Updated....Caboodle WSOTG for April....

 WSOTG: Caboodle...I love the fun SPRING colors (because I am soo ready for spring! :)...it worked super great for my Fathers day pictures that I FINALLY scrapped from 4 years ago!!!

 Layout Option 3....LOVE IT!!!












April Play Group WSOTG: Caboodle
Basic Kit:# G1004 - $29.95

 Includes: Caboodle Level II paper packet (pg 18)

                (Level II paper packets have 10 sheets
                coordinating CTMH Cardstock and 12
                sheets of Back Ground and Texture paper,
               other wise known as B&T duo's)

               Dimensional Elements Booksmart (pg 94)

               *This Way Stamp Set (B-Size, not in the Idea book)

               Workshop guide

(*Stamp set "This Way")             
















Best kit: Basic Kit (G1004)...$29.95...plus:
     Z1271 Tiny Tabs (pg 92).......................$3.95

     Z1125 Sweet Leaf Ribbon Rounds (pg 90)....$7.95
Subtotal: $41.85
S/H:        $ 3.33
Tax:        $ 2.50
Total:     $47.68  (best kit)

Let me know if you are interested...leave a comment :)

Page 1 of Layout 1 ( I couldn't get it to load like to other two...so I had to do it separate...bummer)












Page 2 Layout 1

Layout Option 2

(Recommended in the Worshop Guide)

Other CTMH Products Used:
* C1386 Boys At Play ...........$18.95
* Friendship Alphabet lg.......$34.95
*Hodgepodge Alphabet sm....$22.95
*Winter Cozy Mini Medley....$7.95
  (all found in the Spring Idea Book)

Misc Product:
*Velum



All layouts are out of the Reflections Idea Book....LOVE IT!!!!  I love these books and if you are trying to figure out which book to buy...my suggestion would be...put the name of each book on different slips of paper and put them in a hat....the one you draw is the one you buy!! LOL...I love them all and use them all TONS...I mix and match....for different looks and layouts...JUST love them ...the one book missing from these 4 is the New Wishes Card Book...AWESOME!!!!!!

This the Poem that I put on the Father's Day layout...one of my FAV'S!!!  The author is unknown.

Happy Scrappin' and Stampin' :)

Another Covered Journal....

 More covered Journals.....My oldest daughter turned 8 this last year and ALL of her friends are turning 8 as well...it is very possible that by the time this school year ends many little 2nd grade girls in our area will have a home made Journal! lol...I went to a retreat about 5ish years ago in Salina and learned about these fun, fast gifts and I make them A TON!!! they are super in-expensive, but by the time you are finished they look like a million bucks...okay...maybe not that much...but better than a black memo book...right! I have personalized each book with a first initial...which is fun!  The paper used for these 2 books happens to be one of my fav's for the girlies BUT it is retired :(so sad!!  I would LOVE a few more packets of it!!! It is called Life Delights (and if you are a CTMH junkie like me and happen to have a level II packet you would like to have taken off your hands, please let me know!!! I just love it!) Moving on....

Now, about this retreat (Salina, My good friend and fellow scrap-junky Tammy has had the ONLY cool scrap store in our area since I have lived here and she sold it!!! :( ...  I went into her store before I had my oldest child who is  now 10 and have followed her thru a few other locations and have purchased a ticket to each one of her CK retreats...this coming Saturday will be her 9th (I think..8th or 9th, they tend to blend together! :) and her LAST retreat :( oh, what will we do come March 2011!!!)  I didn't have a ticket for this years retreat because I thought I would just wait and go next year instead...but upon finding out that she was closing the doors to Country Keepsakes, I had to get my hand on a ticket or crash the party!!! I found a ticket...whew! thanks Kolleen!!! 

I remember the very first retreat was hosted at the High School in Salina, I went by myself with NOTHING in hand but my purse. I was TOTALLY overwhelmed by these ladies and their rolling suitcases of scrap stuff!!! I was way out of the loop! lol...I am now one of those suitcase toting  scrap crazy women and LOVE IT!!! I went all by my lonesome too...since then, my SIL has been on her staff, I have met and kept COUNTLESS friends!!! And learned the sky is the limit when it comes to playing with paper! I have enjoyed each and every moment!!! Each year just got better and better! Tam has come full circle...ending this awesome run back at the High School. The last few years I have attended the retreat with a group of super awesome friends (pretty much the 3rd wheel with my sil family! haha...) I go with her (sil Kayla) and her cousins, aunt, mom...ect....  and I love it (and them!) and am so glad they let me tag along with them...PLUS they are in my play group!!!(most of them anyway)

I am soo excited to go Saturday but sad this is it. Tam is however, super excited to be moving on to new adventures, finish raising the 2 kids she still has at home while enjoying being a grandma and being with her family. So I wish her much luck in her future and hope she comes and plays with us often so we can get our fill of her awesome smile and amazing creativity!!! Love Ya Tam!!! (SO cannot wait until Saturday!!!!) Whoot Whoot! (i know weird...but I really am whooting!)

Another Card...

A few weeks ago Jeanette Lynton posted this card on her blog with her Color Me Monday Post... (check out her blog!!!) Well, anyway I LOVED this card...So I wanted to re-create it at home and I just SO happened to have the SUPER cute stamp set she used.... "A Love" found on page 81 in the NEW Spring Catalog (leave me a comment if you would like YOUR own CTMH Idea Catalog). Anyway...the SUPER fun butterfly is made out of 2 stamped hearts and put together with the super fun Heartfelt Die Cuts (Wonder, pg 94). The other cool thing is this DARLING stamp set is one of the new "A" sized sets that are only $7.95!!! TOTALLY COOL! This is what I came up with using the  the Veranda Level II paper packet (pg 10).

Other CTMH products used are:
  Creme Brulee' Ribbon Rounds
  Chocolate waxy flax
  Cocoa Cardstock
  Tulip Ink (butterfly)
  Bitty Sparkles
Non CTMH product:
  Craft wire (home depot! LOL!)

(BTW..this is a 4x4 card)

I loved how it turned out! I made this card for one of my play group ladies who helped me out of a major BIND and let me use some of her CTMH stuff (I needed DOUBLES!) This will also be one of the cards we will make in April's Card Play Group...if you wanna play...leave a comment! Love to have you!

Happy Scrappin and Stampin! :)

Play Group Page and U ROCK WSOTG....

This is the fun layout we did for play group last night...the super fun thing about this page (other than using the Jingle Kit..which I LOVE) were those special Blush B&T duos :) Using the technique featured on this months CTMH TV episode called "Embossed Resist". I used the My Acrilyx Stamp Set "Spot On", CTMH Clear Embossing Powder, and Blush Ink (some used the Juniper/Creme Brulee depending on the paper they received in their kit). Inking the area with the Rubber Brayer (pg 97). It took some time to emboss that much space...BUT  LOVE the results! Other CTMH Stamp Sets used are "Chocolate Alphabet Large, Friendship Alphabet small, Hodge Podge Alphabet, and this Months Stamp of the Month "Piece of Cake" (so cute) Which we also embossed using the CTMH Black Embossing Powder, Cranberry Ribbon, White daisy Ribbon, and those cute little Tulip Brads you see in the corners...well they are my 'fake' but look real brads...I knew I wouldn't have enough brads for 14 kits...so they are hole punches (yup!) then coated in a nice round dollop of liquid glass for the bump and the shine....SOOO cool! :) I found that little trick in an old Creating Keepsakes Magazine from a few years ago! lol! The layout was inspired by Helen Onulak's darling layout using the Jingle Creative Basic's paper...oh and if you do check out her link also check out her YouTube Video on why CTMH Clear Acrylix Stamps are "Clearly The BEST!" ..cute! cute! 

 

Anyway...after checking out Helen's layout...I went immediately to my  Imagines Book page 96 and WALA!!! There is the cutting guide :) I love these Idea Books...(Imagine, Cherish and Reflections...LOVE them ALL! and use them TONS!!) Had so much fun making this layout..I can't wait to make the 2nd page and put "the SWEETEST" pictures on them...If you wanna come play..or just make a layout...leave me a comment!

U ROCK Work Shop On The Go

Now on to the U Rock WSOTG Layout...I love this paper (I know know...I ALWAYS love the paper!)  but I really loved the bright busy-ness of it...however...it was a challenge for me to put it together :p This is what I came up with. I wasn't a total fan of the layout provided in the Work Shop Guide and I am HORRIBLE at following exact instructions...I always change something...lol..(and I love it when the ladies at play group do too...;) So I came up with this....it is part of the Pattern provided in the guide and flipped...then I added the 'Rockin' New Year (because I have fun rockin' new year pic's of my kiddos). I love the music notes :)

(<< I love it!!!)

Using the Stamp set in the kit..."Just Be You". I once again used the Embossed Resist technique...which I will probably do A LOT from now on!!! Better stock up on clear embossing powder! I stamped the "Rockin' New Year" with the Poster Board Alphabet in Outdoor Denim Ink, then using the Just Be You Stamp set in a random order stamped the images to be Embossed with clear embossing powder...then after the whole EMBOSSING thing...inked the whole title with Goldrush Ink using my beloved sponge. LOVED how it turned out...can't wait to add my photos :)

Happy Scrappin' and Stampin'!

Sneak Peak for Next Month...Topstitch

I love the new TOPSTITCH paper! I love the colors...I love the stamp set...LOVE IT!!!

The 1st was TOTALLY inspired by Tresa Black (LOVE her stuff!!!)  This month CTMH ran a contest on YouTube about why My Acrylix Stamps are the BEST :) this is Tresa's Video (she cracks ME up!!) AND here is also a more in-depth tutorial on how to make HER card. I also used part of the instructions from the Topstitch WSOTG Card making project and the "Love is in the Air"stamp set.

The 2nd  card was inspired by one that is in the New Spring Idea book on page 15...I wanted to MAKE that flower!!! LOVE IT!!

The 3rdone was inspired by the 2007 Winter Idea Book (if you have it the page is 54) It was part of the My Originals Holiday Wishes Card kit...I couldn't find this pattern anywhere (I know it has to be in the Originals Card Card Confidence Program...but I couldn't find it...) any WHO...it 'inspired' me and when it comes to cards I need LOTS of inspiration :) Love how it turned out! The stamp set I used for this stamp is the "Love is in the Air" featured in the Topstitch WSOTG ...SO stinkin' CUTE!!! I also used the March Stamp of the Month "A Little Everything" (FREE when you spend $100.00) and the "Dainty Thoughts" (pg 73).
I LOVED creating these cards and using this stamp set!!! So much fun...I will have one more card ready for you to make if you are wanting to participate....We will be playing on March 3rd (leave me a comment if you want to play and I will give you more details then)  And on March 10th we will be doing a Layout with the same paper. (I will post those as soon as they are done! hope fully SOON!)

Happy  Scrappin' and Stampin'!

1st Sealing Announcement....

This is MY very first attempt at digital stuff! I am SOOO not Digital...I love 3D paper work! But a good friend and former student of my husband is getting sealed to her honey next month and asked if I would design her announcement...Yes at first I felt GREAT stress, but as I played and figured out a few things I LOVED IT!!! lol...I will always be a 3D scrapper! I just love to stamp and cut :) But I love being able to play like I did tonight..I have had this program for YEARS called Scrapbook Factory Deluxe, I use it for lots of different things but haven't ever used it as a digital program to actually scrapbook..just to play and mess around.  This was pretty fun! Looking forward to playing with Studio J!!! Soon to be released by CTMH!!! :) Congrats to Shali and Jeff!

Hearts for Haiti - February's Constant Campaign

Image courtesy of Operation Smile. CTMH Websight

Give & Get Back

Our hearts go out to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, and like so many of you, we’re eager to help. And helping has never been easier! Throughout February, purchase a 12" × 12" textured cardstock combo pack and you’ll get one free—and with every offer purchased, Close To My Heart will donate $2 US to Operation Smile’s Haiti relief efforts. That means for only $14.95 US/$17.50 CAN, you get two packs of our high-quality textured cardstock and you help this urgent, important cause.   Your Textured Cardstock Options are:
    X5747 Basic *sold out
    X5681 Spring
    X5745 Summer
    X5669 Autumn
    X5690 Winter * sold out
If you would like to stock up on your Cardstock...and you would like to know the colors that come in these kits...Leave me a message and you can pickup an Idea Book ($4.00 or free with $25.00 order).  Support CTMH's Hearts for Haiti and stock up your Cardstock supply!  GET IT QUICK ... GOING FAST!!!

Happy Scrappin'  and Stampin'