Happy Holidays Blog Hop!!!!

 

Hello everyone, and welcome to the Joy's Life DT Happy Holidays Blog Hop!!!!  If you just hopped here from the very talented Staci, you're in the right place.  To start from the beginning click HERE.

Oh, I am so excited that the holidays are here, and that Christmas is right around the corner!  One thing that I love to do around Christmas is bake!  The cookies that I used in this project are soooo delicious, and I will share the recipe for them at the bottom of this post!  I thought it would be cute to stack the cookies in a jar to give as a gift.  I love using jars!  On this project I used both of Joy's Christmas stamp sets:  Wintery Puns & Oh Christmas Puns!

Storybook- label cut at 1.82", 2.29"

Joy's of the Season- holly branch cut at 2.53"

Joy's Life Stamps- Wintery Puns on label, Oh Christmas Puns on the lid

1.5" circle punch

Ribbon

Jar

You're next stop on this awesome hop is Laura!  Thanks for stopping by and Happy Holidays!  :)

Here's the recipe for the cookies I used in this project!  YUMMO!  :)

White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup cold butter
• 12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
• 2 teaspoons shortening
• White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)

Directions:
 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.

Joy: http://joyslife.com
Stacey: http://staceyscreativecorner.blogspot.com
Jennie: http://earthyscrap.blogspot.com
Lori: http://got2bcrafting.blogspot.com
Debbie: http://bugjuiced.blogspot.com
Sarabeth: http://www.chroniclesofsarita.blogspot.com
Jenny: http://jennyplace26.blogspot.ca
Patty: http://craftykitten1.blogspot.com
Kimberly: http://hellocutiecrafts.blogspot.com
Megan: http://thoughtsoftraveling.blogspot.com
June: http://simplyelegantpapercrafts.blogspot.com      
Staci: http://preciousmem.blogspot.com
Amy: http://redheadedcrafter.blogspot.com  
Laura: http://www.laurascraftsandmore.com
Cyndy: http://arcyscraps.blogspot.com           

 Maria: http://joyfulstamper.blogspot.com

Home for the Holidays Tag

Hello everyone!!!!  I have been the worst blogger!  I have been really busy at work (Red Ribbon Week, Halloween, report cards, etc.), and there's been a lot going on at home (all good stuff)...  My sister is going to be having her baby any day now!!!!  I am so excited!  There's been some other nice stuff happening too, so all is good!  :)  Now, onto my DT project for Joy's Life.  This week we were asked to create gift tags.  I could really see myself making tags for each gift at Christmas!  :)

Tags, Bags, Boxes and More- tag cut at 4.18"
Joys of the Season- house cut at 1.75"
Cuttlebug- swiss dots
Joy's Life Stamps- It's All Fall Puns
Stickles- star dust
White gel pen
Ribbon

Well, I hope you are all having a great weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!  :)

Polar Bear Christmas Card

Hey everyone!  I have been such a busy girl lately!  I have been trying to squeeze the last bit of fun out of my summer, while at the same time getting ready to go back to work....  School starts on August 10th for me, but my students will be there the 11th.  That is almost here!!! YIKES!  I get nervous every single year!  Tomorrow I'm going back to my classroom for the first time since June...  I'll be re-decorating a couple of bulletin boards and labeling EVERYTHING!  The success for the school year starts with how organized and ready you are for the first day of school!  Anywho.... (I can tell I'm nervous about school because it's all I can think about)  I made this card to enter into a few challenges, and it's also my last card as a Guest Designer for 365 Cards.  I have really enjoyed working with them this month, and I know I will continue to join their challenges!  :)

Jingle Belles- blue Christmas
My Creative Time- Throwback Thursday, Christmas
Celebrate the Occasion- blue and white
365 Cards- use the sketch

A2 sized card

Joys of the Season- polar bear cut at 1.94", star cut at 1.59"

Create a Critter- cloud cut at 1.71"

Cuttlebug- snowflakes, d'vine swirls

Scrappy Moms Stamps- Winter Wishes

Martha Stewart border punch

MS crystal fine glitter

Blue sparkle gel pen

Foam tape

Corner rounder

Okay, hope you enjoy my blue Christmas card...  I can "bearly" wait to hear what you have to say!  :) 

***I also want to thank Karen @ http://kaleidoscopicsparkles.blogspot.com/ for passing these blog awards to me!  Her blog is fantastic and she posts beautiful projects and recipes!  YUM!  You really should check out her blog...  Thank you again Karen, you are a very special friend!  :)

                

Penguin Spinner Christmas Card

Good morning everyone!  I must start off by saying....  WOOO HOOOO!!!!  I have reached 200 followers!  I am going to do a giveaway of some kind, so keep your eyes peeled for that!  :)  It will be my first giveaway, so I'm a bit nervous (not sure why)....  But, I really want to do this because I want to say THANK YOU to all of the people who are taking the time to visit and follow my blog!  I can't believe that with all of the talent out there, my little blog reached 200!!!  Okay, onto my card for today...

Bitten by the Bug 2- use a penguin (I don't own Jolly Holidays, so I used Joys of the Season)
My Craft Spot- Christmas in July
Jingle Belles- O Hole-y Night: create a card with a window in it (I love the name of this challenge) :)
Paper Cutz Challenge- anything goes
Peachy Keen LFIF Challenge- use a pun (I LOVE puns) and a PK face

Cricut cartridges used:
Joys of the Season- penguin cut at 3.35"
Wild Card- card base cut at 5.59"
Winter Woodland- snowflakes cut at 1", 1.55", 1.86"
Peachy Keen Stamps- Critter Faces SET A Medium & Winter Face Assortment
Sentiment from my computer- Curlz MT font, size 18
Martha Stewart Ink: sea lavender & ocean
Mini snowflake stamp
A la Mode sparkle embossing powder
Martha Stewart fine glitter- crystal
Brad for the spinner
Foam tape

**I'm so excited because I made my own background paper!  To make it I stamped a mini snowflake (I don't even know the brand of the stamp) with Versamark Ink in various places on the white paper.  Then I sprinkled the embossing powder over it and heat embossed the snowflakes.  I then took my MS sea lavender ink and dabbed it over the entire card (and it doesn't stick to the embossed images).  I inked the edges of the card with MS ocean ink.

Before I end this post, I want to thank Cally Ann @ http://callyanncraftycreations.blogspot.com/ for giving me a blog award!!!!  She has a really cute blog, and posts really nice projects.  I would encourage you all to check her out! :)  You can see my original post for this award here.  Thanks again!

Okay, I snow you will have a cool day!  Thanks for stopping by!!! :)

You're Tops in my Book Card

Hey everyone!  The idea for this card just popped into my brain during the car ride on the way home from Monterey!  I knew the challenge at Cricut 360 was to do something for your parents, but I had no idea what I was going to do...  Well, when you're driving for hours, you get to do a lot of thinking!  :)  I like the way this turned out, it looks almost like it did in my head....  I will definitely be sending this to my parents because they are the best parents ever!!!!  They pretty much paid for the trip to Monterey, they are always supportive of my sister and me, and they just rock!  :)

Cricut 360- create something for the parents
Frosted Designs- use a quote (I've heard people say this before)
GAB Challenge- use something you rarely use (Graphically Speaking cart. & the wobble springs)
Whimsical Wednesday- interactive fun (I used springs under the tops, so they wiggle a lot)
365 Cards- add dimension to your project

Graphically Speaking- book card base cut at 4.29"
Joys of the Season- ornament (I used to make tops) cut at 2.53"
Cuttlebug- d'vine swirls
Peachy Keen Stamps- Retro Paper Doll Face Assortment
Sentiment is from my computer- HP PSG font at size 18
Stickles- star dust, cotton candy, lime green
Glossy Accents
Wire to make the springs

**  I used the search feature on my Gypsy to find a top and the only cartridge that has one is Boys Will be Boys.  I don't own that cartridge so I started thinking about other things that may resemble a top, and that's when ornaments popped into my brain!  I used the ornament from Joys of the Season, cut each one 3 times (so I could layer the different colored papers), cut off the top of the ornament and the little ball on the bottom, and VOILA it's a little spinning top!  :)

**  I had been hearing that you can use Action Wobbles to create movement on your cards, but I didn't have any.... so, I made my own.  They are not exactly the same as the Action Wobbles, but they are really fun!  To make them I just cut some wire, wrapped it around a pen, and used Scotch tape to adhere it to the little tops and then to the card. 

Hope you enjoy, and you're all tops in my book too!  :)

Merry Christmas Snowflake Card

Hello!  I am posting this card today (which is actually kind of tomorrow already) because I am going to be going to Monterey for the next couple of days....  I am so excited to get out of this heat!  Woo hoo!  As always, I will look forward to coming back on Sunday and seeing what you have created over the weekend!  :)  This card is making me really get into the holiday spirit!  I think it turned out looking kind of country...  I had the song "Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays" by N'Sync playing in my head the entire time I was making this!  Very nerdy, I know...  :)

Celebrate the Occasion- make a shaped Christmas card
Bitten by the Bug 2- use the mittens from Joys of the Season cartridge
Scrapbookaholic by Abby- use some bling (I think Stickles are bling)

Cricut cartridges used:
Winter Woodland- card cut at 4.41", snowflake cut at 5.59"
Joys of the Season- mittens cut at 1.47"
Storybook- frame cut at 1.55" for white piece, 1.94" for green piece
Cuttlebug- swiss dots, snowflakes
Sentiment- Stampabilities
Stickles- star dust

Okay, there it is!  Hope you enjoy, and I'll see you in a couple of days!