My opinion on a great Christmas card is SIMPLE and CLEAN.This was our family Christmas card LAST YEAR! I LOVED it! And plan on doing a similar style THIS year.

I liked our kids photo and worked from there using Peaceful Wishes. Alot of people spend alot of $$$ on those photo cards. We just scanned our photo and printed 75 pictures. I made these in an HOUR! GO LAUREN!

I think a cool thing to invest in which keeps a professional look is a stamp (like above) with your names! Mine was from SU! It says

With Love, Jason, Lauren, Alexa,  Noah, and Amber.

This helps decrease the writing, and keeps it clean. I have messy handwriting! Especially after 75 cards! And I can use it year after year on ANY card. Cool huh? And IMO if people complain you didnt HAND sign it-YOU MADE THE CARD! What more could they want? Then you erase them from your Christmas list!

Oh and another thing-print your envelope addresses. You create a file and save it-even less writing!

OK more cards!

 I have a ton of awesome designs getting published this holiday season using some sets by Lizzie Anne, Green Grass Stamps, and MFT . I’ll get to share those at a later time.

You know the ones that got picked? Not the fancy ones, but the SIMPLEST ones! My point PROVEN! I had alot of success with my holiday submissions, as only 2 were rejected! Considering Im not one who submits alot-ever- that pretty good. And its going to pay for my kids Christmas this year!

Here are 2 rejects that were my favorites! LOL! Go figure!

 Wreathful Wishes

This one was my all time favorite! I LOVED it! But while it has a clean look its not necessarily SIMPLE to recreate. The window has acetate behind it, and inside you can see the Christmas tree! I used little A Muse stickers for the tree lights! How could this one be rejected? Oh well! It is posted in the Lizzie Anne Sketchbook too.

Sets are by Lizzie Anne Designs Christmas in the City (LOVE that set), and Glad Tidings.

here is the other one-Tree for Sale

This was simple, but maybe too funky for the mag’s to handle! Or maybe they didnt like it! GASP! You never want to think someone looks at ANYTHING you make and says YUCK! I loved it and thats all that matters! RIGHT?

 Hues of Gold

Now to this card! I HAD to HAVE Season of Joy! I just loved the look. I made the above card in less than 10 minutes. Now that is a Christmas card! The longest part was picking my design layout/idea! To recreate it would be maybe 3 minutes each-I swear!

It wont be my Christmas card for our family cause I like to use a photograph, but it could be made for a gift set!

I used RIVER ROCK! Holy non Christmas color-but with white and gold it totally works!

I love my flourish as the snow. Isnt it so purty?

Now onto the next one. I like to call this Blue Christmas!

Another super fast and simple design. The hardest part was the snow hill, and even that was super fast! I just used my CM wavy cutter-done! Another 15 minute card-again due to design idea taking the longest.

I plan on doing MORE with this set, but I think Ive given you some good ideas for now.

I am in a holiday mood-in AUGUST! Probably cause I swear I will NOT be running around like a mad woman getting gifts done last minute this year. I will say proudly that I did use alot of my alter-ables and made everyone a hand made gift last year! Given Alexa’s Chemo and stuff I think that was pretty awesome of me! (Patting myself on the back)! OK I know I sound horrible but when you accomplish a goal, its important to give yourself the good ole’ pat on the back you deserve! Nothing wrong with it!

And I ahve NO SHAME!

So I hope you get done whatever you need to this holiday season early! I am getting the kids Christmas photos done early September so I beat the rush of all you crazy other parents in November! And of course our cards will be designed, sealed and ready to go by Thanksgiving! I may even save some postage and hand deliver them to the family after dinner!

OK maybe thats too tacky.

Enjoy the day.

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

OK I know you are probably sick of my smilebox creations but I cant help myself! I love this super easy way of documenting memories with no time taken away from my stamping! So you dont have to read or click, but Im sharing anyway 😀

TODAY is Amber’s actual birthday! My baby is THREE! OMG! I cannot believe it!

Today we are going to visit the Pre-School she will be starting the end of the month. She is the happiest little thing to be going to school. She is excited to get her own friends, and be Big like Alexa and Noah (as she puts it)

Amber is an OLD 3. I dont know if its because she’s the third child, or if everything that has gone on with Alexa, that she is like the second Mommy in the house.

If you aks Amber how old she is she will quickly tell you 5! I keep telling her she is 3, but she doesn’t agree! Its really funny.

She is bossy, and a tattler. She will think nothing of putting one of her siblings in time out.

She grew up so fast after Alexa was diagnoised, and kows about things that most people dont even ever have to deal with in their life. She is such a sweet little girl. I am blessed.

She is also in LOVE with money! Smart girl! She got this $5 bill for her b-day. I think it was her favorite gift! She carries it in her pocketbook (yes she carries several) and even has her own make-up! YIKES!

She knew right wehn she saw it that it was $5!

The other day she went up to Jay and cocked her head to the side, and sweetly said, while holding out her hand “Daddy can I have $5 PLEEEEEEEEEEASE!” and litterally batted her eyes! And ya know what-it worked! Im going to have to start havin her ask for money I want! Or she needs to up her anty! LOL!

Time really does fly by.

Anyway another thing I thought Id share is our time blueberry picking yesterday. It was alot of fun.

Enjoy. I know people dont enjoy this as much as I do. But its fun to share. I swear it does inspire me to think about scrapping! Only I would CASE these!

Blueberry Picking

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox