Merry Christmas Everyone

12 Days of Christmas with Joans Craft World

On the twelfth day of Christmas…

Twas the Night before Christmas and all though the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.  The stockings were hung by the chimney with care….

I hope that Santa brings you everything that is on your list.  Maybe a Cricut Expression machine, or a Cuttlebug.  How about a Cricut Imagine or Gypsy, a camera so that you can take alot of pictures and then scrapbook all of those memories.  Or how about a stocking filled with glue dots, tape runner adhesives, copic markers, rubber stamps, and some ink pads.

It doesn’t matter what the weather is like where you live, Santa will find his way through a blizzard or the clearest of skies.  Just last week I thought that I was going to have a white Christmas, but the New Mexico sun came out and melted it all away.  If I really want snow, all I have to do is drive 30 minutes to the east and I can see all the snow that I want on the Sandia Mountains.

Everyone celebrates Christmas differently. There are so many old traditions that are being followed down through generation and there are also new traditions being made.  Today I have been listening to Polish Christmas Carols and singing around my house as I get ready for some friends to come over.  My husband is not Polish he is Swiss/Italian, but after being with me and my family for 30 years  he even knows some of the words.

My family in New Jersey are going to the Christmas mass at 4 o’clock to worship and listen to my niece sing in the choir and my nephew/Godson is going to be an alter server at the same mass.   Then my husbands family is going  to mass together to worship and Celebrate Jesus birth.  I wish we were there to celebrate, but we are so there in spirit.  No amount of miles will keep us apart, we are always in each others heart and even more during the holidays.  Paul and I will be watching midnight mass of television tonight from the Vatican in Italy.  Since I just had my last chemo treatment in the beginning of the month, I still cant be around alot of people so we will be celebrating Christmas mass at home.

After church my family will go back to my sister house for dinner and then opening of presents.  Paul’s family is going to his sisters, to eat lots of Italian appetizers (fresh mozzarella cheese with soprasata) my mouth is watering just thinking of that platter. Oh can’t forget the black olives.  These are the traditions that memories are made from.

However you choose to enjoy this holiday season, just be kind to your fellow man.  Just a simple smile can really make someones day.

Wishing You and Your Family a Very Merry Christmas!

Tags: 12 days of christmas, copic markers, cricut expression, cricut expression machine, cricut gypsy, cricut imagine, cuttlebug, gypsy, ink pads, tape runner adhesives

Making Handmade Greeting Cards Are The Best Way To Say Happy Birthday

Happy Spring Everyone!

I’ve been making some birthday cards for my Mom and Sister-in-law who’s birthdays are this month and a day apart.  I’ve been doing so much with my Cricut Expression, that I wanted to change things up and rubber stamp these cards and use  Copic Sketch markers to color them in.

I think the best way to say Happy Birthday is with making Handmade Greeting Cards.  When you take the time to make a handmade card,  it is not just a card that you are giving  but it’s also a gift from the heart.

So for the first card I stamped this cute House Mouse Bunny with black Memento Ink and then used Copic Sketch markers for the coloring.  I then cut out this bunny and attached it with pop dots onto the dark blue cardstock panel that was layered on a white card.  With silver ink I stamped the sentiment on the front and inside of this card.  I think this handmade greeting card came out really cute.  I hope that Lin Marie likes her card.

Now for the second card I stamped these beautiful pansy flowers, again with Memento black ink on white cardstock, and colored with Copic Sketch markers.  Then I cut the flowers out and attached to dark green cardstock that was layered on a cream colored  card.  Then I was thinking of what to do next and decided to put these flowers into a basket so I just had to use my Cricut Expression machine to cut out a basket from the Doodlecharms Cricut cartridge, then used my Cuttlebug with a Cuttlebug and embossing folder to put some texture on the basket.  I arranged the flowers on the basket and finished it off with a tiny bow on the handle of the basket.  My Mom is going to love her basket of flowers.

It is so much fun when you incorporate different techniques when making handmade greeting cards.  You sure don’t get caught in a rut this way, and the results are fantastic!

~Wishing my Mom and Lin Marie a Very Happy Birthday~

Make it a Great Day and don’t forget to leave time to Craft!

Tags: copic markers, cricut expression, cuttlebug, cuttlebug embossing folder, doodlecharms cartridge, doodlecharms cricut cartridge, handmade card, Handmade Greeting Cards, rubber stamps