Happy Birthday!!!

Tonight's 4th challenge for Jacksonbelle's DT was to make a card or project in celebration of the birth of a new year and for Lindsey's(the owner of Jacksonbelle Embellishments) Birthday on January 4th! So here are my projects!

This first one is a Clear Scraps Acrylic Star Album which I made into a card. I used some Fancy Pants papers, a chipboard star, a button, a Basic Grey Rub-On, ribbon and some ink on the edges. Both the Fancy Pants Papers and Basic Grey Rub-Ons can be purchased over at the Jacksonbelle Store.

And this last project is a Birthdy Party Hat Card and a Birthday Cupcake Box. I used some more yummy October Afternoon Papers, Prima Flowers, ribbon, hemp cord, a button, mini pearls, White pom-pom trim, a little satin box and of course a real candle!


Happy Birthday Lindsey! You rock girl!!









And last but not least, the Winner of my last blog candy for 2008 is...........





Maria luvs to Scrap!!!



Congratulations Maria!! Please email me your addy at KeepsakesbyMelissa@yahoo.com.
And I will get your package of goodies right out to you!!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and left me some wonderful comments! I really appreciate it! I have met alot of truly wonderful people this past year and I am so grateful for knowing all of you! May God Bless all of you and have a wonderful and safe 2009!! Now where is my Champagne?!! Woo-Hoo!!

Hugs, Melissa

Ring in the New Year! (I have Candy!! ~ on this post and 2 posts down is another!;)

YAY! Happy New Year! Thanks for stopping by my blog for the Jacksonbelle Embellishments New Years Eve Party Blog Hop!! And guess what I have some Candy to giveaway!! All you need to do is leave a comment here by Friday, January 2nd and I will pick a winner and it will be announced on the Jacksonbelle Blog on Monday January 5th! There are 2 DT Blogs with candy for each challenge, so that means there is one more DT Blog out there with some more Candy!! Happy Blog Hopping!!

This is what my winner will get:




For this 1st Challenge we had to make something using "rings". So being New Year's Eve I decided to make another Champagne Glass Card using a ring around the stem! You know, you don't want to lose your glass!! I used some yummy October Afternoon paper (County Library) and I added a lil' Wintergreen Shimmerz in the little green circles. The colors matched perfectly. It is hard to see in the photo, but the Shimmerz gives just enough "shimmer" to the paper for a little added bling. So I guess you could say they are rings too! They remind me of champagne bubbles! Both those products can be found at Jacksonbelle's awesome store HERE!

And my 2nd card, is a Maya Road Snowflake Album, which I covered the back page with some more October Afternoon Paper, (which can be purchased at Jacksonbelle's Store)I used lots of glitter to outline the snowflake, as well as white ink and I used a Binder "Ring" to hold the 2 pages together! I also used a Melissa Frances Resin Frame, a button and some white and clear balls from a holiday pick, which all are either "rings" or "circles" for the challenge. I also used a Foam snowflake drenched in glitter, ribbon, a Martha Stewart Branch Punch, hemp cord and I printed the Happy Winter! out from MS Word and covered that in glitter too!

Hope you like my cards! I will be back at 9pm to post my projects for the 4th challenge and I also will announce the winner of my other Blog Candy Giveaway!!(2 posts down) Good Luck everyone and Happy Blog Hopping and Happy New Year!!

Hugs, Melissa

Jacksonbelle Embellishments New Year's Eve Bash!

Starts today at 3pm est! There will be challenges, chatting, fun and did I mention PRIZES!! So make sure you come back here where I will be posting a couple of cards for the 1st challenge at 3 pm est! All the Jacksonbelle DT Girls will be posting projects on their blogs throughout the night. There will also be a DT Blog Hop! All the Girls blogs are listed HERE! And make sure you check out the Jacksonbelle Embellishment Group over at Paper Craft Planet! If you haven't already joined make sure you do! All the fun will also be over there too!

Here are all the exact details:

Challenge details ~ EVERYONE can play along and we hope you do!!! All you have to do is go to Jacksonbelle’s Challenge BLOG and leave a comment & link to your card in the post for the specific challenge you are playing with!! That’s it! The deadline to enter for the CHALLENGES (blog candy deadline is different) is 1/4/09 by 12pm EST! There will be a prize given away for each challenge. If you upload to SCS, please include the specified keywords referenced in the challenge details below. This way, we can all see your beautiful creation!

Blog Hop Treasure Hunt ~ This is going to be so much fun!!!! We can’t tell you WHO is the bearer of the BLOG CANDY…you will have to go FIND it!!! LOL!!!! Visit ALL the girls’ blogs and MAYBE one or two of them might have some candy to share!! When you find the bearer of the gift(s), leave a comment on their blog! That’s it!

All winners will be announced on the Jacksonbelle Embellishments Challenge Blog on Monday, 1/5/09.

Challenge #1 ~ 3pm (EST) SCS Keyword ~ JBENYE1
For our first challenge we are asking you to “RING” in the New Year!! Keyword here ~ RING!!! Use your creativeness (is that a word??) and make a card that has a “ring” to it!! LOL!!! Ideas ~ Wedding card (rings ~ get it!?!?!), circles, a bell, Kids (ring around the Rosie), diamonds (either the shape OR the bling!!!), etc…

Challenge #2 ~ 5pm (EST) SCS Keyword ~ JBENYE2
When I think of New Years Eve Celebrations, I tend to think of the colors Black, White or Vanilla and some SHINY accents or paper (metallic, glitter). Make a card using these colors ~ ANY theme!

Challenge #3 ~ 7pm (EST) SCS Keyword ~ JBENYE3
What’s your New Year Resolution? Make a card reflecting your Resolution. If you don’t have one , how about using some neglected stamps, paper, embellishments, etc… That is a New Year Resolution ANY stamper can relate to!!!

Challenge #4 ~ 9pm (EST) SCS Keyword ~ JBENYE4
New Year’s Eve gives some people the hope of a new beginning, a fresh start, the BIRTH of a NEW DAY!!!! Lindsey’s BIRTHDAY is January 4th so in celebration of the New Year AND Lindsey’s Birthday, make a Birthday card!!!

So make sure you come back and see if maybe I am the one with the First Blog Candy for the Blog Hop!! ;)

And you still have time for my Blog Candy Giveaway on my last post! Hurray! Hurray!
I will post that winner tonight at 9 pm!

See you later!!

Hugs, Melissa

End of the Year Blog Candy!

*******UPDATE!! I have added some more goodies to the blog candy!! I told ya' I would!! LOL I am also including some Jenni Bowlin Valentine themed Bingo cards, some Melissa Frances Resin Keyholes and Resin Wings(they are too cute!) and a few more bottles of Stickles!! Good Luck! I may even add some more things! Stay tuned!! hehe I love doing this!!***********

Here is a card I made for New Year's! Where did the year go?! Whew! Anyway, this was made with some yummy October Afternoon paper, which I covered a mini Creative Imaginations chipboard glass with, lots of glitter, a Michael's $1 "Happy New Year" stamp, ribbon, hemp cord, a button and a real glass charm! Hope you like it, cause' you can win this already made card, the stuff to make your own and LOTS more!

I love giving things away!! It is so fun!! So I decided to have 1 last giveaway before the year was up! This is what you will get:

~ 1 Creative Imaginations Mini Ring Book, 4 pages (champagne glass)
~ 1 October Afternoon Good Cheer 8x8 Paper Pack
~ 1 bottle of Gold Glitter
~ 1 Wine glass Charm
~ Lots of Ribbon and Hemp Cord
~ A bag of Buttons
~ The Happy New Year stamp (don't worry, I have 2, yours is unused! ;)
And..... Just in time for Valentine's Day!
~ 1 Inkadinkado Clear Stamp Set, HEARTS
~ some Cosmo Cricket, Chemistry 12x12 papers
~ Stickles, 2 bottles, red and pink
~ Prima flowers
~ Heart brads
~ and a Creative Imaginations Chipboard Heart Album
And I probably will throw in some more goodies before this is all over!! hehe

So what do you have to do to win this?? Just leave me a comment here on this post and leave a link on your blog telling everyone about my candy! And if you don't have a blog, just let me know! For an extra chance, you can "Follow Me" and be my new friend! My son will pick a winner out of a bowl on New Year's Eve at 6 pm EST! Good luck!

I will also have a couple of projects that day for the Jacksonbelle Embellishments New Year's Eve Party! Woo-Hoo! My first projects for their DT! All the New Year's Eve challenges will be posted on the Jacksonbelle blog!! And there is going to be prizes too!

Also, please visit The Rubber Cafe for some really awesome specials right now! And new products are being added daily! Melissa will even have Copic Markers for sale soon! YAY! And don't forget all the awesome stamps that are at the Rubber Cafe! So go and check it out HERE!

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve and an even better 2009! And, remember, Don't Drink and Drive!

Hugs, Melissa

Merry Christmas!

I would like to wish all my friends, new and old, a Very Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a wonderful day spent with family, friends and lots of joy!

Unfortunately, last week, my Step-Dad fell and broke his leg (well, actual mangled his leg is more like it!) and is still in the hospital. He will be transported today, Christmas Eve, to a Rehabilitation Center. I am so sad that he won't be home for Christmas! So we will be there and all over tomorrow visiting family! We will be in the car more than visiting! But that's ok. As long as you spend some time with everyone that is what counts!
On Monday, we went to NYC to see the "Christmas Spectacular" show at Radio City. It is amazing! If you never saw it, you should try to make it! This was my 2nd time seeing it, but a first for my hubby and son. My son had a blast! Here are a couple of pics from the show. You can't use a flash, so they are not the greatest.

This first one is Santa in his sleigh being pulled by his "reindeers" (the Rockettes)

This next one is my favorite scene. The Nativity where they walk live animals onto the stage.

It was extrememly cold that day and the wind was a blowin'! Here is my son all bundled up, oh yeah, and my hubby's iPhone! LOL He is always on that thing!! (Actual, to be fair, he was actually calling my sister-in-law to tell her we were there! She works for a large law firm in NYC.)

And finally, the Tree and Ice Rink at Rockerfeller Center!


There is nothing like NYC at Christmas time! It is so pretty! Everything is decorated amazingly and you can actually smell the chestnuts roasting in the air from the street vendors!

Here we are right before we went into Radio City. Me and my hubby, my son, my brother-in-law, niece and nephew. My sister-in-law took the photo. We were freezing can you tell?!



And lastly, a big thank you to Andria, for giving me this lovely Blog Award! You are too sweet! Thank you! Make sure you check out her lovely blog Iona-Rose Designs!

I will be back over the weekend with a Giveaway! Until then, have a Merry Christmas filled with wonderful memories, good fun, family and friends and most of all the love of Christ, whom this day is for!

God Bless you and yours,
Melissa

My Little Secret!

I was asked yesterday by Lindsey, the owner of Jacksonbelle Embellishments to join her Design Team! YAY! I am super excited and honored! She has some great things in her store! Make sure you go and check it out!! Thanks Lindsey! I can't wait to get started!

She has some talented ladies on her team, that's for sure! Check out their awesome blogs!

Shannan Teubner ~ Pink Tulle with Feathers and Sequins
AJ Otto ~ The Willow Garden
Michelle Woerner ~ Stop and Stamp the Roses
Jennifer Buck ~ The Buck Stamps Here
Kisa Peters ~ Kisa’s Paper Cuts
Maren Benedict ~ Zany not Crazy
Jill Dunn ~ Inkgenious
Heather Lee-Reppen ~ Ink on my Ear
Kimberly O’Rosky ~ Sunshiny Days with Kim
Taylor Usry ~ Musings of an Addict
Melissa Bove ~ Creating from the Heart (That's me-LOL!)

And this is the Executive Team!

Lindsey Botkin

Lynda Benden

Beth Thomas

Rachel Baird

I will be having one more Blog Candy before the year is up, so Stay Tuned!!

Hope you have a wonderful rest of the weekend!!

Hugs, Melissa

Blog Candy for a Cause!

Please visit Andrea's blog, Crafty Engineering She has started this to help a beautiful baby girl named Francesca, who was born by an unplanned C-Section on Dec. 1st, due to the baby showing signs of distress. She has since had a stroke and is in NICU at a Children's Hospital. It is a heartbreaking story but also one with alot of HOPE, especially this magical time of year. So please send a card to the family (addy is on her blog) and if you can't, please send some well wishes and definitely LOTS of Prayers. Alot of people are also donating items for the blog candy. So as a Thank You from Andrea and the family you could get a chance at some blog candy. Visit HERE and send some prayers there way!

Thanks!

Hugs, Melissa

Some more Altered Christmas/Winter Boxes!

Here are a couple of more boxes that I altered. This first one is Santa's Sleigh which I covered in papers by Pink Paislee and My Mind's Eye. I added some snow covered branches, presents, a jingle bell, snowflakes, pine cones, ribbon, white Pom-Pom Trim, hemp cord and a button. The words are stickers by Me and My Big Ideas. And it is all loaded up with glitter!

And this next one is a wooden skate, you know one of those $1 wooden ornaments you are supposed to paint! I picked it up in Michaels for pennies. It came with a wire hanger on it, which I removed. I covered it in some Basic Grey snowflake paper, added some laces, which I made little x's out of hemp cord, and a bow with a jingle bell, a button and a glittered snowflake. The box is covered in Fancy Pants, Arctic Chill paper. For the box top, I simple covered it with some Aleene's Tacky glue and then poured tons of glitter onto it. Added some ribbon and Pom-Pom trim along the edge. And added some snow covered branches and white berries to it. To finish it off, I added a bow and another glittered snowflake.

Hope you like them!! They were inspired by Linda Albrecht's beautiful work.

My friend, Pat, who is just the sweetest I might add, is giving away two See D's Christmas Stamp sets on her blog, Color Your World With Me! Go and check it out HERE!

Thanks to everyone for stopping by and leaving me some love!
I hope you have a Wonderful Day!!

Hugs, Melissa

Snowflake Ornament

Quick post today!! Here is a wooden snowflake that I covered with some Pink Paislee, Tinsel Town paper. I ran my glue pen randomly over the paper and sprinkled some glitter over it, to make the paper glisten a little. I added a piece of holiday pick as well as some K&Co. chipboard, mini pearls, Pink Paislee Rub-Ons and a bow with hanger. It looks so pretty glistening on the tree! Click on the photo for a much better view!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hugs, Melissa

Stockings Full of Goodies and My Blog Candy Winner!

I want to share 2 projects that I just made with you! This first one is a card shaped like a stocking and I even "filled" it with some goodies! I hand drew the stocking on a piece of My Mind's Eye pp which was folded in half, so I could get both a front and back to the card. I attached them together through a hole I made in the top using some floss. I then added some White Pom-Pom trim on the top as well as a button, ribbon and hemp cord and some Martha Stewart punched branches and red gem. The Be Jolly plaque is a K&Co. CB Sticker which I added some ribbon to. And the stocking is filled (I actually hot glued the items to the back of the card and for extra support, there is a piece of cardboard glued to the back also and then I covered it with another piece of PP!:) with some pieces of a blue ice pick, a foam candy cane and a Basic Grey Chipboard Star and Present all drenched in glitter! And the card even stands with no problem!!

And this second project was the inspiration for the card, even though I did this after the card! Go figure!! This is actually a ceramic stocking tealight holder that I purchased in Michaels last year, after Christmas, for like 50 cents. I added some branch picks, a Basic Grey Chipboard Snowflake and bird, which again, I added some glitter to and a real candy cane. I also added a sparkly blue snowflake bow and a Jingle Bell which, well you know, I added glitter to!! And to finish it off, I added a glittered foam snowflake, K&Co. cb Sticker and some hemp cord to the bottom of the stocking.

I hope you like them! They just look so much better in real life! I hope Santa brings me that new camera!! {hint} {hint}

Now on for my Candy Winner of a "Christmas Wish Box" which she gets to choose the theme to!! And the winner is.......



ClaireQ! Congrats you are my winner!

My son pulled your name out of the bowl!! Please email me your addy Claire, as well as the theme you prefer for your box to KeepsakesbyMelissa@yahoo.com!

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by and left me some awesome and sweet comments!! I appreciate them all more than you know! I am going to try and have another blog candy before the new year is up! So stay tuned!!

I hope you all have a wonderful night!! ;)

Hugs, Melissa

Altered Wooden *JOY* and just 1 day left for my Blog Candy !!

Hope you are in for along post today!! hehe I purchased these wooden letters and snowflake from Michaels awhile back and just got to altering them now. I have so much Christmas paper but I keep coming back to these My Mind's Eye papers. They are just so beautiful! All the letters are covered with them.

The "J" has some white Pom-Pom trim along the top, a Me and My Big Ideas Deer Sticker, which I added some glitter to, a sparkly snowflake bow, a felt snowflake with another snowflake sticker in the center and lots and lots of glitter!

The Snowflake "O" has some Me and My Big Ideas CS Stickers, mini pearls, hemp cord and more glitter!

And the "Y" has part of a holiday pick, foam and felt snowflakes drenched in glitter, buttons, hemp cord, a jingle bell on some wire which I painted white and yup, you guessed it, more glitter!!

This display looks so pretty up on the fireplace mantle. I hope you like it too!

Tomorrow, Saturday the 13th, over at Scrapbook News and Review is the Big Playtime at the Pole Christmas Crop! You shouldn't miss it! There are going to be lots of fun games, challenges and lots of fabulous prizes!! It all starts at 8 am CST and goes until 8 pm! Hope to see you there!
Well, I'm off to play with my son! I can't believe how smart this little guy is! Not only does he speak in full sentences now, but he can count up to 8 at the age of 2 and a half! He says thank you and please all the time and covers his mouth when he sneezes and coughs! And the things he comes up with are just too hilarious!! I am just in awe of him! He is definitely the JOY in myself and hubby's life! I don't know what we ever did without him! Oh that's right, me and my hubby had a life!! LOL Just kidding! hehe I just came across this photo I took of him 2 years ago for our Christmas cards! I can't believe how much he has grown! Boy, time sure does fly!!

And don't forget you still have 1 more day to sign up for my blog candy!! Just go to THIS POST!
Have a wonderful evening!! ;)

Hugs, Melissa

Winter Wonderland Ornament Card

I think I just found my new addiction! Making shaped cards! They are too fun!

(Sorry for the bad pics, it is rainy and yucky here!)

For this one, I traced a CD onto some pp by My Mind's Eye. I added my little tab on the top using 2 small circle punches. The "tree" is part of a pick I got in ACMoore for like 49 cents. I added some Martha Stewart punched branches and snowflakes, a foam snowflake which I coated with glue and then glittered it up, ribbon, a large button and some hemp cord. The plaque with the saying is by Me and My Big Ideas, which I also altered with some more glitter. Hope you like it!

My 2 1/2 yr old son, Antonio, is having a blast with all the Christmas decorations around our home. He loves to look at all the lights and play with his Rudolph that sings. What a wonderful age! I just love to watch his face and to hear all the hilarious things he comes up with! We are going into New York City soon to see the Christmas Spectacular show at Radio City and then the Tree in Rockerfeller Center, I just can't wait to see his expression when he sees that! If you have never been in NYC during the Christmas season, you really should go! There is magic in the air this time of year there! It really is amazing!

So I thought I'd leave you today with this cute crafter's poem that is going around.

Twas the night before Christmas, I'm glued to the tree.
I'm wondering what Santa brought just for me.
Could it be cardstock or chipboard or lace?
Or a Cricut, I said, with a smile on my face.
And that's when I heard him,
"Hi Santa, " I said
"You know....good little girls
should be in their beds."
"I know I should Santa,
and now I've got caught.
But I was just so excited
To see what you brought."
"Well, let's take a look
in this room where you work.
He shook his head quickly,
And left with a jerk.
I heard him exclaim
as he put it in gear.
"You've got enough crap,
I'll see you next year!"

hehe Oh, how true!! Have a wonderful day! And don't forget, you still have time to comment and win my Blog Candy! Just go to THIS POST. You have until this Saturday. Good Luck!

Hugs, Melissa

*Birthday Cake Box*

I am loving altering boxes lately!! Can ya' tell?? This is another Birthday Cake Box that I made for a customer. Thanks Judy! ;) I like how girly this one looks! Except, I just noticed in the pic that a pearl is missing on the body of one of the butterflies!! That is bugging me! So I will call my customer and have a pearl mailed out to her. I won't be able to sleep tonight if I don't!! LOL I'm not kidding though!! ;) I am crazy!!! hehe Anywho, on to the box!

I used some K&Co. and Pink Paislee papers to cover the box. The butterflies were stamped with an Inque Boutique stamp in several different matching colors. I adhered them to the box by only gluing the center body and then pinching the wings forward for the 3-D effect. And, of course, I used some Kaiser Craft pearls on the "heads" of the butterflies.

The flowers are Prima, which I used several different styles, shapes and colors. I sprinkled glitter on them for some bling! And to top it all off, I hot glued a real candle to the top. I hope you like it!!

I have a toot! toot! to share! My Snowflake card is "Pick of the Week" over at Moments to Remember, my favorite site!! If, you aren't already a member, check it out! It is such a fun place to be! You get a virtual charm bracelet when you join and then earn charms for it! The people are awesome and the creativity there is amazing! So go HERE and join and tell em' Melissa B sent ya!!

Don't forget to leave a comment for my "Christmas Wish Box" giveaway on my last post! Good Luck!!

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs, Melissa