Saturday, April 25, 2015

The Last Field Trip


Yesterday I was a chaperone for Kaela's last field trip in high school. 

The Advanced Animation class went to a museum in Ft. Worth to see a Bugs Bunny exhibit.  The show was all about the creator and animators of the some of the most loved Looney Tunes  characters that we grew up watching.    

Then the kids wanted to "plank" on the steps.... need I say more?

It was a great day and I walked over 12,000 steps but also bittersweet because it is the last field trip I will join with this group of kids.  

Just one more month and then they will off to their grand adventures in college. 

Monday, April 20, 2015

Workshop This Week

Do not forget that we are having the "Seaside" workshop
 this Thursday April 23, 2015.

This will be the last workshop of this catalog cycle.  

I will be posing the new workshop schedule and artwork in August. 

I can not wait to see you!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Craft Fair Saturday

Spring Craft Bazaar

Holy Covenant Methodist Church

Saturday 4-18-2015

  9am to 4pm (rain or shine)

1901 E. Peters Colony Road
Carrollton, Texas 75007


It is that time again.

I love working craft fairs because I get to meet so many different people and share my love of scrapbooking and card making.  If you have been to my booth before then you know that I take with me four tabletop card spinners full of cards to sell during the day.

Saturday my table will have:


Cards to sell @ $2.00 each
Catalogs to sell @ $3.00 each
Retired catalogs to give away (for artwork ideas)
Retired stamp sets to sell @ $5.00 each
A demo album with traditional and digital scrapbooking
Information about upcoming crops and workshops


Come by and see me - but also take time to shop the other vendors.  Craft fairs are wonderful places to find unique gifts for loved ones. 

I will also be donating a set of cards to Holy Covenant Methodist Church to use for a door prize.


My donation will have these brand new cards from the Blossom Workshops on the Go Cardmaking Kit (G1095) plus a bonus card.  Each Vendor table donated a door prize so there will be many different items up for grabs all day long.

I plan on having a blast! Will I see you there?

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Frosted Birthday

There comes a point in every scrapbookers life when you realize that you are hoarding some sort of paper.  I am really good at using my paper packs in an almost timely fashion but there is one category of paper that I have a rather large stash of:

Christmas Paper Packs


Don't laugh!

The CTMH Christmas packs are alway so pretty that I almost can not cut them.  Or I love them so much that I cut them but buy multipacks of the same paper so I will not run out.  I have been trying to use up some of my Christmas paper making Christmas cards to add to my card racks and sell at the Craft Fairs that I love to work but there is this one .... paper....FROSTED.... 

Don't ask how much I bought just know that I need to use it.  So I was searching my How To Books and found a pattern in the Make It From Your Heart Vol 2.


This is Pattern 28 on page 46.  The only changes I make was the pearls.  This is Christmas paper, but would you ever guess?

Here is the supply list of what I used:

4¼" x 5½" Happy Birthday Card Make It from Your Heart® Vol. 2 

D1536 My Acrylix® Perfect Fit—Frames 2 
D1560 My Acrylix® Holiday Tags 
X7175B Frosted Paper Packet 
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
 X5930 Slate Cardstock 
1275 Outdoor Denim Cardstock 
Z2173 Slate Exclusive Inks® Pad 
Z2130 Indian Corn Blue Exclusive Inks® Pad
 Z2140 Outdoor Denim Exclusive Inks® Pad 
Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim 
Z1806 Green & Blue Epoxy Bubbles (I used Pearls)
Z1311 1¼" Circle Punch -on the while supplies last list
Z1790 Cricut® Artiste Collection Cricut® Shape: 
Artiste 2" Shift+3D Object (p. 80)

There is a lot of retired product in this list so you will not be able to copy it exactly but you could look at the list, check your stash and come up with a different look with the same pattern. 

Since I am working on re-stocking my card racks for my craft fair in Carrollton next Saturday I made a set of 16 cards with this pattern. 

 What a great way to use up some of my paper stash.

But sometimes...when I open my monthly CTMH box,
I think I see this over my shoulder.


Have a great weekend.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Get Well Card

After making the set of thank you cards for Kaela's Advanced Animation Teacher, Mrs. Adams I was still in a card making mood.

  I kept looking at the pattern I was using when I started flipping through the Make It from Your Heart Vol. 1 booklet. 

 Pattern 21 caught my eye.

I love the colors of this card and wanted to duplicate them.  I pulled out my Yuletide Carol paper pack because I knew there was a B&T sheet that would be perfect as the background of the card and go with the Ruby and Black color scheme.  


I changed the original stamp "Family" to the tree image and added the "get well" sentiment.  The original paper rose was changed to the metal accent.   I really, really like how this card turned out. 

 I made a set of 16 cards:

5 - send to family
6- personal stash
5- card racks to sell

I wonder what else I can come up with? I guess I will go get a cup of coffee and be on the look out for my next card to make. 


Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Cricut® Artfully Sent: Sentiment Function

Idea Book Inspiration

Yesterday I was a chaperone for the next to last field trip that my daughter will go on in high School.  She has one more next week and I will be the chaperone for that one as well.  I have only missed one field trip since Kindergarten (sniff) and have the photos and scrapbooks to prove it.  

Anyhoo....

Yesterday was a long day of walking and let me tell you taking photos of 17 & 18 year olds is not as easy as it was when they were 6 years old.  Now they run or throw another student in front of the camera - unless you say the word "selfie". 
We went over to Postasylum (a production house in Dallas) to see how it was run and to talk to the house animators.  Oh the kids are all in the Advanced Animation class in school.  We spent two hours of pure Q & A with the team and the kids.  They had some great questions for the professionals.   Considering that those 2 hours was  time that could not be billed to a client,  it was very generous of the team at Postasylum to not only let the group tour but also for the great advice they gave the kids.  


While we were taking a break for lunch Mrs. Adams made a note that she needed to send the team at Postasylum a thank you card and my kid just pops up and says "my Mom has one she can send you".  Do I have her trained or what?  

But that gave me something to think about... Mrs. Adams has logged in hours and hours of time after hours with this team getting them ready for UIL regionals and state competitions.  After school, weekends and even over the Christmas break she would open her classroom for the kids to be able to go in to work on their projects.  That is dedication to your craft right there!  

What could I do to thank her?  

What I do best!  Not just the one thank you card, I am sending her a set of 8 thank you cards so she will have some on hand for next year.


This card is scrap-lifted right from the AI catalog on page 97. 

Somehow I think she will be using every card in the set.  
Now I just hope she likes them. 

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Stuff Sisters Get Us Into....

What can I say about my sister?  Besides the fact that I love her like crazy and she is the baby of the family?  I can say that she has decided to jump into the direct sales business with Younique - you know those crazy long lashes that everyone is wearing.  

Yep that is the one. 

If you are interested here is a link to her webpage:  Lawless Lashes

So after some FB chat sessions and a phone call or two with some coaching and ideas  she asked me to make her a set of handmade thank you cards that she can send to her customers.  

After sleeping on the request I woke up with this idea in my head.

(Click the image to make it larger) 

Bridget is young, sassy, beautiful and blonde so these cards seemed to fit her personality.  The inside sentiment says "Thank You for your business" 

It took me about 12 hours to make a set of 15 cards because I hand stamped and hand colored each image.  I even used my markers! It was a labor of love but I enjoyed every minute of the play.

I hope she loves them.

Workshop Recap & New Dates

With summer approaching we will be getting very busy so I took some time today to plan out our workshop dates for the next year.  If you have missed any of the dates here are the projects we have worked on during the last three months.










I have the sample pages  on display if you would like to order the workshop to play with during crop nights.  The workshops will be available to order from my website until the end of the catalog cycle July 31, 2015 or while supplies last.

Once I have the new catalog I will be able to decide what workshops we are going to play with each month. The dates that are listed on the right side of the screen under "workshops" are tentative at the moment so if you want to put them in your planner do so in pencil.  Once I am sure of the dates and kits I will firm up the dates along with posting  them here and on meetup.com. 

Just A Couple Of Layouts

I have had a couple of days to play and things have been very productive. The base of these layouts were done at an all day crop I attended, then I came home to put the finishing touches on them.  I did not want to take the kitchen sink with me to the crop so I knew they would be semi - complete even after the crop.











Since I started using Studio - J for vacation and school albums it has freed up time to start catching up on my family albums.  These layouts are from 2010 if you can believe it.  I am really that far behind but it has not been for the lack of scrapbooking, I have just been working on Kaela's school albums. My goal was to have them finished by the time she gets out of high school.  That goal will be met, I will have her senior year finished shortly after graduation due to those end of year photos that I really need.

It has been fun looking backwards and seeing just how much the kids (mine and my sister in law's kids) have grown and changed. It also makes me very happy that our families are so darn close.   Kaela might be an only child but you would never know it because I alway have a ton of kids in my photos. 

Time to get moving... I have the rest of 2010 to finish.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

April Deal of the Day


Love a great deal? 

How about 30 days of great deals? 

During the month of April, 
you have the opportunity to score a deal every day with Close To My Heart! 

What deals are we talking about? Each day during April, while supplies last, we’ll feature a random grab bag filled with current and retired Close To My Heart products available for purchase at a major discount.

To grab your bag, simply place any current, full-priced item in your online shopping cart and you will then be eligible to purchase as many grab bags as you wish (while supplies last)! 

Grab bags will be featured at five different price points throughout the month, ranging from $35 to $150. Some grab bags will contain product with more than DOUBLE the retail value of the price you pay! 

Grab bags will be available for 24 hours starting at 3 pm MDT each day and only while supplies last—so visit often and early! 

Remember that grab bag tiers will be featured on a random schedule throughout the month, so seize the opportunity to purchase from the grab bag tier you’re interested in when it becomes available because it might not come around again.

Five different price tiers will be available randomly throughout the month!
 • $35 Grab Bags (On average, a $70 value!)
 • $50 USD Grab Bags (On average, a $90 value!)
 • $75 USD Grab Bags (On average, a $140 value!) 
• $115 USD Grab Bags (On average, a $240 value!)
 • $150 Grab Bags (On average, a $325 value!)

*Offer valid April 1, 2015 (3:00 pm MDT)–May 1, 2015 (2:59 pm MDT). 
A given grab bag offer will only be available for 24 hours each day starting at 3:00 pm MDT through my website. 

Tax and shipping/handling will be charged based on the amount actually paid for the grab bag(s). 

Amounts paid for grab bag(s) are not eligible for Gathering totals and Hostess Rewards.

My Crush™ on Crafting

Team Meetings = Layouts

Once a month I get to drive to Denton to see a group of friends that I love to play with.  They are my CTMH sisters.  We learn new techniques, discuss new business ideas, trade knowledge of the ever changing "social media"  and generally have a great time.  


I never dreamed when I signed up online to be a CTMH consultant 9 years ago that I would meet so many wonderful ladies.  This month we also made plans to meet up in July during the annual convention.  This year it is being held at Disneyland so you know we are just going to turn into a bunch of camera carrying kids. 

But why did I scrap a meeting?

Well besides the fact that we had a blast, I am also keeping a business album of all of my CTMH memories though out the years.  

If you would like to see some of the fun that I have had with CTMH just let me know next time you are here for a crop or workshop and I will be happy to drag out the album to share.

After all - sharing the photos is what scrapbooking is all about.

Happy 1st of April!

I love the first of the month because that is the time I place my personal order for the month.  I consider the supplies that I use for crops and workshops my personal order because once the class is taught those layouts go into my albums so I get to enjoy them for years to come.

This month it is even more exciting because the Seasonal Expressions II catalog is now live!  

If you are coming to Crop or Workshop in April - I will have your free copy waiting for you.  If you can not make it then you can add the catalog to your online order and it will be sent to you directly from CTMH.

The first of the month is also when I place any Studio - J order that I have been working on.   This month is it the Seattle layouts that I did during the March Crop Night.












Studio - J has now become my "go to" to get those vacation photos scrapped and in an album before the fun of the vacation fades.  I am still scrapping the "family" albums the traditional way but getting the vacation layouts done and in an album is not only a huge time saver but it is a huge load off my mind.

As I started working on this particular set of vacation photos I thought "Seattle" was going to be in an album of it's own - but I am very happy to say that because it is only 11 (2 page) layouts, I think I will have a "girls weekend" album filled with our adventures.

There are no fears about running out of photos to scrap the traditional way - I am still 5 years behind on the yearly family albums!  I am currently working on 2010... And to think I thought I was going to be bored when I stopped working outside of the home. 

April Stamp of the Month




Available only April 1–30, 2015

Typed Note SET OF 19
$17.95 USD

Purchase this D-size stamp set—available for one 
month only—for just $5 with your qualifying purchase. 

That’s over 70% off retail! Simply place an order of $50 
or more in Close To My Heart products to qualify for 
this special Stamp of the Month pricing.