Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Yesterday I was out playing Santa and delivering all my hard work form the prior weeks. Today's picture is what I used to put all the goodies in. You know all those tins that we keep, because we might some day find a use for them??? I decided after boxing them all up when we were moving, that I best find a use for them soon! DH just looked at me as I was boxing them up with a look of WTH are we moving these things. So I got them out, made them more pretty and tada USED most of them this year!!!!

I'm sharing a quote that a SWEET friend of mine shared our group. I thought it was perfect for today!

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.
Agnes M. Pharo

I would like to wish everyone a Blessed and Peaceful New Year!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

More Snow

Yep that's what is heading towards us once again. This round they say only, yes only 5 inches, but then coming to get us on Friday, Saturday and Sunday is a biggie again. We are sitting with about 28 inches of snow now. I was really enjoying the pretty white, fluffy stuff. At first that is, but now I've had enough and am wondering if spring will come any time soon.

The card I'm sharing with you today is from the stamp set called Tree Mendous Love. It's put out by Our Craft Lounge. www:ourcraftlounge.com Check them out! They have the most adorable stampsets!

This set is GREAT and can be put to use in so many different way. I choose to use it as a "Thank You", as I know we are all in need of them right now after the Holidays.

Enjoy your day and stay warm for me!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Preparing for another Blizzard

Hi!!

One problem with satellite Internet service is. . . . . it doesn't work very well in a blizzard!

I worked most of the last couple of weeks on getting my Christmas Goodies ready. I am so fortunate as to have the SWEETEST friend up north with me! Laure taught me how to make Krumkaka (a Swedish cookie). She got me hooked and I had to order a krumkaka iron!! My family is very excited, as this is one of their favorite cookies! In fact the bunch that Lore & I made are GONE - completely GONE! They didn't last long around here. I think DH ate most of them. I have to admit, I even ate a few, they are sooo good. You can't stop at one!

I had to share this picture of the snow and my visiting friends. I was amazed at how easily they went through the 16 inches of snow we got.

I'm also sharing a picture of my Secret Shistah Gift. It got shipped out to her and I am looking forward to our On-line Christmas party on Friday Dec 19th. It's going to be soo much FUN! SHISTAHS ARE THE GREATEST!!

Stay warm and snuggle up with a nice mug of some warm cocoa!!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

It's pretty outside!

The new snow fall looks so pretty out there! I LOVE new snow, it covers all the dirty look! We had about 3 inches of snow, makes me want to run out there and make some Snow Angels! The people in town would think that I really am just a crazy stampin lady then! But I would have FUN!

Today's card is one of five that I made for some sweet little Ballerinas that I know! I really like how the small amount of glitter just makes this card really sparkle!

I hope if you have snow, you get a chance to go out and make a Snow Angel day!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Late Monday!

Hi Everyone!

I'm back up north, as I LOVE to be! Life is soooo much slower paced up here. But if I just stayed up here I wouldn't be able to visit with family I don't always get to see. The party was sooooo much FUN! Of course I did what I said I wasn't going to do, but how do you not over eat when the food is soooo good?!

The drive down there wasn't fun, as the snow started and continued through my drive. I had to drive by myself, as DH was on call for the weekend and couldn't make the party. I stayed over night at my Mom's and then headed back home this afternoon. One really good thing is that I think I was able to finish up my shopping part of Christmas gifts! YEAH!!!!

Today's post is of a Christmas card that will be going out to a few friends, as I received this image in one of the image swaps I was in. Don't ya think he's perfect for a Northern Minnesota Christmas?!!

Hope everyone has a GREAT evening!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Friday!

The weekend will be here in just a few hours. I am looking very forward to this weekend, as I will be attending my Daddy's Annual Christmas (YES-Christmas!) Party!! I look forward to this event, as it's a gathering of relatives that we otherwise do not get to see. Everyone is so busy and running every other way. I only feel badly, as you must be 21 in order to attend. Two of our kids are old enough to go with and they also have started to look forward to this gathering. I think it's important that we try to keep in touch with our family!

Today I'm sharing some little "Santa's Brew" cards that I made up. They have been a BIG hit at my little craft spot!

It is very cool here today, only 2 above. YIKES that's cold! I may have to break into some Santa Brew for myself!

Continue the count down to your weekend!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Terrific Thursday!

Some days you just know how the day is going to be when you get up. Isn't it funny how that works?

I will be playing catch up a bit today, as yesterday I seemed to be all over northern MN. I'm happy though, as I got a lot of errands DONE!

Today I'm showing you a project that I made, which is and will continue to help me stay on task this Holiday season!! Funny how if I write things down, I can just keep up with things a bit better.

So as my friend Navy say - "Write it down!"

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Wild Wednesday

Yep! I'm running errands and trying to get a TON of stuff done today. I will be going down to the cities and want to have all my nieces & nephews Christmas gifts. Save a little $$$ and not have to ship them. So I will be busy!

Today's post is called an ATC card. I like to think of them as little samples of a bigger card. I have the SWEETEST friend over in Wisconsin who host this ATC swap almost every month! This month's theme was Christmas. I used the SU set "Winter Post". I have fallen in love with this set!

Have a wonderful WILD WEDNESDAY!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Tuesday already!

Life just got busy and I'm not sure where all the days went, but before I knew it they were gone and we are already into December! YIKES!!! Before I know it Christmas will be here way too soon too!

Today's post is of a few little gifts I worked on for some friends. I had soo much FUN coloring these Inky Antic snowman images in! Coloring really brings the fun times in life back! After coloring the images I punched them out with a couple different punches, layered them and then placed them in these adorable little 2 x 2 frames!

Til tomorrow!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Terrific Tuesday!

Good Morning!

The sun is shinning and it's crisp out side. Much like yesterday and that is why I have something to show you again. My little craft booth at Sweet Peas was getting very low of tins, so I got busy! This upcoming weekend is their annual "Holiday Open House weekend". I need to make sure my booth is stocked, as it will be busy - busy - busy.

Have a GREAT day!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Nother week

Good Morning!

I thought this was the perfect card to share today, as we have had our first snow that has stuck around. Not melted away when it hit the ground. Guess that's a sign that winter is really here. That's okay I will just stay inside and stamp!

ENJOY your Monday!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

FRIDAY!!!

What more can be said? Yep the weekend starts and I'm looking forward to a weekend of staying put in my stampin' room and just playing! Seems like I tend to make this statement lots and then something always comes up and I don't get to just stay PUT! We will see what happens this round.

Have a GREAT day!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Oh my!

Sorry to have been MIA for a while again. Seems like I go and have a ton of fun with friends over a weekend (make that a long weekend) and then I'm so pooped out I don't end up getting the things done that I want.

Here is a frame, which is what we worked on over the weekend.

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Let the weekend start!

I know it's only Friday, but for me, that signals the weekend! I plan on putzing with my crafts and spending time with some of my crafting friends. I plan to meet up with my girlfriend and some of her crafty friends at her Mom's house. Daisy was so SWEET to invite us to spend the weekend at her place! THANK YOU!! She is one of these people that has a heart as BIG as the world! She LOVE to share what ever she can with who ever she can. Even though she's not my Mom, I look at her as if she is!

Today's post is one of my newest way to scrapbook. I have seen these posted on different sights and really liked them. So I print and take it to DH and show him. Of course, oh those would be sooooo easy to make. K, will you make some for me? Please, pretty please! Yep and here is the first finished one. This is not two, but one. I am posting a front view & a back. I also have a few orders that I am packing up and trying to get delivered before I leave town.

So posting may be slim for the weekend, but I will return with lots of new ideas.

Hope you all ENJOY your weekends!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Almost!

Yep the weekend is almost here! Yesterday I played with dominoes! Any of you stampin' people out there know I most likely wasn't playing with them on the floor or table, like we use to. You can see from the picture I got a bit creative with them. I LOVE turning things into pins!

ENJOY your Thursday!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Voting Day!

Happy Tuesday Everyone! I just want to ask everyone to make sure to go and VOTE today! Today's post will be short, as I've got a list a mile long to catch up on.

This is the Christmas card which I have decided to do for this Christmas. I am using a retired SU Hostest Stamp Set - Nature's Secret. White cardstock/bashful blue cardstock along with a variety of ribbon, a couple of sliver brads and of course a card is just not complete without a dash of glitter!

Now GO VOTE!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Monday - Monday!

A good SUNNY morning to all of you! This past weekend you can tell from my pictures, was a very busy one for us. We headed down to the cities on Saturday morning and dropped the puppy off at my little sis, Christa's. She babysat Muffy for us. Then we headed to Minneapolis for our oldest nephew's wedding. It was a gorgeous day and they make a GORGEOUS couple. You can tell that from the picture. This is Mr. & Mrs. Court Borle. It was the BESTEST wedding reception that we have been to in a long time. LOTS of fun and all our kids were there to join in the festivities. We were able to grab a picture to use for our Christmas card this year. It's been hard to get a picture since the kids have started moving out. Seems that they are never all here at one time for a picture. Not this year!! Then we had a BIG birthday to celebrate on Sunday. Sweet little Miss Erica turns ONE on the 4th and so we celebrated on the 2nd. She is just the most ADORABLE thing in the world! Can you tell that she enjoyed her day?!! I'm also sharing my most favorite picture from the weekend. Tyler had drill this weekend, but took time away and will make it up at a later date, but he wanted to be there to celebrate his cousin's happiness too. That's my Tyler!!

Hope you all have a GREAT day to start your week off!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Thursday!

Good Morning!

Sorry I've been MIA for a bit. I became sick last Friday eve and was not able to go to the "Crop for a Cure" in Duluth. I felt so badly, as I wanted to go and help out some friends with a GREAT cause! I was also very bummed, as I have been missing these Pals for some time now! Seems like after moving up north, I don't get down to the cities like I use to. Oh well, we will make contact and hopefully before the rush of the holidays!!

Yesterday I tried to finish some projects I had going for a Craft Botique that will be starting next week already. YIKES! OMG where oh where does all the time go?

Here's a tin I put together for the Botique.

Have a WONDERFUL day!
Hugs,
MaGooooo/maria

IT'S FRIDAY!!!

The day most of us look forward to, right?! It's raining up north and I guess that means that I get to stay in and just play today!

I made a few of these card yesterday to send "get well" wishes off to a few friends. I have a group that are not feeling up to par and thought they may enjoy receiving this cheerful card in the mail.

We are meeting up with some friends tonight and then tomorrow I am heading to Duluth to help two friends (Heather/Pine Feather & Lisa/Shabby Chick" who are doing demos at the Crop for a Cure. A wonderful fund raising event for "Young Survival Coalition". So you won't hear from me for a few days, but I will be doing good!

Have a GREAT weekend!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Thrilling Thursday!!!

I'm not sure where this week has went, but it's almost gone. YIKES!!

Today I'm taking things easy, had a late night and will need to play catch up and take a nap. I think that will happen in just a bit.

Today's share is of some cute bandaid tins. See the weather changing pattern is affecting my crafting too.

ENJOY your Thrilling Thursday!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Another Wild Wednesday

Yep it is. Before it gets really - really cold out there, I must finish spreading the straw on my strawberry plants. I certainly wouldn't want to find out next spring, that they didn't make it through the cold Minnesota winter. I started this little project yesterday and I am hoping to finish it up today. The sun is still shinning and bringing a bit of warmth here.

ENJOY the fall gift I've put together here. It is from a retired SU stamp set, Give Thanks.

Hugs,
MaGooooo/maria

The week is going!

Yep another Monday - Monday up north here. The sun is trying to peak out, but the weather man says we are in for some rain this week. Along with that the temps will be taking a jump down under. Guess this past weekend which was BEAUTIFUL, was the last of Indian Summer.

So to get a jump, you can tell my projects are turning towards the next season.

Have a WONDERFUL Monday!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Happy Sunday!

Just home from church and want to get on here and post. Then to start my day of putzing on some crafty things. I HOPE!

It should be a low key day and we will just be hanging around the house and working our way through some more boxes.

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Sunday!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Saturday's HERE!

And a it's a GORGEOUS one at that! The sun is shinning and you can just feel the warmth it is giving to us!

Aren't these little buckets just ADORABLE?! I found them at the dollar spot in Target and have had FUN decorating them for my booth at Sweet Peas. I only wish that I had picked up a few more of them. Didn't want to look like I was never going to see a bucket again, so now I'm in the "I wish" mode. I know I will find some more or else something different to fix up.

Have a wonderful Saturday! Make sure you go outside and ENJOY some fresh air today.

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

IT'S FRIDAY!!!

It's DH last Friday off from summer hours. He now has to start working a five day work week. Awwwww. So that means that we will be running down to Duluth, so that we can grab some things he wants to set up "his" garage. Me I'm tagging along and making a few stops at "my" stores.

Today's card is another from my "image swap". I am really happy with how it turned out! Now I really WANT, oh I mean NEED - this stamp!

Have a GREAT day!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

This is why we moved up NORTH!

This picture says it all. Look at what comes to visit right outside my stampin' room almost every day. Especially now as we are getting late into fall. Mamma comes with her baby, whose not so little any more.

The card is another from my image swap. I'm having sooo much FUN coloring! Not sure I will get much time to have any stampin' or coloring fun, as we have MEA in Minnesota. That is two days off school.

Hope the sun is shinning and you are having FUN where you are!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

1/2 way to Friday!!

OMW I'm in for a long - long week if that's the way I'm looking at it. When Monday starts off with lots of rain and no sunshine, it's hard to find the good things!!

Yesterday I was able to get some coloring done FINALLY of the image swaps that I have been collecting through the years. A really GREAT group of friends of mine, do "Image Swaps". This is where you sign up and then stamp an image forever (number determined by how many Stampers sign up) and you swap them out. This is really a GREAT way to get images that you LOVE and you don't have to buy every single stamp. So I have been participating in these swaps and letting them pile up in my little storage box. Like what am I saving them for? I have been busy coloring and making them into cards. Today's post is one of the many that I colored and turned into cards yesterday.

Have a GREAT Wednesday!

Monday!

It was a busy, busy weekend. Lots of running and that included road trips. I look forward to being able to spend some time at home this week! DH has today off, being it's Columbus Day. So I am grabbing him to help me get the pictures up on the walls and that will mean more EMPTY BOXES!! I'm a bit tired of looking at blank walls, when I know that I have pictures in boxes every where!

This cute little "Caramel Apple" bucket I CASED from a blog, but I'm sorry I don't remember whose it was! I changed it a bit and I have to say it's been a hit in my booth at Sweet Peas!!

Looking for some sunshine!

Saturday

It's the weekend and it will be a busy, busy one again. I promised my DD that I would do a "Mom & Me" trip to Duluth to have a FUN day of just her and me. Gotta do that, cause before I know it, I won't be wanted to hang with. We did have a GREAT time and I got some errands crossed off my list too. This is a good thing!

Today I'm getting ready to ship my Halloween gifts off to the nieces and nephews, so you get to see my stampin' tags. My friend Piney hooked me onto tags a few years ago. I hope you enjoy them, as much as I did making them!

Don't forget the Ghost & Gobblin's in your life!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

It's late day!

Yep that's what we call Wednesdays at our house. The school here starts an hour late every Wednesday. Amazing what an hour does for your schedule and your kids sleep!

The sun is shinning again and we are looking forward to some really nice fall days ahead now! YAHOO!!!!

This is cute little Holiday Planner is one project that I worked on over this past weekend at the retreater. It is an empty metal CD case that I decorated and turned into a place to keep all those notes to keep us organized during the busy time which is coming upon us very fast! I found the cases at: http://www.eclecticpaperie.com. It's my most FAVORITE place to shop on-line!!! Joy & Daisy are two of the Sweetest people you will ever find!

ENJOY your sunshine!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

No sunshine?

Yep it's a rainy Tuesday day. The sun isn't shinning, so I guess that means that I will just concentrate on organizing my space again. Some day I will complete this task. Today's share is just a tin to put a smile on my face, as I know before long we will be building them snowmen! Oh how I just LOVE snowman!!!

Have a wonderful day and hope the sun is shinning where you are!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

A perfect weekend!

So today's pictures are from my wonderful weekend retreater! The weather was perfect and the "crop-a-lot cabin" http://cropalotcabin.com/was the perfect place to hold our retreater!!!! Already reserved our spot for our return in May! Everyone is so excited to return and making the plans of what we will do then. I will share pictures during the week of what I managed to work on and accomplish! I have way too much FUN chatting and catching up with these girls! I don't think I have laughed so hard, since the Shistah Retreater! But laughing is good not only for our soul, but also the new "laughing diet". That is for real, I saw it on the view!

Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Thankful Thursday!

Hi!

today's post is a card I made to give my second DS when we see him next week. I can't believe that it's already been three months since he left for his AIT training at Fort Jackson. He is a Minnesota Reservist and went through basic training summer of '07 at Fort Jackson, then he returned home to finish his second year of school and after he graduated this past May, he returned to Fort Jackson in NC to finish his AIT training. I will be so happy to see him!! The sad news is that he received his ship notice when he was going through AIT. He will be shipped between January & February of 2009 to Iraq. So please keep him and our other Military in yours thoughts and prayers. They believe in what they are doing for the Iraq people.

I'm off to finish up a project that I started yesterday and then I have to finish up the grocery shopping list for the retreater that I am putting on for my Big Lake Stampers. I am so EXCITED to see them again and have a FUN weekend with all of them! We will be heading to WI and just spending the weekend relaxing and enjoying each other's company. I will post pictures when I return.

Have a GREAT weekend!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Tuesday!

Another day of the week and today I'm hoping to not have to do much running! I just really am looking forward to a day where I can STAY PUT!! I've got a lot to get done and seems like not much time. My plans always seem to change and what I wanted to do for the day, is placed on the back burner.

I'm trying to finalize my plans for the retreater that I have planned for my Stampers from my stamp club (when I was in Big Lake). We are heading across the border to Danburry, WI to Crop A Lot Cabin, retreat center. It's out in the woods and will just be a weekend full of FUN! I will post pictures when I return. That way you will all be able to ENJOY some of the fun too!

Today's post is a card that I made for friend whose just dear! I just started playing with the Upsy Daisy stamp set from SU. Colors are SU kraft/bashful blue/Whisper White/Certainly Celery. I LOVE these colors!!
Have a wonderful day!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

It's Monday!

HAPPY Monday!

The sun is up and I guess I best start my day too. I will be running errands today and then tonight I get to go out for my birthday dinner! We will be heading to the Pick Wick. They have a GREAT menu & the BESTEST food! Then off to DD Volleyball game. I'm also hoping to get some more stampin' done. My booth at Sweet Peas was picked over this past weekend pretty good. LOTS of visitors checking out all the beautiful fall colors!

It's almost October, which means "Halloween", so my today's post is picturing something I've made up for my little Gobblins.

Have a WONDERFUL Monday!
Hugs,
MaGoooooo/maria

Sunday!

Today was a very busy, busy day. We drove down to the cities to help celebrate my nephew's 13th birthday. Not much chance to stamp, as it's a 2 1/2 hour drive, but you only turn 13 once!

I'm sharing three pictures with you today! The first is a picture of the birthday boy, (the cute thing here is the GIANT roll of duck tape that one of his cousins gave him as a gift. Aaron can never have enough tape of any kind!) The second is of a my DD on the Homecoming parade. Being she's a Junior, she was on the Junior float. She really enjoyed tossing out candy to all the little and big kids that lined the streets. It was a FUN fall day! The weather was gorgeous and the leaves are starting to change to their vibrant fall colors. How can that not make for a perfect day? I still snuck a bit of time for stampin' about 1 AM last night. So I am also including a post of the two of the six adorable little monkey tins I did up. I just LOVE this daisyd's cardstock!!!! Wish I would have bought more up. Oh well there will be another favorite when I walk into the scrapbook store, right?!

Enjoy your evening.

Hugs,
MaGoooooo