UPS Santa Update

Just letting you know that I gave my Mr. Brown some pumpkin bread a few minutes ago and the tag on the bag had the UPS punch character - He had a second driver with him today and as they pulled away I heard him say "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night". 

No, not really.  What he said (with a chuckle) was,  "Oh look - it's a UPS Elf!"  and they drove away grinning. 

Mission complete!  He didn't recognize himself but at least he recognized the UPS factor - and that is pretty good for a non crafting man.  (grin)

Snowman in the Moon

An ornament from my tree is the inspiration for one of my gift tags for a swap.

All I have time for now.  Sorry, no clever chatter today.  

And don't go muttering that the chatter isn't ever very clever - that is not nice.

Santa Series Number 14 - UPS Man is Santa throughout the Year

Not really Santa, but if you are a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator this really is the one who delivers your TOYS!

Brenda Workman sent me an email Saturday night and she started it with a bunch of flattery which I dearly love and enjoy way too much!  I won't make you read that part, but she finished with this  "I am not sure if you’re interested in any more ideas, but I would love to see a UPS man. They help Santa this time of year you know…(and bring our Stampin Up supplies!)   I admit, I am biased….I work at UPS and love this time of year.   A few of my drivers have “brown” Santa hats they wear on Christmas Eve."

Well,...... you know I'm not going to pass up an awesome suggestion like that!  Brenda is absolutely correct.  Stampin' Up! sends all our goodies by UPS and it feels like Christmas when I tear into those boxes that my dear sweet UPS man brings.  I LOVE the brown Santa Hat idea - wish they would wear them the entire month of December!

This was modeled (kinda) after my own UPS man.  He is a blond and usually wears his shorts.  He calls our dog "Killer" since the foolish mutt barks like a maniac at the sound of UPS brakes.  My dog is very smart but I just can't get him convinced that the UPS man is our FAVORITE delivery man.

Do you need a tutorial?  Naw, surely you don't.  How about just giving you a list of punches?

Hat - wide oval and small oval in brown, word window and 1/2 inch circle in vanilla
Head - Ornament
Eyes - heart to heart (small one in white) standard hole punch in black
Nose - 1/2 inch circle
Ears - Word window (tips)
Hair - Piece of Ornament snipped in for bangs
Shirt - wide oval snipped with large start point to get open neck look
Collar - heart to heart (small hearts trimmed)
Sleeves - small oval - cut it half to get two
Shorts - rectangle scrap snipped with large star point at the crotch (ouch)
legs - word windows
shoes - butterfly - cut in half to get two
socks - slots
arms - heart to heart (wide one)
hands - flower trio (trimmed to 3 fingers)
box - rectangle scrap with lsticker (from an SU stampset) I hadn't stuck on the box yet. 

He has on a belt but you can't see it since I added the box.

Of course this will be on a card for my UPS man tomorrow as he brings yet another box to my door.  I may not see him again before Christmas (tear) so I have to get it done now!

Thanks Brenda for the idea.  I hope you enjoy this little guy!  Will you please hug a few UPS drivers for me today?  (But don't get in any sexual harassment trouble doing that, OK?)  They have to work so hard this time of year.

Peppermint Gift Tag

Well, my color choices could be improved upon (this has bravo burgundy ink and riding hood red ribbon, and I should have picked one OR the other) - but I wanted to go ahead and show you this idea.  Someone emailed me a day or two ago wanting to know if I knew any tricks to make peppermints from circle punches.  Poor dear, had to make 70 of them quickly.  I didn't have a solution.  (sad face here)

But since the problem had been input into my brain - I needed to find a solution.  My answer would be to make a mask, then sponge color onto your circle punch.  These peppermints were vanilla and burgundy - I think white and red would be more effective but that isn't the color scrap I grabbed.

Here is what my mask looked like after making a few of these...

And my fingers were just about as dark as this "vanilla" cardstock.  Oh well, the ink will wear off in a day or so...

Believe!

Remember my phase of sticking Santa hats on all those critters?  Well, you can stick them on letters too!

"Believe" was stamped with jumbo outline alphabet and then cut out. I thought about adding a BUNCH more to this layout but after fooling with it for awhile, I decided that any "fru fru" (spelling?) I might add would just distract. 

I'll just use all those punched Santas I made on gift tags.  Simple is OK - you have my permission to keep your layouts clean and simple - Of course you have my permission to cludge them up with lots of fancy stuff too - I just want you to scrapbook occasionally.

I believe that  in the 1960s Santa "grew" a really big beard.  (These photos were taken too early in the decade for him to have been influenced by the hippies)

I believe that fake windows were popular displays at the time.

I believe that I was about 4 and 7 in these pictures.

What I can't believe is that my very proper mother kept a photo with my slip showing!  (Hey, it is proof that once upon a time I wore them - can't remember the last time I touched one - they just don't go with my wardrobe of jeans.  Do stores still sell slips?)

I BELIEVE IN SANTA! 
Santa is what makes so many of us spend extra money (and sometimes not so extra money) for Toys for Tots, or Salvation Army Angel Trees or local toy drives.  Santa is what makes us dig a little deeper in our pockets so that children we don't know will have a happy holiday - one magical day in their year that may hold several very dark days.   May Santa live and thrive for another hundred years and more!

This Angel is Wicked Underneath

When I did the mouse bride last month, I mentioned that her veil reminded me of a halo.  Well, it has taken awhile but I finally got around to trying to make an angel.

First I made this head and put it on a blog babe/ wicked  style body with no feet and full heart wings. 

As you can see, that looked a little inappropriate for an 'angel', so I covered up her 'girls' with two scallop oval punches giving her the choir girl look.  Add a red ribbon and ta-dah!  So Angelic!

Can't you almost hear her singing carols?

Sailing away from Santa - filling a request

This blog has been consumed with Santa stuff for a couple of weeks so for today I am putting holiday stuff on hold and passing on info and filling a request.

INFO:  Way back in the early days of the blog I linked you to a puncher named Jill S when I copied her M&M idea but didn't have enough info to fully give her credit.  Now, I do!  She is Jill Shover and she is still creating.  She doesn't blog but she has updated her punch creations recently so go check out this link  Jill's fabulous stuff .  Each entry has more than one page so check it all out!

REQUEST: One of my VC_Rocks buddies, Brandy, emailed me requesting a "decent sailboat".  Well, I don't know if this boat is "decent" but I'm pretty sure it isn't indecent!

Can you believe this is from the Wide Oval punch and about three snips with scissors?  Well, it is! (with one thin black strip from the trimmer)  I honestly didn't know I could create something will less than 3 punches!

So Brandy - here  is a pictorial tutorial just for you, although we will let these other ladies see it too.  It is just  photos of the sail on scrap paper but I think it is all the help you will need.  Don't make Gail keep reminding you about my blog - I expect you to read regularly now! 

All WIDE OVAL punching here: 

1/2 an oval

match the top "corner" of the hole to the edge of the punch - push in "kinda diagonally"

This is what you get

Punch a "piece" of oval off the bottom

This shows all the punches you have made:

Now punch one more oval piece jutting top left from the "hole" you already have

take your scissors and trim down from the "corners"

You will toss the bits on the top right in the next  photo and place your "sails" as shown here

The rest of the boat should be easy to figure out!

Santa Series Number 13 - The Anti-Santa (Grinch Tutorial)

I think I am done with the Santa Series but since I have no control of the Inspiration Fairy, I guess a number 14 could show up one day...

This tutorial was a challenge because
1) I couldn't find my previous Grinch, so I'm working from the photo on the blog and,
2) when I'm creating I often just grab some leftover scrap from my messy paper strewn desk and don't always remember what combination of punches it came from and,
3) I have slept many nights since I made the Grinch so all memory is gone.

But while the "new" Grinch isn't EXACTLY like the old one - it is very close.  The eyebrows and dark green parts are slightly different.  I think both must have been cut by hand in the first version (don't laugh at my bad memory - I created the Grinch on a whim as a joke and had NO IDEA so many of you would want to make one)

From your lighter green:
two large ovals
one 1.25 inch circle
two small ovals
three oval rings**
one 5 petal flower
one word window

From darker green
one small oval
one word window (or similar size scrap)

From pale yellow
one small heart from heart to heart

from red
two standard hole punches

small word windowish size scrap of any color

** to make an oval ring-----> punch the small oval, toss the oval, keep the hole, punch the large oval around the hole giving you a thin oval shaped ring

Cut as shown below

Attach small oval to scrap (as handle) reinsert into small oval punch to make it just a little bit smaller

The pieces shown here are what you will use to form your basic Grinch:

He is taking form

Finishing Touches:

make cuts into dark green pieces using scissors (like making grass)

sponge edges of light green pieces if you want

punch from black

• slot punch (just a tip)
• heart to heart eyebrows like clown - trim down to desired size (see photo below)

punch from red

• punch small oval - keep the hole
• punch a large oval to the "side" of the hole (see photo below)
  
  
  
  
  

punch from white

• 1/2 inch circle
• square scallop punch re-punch edge to get rick rack type edge

toss the small oval and the leftover scallop square piece - you may have to trim (shorten) your rick rack piece to fit your hat

Santa Series Number 12 - Texas Santa

BIG thanks to those of you who commented that it is "Fine and Dandy" for me to chatter and blather.  My husband will tell you that "blather" is what I do best...

Today's Santa is the result of a suggestion from my upline when she saw all my Santas - "You need to make a Texas one".  Keep in mind that she is a very talented Red Neck who shot her first deer this past weekend (Creeps me out but I bravely looked at all her photos. She looked cute in her camouflage - I tried not to look at Bambi's mama.)

You could add a Christmas Badge

And here is a close up of the boots (from the 5 point flower punch)

This may reflect parts of Texas but we live in the Dallas Ft.Worth area which is pretty darn urban. A Santa that reflects my area would be in the 34th street suit or wearing a baseball gimme cap, jeans and a Cowboy (football team) jersey.


I realize that many of you will never have need of a Texas Santa but maybe you can alter him a bit and make him a sheriff or a cowboy for some scrapbook layout.  Or maybe you can just shake your head and hope for something better tomorrow.

I checked my email yesterday and there was one from the BEST NEIGHBOR I EVER HAD (who moved away to California) asking  Do you know how to make evaporated milk?   Now, she knows exactly what kind of cook I am, so either she sent this question to the wrong email address or it is the start of a joke.  The fact that she asked me that made me laugh hysterically so I really don't ever have to know the punch line!   I think I'll dedicate this Texas Santa to her.  Love ya Theresa!  Isn't it time for you to come HOME?

Now how would you adorn Santa to reflect your location?  I'd love to see your creations!

Santa Series Number 11 - Skinny Santa...

Yes, we are back to the blog... Me and Santa.  But first some personal blather....(or skip it and jump down to the photo)

The Thanksgiving lasagna was grand - all tummys were full - the clean up was a breeze and no one was exhausted from cooking for two days.  For this and much more, I am thankful!

Now we dash off to the next holiday.  The tree is up.  Most of  the decorations are out.  The annual card photo is taken, agreed on and printed.  The 80 something cards I mail each year are in process (ran out of ribbon, had to place an order).

Had a fun time with college girl home.  We saw Blind Side (fabulous).  We watched numerous movies at home.  Some (not enough) homework was done. We went to see our high school football team WIN their 3rd playoff game (45 to 21) so we are moving on to Finals.  It was a fabulous long weekend!

Now, on to why you came here...  I do have another Santa for you.  This is my 100th post on the blog and this is Santa if he lost 100 lbs.   Unrealistic for the typical American Santa, but if you want more of the "Father Christmas" look, this might help you out.

Mustache is 1/2 of a butterfly.  Nose and hat and mustache are popped up on dimensionals. Hat brim was double punched in word window to shorten it.  You should be able to see the rest.  This one is simple enough that you could mass produce them.  The other Santas I have shown you were a little too time consuming to make very many.  I'm working on those 80 cards so easy, mass-production is on my mind this week.

I put him on a tag - fortunately the back side of this paper is very light so the "To: & From:" can just be written there.  Unfortunately the back side has words on it and I ran this through the Big Shot with the Two Tags die upside down. 

Lesson learned and I will just cover it up by layering the tag on something bigger.

I also plan to use him on a scrapbook page.  My plan uses this face - a word window body - lines drawn for very skinny arms and legs and punch his usual boots.  I think it will look fun - I'll show you if/when I get it done.

I just reread this for "proofing" purposes and realized that I have been really chatty lately.  I'll try to keep it down to business for a few days (if I can!)

A blog award...

Hubby is off to the golf course and the girls were up LATE last night watching movies and are still asleep so I am sneaking in a blog post.

I recently discovered someone else had "awarded" my blog.  Blog awards - a fun way to compliment someone's blog and share a link to them with your own readers.  My award came from Penny and in order to accept this award I need to share 5 things I am addicted to and then pass the award on to 5 other lovely blogs.

My Five Addictions:
1) Punch art (anyone surprised?)
2) Reading the newspaper (the paper and ink version)
3) Sudoku and Kendoku
4) Diet Coke from Sonic Drive In
5) One Life to Live (yes, the soap opera - isn't that embarrassing?)

Ha, I got hooked watching a soap opera because I sit with my mother-in-law every Tuesday so my FIL can have a lunch out with his old engineering buddies.  I turned on the TV to watch the noon news and this soap followed it.  Of course the story lines are stupid with lots of bad acting but if I am home during the day- I confess that I turn it on without the "follows the news" excuse.  But just so you don't think I am a complete idiot I want to note that I am crafting while I am watching so it isn't a COMPLETE waste of time.

I have a lot more than 5 bloggers I follow religiously but you probably read many of them already.

Some blogs I read sell things other than Stampin' Up! and I can't link to them and still remain a good little demo.

So, I made note of 5 SU bloggers that I subscribe to and really enjoy - ones that you might not have discovered yet.  Here are the links to their blogs so you can check them out as I pass on the "fabulous blog" award.

Di Gill  here  -  a "down under" blogger, I recently volunteered to start the Texas Chapter of her fan club - LOVE her scrapbooking!
Carolyn Sharkas here - one of my best online buddies - and if you love birds - this is your girl!
Angie Tieman here - 'cause she is in Dallas Texas (my hometown) and has cute stuff!
Sherrie Robinson here -  new blog after moving back to the States from Italy and is married (like me) to a golf nut.
Linda Callahan here - cause she started  her blog about the same time I did and is a retired teacher (I am a "retired" substitute and tutor)

All these girls have really cute ideas on their blogs so go check them out and leave a comment.  Comments are much more exciting than awards!

Time out for Thanksgiving - see you next week!

I've been posting Christmas ideas for awhile now. Our tree and holiday decorations will go up this weekend while college girl is home.  But for just a little while, I want to take time out for Thanksgiving.

I am a blessed woman.  If I start listing the things I have to be thankful for I wouldn't leave this keyboard for a long long time -I'd start with the obvious biggies of family and health and type on for hours as I documented all the precious little things that make up my daily life. 

Today in particular, I'm grateful for a family willing to toss tradition and eat lasagna from Sam's so I don't have to cook and transport a full traditional holiday meal.  And I'm grateful I found the nerve to suggest this instead of trudging through the work- resentful of HAVING to do something just because "I'm supposed to".   And I'm particularly thankful that my "loves to cook" sister-in-law will be back from her beach vacation and ready to roll for Christmas Eve!

I hope all you Americans have an awesome, filling and fun Thanksgiving Day and the rest of you have a good day too, however you are spending it!

I really am taking off from the blog the next few days.  I have posted everyday since I started this in late August (getting close to 100 posts) but I want to totally enjoy family time this week while everyone is home with me.  Now I may get a wild hair and post something but my intention is to focus on the hubby and daughters.

But just so you remember to come back and see me...   I have another Santa idea up my sleeve and I will be posting a tutorial for the Grinch sometime next week.  So many of you begged and pleaded for help, I suspect that will be a big enough bribe to get you reading again after my hiatus.

Thanks to you all for reading my blather!

Santa Series Number10 - Santa on 34th Street

The golfer Santa looked so refined I just had to put him in a suit like the Santa in Miracle on 34th Street.  Doesn't he look dapper?

His nose is smaller than the golfer - I used a standard hole punch on this one.  I dropped the eyebrows and the clothes are made similar to Conan.  (Talk show host Conan NOT Conan the Barbarian)

Santa Series Number 9 - On the Links

When he needs to get away but can't make it to the beach, Santa heads for the golf course to work off some of those Christmas cookies.

This is the third "style" Santa in this series.   Yes, you still have to figure it out on your own (not hard)... but I will tell you where I got the cleats for his golf shoes - the part that you throw away when you use the spiral punch!  Aren't I a clever girl?

I have no photos of hubby as a child with Santa.  I will add photos of hubby on the golf course to this layout because this is the only way I'll ever have photos of him with Santa --- you do what you have to do...

The golf bag was freehand not punched so don't spend your time trying to figure that out.  But the golf clubs come from the word window and brushed silver paper.

Santa Series Number 8 - On Vacation

Even a magical guy like Santa deserves a little rest and relaxation.  He has spent a few days on the beach and gotten a nice tan.

So sunny and bright - he needs shade AND shades!

Some years he vacations in Hawaii.

The snowflake punch in his lei is an OLD one from my stash and the snowflake on his swim trunks is a retired SU stamp but I'm sure you can find something to substitute.

I got my first "blog award" from dear Patti Lee!  Stampers (and punchers) are such wonderful people - I have made several new friends in my short 3 months of blogging.  Thanks Patti for the shout out and the award.  You are a sweetie!

Santa Series Number 7 - Santa and The List

Poor Santa had to sit down and hold his aching head over that naughty list. 

Is it because your name is there? 

Or is Santa scratching his head because he can't figure out why your name is missing?

I leave you to ponder this for yourselves - and yes, my name is on that list.

Santa Series Number 6 - Mrs. Claus

OK not technically a Santa but we know Mrs. Claus plays a huge role in getting Santa ready for his big Christmas Eve gig...

Here she is serving cookies to keep his belly nice and round.  I bet someone out there can use her on a recipe layout this Christmas.  I think before I use her on a project I'll add some holly berries to her hat - it looks a little plain to me.  This is the only day on the blog for Mrs. Claus - I'm not totally crazy about her so if you create a better version please show me!

Here is the original Mrs. Claus I made, different head, slightly different hair, different apron. 

Feel free to mix and match your punch parts.  Remember no tutorials during this series - look close - you can figure it out!

Santa Series Number 5 - Goodnight Santa

Going back to a Santa in his red pajamas (like the rolly poly Santa) but this time it is Goodnight Santa with hands, legs, socks and teddy bear.  Yes, a teddy bear!  The guy's life revolves around toys - don't you think he is entitled to one toy all his own?

You can have him "bald"

Or you can give him a nightcap

Or you can give him a different kind of nightcap.

Can you tell I LOVE the bald head and curly beard Santa?  I will show one more totally different "look" Santa later in this series but this style is my favorite so he gets the most attention (and props).

The hat is the same as the traditional hat I've been showing but a simple switch from the small oval to the word window punch and some green instead of white turns it into the nightcap.  The second "nightcap" is from the stampset Cheers to You.