Sunday, September 22, 2013

CTMH My Creations Bracket Frame

I think that I mentioned that I am teaching paper crafting at the Main Line Night School this fall.  This is the CTMH My Creations Bracket Frame that we will be making on the class scheduled for November 9, 2013.

In this class, we are going the be reviewing how to cover chipboard, making paper flowers, making burlap flowers and how to place embellishments for the most visual impact.  The frame is covered with CTMH Victory and features cuts from the Art Philosophy and Artiste Cricut Cartridges.  This class promises to be a great class and the students will have a handmade gift for the Holidays!

If you are in the Philadelphia PA area, visit the Main Line Night School area and sign up for this great class!  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Announcing My Second Annual Operation Smile Crop!

The time has come to let everyone know about my 2nd annual Operation Smile Crop!  Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 26, 2013!  We will again be holding the event at The Church of St. John in Lower Merion, PA.  The cost of the event is $30 for a full day of cropping, fun, food, fellowship and most importantly, a chance to contribute to a worthy cause...  Operation Smile.

Operation Smile is an organize that travels around the world providing free surgery for individuals effected by facial deformities.  It only takes $240 to change a child's life!  The proceeds from the entrance fee, along with monies raised from varied raffles and other fund raisers will be donated to the organization.

 
We had a terrific time last year and raised enough money to help 2 children.  This year, we want to help even more! 
 
 
So, if you live in the Philadelphia PA area, contact me for registration information.  Space is limited so contact me soon.  It promises to be a great event!  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Close To My Heart National Stamping Month

I haven't had a chance yet to share just that the CTMH National Stamping Month promotion is adorable.  It contains 3 D sized stamps sets and you can get it for only $10 if you spend $50 on product on my website.  What a deal!  And, what makes it even better is one stamp set is cute little images, one set are wonderful sentiments usable for both scrapbooks or cards and the third is a very usable alphabet. 

This is a card I made today using one of the sentiments and one of the images...

I think it is a nice simple card that speaks volumes.  It is a tent fold card in black with white mats that have been embossed with my Cuttlebug.  The flowers were stamped with Black Archival Ink, colored with the CTMH alcohol markers, cut out and popped up to create motion.  I love the sentiment.  :o)


I just think that this campaign is terrific and with all the goodies in the Idea Book, how can you go wrong?  Don't forget to check out my website to get your own CTMH National Stamping Month Stamp Set.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

CTMH Designed Decor Frame

One of the things that I love about Close To My Heart is the product diversity.  There are all those pretty patterned papers, wonderful white core card stock, the stamps, the embellishments and now, a full line of Home Décor Items.  These Home Décor items are designed to work up easily using your paper crafting skills.  One of my favorite in the new Idea Book is the Designed Décor Frame Kit.

What a value it is!  For $35.95 (plus s/h and tax) you receive a large frame with chicken wire embedded in it, a stamp set, 33 die cut shapes, mini clothes pins, bakers twine and all the instructions you need to complete a great gift or decoration for your home.

 
 
I made this as a memento from my Convention trip to Disney World.  Several of us took one of the evenings and headed out to Magic Kingdom.  What a great time we had.  The die cut shapes and stamp set were perfect for this fun outing.
 
 


Another great feature of the Designer Frame Kit is that there are plenty of die cuts and embellishments, that you can change out the design when you like.  I added a special touch to mine and using Velcro, attached a piece of CTMH Fabric from the Chantilly line (Z1819.)  By using the Velcro, I'll even be about to change that when I like.  I used some left over fabric to make that cute flower in the top corner too. 

While the Décor Frame might seem like it is a difficult thing to make, it really isn't!  Look closely, the stamping is done using all of the regular techniques I often talk about....the use of threes and working in triangles.  If you need a unique gift, especially with the Holidays coming or just want something fun, do consider making a Décor Frame.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Monday, September 9, 2013

CTMH Huntington...Joyful Stars Blog Hop

Hi Everyone.  It's time for the Joyful Stars Blog Hop.  I really love participating in the hop.  This month, our theme is anything fall.  Huntington is one of the new CTMH paper packets and it so versatile.  Last month, I used it for a heritage layout and this month I'm using it to help us get ready for Thanksgiving.  I often think that in today's world, Thanksgiving gets forgotten.  Believe it or not, as a floral designer at Michaels, I've already started making Christmas decorations.  Yup...what I have made for fall is all that there is going to be.  So, I thought I should pay a little attention to this wonderful family holiday.

If you've arrived here from Helen's Blog you are on the right track.  Without further ado, here is my project...

I wanted to do something that we get everyone ready for a great dinner.  Huntington (X7174B) and the Perfect Fit - Thanksgiving (B1427) are perfect for the Dinner Invitation, Napkin Ring and Place Card.

 
The card is an 8 x 3 1/2 inch card.  BTW - I love this size.  Did you realize they fit into a business envelope?  The sketch comes from the Originals "how to" book.
 
The napkin ring uses the CTMH burlap ribbon for the flower and the actual ring around the napkin.  Love our burlap ribbon!

 
Last but not least is the place card.  I made the leaves by cutting them on the Cricut using Artbooking.  I then sponged them with Goldrush, Autumn Terracotta and Barn Red Pigment Inks and heat embossed with clear powder.  I repeated the process to give the almost enameled look.

Well, I hope you are enjoying the Joyful Stars Blog Hop.  It's time to head over to Elizabeth's Blog to see what she has created for us.  Thanks for hopping by and For Now, Happy Crafting!

CTMH Baby Cakes

Working an odd schedule today but I did want to get a quick post done before I head off to work.  I love CTMH's new paper called Baby Cakes (G1068.)  I used it to make that 8 x 8 album I posted a few days ago and wanted to use a few of the left over "scraps" to make a card.
 
 
CTMH is now making stamps called "Mini's."  This baby carriage(M1027) is one of them.  They are terrific because they only cost $2.95!  I colored it using my CTMH Alcohol Markers.  Just a reminder, don't throw away those "tiggles" from an overlay on the Artbooking cartridge.  The Sorbet zig zags are left overs from the baby book.

Well, it's off to work I go.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

CTMH Frosted Card Workshop On The Go

Can I begin to tell you what a wonderful deal the Close To My Heart Card Workshop on the Go (WTOG) for the Frosted paper packet (G1063)?  First off, Frosted is absolutely beautiful.  It is shades of blues, grays, champagnes with coordinating colors of Olive, Ruby, Cocoa and Kraft.  In you kit, you receive a "D" size stamp set (WOW), sparkles, pattern paper, card stock, 15 card blanks, bakers twine and the great instructions.  There is so much more in the kit than past years and the best part is the price has been reduced to $24.99!!!

You get plenty of supplies to complete at least 15 cards and here is one of them...

This is a terrific card that works up very quickly.  It features a great technique called second generation stamping.  You ink the trees and stamp on scrap paper.  Using the ink remaining on the stamp, you stamp on the actual mat.  Then you re-ink the stamp and stamp directly onto the paper over the previously stamped image.  See how that creates the illusion that there are trees in the background?

The stamp set included in the kit are so usable that I wanted to create other cards to show off the versatility of the set.  The first card features a Cocoa card base.  For a twist, I've added Slate and the Silver Shimmer Trim (Z1799.)  An unexpected combination.

 
This card is an features Ponderosa Pine instead of the CTMH suggested Olive.  Ponderosa Pine is a blue shaded green and I really like how it works with the blue grays of Frosted.  I've added just a touch of Ruby Shimmer Tape and Baker's Twine for fun.  By the way, the holly in the upper corner is from one of my favorite Holiday Stamps called "To You and Yours" (B1403.)  The leaves have been colored with my CTMH markers.


 
I am really pleased with the CTMH Frosted Card workshop.  Stop by my website to check it out further and see what you can create.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

CTMH Artbooking, Baby Cakes and Kraft Album

Can I tell you how much I love the new Artbooking Cricut Cartridge???  :o)  I've mentioned that I was working on several major projects and I am here today to share one with you.

I just finished an 8 x 8 Kraft Album (Z1871) with a Baby Girl Theme.  I used the new paper packet called "Baby Cakes" (X7173B).  I will tell you that it is an odd color pallet, but is just so perfect.  Artbooking Cricket cartridge is mind blowing for working on scrapbook albums.  These is just so much...  images, a beautiful font, overlays and you can even cut out the actual pages to fit into the 8 x 8 album. Everything in this book is Close To My Heart, but I did use some retired stamps.  There is so much in it that I am just going to let you look and enjoy...






 



 
I've got to say that I really had fun putting this book together.  Artbooking is going to revolutionize scrapbooking.  :o)  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Monday, September 2, 2013

CTMH Laughing Lola Scrapbook Layout

Happy Labor Day!  Where did the summer go???  Well, I certainly been busy "laboring" on all kinds of creating.  Since my last check in I've created several cards, a couple new Layouts and even finished a Baby Book using the new Artbooking Cartridge.  Here I'm going to share one of the Layouts I completed using Laughing Lola.  This layout is for one of the projects that we will be creating at the Creative Scrapbooking class that I'll be teaching at the Main Line Night School later this month.
Laughing Lola (X7170B) is an adorable, playful paper packet that features bright colors.  It is perfect for so many types of projects.  Since this Layout was completed as a class project, we didn't do any stamping, but rather, used the Laughing Lola Complements Dimensional Elements (X7170C.)  I don't often use these embellishments, but I realized just how perfectly they coordinate with the papers and how simply and quickly a Layout goes together using them!  CTMH really does make it "faster, simpler, easier" to complete a terrific looking layout.

The class that we will be making this layout is called "Creative Scrapbooking" and it is being sponsored by the Main Line Night School in Radnor PA.  It is a two week class and we will be reviewing basic scrapbooking principles and techniques.  Visit the School's website for more information about the school.  Main Line has been sponsoring classes since 1938 and I am tickled to be an instructor with them. 

BTW, I realize that I owe a stamp give away.  I've not forgotten and will announce the winner soon.  Now it is back to creating and later off to work.  Yes, I must work on Labor Day.  For Now, Happy Crafting!