As promised, here's a card I made for my mother-in-law's birthday using the new Vintage Vogue set from the new Occasions mini catalog. The images are stamped in Crushed Curry, Pacific Point, and Wild Wasabi Classic ink on Whisper White card stock. I sponged the edges with Crushed Curry and layered it on a piece of Baja Breeze card stock stamped with an old script background. Her favorite color is green so the card base is a piece of textured Wild Wasabi card stock. The flower centers are Dazzling Diamonds (yellow flowers) and Turquoise Fine Cosmo Stampin' Glitter (blue flower) held in place with Zig Two Way glue. There are a few surprises in the new Occasions mini catalog. (If you haven't seen it yet, check it out on my SU web site or let me know and I'll send you one.) New style punches that are so easy to store and clear mount stamps! That's right! The same crisp, detailed images in rubber but with a choice between mounting them on traditional wood blocks or using clear acrylic blocks to stamp! There's lots of gorgeous new paper, ribbon, and other accessories that will make it easy to put together a $50 order to receive your free SAB item!

Happy New Year! If you make New Year resolutions or begin a new year by organizing, this little post it note holder just might come in handy. It was made with the Delicate Dots DSP and ribbon from last year's Sale-a-bration. Tie the ribbon and it's ready to drop into your purse. Use seasonal paper and it makes a great little gift, stocking stuffer, or party favor. My friend Connie (Hi Connie!) substituted a pair of flip flops for the flower and gave one to each woman at their family beach vacation last year. Untie the ribbon and jot down a quick note with the attached pencil.

Speaking of Sale-a-bration, this year's SAB begins on Tuesday, January 5 and runs through March 31. Unfamiliar with SAB? It's a favorite Stampin' Up! annual event with 3 easy ways to get great SU products free. First, for every $50 you spend (before tax and shipping) you receive one item of your choice from the SAB brochure free. Second, host a workshop and if sales are $300 or more (before tax and shipping) chose one free item from the SAB brochure. (This is in addition to all the other great hostess benefits!) Third, become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator during Sale-a-bration and choose a free stamp set from the Idea Book and Catalog. If you haven't received an SAB brochure, let me know and I'll make sure you get one.

January 5th is also the first day to order from the new Occasions mini catalog. I'll show you a project made with one of the new stamp sets in my next post.

Even if you didn't get much snow where you live this weekend, you can still make a snowman with the Jolliest Time of the Year stamp set. This one was stamped with Basic Gray on Whisper White card stock, colored with Stampin' Write markers, matted on Bashful Blue card stock and glued to a Whisper White card base. Dazzling Diamonds glitter gives the snowflakes their sparkle. The sentiment is from the Many Merry Messages set and stamped in Bashful Blue Classic ink.

Are you finishing up last minute Christmas gifts? If so, here's one you can do in a hurry. Pick up some tumbled tiles at your local home improvement store to make a set of coasters. Stamp with StazOn ink and if you do any coloring, use permanent markers. I like to cover the back with cork cut from a sheet of rolled cork you can find at your local craft store.

Another fun item to make this time of year is a coaster calendar. I use the heavy chipboard coasters that are available at your local dollar store 6 for $1. Cover them with cardstock or DSP, embellish, add a small calendar and your finished. You can also add a thin self-adhesive magnetic strip to the back and it becomes a refrigerator magnet! The yellow one was dry embossed then sanded lightly so the embossed image would stand out on the patterned paper. The one below I used the retired Weathered background stamp and Old Olive ink on Whisper White cardstock to create the background. The Upsy Daisy stamp and more Old Olive ink were used to stamp the flower image. I matted the calendar on Old Olive cardstock, glued it on and added the riboon.

If you have a Big Shot, you can create all sorts of little gifts. This key ring was made by gluing DSP on both sides of a thick piece of chipboard and cutting it out with my Big Shot. Add some embellishments, a few coats of Crystal Effects or Modge Podge to protect it, a key ring, and you're finished.

There are so many things that can be stamped besides cards. It is common knowledge among stampers that some of us will stamp anything that doesn't move! I don't think that describes me but I do hope to share with you a few non-card items that you might want to make for Christmas gifts. One of my favorite things to make is Christmas ornaments. My sister Sarah and I have been exchanging handmade ornaments for many, many years. The ornament below was made with the Changing Seasons retired stamp set to create the snowy scene inside. I've also made them with Santas, snowmen, candle stamps and more. Any image that will fit inside the ornament could be used. These make great gifts but you'll probably want to make an extra to keep for your own tree!