That old Santa... he's still in his workshop!

Hello Stamping Friends!
Happy "Black Friday" to all.  Just in case you don't feel like facing a mob of shoppers, don't forget that the big Stampin'Up! Holiday Sale is still going on through Cyber Monday, Dec. 2nd.  In fact, there are going to be some Cyber Monday specials... I'm just giving you a heads-up.  I don't know what the items will be, just that there will be some extra special prices on selected items to wind up the Holiday Sale with a bang.

So, how was your Thanksgiving?  I hope it was all you hoped for!  And now for the very best part... leftovers!  Turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce and cold stuffing!  Leftover mashed potatoes and gravy! I almost think the leftovers are better than the TG Day dinner.

Just as I promised, I've got another Santa's Workshop project to show you today and here it is...

This cute mini muslin bag is from the Holiday Catalog, page 36.  You get 8 stampable 100% cotton bags for $9.95.  These are just the right size for a couple of lumps of coal for that naughty person on your Christmas list.  You could also fill this little bag with something yummy for the nice people on your list.  Some Hershey's nuggets or kisses would be a sweet treat!   I stamped the bag with the Wonderful Wreath stamp (page 34 of the Holiday catalog) in Old Olive.  I made a fun tag using some Old Olive card stock and one of the Oval Framelits (page 186 of the Annual Catalog).  I stamped the "naughty/nice" tag from the Very Merry Tags set (page 33 of the Holiday Catalog) in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White card stock and punched it out with the Decorative Label punch (page 181 of the Annual Catalog). Some of the beautiful Cherry Cobbler Grosgrain ribbon on page 22 of the Holiday Catalog finishes this little treat bag off perfectly.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Enjoy your weekend and please come back on Monday when  I'll reveal another project from Santa's Workshop.  When Monday rolls around, please check your email inbox for the Cyber Monday specials!
Happy leftovers to all!
Susan

Santa's in his workshop...

Hello Stampers and happy day-before-Thanksgiving!

Are your pies baked?  Is the turkey brined?  Are you busily ironing the tablecloth and napkins or maybe polishing the silver?  For the first time in many, many years (I'm guessing about 43 years) I'm not doing all that.  My daughter is hosting Thanksgiving this year.  I'm pretty sure I'll get to peel a few potatoes and/or wash a few dishes.  What is Thanksgiving without the work?  I don't think I know how to just sit and enjoy a day like Thanksgiving, when there is SO MUCH to do!  I'll admit that I'm a workaholic.  I like to "get things done," " move forward," and accomplish things.  It's a sickness, I know.  I'm guessing that your thoughts are not on stamping, nor should they be on the day before a big national holiday like Thanksgiving.  But being a workaholic, I feel obligated to stick to my blogging schedule, just in case there's someone out there who might glance at my blog today.

So.... moving right along.... Thanksgiving is all but over so I thought I'd show you some of the cute projects you'll be making if you come to my Santa's workshop class on Saturday Dec. 7th at 10:30 am at my house.
First, you'll eat a yummy brunch of fruit, a delicious "Breakfast Bake" with hash browns, sausage, cheese, and eggs and to top it all off, some heavenly cinnamon rolls.  After you are fortified with plenty of energy-giving foods, you'll tackle 5 fun projects all designed for Christmas giving.  Here's just one of them...

This is a fun and fast flat gift bag that can hold all sort of holiday gifts, like a CD, cash, a gift card, jewelry, cookies, candy, a small book, a magazine subscription, or a note directing the recipient to a location where they'll find another hint.  To put this cute gift bag together I used a flat kraft bag and decorated it with some Season of Style DSP.  I used the Label Framelit dies to cut out a white label and the slightly larger Cherry Cobbler label.  I stamped the sentiment (from the Christmas Messages stamp set)  in Cherry Cobbler.  The fun bow is created with Cherry Cobbler card stock and the Gift Bow Die that's in the Holiday Catalog.

May Thanksgiving be a day of true thankfulness for the many blessings we enjoy... good health, our dear families, our treasured friends, the roof over our heads, the food on our table... I could go on and on.  And I'm sure you could too.  Please come back on "Black Friday" for another fun project from my Santa's Workshop class.  By the way, I still have 4 spots left if you'd like to join us.  You'll get 5 great projects, plus brunch, all for just $15 or the class is free with a $40 purchase.  This will be the last class of 2013, so don't miss the fun!  Just email me at sjrstamps@gmail.com if you'd like me to save you a spot.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Oh, and please.... don't "gobble 'til you wobble."  That's downright unhealthy!
Susan

Baby, it's Cold Outside....

Hello stampers!  Happy Monday!

Are you cold?  Buy a new stamp set!
You'll still be cold, but you'll have new stamps!  Yay!

Seriously, though, there's no reason not to buy some new goodies, especially since Stampin'Up! is running their online sale.  If you're not a cyber-shopper, just email your order to me and I'll submit it today (Monday, Nov. 25th).  You have until December 2nd to take advantage of the sale.  I'll be submitting one more group order on December 1st, so if you'd like to save money on shipping, be sure to get your order to me.

So.... how are those Christmas cards coming along???  Have you finalized your design and ordered your supplies?  Or are you still casting about for a design or a color scheme?  If you haven't quite made up your mind yet, I've got a cool card for you today.

Don't the various shades of blue along with the silver card stock and ribbon just send a little shiver down your back??  This beautiful and mailable( no lumps or bumps anywhere!)  card is the work of one of our talented Stamp2gether demonstrators, Shannon Carrier.  The stamp set she used is called Warmth and Wonder.  You can see it on page 39 of the Holiday Catalog.  It is one of the exclusive sets that hostesses can get FREE!  The colors Shannon used are Island Indigo for the base of the card, with the second layer being the Silver Foil sheets featured on page 28 of the Holiday Catalog.  The DSP is from the Winter Frost Specialty Designer Series Paper, which can be found on page 29 of the Holiday Catalog.  Shannon stamped the tree in Island Indigo ink, then stamped the little Christmas lights in Metallic Silver Encore ink.  Some of the pretty silver 3/8 inch ribbon ( page 28 of the Holiday Catalog) adds a perfect horizontal  accent to this otherwise vertical card.

Do you feel inspired to finally get started on your cards? I hope so!
 Please don't forget to come back on Wednesday for more stamping inspiration.
Warm hugs

Oh, Happy Day!

Hey there stampin' peeps!  I'm excited that Friday is here... bring on the weekend!

 I hope you've taken a few minutes to read over the complete Holiday Sale flyer that I sent to your email inbox, as there are some seriously great buys.  The way I go through ribbon, you can be sure I'll be ordering some of the stitched satin ribbon in Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals, Gumball Green, and Raspberry Ripple for just 5.37 a roll.

I've been working like a beaver all week and I'm now prepared for several upcoming events, so I think I might "play" a little this weekend.  As in--- stay out of my stamping room---, as in relax and read a book.  I also have a new stamp set that has yet to be inked up, so I'm hoping to play with it as well. You knew I couldn't stay out of my stamp room for a whole weekend, didn't you?  You might be wondering why I'm not going into high gear with grocery shopping, tablecloth ironing, and all the usual pre-Thanksgiving tasks.  Well, for the first time in probably 35 years, I'm not doing the cooking!  Shocking, isn't it?  Somehow I think I'll survive!

If you've never attended one of my SOS (Stamp Out Stress) meetings, then I encourage you to attend on Monday, November 25th at 1 pm at Symposium Coffee in Old Town Sherwood.  We'll be making two cards, envelopes included, for just $5.  One of the cards is a flip card, with the center panel that flips over when you open the card.  And here's the other card we'll be making that day...

I can't wait to show you how easy it is to make this cool panel that resembles a quilt.  It is super easy!  I first saw this technique on Susan Itel's blog  "simple stampin," but I'm pretty sure this idea has been around for a while.   I love how clean and crisp this looks on a white dotted background!  I used the Season of Style DSP from page 23 of the Holiday Catalog and the sentiment is from the carry-over set More Merry Messages.  If you'd like to join our happy group of stampers on the 25th, please send me a message at
sjrstamps@gmail.com and I'll save you a spot at the table.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Susan

                                           

Holiday Sale Starts Today!

Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to all!

Today Stampin'Up! starts their annual Holiday Sale (formerly called the Online Extravaganza)!  They are kicking it off with 3 great specials only available for 24 hours:

126889  Stampin' Trimmer, regularly 29.95 is now available for 20.97, save $10

125586  Diagonal Plate for the Simply Scored Scoring Tool, regularly $11.95, now 8.37

131264  Many Marvelous Markers regularly 109.95, now 76.97, save $33

There are many other great items on sale for up to 50% off.  Check your email inbox for the complete list of sale items.  

I know you didn't come here to hear about a sale, but I want to make sure that everyone hears the news!  Here's today's card for your stamping inspiration

Recognize this?  This is another version of my classic blue and white card that I showed you last Friday.  This one is done in Raspberry Ripple and I changed the embossing folder to Beautifully Baroque for a more elegant look.  I used the largest shape from the Apothecary Accents Framelits to cut out the sentiment.  

I don't want to keep you too long here!  You definitely need to go check out the sale!  To order, simply click on the "promotions" button at the top of my blog.  This will take you to my site.  Then click on the "shop" button under my name in the upper right-hand corner.

Happy sale-ing everyone!
Susan

Simply simple

Hello there stampers and happy Monday!

How was your weekend?  Did you do something relaxing and enjoyable?  I had fun yesterday with some very nice women who came to my Festive Flurry ornament class.  Everyone was successful in making three beautiful sparkly ornaments using the Festive Flurry stamp set, matching framelits, and the beautiful Winter Frost designer paper.  I also enjoyed watching a Christmas movie on the Hallmark Channel.  Yes, I'll confess that I'm a a big Hallmark Channel fan and I love watching their holiday movies, the sappier the better.

With Christmas just a few weeks away ( 5 weeks and a couple of days, to be exact), there's never been a better time to start... and finish!... your Christmas cards.  In case you're like me and don't even have an idea for your cards, maybe I can help you out today with a very simple yet sophisticated design that will wow your friends and relatives.  Check this out and you'll see what I mean...

This fun card is the work of Kathy Milano, one of the demonstrators who attends our monthly Stamp2gether meetings.  Kathy's cards are always favorites with our demo group and this one was no exception.
She used the delicious colors Crumb Cake and Cherry Cobbler, along with the Season of Style DSP which you can find on page 23 of the holiday catalog.  The sentiment is from the Joy to the World stamp set, page 14 of the holiday catalog.  The Christmas trees are just elongated triangles of the designer paper layered under the torn paper "hill."  A candy dot on one of the trees adds a bit of dimension, but is flat enough to go through the mail without tearing the envelope, as pearls sometimes do.  You could make quite a few of these in no time!  Just cut the triangle trees, stamp on the "hill" and then assemble the cards while watching a fun and romantic holiday movie on the Hallmark Channel.  And while you're doing that, you can feel very smug that you aren't spending big bucks buying Hallmark cards!

OK, my friends... I'm off to conquer my ever-lengthening  "to-do" list.  Please come back on Wednesday when I'll have another classic card for your stamping inspiration.
Have a great Monday!
Susan

Classic Colors for a Classic Card

Hello stampers!

Here I am at my computer in my stamp room, writing to my faithful readers.  It has been a busy day full of stamping and prepping for the Festive Flurry class on Sunday at 1:30 at my house.  I still have a couple of spots left, so if you'd like to attend, I promise you'll enjoy yourself and go home with 3 gorgeous snowflake ornaments.  And if you've ever been to one of my classes, you probably know that I do a lot of the work for you, while still trying to teach you a few tricks.  This class is no exception.  You'll be a bit pampered as I have done quite a bit of the work for you.  I want you to feel relaxed and happy... not harried and stressed!  I think you'll be quite impressed when you are finished with the projects.  I'm happy that the weekend is almost here, because around here that means that I'm going to see some of my very favorite people, my stamping customers.  I love being a Stampin'Up! demonstrator because I get to share creativity, pretty designs, beautiful colors, and lots of laughter with some very fun people.

When I named this blog, my thought was to showcase cards that are clean and classic.... nothing overly "frou-frou."  And today that's just what I have for you.  In addition to the clean and classic design, I've used one of the most classic color combinations ever, blue and white.  Or to be more specific, Midnight Muse and Very Vanilla.  Is there anything more crisp than a dark blue paired with white?  I think of the blue and white china that is collected by so many people and all of the rugs, pillows, upholstery fabrics, and other home accessories in this beautiful color combination.

Here's the card so you can see for yourself

Here's a quick list of the products I used:

Stamps:  O Holy Night, page 33 of the holiday catalog
              Simply Stars, page 124 of the annual catalog
Ink:  Midnight Muse
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Midnight Muse
Accessories:  Stitched Satin ribbon in Midnight Muse, page 173 of the annual catalog
Linen Thread, also page 173, Very Vintage Designer Buttons, page 169, Apothecary Accents Framelit, page 187, Square Lattice embossing folder page 191, dimensionals.

I hope I've inspired you to get out some blue and white paper and create something pretty!  May your weekend be whatever you want it to be... action-packed and busy or relaxed and laid-back.
Happy week-ending everyone!
Susan

Very Vintage

Hey there, stampers!  Thanks for coming back for a visit today!

I know it is only mid-November, but in the words of the song "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"
I made a run to the mall today to pick up a Christmas gift for one of my daughters because Macy's was having a big sale.  I seldom go to the mall (too busy stamping!) and I was so very surprised to find that Christmas is in full swing at Macy's.  The decorations are up, the shelves are packed, and of course Christmas music was wafting through the store.  I hate to admit it, but it made me feel a bit panicky for a moment when I thought about all the shopping I still have to accomplish, which I'm sure was part of their evil plan.  Buy now, and buy even more later!  I have found that if I shop too early, then I always end up going back for more when I really don't need to do that.  So now I wait and do most of the shopping in December. Do you fall into any holiday traps?  I think the best way to avoid over-consumption is to make a list of what people want and then stick to it!  I don't know how it happened, but we are blessed with daughters who don't have a lot of wants.  They encourage me not to go overboard on gifts and I really appreciate that.  Almost everyone I know doesn't need more "stuff,"  unless we're talking about stampin' stuff... you can never have too much of that!

OK... enough chatter... let's get to the card

The inspiration for this card was found in the magazine that demonstrators receive from Stampin'Up! every couple of months, called Stampin' Success.   I love receiving it because there are so many great stamping ideas in each issue.  The vintage-y card they showed in the magazine featured the very old-fashioned Santa from the Santa's List stamp set (page 31 of the holiday catalog).  Since I don't own that set, I decided to substitute the ornaments from Christmas Collectibles (page 35 of the holiday catalog).  I stamped them in Always Artichoke and Cherry Cobbler.  The sentiment is from the fabulous sentiment set called Christmas Messages ( page 34 of the holiday catalog).  I stamped it in Always Artichoke as well.  The stamp is from the Postage Due stamp set, page 103 of the annual catalog.  I punched it out with the Postage Stamp punch, page 180 of the annual catalog and then popped it up with a dimensional. I used the Post Card background stamp on page 102 of the annual catalog.  I stamped on Very Vanilla with Crumb Cake and sponged the edges quite heavily so that my card would look like I found it in a musty old trunk in the attic.  If I'd thought of it, I would have used the spots from Gorgeous Grunge ( page 109) to age the card even more.

I must run now!  I'm preparing for my Festive Flurry Ornament class on Sunday, November 17th at 1:30
I wish you'd join me!
Happy Stamping,
Susan

Snow?? In November???

Hello stamping friends!

We're back from our trip to California to see our newest grandchild... a sweet girl named Lindsay Ruth.  She's a petite little thing with a full head of dark hair. Weighing in at 7 lbs. 1 oz, she's smaller than either of my girls were so she looked very tiny to me.  After a week of being Oma, I'm getting back into the swing of stamping again and I'm busily gearing up for my Festive Flurry ornament class that's coming up next Sunday, November 17th at 1:30 at my house.  So, yes!  It will be snowing in November... at least at my house.  The cost for the class is just $10, which is quite a bargain if you compare it to the cost of classes at stamp stores and paper stores and the class can be free if you make a $35 purchase.  You'll also enjoy some delicious snacks and some nice door prizes, as well as chatting and creating during a pleasant football-free afternoon!

We'll be making three different ornaments.  I posted one on The Classic Card facebook page and I'll show you the other two in just a moment.  First, though, let me say that these don't have to hang from a Christmas tree.  They would make great tie-ons for a special gift and they'd make a very pretty table favor for your Christmas dinner guests to take home.  Or maybe you have your friends over for a special Christmas tea. These would be wonderful favors for such an event as well. They'd also make a nice small gift for a co-worker. They don't have to be made in the blue and silver color scheme.  You could try Cherry Cobbler and some Gold Shimmer Paper for a completely different look.  One thing is for certain, once you start making these, it is hard to stop.  They are just that pretty!  OK, so let's take a look...

Here's the second one

 I'm not going to go into a lengthy description of the steps involved in creating each ornament, but I will say that I used the Festive Frost DSP on page 29 of the Holiday catalog, along with the Festive Flurry stamps and framelits on page 30.  I used the silver 1/8 inch ribbon on page 28 for hanging loops and also used the Frosted Finishes Embellishments on page 28.  Silver Glimmer paper, page 156 of the annual catalog adds a frosty, sparkly glow.  I used the colors Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, and Soft Sky to stamp the snowflakes.  Really, there is no "wrong" way to make these.  Just stamp some snowflakes, cut them out with the matching framelits, and then start layering them with some snowflakes cut from the Silver Glimmer Paper.  You can make them as simple or as complex as you like.

Have I convinced you to come to my class?  I hope so!  Thanks for stopping by today and be sure and come back on Wednesday for more stamping inspiration;
Happy Stamping!
Susan

A Pause to Give Thanks

Hello again, Stampin' Peeps!

Woo Hoo... it's Friday!  What is on your schedule for the weekend?  I'm going to be stamping with Kristine and Amy and their friends tomorrow, November 9th, at 1 pm.  If you're free and would like to join us, just send me a quick email and I'll be sure to have enough paper cut for you!

I know I've been concentrating on Christmas lately, but today I want to take a break from that and show you a Thanksgiving card.  I know I wrote an earlier post about sending Thanksgiving cards.  I think most people would be surprised and delighted to receive a Thanksgiving card.  I know I would!  Why not make a few for the most special friends and family?

Here it is in all its leafy, fall-colored glory...

I stared out with a card base of Very Vanilla.  On top of that is a panel of Baked Brown Sugar.  Next is the leafy layer.  It measures 3 1/2 by 4 3/4, which is smaller than usual, but I wanted more of the Baked Brown Sugar panel to show.  I stamped the leaves with the Gently Falling stamp set (page 65 of the annual catalog), in Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Baked Brown Sugar, and Crushed Curry. Then I stamped over the leaves with the Woodgrain background stamp ( page 75) in Crumb Cake. I cut a Window Frame in Baked Brown Sugar with the Window Frames Collection framelits, and adhered it over a flagged piece of the new 1 1/4 inch Burlap Ribbon ( page 18 of the holiday catalog). Last, I stamped the sentiment in Pumpkin Pie, using the Tags 4 You stamp set on page 37 of the holiday catalog. I punched it out with the Label Bracket Punch, also on page 37 and popped it up on dimensionals.  I love how this turned out... simple and full of fall flavor!  Best of all, it is fairly flat so mailing it to surprise far-away friends and family on Thanksgiving won't be a problem... not a bump, lump, or pearl in sight!

Happy Friday to all!
Susan

All is Calm

Hi there!  Thanks for coming back to see the Wednesday card!  I hope you're experiencing smooth sailing today.  Days go so much better when all is calm and drama-free, don't you agree?

In the spirit of calmness, I have another card for you made with the very popular Calm Christmas stamp set.
I have to admit that I've probably never experienced a calm Christmas.  There's always plenty going on at our house and since the arrival of grandchildren, Christmas is anything but calm.  There's chaos and crying, there's toys strewn about, there's someone in "time out."  Maybe someday when I'm ancient and living in the Shady Pines retirement home (I'll be going there with my friend Rhonda) I'll have a calm Christmas and I bet it won't be half as much fun as the crazy Christmas I have now.

Check out my card today, all calm and cool and blue...

Here's a list of the products:

Stamps:  Calm Christmas
Ink:  Island Indigo
Paper:  Island Indigo, Whisper White, and Soft Sky card stock
Accessories:  Northern Flurry Embossing Folder, Winter Frost DSP, Silver Glimmer Paper, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Old Olive Marker, Silver 1/8 inch ribbon, sponge, dimensionals

Have a calm Wednesday, everyone!
Hugs,
Susan

A Holly Jolly project

Hi there, stampers!
Happy Monday!
Did you enjoy the "fall back" time change?  I know I did... it is great to gain an hour!  I wish we could gain one more often, as most of the time there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish all that I'd like to check off my list.  Now that we are into November, it is time to give serious thought to Christmas preparations.  We really cannot put it off much longer, because ready or not, Christmas will be here sooner than we think.  Is this the year for you to simplify your holiday chores?  Maybe scale back on decorating the house just a bit?  Perhaps scale back a tad on the outdoor lights?  It really isn't necessary to outdo yourself every year.  Maybe reading a good book by the fireplace would be more satisfying than engaging in a frenzy of decorating, baking, and shopping.  Don't get me wrong... I love decorating, baking, and shopping but I just plan to do a little less of it, in hopes I'll have a few quiet moments to contemplate the meaning of Christmas.

One great way of simplifying Christmas is giving the ever-popular gift card. You can pick them up at the grocery store, so there's no running around town.  Just about everyone (except tiny children) loves getting a gift card.  It is a gift of possibility and half the fun of getting one is daydreaming about the things you might purchase with that magical card.  If giving a gift card seems a little cold to you, here's a way to warm it up.  Give it in a hand-stamped, hand-crafted gift card holder, like this....

I just love how easy these are to make.  You can crank out a lot of these in very little time, using Stampin'Up!'s Envelope Liner Framelits ( page 37 of the holiday catalog).  This cute holder is made using the middle-sized envelope liner.  Simple cut two liners from Double Sided Designer Paper (I used Season of Style, page 23 of the holiday catalog).  Score one of the liners and fold down the flap.  I used some Crumb Cake Seam Binding to stretch around the folded-down liner and sealed the ends inside.  Then I just tied on a  separate piece of seam binding for the knot.   I used the Tags 4 You stamp set (page 37 of the holiday catalog) for the sentiment, stamping it in Cherry Cobbler and cutting it out with the Label Bracket Punch, also on page 37. I popped the cute label up on some dimensionals.  Because DSP is lighter in weight that regular card stock, you can easily cut two of these at a time.  Just make sure to choose patterns that go well together.  By the way, I first saw these on Patty Bennett's blog, so I want to give her credit.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope your week is off to a good start!  Please come back on Wednesday, when I'll have another classic card for your stamping inspiration!
Hugs,
Susan

Clean and Classic Christmas

Hello there stamping friends!

Let's hear a little cheer.... YAY for Friday!  I hope your Halloween went smoothly and uneventfully.  We're always mobbed with kiddies in our neighborhood, but that's OK... it isn't too difficult for me to get into the spirit of a holiday that revolves around candy.  Now if I could just figure out a way to filch some of those Milky Way bars out of their bags :)  It is a little shocking to see that we've arrived at November already. Daylight Savings Time ends on Saturday night (or actually Sunday in the wee hours) and from now until December 25th  it will seem like time is passing at warp speed as we zoom towards Christmas.  

Speaking of Christmas, have you started making your cards yet?  If not, there's still plenty of time, especially if you choose a clean and classic design like the one I'm going to show you right now.  This is one of the cards we'll be making tomorrow at my Soup-er Saturday "pamper-the-stamper" event.  Have a peek...

You can't get much cleaner and more classic than this!  Let me quickly go through the steps of creating this card.  I started with a base of Very Vanilla.  The next layer is a panel of Cherry Cobbler embossed with the Beautifully Baroque embossing folder.  The Christmas tree is from the stamp set Special Season (page 29 of the holiday catalog).  I stamped it in metallic gold using the gold Encore pad on page 28 of the holiday catalog and then cut it out with one of the oval framelits.  I adhered it to a slightly larger oval, cut from some gorgeous Brushed Gold card stock (page 156 of the annual catalog).  The sentiment is from the same stamp set, stamped in Cherry Cobbler on a strip of Very Vanilla.  I flagged the end of the strip with scissors, but you could also use a square punch to accomplish the same thing.  The top of the tree is accented with a pearl and there are tiny pearls here and there on the tree.  If you are mailing your cards instead of handing them out, then it might be best to leave off the pearls.  The card looks beautiful even without them.  

I hope I've inspired you to get started on your cards right away.  Think how smug you will feel when they're all finished and ready to put in the mail on December first.  Then you can turn your attention to the thousand and one other things on your to-do list.

Have a great weekend and enjoy that extra hour we lost in the spring!  I love the "fall back" change ... how about you?  Happy week-ending everyone!
Hugs,
Susan