Christmas Cards & the Winter Wonderland Sign Winner!

I hope all of my snow bunnies are staying warm after the big snow storm this weekend! I thought of all my Minnesota bloggers as I watched the footage of the Metrodome caving in - Stay safe and cozy, girls!

After a fun week of hosting a giveaway for the "Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland" wooden sign I hand-painted as part of a Christmas craft blog post for 25 Days of Christmas, we finally have a winner!  Random.org chose lucky #62 out of 84 total entries as the winner. I will be mailing the sign to Jessica @ My Simply Complicated sometime this week!  Jessica is currently in school full time and runs her own graphic design business as well.  She attended the SITS girls' Bloggy Boot Camp earlier this fall (which I am so jealous of!) Make sure to check out her gorgeous blog and try the Bacon-Cheddar Pinwheel recipe she recently posted!

Quotable Cards

It's already day 15 of Star & Jmo's 25 Days of Christmas - I cannot believe it!  December is flying by, but my shopping list is 98% complete and all of my cards have been given to/sent via snail mail to friends, family, and co-workers.  
Today's topic for 25 Days of Christmas is "Christmas Cards".  This year, I purchased three designs: a UNICEF card featuring deer in a snowy field for close family and friends, a fun and lighthearted glittery snowman note-sized card for co-workers, and a clean, colorful, pop-inspired square card featuring a fun quote by Walt Whitman for the blogging buds I've swapped mailing addy's with over the past few months.  I carefully choose Christmas cards each year; I understand that it would be a lot easier and way more cost effective to head to the local dollar store and buy a few boxes of the same exact card for all of my recipients, but that is zero fun! I take pride in signing each card and addressing the envelope with pretty handwriting.  As I fill them out, I take a minute to actually think about the person I'm sending or giving the card to.  Preparing Christmas cards to give to my friends and family is one of my favorite hobbies during the holiday season.  If you get a card from me, just know that it is sent with love and warm wishes! Really!

Cards by UNICEF.

I chose these UNICEF cards for the close friends and family I exchange with every year.  I thought the design was very wintry and peaceful. The light glittery iridescent shimmer isn't visible in the photo to the left, but it - along with the sweet and simple wording inside ("Wishing you beautiful winter moments, Happy Holidays") - sealed the deal on my purchase.  Yes, I'm one of those "Happy Holidays" card senders.  I believe it's the simplest way to acknowledge all of the holidays that one may celebrate during the winter season.  When I send or give a card that says "Happy Holidays", that is exactly what I mean. Whatever it is you're celebrating, whether it be the New Year, religious holidays, or in my case, family birthdays, have a happy time! 'Tis the season to be jolly, ya'll!

Notecards by Artworks, available at B&N Stores.

I love being part of a workplace that is all about celebrating the season.  We enjoy great food and fun mingling during our annual luncheon that's held in December, and share our favorite dishes and swap gifts during our Christmas potluck and gift exchange.  Most of us share more personal gifts and treats with each other as Christmastime nears (which reminds me - I have a huge batch of Oreo Truffles to make! Hello cream cheese!)
I absolutely love the first day of December, when I stick Christmas cards in everyone's mailboxes at the office.  They always tease that I'm "on the ball" or "too early!" but I know they love the cards - they display them ASAP! This year's "co-worker" cards are definitely the best yet - I actually think the envelopes were almost as cute as the card itself! 

Hallmark Contest Winner
Jen McQuinn, Cincinnatti, OH

Become a Hallmark Star!
This past Spring, I took advantage of a really cool opportunity and entered Hallmark's "That Says Christmas" card design contest (read about my experience - and being named a finalist - here!)  Although I wasn't chosen as a winner, I had a blast networking with the other Hallmark fans and Hallmark staff on facebook.  I made a few cool buds and now, when I'm out card shopping for a specific person, I only choose the Hallmark Contest winners' cards! I'm sure you've seen 'em around.  Check out the winners for this year's "That Says Christmas" contest - and if you're looking for a single card to suit someone on your list, show my Hallmark friends some love and choose one of their designs!
If you're into photography and/or illustration, and think it might be neat to see your very own design in Hallmark stores and card displays across the country (and win a few hundred dollars, too!), I highly suggest entering Hallmark's card design contests! Visit http://www.hallmarkcontests.com to get the scoop on upcoming events, details, how-to's, and past winners.


That's it for this snowy and blustery Monday! Dress cute and cozy, use plenty of moisturizing balm underneath and on top of that long-wearing lipstick, and get those Christmas cards out if you haven't already!

Get ready to Crack 'em Up!

The new Hallmark Card Contest began today. "Crack 'em up" calls for FUNNY. When it comes to greeting cards, I am so NOT funny. Anyway, I dug up a photo that makes me laugh out loud every single time i see it - and figured it would do the same for someone else (maybe?) So you can imagine how prepared I felt, being a Hallmark contest second-timer and all, as I submitted my entry early this a.m. I feel that my photo and the text fit together perfectly (and I'll definitely share later this week, after Hmark's first round of "flurries" on Facebook - don't want to give away my little idea too soon!)

So anyway, as I'm checking over the Hallmark FB Wall, I read that there's a computer glitch of sorts, and all participants can enter up to six times in this single contest instead of just picking one sub-category and entering once! One entry per sub-category... which means, you have six different opportunities to win. SIX. That is a lot - it will sex-tuple the entries (that is six, right? triple, quadruple, quintuple... sextuple... lol) but still... six ideas? Which at first seemed really EXCITING. But then.. i realized, that is a hella lotta work! Most of my Hmark pals are as equally freaked out as I am, but I think every single one of us are game. Sub-categories are: Congratulations, Get Well, Friendship, Love, Miss You, and Thank You. I can't wait to brainstorm and get to work this evening. This, on top of all that sign painting I'm doing! My head is spinning...

my dearest blog fans, you have got to give this contest a shot! Anyone should be able to come up with an idea for at least one of the sub-categories - please please PLEASE go to the Hallmark Contests website, read the details, look at past winners to get some ideas, and go for it - it's so stinking FUN!!! It takes some time to put your thoughts together and develop a great idea, but the entry process is quick & simple. I know my Hallmark buds are thinking, "Noooo stephanie, no more new recruits! We'll have six times as many entries anyway (sextuple haha)!" Or maybe not - maybe they're like me, and want some new card-crazy friends to be Hallmark Contest Obsessed with. Anyway... DO IT. You have to. New Rule: If you read my blog, you must enter the Crack 'em up contest. You have until June 28th!

So, the sign painting is coming along. I contacted the Addison Visitor's Center in Webster Springs - some of my West Virginia State themed signs will be on sale there, beginning in late June/July! I'm also hard at work, analyzing and planning for my Etsy store. I'm still working to find the best shipping price for customers. As always, I'll keep you posted!

I read the Eclipse novella on Sunday afternoon - it was super short, but just enough to get me really excited for my midnight showing in a few weeks! I'm going to re-read Eclipse before the movie hits theaters - I need to refresh my memory a little bit.

That's about all for Monday - work, gym, post office, home, shower, cook, paint, Bachelorette, think about Hallmark card designs while watching Bachelorette... I have a headache! But it is... a good one. There is a such thing.

Have a super day, everyone!