#24 No Christmas cards, but a few gifts

Despite the fact that I continue to buy wonderful Christmas stamps, I don't make my Christmas cards. I'm not sure why, other than the fact that there are so many exquisite cards for purchase at holiday time, I've never felt I could do better.

I did make a few small gifts this year, more by chance than design. Louise at KardKrazy (http://kardkrazy.blogspot.com/) had a wonderful idea to make a personalized stocking stuffer with a Post-It note pad she found for $1.00. I agreed that they were pretty neat and shuffled off to buy some, myself.

I decided that it was about time I did something creative with the stack of coasters I've been hoarding and ended up making little notepads for my sister, Deb and my daughter, Beth. (Please note, however that Beth's pad says "Liz." Her real name is Elizabeth Clare, and our family calls her Beth. Somewhere in middle school she was nicknamed Liz and it stuck. It gets a bit confusing at times...)

Anyway, I covered the coaster with patterned paper, measured the width of the pad and the height in order to score it. I then attached a back coaster to extend beyond the pad and attached a golf pencil with one of those great pen/pencil holders that Sue Nelson so kindly ordered for us a few months ago.

I liked how the pad holders went together; Deb and Beth/Liz like the way they look. I know I'm driving myself crazy being anal, but I think I put the "Z" in Liz upside down! (I used the Sizzix Lollipop Alphabet to cut out the vinyl adhesive letters for the names and it's sometimes hard to tell.)

#23: Cover-Up

Back in July (Sunday, July 8th-- post #11 to be exact), I was lamenting the fact that I am brayer-challenged. I absolutely adore the wonderful effects so many talented stampers accomplish with a brayer... but I am not one of them!

I had some lovely comments and e-mails from fellow Gingerwoodies, who either commiserated, empathized or offered suggestions. All made me smile, and I stuffed my ugly card in the bottom of a drawer and decided not to let it bother me. Until now!

I really do hate to "waste" a card-- even an ugly one. So here's my fix: To tone down the garish colors, I added an overlay of blush pink vellum and a small oval transparency. It still isn't going to win me any prizes, but at least it isn't embarrassing me any more!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

#22: I'm so busy at other people's blogs, I ignore my own

Especially at this time of year, there is just so much wonderful sharing going on that I seem to spend all my blog time oogling the talent of others. Also, my stamping desk is covered with wrapping paper, ribbon and cats-- which makes it difficult to create!

Since I don't make my own Christmas cards (gasp! I know, I know-- I should be ashamed), I'll share with you a recent trifold creation, made for a friend who became a grandma for the first time. It's a combination of Versamark background stamping, heat embossing, Sizzix die cuts and my first attempt at making do-it-yourself rub-ons with an inkjet printer and transparencies.

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Bunny Stamp: 79¢ no-name purchased in 2001 at Big Lots
It's A Boy Stamp: unknown
Sizziz Original Bunny Die
Plaid Printed Paper: Spring Gingham by Remember When™
Sentiment: Computer generated

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