Happy Pioneer Day!

Here in Utah, July 24th is a big deal. Nope, not because it's my nephew, Carter's birthday...but because in 1847, July 24th was the day that Brigham Young led the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley and famously said, "This is the place."

I can only imagine what all of those pioneers who had been walking for months must have thought, "What? Really? Here? In the middle of the desert? With hardly a tree in sight?"  But, their faith in their leader led them to action and it is absolutely astounding to me to look around me and see what has been built in this beautiful valley in the 166 years since that day.

Happy Pioneer Day, everyone!

Happy Holidays from the Pedersens

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Pedersens. We hope yours are full of joy and happiness!

You can click on the photo to see our 2011 card larger and in more detail.


 

Christmas Advent Calendar Box Workshop Information

Yesterday, I posted this little advent calendar box with a promise that I would be adding detailed information soon on how you can make yours. Well, here it is...as promised.

You can participate in making one of these boxes in one of 3 ways:

1. Come to the workshop on Thursday, October 20, 2011 (you can choose between a morning workshop: 10 am - 1 pm, or an evening workshop: 7-10 pm) in American Fork, UT
2. Host your own workshop at your home with your friends. I will come anywhere between Ogden and Santaquin, UT. I just require that you have at least 10 boxes purchased (that means if one person purchases 5, one person 3, and one person 2, you can host a workshop. It doesn't have to be 10 different people).
3. Participate long distance: just add $10 to the price. This will include me stamping your stamped items and the shipping.

Shopping List (to partcipate, you must purchase the Basic Kit. Anything after that is optional):

Basic Kit:

• My Creations Memory Game Box with 24 Cards
• 4 sheets 12" x 12" Plaid and Striped B&T Believe Paper
• 1 sheet White Daisy 12" x 12" Cardstock
• 1 sheet Sweet Leaf 12" x 12" Cardstock
• Red, Pink and Purple Sparkle Assortment (enough for 4 boxes)
  
• Green Ribbon Collection (enough for 4 boxes)
  
• 8.5" x 11" White Daisy Cardstock with daily advent prompts
  
• Round Sponge
• Cutting Guide
• Printed Instructions (if you are purchasing a long-distance kit)
  

Total $27.50. For each additional box (up to 4 total boxes), just add $14.50. At box #5, start at $27.50 again.
Better Kit = Basic Kit + the following products

• Holiday Red Stamp Pad
• Topiary Stamp Pad
• Black Stamp Pad
• 1 1/4" Circle Punch

Total: $60.50

Best Kit = Basic Kit + Better Kit + the following products:

• Countdown Stamp Set

Total: $72.00

If you would like to come to the workshop, host a workshop of your own, or order a kit long-distance, just email me (pedermom@aol.com) or give me a call (801.360.9896). You can also purchase most of these wonderful Close To My Heart items on my website, 24/7.

Christmas Advent Calendar Box (and a little FOOTBALL too!)

What do you think about this little box full of advent calendar goodness (click on the photo to see it larger and in more detail)? It is an altered chipboard box, full of 24 chipboard cards with an activity for every day in December leading up to Christmas. FUN!

This is a workshop I am offering in October. I will be posting information about how you can participate in this workshop by attending it (in American Fork, UT on Oct. 20), by hosting your own at your home, or by doing it long-distance in a couple of days. In the meantime I thought I'd post a little picture to wet your whistle. Enjoy!

Of course, I had to be sure and add a couple of football photos. It rained during Dawson's game on Friday night so I didn't dare take my camera out, but he had a circus-stopping-one-handed catch in triple coverage for a touchdown. Here's a photo from a couple of week's previous of him (#46) going in to try to block a field goal from the paper (thanks to the Daily Herald!). I'm hoping the team photographer got a shot of the touchdown catch this week.

Saturday, at Easton's game, the weather was much nicer and I DID have the camera out. Here are a couple of photos of one of his (#88) 4 catches. He led the Southern Utah University team in receiving yards with 76 in their 45-22 win over University of Texas, San Antonio.
Love me some football and some Christmas crafty stuff. This was a fun post for me. I hope it was for you, too!

5 x 7 Christmas Card

When I saw the sketch at CPS this week, I decided to play. I think the biggest reason is that the sketch was totally outside of my comfort zone and I thought it would be a challenge.

The stamp set I used for the stocking and sentiment on this card is the October Stamp of the Month from Close To My Heart. You may see this card again in October when I share that stamp set and ordering information with you. In the meantime, I wanted to post it to go with the sketch.

Close To My Heart colors used were White Daisy, Black, Olive and Cranberry. I used the Spray Pen filled with a little white acrylic paint mixed with water to create the splatter background, the brand new CTMH/Cricut Art Philosophy Collection for the snowflake doilies and the backing piece for the stocking, and the Licorice Opaques for my accents. I also used the music stamp in the Universal Backgrounds stamp set to create the tone-0n-tone pattern on the strip of olive paper. The stocking and the main sentiment are embossed using the Versamark Pad and White Daisy Embossing Powder.

I know Autumn is just making it's debut, but I had to pull this set (the October Stamp of the Month) out and play. Stay tuned for information about this set the first week of October.

The New CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge ROCKS!

Feel free to click on any photo in this post to see it larger and in more detail.

I am SOOOOO enjoying my new CTMH/Cricut Art Philsophy Collection. WOWZA! I think the 700 images on this baby are perfect. I think the way they fit with so many of our stamps (like in the 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card I made here) is stupendous. I think the great looks you can get by combining the images with the coordinating Dimensional Elements chipboard that comes with it is awesome. I think it's just plain WONDERFUL!

Can you believe that for just $99 you get this cartridge (check out all of the wonderful images below), 3 "D" size stamp sets with coordinating images ($53.85 value), and 3 sheets of coordinating chipboard pieces ($13.15 value). What a great deal! On top of that, check out this post that shows you how by just buying the cartridge and adding the August Stamp of the Month for $5 ($17.95 value), you can get another $42.85 in stamp sets FREE!

Now, before I show you all of the images, let me tell you a bit about the what I used and how I made the 2 cards I shared today.

Card #1: Circle Card: I made a 4 1/2" circle/snowflake card (cut with the new Art Philosophy Cricut Collection) in Holiday Red cardstock on my cricut. I random stamped the front of the card with the Snowflakes Stamp Set in Holiday Red and White Daisy ink. I backed the front of the card in Sweet Leaf Cardstock and then added some White Daisy Cardstock (all paper from the Believe Level 2 Paper Pack) behind that and cut with a pair of large scallop scissors. I finished it off with a white flower button from the Basic Buttons Collection, a little bit of Colonial White Waxy Flax to thread my button, and a bow made of ribbon from the Green Ribbon Collection. Voila! Fast, Simple and Sweet!

Card #2: Shaped Standard Size Card: I started with one of our new White Daisy Die-Cut Cards and Envelopes. I used the cards on page 76 of the Idea Book as my inspiration. I used the papers from the Believe Level 2 Paper Pack. I cut the sentiment bracket and the holly leaves using the new Art Philosophy Cricut Collection, then stamped them in Topiary and Holiday Red inks with the coordinating stamps from the Holiday Cheer and A Holiday stamp sets. I added a gingham bow to top it off from the Red Ribbon Collection. Fast, Simple and Sweet!

Now that I've wet your whistle just a little bit, how about seeing the 700 images that come in this new Cricut/CTMH Art Philosophy Collection? Are you game? I hope so!


You can order any of these wonderful items on my website, 24/7!

4th of July Card and Happy 4th!

Happy Independence Day! I am so grateful to live in this great land of the United States of America, so grateful for the men and women who had the courage and fortitude to fight for and begin this great nation, so grateful for those that continue to serve so that it can remain a land of freedoms, and so grateful that I can raise my children in a place where they are free to choose what they want to do with their lives, how they want to worship, and to become whoever they want to be.

I thought I'd celebrate with you today by sharing another card I made with Close To My Heart's July Stamp of the Month (American Celebration). Not only are the images in the stamp set awesome, but so are the textures within the images. I used the large 'star-full-of-stars' to stamp on top of one of my chipboard stars and the flag stripes on the other. Cool beans! Friday's post gives you all the details on how to get this set.

Here is the image of the stamp set. I just love it!

Other CTMH products used on this card: White Daisy Cardstock, Cranberry Cardstock, Outdoor Denim Cardstock, Heavenly Blue Cardstock, Outdoor Denim Stamp Pad, Stars Dimensional Elements, Booksmart Dimensional Elements, Spray Pen, Kraft Color Ready Borders, Chocolate Waxy Flax, Blue Brad Assortment, Blue Buttons Assortment, Corner Rounder.

Non-CTMH products used: Deco-Art White All-Purpose Acrylic Paint (mixed with water in the spray pen).

Here is a quick, 3-minute tutorial on the Spray Pen. I love this little tool!


You can order any of these wonderful CTMH products on my website, 24/7...even on Independence Day! I hope yours if full of freedom and festive fun!

Family is Best

I have been meaning to post some of our Thanksgiving photos ever since the big day and have just not gotten around to it. We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner this year with my parents (LeRoy and Nedra, a.k.a. Grandpa and Grandma O), my little sister and her son (Gaylyne and Griffin), and our family (including Rick, Kori and Daci). My other sister and her family spent the holiday in Orlando with Mickey. And, our Easton is finishing his last 2 months of his 2 year LDS mission (he'll be home the end of January!). So, it was a small but cozy dinner. There were only 11 of us this year.

My mom did a dynamite job on the table and the cute little snack mix bag favor we each got. She made a delicious dinner and did all of the 'hard stuff.' We all just helped with side dishes. What a relaxing year it was for everyone but Mom, cooking wise.

Grandma O's beautiful table

Cute favor (Thanksgiving snack mix) at each of our place settings (click on the photo to see it larger and read the tag)
Grandma O slaving away in the kitchen

This big teddy bear, Dan-the-Man is my favorite blessing.

Grandpa Dan and our little Daci
Dawson and Tannon...my two favorite goof balls. Lose the hat, Tannon. It makes you look even MORE goofy!
Gaylyne, Kori, and Rick...a bunch of cheesy folks
Grandpa O helps seat Griffin