on textured cardstock for a little contrast. Of course, everything is popped up on dimensionals and I added that yummy Real Red Taffeta Ribbon and a few Rhinestone Jewels for sparkle.
Too fun!

Here's the inside view:

I had to decorate the inside too - more of that fun dsp!

So, there you go - I hope it makes you smile like it did me! I love doing the happy dance over a card. :)

Be sure to visit the Stamping 411 Blog to see what the other Operators have created for you this week - I know you'll be treated to a feast for your eyes!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge - Rockin' Birthday!

Hmmm.....It seems that I am a bit late in getting my post up here for this week's Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge........
I can't really blame it on turkey coma because I was up early on Friday for Black Friday shopping with Emma. We came home, napped a bit and went out for a second round last night. Some would call us gluttons for punishment, but we really had a great time. Apparently such a good time that I completely forgot to finish my post last night! Oh, I thought about it - at 5 am this morning, but then I just rolled over and went back to sleep! Until about 8 am this morning when I was rudely confronted with the fact that Emma's skating team practice was not at 6 pm this evening in Laurel, MD, but at 9:30 am this MORNING in Bowie, MD! Sheesh! Yeah, that's about an hour and a half from our house, so we were a bit late for that one! HA! A girl just can't catch a break around here!
I guess it's a good thing that I actually had my card done early this week - or I might not have anything to show you today! Hopefully, it's worth all the life drama you just read about!
Here is my interpretation of the sketch:

I did take a few liberties with the size, but I'd just gotten this stamp set - Grunge Rock and the guitar image was perfect for the panels!

My card is done with all Whisper White cardstock and it measures 5" x 5" square finished size.
I wanted something fun and bright, but sophisticated too, so I pulled out Pacific Point, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry and Black Staz-On for my ink colors. The guitars were stamped with Craft Ink Spots and heat embossed with Clear embossing powder and my Heat Tool. I matted them with more white cardstock and popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals on the stamped cardfront.
I'd stamped the background with random images in those same colors in Classic Ink.

The greeting was stamped on a strip of white cardstock and then I added the Raven black lace trim with some Sticky Strip across the bottom. I stamped the crown image with Rich Razzleberry on a white scrap and trimmed it out, mounting it with more dimensionals next to the greeting. For a final touch, I added some Rhinestone Jewels accents - ya gotta have bling!

So, there you go - a bit late, but I hope you find it worth the wait!
Oh, I just rhymed - man, maybe I do need that turkey coma after all!

Be sure to stop by the Stamping 411 Blog and see what the other operators did with the sketch. I've seen their projects and they are sure to inspire you!
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch - Parisian Moment

Hello stampers!
I've got another Clean and Simple card for you this week for the Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge. The sketch this week so lent itself to minimalism and I just had to run with my gut feeling!
Here is my card:

And here is the sketch:

My card was a breeze to create and took me about 15 minutes total.
The card base is Whisper White and measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" folded.
I stamped the medallion from Artistic Etchings with Versamark ink and embossed it with Clear Embossing Powder for a very subtle, textured background.

Next, I cut a Whisper White 2" square and stamped the medallion again with Cherry Cobbler ink. This layered on a 2 1/8" square of Basic Black. I popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals over the Basic Black Satin Ribbon that is wrapped all the way around the card front and tied in a knot on the right side.

Next, I stamped the Eiffel Tower with Basic Black Craft ink and embossed it as well, trimming it out afterwards. I then popped it up with more Stampin' Dimensionals and layered it on the squares.

The greeting is from Elements of Style and was simply stamped with Cherry Cobbler ink in the lower right corner of the card.
Voila! Tres elegant! And oh, so simple!

I hope you like the card today - I love piling it on as much as the next stamper, but sometimes clean and simple just says it all!
Be sure to stop by the Stamping 411 blog and see what the other Operators have come up with - I know they will have beautiful designs to share with you!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 - A Clean and Simple Thanksgiving

Happy Weekend stampers!
I can honestly say that it's been a long time since I've been this glad that we've reached the weekend! It's been a fantastic week in so many ways, but there have been a few rough patches too and MAN, am I glad I can put those calendar pages behind me!
Usually I can manage to get my card for the Stamping 411 challenge done at least by Thursday (when it's due!), but this week, I was stamping in my pajamas as soon as I got Emma off to school this morning. Definitely the right time for Clean and Simple!

Here's my card:

And here's the sketch:

Now ya'll know that I like to change things up a bit from time to time with the sketch, but not today! And all things considered - I am really happy with my finished card!
I used Crumb Cake for the base, stamping it across the bottom edge with the single leaf stamp from the Days of Gratitude stamp set using Crumb Cake ink for a tone on tone look.
I then wrapped a piece of Early Espresso Satin Ribbon around the card. The ribbon ends are hidden under the focal image. On top of the ribbon, I placed a thin strip of Autumn Spice Designer Series Paper over the ribbon. Isn't that a cool look? and a great way to use up some scrap pieces too!

The greeting was stamped with Cajun Craze ink just above the ribbon and I added the little acorn next to it with Crumb Cake ink.

Now, let's talk about the focal point:

The layers are Early Espresso, Autumn Spice Designer Paper, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla. To stamp my focal image, I inked up the leaves with More Mustard and used the Rock-n-Roll technique and added Cajun Craze ink to the edges. But......I wasn't done!
I then cleaned my stamp and using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, lined up the image and stamped it again in Versamark ink. That allowed me to heat emboss it with Clear Embossing Powder and give it a raised, shiny look. I know you can't see it in the photo, but it's there!
I did use 8 dimensionals on the focal layers - but hey, what's a Robin card without some dimensionals? Well, most of the time!

So, that's it for this sketch challenge! I hope you'll leave me a comment and then go visit the Stamping 411 blog and check out what the other Operators created for you - I know they will inspire you!
Have a great weekend everyone and be sure to take time not only for the ones you love, but take some time for YOU! You deserve it!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 - Saturday Sketch Challenge

Well, the scrapbooking bug has bitten me again! I've created more layouts in the past 3 weeks than I have in the past year! WooHoo!! Maybe I'll actually get an album done one of these days. Now THAT would be something!

This week's card sketch for the Stamping 411 blog just spoke scrapbook page to me:

So, I made one, but it's not going in a book - look, I framed it!!

I took an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of Crumb Cake cardstock and stamped snowflakes in opposite corners using my Whisper White Craft ink and the Northern Flurries stamp set. Then I heat embossed them with Iridescent Ice embossing powder so they would sparkle. Next, I cut my photo at 5" x 7" and matted it with a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock cut at 5 1/8" x 7 1/8" and another cardstock piece of Basic Gray cut at 5 1/4" x 7 1/4".
I wrapped the length of the Crumb Cake cardstock background with a piece of Rich Razzleberry 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon and then mounted the photo over it with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Then I turned my attention to the snowflakes:

I took a piece of Rich Razzleberry and a piece of Basic Gray cardstock and covered them with Versamark ink, then heat embossed them with Iridescent Ice. Next, I used my Big Shot and the Northern Frost die to cut out some sparkly snowflakes! And I cut a few more with some Crumb Cake cardstock - unglittered. Each snowflake had a sparkly or shiny center added to it with Rhinestones, Rhinestone Brads or Silver Brads and then they each were added to the left side of the photo with Stampin' Dimensionals. I have to say that I really love how this turned out!

The final touches were done on the lower right corner of the layout:

I added a bow of Rich Razzleberry Ribbon which was jazzed up with more glittery snowflakes and a Rhinestone Brad. The journaling tag was done with the Top Note Die on my Big Shot with Crumb Cake cardstock. I stamped the greeting from the Hope Happens stamp set with Rich Razzleberry ink and added Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the edge with my 2 Way Glue pen. It's simply attached to the back of the photo with SNAIL adhesive.

Once I finished it, I popped the glass out of a document frame that I'd picked up at the big blue box store and voila - instant wall art!

Be sure to visit the Stamping 411 blog and see what the other operators did with the sketch for you this week, I know you'll be inkspired! :)
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin