My Top 10 Cards from 2010 Blog Hop

Oh what a year!  Suzi, aka Mrs. Weyremaster is hosting a top 10 cards of 2010 blog hop. 

I am still finishing up Christmas presents, but I couldn't resist playing along with this one! (yes, I know Christmas is over, but it still lives on for a few more days since we have yet to see everyone in our family!).  I realized as I went thru my cards, that I have yet to post my family Christmas card - yikes, and it is one of my favorite cards from this year.
So here are my other 10 favorites from oldest to most recent (I will have to get that Christmas card up before the new year).  Click on the #s to be taken to the original post.

1. 

 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Join in the fun, including prizes...you have until 7 am GMT Wednesday, December 29th to link up your own list here. 
Smiles,
Julie

Passing the Amber Ink Torch

This past month as an Amber Ink torchbearer for the brown team has flown by.  I learned that I LOVE iPaper printed on kraft CS (did I mention I love it enough yet?), I got to work with some fun digis, I laughed and laughed and laughed, I won a nutty cookbook (Ha, Ha), and I met some wonderful people! 

 Here are a couple of my favorite creations...

Now I know the brown team will be well represented because I am passing the torch on to Laurel Seabrook! 
Be sure to head on over to Laurel's blog, "Seabrook Designs" and leave her a little lovin' today, as she begins her month with Amber Ink!  Laurel is a master with digis and iPaper, so I know she is going to carry the torch high!!!
Smiles,
Agent Foxy Needles (do I have to give up my secret agent name?!!!)

Amber Ink Blog Hop Winner

Lots of thanks today...
Thank you to everyone who hopped with Amber Ink last week!
Thank you to everyone who voted for their favorite Amber Ink project!
Thank you to Amber Ink for having prizes for the blog participants - both hoppers and designers!

Guess what?!!!  Lucky commenter #13 from my blog hop post has won a $10 Gift Certificate to Amber Ink!!!

Congrats to Lindsey who wrote:

This is gorgeous! I'll add my vote for the awesomeness of the iPaper on kraft!

December 7, 2010 3:43 PM

- send an e-mail to info@amberink.com to claim your prize.

One final thank you to everyone who voted for my card as their favorite :>)  My card came in second and I received a present in the mail wrapped in Amber Ink iPaper!   What fun!!! 

To find out what was inside check out this post on the AmberInklings Blog...
Smiles,
Julie

Amber Ink Gift Boxes

It is amazing how fast the past month has gone by.  This is my last week as an Amber Ink Torchbearer for the Brown Team.  No worries though, because I know that the crafter I am passing the torch to next week will represent the Brown Team well.  On Monday you will find out who!

Today I used up some iPaper scraps to create a couple gift boxes, each is topped with ribbon and a tag with an Amber Ink image.  I am giving lots of gift cards this year and a gift box adds a personal touch, plus there is room for some candy too.

 I am hopelessly addicted to the Snowflake Lace Blue Hint on kraft :>)

The tags were created using the Tags 1 svg file from Perfect Presentation.  I printed the images first and then cut out the tags.  Check out this tutorial to see how to combine digi images with cut files. 

The boxes are made using the Perfect Presentation Top Notch template.  What a fun opening!

2 more gift boxes down, about 8 more to go!!! 
These gift boxes are for Top Tip Tuesday - Christmas Inspired Challenge.
Smiles,
Agent Foxy Needles
Details:  Images - snowflake from 'Tis the Season to be Pretty and present from You're the Perfect Package (AmberInk) , PP - Snowflake Lace Blue Hint and Holiday Cheer Red (AmberInk), Template - Top Notch (Perfect Presentation), Tag - Tags1 (Perfect Presentation), CS - Kraft, Pure Poppy and Ocean Tides (PTI), Embossing - Snowflakes (Sizzix) and Swiss Dots (Cuttlebug), Ribbon - Binding, Pearls (Recollections), buttons (PTI), and twine (PTI).

Flashback Friday 5.0

Amy Tsuruta has issued another Flashback Challenge - the 5th challenge is to repost the first time you used a new technique. 

I am sharing the first time I did paper piercing back in the Spring of 2009, which reminds me that I have not used that technique in a long time.

Have a wonderful Friday and why don't you link up your first technique card to Amy's blog?  You have until 11:59 pm tonight (12/10/10).
Smiles,
Julie
Details:  All SU - the image is an oldie, but a cutie!

We Hopped, Now You Vote!

Yesterday was the First Annual AmberInk Holiday Blog Hop.  Now, it is time to vote for your favorite!   Head on over to the AmberInklings blog and choose your favorite - there are little pics to help remind you of all the fabulous creations there are to choose from.  You have until midnight tonight to vote!!! 

If you did not hop, there is still time to do so.  Start at Karin with an "i" for Paper! and get hopping.  Here is a quick link to my creation for the hop yesterday!  Remember, there will be prizes for random comments left along the hop!

Smiles,
Agent Foxy Needles

A Shutterfly Christmas

Oh how I love Shutterfly, let me count the ways...  I really do use Shutterfly and that is why I was excited when I saw a post on a fellow crafter's blog about a fabulous promotion happening with Shutterfly.  They are offering 50 free holiday cards to bloggers.  Click here to find out what you need to do to get in on this! 

Well, first I should start off by stating that yes, I am a handmade crafter at heart.  And yes, I would make every single Christmas card if I had the time.  The problem, is that I send around 100 cards every year and well, I like to have time to do make more than just cards.  I really do not want to stress myself out.  Plus, I know that some people who receive my cards really just want a picture of my children!!!  Okay, maybe a few want to see my latest creation, but that is the beauty of Shutterfly, I can be creative and give a pic of my kiddos without sacrificing all my time! 

Check out all the cards there are to choose from at Shutterfly!  The designs are fresh and new and there really are hundreds to choose from.  There are classic cards, cute cards and even cards with aqua, like this "French Vintage Holiday card found here (it might be my fave because it is similar to a card I posted yesterday!). A photo card is definitely the way to go if you want to have more than one pic on your card.  Multiple pics are perfect for children who do not like to have their photo taken.  Last year, I could not get a good picture of all 3 of my children together so I did 3 individual candid shots.

Besides cards, Shutterfly has so many other photo gifts...I am sure you will be able to cross a few names off your gift giving list.  One item I recommend highly are the photo books.  I created my first one 2 years ago because I wanted a quick gift for my MIL and a photo book of our family vacation was perfect.  Once I had her album done, I created a copy, made a few changes and had a book printed for my own family.  Another fun idea is to create a family recipe book, like my sister did for my Mother's favorite recipes with family photos sprinkled throughout.  For me, a photo book is the next best thing to a scrapbook page that I create.  Not to mention it is much faster!

I have also created calendars on Shutterfly.  The great thing is that all the dates are saved from one year to the next, so you do not have to re-enter B-days, etc when you make a new calendar!  

Shutterfly photo stationary cards are also great.  I purchased these in the past for thank you cards and I have never been disappointed.

For me, it all comes down to saving time.  Shutterfly allows me to create quick last minute gifts that still have a personal touch. 

Smiles,
Julie

AmberInk's First Annual Christmas Blog Hop

Are you hungry?  Are you ready to hop?  Today is the First Annual AmberInk Holiday Blog Hop.

If you are coming from Jacki Randolph's blog (Team Brown) then you are at the right place (and hopefully you did not overeat over at Jacki's!)!  If not, then be sure to start at Our Ambassador of Awesomeness, Shannan Teubner's blog and get hopping.

We are hopping today AmberInk style.  That means there is a "fun" (I use the term loosely) challenge involved. Alumni and current torchbearers have all been slaving away in the kitchen (er craft room) to serve you a seven course meal!   See, over at AmberInk, we are given missions and this time around we needed to prepare a 7 course meal for 2.  We tried telling Pam that we don't cook, but alas, she laughed and so we are all cooking up a meal for you. Yes, that is the type of challenge you see everyday - LOL!  It translates to a project with 2 colors and a neutral and 7 different techniques.  Okay, so once I figured out what Pam was talking about, I mixed the following together:  1 iPaper (OMG  I love the Snowflake Lace Hint on kraft), 2 ribbon, 3 dry embossing, 4 stitching, 5 pearl embellies, 6 die cut, and 7 lacey trim.  After stirring for quite awhile, and baking for a long time the following came out of the oven...

 

Did I mention that I love the Snowflake Lace Hint iPaper on kraft?!!!

Be sure to leave a comment today - a few prizes will be given to random comments along the hop!  Plus, head on over to the AmberInklings blog tomorrow as there will be voting on all the creations showcased along today's hop!  Now get hopping...next up is the ubber talented Julia Dunnit of Stamping Ground.  Julia is representing the Pink Team and I am sure she whipped up something super yummy for you!

BTW, my card is based on this week's Mojo Monday Sketch.  I figured I was already confused enough by the blog hop challenge mission, so why not add another layer of complexity with a sketch challenge!
Plus, the Paper Players challenge this week is Christmas!
Smiles,
Agent Foxy Needles
Details:  Image - 'Tis the Season (AmberInk), PP - Snowflake Lace Hint (AmberInk), Sentiment - (Verve), Ink - Ladybug Red (Momento), CS - Kraft, Pure Poppy and Ocean Tides (PTI), Embossing - Snowflakes (Sizzix), Die - Scallop Square (Nestabilities), Ribbon - Binding, Pearls (Recollections), and trim - stash.

Just a Little Late for the Hump Day Inspiration Sketch

Oh how I wish it was Wednesday already!  I am not wishing for the time to go by fast, since it goes by fast enough this time of year, I am just waiting until Friday when we go on the North Pole Express!  It is a train ride to the North Pole with a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, plus cookies, caroling, and hot chocolate.  Each car on the train has a host/hostess who entertains and leads the caroling and games.  The kids wear PJs and it has turned into a family tradition - I think this may be the fifth year for us.
As I have trains on my mind, I am sharing a "train" tag!  The image is a custom freebie from Inktegrity that you will receive with each image purchased - that means you can have whatever name you want, although I am personally a little partial to "Alex" :>) 

I may be late for last week's Inktegrity Hump Day Inspiration Challenge, but there is still time for you to participate.  Link up your own take on this sketch to the Inktegrity Challenge Blog found here.
Enjoy your week!
Smiles,
Julie
Details:  Image - Inktegrity

Verve Triple Challenge

The theme for this month's Verve Project Parade is "Triple Play".  Create 3 of something.  This time of year I need plenty of gift boxes, so I went with the Favor Box II template from Perfect Presentation and put a Verve spin on it.

 This template is the same one I used on Monday's post, except this time around I included the removable "roof" and turned each box into a house. 

I also added a tag using the Perfect Presentation svg cut file Tag Set 1.  All the stamps and sentiments are from the Verve set "Christmas in the Air". 

The window and doors are a free digi from Little Paper Shop, just join the forum to get this freebie and others!

The wreaths are made from flock and then I added clear rhinestones which I colored red with a copic.  The bows were cut free hand from felt.
These projects are also for Yvonne Yam's guest blogger contest by Julie Tucker-Wolek, which is to use old and new goodies.  Well, the template is new, using the window and door digis is new, plus I am still new to copics (and flocking, so ignore that little bump on my wreath!). The old would be the PP and the stamp set.
Smiles,
Julie
Details:  I think I covered it all in the post - yikes, sorry it was a little on the long side!