Happy Birthday Mom!

Thankfully, I think the media gives us today as a day of rest. We had Thanksgiving. Then Black Friday. Then there isn't really a break, the Black Friday blitz just keeps going, Amazon just keeps emailing, and all their friends and enemies just keep sending ads and emails on TV and email. I don't even want to know what anyone is selling or what anyone wants for Christmas. It's just overwhelming!

And now it is Sunday, and there is no name for it, that I've heard. But tomorrow, look out.  Back to work (ha ha) and turn on your (new) computer and get shopping!

So today, go light a candle and have a piece of cake, after enjoying some turkey tetrazzini, and wish my Mom a Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Rita!

Here are three more great cards that my friends brought to the Holiday Shoebox Swap this month.

Maureen brought the Joy card, featuring the fancy foil vellum. Those trees are the brightest green in real life and the silver glimmer circle is an ornament, but my photo let the red puffs hide the hanger at the top. This card is a notecard size, so it is extra cute.

Michelle brought the penguin punch art card. My customers never get to do punch art so they think they are super cute. But I think they are crazy fussy and a lot of punching, and super cute! I mean, obviously this card is SUPER cute! and it isn't really difficult or anything, just a bunch of punching, right?! So, maybe we'll try it.

And finally, for today, is Pam's penguin, on a cute card with a unique folding card. It opens in the front with a little bakers twine bow and snowflakes overall, and a holiday sentiment inside. Adorable!

Now that I have bashed the shopping drunkenness of this past week, I do want to remind everyone that there is one more shopping event for you, Stampin' Up has a Flash Sale on Monday featuring a Project Life bundle, a Christmas Tag bundle and an embossing folder -- super deals! As well as all the great 50% to 20% deals that end Monday.

Let Santa know what you want and place your order before your items sell out!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Are you online? Shopping? Maybe you will find some inspiration here and grab some cute stamps and supplies so you can get handmade cards in the mail this season!

These are four of the cards made at the Holiday Shoebox Swap we enjoyed this month in Arlington Heights. The first was brought by Jamie. I lost the silver twine that is supposed to go from the chalkboard sign up to the whitewashed post! Since I am the host, I don't always have time to finish the cards. I know the twine is in my box somewhere, so I just have to finish the card to make it look like a hanging sign. So cute!

Joan designed this stunning Blue/white/silver card featuring snowflakes. She likes the Clean and Simple style that I always lean toward, so I lean toward this style of card myself.

Next is Kathy's card, lots of shine and shimmer with the pinecones on a shiny DSP (designer series paper) and gold twine, with the bright red foil paper die cut for the sentiment. Love it!

And finally, Carole's red cardinal. My high school mascot is the cardinal, so I may be prejudiced, but I am a big fan! Definitely love this card!

There are more to come, keep visiting!

Happy stamping (and shopping online)
Dee Tollaksen

Christmas Cards from your friends

The backlog of interesting things to show on the blog is huge, so I am going to try to show up more often, and show you a couple things each time. Today I have a couple cards from the recent Holiday Shoebox Swap I hosted.  Fifteen stampers gathered and brought Christmas cards to make, all of them designed, cut and prepped. Then everyone moved around the room making one of each of the cards. Some were very straight forward and others were more complicated, so it was fun to learn some new techniques and to see what other people like to do with their crafting tools.

For example, everyone raved over Michelle Kuhnie's card. I'll share it soon, she made a darling penguin from punches and card stock.

 I will admit right now, I am not a fan of punch art. I prefer to stamp and I am fine with using punches to highlight stamped elements or stamped sentiments. But to create an entire composition from numerous punches? Not a big fan. But oh boy, lots of other people were sure excited about the darling penguin!

So look for punch art to make an appearance at Stamp Club and/or at a class in the near future.

Shown here are cards brought by Barb, Carolyn and Debbie. My apologies if I modified the card from the original sample. As the host, I was busy with many activities, like raffling door prizes and awarding swag bags, so I didn't have time to finish all the cards at the event. Some of them I brought home and didn't think to take a picture because I thought I would remember the details of the cards.

Remember that there is the OnLine Extravaganza going on right now, through next Monday and a new set of Weekly Deals posted today, featuring Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper and two cute Christmas stamp sets!

Go shop now, and shoot me an email or place your order online.

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Thanks for being my friend

Thanksgiving is later this week, and I have so many reasons to give thanks. My family will gather here, in my home, at the table that I usually use for stamping gatherings. (So watch out for glitter in the gravy!)

My life is filled with great joy, and I am very grateful to all of you, my customers and friends -- you are one and the same and I certainly know it! I love spending time with you and I love that crafting brings us together over and over for fun and laughter. And that we can then mail off the cards to extend that joy to another person or create a scrapbook page to preserve the memory of a happy event.

The past month has been FILLED with classes, a Stampin' Up! gathering in Milwaukee, a Shoebox Swap I hosted for Christmas Cards, a wreath making extravaganza, invitation making marathons and now my grandson is visiting from Arizona, bringing more hugs and joy to our home!

And on top of it all, Stampin' Up! is layering on two events during the on-line shopping season to make sure Santa brings you exactly what you desire this year.

The Holiday Catalog is filled with beautiful seasonal sets that will be leaving us forever, many will be retiring before the end of the catalog if the inventory is depleted. Others will just be gone when January 4 rolls around. If you have ever desired a retired stamp set, say the Girl Scout stamps from back in the early days of stamping, and checked ebay. . . ho ho ho! Those cuties cost an arm and a leg! So don't let a cute set like the Thankful Forest Friends retire and leave you without a fancy fox in your collection, because when he is gone, he is gone forever! Click HERE  for the PDF and get your order in ASAP!

The online extravaganza has Monday, Nov 23 and Monday Nov 30 Flash Sales and the rest of the week there are loads of fab deals, not to be passed up -- some of my faves are the BigShot Magnetic Platform, metal rim pearls, Fancy Foil Vellum in gold and silver, Butterfly dies, so many more I can't choose! Some as high as 40% off, so click HERE for the Online Extravaganza PDF and Click Here to SHOP online NOW!!

  Monday Nov 23 only:
Buy 3 Select Designer Series Paper, Get 1 Free**
138445 Everyday Chic DSP
138446 Bohemian DSP
138440 English Garden DSP
138448 Farmers Market DSP
138447 Sweet Li'l Things DSP
138450 Merry Moments DSP
138444 Timeless Elegance DSP
138187 Schoolhouse DSP
140771 Happy Thoughts Paper Pumpkin Kit - 50% Off $17.00 $8.50 Online
135863 Gift Box Punch Board - 30% Off
133774 Envelope Punch Board - 30% Off

Monday Nov 30 Only:
Project Life Bundle - 
30% Off Striped 12" x 12" Project Life Printed Album,  This is the Life Project Life Card Collection,  This is the Life Project Life Accessory Pack, Variety Pack 2 Project Life Photo Pocket Pages

 Tiny Triangles Textured Impressions Embossing Folder - 20% Off

Christmas Tagables Photopolymer Bundle - 20% Off Christmas Tagables Stamp Set (Photopolymer) Online,  Scalloped Tag Topper Punch

Love ya! Happy Stampin'
Dee Tollaksen