Special Offer in my Etsy Shop

For a limited time!
Purchase any item in my etsy shop and get all 4 of these die cuts free!

Offer ends at midnight Christmas Eve.

I hope you are all having a lovely holiday season!

New Items in my LolliShop

New in my LolliShop!
Looking for the perfect last minute gift?

Or need something to give yourself this year?

This cute little mini scrapbook would be perfect for your holiday photos.

Designed and created by me!

Like what you see?
I can custom create a mini or full sized scrapbook in your favorite colors or theme!

Contact me lori@thescrappyshack.com and I'll get right to work on your special project.

The mini book and coaster birthday card are available in my LolliShop .

Have a happy day!

Lollishop Love

One of the great things about being a vendor on Lollishops is seeing all the things the fabulous ladies are selling. Like Chelsea Ann of Keepsake Cakes.

I *met* Chelsea Ann when we were both approved for Lollishops, and we did a swap. I knew then she was an amazing artist.

This is one of my favorite things from her LolliShop. Isn't it the cutest? It is a treasure box with two compartments, for holding all your precious candy-colored secrets!

To get to her shop, all you have to do is go to Lollishops.com and enter Keepsake Cakes in the search bar. Or you can click her banner above to take you straight there.

I Love NYC

I do. Really really do. I love watching movies and TV shows set in Manhattan, I love looking at pictures and reading about the city, I love the sight of yellow taxi cabs and high rise buildings.....I truly love any and all things NYC.

I have been to the city once, in 2005. I had dreamed about going for a long time and finally got to do it. A friend told me I was silly for dreaming about it when it is right here in our country, and I had the means to go. She was right, so I promptly planned a trip with friends Jan and Jessie, and we went to see the Big Apple.

My step dad told me I would be disappointed, that I had built the city up in my mind for too long. I had glamorized it and made it more than it is. But he was wrong, it was everything I wanted it to be, and more. The trip was one of the highlights of my life. And I hope someday I will go back and visit again.

Tonight I stumbled on some of my pics from the trip, and I thought I would share them.

Jessie and I in Times Square

Jan, me, and Jessie in a cafe in Little Italy. The neighborhood was a bit run down and not at all what I expected.

Shopping on Canal Street

Me and Jan in front of the courthouse. I could not believe I was actually standing in the exact spot I had watched Sam Waterston in so many times in my favorite show, Law & Order!

Jan, Jessie, and me on a pedicab ride through Central Park. The pedicab was our favorite form of transportation in the city, you could really get a cool view of everything from the cab.

Jessie and me on a double decker tour bus. It was so cold up there!

Jessie and me before going in the Empire State Building

Happy Wednesday!

And happy birthday to my beautiful daughter Jeni!

Jeni lives in Washington state with her mom (I am actually her step mom, though I wish she was mine all mine!) and we do not get to see her as much as we would like to.

I love you honey, and I hope you have a wonderful day. I wish we could see you today.

***********************************************************

A Scrappy Shack die cut is featured in a kit this month!
This is the add-on for this month's 3 Scrappy Boys kit. Heather (the club owner) really has a knack for putting kits together. I was thrilled when she said she wanted to use some of my die cuts for her club. The Joyful Season frame is the first one she is using, and she will be using some more die cuts in upcoming kits.

Check out what Nori did with the numbers lace die cut.

What a great idea, to frame it and hang it in her daughter's room!
I think it looks really cool. I have had several customers tell me they were ordering the lace papers to frame and hang. I love it! Thanks, Nori, for sharing!

Santa Claus came early to my house!

It was like Christmas morning in my house today!
I got a shipment of 5 boxes......guess what was in the boxes?

Yummy, beautiful, fabulous paper!
All this cardstock, and every bit of it is textured.
It is so pretty and colorful....
I have big plans for it. It will be very happy.

I had so much fun organizing it by color after Lacie went to bed. I put my favorite TV show (Law & Order) on and drug those boxes out. The only thing that would have made the night better would be a glass of wine! Now that it is organized, I am going to have to find a place to keep it. My paper rack is getting bare, but even still, it will not fit all this!

Cookie Party Time!

Yep, today is the cookie swap day!
But first.....

Here in good ole north Texas, it is finally starting to get cold enough to feel like the holiday season. It has even been cold enough a few times for us to light a fire in our fireplace! That is my favorite cold weather thing to do. I love the holiday season. Time to start thinking about getting those holiday cards in the mail. I think mine are going to be pink and green this year, I love those colors so much. If you want some unique cards, or even tags, this year, get on over to my Lollishop or my Etsy shop and let me know what you want. I can make you a great looking and one of a kind design!

Do you have a hard to buy scrapper on your Christmas list? I have some great things in my shops just for her or him! Maybe you are the hard to buy person in your family......send them to my shop to get all your stocking goodies.

I can even create something for you in custom phrases or colors, like I did for C for a baby shower this summer. She wanted circles with baby boy words, and certain colors for certain pages she was working on.

Imagine your own ideas in die cuts like these!

Or maybe you have someone on your list who would love a mini scrapbook made just for them. I can use your pictures and create something just right for the occasion!

Some gift ideas for mini books:
Baby's First Year - great for new grandmas and grandpas
A History of Christmases - showcasing pics of your family's holidays through the years
Family Pets - for the person we all know who loves their pets!

Okay, now for cookie time!

Thanks to Scrappy Jessi for hosting this party, and inviting me to play along! This is her second year having the cookie recipe swap, but my first year to join. There are quite a few gals sharing recipes today, and I cannot wait to see what they all have up their sleeve (or apron, as the case is today!)

As for me, I am sharing my childhood favorite......

Rolo Cookies!!!

Yep, they actually have a rolo candy in each one!

Yummy

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
48 unwrapped Rolo candies (9 oz package)
1 tbsp sugar

In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Blend well. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, and margarine until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture a little at a time until well blended. Add 1/2 cup nuts, saving the remainder of the nuts fur later use.

At this point I have found it much easier if I set the dough in the refrigerator until it gets completely cool. This will make it easier to work with when forming the cookies.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup nuts with 1 tbsp sugar and mix. Once the dough is cool, take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball . Now use your dough ball and form it around one piece of Rolo candy. Once you have formed your ball with the candy inside, press one side lightly into your sugar and nut mixture. Place your ball sugar side up on cookie sheet, bake at 375 degrees for 7 - 10 minutes. Leave cookies on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Open For Business!

Lollishops is now open for business!

Just a preview of some of the things you will find in my Lollishop.
www.lollishops.com/the-scrappy-shack

Mention my blog in your purchase and get a free gift!

Enjoy your Lollishopping experience.
There are so many fabulous artists there with such amazing things.

Tonight, we made SMORES for the first time.

Mmmm.....they were a hit. Yummy!

Jessi is one of my favorite bloggers, and she is hosting a cookie recipe swap.
Stay tuned, you are really going to like the recipe I share!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Make sure you eat lots of turkey and the other good stuff! My favorite is the cranberry sauce. Mmmmm.......I hope everyone has a fantastic day and enjoys all the things they are thankful for!

New Die Cut Lace

Snow Die Cut Lace Paper
Originally uploaded by lori0714

I have been working on this die cut for awhile. It is very delicate, so it had to be just right so that the cutter wouldn't shred it. Finally got it and I think it turned out pretty good!


This cut is for sale in my Etsy shop. Purchase one and mention my blog in checkout, and I will also send you a set of 10 die cut snowflakes in the same color as the lace paper.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Lollishops opening very soon! Stay tuned.....

Drumroll Please.........

AND THE WINNER IS.....

**** alwaysinspired ****

Congratulations!

Her favorite die cut is the polka dot frame. Great choice, it is one of my favorites too!




I was so excited about this giveaway I decided to pick several winners. The 5 runners up below will all receive an alphabet circle frame in black.

Angel
Courtney
pumpkinlady430
ladynurse4
Jill

Enjoy! Thanks so much for entering! My first giveaway was a great success!
Ladies, please email me your info so I can get your goodies out. :)

As Promised!

As promised, I am adding a die cut to the giveaway!

My numbers lace.
You like?

Keep the comments coming, I love reading them.

Oh, and this die cut is also available in my Etsy shop.

Love for the ABC Circle

Wow! A ton of you gals like the ABC circle!

Good choice! I think that one is lots of fun too.

Last weekend, to my surprise, I found one of my listings on the front page of Etsy!
Woo-hoo!!

Those fall colored Prima florals on the last row are mine!

First time on the front page. I hope it happens again soon!

Check the blog tomorrow, I am gonna add some more goodies to the giveaway.

Nighty night!

It is Giveaway Time!

Well, now it is time for my very first blog giveaway!

The winner of the contest will get all the die cuts pictured here, in the colors of his or her choice!

Even if you do not scrapbook, these would be a good gift with the holidays coming up. Or a good excuse to start scrapbooking!

DETAILS

To be eligible for this giveaway, comment here and I want to know your favorite die cut from the ones offered. Link this on your blog and your name will be entered twice! The winner will be picked by random draw at midnight on Thursday, November 13. I will announce the winner Friday morning.

All these die cuts are available in my Etsy shop.

Coming Soon - Lollishops

Back in August, I was approved to become a vendor in a new online marketplace. Lollishops will be a place where you can go to find wonderful vintage, handmade, and whimsical treats.

There are some amazing artists among the Lollishops approved vendors. I am really honored to be setting up shop next to them! Here is a preview of some things you will find on Lollishops:

1. Vintage jeweled Silver Serving Pieces, 2. Christmas Giveaway! Win a White Reindeer!, 3. pinkcupcakecustom1, 4. ~April in Paris, 5. Wild Raspberry Fizzers 3, 6. Run Alice Run ✩, 7. Yummy Pocket, 8. Oh Deer! Candy Frame, 9. Patina Earrings, 10. Plate of felt cupcakes, 11. More Candy Girls, 12. Child's Pink Poodle Mini Tote

And here is a sampling of the creations I will offer exclusively through my Lollishops site!

Fun fun! Lollishops will go live at the end of November. Be sure to stop by, many vendors, including The Scrappy Shack, will be having "grand opening" specials!