Holiday Tweetings

I totally flaked out and forgot to remind all of you about the Top Tip Tuesday challenge this week. Good news though, you've still got time to enter your paper pieced project and/or tip! Here's a peek at my offering.

So for the last 4 years I've taken Christmas card classes once a month at my LSS. We took off December and sometimes January, but every month 10-12 folks got together to make cards of 2 designs and we'd get one of the stamps. This month was the last one. :( The classes are going to change to be all occasion cards starting in Jan/Feb. That's okay. I was starting to acquire an overwhelming amount of Christmas stamps!

This is the stamp that came with the class. It's a really fun one from Outlines. I adore their stamps, but the intricate designs can be overwhelming. I'm not sure I would have gotten this stamp, but after making this card I'm uber excited to add this to the repertoire! Lately I've been concentrating on developing my coloring skills and I've forgotten how great other applications like paper piecing can be. A stamp like this is awesome for paper piecing because it adds so much umph to the details and speeds up the finished process. :)

These are the markers I used during the class to color the songbird. I actually finished the card this morning. All I did at the class was color this bird and play around with the other set of cards we made (mitten fella kinda cards). I didn't finish a thing 'cause I was so busy socializing with everyone! There are about 6 of us that have been fairly regular in taking this set of classes and we were all chatting about our plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Those of us that have been taking the classes all year long got an awesome present! A free stamp from Memory Box!!! It was even signed by Dave himself. :) I really *heart* Memory Box designs and Dave is an awesome instructor. He tells the funniest stories and makes all of us in his classes feel like genius artists. I can't wait to make something with this cool stamp.

So as you could see by my first photo, yes my house is all decorated for Christmas(I know, I know a little early, but I LOVE it).  My husband's family comes over every year on Black Friday afternoon to decorate and gorge on more food.  We don't often see each other all together after Thanksgiving weekend (we're spread out over 3 states), so this is our opportunity to celebrate. :)  I literally have a tree in every room of my house.  There are 3 full size trees, 2 table top trees, 2 ceramic trees that light, and some assorted small tree tchotchkes.  Then there's the outside lights in front and back of the house.  So long story short, I'm VERY THANKFUL for my extended family for helping get the house ready for the season!!!  Stop by on Dec 6th for the complete tour and see other folks decor at Between Naps on the Porch.  It's sure to be amazing. :)

I've flown here with this card:
Be Different- Act Normal- Show and Tell Saturday
The Tablescaper- Seasonal Sunday