Today is a "2-for" - Growing in Unity Day 1 & Everything Scrapp'n DT Blog Hop

Hi Everyone - I'm really excited about this week.  My creative mojo is back, my health is better, Christmas is right around the corner & I'm able to give back to you all with the prizes for the blog anniversary celebration.  Make sure you enter (if you haven't already) by commenting on this post by midnight Saturday for a chance to win some great prizes!

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So this is Day 1 of my Growing in Unity post (Unity Customers are spotlighted for a week of posts) & it just so happens to fall on our monthly Everything Scrapp'n Blog Hop day.  If you are not familiar with Everything Scrapp'n I hope you will take a moment to hop along with us starting with the ES Blog.  I'm proud to be the Design Team Coordinator.  ES is an online scrapbook store with a LSS feel.  The owner Heather offers sales every month, all new product is discounted the first week of arrival, low shipping prices & a customer rewards program.  We have a blog & a brand new forum so join in the fun at ES.  Mark you calendars to stop by the ES blog on the 14th & 28th of each month for DT reveals there always a prize giveaway. This week Pink Paislee Cupid arrived - my favorite Valentine line by far.

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Everything Scrapp'n is also looking for a January Guest Designer.... send in your application today as the deadline has been extended just for you to have a chance....  Here's the details:  Apply by emailing photos of your best layout and project to hgturner@everythingscrappn.com by December 14th to become our January Guest Design Team Member. Also, please provide your name, blog address, forums you frequent, and any special talents you think makes you sparkle.

Guest Designer spots are only open to those residing in the US. You would be required to create 2 layouts/projects due the 14th and 2 layouts/projects due the 28th using products from Everything Scrappn. The layouts/projects due the 14th you are free to create whatever inspires you. I would love to see projects created for the current season or upcoming holidays. The layouts/projects due on the 28th will be an assigned project for a contest or challenge for our blog readers. You will receive $15 gift certificate, free shipping, and a discount for other personal shopping items you would like for the month.

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My loyal readers know how much I love Unity Stamps.  They are high quality, versatile & economical.  Angela (Owner of Unity) sure knows how to "enable" with her sales.  My collection has been growing each month now that I am a Kit of the Month subscriber.  A lot of the other brands of stamps in my stash get used every so often but I find that Unity Stamps can be used in so many different ways & are just as at home on a scrapbook layout as they are on a card that they are always being inked up.   I get so many compliments on cards that I made with their stamps that I have been able to sell them to "fund my habit".

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Ok now for the inspiration..... I've loved using the Pink Paislee Mistetoe & Co line & hardly have a scrap left.  I've included links to shop for all the items used from both stores.

I only own a whimsical snow set of Unity Stamps that weren't appropriate for the more elegant feel of this paper... so I started to think outside the box & look thru my everyday sets of stamps to see if I could come up with a Christmas Card....

Of course since this line of paper already had postcard images on some of the embellishments I knew the large Unity postcard wood mount stamp would be a perfect background.  Then I started scrounging through the sayings.... using 3 stamps from different KOTM or sets said what I wanted to say & looked great too.

Stamps Used:  "Season of blessings" -KOM-SEPT09 {go ahead...wish}, "dream of the magical things" - KOM-NOV09 Simply Magical, "sending love your way" -UK-427A Sending My Love, & Postcard  - US-1027W Vintage Postcard

Supplies:  Paper (Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co North Pole); Ribbon (Hobby Lobby); Ink (Hybrid & Colorbox); Card (Joann's Craft Essentials)

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Now for a couple of layouts....
"Santa Being Naughty or Nice" - is a page about my grandfather.  He was a character to say the least.  Several years he played Santa for the children of the members of the musicians union in Pittsburgh PA.  Having the belly already & a great costume made the kids smile & believe in the magic of the season.  I couldn't resist scrapping this photo that wasn't for the kids.... but oh so him & his sense of humor.

The stamp I used to make the trees at the bottom was actually a banner that spelled out happy.  Turning it around it reminded me of Christmas trees & I covered up the words with a saying from another everyday set of stamps - making it work with what I had on hand.... Heat Embossing made the lettering less clear & Stickles helped conceal whatever "giggle" didn't cover.

"happy banner"

flipped upside down to make a tree border

Stamps Used:  "happy" bannner a.k.a my "trees" - KOM-JUNE09 Perfect in Every Way & Tiny Giggle Grove

Supplies:  Paper (Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co North Pole, Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co Reindeer Games, Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co Joyeux Noel, & Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co Postcards); Stickers (Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co Borderline Stickers); Alpha Stickers (Pink Paislee - Expressions Cardstock Alpha Chocolate); Tags/Cutouts (Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co Cardstock Cutouts); Ribbon (Maya Road - Gingham Beige); Ink (Colorbox & Ranger); Embossing Powder (Ranger); Glitter Glue (Ranger - Stickles); Pin (Maya Road - Trinket Pin Crystal)

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"All About the Tree" - our Christmas season doesn't begin with shopping on "Black Friday" but putting up the tree & decorating the house.  Once the tree is up it really starts feeling like the holiday season.  We love to look at the twinkling lights and talk about the memories that the ornaments bring to mind as each one is hung.  No everything doesn't match but somehow it all goes together - just like a family I guess.

No stamping on this one... it just felt done the way it was.

 

Supplies:  Paper (Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co Naughty or Nice, Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co North Pole, Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co Postcards); Tags (Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co Cardstock Punchouts); Stickers (Pink Paislee - Mistletoe & Co Borderline Stickers); Ribbon (Maya Road - Gingham Beige); Alpha (American Crafts - Thickers & Jenni Bowlin Tiny Alpha)

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I hope you will join in the Everything Scrapp'n Blog Hop & leave a comment on each of the blogs for a chance to win a gift certificate.  The next stop is.... TERESA

I'll be back Tuesday with another Growing in Unity post.