Perfect Day Family

Here's yet another layout inspired by, who am I kidding? This one is completely lifted from Lisa Stenz. When I saw hers I knew that we were going to have some family pictures taken in the near future and loved how she did the layout so I copied it. It's been sitting in my "completed layout" file for months. (yes, I have a file for completed layouts with no pictures on them) Anyway, we took these pictures on Sunday and they fit so nicely on this layout, even I was impressed with my forethought!
Supplies used: Cocoa Textured Cardstock, Perfect Day B&T, Big Pinks flowers, Juniper reinker, Clear Circles, DE Bookplates, Cocoa ribbon

Christmas Jammies

This layout was totally inspired by Lisa Stenz. I, like many others, started the new jammies on Christmas Eve tradition. My lovely husband told me last year (the first year I did it) that he didn't need anymore jammies and that he didn't like that tradition. Well, I fixed him and wrapped him up the pair I got him last year. Thus, the tradition continues......
CTMH supplies used: New England Ivy Textured Cardstock, Evensong B&T, Blooming Flourishes, Holiday Craft Buttons, Dimensional Elements solo alphabets (to spell out Christmas) and the new Dimensional Elements Frames.
Non-CTMH supplies: Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Candy Apple Red for the shimmer on the frame. It comes white like the letters.

Project 365

A few of my CTMH friends and I are going to try this, Project 365, inspired by Becky Higgins and Creating Keepsakes Magazine. The concept is that you are going to take a picture every day in 2009 and put it in an album and do a little journaling about the picture. Don't freak out thinking that you have 365 MORE pictures to scrapbook, you're not going to do that. My plan is to get the CTMH photo pages that hold 6 pictures on each page and use 1 for the "title" 7 for the actual photos and 4 for the journaling.

Here's a link to Becky's blog where she explains the concept a bit more. Creating Keepsakes has a kit you can buy, but of course, I plan to use CTMH products. My plan also is to give it to my husband for Christmas in 2009, so I've got to keep it a secret from him. I want him to have a special reminder of our everyday life.

Now, to my club members. Here's a challenge for you! Anyone who brings a completed week to the club meeting will get a ticket, so a chance at 4 tickets per month. Once a month I will hold a drawing of those tickets to win a small prize. Anyone that completes the entire year will get 25% off a CTMH album to put your pages in. I plan on posting my completed week every Friday (I plan to actually start on Thurs Jan 1 so that's how my weeks are going to fall.) I hope you play along too.

The Christmas Kennel

I know there are many of you out there in cyberland that can appreciate something like this (Liane and Chris). Last year we didn't put up a Christmas tree, but rather piled the presents on the dog kennel. Then, my cute puppy (well she was just about to turn 3, but for a Lab, that's still a puppy) Bailey was in the kennel one day and looked so cute, I had to snap a picture or two. After looking at the pictures, I thought the presents piled on top was pretty funny so I had to scrap them.

Sorry about the blurry picture but with the edge anchors, it makes it hard to take out of the page protector. The journaling (which you can't read because of the glare) says something like this. "With a baby, a toddler and a 3-legged dog, somehow a Christmas tree didn't seem like such a good idea, hence the Christmas Kennel." By the way, yes Bailey does indeed only have 3 legs. She was born without her front right paw. But don't tell her she's disabled, she doesn't know.

Here she is playing in the snow. I told you she doesn't know she's disabled!

Here she is laying by the fire after playing in the snow. Lazy pooch!

Key to my Heart

January is National Paper Crafting Month and to celebrate, Close To My Heart is offering an amazing kit; Key to my Heart from December 16 - January 31. The kit includes an exclusive paper packet with our new colors and a new E size stamp set. You can earn it at a discount or even for free...
Spend $75 - Get the kit for just $20
Spend $130 - Get the kit for FREE!

Host a $400 show - Get the kit for FREE!

Become a consultant - Get the kit for FREE!

Or buy the kit outright for $47.90.

There was the cutest layout in our CTMH newsletter and when I saw it, I knew that I had to copy it. I know there isn't a picture on it yet, but there will be soon.

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Agua Dulce Club Layouts

Here are the Agua Dulce layouts for the January meeting. The top layout are from the Reflections book and the bottom one is Imagine Up the Tempo. For the top layout I have two 4x5 1/2 photos on the left and one 6x4, and two 4x4 photos. For the bottom layout (that I shamelessly copied from Yvonne Poulsen) calls for one 8x6 (but I used two 4x6), one 4x6 and three 3 3/4 x 3 3/4 photos.

January Lancaster Club Pages

Here are the 3 layouts we will be making in January. The first one is a brand new CTMH layout not in any book. The 2 large pictures are 5x5 3/4 and the 2 small pictures are 2 3/4 x 5 inches. the second layout is Imagine Monologue and calls for one or two 4x6 pictures, one 6x4 and two 3x3 picutes. (for an example of what the layout looks like with pictures, click here although there are no expanding photo mats) The last layout calls for three 3x3, one 3x4 and two 5x7 photos.

Together!

I came across this sketch website, Inspired Blueprints ,on Marjorie Ann's blog. They post sketches twice a month (sometimes bonus sketches). This is Sketch #5. This is one of the rare pictures we have of the 4 of us together in the same picture. We had a Pumpkin Carving event at the Community Center and part of the day included a picture with Matilde, the scarecrow.

Here's the sketch

Here's my layout. Everything is Close to my Heart. The paper and stickease are from the soon to be retired Abundance paper pack.

It's not a gift!!!!!

I got the Basic Grey Wassil collection the other day. Shyloh is having a 12 Day's of Christmas special on her blog and I ordered this on Monday. I got on Wed (talk about FAST, she's that kind of great gal!) and felt like making something for ME. I had grand(er) plans for it, but kind of like it simple. My lovely friend Jen RAK'd me a bunch of stamps (coincidently the 12 Day's of Christmas) and I was going to use those in the wreath also, but...... Anyway, I hope you enjoy and to check out Shyloh's specials click here.

yet another Christmas gift

Are you all sick of them yet??? Because I certainly am. Man it was a lot of work making all these gifts. Can I let you in on a little secret???? I bought something for my husband. I made him something too, but I actually bought him some books he's been wanting. I'm safe telling you guys because he doesn't look at my blog. AND I didn't tell you which books I bought!
Enough with all that gabber, onto the handmade gift. This is for my "other" best friend's daughter, Addison (see previous post). I actually had run out of the chipboard wall hangings so I had to come up with something else. I thought about it some and saw that I had, ahem, found some chipboard coasters and voila! Let's spell her name with those suckers. Yeah, I should have picked a kid with a shorter name. ha ha ha.
It was kind of hard to photograph close up because it's so long, so you're going to actually get some "detail" shots too. Please ignore the spot on my couch, it's Baby Magic Baby Wash, really it is. And don't tell Addison, but she got the scraps from the Basic Grey Sugared Collection that I used on Brooke's wall hanging.

Here's the closeup. See how the letters shimmer? Love that Glimmer Mist.

More, more, more

These two wall hanging are for one of my best friend's kids. I'm really into these things for kids. I think they're going to have a lot of fun putting pictures on them. I made sure that the chipboard embellishments aren't adhered to the photo mats, so the pictures can slide right on under there.

This is Brooke's. She's going to be 3 in Jan and it just about the cutest little 3 year old out there. (I have to preface with her age because tomorrow I'll be posting the Christmas gift for my other one of my best friend's daughter who's almost 18 months) Brooke's wall hanging is made pretty much all with Basic Grey's Sugared Collection. I think the photo mats are CTMH Amethyst Textured Cardstock. Oh and the sparkly stuff on both are Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.
This one is for Bryce who just turned 5. He is one of my 3 year old son's best friends. It's kind of cool to have 2 generations of best friends. Bryce's is made with a cornacopia of items the only of which I really remember is the chipboard stars are from Rusty Pickle.

One more set of Christmas gifts

Again, I can't say who these are going to because one never knows if they'll look at my blog. These are the CTMH Acrylic Albums and are too cute. The family pictures yet to be taken will gointo these albums. Again, I shamelessly was inspired by another CTMH sister. Why reinvent the wheel I ask you???

Supplies used: Notebook Level 2 Paper Pack, rubons, holyhock ribbon

I know who these are for!!!!

These are the Close to my Heart Display albums that eventually will become desk calendars for certain people (I made 2). Said people have never visited my blog but they both have the address and well, you just never know if they'll get inspired to pop in and check things out. Anyway, these were shamelessly cased from Kelly English-Triggs, a fellow CTMH sister, although instead of these cute pictures of my kids (why ever wouldn't she want pictures of MY kids on her stuff???) she made calendars. I was waiting for my January Stamp of the Month (little hint here, it's the cutest calendar stamp) but now that it's arrived, I see that it's too small for what I had in mind, still pretty cute though.

The album closed

Leo in Pismo Beach

Aaron in Tenaya Lake

Supplies used: My Creations Display Album, Magic Moments Level 2 Paper, Moments to Treasure stamp, holyhock ribbon, cocoa ribbon, sparkles and craft buttons.

More gifts!!!!!!

Whoohoo! 2 days in a row! (I won't tell you my little secret, I discovered how to post date posts, shhhh don't tell). Anyway, I came across these little beauties and had to make some. They're stationary boxes and have a spot for greeting cards, note cards, gift tags, a little address/note book, postage stamp holder and pen holder. In all total, I've made 6 of them. These are for my husband's aunts and maybe a few other people. The cards were inspired by many people and sketches. The Smile card was totally cased from Lisa Stenz. The link to the tutorial can be found here Have fun making these and if you do, link back so I can see them.

Supplies used: Perfect Day Level 2, cocoa ribbon, Treasure Life, Life's Creation, Chocolate alpha (small) and that sentiment stamp that I'm too lazy to look up the name of. :)

Another gift

Here's another quick gift I made yesterday. It's a wine container and the lucky recipient will not only get this beautiful container, but a bottle of yummy wine too! Actually, this isn't even a Christmas gift, but a thank you one. A friend (who is a wonderful amateur photographer) offered to take the family pictures I finally talked my husband into doing. Not only do we not have to go to Olin Mills, but he didn't want to charge us. What a guy!

The first of many Christmas gifts

I made a resolution to make everyone's Christmas gifts this year. Some people are much easier than others to make stuff for. The Grandmas???? No problem. But, what do you make for a 6 year old boy???? I wound up making my nephew Cain (and since my sister doesn't look at my blog, I'm safe posting a picture) a wall hanging with his name and some spots for him to put pictures on. He's way into dirtbikes and I'm sure would love to put some photos of him and his dirtbike on it. I really hope he likes it.

Close to my Heart

Close to my Heart just announced that we can talk about our business on our blogs. Yeah! As you can see, I use a lot of Close to my Heart product, love love love them, and I was a bit bad, as I did mention club layouts in my posts (totally against the rules), but now, I can talk all I want about my business on my blog. How great is that? So, if you're in the Tehachapi area and want to learn a bit more about scrapbooking or card making, just drop me a line.

Ouch!

Here's my little guy being cute, or at least thinking he's cute. This is an Inspired Blueprints sketch (Oct bonus). Inspired Blueprints is a great new site for sketch challenges. Everything is Scenic Route except I did spray some glimmer mist on the chipboard stars.

Whoops, one more

This one is another A Page 4 All Seasons layout. I have subscribed to their monthly Tiny Treasures club (thanks Yvonne for posting your pictures and enabling me!) I love the kits, everything is predesigned and precut for you, just like I do for my club members. How I love being the one spoiled! Anyway, like any club, you get what you get and while I may think, what pictures am I going to use??? Eventually, I find the perfect ones. This layout I've had since May, just sitting there waiting and waiting. See what I mean???? The perfect pictures! This is the last leg of our vacation. My ever lovely youngest child does not like to ride in the car so we got smart and stopped several times on our way home. What should be a 3 hour trip turned into a 9 hour drive home because of the several places we stopped. This is Carpenteria State Beach and daddy and Leo had such a great time playing ball in the surf. At the risk of sounding sappy, it was one of those perfect moments between a father and son.

A few more layouts

Here is my Fall Favorites layout with pictures on it, just for you Yvonne! And for Kim, the layout of Leo when he dressed himself. I know how much you love this picture!



This one is a sketch by Becky Higgins and since CTMH didn't have any fall paper, I made my own with cardstock strips. Cocoa, Barn Red, Autumn Terracotta and Sunflower. I stamped the leaves with Nature's Vein in a variety of inks, rolling them for the two toned effect. Some I stamped the veins with cocoa and clear embossed and some I just embossed with gold powder. The title is the new Chocolate Alphabet stamp, both the big and the small.

This is a Page Maps sketch, by Becky Fleck. I have no idea what paper this is. The base is Heavenly Blue Cardstock and I know I used Basic Grey buttons, CTMH Precious Alpha and the small ribbon from the CTMH chocolate ribbon rounds collection.

Whooeee! What a great husband!

My lovely husband decided that I needed a cabinet to keep all my scrap- crap in. So he went out to Home Depot and got me this cabinet. AND, he actually came home and put it together in the same day! Amazing, I know! Thankfully, it had rained all day and was still a bit nasty outside. That's probably a bigger reason my cabinet got put together, but at the end of the day, all that matters is he did. It's 48" across and still doesn't hold all my stuff. But it's a start! Like the Aaron proofing ribbon on the doors? I actually put the wall around my little niche so he can't get in at all. And of course, it's not that neat anymore. :) Well, the inside is, not the table though

Memory Keeper Boxes

I just love these Memory Keeper boxes from CTMH. At first I wasn't all that thrilled, but then started to see all the possibilities. WOW! The ever talented Lisa Stenz made a bunch to hold the tons and tons of cards she has. My plan is to make one for each of my kids for their momentos. I keep buying them and then keep making other things with them. I made the "Love Box" as my coworker Danette calls it, based on the CTMH webisode. I'm actually going to be doing this as a class at the end of Jan. I think it'll be a great Valentine's Day gift. I also made one to hold Thank You cards, but thinking more, I should have made the box for some other type card as I don't have that many Thank You cards. I guess I should make some, huh?








Normally, I'm all about dimension. Rarely is anything I make flat. I decided to make the Thank You card box flat so a bunch of them could go on the shelf. It's hard not to add something, just a button or two! But, I'm holding strong and am going to do my best not to add anything else.

I've decided

I've decided to start posting things that aren't specifically for club members. I'm going to start posting a lot of my artwork. And, *gasp* it's not all CTMH. While I love our products, there is a lack of great stuff for my little men. I can only scrap my very rowdy, very active boys with flowers and swirlies for so long before I have to branch out to other products. Here are just a few of the finished layouts from our recent vacation to Yosemite National Park and Pismo Beach. Yes, the family spent 5 whole days away from it all. No internet, no cell phones, no communication with anyone we knew. It was fantastic! We hadn't been to Yosemite since we got married, so needless to say, it holds a special place in my heart. I've got tons more, but these are my favorite. I hope you enjoy them and I hope they tell you a little of our story.

Us at the Tunnel View as you enter Yosemite National Park through Hwy 41 from Fresno. This is a very simple layout, just some Bamboo Cardstock, Blooming Flourishes stamp and some dimensional alphabets. I sponged the YNP with New England Ivy ink, then Bamboo and added a little Barn Red at the bottom. That's it. I even journalled in my own handwriting, which I hate. A simple layout for a special place.

All the times we have been to Yosemite, we've never ventured up to Tuolumne Meadows and Tenaya Lake, so I decided that I wanted to this trip. Tenaya Lake was beautiful! The boys had so much fun and waded right in, shoes, pants and all. It was a bit chilly so I didn't think they'd get in the water and didn't bring them a change of clothes. We left Tenaya Lake for a bit, had some lunch, but the boys' clothes and shoes were so wet that we really couldn't do the short hike I had planned. Leo wanted to go back to "Crocodile Lake" so we wound up going back and spending most of the afternoon there before we headed back to Yosemite Valley.

Products used: Good Times, Dimensional Elements Fresh Shapes, Edge Anchors, hemp, Friendship Word Puzzle, Clear tags. This is actually a layout we did at CTMH Regional Celebration in Feb and it's been sitting around waiting for the perfect pictures.

This are just some pictures of Aaron playing at Tenaya Lake. This is actually an A Page 4 All Seasons layout. I loved it so much, I bought it and after I did I thought to myself, "aren't I always complaining about scrapping my boys with flowers and 'girly' paper?" I still loved it and I think these pictures are perfect for it.

Aaron took a header into Tenaya Lake and got a lovely cut on his face. He's such a trooper though because it didn't stop him for more than 3 seconds. Here he is a few days later in Pismo Beach. He had such a great time, and I loved this picture of him.

Products used: Scenic Route Paper, Co'ordinations Cardstock, misc ribbon, CTMH charms, Basic Grey Sugar Chipboard Alpha, Giggle Alpha stamp, Tiny Typewriter Alpha stamp, some sparkly orange embossing powder on the chipboard and pretty green ep on the brads.

October Lancaster layouts

Here are the Lancaster October layouts. The first one is the Magic Moments paper pack and the layout is Cherish Rise N Shine (page 108). It calls for three to four 4x4 photos (or leave one spot open for journalling) and three 5x3 photos. We will be dying paper flowers and using Sassy Strands this month.

The second layout was inspired by Becky Higgins of Creaking Keepsakes. I made my own paper as there really isn't any "Fall" paper this time around. I cut strips of cardstock in varying widths, either 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch and glued them to my base cardstock. I can hear the groans now, after that Random Stamping we did last month. But, never fear, I did it for you! I also stamp rolled the leaves and embossed the veins. This layout calls for one 6x4 and thirteen wallet (2x3). You will not get the white mats, I just put them on the layout so you'd get an idea of how the placement of the pictures will go.

Sept Agua Dulce Layout

Here's the layout for the September Agua Dulce meeting. It's Imagine, Perfect 5. The left page calls for one 5x7 and two 2x2 (although I stamped flowers on the little pieces). The right side calls for two 4x4 and one 4x6.

This month we will be using liquid glass. It's hard to see, but on the stamped images on the left, I used some liquid glass on the "stem" part and sprinkled prisma glitter on it. Makes it nice and sparkly.

Supplies used: Perfect Day paper pack, Cocoa Cardstock, Treasure Life stamp set, Life's Creation stamp set, liquid glass, prisma glitter

Random Stamping Samples

Ladies, as promised, here are a few other random stamping samples for you to choose from. I will bring the appropriate coordinating cardstocks and we will be making our layouts using one of the four samples (sample 1 is in the previous post). You decide which one you want to do.

Both clubs will be random stamping their second layout, so if you are one of the people that purchase the other group's kit, it will only have 1 layout in it (and a reduced price).

Lancaster September layouts

Here are the September layouts. The first one is with the new Perfect Day paper pack. It's Imagine Monologue and calls for two 6x4 photos, one 4x6 photo and two 3.5x3.5 photos. BUT, there were a few more pictures of Bryce and Leo playing so I made expandable (inspired by the ever talented Nona Davenport) photo mats to get more pictures on the layout. (The 4x6 mat on the right page is expandable also).

The second page is my example of the Random Stamping we are going to be doing in honor of National Stamping Day. For those of you that don't want blue, orange, yellow, and green circles, I'll have 2 other examples for you to choose from. I just haven't taken pictures of them yet. Because we'll be making our background paper, please bring your trimmer to the club meeting.

Supplies used Layout 1: Perfect Day paper pack, September Word puzzle, coco grosgrain ribbon, clear buttons, colonial white bigger brads. Ink: Tulip, Juniper

Supplies used Layout 2: white daisy card stock, Friendship Word Puzzle, Serendipity, Angel Whispers, Star Struck stamp sets. Inks: Sunny Yellow, Orange, Topiary, and Dutch Blue

I love this layout!!!!!!

After blog-hopping one day on a fellow CTMH sister's blog (Yvonne's blog), I came across A Page 4 All Seasons. I immediately fell in love with Shyloh and her company. Shyloh and her team have predesigned (and precut) layouts that you can purchase, using the latest and greatest products from a variety of different companies.

I know, it's shocking that I'm not a CTMH "purist." ha ha ha. Anyhoo, I saw this layout and thought of my favorite wedding picture and how wonderful it would go in it, so I ordered it. AND, I wound up subscribing to one of her autoships. For the very reasonable price of $25 per month, I get not 1, not 2, but 3 two-page layouts shipped to me. No going to the store, no thinking about what to do. Basically, I get to be like all my club members and have the work done for me. And, you know what??? I LOVE IT!!!!!!!

I'm sure you all are asking why I'm advertising for someone else, but I think there's room for everyone. Shyloh's having a contest right now. Anyone who posts on their blog about her company is entered into a drawing. AND, people that get comments get 2 entries into the contest. I'd love to win some more of her great layouts so, comment away. (Maybe I'll post more if you do!)