Hello June!

Wow, June already!
This year is just speeding by! I hope you are getting to do, and create everything you want to do and create.
I'm certainly creating, though not as much as I would wish to. There just never seems to be enough time. So my focus is turning to quick projects, cards mostly. One can never seem to have enough cards on hand for all sorts of occasions. Watch this space for some ideas for quick to make cards, and quick to make batches of cards, using paper packs.

Meanwhile, this morning, before I head off to work, I wanted to make a quick post to let you know about the new June Stamp of the Month, Ice Cream Dream, and the June promotion, Summer Crush.

Ice Cream Dream is such a cute stamp set! I have been so looking forward to it! It's great for coloring in with the Shin Han Twin Touch alcohol markers, or with Watercolor Pencils. And that saying... Love it! I'm looking forward to sharing the cards I am making with this and the Blossom paper. 

The Summer Crush promotion is a great way to preserve those summer travels. When you purchase any My Crush® book and its accompanying assortment, you'll get the coordinating stamp set, FREE! My Crush books are great for capturing memories in a more casual way, or for taking them along with you.

As always, you can order these items through your Close to My Heart consultant. And if you do not have a consultant, then just follow this link to my OBA. If you have any questions, leave a comment below and I will get right back to you.

May is National Scrapbooking Month!

May is National Scrap-booking Month.

As you know, I haven't been actively scrapping. This month’s Stamp Of The Month (Just Sayin') is designed for scrap-booking, so I felt I should create a photo layout.

 
I needed some inspiration, so I took a Blog Hop tour. If you've never been on a blog hop, they are a great way to be inspired! (the way it works is you start with one blog, and it will link you to the next one in the hop. And they are all using the same stamp or papers for that "hop"). Here’s where I usually start: If you Bling It.   

I also love to blog hop to see how others are using the stamp set. They’ll look at the same stamps in TOTALLY different ways! For example; I had never thought of flipping the stamp over and sticking it ‘design side’ to the acrylic block. (though it was a totally “duh” moment as soon as I read it). You’ll get the same shape as a stamp, without the design… a couple of the bloggers did that in their designs. BRILLIANT! And not something you can do with wood-block stamps. And of course, it only works with symmetrical stamps (like many of the shapes in this stamp set). I love new techniques!

This month's stamp set: These are not only great images for photo layouts. They are great on cards, adding a little extra to a set of pocket pages, gift bags, all those little things that we paper crafters come up with. As every month, the Stamp of the Month set is $17.95 or $5 with a $50 purchase. 

Anyway, you're probably wanting to see the full pictures of my project... and here I have been keeping you waiting. Well, I got SO much inspiration, I created a photo layout page with leftover Blossom paper from the pages I worked on before. Then I made a card, definitely getting inspiration from several of the cards I saw along the blog hop (thank you ladies!). I used my Cricut to cut out a slew of 1 inch triangles and 1 inch circles, and then stamped them up using Pear, Honey, and Smoothie Exclusive Inks. I ended up using some of the circles on the photo layout, and the triangles on the card. (I have a bunch of each left, still un-stamped, for other projects).

Once I started stamping elements to use on this layout, I really went crazy, I stamped all of them in several colors and then chose the one that I liked best. I have lots left that I can use on other projects.

Something I saw done on one layout (by Angela White of www.luvz2scrapbook.com) was to use the Liquid Glass over the stamped elements to make your own enamel look pieces for your layouts. Angela had made quite a few for her page, and it was really stunning. The other idea I saw was on jd designs blog, to use the 1 inch clear epoxy done stickers (that are meant for finishing off DIY bottlecap embellishments) on the circles to make your own "flair". Either way it's done, they look great! I recommend a to visit their blogs!

After I was done with my photo layout, I was still full of ideas from the Blog Hop, so I went ahead and made this card:

I purposely left the exact sentiment of the card blank. It could be a birthday, baby congrats, thank you, promotion, graduation, anything. I used the "This Day" stamp from the February SOTM "Choose Happy", but there are many small sayings in the catalog that would fit.

Here's a complete list of the materials used in the projects above:

Both:

May SoTM  - Just Sayin' S1505 - $17.95 (or $5 with a $50 order)

Exclusive Inks, Pear, Honey, Smoothie - $5.95 each

Daisy White Cardstock 1388 - $9.50 (24 sheet pack)

Sequin embellishments - Coral Reef- Z3042 - $3.95

Marvey Uchida Journaling Pen Z1979 - $3.25

'You & Me' Scrap-book Layout:

Blossom Paper pack - X7196 - $9.95

Kraft Cardstock Z1375 - $9.50 (24 sheet pack)

Han Shin Touch Alcohol Marker - Sap Green - Z2463 - $5.95

'This Day' Card:

Pear Cardstock - X5935 $14.50 (Adventure Paper pack - 2 ea of 10 colors)

Gold Shimmer Trim - Z1985 - $4.95

Pick up your own Stamp of the Month for only $17.95 OR get it for only $5 with a $50 purchase! Be sure to contact your Close To My Heart Independent Consultant before the end of May.  If you don't already have a consultant, I'd love to be yours.  You can find details on the "Stamp of the Month" by clicking on the "Stamp of the Month" at top of the page on the right or purchase your SOTM here. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Coming up next will be The Taste of Summer papers - a very Special Paper pack only being offered by CTMH this month! They are perfect for creating layouts to memorialize those sweet summer memories. Or to create some bright and cheerful cards to send off to make someone's day!



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My First Scrap-booking Workshop.... Blossom!

I have to say, I had forgotten how tough it can be to work on scrap-book layouts. I haven't worked on my scrap-books in... years. Yep, my photos are piling up, badly. I'm grateful for my digital camera, because now they can pile up on my external hard drive. Let's put it this way, the last time I worked diligently on my scrap-book... that popular company... you know the one I mean... was still under it's original ownership... Yeah... it's been a Lonnnnng time.

So, I've been sort of putting off doing any layouts since I joined Close to My Heart. Just working on cards, loving the My Acrylix stamps and all the gorgeous papers.  And maybe I could have bought one of the scrap-booking Workshops on the Go and dipped my toe in the water that way, or I could have tried out someone else's layout packages. But noooo, I decided to dive into the deep end, grab a paper packet, the complements for said paper pack, some coordinating sequins, my pencil, graph paper.. and go for it. And finally, I am done. I have a bit of paper left, and will probably create two more bonus pages, and maybe some cards. Soon. But here's are the three two-page layouts I have done. I'm really pleased with the way this Workshop turned out. I hope you are too.

While the white mats are meant for photos, obviously, one or more of them could also be used for journaling the story. And you could leave them off and just put the photos there if you didn't want to mat them. It was a very new concept for me to be creating a page with the paper instead of photos as my inspiration. Please leave me a comment and tell me what you think.

Here's a list of the supplies needed, all from Close to My Heart (not including adhesive.)

My Reflections- Blossom Paper Packet #X7196B $9.95

Blossom Complements Stickers #X7196C $4.95

Coral Reef Sequin Assortment  #Z3042 $3.95

Gold Shimmer Trim #Z1985 $4.95

Marvy Uchida Journaling Pen #Z1979 $3.25

I also used a couple extra sheets of White Daisy cardstock. 24 sheets #1385 $9.50

If you don't already have a stash of this, it's well worth it to grab a pack. I promise you, you will use 

it.

I will send the instruction files and cutting guide via email to anyone who orders the workshop supplies (or any $25 order) via my CTMH Shopping site. The files include ta Welcome letter/Cover sheet, the color guide, photo suggestions, additional notes and tips to assist with the workshop completion, Color photos of each page, and the bonus layout and card instructions (that I haven't finished yet, but will photograph and include ASAP.)

Spring time and the crafting is easy.

One of the things I love about Close to My Heart is that they offer so many options. And one of the first options I fell for when I first came to know the company was their Workshops On The Go (or WOTGs in CTMH parlance). Almost every paper pack in every catalog has a WOTG associated with it. For either card-making or scrapbook pages. Sometimes both. And even if the WOTG is geared towards one, that doesn't mean that you can't switch it up and use it for the other (or both, by buying an extra set of the paper).
They come with paper, embellishments, a stamp set, a detailed cutting guide and full color instructions. What could be easier?


The new Seasonal Expressions 2 mini-catalog has an adorable card-making WOTG using their new Blossom paper. It will make 15 cards.Look at everything that comes in the workshop. And after you make the cards, you'll still have the instructions and the stamp set, so you can always order more supplies and make more cards (well, as long as there is Blossom paper).

I'll be making up these cards soon, and I will post the results soon after.