Tuesday, January 1, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR iCANDY !!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!! I'm kicking off the new year with some blog candy (which I fondly call iCANDY on iSTAMP!) Over the past couple of weeks, I've been watching my counter in the 90,000's, and was really crossing my fingers that it would hit the big 100,000 on New Year's Day ... oh well, it's close enough for me!

I haven't talked much yet about our Christmas, and won't go into a whole lot of detail. My brother and his family (the four on the right of the photo) came to Phoenix from Iowa for five days. Their last visit was seven years ago, so this trip was much anticipated! We had a WONDERFUL Christmas with lots and lots of food, games, food, visiting, and more food! This is my favorite photo from their trip, taken after church service on Christmas Eve (which was my favorite part of the celebration ... the church service was beautiful and inspiring!). We also spent a day driving to Tucson to visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place. It was so-o-o cool!

Onto the iCANDY ..... Have you seen all the new Designer Papers in the NEW Spring-Summer '08 Catalog & Idea Book? You know I've got a weakness for Designer Paper, and I need to make room for new. I'm giving away this assortment of 27 full 12 x 12 sheets of Stampin' Up! retired Designer Series Papers from Petal Patch, Spring Showers, Spring Flowers, Au Chocolate, Loves Me, and Notations.
How do you win this iCANDY? See the book of Gummy Lifesavers in the photo below? Five years ago, I started a Christmas Eve tradition with my kids and my foster sister's kids. The first Christmas gift I buy every year is a book of Lifesavers, and start wrapping it over and over and over again until I either run out of wrapping paper or get so sick and tired of wrapping it that I can't possible wrap another layer! The wrapped package in the bottom of the photo is the finished product from this year. On Christmas Eve, the kids gather in a circle and take turns unwrapping one layer at a time, and counting the layers as they go. The person that unwraps the very last layer wins the book of Lifesavers. It is fun to see how many times I wrap it every year, as I don't keep track while I'm doing it, and also fun to see which kiddo wins it each year.
To win the iCANDY Stampin' Up! Designer Paper assortment, leave a comment with your guess as to how many times you think I wrapped the book of Lifesavers this year. The person with the correct or closest guess wins the dp assortment. In the event of a tie or ties, I will use random.org to choose a winner. A winner will be chosen the evening of Thursday, January 3.

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR to each and every one of you that stops in to read my blog! Good luck !!!

Edit to Add: Due to cost of shipping, U.S. and Canadian shipping addresses only.

162 comments:

April said...

WOW, you can tell that you wrapped it up A LOT! I would say you wrapped it 102 times ???? I'm probably way off. Anxious to see what it really is.

mudmaven said...

Nancy - what a wonderful tradition. My grandchildren will all be old enough next year to appreciate this idea! My guess would be 48!

Diane Schultz said...

Nancy - Happy New Year! This is a great tradition and wish I had some children I could use it on. I guess you wrapped it 63 times. Anxious to see how far off this guess is.

Anonymous said...

I'll guess "21". What a great idea!

Carol said...

Happy New Year Nancy! Congrats on being so close to 100,000 hits! I will guess 37.

Alhambra Club said...

What a fun tradition. I will guess 18 times. Glad to hear that your Christmas was wonderful

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year!
I will guess 12 times.
Shannon

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year!
My guess is 44.
Looking forward to finding out the correct answer because I really have no idea!!!

Anonymous said...

What a fun thing for the kids. Might have to try this one next year. I will guess 23.

Anonymous said...

This is such a fun, wonderful idea! I am guessing 20. I may have to try this one year. Thanks for sharing!

Julie said...

I am guessing 98... assuming you didn't put it in a box to wrap it. It looks pretty big to me.

Anonymous said...

I'm going to guess 33 times. Great idea - maybe I'll try it next year!

Bernice

Jaime said...

I think wrapping presents might be my least favorite thing to do, so I can't imagine wrapping something more than once! :-) But, what a fun tradition!

I'm going to guess 36.

chinamomxtwo said...

lucky# 50 ;-)

Lori Barnett said...

I'm thinking you did 17 times. I think it would take about a minute to wrap each layer so after about 17 layers (close to 20 minutes) you probably figured that was good :) I hope I win!! :) LOL

Pam Speidel said...

Congrats on nearly reaching 100,000 blog hits! You blog is amazing and one of my favorites! It was nice to see the photo of your beautiful family and hear about your Christmas.
When I was young, we always received a lifesavers book too. I love your unique idea of wrapping it up like this. How FUN! I'm going to guess it was wrapped 25 times! :) Who wouldn't love to win SU designer paper iCANDY!?! :)

Anonymous said...

I really have no clue, but I will guess at 103 times.

Pegg S said...

Congrats on almost 100K! And a very Happy New Year to you and yours!!

I will guess 42 ~ what a fun tradition!!

Anonymous said...

What a great idea!!!! My guess is 29. :) I hope you have a great new year. :)
Smiles,
Jennifer W. :)

Elizabeth Wickland said...

I'm guessing you wrapped it 52 times.

This is a really fun tradition!

Libby Hickson said...

Wow there are some high guesses on here! If you wrapped it 102 times I will be very impressed (and wonder how long the unwrapping must take!) :-) I was going to guess 9, but now I'm thinking that's way too low - but oh well, it was my initial thought so I'll stick with 9. :-) This is such a neat tradition, thanks for sharing it with us. Glad you enjoyed the holidays - I've also been to the Desert Museum, loved it! Happy New Year Nancy!!

Dawn Easton said...

Hey girl! Great to see a new pic of you and the gang! You all look WONDERFUL!

What a fun tradition you have! Congrats on all your blog hits! But then I know why people come here...your work is SPECTACULAR!

Best wishes for you and your family for a happy and healthy 2008!

Oh ya...hmmmm I am going to guess 36 since that's how old I just turned ;)

Hey Hey Paula said...

I'll guess 24 times. What a fun tradition.

Anonymous said...

What a neat idea!!!! You are so creative! I will guess 117... God Bless you if you wrapped it that many times!

Lisa

Jennifer Meyer said...

Happy New Year Nancy, LOVE the story and the game. If I win please pick someone else for the prize. Just for fun I am going to guess...

28 times :)

Good Luck Everyone,
Jennifer :)

Anonymous said...

Might have to try this next year for the new year's eve swap at my sister in law's. I'll go with 33. too fun. kim

Jill Hilliard said...

My guess is 43. this is a great tradition! So-- is each layer different wrapping paper? Please let someone else win the SU paper, I have more than I need good luck to everyone! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Hi! What a cool idea! I'm going to guess 53. I didn't read the comments before mine, so hopefully I didn't "steal" someone else's guess!

Kerry Morgan

Anonymous said...

I'll go with 49 times :)
what a fun tradition!

Pam Varnell said...

What fun, Nancy!!! I'm sure your kids love this. I'm guessing 27.

Wonderful picture of your family, BTW.

Pam

Michele Force said...

Now that's a tradition I've never heard before! How creative! I will guess 27 times.

Happy New Year!

Doris said...

What a great tradition! I have no idea, but will guess 22 times. Happy New Year!

Cathy M said...

Love your family picture. You're almost at 100,000. WOW what a creative idea to wrap lifesavers and to make it a family tradition. I might just have to do this next year. I use to get these every year in my socking. My guess is going to be 50 times.
Can't wait to hear what the answer is. You are going to make 1 stamper very happy with this SU paper. Thanks for a chance and Happy New Year.
cmeyers@hughes.net

Juanita said...

I am guessing 32 times

Cheryl KVD said...

I love this tradition!! I am also in love with SU design paper!! I'm going to guess 56 layers.
Thanks!
Cheryl KVD

pescbrico said...

I will have to go with 23 layers :) Do we have to wait until next year that the kids play to know if we are winning? ;)
Happy new year! :)

Tara said...

what a super fun tradition!!! We may have to try that one out next year...gummiesavers are a favorite at our house! I love it! My guess is 36!

Debi H. said...

Happy New Year and I'm guessing 12 times would be more than enough to get tired of wrapping. Hope I'm right!

Anonymous said...

What a fun tradition! My guess is 34 times.

Lorie said...

Fun and fantastic blog candy! I'm going to guess...35 although that seems like an awful lot of wrapping. Not sure I'd have the patience for that! LOL! :o)

Rita said...

WOW! What a great idea!!! I'll guess 52 times. Happy New Year!

Ellie said...

OH how Fun.. and my lil DD's first B-day is 1/3 so I HAVE TO PLAY! hmmmmm how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootise pop oh wait wrong guessing game..lol HMM I say 41! :)

Ellie
e@scrapbookmama.com

Brenda H. said...

What sweet candy...thanks for this chance to win! My guess is 34.
Blessings in 2008!
~Brenda H.

Anonymous said...

I have to play too! The curiosity is gonna drive me bonkers! Congrats on the blog hits! I am going to guess 16.

Happy New Year!

Laura V.

Jan Scholl said...

66? My son lives in Iowa and is going to Arizona in February with his wife. After all the nasty weather, He may never go back!

Charlene H. said...

What a neat idea. I am going to try that next year with the kids in our family. I am going to guess 52.

Allison Rankin said...

I am going to guess 81...woo hoo!

Colleen said...

My guess is 10 times!
Hugs,
Colleen

Rachel said...

I guess it would be 32 times! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

My guess is 27 times. We also have played this game in a different way. You have to wear sweat socks on your hands and you roll dice. When you roll a six you get to start unwrapping. The minute you roll six the next person grabs the die and starts rolling. It is so much fun and it goes around many many times before completely unwrapped.

Maren said...

What a fabulous idea! My guess is 38!

Becca Feeken said...

Awesome idea!! I think you wrapped it 14 times. I'd love to win the icandy, but I am as anxious to see how many times you really did wrap that thing. You could possibly be a wrapping superhuman. I don't know if I even wrap one present - I have fallen in love with bags and decorated boxes. By the way congrats on 100K - you so deserve the compliment of knowing your blog is well appreciated. I stop here daily and am always inspired.

Lastel said...

What a fun idea ! I am going to guess it was wrapped 19 times , can't wait to hear how many times it was actually wrapped .

Anonymous said...

how fun! 29?
Love your blog, Maureen

Bonnie Weiss said...

The kids must love it ... what a great idea! My guess would be 33 and congrats on your hits!

Pat said...

What a great tradition. I am guessing 36 times. Thanks for sharing all your inspirational ideas throughout the year.

Pat

Jayne said...

Hmmm! I know that you wrapped it a bunch of times, but how long would it take you to get tired of that? Maybe 32? Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your talent.

skyviewstamper said...

I'd guess 37. I think after that I would be sick and tired of wrapping!!!!

Unknown said...

what a fun tradition! your family is simply lovely!

i would like to guess that you wrapped the lifesavers 33 times...i sure hope i'm close ! lol!

have a wonderful new year!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on 100K. Wow that sounds like a fund idea. Hmmmm wrapping paper can be thick. How about 49

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the hits.
I love this idea and will try to remember it for our family Christmas next year.
I am going to guess 88 times.
Linda Peterson
craftylin1968@aol.com

Anonymous said...

What a fun idea.
This would be a great idea for a game at a child's birthday party. Thanks!
My guess is 46.
Rochelle

Anonymous said...

What a great idea. I'm all over the place - from 20 to 120 - so guess I'll go with 50. Thanks. Diane

Terry Molineux said...

Wow! What an awesome tradition, especially for the kids. I am going to guess 15!

Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Anonymous said...

I will guess 64 times. I can't wait to hear how many times it really was - how FUN!!!

Thanks so much for all of the inspiration and the icandy offer!

Andrea

Anonymous said...

Wow! What a great way to "hide" the shape of something -- I may have to try this on next year's CD gifts. :) I'm going to guess 40, even though deep down I think that may be kind of high -- it was my first instinct, though.
Happy New Year!
Susan in TX

Ilene B. said...

I will guess 25 times! And what a neat idea, I just might have to try this on my grandchildren! Thanks for the chance to win. Happy New Year!
Ilene B.

mikesgal said...

What a great holiday tradition! My guess is going to be 61 times.

JenMarie said...

What a GREAT tradition!!!
Hmmm...I'll guess 57 times!

Anonymous said...

What a cute idea! I'm thinking it may be 44 times that you wrapped it. I really enjoy your cards and projects and visiting your blog. Thanks for your inspiration. May you have a blessed new year!

Dorothy said...

My guess is 55. Love your site!! You make such cute stuff. Happy New Year!
Dorothy

Anonymous said...

Hi, thanks for the neat idea
My guess is 17 times.
Jan W.

Karen said...

This is so funny, I always bought the lifesaver books for my kids when they were little (now 23 & 24). This Christmas they talked about how they used to always get those books and very rarely ate the cany. I had no idea! My guess would be 30 wrappings. Happy New Year

Deb Neerman said...

What a neat idea!

I'll guess it's been wrapped 13 times.

Best wishes to you and yours for a happy and healthy 2008!

~Deb

Swamp Tulip said...

What a great idea. My guess is 34 times. Happy 2008.

Teresa

Sunnymommie said...

my guess is 30...


so fun!!!!

Anonymous said...

I guess 76
JOanne

Regina Ellison said...

My guess is 27.

StampMom said...

Happy New Year Nancy! I'm guessing 67 times. You must have patient grandkids... ;-)

tyrymom29 said...

Happy New Year , That sounds like lots of fun !!! Ill guess you wrapped it 25 times !!!!

Jennifer B said...

Happy new year Nancy. I love your blog and I read the entire thing every time. I think 72 times.

Anonymous said...

Such a neat idea. I bet the children really love unwrapping it. Nice picture of your family.
My guess is 26 times. I was going to say 25, as several people already have. Can't wait to find out the right number.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
JoAnn B.

Rosella said...

I can't see the picture, so I will just give a random guess of 77.
Happy New Year!

Courtney said...

My guess is 23 times!

Pat S. said...

Happy New Year to you!
So glad you had a wonderful Christmas!

And what a fun idea...wrapping up that Lifesavers box! Sure made for a fun contest too...thanks!

My lucky number has already been guessed, so I will go with 54.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that looks like a lot of wrapping for such a small box. My guess is 27 times for Christmas 2007 minus the zeros.

ctcao@earthlink.net

Scott Franson Photography said...

I'd like to guess 61 times. Great idea too !
Claudia
scfranson@charter.net

Heather said...

What a fun tradition! I am going to guess that you wrapped it 66 times. Wow -- that would be a lot of paper!

Lori A. said...

That sounds like a fun tradition! And that must be A LOT of wrapping! I'm going to guess you wrapped it 43 times.

Linda SS said...

My guess is 77 times. What a fun tradition! Glad you had such wonderful and fun time with your brother's family this Christmas:)

Shelly said...

Wow, what a fun tradition! I am going to guess 17 times! I know a low guess, but thats it!
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

What a fun tradition. My guess is 59.
I wish you and your family a very Happy New Year!

Laureen B :-)

Val said...

I'm going to guess 30 times. What a neat idea! I think I will give this a try next year. Thanks for a chance to win some awesome candy and for the neat idea

Linda McClain said...

Happy New Year to you, too. What a fun tradition. I remember getting lifesaver books when we did gift exchanges in grade school. Do they still do that in school? Anywho, I'm a lazy giftwrapper myself, so I'm going to go low with six times.

Thanks for the fun game.

Daisydaze said...

That's too funny! My DH gives our DD's this gift each year; but, only wrapped once, ha!

My guess is 27 times.

Anonymous said...

My guess is 43 times.

moonchild72 said...

That is such a neat idea, I am going to guess 37 times.

Tracey

Anonymous said...

What a great tradition! I am going to try this next year with our family. I will guess 41.
Thanks!

Simple Stitches AZ ~ Rachelle S. said...

I'm going to guess 22. This is a fun idea. I may have to try it too!

Rachelle Smith
www.chelstamps.blogspot.com

Wanda Williams said...

I'm guessing 97. What a great idea!!! Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Let's see, 42 times?? What a fun idea! Happy New Year and thanks for the chance at your iCandy!!

Anonymous said...

The number that came to mind right away for me was 17.

I really like this idea. I may try it out next year on my kiddies for fun. Thanks for the inspiration.

Tammy said...

Neat tradition!! I'm going to guess 21......

Tammy

MaryBeth said...

What a fun tradition! My guess is 56!

Anonymous said...

Holy crap! I'd say you wrapped that baby 58 times. Do I win? Hahaha Happy New Year!

Dottie K. said...

What a wonderful tradition to share every year. Oh great icandy - my guess is 35 times. That is a great photo. Happy New Year! :)

Rachele Funk said...

My guess is 27. Beautiful Family too! Thanks for the chance at some awesome paper!

Anonymous said...

Wow, you are very dedicated. I think this is a nice tradition--go you for thinking of it! I would guess 31 times... Thanks for all of your ideas--they certainly help me out when I have a "block"!

Anonymous said...

What a fun tradition! My guess is 22 times. Alicia

Anonymous said...

Gosh, Nancy, I can tell you wrapped it a lot! My guess is 32.

Anonymous said...

What a fun idea! My guess is 41.

Anonymous said...

This is my first post. I do enjoy your blog. My guess at the wrapping is 88.

Heather D. said...

Your blog is fun!! I enjoy all the new stuff you post.

My guess is 78.

Jill said...

What an interesting tradition...I will guess tht it is wrapped 47 times. I'm anxious to find out the actual answer!

Debbie said...

Neat tradition...I am going to guess 17 times.
Happy New Year!!
Debbie J.

Debbie said...

Neat tradition...I am going to guess 17 times.
Happy New Year!!
Debbie J.

jackie said...

lets say 87? happy new year!

Anonymous said...

I'm going to guess 25 one for each day before and including Christmas!

Paper Doll

Angel said...

I am going to guess 21 times. Happy New Year!!!

Anonymous said...

What a fun tradition! My guess is 41 times. Happy New Year!

D Sparks said...

Well, since you are closing this on January 3rd, and that just happens to be my 65th birthday, I will have to guess 65.
D

Unknown said...

I will guess 25 times. That is a really cool idea!!!

Unknown said...

I will guess 25 times. That is a really cool idea!!!

Shelby said...

Wow! What a huge range of guesses!! I'm going to go with 26 times. Thanks for the chance to win!

Kelly said...

Hmmm... that's a cute little tradition. I buy them for my boys as well. I would say 17 times???
Happy New Year!
ksun_1999@yahoo.com
Kelly

Anonymous said...

I will guess 29. What a clever idea- Thanks for the chance to win--Karen Naber--hpnaber@msn.com

twinks said...

Congrats on the hits!
i'm going with a low , lucky 13.

Anonymous said...

What a fun tradition! My guess is 48 times. Thanks for the chance to win. I so glad you had a wonderful holiday with your family.

Lilian said...

wow... what a LOVELY stack of paper!! thank you for sharing it with us!!

hmm... i'm going to guess that you wrapped 30 of them. :)

Anonymous said...

I love playing games like this, escpecially at Christmas! We need to start some new traditions at Christmas time, I think I might use this if it is ok with you. I would guess 38 layers of wrapping paper! Thanks for the idea!!!

Linda Schiltz

Scrap for Joy said...

You must have a lot more patience than I do...I would do it maybe 10 times but I'll guess 58. Cute idea.
Joyce

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a great idea - my guess is 33 times.

Carol
St-lazare

Kathy M said...

That's a great idea! My guess is 32 times.

InspiredByInk said...

Hi Nancy,
I am going to guess that you wrapped it 17 times. Love those gummies!

Thanks for sharing this cool xmas tradition.

Bobbie *Ü*

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to think how long my patience would hold out if I were doing it......how about 37?
Mary Puskar

diva said...

What a wonderful tradition. I'll bet the kiddos loved it. I'm guessing 75 wraps.

Anonymous said...

My guess is 53.

What a BEAUTIFUL family you have! Thank you for sharing your ideas and creativity.

Anonymous said...

Wow!! I am going to guess 31 times!

Connie G

sheila said...

45 times... sounds good to me.

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year! I will guess 22 times.

Unknown said...

What an awesome tradition!!! My guess wuold be 98.

Anonymous said...

I was thinking about 25 times...sounds like a fun tradition! I really like your blog! Happy New Year!!

Elaine said...

Did it take 27 wrappings?

Anonymous said...

What fun! My guess is 37 wrappings! So glad you had a good holiday season!

Staci

Anonymous said...

Congrats on so many hits to your blog and thank you for sharing your creativity with all of us. I'm going to guess my age--44:) Lets see if it's lucky!

Unknown said...

my guess is 28 times

Anonymous said...

I have done this same idea with a box of smarties at my kids birthday party but not at Christmas; it is a great idea.

My guess will be 20 times.

Jamie Tyson said...

What a cool tradition! I like that better than finding the hidden pickle or gnome.

I'm going to guess 37. Thanks again for sharing your talent.

Anonymous said...

What a fun tradition.... I am going to guess 76...

Anonymous said...

What a great idea! And great i candy too!

My guess is 29 times.

Happy New Year!

Nicole said...

HI! I am so glad I didn't miss out on a chance to guess! I have been moving my craft room for the past 48 hours and almost didn't check in on ya! I pick 69 times! Happy New Year!

Jody said...

Lucky #13 is my guess!

I've been to that Desert Museum and it's really incredible!

C said...

What a wonderful idea! I might have to borrow that one for my two little ones...my guess is 39 times

Anonymous said...

i guessing you wrapped it about 37 times. If you love to wrap that's not a whole lot, but if you hate wrapping I think that's a "I can't take this much longer number" LOL

Anonymous said...

Cute Idea. my guess is 25.

Anonymous said...

What a great idea! I think you wrapped this box of Life-Saver Gummies 22 times. Happy New Year! Jane Ann

Gina Wrona said...

mmmmmmm how 'bout 32?
Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Nancy,
I'd say you wrapped it about 54 times. Just a wild guess. It will be fun to find out the answer!
Sandy Kay

Anonymous said...

my guess... 35

Anonymous said...

I also buy a lifesavers book 1st thing, I remember them from being a kid too! I'm guessing 52 times. Happy New Year! Margaret

Anonymous said...

my guess would be 64 and Happy New Year to you and your family. I'm a new SU consultant with a blog of my own ~ please visit ~ StampersCafe.com Good Luck to all who entered !!

Anonymous said...

What a great tradition. I love it. I will have to incorporate that into somthing for Valentine's day. And every holiday! Thanks for sharing it. I just love the idea.
Hope you had a wonderful Holiday with family and friends