Saturday's Craft Fest Day was so much fun! We had 14 ladies scrapbooking, making cards and Thanksgiving boxes. I think the best part for me was meeting SIX new crafty friends! Two of them will be attending a crop I'm going to in a couple of weeks, so I'll see them again soon.

I promised photos of the Make 'n Takes once it wouldn't ruin the surprise so here you go. We filled the box on the left with Little Debbie Pumpkin Spice Rolls. Do you love the Vintage Leaves stamp set as much as I do? It is so versatile and the matching framelits make it simple to cut out. The box was inspired by Erica Cerwin (Pink Buckaroo) and the card was inspired by Susan Itell (Simple Stampin'). Plans for our next get-together are in the works now. I'll let you know the details when they are finalized.

Stampin' Up! has a fabulous promotion that starts today! Stitched Shapes Framelits are now available in ovals, squares and circles!! They were going to make their debut in the 2016-2017 catalog, but they just couldn't wait. In addition to the Stitched Shapes Framelits, there are several stamp sets that coordinate beautifully and they are 25% off for this month only! Click here for more information.

Happy crafting!
Paula

It has been about nine months since my last post - enough time to grow a baby! I don't have a precious baby to show for my nine months, but I decided I would take Winston Churchill's advice and never give up. So I begin again.

Are you a perfectionist? I am. I'm not happy about it, but there it is. I want this blog to be perfect, meaningful, and full of all the special features I see on blog posts that I follow. Well, because I couldn't do all that I just didn't do anything! That's over. With time and experience, I do plan to add content features to the site. For now, however, I'll share my love of crafting (and organization!) and hope that you'll share the journey with me.

My last post mentioned the Life Group that I started at my church. We met in February, March, April and May and had so much fun. Our group varied from 9 people to 21 people in different months, but always an enthusiastic, fun group! At our last meeting for the Spring semester, there were requests to continue meeting during the summer. So beginning in June we held a once-a-month Craft Fest Day! We gather from 9 am to 5 pm and everyone brings whatever current project they're working on. We have lunch delivered and share so many laughs. And the tips we learn from each other? Priceless!

We meet tomorrow and for this Craft Day, I've included two Make 'n Takes for those who want to participate. I'll share the details later, but I don't want to spoil the surprise!

I'll chat with you again soon - I promise!
Paula

My heart was so touched this weekend. Let me tell you how this came to be. A couple of months ago my church announced a new program consisting of Life Groups. The idea is to be the Body of Christ to each other by sharing our hearts through common interests. So we had a Life Group fair this past Sunday and 31 different groups had a table with a poster board explaining their group. There were Bible study groups, an exercise group, a sewing  group, a wild game cooking group, a Kitchen Connection group and so many others. A dear friend of mine and I are offering a Paper Crafting Group!!! I forgot to take a picture of our display the day of the Fair, but here's a picture of the dry run!

Beyond my wildest imagination, we have 21 signed up for the class, and we had the privilege of meeting so many new ladies. We have three mother/daughter duos which especially warms my heart! Our group is a combination of experienced paper crafters and those new to it who are afraid they aren't creative enough. Most of us know that the desire to create is far more important than any innate skill or design ability. Creativity blossoms when a group of women come together and share their ideas and experiences. New eyes help us think beyond what we've been doing and see new possibilities.

Two ladies in particular had an impact on me. Both are experienced scrapbookers/paper crafters and both have let their creativity lie dormant for a few years. Small children, jobs, and life in general have caused dust to collect on their paper and tools. I can relate. However, they are so excited about dusting off their supplies and crafting again with women who share the same passion. Their excitement is contagious.

My plan is to share the projects with you, but the group will always have first peek. Now, what about you? Who do you know that might want to get together once a month, every two weeks, etc. to craft and laugh and support each other? If you have a group like that, I'd love to hear what works for you. What do you enjoy the most?

It’s been a while since you’ve heard from me. The last few months of the year were not kind to my family. My younger sister was diagnosed with Stage 4 bladder cancer at the end of September. After several hospital stays, she passed away on December 8 at the age of 57. In addition to me, she left behind a daughter, a son, a daughter-in-law, a grandson, an identical twin sister, three nieces, a nephew and many wonderful friends. She is missed.
 
Besides my faith, what sustained me during those months—and since—are friends. Some of those friends are longtime friends and others are friends I’ve made in the last few years through church, stamping and Stampin’ Up! They made me laugh when it was sorely needed, and they have let me vent or cry when I needed that.
 
I had so many creative projects I wanted to share with you for the holiday season, but almost none of those projects were done. The desire to create and play, however, is returning. Color is soothing to me and working with colored paper, ink and markers helps my mind relax and my soul rest. Does it do the same for you?
 
It’s good to be back. There’s been a lot going on in my absence, and I’ll do my best to catch you up this week with some new projects and all the great promotions going on with Stampin’ Up! So a very belated Happy New Year!

Until tomorrow …
 
 

Stampin' Up!'s Black Friday starts early - on Monday, November 23, at 12:01 am Mountain Standard Time (just after midnight if you're up at that time). There are some amazing deals, but supplies on some things are limited so order early! If you place a minimum $35 order, you'll also receive a thank you gift from me. Use Hostess Code JG4FVQ24 and receive a lagniappe gift as well. (As always, if your order is $150 or more, keep the Hostess Benefits for yourself. I'll still send you a special surprise!)

My personal favorite is the Magnetic Platform for the Big Shot is 40% off - only $24! I LOVE mine! There are also some photopolymer stamp sets on sale that are not in any of our catalogs. They were online-only sets and are shown below for your convenience.

Details:

• Dates: November 23-30, 2015
• Two 24-hour flash sales for specific products will happen during this promotion: one on November 23 and one on November 30.
  
• Past Paper Pumpkin kits and kit refills in Online Extravaganza are available for purchase by subscribers and non-subscribers.
• You must use bundle item codes provided for Online Extravaganza. Discounts will not be applied if individual component item numbers are entered separately. Bundles featured in Online Extravaganza will exist only during Online Extravaganza.
• There is no minimum purchase necessary for Online Extravaganza. Discounts will range from 20 to 50 percent.
• Additional products from current catalogs may be purchased on the same order.
  

Do you like to share handmade kindness? Maybe you enjoy baking cookies for a neighbor or creating a card or treat for a special occasion. I'm playing along with a Share Handmade Kindness challenge. For the first week's challenge, I'm sharing a non-traditional anniversary card created for my brother-in-law and his wife. Their anniversary this week brings back memories of a beautiful, rustic, outdoor celebration - memories I hope are captured in this card.

How do you share handmade kindness?
Share your photo and use hashtag #sharehandmadekindness