Christmas Sock Advent Garland

When I saw these adorable socks at the Target $1 Spot last year, they inspired this Christmas Stocking Garland idea!  It's a combination of a garland, a stocking, and an advent activity!  My daughter is in her first apartment, and doesn't have any Christmas decorations yet, so I wanted to send her something that would brighten up her apartment, PLUS remind her that I was thinking about her each and every day.  Thus the invention of the sock-advent-garland!


It starts with 25 socks in various colors and sizes.  I hope you can find them after Christmas on sale! The socks were strung together with ribbon and a darning needle.

The daily numbers (1 - 25) were made with my Stampin'Up Stamps and ink pads, then punched with Stampin' Up punches (some ovals, some circles). A hole was punched at the top of each number, and a piece of Baker's Twine (from Taylored Expressions) was tied to the number tag.  The tags were GLUED to the socks with Inkssentials "Glossy Accents."



 Then the filling begins!  The secret is to either not have too many heavy items, or to have several hooks on your mantel to distribute the weight.  I did not number the socks sequentially because as each item is removed from the socks, I didn't want the garland to sag from being uneven.  The numbers are scattered haphazardly.  For my young adult daughter, the socks contain makeup, gum, earrings, small candles and Scripture verses to create her own advent candle wreath, lotion, disposable razors, candy, etc. A few socks contain family recipes on little note cards for her to add to her growing recipe collection.  Depending on your budget, you could add gift cards for gas, music, and much more! 

If you have more than one child or person opening up the socks, then you can either label the back of each number tag with a different person's name and distribute the gifts that way, or make each sock a piece of paper containing a family activity  (Day 1: Decorate the Christmas tree; Day 2:  Bake Christmas Cookies, Day 3:  Shop for Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts, etc.)  Here is a link to my favorite "Christmas to-do list" that helps your family focus on the less fortunate while at the same time preparing your home and your heart for Christmas.   Christmas Planning List

ENJOY!  If you create an advent sock garland, I'd love to see it!  Post a link here and share it with us!  Merry Christmas!

Graduation Cards to very Special kids

Every year there is a need for a fresh batch of cute, sassy, male and female graduation cards, right?  This year, it seems like I have a special connection with each graduate.  Proud of each Facebook Graduation photo that comes across my screen like they were my own.  Kids I have known since birth or were in my ministry from early days.  Kids who were in Sunday School classes or small groups I taught, or children's choirs I lead.  This makes each card very special. Here are the stories behind each card.

For Kevin:  a talented, funny, charming young man who is going to go far in life.  I love his mom and dad and siblings .. and Him, like they were FAMILY.  They've been there for me through thick and thin.  I loved having Kevin in several musicals I directed, and then as a Jr. Higher and High Schooler, I snagged him several times to play drama parts in our KidStuf productions at 1BL.  Oh how I miss him!  Way to Go Kevin!   You indeed ROCK! (Stampin Up stamps and paper)

For Mollie.... Mollie lives in Georgia and I don't know her as well as I'd like because I moved away from that area when she was just a 5 year old, but her parents are very special people to me.  In fact, if it wasn't for her parents, Dave and Liz, I would not have Stephen as my son!  Long amazing story for another day!  Mollie is extremely bright and right now is in Paris celebrating her graduation with her dad!  So I would say she has much to rejoice about!  Congratulations Mollie!  (Stampin up paper and Taylored Expressions stamps)

For Caroline:  Caroline's mom is one of my best friends, and has been an integral part of my ministry since 2000, so I've watch Caroline grow up pretty close up.  She was in a small group of 6th grade girls that I discipled on a weekly basis and that was such a privilege!  This gal is amazing!  Her parents have taught her to be a servant.  She has overcome obstacles that most of us will never experience.  She is off to Wheaton College in Chicago and for a SoCal kid that is a big deal.  Did I mention how smart she is?  This card means:  wow, you really stand out !!!  You are one of a kind!  You are amazing!  (Stampin Up paper and Michaels $1.00 stamp!)

For Katie:  Katie's mom and I have been friends since BEFORE Katie was born!  Katie's older brother was in the very first preschool class that I ever taught, and now he is in his mid 20's!  Katie's older sister, Breanna is one of my daughter's very good friends when we lived in Atlanta.  I have loved staying at Katie's house when going back to Atlanta for a visit.  She's a spitfire ball of energy, beauty, poise, and talent.  Her parents are amazing godly people who have done a great job of raising 3 very unique kids and pointing them in the direction God has intended for them.  So this card represents the amazing places Katie will head to in her future.  I'd like to think that book is the Word of God, and from it, the places we are headed are nothing short of adventurous and exciting! Happy trails Katie! (Stampin up paper and Taylored Expressions stamp and trim)

Thanks for looking!  Blessings to each of my young friends graduating from High School, Middle School, and College this month! Wow, I wish I didn't feel so old! :)

Sharing some recent projects

For Monroe's first birthday party... the Number ONE, the letter M and a birthday cake candle. Made the pennant banner by hand.  Netting ruffled lace from my local scrapbook store: Simply Scrapbooks.

Butterfly birthday card.  I love the fact that these bright colors are great for both adult friends AND kids!

One of my favorite color combinations:  Regal Rose and Kiwi Kiss (All products from Stampin Up!

Congratulations Jenny

An egagement congratulations card for a young lady I've known for 30 years... in fact her mom & dad were in my wedding many years ago! I'm so excited for Jenny and Randy. This card was made with Purely Pomegranite paper (SU) and the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set and embossing folder. (also from Stampin Up!) The large rose image is stamped on the Pomegranite paper repeatedly, and then a piece of vellum is run through the "Big Shot" machine and layered onto the top of the cardstock, with ribbon added along the edge to cover the area where the vellum was attached. (This card is CASED from a card made at Jami's house a while back at one of her club nights.)

Catching up on Birthdays

You can never have enough Birthday Cards, right? I'm filling up my stash, plus making some to give to a family member, so here's what I've been working on. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, this beautiful paper and the colors. The designer paper is from "American Crafts" and it's called "Amplified." I used SU Lavender Lace, Melon Mambo, Cool Carribean, and Purely Pomegranite for the cardstock and colored the images with both Copic markers and SU markers.




Stamp Set: Crazy for Cupcakes (SU!)



Stamp Set: Pun Fun (SU!)



Stamp Set: Time for You (SU!)

TESC131 Halloween Kitty Card

Here's this week's contribution to the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge... something I almost always MAKE but hardly ever get uploaded in time! Love this little pumpkin/ kitty image, even though I have no idea where it came from. It was given to me in a big box of stamps that someone was getting rid of (can you even imagine!?)
It is colored with Copic Markers and it features the "Paper Tole" technique. The pumpkin is stamped 3 times, and them "bumped up" twice... once for the whole pumpkin and once just for the lid of the pumpkin. Hopefully you can see that in the image below. The paper is from Imaginesence. Love the bright colors!

Sending my Daughter Off To College with Handmade Pieces of my Heart

A few weeks ago, my daughter left for college (Azusa Pacific, which is about 40 minutes away). Even though it's not THAT FAR from home, I wanted her to have a few items that would be helpful, but mostly to let her know that I am there with her, that I'm thinking about her, missing her and praying for her.

Here are a few of the items:












A mini pail to put quarters in for the washer/ dryer in the dorm; an acrylic photo frame to hold a sticky note pad, and a prayer journal. Her colors of her dorm items are Lime Green, Turquoise Blue, and Brown.

Discover Your Wings Dear Friends!

For my dear Friends Mike & Kim who just left California a few days ago to move to Texas. We've been friends for more than 25 years, and it just won't ever be the same without them here as a part of our church and my life. They were such amazing servants of God over the years, but mostly, they were and always will be forever friends. I can't wait to go visit them in Wylie and see where God has placed them for the next part of their journey. Missing you guys so much! Praying you are getting settled and are already seeing God's faithfulness in your new home.


Card (for Taylor's Challenge #TESC118) uses Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Vellum Cardstock (SU!) Chocolate Chip and So Saffron Ink, the paper piercer and matt pack, DCWV Retro Prints paper, the Big Shot Top Note Die from SU!, and the Fiskars Border Punch. The stamp set is called "Discover Your Wings" from Taylored Expressions. The lace trim is also from TE. LOVE THAT TRIM! Reminds me of all the little dresses my mom made for all my sisters and I when we were growing up.