Eek! I joined Stampin' Up!

I don't normally do things like this but after several catalog flip throughs, I did it.

I really like their products and their ink pads are killer.  No really.  I finally found an ink pad I *want* to use.  No more streaky images.  No more bleeding.

So I did it.  I signed up under someone I met at a retreat that I kind of co-host here in the southland.  I started off slow but I'm gearing up now.  I've hit my groove and I'm ready to inspire.  Its also helped me creatively.  I don't always have time for the layouts and mini's but I can stamp a quick something when I have a few minutes.

I've started selling all of my other ink pads on Ebay because I just don't use them.  I have this habit of buying every color of an ink pad because I like the color on the lid.  I don't however, like the finished image.  So all of my Jenni Bowlin and Studio Calico pads are for sale.  So are some of my SC Stamps from old kits.  Seller name is rascal1004 on Ebay if you're interested.

I've been having a blast with the Stamping' Up! products though.  There are ideas everywhere and its fun to try new things before branching out.  I've used some of their items to make things for the retreat goers and they love them!  So much fun to hear them talk about the idea and want to know how it was done.

My personal site is:

Stampin' With Erica

I'll be posting weekly updates here on the blog as I create things, sales or specials come up etc.  They usually post Weekly Deals which are marked down items that you can get at a discounted price.  I picked up a few of the Halloween Wreath kits from last season for less than $11!

Grab your kit here.

The annual holiday catalog is already out and can be viewed on my site as well.  LOTS of fun ideas posted in there.  These items are limited so you don't want to wait for those.

I'll be posting some ideas from this catalog next Monday so look for that!

December Daily (aka the Gettin' Jiggy with Ziggy album)

I learned after 4 failed attempts at a DD that I wasn't cut out for it.  For the past 2 years I've completed a mini album with photographic evidence of the escapades our Elf on the Shelf gets into.  Our Elf is named Ziggy.

My son looks forward to Ziggy's visit and the album that follows.  It always goes to school on share day so his friends can see what his Elf was up too.

I also enjoy scouring the interwebz looking for fun, new 'activities' Ziggy can entertain himself with while he visits us.  We have some recurring favorites like the underwear hanging from the tree or mantle, marshmallow fights and other fun stuff.

Ziggy also brings back *small* gifts for N during the month.  *Small* meaning an advent calendar or a treat.  Its kind of a way to tide the kid over until Santa comes on Christmas Eve.  This year, I stole an idea I read about on someone's blog.  Ziggy will be bringing N the Lego Advent Calendar on his first night (Thanksgiving night).  He has that small thing to look forward too each day.  In addition, I purchased a larger Lego set and am breaking it down into pieces for N to complete.  It will take him a month to put it together.  Each night, Ziggy will bring one sheet of instructions and a few pieces of the set for him to build.  By Christmas, he will have a completed Lego set.

N loves the whole elf thing.  Mom loves documenting it for him.  Each year, I put together my own kit. Sometimes its a kit I purchase from a club with a bunch of my own things mixed in, or sometimes its stuff I've pulled together.  This year, I ordered 2 of everything from Veronica at Chic Tags.  LOVE love LOVE the holiday line.  Good Tidings.  LOVE.

 October Afternoon washi tape.

 Simple Stories SN@P album.

 An assortment of goodies from Crate Paper, Websters Pages, Studio Calico and October Afternoon.

 A closeup of the goodies from October Afternoon, Studio Calico and Chic Tags.

 Hello cutables!  Cute-ables is more like it.

 GOLD rubons.  I don't know why, but I'm hooked on gold this year.  I'm totally a silver girl.

 More gold.  These are from the Good Tidings line from Chic Tags.

 American Crafts Thickers.  GOLD Thickers.  Hello!

 Chic Tags, Studio Calico, October Afternoon, Pink Paislee, American Crafts.........

 Some of the awesome papers from Chic Tags.   Some of them have gold foil details.

 Transparencies.  Hambly transparencies.  Yes, I've been hoarding these but I've made a resolution to use them this year.  My new space will be smaller and that means use it or lose it!

 Even a little KI Memories vintage in there.

I cannot wait to see how this one turns out.  I've been making a list of things Ziggy will be doing from 11/28-12/24.  Its easier when you have a plan.  When you're exhausted from work and being a mom, you just look at your list and pick something.

This project is the *perfect* thing to keep out during the move.  I can keep a few supplies with me while I unpack and set up the new scrap space.  I never pressure myself to get this completed in December either.  This is totally a January project.  I start it in December and finish it after the holidays.

ETA:  Since I wrote this, I added a few more things to the kit.

First, the December Limited Edition kit from Chic Tags.

And some flair from a {flair} for buttons Etsy shop.

What a cutie!

I'm in the process of killing a bunch of kits right now and this was the last of a kit.  The minimalist in me kicked in and 'just got the page done' using what was left.

The rest of the kit which consisted of 3 - 12 x12 sheets of paper and a pile of scraps were made into cards for OWH (Operation Write Home).  I'm a horrible card maker.  I do not work in that size so most of my cards are not even worthy of showing here.  I do it for the soldiers and to use up product.  I send decent cards - don't worry.  Its just that *I* don't like them.  They're very simple.  A stamped sentiment with a piece of string, maybe an embellishment or two and then some patterned paper.  Nothing special - but it gets the job done.

I'm also very bad about sending cards 'in season' for these poor people.  The problem is, I never have enough to send them since I rarely craft these days.  So when I do have a full box, there is usually a lot of Birthday and Love cards mixed in with some random holiday ones that are usually late.  For example, the box I mailed last week had....... 4th of July cards in it.  Whoops!  Well, I'm early for next year right?

Anyway, here is the simple layout.

I don't even remember the paper I used.  Some of it is MME I think.  The tab is from Pink Paislee, the tags are Elle's Studio and the word stickers were MME.  This was my sons Thanksgiving bath - his first Thanksgiving.  We stayed with my parents and my mom gave him his bath in the kitchen sink!

Just received some new colors of Burlap String to work with.  I love this stuff!

You can get some in the Stringery shop!