Treetops Stamp set- I am in LOVE!

Another card!! I got a new stamp set last night and I stayed up late just so I could stamp the trees....And the this morning, it was sitting on the desk calling out to me...it looked so lonely and un-finished, I just had to finish it before I could leave for school!! I rounded 2 corners, adhered with foam adhesive, stamped a couple more treetops, attached with foam and put it on Juniper cardstock....then I added the glitter. This is the kind of stamp set that looks good without a lot of patterned paper or bling, but I haven't glittered anything in a while and I knew I wasn't going to add any ribbon or anything so glitter was the perfect solution to jazz it up. I got a couple of new stamp sets and other supplies last night so I am really excited to use everything!!!


By the way, sometimes I get to school really early (like today) and I use the lighting in my classroom to take a picture of my card so that I can upload it and type my blog before school starts. I thought it would be cool to zoom out and give you a view of where I take my pictures sometimes!

Finally, some cards!!

I made these at the crop Friday night using some paper and stamp sets from the new Close to My Heart Idea book. (It Goes Live May 1st!) These are 'boy' cards!! I used several different papers and stamp sets....if you want to know more details, just ask. Gosh, I am tired....Hope you are having a great week!!

Design Team Call

Call for a design team!!

Click here: all sorts challenge blog if you are interested!! Submit a comment by May 9th and put a link on your page. Pretty easy...

More Project 52

More project 52 pages....I am finally caught up! I now have a page for every week and I even have an idea for this week's page!! Last night I spent some time finishing up some of the details on a few of the pages...I really like stickers and sticker collages so I made a couple of those and I experimented with making my own clear overlays using StazOn...it was really fun, I look forward to making more overlays.


Sticker collage #1


Clear Overlay #1



Sticker collage #2 (K&Co.)


Clear Overlay #2


Sticker Collage #3

Project 52 Update

I haven't posted a lot of entries on my Project 52 book lately. I really haven't been totally faithful in making the one-page layouts....In Feb/March I didn't really have a lot of photos printed, and with my new printer I finally printed a few photos so that I could make some pages. I have been faithful at the journaling though, so that will make it easier to get caught up later. I want to go back to some of the weeks that have a blank page and make little collages on those pages instead of making them traditional scrapbook pages. There wasn't a memorable event every week so I will use generic 'everyday' photos from school, home and family to fill in some of the pages.
I love this project because it only involves a 1-page-layout and tons of journaling for the week, with room for cute little drawings or extra embellishments on the page! You can't see my journaling in this example, but I write quite a bit for each day. I can also include ephemera...the rainbow is an actual artwork I created as an example for my students. I plan to save more things like this throughout the year. Enjoy!!

I am ready....

For a crop tonight!!! I can't wait to do something creative!!

I have nothing to show for this week...no cards, no scrapbook layouts....no challenges....But I have a long list of things I want to do tonight. I even have a new stamp set and new inks that I haven't even used yet!!!

Here are a couple of cute mini-thank-you cards I made a couple of weeks ago. I think everything is CTMH (Except the butterfly punch it is MS)....


I carved this wood grain stamp using easy cut and a speedball carving tool....I used versamark and clear embossing powder with chocolate ink on textured cardstock....This was a 'practice' card...You will probably be seeing this stamp again!



I am loving the Sweat Leaf, Juniper, Honey, White Daisy color combination right now.




(Oh, and Sarah, I got that bag from Hobby Lobby...it was right around $5...totally affordable!)

April and October

Two of my favorite months...but also two of my busiest months!!! Whew!!

I thought I would just post a quick picture of what I won over at The Creative Type Blog. This print is from the Blue Tree Art Gallery by the artist Leah Piken Kolidas. I won this print for my Love Letter page during their bonus Valentine's Day prompt.

This is such a cool print!! I can't wait to hang it in my house.


OH, and here is a little bag I made. I needed a little canvas tote for haulin' stuff around:

Sweet Surprises!!

I got the sweetest surprise last week in the mail from the Pay it Forward challenge. I posted a comment over at The Norton House and Kellie mailed me a wonderful little packet of cards and matching envelopes!! These are sooo cute. Kellie, I have your address now so I will be sending you something sweet as soon as I go to the post office (maybe today!). These little cards are soooo cute! I just love the colors! Thanks Kellie!!

AWESOME SCRAPBOOKING CONTEST

Yahoo!!! A contest with some awesome prizes in honor National Scrapbook Month. The CTMH sponsored Scrapbook and Share blog is hosting a contest this month. You can scroll down to read all the FAQ over at their blog. Here is the Basic RUN DOWN:

1. What is the Scrapbook and Share Contest? To celebrate National Scrapbooking Month, Close To My Heart is sponsoring a contest that anyone can enter! And it is easy to enter—just submit a JPEG photo of an original two-page layout you have created that represents YOU! Be sure to tell us what is happening in the layout, and why this highlights you, your life, or your personality. The Close To My Heart judges will then review all the entries and select five finalists for each category. The finalists will be reposted for you to view. The winners of each category will be determined by comments left or votes from blog viewers. Each winner will receive $150 US retail in fabulous Close To My Heart products!

2. What are the Scrapbook and Share Contest categories? There are five categories you can enter. Feel free to enter as many times as you would like. We are looking for winners in the following categories:

* Most unique technique: This category focuses on the layouts you submit. We are looking for the most unique, different, original techniques used on your pages. Show us what you can create! Be sure to tell us why the layout highlights you, too!
* Most humorous: We love funny! We would love to see the content of your artwork, with journaling, pictures, or anything else that tickles our funny bone. In the email you send us, be sure to tell us more about why it is funny to you, or why it makes you laugh.
* Most inspiring: Just as much as we love to laugh, we love to be inspired! Give us that inspiration with the content of your artwork, pictures, journaling, inspirational sentiments, you name it. Then let us know why this inspires you and why it should inspire us!
* Best use of color: Color is such an uplifting category! We want to see unique color combinations, color that pops, and/or even color that means something to you. Share in your email the reason the color on your artwork is important to you.
* Best use of photography: A picture is worth a thousand words and we love to see them. Show us your best shot on your layout and then tell us what it means to you.

CLICK ON OVER TO THE SITE TO SEE MY SUBMISSION!!

Remember, you can enter as many times as you want. Feel free to leave comments and check back often as new submissions will be added daily!
GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY SCRAPPING!!

Home Gathering Cards!!

I had a really wonderful birthday yesterday. When I got home from school, I realized that my DH had taken the entire day off so he could stay home and put together a new organizational unit for my scrap room!! WHOA!! Awesome!! He surprised me by having it all put together and told me that when Michaels gets a new shipment in later this week, we could go get a few more pieces to make the organization complete!! YIPPPEEE!! I will post some pictures as soon as it is completely finished. What does your room/space/closet/cabinet look like? Mine space has transformed over the last few months. I completely took over our spare bedroom. We got rid of the bed, to make room for my new stuff!!

As for my birthday dinner...when we got to the restaurant, we realized that it was closed....The entire town (Over 40 min. away) was experiencing a city-wide black out because of a blown transformer!! :-( No king crab legs for our party of 8...so we headed back to our hometown to a back-up place which has Snow Crab legs on special Wednesday nights. We had a wonderful time eating and chatting. It was so great to spend the evening with some of my closest friends.

I told them about my 16th birthday. For some reason, the school's water wasn't working so every high school student boarded a bus bound for a gym at one of the elementary buildings. We got to spend the entire day hanging out in the bleachers, watching the jazz band and choir perform. I was actually in choir at the time (I switched to art the next year after my dad asked me if I was tone deaf!!). The school choir serenaded me with Happy Birthday in front of the entire student body. It was sooo cool!! So, sometimes things don't always work out, but sometimes they are even better because of some natural catastrophe.

Here are a couple of cards for a home gathering Friday night. They feature some circle punches, the new Tickled Pink kit from CTMH, edge distressing, a butterfly punch (I can't seem to make anything without it), and some glitter! Enjoy!!


I think I will take a marker and show how they can make a 'stitched' line for the butterfly's trail...I put the butterfly really close to the word 'friend' because I had a little ink smudge there....Also, I will let them choose the layout hey like best. Either vertical or horizontal. The word 'friend' is from Friendship Word Puzzle. Also, I didn't have any crystal blue cardstock so I used my sponge dauber and some ink to make a little bit so I could punch the butterfly from it!! Enjoy!


Ink colors: Blush, tulip, sweet leaf and crystal blue.

Go shorty, its your birthday, and we are gonna party like its your birthday...

(White-nerdy-rapping-dorky-girl-dancing)

A few weeks ago, I had a dream that I asked 50 Cent to rap at my birthday party. I said "Hey Fity," (Thats right, we were friends and I could call him Fity). "Hey Fity, since we are friends now, do you think that you could come rap at my birthday, it is in a few weeks. Well, no it isn't my sweet 16, but it will be pretty sweet...." Since that dream, I have been secretly hoping that Fity would surprise me, or that some amazing birthday party would materialize...but my birthday is today, a Wednesday after Easter.

As I reflect on birthdays in the past, I really, really hope that Fity is my only disappointment. I am not invincible on my birthday and bad things still happen.

When I turned 7, my birthday was on Easter, Yahoooo, what a dream!!! Not really. Since I was the oldest, the little kids got released to hunt eggs several minutes before us older kids...wait, scratch that US, it was ONLY me waiting in the wings with my white easter basket, pink bows and fancy patent leather shoes. Seconds after charging outside into the lovely garden of hidden eggs, my little brother emerges with the PRIZE EGG!!!! And I can still hear his annoying little voice, "I got the prize egg, I got it!!" Grrrrrr.

When I was in 5th grade I turned 11. My parents let skip school on my birthday to go shopping at the mall with some of my birthday money. Luckily, a friend's parents let her skip too!!! We were so excited to be at the mall, shopping like we were teenagers. I'll never forget walking past the food court, down the little incline in front of the mens-Famous Barr store (now Men's Macy's) and falling on my face. I didn't trip over anything, I just fell, flat on my face in the middle of the mall. It was so embarrassing.

When I turned 17, it was still cool to 'cruise Main' in Joplin. My friend had a hot little white Pontiac Sunfire and we thought we were soooo cool cruising around waving at people. When we pulled up to the light at 7th, I saw that my friend Moose (Brandon), was in the car in front of us. His car was awesome, a red mustang convertible. So of course I had to get their attention and lean out the window so I could yell: "Its my birthday!!" Just after getting their attention, blue lights flashed behind us. A cop pulled us over (we were stopped at the light...) And I got a ticket for: "Body parts outside the vehicle." On my birthday. Super embarrassing.

So, yeah....here is to knowing I am not invincible, even on my birthday....and hoping that 50 Cent being too busy to perform at my party is my only bad luck today....

What am I doing today? Well I've got school...and then I am going with some friends and family to the Stables in Miami for all-you-can-eat King Crab legs.....Its gonna be good.

Thanks for reading!!

Spring Thank you Card

I got a new stamp set last week and I was excited to use it over the weekend while trying out some new techniques I learned.

The first one is from scrapbook.com. In the video, I watched someone used the reverse side of a clear stamp. Hmmm....cool. First, I used Versamark, sweet leaf ink and clear embossing powder for the green stems and leaves. Then I stamped the reverse side of flower with 2nd generation blush ink and then the normal side, I used full ink. I added tulip ink for the smaller flower in the center. I wiped off the embossed green areas because they resisted the ink, keeping the green and pink from mixing.



The second one is from the Cosmo Cricket blog. I learned how to wrap embroidery thread around a 'snot dot' to make the middle of a flower. I also added a button, but I covered it with the little butterfly in the middle. I used a punch for the flower, and curled the petals up with my fingernail. I 'grounded' the flowers by using a blending pen in some brown ink. I also used a 1" circle punch on the edge of the colonial white cardstock to add some visual interest.

The paper, stamps and ink are Close to My heart. The butterfly punch is Martha Stewart.

Blog candy and a Sneak Peek

Okay so....I forgot my camera cord at home and since I plan to stay at school until after our Fine Arts program tonight that means that I won't be able to upload any pictures while I am waiting around until 5:30....too bad, I have lots of yummy creations from this weekend. I got spend most of the weekend working on little projects. It was a great weekend!!

And to top it off, my HUGE CTMH order is being delivered right now...I can't wait to go home tonight and open it up!! I got a new rolling cart for 1/2 price (a perk to being a consultant/hostess) and the new Tickled Pink kit! In case you haven't seen it yet, it is available starting Wednesday (My birthday!!). It is sooo beautiful and, a great deal too!



Also, I thought I would pass on some blog candy. Vicki, over at the Wizard's Hangout is celebrating her Blogaversary! It is time for her one year blog-anniversary so she is giving away some blog candy. A $70 prize pack available until 4/22/09 just for making a birthday/anniversary card and posting it to her blog! What a sweet treat! I love Vicki's blog, she has so many great ideas!

While I am at it, I thought I would treat you to some SNEAK PEEKS at the new Close to My Heart Idea Book available May 1st!! There are some gorgeous paper packs and stamp sets, I am super excited!!!

Moon Doggy

Back Country

To browse other Close to My Heat products check out my website HERE.
Oh, and by the way...if you are interested in joining my team, Close to My Heart is an amazing company. Even if you are just into scrapbooking/cardmaking as a hobby, it is such an amazing discount, I encourage you to sign up as a consultant. I have learned so many things, met some really amazing women, and discovered a whole world of opportunities as a personal consultant.

For just $99, you can get over $300 dollars worth of products in your consultant kit. It is an amazing deal!! I also get a 22% discount and a quarterly commission check. If you have ever thought about working your own hours and making extra money to support your hobby, this is the perfect opportunity. To sign up or learn more, click HERE!

Color inspiration #49

Here is my card for this week's color inspiration challenge. I used Citrus Leaf and Tulip(I don't have SU colors)...as well as some hambly screenprinted paper, and some vintage paper and an old scratch'n'sniff sticker I found in my desk when I became a teacher (SCORE!!). I thought it was perfect for this card.

For the butterflies, I actually had the card made and thought it needed something so I punched the front of the card, adhered black to the inside and then flipped the punched butterfly shapes over and bent them a bit so they would pop off a little.


I put that scratch'n'sniff sticker on a Hambly cardstock sticker, and then put that on a scalloped punch shape. I did cheat and use a scrap of brown ribbon. I don't have any black left. But there is black on the screen print and the text of the vintage paper so that is good enough.

Brithday card for a friend

So....I went to the post office on Monday afternoon. I made some postcards over the weekend to drum up some business and let people know I am still out there doing the whole Close to My Heart thing. Most of my loyal customers I see once a month or more, but there are a few that I haven't seen or heard from in months. I wanted to give them a little 'birthday' gift. I sent out a coupon for 10% off any one item in April since it is my birthday month!

Anyway, I needed to drop those off and buy a book of stamps and mail a couple of packages to the Pay it Forward winners. When I walked in, the line was nearly out the door so I decided to go through the 'help-yourself' line and do the automated machine. There was a little line for that too so I decided to drop my postcards and one of my letters into the bin. I accidentally dropped the wrong letter into the bin. One letter was to a friend with some money to pay her back for some adhesive we bought in bulk. The other letter was to another friend....it was a bereavement card, her father just passed away. Once that letter was gone, it was GONE! I couldn't get it back. How embarrassing!! I just sent off a bereavement card with no stamp on it. It is bad enough that it will be stamped: "return to sender" but my biggest fear is that she will get it and have to pay the postage herself! EEEEK! Have you ever had anything like that happen to you?

This card is for a different friend's birthday. Hers is the day before mine! I took multiple photos so you can see that it is a clear card. I actually traced the craft sticker to get more than one piece of the same shape so I could cover the adhesive on the opposite side.



There actually wasn't any stamping on this card. The cardstock and ribbon are from CTMH and everything else is Hambly. I used my handwriting for the sentiment and the note inside. I kept it pretty simple.

Owl card gift set

I made a couple of cute cards last night, but my camera batteries died this morning before I could upload them!!! Ugh!

All well. Here is a card I made at a crop a couple of weeks ago.

I decided to make a card with an oval, something I rarely do. I didn't use a cutting system, just sort of sketched it around my owl and then cut it out. I used tulip cardstock with scallop-edge scissors. The argyle stamp is from Close to My Heart. I actually used it to make argyle instead of a diamond background. I used tulip, blush and desert sand on colonial white textured cardstock.


I actually made 2 of these and 2 flower cards and put them together as a little gift set in this cloth bag from Hobby Lobby.


I stamped the cloth bag with StazOn. Enjoy!