Paper Creations

January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2011-12-31T21:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring January's SOTM, which is Little Reminder, a set of 25 stamps.

If you have come here from Sheila's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have over 50 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

Unfortunately, the Midwest weather has put me a little under the weather! Please check back soon for my creation. Until then, "Hop" on over to Jen's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, the January SOTM is only available until the 31st! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2011-08-31T21:00:00.002-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring September's SOTM, which is Limited Edition, a set of 21 stamps.

If you have come here from Lori's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I used my stamp set along with the new My Creations Memory Game to create a calendar so that I can keep track of the birthdays and anniversaries that happen throughout the months. This stamp set has a couple of stamps that go along with the new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. I cut the tag on the top of the box with the Cricut cartridge and then stamped on the cut tag. I also tried my first flower from the cartridge!

The Memory Game comes with 24 cards so I used two cards for each month (only one of each is shown here). For the cards, I cut a rectangle with the Art Philosophy cartridge and then stamped the cut image. I stamped a month on each of the cards (I plan to add names/dates for birthdays and anniversaries during the month). On the back of the cards, I added a magnet so that I can hang the current month on my refrigerator (or any other magnetic surface) and I will have a reminder of who I need to send cards to!

Here's a closer view of a few of the cards:

Supplies Used:
B&T Paper - Mischief
Cardstock -Barn Red, Cocoa, Honey, Sunset
Ink -Barn Red, Black, Cocoa, Honey, Sunset
Stamp Set - Limited Edition, Save the Date
Embellishments -Licorice Opaques
Other - Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, My Creations Memory Game

Now "Hop" on over to Katy's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, the September SOTM is only available until the 30th! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

Baby Album

2011-08-09T11:30:00.000-04:00

My nephew and his wife are expecting their first child in September. The baby shower is this coming weekend and I finally completed the first part of their gift! The mommy-to-be likes to scrapbook so I made her an album for the first year. All she has to do is fill it with photos!

I used the how-to programs from Close To My Heart for the page layouts. All supplies are Close To My Heart.

Magic – Juggling Act, Left Page

Cherish – Visual Texture

Cherish – Balanced Blocks

Cherish – Kept in Proportion

Cherish – Dynamic Design

Cherish – Harmonious Patterns

Cherish – Contrasting Elements

Cherish – Then & Now

Imagine – Jazzy Combination

Imagine – Double Take

Cherish – Unified Whole

Cherish – Creative Rhythm

Imagine – Fantastic Five

Imagine – Subtitles, Left Page

Supplies Used:

B&T – Fanfare

Cardstock – Cranberry, Pacifica, Sky, Sunny Yellow, White Daisy

Ink – Cranberry, Pacifica, Sky, Sunny Yellow

Embellishments – Clear Buttons, Cranberry Buttons, Cranberry Ribbon, Licorice Opaques, Pacifica Buttons, Pacifica Ribbons, Ric Rac Ribbon, Sky Buttons, Sunny Yellow Buttons, Tulip Buttons, White Daisy Embroidery Floss, Zippidee My Stickease

Stamp Sets – Checklist, Love Life, Love You Forever, Sans Alphabet

Cricut Cartridge – Zooballoo

Now, I've got to get busy on the baby quilt!

Wendy

August Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2011-07-31T21:00:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring August's SOTM, which is Wicked, a set of 9 stamps.

If you have come here from Shirley's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I used my set to create a one page layout. I used the Bottom Border - Overlap pattern from the Reflections pattern book. Instead of using pattern paper, I used the stamps to create borders along the edges of my cardstock.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock - Bamboo, Chocolate, Goldrush, Pacifica
Ink - Chocolate, Goldrush, Pacifica
Stamp Set -Love Life, Wicked
Embellishments - Mocha Opaques Adhesive Gems

Now "Hop" on over to Jen's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, the August SOTM is only available until the 31st! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

July Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2011-06-30T21:00:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring July's SOTM, which is American Celebration, a set of 12 stamps.

If you have come here from Teresa's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I made a card using the Keep It Level pattern from the Wishes pattern book. I used one of the small stamps to create my own pattern paper. I stamped the large star and cut it out before adding to the card. Of course, no card can be complete without a little sparkle!

Supplies Used:
Paper -Cranberry, White Daisy
Ink - Cranberry, Pacifica, Sky, Tulip
Stamp Set - American Celebration
Embellishments - Red Sparkles, Blue Sparkles, White Daisy Grosgrain Ribbon

Now "Hop" on over to Kami's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, the July SOTM is only available until the 31st! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

Wedding Album

2011-06-14T13:03:00.001-04:00

My husband and I attended a beautiful wedding at the beginning of April. This was the kind of wedding that little girls dream about!!! I had told the bride beforehand that her wedding gift was going to be a scrapbook and that it would be a little late. Little did I know, that it was going to be two months!

I recently got through my creative block and was able to finish the album. Luckily, the bride loved it and I no longer feel bad about it being late!

When asked what colors she would like, the bride told me cream and gold. Little did I know that it would be so difficult to find a variety of gold paper! I also searched all over for the perfect book to put it all in. I finally decided to make my own cover. I purchased a sturdy scrapbook and then found some fabric to cover it with. I had their initials embroidered on a piece of the fabric in gold. I added a gold ribbon and the book was beautiful!

Here it is:

Front of the album

Front page with their wedding date

Mr & Mrs

Family

Another Family page

Beautiful Bride

Handsome Groom

Wedding Party

Bridesmaids

Groomsmen

Flower Girl

Ring Bearer

Back Page

I can't wait to see it once she has all the beautiful pictures in it!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: CTMH Colonial White, Recollections Precious Metals
Pattern Paper: DCWV Royal Garden, DCWV The Tradewinds
Stamp Sets: CTMH Bohemian Alphabet, CTMH Baroque Alphabet
Ink: CTMH Black, CTMH Colonial White, Gold Pigment Ink
Embellishments: Recollections Clear & Gold Sparkles
Cricut Cartridges: Paper Lace, Storybook
Pattern Books (all CTMH): Cherish, Imagine, Magic, Reflections

Wendy

June Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2011-05-31T21:00:00.005-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring June's SOTM, which is Jubilation, a set of 24 stamps.

If you have come here from Sarita's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have over 50 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I made a desk calendar this month. Each page is 6 x 6 and has room for a 4 x 4 photo. Right now, I'll just show you the picture part of the calendar. Check back in a few days to see the complete calendar.

Supplies Used:
B&T Paper - Bliss, Fanfare, Hooligans, Lucky, Mistletoe, Olivia, Sweetheart
Cardstock - Autumn Terracotta, Cocoa, Colonial White, Cotton Candy, Desert Sand, Garden Green, Grey Flannel, Gypsy, New England Ivy, Pacifica, Sunny Yellow, Topiary, Tulip, Vanilla Cream, White Daisy
Ink - Autumn Terracotta, Barn Red, Black, Chocolate, Cocoa, Cotton Candy, Cranberry, Creme Brulee, Desert Sand, Garden Green, Goldrush, Gypsy, Lagoon, New England Ivy, Olive, Outdoor Denim, Pacifica, Pear, Sky, Smokey Plum, Sunny Yellow, Sunset, Topiary, Tulip
Stamp Set - Jubilation
Embellishments - Assorted Sparkles, Colonial White Buttons, Licorice Opaques, Mocha Opaques, Pacifica Buttons, Sky Buttons, Sunny Yellow Buttons

Now "Hop" on over to Angel's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, the June SOTM is only available until the 30th! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

May Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2011-04-30T21:00:00.005-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring May's SOTM, which is Chairs To You, a set of 14 stamps.

If you have come here from Melissa's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have over 50 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I created a card using Originals pattern Balance It Out. I used one of the chair stamps as a background stamp and did some coloring with markers. For the green chair, I stamped the image on some Mayberry B&T paper and then cut it out. I added some Mocha Adhesive Gems for the buttons on the chair.

Supplies Used:
Paper - Mayberry B&T, Cocoa CS, Colonial White CS

Ink / Markers - Cocoa, Crystal Blue, Desert Sand, Hollyhock, Honey, Olive
Stamp Set - Chairs To You
Embellishments - Mocha Adhesive Gems

Now "Hop" on over to LeAnne's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, the May SOTM is only available until the 31st! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

Easter Photos

2011-04-23T13:47:00.000-04:00

Wow, I can't believe it is the end of April and that Easter is tomorrow!

We took my daughter in to have pictures taken with live bunnies and baby chicks last week. What an experience that was! She did great with the first several shots. The last shots were of her sitting on the floor with a bunny in her lap and a baby chick crossing the floor in front of her. We'd ask her to look at the camera, she would say okay, the baby chick would be let go...and...she would watch the chick waddle back to the water and giggle while he walked! I'm not sure how the photographer got a shot of her looking at the camera but he did.

A few days later, my sister in law decided we should take my daughter and her granddaughter into Walgreen's for the free photos with the Easter Bunny. Teagan was so excited to see the Easter Bunny until he came out from the back. Once she saw him, she decided she did not want to sit on his lap. We ended up convincing her to sit on my lap while I sat next to the Easter Bunny. We all got our picture taken and she got a sucker.

I decided to get the pictures scrapbooked today:

Supplies Used:

B&T Paper / Cardstock: Magnifique, Pacifica, Sunkiss Yellow, White Daisy

Marker: Outdoor Denim

Cricut Cartridges: Designer's Calendar, Paper Lace

Embellishments: Blue Buttons, Blue Sparkles, Making Memories Chipboard Flowers

Happy Easter,

Wendy

Embellishments:

March Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2011-02-28T21:00:00.005-05:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring March's SOTM, which is Sensational Seasons, a set of 10 stamps.

If you have come here from Tammy's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have almost 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I created a card using Wishes pattern Sentiment Secured. I colored the bunnies before cutting them out and applying them to the card with glue dots.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock - Pear, White Daisy
Pattern Paper - Sophia
Ink - Blush, Cocoa, Desert Sand, Hollyhock, Pear, New England Ivy, Sweet Leaf
Stamp Set - Sensational Seasons
Embellishments - Sweet Leaf Buttons, White Ricrac

Now "Hop" on over to Cindy's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, the March SOTM is only available until the 31st! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

New Calendar Cover

2011-02-02T17:16:00.000-05:00

After always being on the search for the "perfect" calendar, I finally decided to make my own for 2010. I took the parts that I liked from the different ones in the stores and combined those parts for what I thought would work for me. It worked out well for 2010 and when everyone at the office was ordering calendars for 2011, I decided to tweak mine. It's a little time consuming but so worth it for me!

Every couple of months, I make a new cover for it. I have finally gotten around to do something new for this year. I used the Wings Workshop on the Go Stamp Set. I used three of the stamps on White Daisy Cardstock to create my own pattern paper. I used Black Ink for the large stamp and Hydrangea ink for the other two. I cut the pattern paper down and layered it on top of Hydrangea Cardstock that was on top of Black Cardstock. I used purple sparkles to give it a little shine. I put it together with my Bind It All.

Here it is:

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Black, Hydrangea, White Daisy
Ink: Black, Hydrangea
Stamp Set: Wings (B1376)
Embellishments: Black Opaques, Purple Sparkles, Black & Purple Ribbon

February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2011-01-31T21:00:00.004-05:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring February's SOTM, which is Friendship, a set of 8 stamps.

If you have come here from Dawn's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have almost 70 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I used one stamp from the set on my card. After stamping in black ink, I stamped over it with VersaMark and then embossed the image with our Clear Detail embossing powder. Before heating the embossing powder, I sprinkled on some prisma glitter. The card looks much more shiny in person! I added some bling after embossing.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock - Black, Gypsy, White Daisy
Ink - Black, VersaMark
Stamp Set - Friendship
Techniques - Embossing
Embellishments - Blue, Green, Pink & Purple Sparkles

Now "Hop" on over to Melissa's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, the February SOTM is only available until the 28th! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2010-12-31T21:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring January's SOTM, which is Find Your Style, a set of 9 stamps.

If you have come here from Pamela's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have over 50 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

This month I used the stamp set to create my own pattern paper and then used it jazz up a gift bag. On one side I used the bird, Beautiful and Friend stamps. I randomly stamped and second generation stamped.

On the other side, I used the butterfly and Beautiful stamp to random stamp and second generation stamp. I embossed the Friend stamp and the saying stamp. I also embossed some of the Beautiful stamped images on this side.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock - Black, Colonial White
Ink - Black, Gypsy, Pear
Stamp Set - Find Your Style
Techniques - Embossing, Random Stamping, Second Generation Stamping
Embellishments - Black Opaques

Now "Hop" on over to Kristie's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, the January SOTM is only available until the 31st! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

Christmas Gifts

2010-12-11T20:13:00.000-05:00

My grandparents are always difficult to shop for during the holidays - they go out and buy whatever they need when they need it. My mother-in-law is another one that is super difficult to buy for. All of them like to stop at yard sales and at second hand stores and have houses that are full of "stuff".

This year I thought I would be a little more creative with the gifts that we give them. About a month ago, I told my husband that I was going to make two albums (one for the grandparents and one for the mother-in-law). The plan was to include photos that I've taken during the last year - starting with last Christmas. I know they will all love it and hopefully it will start a tradition for years to come.

I've gone through our pictures and selected just the right ones. I've chosen some patterns from the fabulous Close To My Heart How-To books. Now, I need to get busy and get some scrapping done and put the albums together! We're celebrating with my grandparents next Saturday!

As I am trying to get inspiration for the next pages, I thought I'd share my just completed Easter layout. We have Easter at our house every year and invite both sides of our families. This year, my cousin Heather was visiting from Las Vegas. This layout is for my grandparents book.

Supplies Used:
Paper - Colonial White CS, Garden Green CS, Veranda B&T
Stamp Set - Baroque Alphabet, The Present
Ink - Cocoa
Other - Mocha Opaques, Designer's Calendar Cricut Cartridge, Cherish - Fab Fifteen

Stay tuned for more layouts to come!
Wendy

December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2010-11-30T21:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring December's SOTM, which is Amore, a set of 13 stamps.

If you have come here from Wendy's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you'll find a complete list of participating consultants on Helen's Blog.

This month we have over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of each post on each blog to move to the next one. Here we go!

My card for this stamp set was inspired by the Heart 2 Heart Challenge for this week. The challenge for this week is this sketch:

If you haven't checked out the H2H Challenges, you should do so! They offer a different challenge each week and sometimes offer goodies for a lucky participant!

Here is my card:

I used Sky ink and did some random stamping with the Love stamp. The large heart was stamped in Pacifica ink and then cut out. I also inked the edges of all the Colonial White pieces with Cocoa ink.

Products used:
Paper - Cocoa CS, Colonial White CS, Magnifique
Stamp Set - Amore
Ink - Cocoa, Pacifica, Sky
Embellishment - Mocha Opaques

Now "Hop" on over to Kathleen's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas! Remember, the December SOTM is only available until December 31. Visit my website to see how you can get this stamp set for FREE!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Pretty Pretty Princess

2010-11-22T06:18:00.001-05:00

Last week Heart 2 Heart Challenges had a Pretty Pretty Princess challenge - this challenge was all about being girly! Well, believe me, I can do girly!

These photos were taken of my daughter last year. She loves to put on my shoes and walk around the house. I was shocked that she was able to stay upright in these boots!

The bling makes it a little difficult to get a good photo - I'll keep trying and repost them if I get a better shot.

The top photo says "Kickin It Mommy Style" and the bottom has her nickname "Teagie Sue".

Supply List:
B&T: Hooligans, Daydream
Cardstock: Black Gypsy
Embellishments: Clear Sparkles, Pink & Purple Sparkles, Paper Studio Flowers, Crystal Letters

Have a great day!
Wendy

December Workshop - 20 Pages & 12 Cards

2010-11-04T21:20:00.000-04:00

Join me on Sunday, December 5 to get ahead on your scrapbook pages. We'll use one Level 2 paper pack (along with some bases) to create 20 scrapbook pages and 12 cards. All you will need to do after the workshop is add your pictures. Do you want to know the best part? I will do the cutting for you!!!

Here are some sample pages:

If you are not local but would like the workshop kit, it can be mailed to you (I will still do all the cutting for you!). Please email me for more details. Space is limited so sign up soon!

Wendy

November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2010-10-31T21:00:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring November's SOTM, which is A Little Thanks, a set of 16 stamps.

If you have come here from Chris's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you'll find the complete list of participating consultants on Helen's Blog.

This month we have over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I used the stamp set to create some thank you cards and a holder for my hostess at her Gathering. The outside of the holder has her initial.

The inside holds three cards on one side and three envelopes on the other.

Products Used:

B&T Paper - Olivia

Cardstock - Barn Red, Colonial White

Stamp Sets - Baroque Alphabet, A Little Thanks

Ink - Barn Red, Cocoa

Embellishments - Cocoa Grosgrain Ribbon, Mocha Opaques

Now "Hop" on over to Wendy's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the November SOTM is only available until November 30! Visit my website to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even for FREE!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

Hooligans Workshop on the Go

2010-10-27T06:51:00.001-04:00

The Hooligans paper pack has turned out to be one of my favorites this year. Here is the Workshop on the Go kit that I put together. I did two 2-page layouts and six cards. I had plenty of paper left over that I used to cover the Board Book. The stamp set that comes with the kit has little monsters. They are even more adorable if you do like the instructions say and cover them in glitter! I was covered in glitter for days afterwards but my monsters were adorable when they were finished!

For the featured layout, I used pictures from the first time my daughter went trick or treating. The first house that we stopped at had another little girl in the same costume! Teagan caught on quickly and even though her candy bucket got heavy, she was determined to carry it herself.


Left page


Right Page

The additional layout is the Levitate pattern from Magic. I used photos from a Memorial Day cookout that we attended. This is my niece with her daughter. Hayley will play with anyone except for my husband. To this day she still wants nothing to do with him!

Left Page

Right Page

Here are the featured cards:

The additional cards are made using the pattern Balance It Out from Originals. Of course, all the monsters are glittered on the cards too!

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween! Make sure you take plenty of photos of your little ghouls or, like in our case, princesses.

Wendy

Gathering Invitations

2010-10-15T14:00:00.030-04:00

Instead of using our standard postcard style invitations for an upcoming Home Gathering for a friend, I decided to mix things up a little bit. After looking through our How-To books for a layout, I settled on the Balance It Out template from Originals to get me started. I ran Pear and Lagoon cardstock through my Big Shot with an embossing folder. After embossing, I used our sanding kit on the raised dots. For the brad-like look on the corners, I stamped the dot from the Heart to Heart stamp set and then used Liquid Glass to make it shiny.

The end product looks like this:

The Gathering information was printed on a separate sheet of cardstock and tucked inside the card. The recipient can use the card themselves!

Cardstock: Pear, Lagoon

B and T Paper: Hooligans

Stamp Sets: The Present, Heart to Heart

Ink: Gypsy, Lagoon, Pear

Other: Liquid Glass, Sanding Kit

Mojo Monday Challenge

2010-10-14T18:32:00.000-04:00

Every week there is a sketch challenge posted on the Mojo Monday blog. This week I decided to play along. Here is the sketch:

Since I have been working on Christmas cards, I decided to use the challenge to come up with something new. My border punch selection is very limited so I used my circle punch and cut the circles in half for my bottom border. I second generation stamped the ornaments and then rolled the edges. All items used are Close To My Heart.

Cardstock - Cranberry

B and T Paper - Mistletoe

Stamp Sets - Adorn-able, All the Best

Embellishments - Cranberry Ribbon, Mocha Opaques, Chocolate Waxy Flax

Happy Birthday Teagan!

2010-10-01T06:19:00.000-04:00

My baby girl is turning 3 today! I'm not sure where the time has gone! I shouldn't be surprised that it has gone by so fast - after all, my baby boy will be 18 in the summer. They never stop being our "babies", do they?

Unfortunately, mommy doesn't get to celebrate with her today (I'm off to Michigan for training for Relay for Life). I'll be back Saturday evening (hopefully in time to see her big brother off to the homecoming dance with his girlfriend). On Sunday, the family is going to celebrate by going to the Pumpkin Patch and then next week we'll have her party with the rest of our family and our friends.

Now for some pictures!

Here is the invitation to her party:

I ran the Hydrangea Cardstock through my Big Shot with an embossing folder. The flowers were stamped in Gypsy, Lagoon and Pear - the stamp set is called Summer Wishes. The Party Pennants stamps were used on the Bubblegum Cardstock. I added a little ricrac and some pink bling and we were good to go - very girlie!

Here is a fun photo I took of her this week:

Happy Birthday Teagan!

Wendy

October Stamp of the Month Hop

2010-09-30T21:00:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our October Stamp of the Month blog hop. We will be featuring October's SOTM, which is Share the Magic, a set of 12 stamps. If you have come here from Carol's blog, you are on the right path! If you get lost along the way, you can return to Helen's blog for a complete list.

This month we have approximately 70 Close To My Heart consultants sharing their creations using the October Stamp of the Month and other great products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of each post on each blog and move to the next one! Here we go!

I used this stamp set on a Christmas layout. I'm usually not one to spend a lot of time coloring my stamped images but this turned out to be kind of fun! While I was on a roll of coloring, I also blew the dust off of my Blending Pen. I used the blending pen on the areas I colored black on Santa and on used it to color the Christmas tree. I used the layout, On with the Show, from our newest how to book, Magic. I plan to put some hidden journaling behind where the title Santa is stamped. The photos are from my daughter's first time sitting on Santa's lap. The photos are a little hard to see because I wasn't supposed to be taking them at all, but that's a story for another time (and the reason for the HIDDEN journaling)!

Magic How-To Book - On with the Show template
Cardstock - Colonial White, Cocoa
B&T paper - Mistletoe, Creative Basics Mistletoe Collection
Ink / Markers - Black, Clover Meadow, Cranberry, Honey, New England Ivy, Sunflower, Tulip, Vanilla Cream, White Daisy
Stamp Sets - Giggle Caps, Giggle Lowercase, Sans Alphabet, Share the Magic
Embellishments - Green Sparkles, Red Sparkles, Mocha Opaques, Ribbon from Creative Basics Mistletoe Collection, Colonial White Eyelets, Glitz Glitter Gel
Other - Blending Pen

Now, "hop" on over to Melissa's blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

Remember, this set is only available until October 31st. Contact me for more information on how you can earn this set for FREE!!!

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

September Stamp of the Month - Thriller

2010-08-31T21:00:00.019-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring September's SOTM, which is Thriller, a set of 9 stamps.

If you have come here from Caren's blog you are on the right path! You can also find a complete list of Blog Hop participants at Helen's blog.

This month we have 68 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

When I saw this set, I knew it was perfect for Halloween bags!

I got the instructions for the bag here. I randomly stamped a piece of Cotton Candy cardstock after I scored my paper. I stamped the skull on a piece of white cardstock and then sponged Cotton Candy ink all over. I used some Stardust Glitter Glue on the eye patch to make it stand out some. Finally, I closed the bag with some ribbon. I think I'll be using these as goodie bags for my upcoming crop!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Black, Cotton Candy, White Daisy
Stamp Set: Thriller
Ink: Cotton Candy
Embellishments: Black Ribbon, Stardust Glitter Glue

Now, "hop" on over to Toni's blog to see her work. Be sure to make your way through all of the consultant blogs to see the fun ideas. Remember, this stamp set is only available thru the month of September! Visit my website or contact me to see how you can get this set for a discount or even FREE!

Wendy

New Product Blog Hop - A Sneak Peek at the Autumn/Winter Idea Book

2010-08-27T21:00:00.011-04:00

Wow, it's that time again! Close To My Heart has a new Idea Book being released on September 1. In celebration of the new Idea Book, over 50 Fabulous Close to my Heart Consultants are participating in this blog hop. Everyone has been busy with their new products creating fantastic items to give you a Sneak Peak of some of the great new products that will be available in the new Idea Book!

If you have come here from Haley's blog, you are on the right path! You can also find a complete list of Blog Hop participants at http://tazzygirl2000.blogspot.com/2010/08/autumnwinter-2010-new-product-blog-hop.html.

This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one. Here we go!

Hooligans - what a fun word! As soon as I saw this paper and the stickers, I knew what I wanted to do. I created a board book for Halloween pictures. After Halloween, all I need to do is get my pictures printed and insert them in the book. This would probably make a good gift for Grandma but I have a feeling I'll be keeping it for myself.

Supplies Used:

My Creations Board Book (Z1310)

Paper Pack - Hooligans (X7129B)

Cardstock - Black, Lagoon, Pear, White Daisy

Stamp Sets: Chocolate Alphabet Small (D1296), Troublemaker (WOTG Set)

Ink - Black, Gypsy, Lagoon, Sunset

Embellishments - Blue & Green Assortment Sparkles (Z1327), Hooligans Stickers (Z1332), Licorice Opques (Z1335), Pear Mini-Medley Accents (Z1339)

Now, hop on over to Antoinette's blog to see her wonderful creation. Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and see the new Paper Packs and My Acrylix Stamp Sets!

Remember, the Autumn/Winter 2010 Idea Book goes live on September 1. If you haven't received your copy and would like to do some shopping, visit my website.

Wendy

August Stamp of the Month - Something Splendid

2010-07-31T21:00:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring August's SOTM, which is Something Splendid, a set of 13 stamps.

If you have come here from Melissa's Blog, you are on the right path! If this is your first stop, you may want to go back to Helen's Blog and start from the beginning!

This month we have 65 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

This month's stamp set was perfect for this layout. My grandma is very into flower gardens and so is my daughter. While we were visiting, Teagan helped grandma put out her yard decorations.

For the larger flowers, I stamped and second generation stamped with the flower base then used a darker color for the top portion of the flower. I cut many of the flowers out and attached them to the layout with glue dots. I also used the smaller flower around the the title. Most of those flowers were also attached using glue dots. To make the centers pop on the smaller flowers, I used liquid glass on them.

Paper and Cardstock: Bella, Desert Sand, Olive, Smokey Plum, Vanilla Cream
Inks: Blush, Creme Brulee, Desert Sand, Hollyhock, Smokey Plum
Stamp Set: Something Splendid
Embellishments: Foundry Tabs, Liquid Glass

Now "Hop" on over to Andrea's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the August SOTM is only available until the 31st! Visit my website to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Happing hopping!
Wendy

$2, $4, $6, for 8...It's You We Appreciate!

2010-07-30T16:42:00.002-04:00

Close To My Heart is doing it again! On August 4 beginning at 11:00 a.m. (EDT) thru August 11 (or while supplies last), Close To My Heart is offering lots of items at discounted prices!

Here's a list of items that will be available at the discounted prices:

My Stickease - $2.00/each
Abundance / Animal Cookies / Aspen / Back Country / Bella / Blue Ribbon / Boom-Di-Ada / Caprice / Cutie Pie / Daydream / Emporium / Enchanted / Evensong / Everlasting / Expedition / Floral Impressions / Free Spirit / Game On / Good Times / Grace / It’s a Guy Thing / Jingle / Just Chillin / Life Delights / Magic Moments / Majestic Blue / Moon Doggie / More To Adore / Notebook / Paper Garden / Perfect Day / Rough n Tumble / Route 66 / Sarsaparilla / School Zone / Silhouette / Simple Pleasure / Sonata / Stardust / Sweet Harmony / Sweet Home / Sweet Pea / That’s Amore / Tinkerin / Twitterpated / Unforgettable / Vintage Travel

My Reflections Level 1 Kits - $4.00/each
Abundance / Animal Cookies / Aspen / Back Country / Bella / Best Friends Forever / Blue Ribbon / Boom-Di-Ada / Caprice / Cutie Pie / Daydream / Discovery / Emporium / Enchanted / Evensong / Everlasting / Expedition / Floral Impressions / Floral Tapestry / Free Spirit / Game On / Good Times / Grace / Heirloom / It’s a Guy Thing / Jingle / Just Chillin / Laid Back / Let's Get Together / Lifes Delights / Magic Moments / Majestic Blue / Moon Doggie / More To Adore / Notebook / Paper Garden / Perfect Day / Route 66 / Sarsaparilla / School Zone / Silhouette / Simple Pleasure / Sonata / Stardust / Sweet Home / Sweet Pea / That’s Amore / Tinkerin / Twitterpated / Unforgettable / Vintage Travel

My Reflections Levels 2 Paper Packet - $6.00/each
Abundance / Animal Cookies / Aspen / Back Country / Bella / Blue Ribbon / Boom-Di-Ada / Caprice / Daydream / Emporium / Enchanted / Evensong / Everlasting / Floral Impressions / Free Spirit / Game On / Good Times / Heirloom / It’s a Guy Thing / Jingle / Magic Moments / Majestic Blue / Moon Doggie / More To Adore / Notebook / Perfect Day / Rough n Tumble / Sarsaparilla / Silhouette / Simple Pleasure / Stardust / Sweet Home / That’s Amore / Tinkerin / Twitterpated / Unforgettable

Spend this weekend making up your wish list and head to my website on August 4 to place your order. These items will only be available online at these prices for a limited time.

Have a great weekend!
Wendy

July Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2010-06-30T21:00:00.002-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring July's SOTM, which is Happy Forever, a set of 9 stamps.

If you have come here from Melinda's Blog, you are on the right path! If this is your first stop, you may want to go back to Helen's Blog and start from the beginning!

This month we have almost 70 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

The porcupines in the set are adorable and it was difficult to choose my favorite! I went with the porcupine holding the ballons and made a birthday card. This will be perfect to attach to a child's birthday gift.

I started out using the Tied Frame pattern from Originals. I reworked the pattern a bit and made the card 4x4 instead of 6x6. I used Animal Cookies paper and colored the balloons to match the paper.

Cardstock: Desert Sand, Dutch Blue, Tulip, White Daisy
B&T Paper: Animal Cookies
Markers/Inks: Clover Meadow, Desert Sand, Dutch Blue, Sunflower, Tulip
Embellishments: Clover Meadow Brads

Now "Hop" on over to Janelle's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the July SOTM is only available until July 31st! Visit my website to see how to get this stamp at a discount or even FREE!!!

Wendy

Jackpot June - Will it be a Jackpot Day or a Goodie Box Day?

2010-06-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

There’s an online special EVERY DAY at Close To My Heart in the month of June! Each day will either be a Jackpot Day or a Goodie Box Day. Click on the link on the right of the page to go to my website for today's deal.

On jackpot days…5 products will be offered for sale at discounted prices on my website. One of those 5 products is the mystery jackpot item for that day (but we won’t know which one it was until the next day). If you happen to order the mystery jackpot item, you’ll get rewarded with one or more FREE Close To My Heart products, with shipping included on the free items. There’s no purchase limit – if you order multiple secret jackpot items, you’ll get the same number of FREE items!

On goodie box days…you can purchase one box filled with popular products at 50% or more off retail value. Each goodie box day will feature different surprise items, so you can score a wide variety of current and recently retired products.

To be eligible for discounted prices, your order must only contain Jackpot June items. Visit www.closetomyheart.com to find out what the jackpot item was for the prior day.

Have a great day!

Wendy

June Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2010-05-31T21:00:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring June's SOTM, which is Wonderful Friend, a set of 9 stamps.

If you have come here from Deb's Blog, you are on the right path! If this is your first stop, you may want to go back to Helen's Blog and start from the beginning!

This month we have 66 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I used Wishes pattern, Pieced Together, to create this 6 x 6 card. For my background, I used the Argyle stamp with four different color inks. I rotated the inks and stamped four across and seven tall and then cut my piece down to the size I wanted.

Cardstock & Ink: Barn Red, Cocoa, Desert Sand, Twilight

Now "Hop" on over to Melinda's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the June SOTM is only available until June 30! Contact your CTMH Consultant or visit my website to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Wendy

Stationary Box

2010-05-23T17:39:00.002-04:00

This project started as a possible gift for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day. Unfortunately, things kept popping up and I didn't get it finished in time. It's finally finished and I think it's going to be my contribution to the door prizes for an uncoming fundraiser that I'm doing!

I got the directions here and would like to say thank you to Jackie Topa for writing these up. I changed things up just a little bit. I placed a post it note pad where the instructions say to place the address book and stamp envelope. Instead of including the address book and stamp envelope, I made a date book that fits in with the standard size cards and envelopes. My pen is too large to be attached so it lays on the top of the cards.

Here is the box all closed up:

Here is an open view with everything in it's place:

The tags:

I used the May Stamp of the Month, Cherish the Moment, for the tags. These tags are Thank You and Congratulations. They can be inserted in the outside pocket of the standard size cards.

The standard size cards:

The 3x3 cards:

The May Stamp of the Month is used on these too. This stamp set is so versatile!

The date book:

This book has one page for each month to help you keep track of birthdays and anniversaries.

Inside of the date book:

The box includes five standard size cards with envelopes, five tags, five 3x3 cards, one date book, a post it pad and a pen!

Supplies used:
Paper: Veranda
Cardstock: Creme Brulee, Cocoa, Colonial White, Barn Red, Garden Green
Ink/Markers: Creme Brulee, Cocoa, Barn Red, Juniper
Stamp Sets: Cherish the Moment (May SOTM), True Friends (January SOTM), Chocolate Alphabet Small, Save the Date, A Posy, Sans Alphabet, Notice the Details
Embellishments: Cocoa Ribbon, Colonial White Ribbon, Clear Sparkles, Spring Blossom Just Blooms, Cocoa Button

I can see more of these in my future! I think they'll make great gifts for the holidays.

Have a great day!
Wendy

In the month of May...

2010-05-01T17:38:00.000-04:00

For those of you who know me, you know that I am very involved in the Relay for Life. I lost my mother many years ago to cancer and have had other friends and family members who have battled the disease. One of my ways to help raise money this month is to donate my commission. 100% of my commission in the month of May will be given to the Tippecanoe County Relay for Life.

I would love to be able to write a large check to the American Cancer Society at the end of the month! Contact me by email if you'd like to place an order. You can also visit my website and place an order there.

Thank you in advance for your help in this fight!
Wendy

May is National Scrapbooking Month

2010-05-01T17:23:00.000-04:00

The Miracle Kit is a beautiful spring-themed kit and is available during the month of May. The kit includes Cardstock, some new B&T Duos Paper, B&T Duos Die-Cuts, My Stickease Assortment, Irresistibles Chipboard Die-Cuts, Memory Protectors Flip Flaps, and Embellishments. There is also an instructional brochure that will help you put together two 2-page layouts.

Here is what I put together with mine:

Page 1

Page 2 with Flip Flap closed

Page 2 with the Flip Flap open

Page 3

Page 4 with Flip Flaps closed

Page 4 with Flip Flaps open

I have to admit, this is the very first time that I've worked with Flip Flaps and I loved them! It makes it easy to add additional pages to a layout that you normally would not have room for.

Back to the Miracle Kit...
Here's how you can get this beautiful kit:
- Purchase the kit for $19.95
- Place a minimum order of $40 and purchase the kit for only $10
- Place a minimum order of $60 and purchase the kit for only $5
- Sign up as a new Consultant between May 1-31 and receive a kit FREE
- Host a Home Gathering through the end of May with minimum sales of $300 and receive a kit FREE!

Contact me if you'd like to purchase one of these amazing kits!

At the beginning of the year, I posted that I had a goal of 120 layouts for this year. I haven't been keeping up with my layouts like I should, these four pages make layouts 7-10. Yikes - I better get moving! :)

Have a great weekend!
Wendy

Summer Idea Book New Product Blog Hop

2010-04-28T21:00:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our Close to My Heart New Product Blog Hop! Over 40 Fabulous Close to my Heart Consultants are celebrating the upcoming release of the Summer 2010 Idea Book by giving you a Sneak Peak of some of the great products available in the new Idea Book starting May 1st!

If you have come here from Teri's blog, you are on the right path! You can also find a complete list of Blog Hop participants at http://www.tazzygirl2000.blogspot.com/

This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I absolutely love this new box! It can be used for a variety of things but I chose to make it into a recipe box. To begin, I sponged Chocolate ink all over the inside and outside of the box. When that was complete, I covered it with the new Cherry-O paper. I added some ribbon and matching Cherry-O stickers for bling. The box title is made by using our new Stardust Glitz Glitter Glue. As if all of that wasn't enough bling, I used Liquid Glass and the Stardust Glitter Glue on some of the cherries. The dividers are covered with some of the left over paper. The titles on the dividers and the recipe cards are done with the Recipe Box stamp set. I had so much fun with this box that I made two of them!

My Creations Recipe/Photo Box - X1322
Ink Colors: Chocolate
Paper: Cherry-O Level 2 - X7123B
My Acrylix Stamp Set: Recipe Box - D1361
Embellishments: Cocoa Ribbon - Z1316, Cherry-O Opaque Stickers - Z1319, Stardust Glitter Glue - Z1313, Liquid Glass - Z679

Now "Hop" on over to Lauri's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and see the great new Paper Packs and My Acrylix Stamp Sets!

Remember, the Summer 2010 Idea Book goes LIVE on May 1st - visit my website to check out all the new items. Contact me if you'd like to place an order or see about getting your copy of the Summer Idea Book.

Happy Hopping!
Wendy

Heart 2 Heart Challenges - Week 1

2010-04-08T06:09:00.000-04:00

There's a new weekly blog for challenges. A group of Close To My Heart consultants got together to form a design team and will be posting a weekly challenge with the main focus being on Close To My Heart products. Anyone can join!

This week's challenge is a color challenge. Here are the colors to work with:

I used my Cricut to cut the box out of Chocolate cardstock. The stamp set I used came from the Tickled Pink set that we had last year. The large flower is stamped in Sunflower. The second flower is second generation Sunflower. The middle of the flower is Chocolate. The flower petals are Sweet Leaf. Here's my creation:

I thought this might be a nice Mother's Day gift for one of the ladies in my office. Of course, the box will contain Chocolate (the edible kind)!

Be sure to check out the Heart 2 Heart blog to see what designs the team has come up with. There are links on that page to see what others have made. Now, break out your supplies and come up with something great of your own!

Have a great day,
Wendy

Tri Shutter Album - Veranda Paper

2010-04-07T06:30:00.001-04:00

The more I do of these, the more I like them! This is the Tri Shutter Album with the Veranda paper pack. I used my Easter photos because this paper reminds me of Spring whenever I look at it.

If you're looking at the photos I used, there is one of me smiling beside my upset daughter. I wasn't laughing because I accidently dropped the easter egg coloring on her, I was smiling because if I didn't, I knew I was going to cry. It had been a long day of cleaning and I was getting the egg coloring ready to color easter eggs - I'm not sure how it happened but the next thing I knew Teagan, my counter top and floor were blue. No eggs got colored that night and the rest of the preparations were left until Easter morning!

This is the second paper available for the Tri Shutter Album workshop on Saturday, April 17. If you are interested in the workshop, email me for more information.

April Workshop - Tri Shutter Album

2010-04-01T10:16:00.001-04:00

Have you been searching for a unique Mother’s Day gift? This workshop is just for you! This “album” holds 7 pictures and is perfect for display on a fireplace mantle or even a desktop.

The workshop will be held on Saturday, April 17. Registration for the workshop needs to be complete by Monday, April 12. You have your choice of the You Rock paper or the Veranda paper (or one of each).

These pictures were made from the You Rock paper. I'm saving the Veranda album for Easter pics. Check back on Monday to see the Veranda album.

Happy Friday Everyone!

Wendy

A to Z Baby Album

2010-03-11T13:28:00.000-05:00

This is an A to Z baby album I made for a friends baby shower. All she has to do is insert photos and/or journaling. I went through all of the CTMH pattern books and used some layouts from all three books.

Baby Shower Decorations

2010-03-11T06:11:00.005-05:00

Sign over entrance doorway

Wall decorations, backdrop for some pictures

Table decorations, pen holders

Baby Shower Invitations

2010-03-11T05:46:00.005-05:00

Almost 70 of these were made/sent out. The white background behind the blue/green squares was randomly stamped with alphabet stamps in different colors. The ABC's on the squares were cut with the Cricut. All white edges were inked. The inside was printed on the computer, cut to size and attached to the card base.

It's March!

2010-03-11T05:25:00.002-05:00

I'm so glad the month of February is over! Quite honestly, it's a month I could have skipped entirely. Aside from the weather being so yucky, the month started out with a bang for me. Well, actually, it was more like a crash! On the 1st of the month, I hit a deer (actually, it hit me). I shouldn't complain too much because there are deer all around us and this is the first one that I've come into physical contact with. My insurance company was fantastic and gave me a rental and my car was repaired by the end of the week.

I spent the month fighting some cold/virus thing. I wasn't sure the cough was ever going to go away.

As if the things in my personal life weren't enough to keep me crazy, we also had auditors in at the office for two weeks. This group of auditors are pretty easy to work with but they still throw everyones schedules off. When they ask for something, you drop what you are doing and find what they are looking for.

Thankfully, the month ended! My car is fixed, the cough is gone, the auditors have moved out of our conference room and the sun has been shining!!!

I was able to get some crafting done in the month of February. A coworker adopted a baby and a shower was thrown for her at the office. I dusted off my sewing machine and made a baby quilt for little Tommy. I forgot to take a picture (insert big gasp here) but I will try to get one sent to me and I'll post it. I also planned a baby shower for a very good friend of mine. I made close to 70 invitiations (she travels alot and is a very nice person so she knows lots of people). I also made a baby quilt for her shower gift along with an A-Z scrapbook. With the scrapbook, all she has to do is insert pictures and journaling.

I really didn't fall off the face of the earth in February - I just retreated to my craft room whenever it was possible. My craft room has a relaxing effect on me (only when my 2-year isn't barging through the door).

I'll be posting pictures of the baby shower items I made. Make sure you check them out!

Happy March,

Wendy

Recipe Tin Workshop

2010-01-19T17:56:00.003-05:00

This workshop will be held on Saturday, February 6 . The cost is $20.

The outside of the tin and the divider cards are decorated with randomly stamped cardstock. You will have access to my stamps and inks and will be able to choose the design and colors you want!

You will leave the class with a beautiful recipe tin, 10 dividers and 18 recipe cards.

Please email if you are interested.

Have a great evening,
Wendy

Word Book

2010-01-18T07:44:00.004-05:00

My husband plays in a band called Brown Bottle Affair. We rang in the New Year with the band. Of course, we had lots of pictures that were taken that night and I needed a way to put them all together. With the help of my Cricut, I created a Brown Bottle Affair book. Here's just a few pictures of what I've been up to the last few weeks:

We had a great time that night and the band was surrounded by lots of friends! If you'd like to check them out, they are on Facebook.

Have a great day!

Wendy

January Workshop (Layouts 1 - 6)

2010-01-05T19:08:00.009-05:00

The January Scrapbooking Workshop will be held on Saturday, January 30. We will use the Veranda Workshop on the Go kit. During the workshop, we'll create 6 scrapbook pages and 3 cards. Email me at wfording@aol.com for more information.

Here are the layouts that I made with my kit.

The first picture is of my son and his girlfriend headed to the homecoming dance. The second picture is of the same son at his 1st birthday party! The last picture is at my daughter's 1st birthday party.

This paper pack is pretty versatile!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-05T18:11:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! The holiday season seems to have flown past. I'm not sure about all of you, but I'm kind of glad that it's over! 2010 has got to be a much better year than last year. I'm hoping for healthy friends and family - 2009 brought too many illnesses to too many relatives and close friends.

Even though Christmas went by pretty quick, I was able to take lots of pictures. I can't wait to settle down in my craft room and start scrapping them.

As I have been surfing the web (when I should have been doing other things), I've noticed that many people set goals as to how many layouts they plan to do in a year. I've decided to set a goal for myself too. My layout goal for the year 2010 is 120. If I do the Workshop on the Go kit every month, I will have at least 6 pages complete with only 4 more to go - easy peasy.

What is the Workshop on the Go? Email me at wfording@aol.com and I'd be happy to share!

I'll be posting my completed layouts shortly. I have 6 completed already!

Wendy

Christmas Cards

2009-12-10T18:30:00.005-05:00

We're 10 days into the month of December and I'm just now getting around to working on my Christmas cards! If I was smart, I'd just go to the nearest store, grab a box off of the shelf and drop them in the mail (after signing and addressing them, of course!). I'm not that smart! I finally decided on this design early this morning before I headed off to work.

I used the snow flake stamps from the Holiday Trinkets stamp set to randomly stamp a sheet of White Daisy cardstock. After stamping, I sprayed the sheet of cardstock with my homemade version of Glimmer Mists (you can't see the shine in the picture but it really sparkles!). I used Juniper cardstock and Juniper ink to ink the edges of the White Daisy cardstock. The snow flakes have been cut with my Cricut and are held together with a Juniper brad - these have also been sprayed with the shiny mist. The saying is from the Delightful Things stamp set.

My box of new goodies is due to arrive tomorrow but I'm not allowing myself to enjoy the new stuff until my Christmas cards are complete. I guess I know how I'm spending my Saturday!

Have a great weekend!

Wendy

I've got a deal for you!

2009-12-02T06:49:00.002-05:00

With Christmas quickly approaching, it seems everyone is on the lookout for great deals. Well, I have one for you!

Beginning at 9:00 a.m. (MT) and lasting through December 17 (or while supplies last), Close To My Heart is offering lots of items at rock bottom prices. Items are anywhere from 50% - 80% off regular retail pricing. There are My Acrylix(r) stamp sets for $2, My Reflections paper packs for $5, and many accessories to choose from. There are also grab bags that contain $100 worth of product for only $30.

Click the Holiday Heyday flyer on the right side of this page to be directed to my website. Enjoy shopping and all the great deals you're about to receive!

Wendy

January Workshop - Jingle Mini Album

2009-12-01T21:20:00.008-05:00

Join me for the January Workshop where we will be creating the Jingle Mini Album. I used the My Creations All-Sorts Mini Album along with a Level 2 Jingle Paper Pack. (I even had left over paper for other things!)

Email me at wfording@aol.com for more information

Memorable Gift Idea - Photo Cube

2009-12-01T20:44:00.006-05:00

For a quick and easy gift, try the Close To My Heart My Creations Cube. For this cube I used 1/4 of a Level 2 Sweet Home Paper Pack and the My Creations Cube. I added a calendar to one side of mine along with pictures of my family. Inside I've added chocolate! It'll look great sitting on my desk at work.

Email me if you are interested in supplies and directions. If you place an order with me for supplies and are interested in the calendars, I'll throw those in for free!

Wow, it's December...

2009-12-01T18:28:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure where the year has gone! It seems like just yesterday we were putting away the Christmas decorations and saying we were glad the holidays were over so that we could relax. Well, this past weekend we put up the Christmas decorations and have begun to fill up the holiday schedule.

I'm hoping the the rest of this holiday season is less stressful than the Thanksgiving holiday. My grandparents were sick with the flu and I had an uncle admitted to the hospital for some serious health issues. We're beginning a new month so I'm determined to make it much better than the last one ended!

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday. Happy Birthday Jan!

Happy Holidays,
Wendy