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Sunday, January 1, 2012

It's a Winter Wedding Celebration and a Happy New Year!! :)

Happy New Year!! :)  Did you ring in 2012 with some special friends and family???  Or did you spend a quiet evening at home reflecting on the highs and lows of the last year???  For me, the holidays (and especially the New Year) always bring a bit of nostalgia...  I fondly remember the days of my childhood --  Curling up on the sofa while trying hard not fall asleep...  Listening to the laughter of the grown-ups as they shared their own memories of years gone by...  Banging pots and pans atop a mountain in New York or on the front porch of my childhood home...

As my own children are now "technically" adults themselves (they'll always be my babies, ya know!!), they spent this New Year with friends of their own -- The-Boy-Child with The-Girlfriend and her family and The-Girl-Child with her reunion of high school besties...  Excited text messages filled with good wishes and blessings for the New Year replaced the laughter and noisemakers...  A peaceful evening of movies and watching the ball drop with a friend has become the new tradition for me...  Closing the chapter on 2011 and looking to 2012 as a new horizon filled with new hope...

It's a rainy, cold day here in Pennsylvania -- There's a Winter Storm Advisory for later on tonight...  Living just close enough to that large lake just north of here means a promise of 6+ inches of heavy, wet, lake-effect snow for us tonight...  Despite the forecast, and even as I write this, the sun is trying hard to break through the clouds if only for a few moments to remind us all that it is, indeed, a new year!!  How amazing is that???  After days without success (dark, cloudy days), the sun refuses to give up!!  Kinda makes me feel like we all should all live that way -- Even when faced with darkness and clouds day after day, if we persevere and keep trying...  We'll eventually break through and SHINE!!  So, if the New Year finds you looking for an excuse to shine, here's some video inspiration for you today...

If you cannot see the video above, or wish to view it on YouTube, please CLICK HERE...

Now, on to some SUPER CHALLENGES!!  It's Simply Sunday Challenge Day over at Getting Cricky, and we were asked to create a card, layout, or project celebrating something special (the new year, a new home, a new baby, or anything else worth celebrating)!!  :)  Additionally, Wednesday was the start of new challenge over at Decorate To Celebrate...  The challenge there is to celebrate a Winter Wedding...  And so...  I decided to combine the two challenges and  make....
 A tissue-paper gift box, table placecards, and a matching card...
Each item coordinates with the embossed background and matching ivory and blue colors....  I covered an ordinary jewelry gift box with small squares of glittered tissue paper (remember making floats this way???) before adding a "belly band" of ribbon...
The "always" is embossed in silver and the "in my heart" is stamped with SU!'s Brilliant Blue.  The ivory background cardstock is embossed with the Tim Holtz "Snowflakes" embossing folder, the scalloped ovals are an SU! punch, and the snowflake punch is from Creative Memories.  A little bit of bling, some blue ribbon from my stash, and some dit-dots finish off this card perfect for the bride to share with the groom. :)
The "always" and "in my heart" sentiments can be found on the "Owly Hoo" Stamp Art Set by K Andrew Designs... 


K Andrew Designs


Now that I've shown you my take on the challenge, I hope you'll hop on over to see what all of my Design Team Sisters made for inspiration...  Then, I hope you'll enter this week's "It's a Celebration!" challenge at Getting Cricky...  We can't WAIT to see what you create!!




I'd also LOVE to see your decorating ideas for a WINTER WEDDING over at the Decorate To Celebrate Challenge Blog!!  From party supplies to table decorations and favors, your creativity is WELCOME!!  Be sure to stop on over and see what the FABULOUS DESIGNERS have created for inspiration -- Then link up your project for your chance to WIN a BEAUTIFUL Mini Album from my dear friend, Rhonda!! :)


Decorate To Celebrate!

Thanks for joining me today -- May this year be one that SHINES with blessings and hope for you!!

P.S. The sun WON!!  Blue skies dotted with clouds out there!!  One word.  AMAZING.  :)

Until next time,

30 comments:

The Craftin Mama said...

Great job mama!!
Ildi Your Dt sister

Lisa said...

I don't know which is more beautiful...your post or your project!! I'm so happy the sun won!! Definitely a sign from God that the new year will be amazing :)

Your projects are just stunning my friend!! Wow, that tissue paper box is so creative and fabulous, as usual! I love the embossing and the ribbon with the snowflake embellishments!! Elegant, classy and so gorgeous!! :D

Hugs, Lisa :)
indymermaid.blogspot.com

Rhonda Emery said...

do beautiful amy love love love it. your amazing and a very great friend. hugs and may your new year be filled with happiness.

girlia said...

Very pretty Amy! Love the colors.

Charlotte said...

Amy,
These are just gorgeous! I love the embossing and the brilliant blue ink is is perfect!
Happy New Year!!
Charlotte

CRAZY4 CHRIST said...

Amy wow these are so beautiful!! Thank you for the write up and the video!! I really need words of encouragement today!! Hugs
Kristan
DT-Sister

Sugarlips said...

Amy oh my goodness. Everything is gorgeous!! Fabulous job.
jessie your dt sister

Sunshine HoneyBee said...

And here's SUNSHINE HoneyBee wishing you a Happy New Year! Spent New Year's Eve with a quiet evng at home watching Rango DVD and the ball drop in Times Square before heading to bed. The wedding celebration creations are bee-utiful and so elegant. We think alike when it comes to using snowflakes. Especially like the ribbon you used.
Melissa
"Sunshine HoneyBee"
http://CreatedbySunshineHoneyBee.blogspot.com

Janet said...

Happy New Year Amy! You gift box is awesome I thought it was a "fur pillow" when I first looked at it. I love the blue on white very beautiful and elegant!
Big New Years Hugs! Janet

Shawnee said...

Beautiful projects. I love that embossing folder. Happy New Year!

Jenscrapstoo said...

Amy these are just so elegant wonderful for a wedding!! Happy New Year!!
Cheers Jennie Jnr DT Sister

Jana said...

Great job on this set! It is all very beautiful and appropriately wintery for where you live. I would happily welcome any of that show you might want to send here to Texas, we are expecting a warm and dry winter. Kind of to match our summer I suppose. Thanks for the efforts you put into keeping the DT going and organized. I appreciate what you do. I hope your 2012 is full and rich with blessings,
Jana

Jean said...

This is so pretty!!

Amy said...

So pretty! I just love the snowflake embossing- it's so elegant looking! Happy New Year! :)Amy

Edwina said...

Wow! how beautiful! i always love seeing what you make! The blue ribbon is so pretty! Love the embossing and snowflakes. Edwina Brown

Peggy Sue said...

glad to see your back! I love your project, just beautiful! Lots of love,happiness, and good health to you in the new yr and always. come down to FL, it was
80' today!! xoxo
Peg

Sherrie K. said...

Very pretty Amy! I adore the colors your used! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Happy New Year!!! I look forward to seeing more of your creations in 2012!
Sherrie K
http://sherriescraps.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

What a refreshing post Amy. Love how you shared your memories of years past. I am looking forward to 2012. I think it will be a fabulous year. Your projects are beautiful. I love the colors, I would love this for a winter wedding.
Simply beautiful.
Heather your GC JRDT sister

Debbie said...

wow this is so amazing and beautiful your are so very talented my friend hugs Debbie

Audrey Frelx said...

Amy, beautiful job on the box/card project -- love this!!!

Happy new year, my friend!

Unknown said...

Hey sweet girl, these are all so pretty. You are so gifted:)

I loved reading your post, you are so good at inviting us into your world through your words. I am so glad the sun broke through, you my dear sweet friend deserve only sunshine!!

Hugs, Pam

Larelyn said...

Oh, the card is just lovely and the set is spectacular. I love the embossing folder and all the white accented with the gorgeous blue is perfect!
Hugs,
Larelyn

Cheri said...

Amy - I love the simple elegance of embossed white with a punch of color. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Cheri - Getting Cricky JrDt

Lizzie Barbie said...

Thanks a lot for visiting my blog, so I could find both of yours! Love them both, brand new follower. I grabbed your button :)
evescrochet.blogspot.com

Miranda said...

Gorgeous! Your winter wedding projects are awesome! TFS
Miranda - Getting Cricky JRDT Sista
www.nanasscrapspot.com

Norma said...

Hi Amy:) WOW! love the blue and white together, gorgeous projects!!
Hugs,
Norma

JoAnn V. (http://joboogie.typepad.com) said...

So pretty! The colors are perfect!

-JoAnn
Jr GCDT

Sunshine HoneyBee said...

Was over at Decorate to Celebrate Winter Weddin Challenge and did not see your lovely entry next to mine. Did you forget to enter it?
Melissa
"Sunshine HoneyBee"
http://CreatedbySunshineHoneyBee.blogspot.com

Carol's Creations said...

I'm visiting from DTC and these are fabulous! Your project and my project would work really well together...I just love the blue and white together!!!

Amanda said...

I love the blue and white!!! AMAZING job!!!

Amanda
Getting Cricky JrDt
www.cricktncrafts.blogspot.com

 
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