Merry Monday #289 has a festive challenge for us this week - add a star!
I did a quick search through my Christmas star sets, and one that I kept coming back to was this short-lived Newborn King set from 2014- I loved it for the coloring possibilities and I haven't been able to let go of it yet!  It has a cute little star to feature so I just went with it!  I had some fun coloring everything up with all my green Blends, plus a few other color details.  I love the font in this sentiment so much, I decided to make it pop as well!  So fun!
The Newborn King (retired-2014); Whisper White & Pear Pizzazz CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Old Olive, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake, Soft Sky & Crushed Curry Blends; Stitched Shapes Framelits; Basic Jewel Rhinestones; #MM289.

Merry Monday #288 has a fun "no stamping" challenge for us this week - argh!
My strategy for this one was to browse through all my dies, and see what leapt out at me, lol.  The stockings won!  I figured I could really play with all the different patterns we have, and bring on the color!  I also threw in my all time fave holiday thinlits Expressions - one of our earliest sentiment thinlit sets, and still a goodie!  Since I'm featuring stockings, I decided to also pull out the Cable Knit DEF for a little texture.  It's all kind of topsy-turvy, but I love how it all came together in the end - even with no stamps!
Whisper White, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, Real Red, Dapper Denim & Gold Foil CS; Christmas Stockings & Expressions (retired) Thinlits; Cable Knit DEF; #MM288.

Picnic With You & Barn Door Class May 10 & 12
For the month of May, we're thinking picnics and farm trips with our gorgeous Picnic With You & Barn Door bundles!  These sets really made me think of summer days to come, so I figured we could get ready now!  This class will feature three picnic cards and two barn door cards, and will include all your supplies, drinks, snacks and a special gift from me, all for $25!  This class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more!  Class is on for Thursday, May 10 at 630 pm, or Saturday, May 12 at 3 pm.  RSVP today to save your spot!

We're so excited at Sunday Stamps #177 to be back with these lovely colors for you to try!  And since they remind me of a starry Christmas scene, I'm combining mine with Merry Monday #286!
This phrase from "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is one of my fave Christmas verses ever, and especially the version in our lovely Christmas Pines - LOVE that combo of fonts!  I added some pine twigs and holiday berries, and just a few tiny little sparklies for good measure.  So, maybe not as luscious as our yummy blackberry parfait inspiration, lol, but still in the spirit of Christmas!  Can't wait to see YOUR creations - see you at the challenge!
Christmas Pines Stamp Set; Very Vanilla, Garden Green, Old Olive, Sahara Sand & Night of Navy CS; Versamark, Garden Green, Old Olive & Night of Navy Inks; Pretty Pines Thinlits; Basic Jewel Rhinestones; #SSC177; #MM286.

Pumpkin Club April 28!
Did you get your April Pumpkin kit yet?  Ahoy, matey!  Check out the video HERE!
I hope you can join us for our next Pumpkin Club, Saturday, April 28, 3 pm, chez Heroldt - RSVP to let me know you are coming! 
Club is free for my subscribers, and includes any extra supplies you might need, drinks and snacks!  I also have ONE extra kit on hand for $20 if you'd like to check it out!
Remember to subscribe here if you haven't already - sign up by May 10 and you can join us in time for next month!

Love this fun spattered sketch from As You See It #173!  Think I'll go out on a limb and combine it with Merry Monday #285's ribbon challenge!  The wheels are turning, lol!
I really wanted to try some emboss resist with the Christmas Pines set - I love those pine branches!  Then I found myself wanting to add lots of Chocolate Chip details, after getting the news that my fave brown is retiring at the end of this catalog - what a good run it's had!  No complaints from me, I can't wait to try some of the awesome new colors coming soon - but I can give Choc Chip a last hurrah, though, all day long!
Christmas Pines & Touches of Texture Stamp Sets; Whisper White, Crumb Cake & Cherry Cobbler CS; Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler & Whisper White Craft Inks; White EP; Pretty Pines Thinlits; Stitched Shapes Framelits; Perfect White Accents; Cherry Cobbler Blend; Chocolate Chip 5/8" Grosgrain; #AYSI173; #MM285.

Paper Players #387 has a fun music theme for us this week!  I think I'll throw in Merry Monday #284's red and white theme, too!I decided the best way to get my red and white music in was to pull out my Carols of Christmas set - this one was bundled with these amazing card front thinlits - so cool!  There's a few borders plus several detail frames for the several smaller stamps.  Such a fun puzzle today, lol.  I had to try my hand at the plain border today, and decided to "deck" the remaining space, so to speak.  Let's just say this - this set is SO much easier to add details to now that we have the mini dimensionals - who knew??  Whew!
Carols of Christmas Stamp Set (retired); Real Red & Whisper White CS; Real Red Ink; Card Front Builder Thinlits (retired); Red Sequins; PP387; #MM284.

Man Cards 2018 Class April 12 & 14!
It's time once again to stamp our hearts out for those special guys in our lives, and we have a fabulous range of new goodies to do it with!  These five cards will be adaptable to all occasions, with options for Father's Day as needed or desired - so come stand by your man!  Class costs $25, and includes all supplies (bring your own snips and adhesive) snacks and drinks, and a special gift from me.  This class can also be FREE with your purchase of $30 or more!  Class is on for Thursday, April 12 at 630 pm, or Saturday, April 14 at 3 pm.  RSVP today to hold your spot!  See you there!

Wow, lots to love about this week's layered sketch from Paper Players #386!  I think I can squeeze in a Christmas puppy for Merry Monday #283, too!
I was so thrilled when I remembered my wonderful Ready for Christmas stamp set - he's the perfect Christmas pup!  And of course that big circular field was enough room to go all out on a little stairway scene - whew!  I do recognize that this card would be a bear to mass-produce, but that's what I love about making Christmas cards all year long - it gives me time to make busy little designs here and there, and wonder who the lucky recipient will be come December!  Put your bids in early, folks, lol.
And do you like my little gag blog post title?  It's supposed to be, "Sharing the Joy, but NOT the cookies," lol.  Geez, I crack myself up...
Ready for Christmas Stamp Set; Merry Moments DSP (retired); Whisper White & Old Olive CS; Memento Tuxedo Black & Old Olive Inks; Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive & Daffodil Delight Blends; Sizzix Circle #1 Die; Christmas Staricase Thinlits; Banner Triple Punch; Old Olive Enamel Shapes; Cherry Cobbler Solid Baker's Twine; #PP386; #MM283.

We have some lovely rich colors in this week's Merry Monday #282 this week!  I think Freshly Made Sketch #329 can help me along, too!
As soon as I saw those gorgeous candles, I knew I was going for my Merry Patterns set.  I figured one of the fill in stamps would be beautiful in gold emboss, and I was right!  So pretty - and a pretty pain to fussy cut, too, but I can never resist, lol.  I stumbled over this retired Adventure Bound DSP the other day, so this gorgeous pine and wood sheet was fresh in my mind, too.  I originally had a layer of white over the red, but when I pulled it to emboss it and saw how striking the DSP was directly against the red, I went with that!  So fun!
Merry Patterns Stamp Set (retired-hostess); Adventure Bound DSP; Whisper White & Cherry Cobbler CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Curry & Gold Encore Inks; Gold EP; Sizzix Circle #1 Die; Basket Weave DEF; Garden Green Stitched Satin Ribbon; Garden Green Enamel Shapes; #MM282; #FMS329.

Doesn't this inspiration pic from Merry Monday #281 look festive?  And yummy??  Let's play!  I'll be using Freshly Made Sketch #328 to help out too!
I couldn't resist going back to my Hug in a Mug set for this one - I so love to play with all the yummy pieces in this one!  I needed to boost the peppermint factor, too, though, so I also pulled out Candy Cane Christmas for some extra support, lol.  Canes and starbrights, yes!  Chocolate cheers, everyone - only 281 days til Christmas!
Hug in a Mug & Candy Cane Christmas Stamp Sets (both retired {SOB}); Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake & Early Espresso CS; Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake & Early Espresso Inks; Greetings Thinlits (retired); #MM281; #FMS328.

Woo hoo!  Time for another sketch challenge over at Sunday Stamps #174 - check out those layers!  I'll be adding in this inspiration pic from Merry Monday #280, too - good times!
I find inspiration pics to be especially challenging - how to pick what I want to highlight?  I'm always overwhelmed by the details, and have a hard picking a few that go together enough to make sense on a card.  Luckily my Sunday teamies had my back with this sketch, and my snowy window scene was born, lol!  Once I had that worked out, it all fell into place - just as it should!
I can't wait to see what YOU come up with - see you at the challenge!
Happy Scenes Stamp Set (retired); Wood Textures DSP; Whisper White, Dapper Denim, Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz & Silver Foil CS; Silver Glimmer Paper; Silver Encore & Dapper Denim Inks; Silver EP; Hearth & Home Framelits; Bethlehem Edgelits; Pretty Pines Thinlits; #SSC174; #MM280.

Pretty, pretty!  Merry Monday #279 has a gorgeous poinsettia challenge for us this week!  And I think I can fit in Stamp Ink Paper #139's ribbon challenge, too!
For me, poinsettias mean our lovely Reason for the Season set, and I keep it just for them, lol.  I kept it pretty simple, straight up candy stripe poinsettia, my fave font ever sentiment, AND I floated everything over a panel embossed with our brand new Basket Weave DEF!  Super cute, and it comes in a fun SAB bundle, too!  Even more exciting is that it will make a come back in our next annual catty - cue the heavenly choir!  I'm loving it behind my Christmas decor here for sure!
Reason for the Season Stamp Set; Whisper White, Old Olive & Crumb Cake CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Real Red, Old Olive & Daffodil Delight Inks; Basket Weave DEF; Stitched Shapes Framelits; Real Red Cotton Ribbon; Gold Sequins; #MM279; #SIP139.

Bubbles & Raindrops Class March 8 & 10!
Time for a focus class:  Bubble Over and Sunshine & Rainbows!  There's so many fun features to explore for these two suites that we have to make it all about them!  Class will cover 6 (!!) projects, three designs for each set, and includes all your supplies and accessories (bring your own snips and adhesive.) Snacks and drinks, good company and a special gift from me are all also included, all for $25!  This class can also be FREE with your purchase of $30 or more!  RSVP today to save your spot for Thursday March 8 at 630 pm or Saturday March 10 at 3 pm - I have prepped like crazy for you!  See you there!