The end of the year is sooo close that I want to share with you a card that I will be wishing family and friends all the best for the New Year of 2014!!!

Every year I challenge myself to see if I can “get it right” and write the “correct” year…and that lasts about a week at the best! How about you??? Can you get it right at the beginning of the year?

I have absolutely no complaints about how 2013 treated myself as well as my family! We certainly are blessed in so many ways! John and his injury was a BIG eye-opener to all of us and we are soooo incredibly thankful that he is doing great….he taught us all sooooo much as to what patience and a positive attitude can do!

As far as my Stampin’ Up! business…WOW – I have been able to do something that I never thought I could do….have a daily blog and I am just coming up to my 1 year of doing this…and I THANK YOU for your dedication, inspiration and endless comments and emails – having cyber friends, customers and now demonstrators from all over is a blessing in itself!

There are many things that by now you know that I love when it comes to my style of card making and an “odd size” of a card is one…and this card it just that….the size is 3” X 6” and with having the Envelope Punch Board….no worries on how to find an envelope that fits!

The focal centerpiece to this card comes from the Typeset Alphabet Bigz Die…and I know what you are thinking…this is one expensive die….and yep! It is…but I will say it is one piece that is a great “foundation” to make some very special cards!

For example today’s card is pretty darn special but it is super to have this die for making “initials” or “monograms” on cards…this is one addition to your die collection that I would use a 50% off hostess credit on!

Let’s get to it!

• The base is Very Vanilla cut at a 6” square and then scored at 3”! The stampin’ trimmer is one of the best “must have’s” in my opinion!

• The black piece is 2 ½” X 5” and then using the Scallop Trim Border Punch a simple punch gives an instant dimension to the card!

• You all know that I love to use lots of paper and I also like to save paper…so the Gumball Green is just a piece ½” x 5” and then I used the 2 way glue pen to adhere it!

• Pulling out the Big Shot and using up scraps of paper, I cut out the 2 0 1 4 using the Typeset Alphabet Bigz Die!

• The champagne glasses came form the Embellished Events Stamp Set and this set has a bit of everything for anyone! Whenever I stamp with Black, I always us the Black Staz On Ink…to me – it gives the best coverage each and every time!

• I know…some of you simple do not like “fussy cutting” but these are not bad at all to cut out! What makes is a breeze is using the paper snips and REMEMBER….move the paper…not your hands and also make sure that you are cutting from the BACK of your scissors not the tips!

• Adhering this together was simple with the 2 way glue pen…this pen is something that I use often and also something that I use on envelopes! With the liners!

• A bunch of Stampin Dimensions to the rescue was the perfect lift for the card! What would we do without these gems! For a long and narrow card like this that I really want it to be lifted all the way around – I love to use the “edge” pieces…we do not waste a thing!

• The envelope was made from a 7 ½” square piece of very vanilla and then following the instructions on the Envelope Punch Board…I scored it at 2 5/8”. One thing that I found when you make a long and narrow envelope like this is that the “pointy” parts need to be trimmed off! You can see this from how I lined the outside of the envelope! I figured that it would be easier to do this and I like the “change up”. I simple used a piece of Designer Series Paper from the coordinating In Color Paper Pack and presto…a great finishing touch!

• This is a special time of the year…. a time to “celebrate” so I needed to stamp on the outside of the envelope! The “Cheers” came from the Delightful Dozen Stamp Set and I just used the Gumball Green Marker to get the “Cheers” part! Perfect….DONE!

“Cheers” to all of YOU! I hope that this card inspires you to go to your craft space and make a New Years Card! You can easily use a New Year’s Card to write thank–you notes from the holiday season …to write a message to someone wishing the the best year ahead…it’s a great way to move forward with new hopes and inspirations for the New Year!

Let’s get back to the earning a 50% off item…I might live in Maryland and you might live in Alaska but you can still have an event with me! Please shoot me an email and I will be happy to send you a hostess code and you can have a cyber party! It is a great way to get products at a discount and also get FREE hostess rewards!

Enjoy the day and I hope that you are thinking about the year that is about to come to an end…and do some goal setting and dreaming for the year ahead!

Until tomorrow!