Friday, December 30, 2011

Wicked Christmas part 3

I just can't keep from stopping myself! LOL
another entry for "Wicked Christmas" Challenge at SMUDGY ANTICS

here's "Holly Jolly"


pre-made Card base by DCWV,
The Skull/Holly/Poinsettia Digi Image is from STITCHY STAMPS
The Holly Jolly digi Sentiment is from TLC CREATIONS.
Both are colored with STAMPIN' UP markers, to match the card.

Entered in:
One Stitch at a Time ...Christmas using a stitchy stamp

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

LOL just have to share...

I saw a title on the pop-up from Comcast today for "Forbes list of the most memorable ads"

I NEVER saw this, and being an Old fan of these 2, I had to just crack up!





and then I happened upon this cheeky one!

Monday, December 26, 2011

Wicked Christmas part 2

Here is another entry for SMUDGY ANTICS' "Wicked Christmas"


"Christmas my A$$"...taken right from Scrooge himself...the hubs, in Fact this was his card...On the inside it says "Happy Day Off"  He has said for years, that Christmas is just a paid day off from work. (he sure had me fooled out first few Christmases together)

Pre-made card by DCWV (last year's Holiday cards)
Anya, Glam Vamp digi stamp by SMEARED INK, Bah Humbug tree digi image by STITCHY STAMPS,
both colored with STAMPIN' UP markers
The sentiment is computer generated.

entered in:
One Stitch at a Time ...use a stitchy image for Christmas
The Stamping Boutique ...Christmas/Winter

Snow Birds

Hello,  are you still picking up wrapping paper, washing dishes, rearranging furniture? 


If so, STOP IMMEDIATELY and go to your crafty area, you deserve some "me" time today!!

I am sharing a cute little card that I made to try inking up one of my embossing folders before putting the paper in. I am LOVING this technique!!

Here's "Snow Birds"

 Card stock-STAMPIN' UP, Embossing Folder "Snowflakes" by CUTTLEBUG, Ink used on embossing folder; "Tumbled Glass Distress Ink" by RANGER, Cold Birdies Digi stamp--Unknown (why don't people put their names in the title) CAN YOU HELP? Do you Recognize it? "let it snow" Digi sentiment by Meljen's designs. Images colored with PRISMACOLOR Pencils and blending pencil, Ribbon from MICHAEL'S, foam snowflakes and sequence by CREATOLOGY, Picket fence Disress Stickles, Starburst reg. Stickles and White enamel accents all by RANGER, used for snow, on the foam flakes, on the sentiment, on the snow and flakes in images and the one bird's scarf ends.


Entered in:
Cre8tiveCindy ...challenge with a prize
Crafting when we can ...friendship
Sparkles forum challenge ...anything but a Christmas card
Order of the Opus-Gluei ...WHITE Christmas
Pile It on ...Bling it up
Digi Doodle Shop  ...anything goes
Inspire me Fridays ...anything goes
The Poodles Parlour ...inspired by a song (Baby it's Cold Outside)
Delicious Doodles ...anything Goes
Stamping for the weekend ...anything goes
The Stamping Boutique ...Christmas/WINTER

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Wicked Christmas part 1

Smudgy Antics (the challenge blog for Smeared and Smudged) last challenge of the year is Wicked Christmas...it is a combo of Wicked Santa and Gothic Christmas and it is for 2 weeks.


Here is my first Entry:


"Skelly Christmas"

This is an 8.5" X 11" Bordered poem/lyrics
written by me to the tune of "White Christmas"

Images used:
Digital stamps: Watchful Eye and Smittie Grumpie, both by SMEARED INK, String of Lights by TLC CREATIONS
Images from the internet: Bloody knife, bloody cut off arm and foot. (I enhanced the bloody part with marker)
Digi images colored with BIC Mark Its!.
"Dream bubble" made with the Bic Red Mark It.

I crumpled the card stock over and over again, then used TH's Tea Dye Distress ink by RANGER all over the paper, lighter over the lyrics than the rest. When dry, I used Crackle Accents by RANGER, over "Smittie" and White Enamel Accents also by RANGER, on the Skull's Santa Hats.

Because youe can not read the lyrics here as shown (small) here they are below:

Skelly Christmas
Im dreaming of a Skelly Christmas
Just like if we were all dead
Where the skull tops glisten,
And the alive still listen
For zombies hiding their bed.

Im dreaming of a Skelly Christmas
With every Christmas elf I bite,
“May your days be scary and dark,”
And all your elves be buried in the park.”

Im dreaming of a Skelly Christmas
Just like the ripper named Jack.
Where the knife-tip glistens,
And monsters listen
For people hiding, they can hack.

Im dreaming of a Skelly Christmas
With every fake Santa that I kill,
“May your screams be loud and shrill,
And may you have many coffins to fill”.
~ S. Guzy ©12/2011


will see if this fits anywhere else for a challenge, LOL

I Did It Creations Challenge #87 (DT)

MERRY MEET, BLESSED YULETIDE, MERRY CHRISTMAS, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
I am honored, happy & flattered that you took some time on this holiday to visit my lil' Blog!

I think we may be the only DT with a challenge today, but I could be wrong.
This week's challenge over at IDIC
is 
"A Gingerbread Christmas"

our sponsor this week is
Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and more
The prize this week is
1 digital image from Robyn's Fetish store of the winner's choice
or
2 digital images if the winner USES one of Robyn's images.


I had a lot of fun with this challenge, as for some reason I have always liked Gingerbread decorations, I also knew that this would be the card I would send to my Mom!
Robyn has a large selection of Gingerbread images, I'll definitely be getting some more for myself in the future.

Here is my Card using Robyn's image;
"Christmas Ginger Cutie"

 Card stock by STAMPIN' UP
Printed paper by Cloud 9
Digital image by ROBYN'S FETISH Digis and More
Digital Sentiment by DIGI DOODLE SHOP
 
 Image colored with PRISMACOLOR pencils and blending pencil
Ribbon from WALMART, Flowers and Leaves by PRIMA MARKETING,
Pearls also by PRIMA MARKETING, Stickles used in the flower centers, White Enamel Accents used for the frosting, both are by RANGER

Thank you for visiting today, and please go join the Gingerbread fun over at I Did It Creations this week, Remember to use a GINGERBREAD IMAGE either Digital or stamped.


Entered in:
The Stamping Boutique ...Christmas/Winter

Saturday, December 24, 2011

2 more cuties

Here's a couple more of my Holiday cards! this first one is another cute couple image from MFT Stamps

 card stock by STAMPIN' UP, Ribbon by AMERICAN CRAFTS, light green Holographic swirl Punchinella by SKYBLUEPINK, Bling by RECOLLECTIONS, Snowflakes by FAVORITE FINDINGS, digi sentiments by SHELLY'S IMAGES, Digi Image by MFT STAMPS, colored with BIC Mark its!
Stickles used on stars and whie enamel accents on hats, both by RANGER
Entered in:
Dream Valley Challenges ...Christmas
Pile it on ...bling it up
Gingerloft ...Christmas/Winter
Lexi's creations ...nontraditional Christmas colors (seafoam/mint &blue)
Paper Playtime ...anything goes include a sentiment...(it looks like it has to be winter related??)
Totally Stampalicious ...make it sparkle
Stamp-a-doodle ...Christmas 
My Time to Craft ...winter pals
Top Tip Tuesday ...Christmas
The stamping Boutique ...Christmas/Winter


and though a very simple card, I just love this one:

 This adorable Digi is called CHRISTMAS ELVES, but the creator did not put their name in the upload, so I do not remember who's it is, if you can help, please let me know.

White Card stock is by GEORGIA-PACIFIC, printed paper is by DCWV, Punch by STAMPIN' UP, sentiment digi by TLC CREATIONS, colored with PRISMACOLOR pencils and blending pencil, and lots of Stickles (RANGER) the "Cheers" label is on Foam Tape.

Entered in:
Crafting when we can ...friendship
Cupcake inspiration ...#141
Dream Valley Challenges ...Christmas
Pile it on ...bling it up
Gingerloft ...Christmas/Winter
Paper Creations Ink ...something old, something new (old-paper, new-image)
Polly Craft ...punch it (Sentiment label)
Paper Playtime ...anything goes include a sentiment...(it looks like it has to be winter related??)
Totally Stampalicious ...make it sparkle
Stamp-a-doodle ...Christmas
Paper and Such ...CAS Christmas
My Time to Craft ...winter pals
Top Tip Tuesday ...Christmas
The Stamping Boutique ...Christmas/Winter

Thursday, December 22, 2011

YULE MAGIC blog party-edited to include a giveaway for non-americans

***I need help, if you have time please see the post below this***



***** This post is a bit long, but well worth the read, as I am sharing some real magic that happened recently, so that is my gift, as well as having a giveaway....Visit the facilities and grab a beverage*****




Join The Village Witch's Yule Magic Blog Party! Click for more info and join in!


Please click above to visit all the blogs in this party
My grateful Thanks to the Village Witch for hosting this party!


First, I'd like to say that is you wish to see pictures of my alter scroll down a couple of posts, or come back later tonight when I will add ones to this post with my candles lit.

I am 51, I have been on this new spiritual path, an awakening, and an education if you will for a  bit over a year now. I made my first Alter for mabon of this year. This is my first YULE.
I am was a disenchanted, disheartened, and dislodged Christian.  I am sure, if I told the ways, reasons etc. there would be several of you nodding your head. So I won't do that.

I will tell you that as far back as I can remember I knew the name ISIS. If my memory serves me correctly I knew the name ISIS before learning about Egypt in school. As far back as I remember I always enjoyed being in the woods, hiking, walking alongside streams etc. I live at the shore, and I have since being 13. I prefer the mountains.  I am IN PART Native American, and unlike my siblings, I am most proud of this heritage, and am most interested in finding out my ancestry there. Funny thing is, I resembled more my Mom, than my Dad. They resembled more my Dad. I was fair, they were darker. they used to tease me that the INDIANS dropped me off on the doorstep.  The Family grapevine, says there is NA blood in both families, but in much larger proportions  from my Mom.
Mom's heritage:  Scotch-Irish, English (a bit), Native American and French
Dad's heritage: French, German, a bit of Dutch (Pennsylvanian), and Native American (a bit)

So, when reading and discovering, I immediately knew that Isis would be my main Goddess. I also knew, that I wanted to follow as best I could the Native American path, I feel a strong pull towards Shamanism.

Taking all of this into account, I knew right away what my Magical name should be; ForestIsis.

Once, I made this strong commitment. I prayed to the Great spirit, and "spoke with" Isis on a nightly basis upon laying down to sleep. I spoke of many things. I asked for guidance sometimes, or signs and answers.

One night back in the end of September, I spoke to Isis about my small gift of divination, and how best to nurture it, and what tool would be best for me to work with. I was taught how to read a regular deck of cards when I was 16, by a friend's Italian grandmother...It was my birthday gift to have her read my cards, as she will not read anyone's cards under the age of 16. Well, part way through my reading she got up and made my friend leave the room (she was only 14), she closed the door telling her grand daughter; "your friend has the gift".  She came back to the table, and repeated to me, "you have the gift, so I will teach you."
So she did. I also have had daydreams-visions and sleeping dreams that themselves come true, or they are metaphorical for things that then happen.
As I said, I was asking Isis for guidance in this matter. the very next day, there was a comment on a post on my blog, by an art and blog acquaintance that I hadn't spoken to in a very long time. in this comment, she invited me to come visit her blog, as she was giving away a set of Oracle tarot cards! MY JAW HIT THE FLOOR!  I immediately emailed her and told her about my "conversation with Isis" and how I was asking her to show me, what form I should be studying and practicing, and then THIS HAPPENED!

TRULY it was MAGIC worked by ISIS through ME!  I KNEW it, I FELT it! When I told Kim she felt it too!  I entered her giveaway, but I also explained to her how I did not own any tarot cards, and that I never even had a tarot reading. She seemed quite surprised and explained to me how she had MANY decks, and that she felt compelled to send me one. We both agreed it was still magic being worked by Isis.

Kim asked me to tell her some of my interests as far as decks go. I told her since Isis seemed to be moving us, to let her guide Kim to the deck that she was meant to send me.  I was so excited...i told my son (he is Wiccan, he agreed it was probably magic but since Isis, wasn't "his" Goddess, he couldn't be 100% sure) I told his GF also Wiccan, she was like "I LOVE WHEN STUFF LIKE THIS HAPPENS! Of course it is magic!"

On October 8, Kim emailed me and told me my package was postal! on Monday the 10th it was in my mailbox, it was a LARGE box for just a deck of cards....I was so excited!

Well Kim was sooo very thoughtful and generous, and sent me much more than a tarot deck.
Shortly after receiving this wonderful gift I won 2 other giveaways in blogland but not the oracle deck...so I knew Isis picked the right deck for me. However there was a LOT of BAD and Time consuming, Depressive stuff going on in my life at that very time. Each time I wanted to take the time to photograph everything and share it with you all on the blog. It never seemed to happen or it wasn't right. I finally got the pictures taken just after Halloween.

I kept waiting for and looking for the right time to post about this wonderfully magical happening in my life.  I even kept telling people to be on the lookout for a magical post on my blog. Each time I started to do it, something stopped me.   

Time went by and I came across the button for this YULE MAGIC blog party. Like a bolt from the blue, I knew this was my gift to you all, to share this true magic that happened. (to give you hope, to show that magic does happen, it is real)

Here now I share the WONDERFUL, THOUGHTFUL and GENEROUS gift that Kim sent me. I have NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER, that ISIS touched her hand and guided her as to what to send me.

 Tarot deck bag, Card, and she made me a vial of "Isis" oil and a crystal
 close-ups
 Spiral tarot, deck, pamphlet on tarot (directions in the box), plus a companion book
As if that wasn't enough already, Kim truly pampered me!

 Kim also sent this FABULOUS book!
 I just chose some pages at random
 Easy explanations
 Beautiful artwork and colors

 The sections are all color coded







Isn't this such a wonderful gift?
Guess what, Kim wasn't finished yet!

 This is a bad picture, sorry (I took all these outside with the sun behind me)
 Crone Stones!
VERY COOL indeed!

Not only is this Magic, it is a blessing! Kim is a blessing to me, and I wish we were in contact more!

NOW, if this wasn't a SIGN  from ISIS enough, that I should be studying TAROT. about 1.5 months later I won this from Lyn's Blog





So, IF I had been skeptical of the magic performed by Isis and I, through Kim, then this would have been the final bit of evidence. However I knew, I knew as soon as I read the comment from Kim, after not hearing from her for so long, asking me to enter her tarot giveaway!

I hope you enjoyed my gift of TRUE MAGIC, and if you come back way later(or tomorrow) I hope to have pictures of my LIT ALTER. However as I said earlier you can see it, a few posts down.

NOW, lastly I offer up to one lucky Magical person a real gift.
The WITCH's BREW mug shown at the top of this post.
and 2 awesome teas from Trulyunique
"Old Crones Tea" (which I LOVE) and
"Psychic and Meditation Tea"...which I just recently tried, not bad! and I'm including 2 reusable muslin tea bags to use with these.

HOW DO YOU WIN???
*** you MUST be  follower
*** you MUST comment on THIS post, a REAL comment pertaining to this post...not just "Please count me in etc"
*** You MUST, MUST, MUST include your email in the body of your comment, I suggest something like this format: sallyjo AT chart DOT net.....no email in your comment, you will not be included in the drawing.  This will not be mailed until after the holidays.  I am sorry, but You must live in the continental USA to be eligible.

************HOWEVER...I am offering a 2nd giveaway to anyone who follows the above, but lives outside the continental USA, this giveaway will be 12 home made greeting cards from me, 6 for the winter holidays (if you would like to specify, I'll make them Christian or non, or yule)  2 Birthday (1 male, 1 female) 2 get well cards,  1 sympathy and 1 thinking of you

**Giveaways open until 12/31 midnight (in other words if you get here on 1/1/12, you're too late)

SOS--Calling all Witches, and other YULE celebrators!!

I had a ritual planned for tonight that involved 8 white Tea lights INSIDE a yule log. The log, my hubs cut is too short and of course he is working today, so I have decided to use 2 green tapers (unless I am told otherwise) I have my Gold God candle and My Silver Goddess Candle, and my greens and holly, and yule log, pine cones and a picture of the Holly king and the Oak King as well as a print depicting the Winter Solstice Queen (or crone). I am planning on mulling wine, and having a cake of some sort...nothing fancy  to toast the dying and birthing kings, and the god and Goddess, and then leave some out for the animals and Fae.

I am a solitary, and will not be making a circle. I highly doubt hubs will join me, even though I have invited him to do so. I bought a simple ritual kit on Etsy, that has 2 chime candles one red one green, and incense, it also has 3 small pieces of parchment paper. It said it would have ritual ideas enclosed. it did not, it had YULE information. Which I already have.

I have held my own blessing rituals under the full moon, and I did my own thing for Samhain, but I was prepared and ready to go. 

We'll be getting my tapers after work (right around sun-down...so sadly they will be lit late) I am hoping someone of my lovely friends will step up and help me with a nice ritual, I do not mind it being a bit lengthy, but I do not have a LOT of supplies yet, so simple and easy is best. This is my first real Yule.

see something always goes wrong. damn.

I so hope I either find something on the net, or one of you lovelies come through for me :)

Love n Light,
Susan

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Beary Fun Winter

I wish you all a BEAR-Y FUN WINTER!!

 Card stock by STAMPIN' UP, Snowflake embossing folder by CUTTLEBUG, Border punch by EK SUCCESS, Flowers punch by STAMPIN' UP, Silver Star brads rec'd as a RAK, Polar bear Digi stamp by DESIGNED 2 DELIGHT, It was colored with PRISMACOLOR pencils and blending pencil. Sentiment is computer generated.


Entered in:
Sparkles forum challenges ...anything BUT a Christmas card
One Stitch at a Time ...anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge ...anything but Christmas
The Order of the Opus Gluei ...WHITE Christmas (snow)
The Crafty Pad ...anything but Christmas
Gingerloft challenge ...Christmas or WINTER
Art without Boundaries ...Christmas or WINTER
Crafty Boots Challenges ...Christmas/Winter
Hooked on Crafts challenges ...Winter Wonderland
Pollycraft Monday challenge ...Punch it!
Paper Playtime ...anything goes
My Time to Craft ...snow pals
The Stamping Boutique ...Christmas/WINTER




Sunday, December 18, 2011

I Did It Creations Challenge #86 (DT)

***If you are looking for My YULETIDE BLESSINGS Party post, it's here.***

hello everyone :) It is finally getting cold here in southern NJ, well cold enough that we finally had to breakdown and light the wood stove, so for us, it is OFFICIALLY winter now. LOL


My card for you today looks very chilly :)



our sponsor this week at I DID IT CREATIONS CHALLENGE is STITCHY STAMPS , and the Theme is: "Thank You" cards.
The prize for the winner this week is; 1 free digi image of your choice, or, if you used a Stitchy image in your creation, then you could win 2 digi images from Stitchy stamps.

For my card I used the Stitchy Digi, "Yikes"

 It is a Gate fold card. card stock by STAMPIN' UP, and mirror Card stock received as a gift.
Snowflakes embossing folder by CUTTLEBUG (Provo Craft). Fibers from my stash, are attached with my tiny attacher (TH) by RANGER
Boho flowers punched (STAMPIN' UP) also from the mirror cs.
Sentiment was found on the internet, except for the line I added to make it rhyme, and to go with a penguin!
 The "Yikes" Penguin digi is from STITCHY STAMPS and it was colored with Prismacolor pencils.
The font I used is SNF Sketch black out.

Please join us this week with your Thank You cards!


entered in:
There she goes ...thank you
The Stamping Boutique ...Christmas/WINTER

Yultide Blessings-- Traditions

 To visit everyone in this blog party click the picture:




This is the first year I am actually "celebrating" Yule.

I was baptized Presbyterian, made my confirmation Methodist, married Lutheran, and then basically lived and worshiped as a Methodist for years. I started having issues with my faith back when my children were still young, and I witnessed their persecution by other children in Sunday school and the teachers did nothing about it, and all the hypocrites I knew belonged to my church, BUT the big reason was 2 HUGE prayers, that ANY Christian would think that "God" would answer in a positive way went by year after year without being answered.  At the point that I was seriously at a crossroads, those 2 prayers had been prayed one for about 20 years and one for about 18 years.

Becoming disabled, after only being out of College 5 years, and having my great niece be born with not only a fatal disease but one that cause the child DAILY EXCRUCIATING pain (read about EB and Daisy on my sidebar)  sometimes it is so bad she stops breathing and turns blue, she needs to be bagged, sometimes even rescue breathing and cpr. She has MRSA, Psuedomonis, and other infections (which is what usually kills these kids)  The is other information surrounding her birth etc, that I won't go into here.
However, I am done with Christianity. I believe in Jesus, I believe he was an enlightened man, like Buddha, and Mohammed and Gandhi etc.

Now that you have a bit of back ground. I'll share some of my favorite "Christmas traditions" and my first YULE alter.


First I have to say, it wouldn't be Christmas with out sending out cards. I do every year, though, the lists shrinks every year, sadly. (WE will revisit cards, later on)

Every Christmas eve, we would go to the "family Candlelight service" at our church after dinner

When we came home, hubs would take care of the wood stove, and bring more firewood in. I would make popcorn and hot cocoa
and I had a pop-up book that came with a cassette reading of 
"The Night before Christmas" so we would listen to the reading, while sipping the cocoa, and eating the PC, I would turn the pages and the kids would do the pop ups or pull tabs etc.

 then they all (including hubs) went to bed, and Mom put everything together  and wrapped whatever wasn't already wrapped, and pulled out everything that was hidden and got it under the tree.

of course, as the kids grew the traditions slowly changed and disappeared. One last tradition, was the week that they were home from school (Christmas to new years) We would all hop in the car, with a thermos of cocoa, again. LOL and drive around looking at all the decorated houses.







I hope you liked my little trip down memory lane. NONE of these photos are mine though, just so you know.

Now here's my YULE Alter, my log is not finished yet, and I haven't put my green tapers out yet, and MY nightly health and healing candle is on the alter. but you get the idea.

 the overall Alter
 close up of my pentacle wreath(where I added evergreen and holly) and "Isis" print
 close up of the "Winter Solstice Queen"
 My "God" candle and the close up of "The Holly King"
 My "Goddess" candle and close up of "The Oak King" print.
 looking down onto the alter, my cinnamon healing candle is out front, with a crystal, and there is a white candle with a crystal. Evergreen boughs, holly branches & pine cones.


* the art prints from top to bottom- of "Isis" (as visualized by the artist) "Winter Solstice Queen", "The Holly King" and "The Oak King" are all by the artist Emily Balivet.  here is her Etsy shop.


The Alter should be complete and lit for the YULE MAGIC blog party on the 21rst.

now, I said I would revisit Christmas cards. I will be giving away 10 Christmas cards(with envelopes), hand made by me, that you can use for next year.
 * to win:
*you MUST be a follower
*you MUST comment on this post, a real comment, NOT just please count me in.
****you MUST, MUST, MUST include your email IN your comment.  (I recommend in this format: sallyjo AT charter DOT net)

Cut-off date for this giveaway is 12/25 midnight--so 12/26would be too late)


BIG THANKS to Astraea for hosting this blog party!