The Road Home (Layout #49)

This layout was started at my Twitterpated workshop a week or so ago, and I was able to add my pictures and journaling this past weekend.

One thing I love about Close To My Heart's how-to guides is that they are so easy to personalize! I did not have the photo sizes that the guide recommended, but I love how MY photos turned out.

When you journal (you do journal, right?), do you include as many of the 5Ws as possible? (You know, the who, what, when, where, and why!) I love the scenery at the end of our road and pulling down our driveway. There truly is no place like home!

Do you ever go beyond the photos and tell more? I hope that is what I've done here. As almost an afterthought, I was able to add some journaling about how our road is named for the girls' great-grandmother. I'm glad I've recorded that little bit of history for future generations, even if I didn't tell the entire story. Hmm, sounds like I might have to create another layout...

Sometimes the story for the layout comes first, and then the pictures follow. What a great way to preserve our family's history and memories!

Venting (with a Hilarious P.S.)

How was your day? Do NOT read on if you want to be uplifted. LOL (Although there is a true funny at the end!)

Mine began with a student telling my co-teacher to "screw this crap." Yep, out of the mouths of babes (or at least 11-year-olds)! Needless to say, we did not have the pleasure of his company for the rest of the day. I am so proud of Ms. Martin for not rearranging his face! ;) (I might think those thoughts from time to time, but I sure don't say them!)

The rest of the day was quite pleasant.

We got our school pictures back the other day, and the portrait of one of our kids is the absolute funniest thing I have EVER seen! I so wish I could show it to you!!!!!!!! If you can stop by my classroom, I will be happy to show it to you. I am thinking about buying a package for posterity's sake. It is so funny! His eyes are wide open like "Oh no!!!! Caught!" We also got the 2nd funniest photo ever: this one kid looks like he is so totally up to no good. These are their self portraits, you know. ROFLOL

P.S.
I got this from another teacher today: Earlier today, one of my students came up to me with a very serious look on her face... she asked me "What happens to the papers that go in the recycling bin? Do they use them to make NEW trees?" I tried my best to give a serious answer, although it was quite difficult.

Welcome to the Neighborhood

This simple little circle card uses the November stamp of the month, Around the Block. Don't you love the windows and doors of this stamp set? I have seen so many cute ideas that I can't wait to share with you.

On this one, I stamped the door on Bamboo card stock in Cocoa ink and then cut it out. Isn't the Bamboo bitty brad the perfect door nob? Gold or Antique Copper would have also been lovely. For the windows, I stamped them directly onto the card base, but then also stamped them onto the Twilight B&T paper which I then cut out and adhered (paper piecing technique). I think it's funny how this stamp set can end up making house "faces."

Remember, this stamp set is only available this month, for $22.95, at a discount, or even free depending on your order amount. Make yours home sweet home!

Home Sweet Home Workshop

Preserve your Sweet Home or other memories at the scrapbooking portion of this month's workshop featuring the Sweet Home paper pack, the exclusive B-size Enjoy the Journey stamp set, and the Mini-Medley White Daisy My Accents collection. You'll be able to create two layouts beginning 1:00 and/or a set of cards at 3:00 on Saturday, 11/21. These cards are perfect for just about any occasion!


Your workshop options include:
Budget kit: Level 2 Sweet Home paper pack and Mini-Medley White Daisy My Accents collection for $20.90*
Basic kit: All of the above plus the exclusive Enjoy the Journey stamp set AND a full-color six-page workshop guide at the discounted price of $29.95 (retail value $35.85)*
Best kit: the Basic Kit PLUS a set of Top Coats Framed In transparent overlays and Designer Ribbon Rounds Buttercup collection for $42.85*


Please preorder your kit by 11/10 to attend the workshop on 11/21. The Basic and Best kits qualify you to purchase the November stamp of the month, Around the Block, for 25% off. You can attend either workshop to create one layout for $5 or one set of cards for $5 without a kit purchase.


*Prices are before shipping/handling and tax.

Card Giveaway WINNER!!!!

Congrats to JOY for winning the card from the Blogtoberfest card giveaway! Email me the deets and I will get it mailed out ASAP (or whenever you prefer). Congrats!!!!

~ StAmPaGaNzA TiMe!!! ~

Stamp lovers rejoice! Close To My Heart and I are making it easy to build your stamp collection! Cardmakers and scrapbookers alike will love this opportunity to earn free stamps during our November campaign. From November 3–30, 2009, purchase any two stamp sets (sizes A, B, C, D, and/or E only) at full retail price will receive a third stamp set of your choice FREE (of equal or lesser value for your entire order)—a savings of up to $22.95!

Dates: The campaign runs November 3–30, 2009.
Details: Shipping/handling apply. Stamp sets available for FREE include:
A, B, C, and D-size sets only. E-size, customizable (K), Stamp of the Month, and Art & Soul® sets are not available as the free set. Stamp sets that count toward the qualifying purchase include full-priced A, B, C, D, and E-size sets only. Stamps that do not qualify toward a qualifying purchase include Stamp of the Month, Art & Soul, Workshops on the Go™, and customized (K) stamps.

You can still earn the stamp of the month at a discount or even free, but the stamp of the month is not included in the Stampaganza special offer.

Halloween Highlights

How was your Halloween? Ours was wet and cold!

We enjoyed the "Fright Night" dance performance put on by a local dance company (not ours). The kids were really good, though some of their style dancing was not what I would prefer. They did well and definitely fit the zombie, fright night theme!

We hit the town square for a bit of drizzly trick-or-treating but didn't make it all the way around before the girls were cold and ready to go. They certainly got enough loot to last a long time though!

Here are close ups of my beautiful princess and scary vampire.

(She also had a beautiful princess costume but really wanted to be a vampire instead. What can you do but let kids be kids, right?)

Now for possibly the scariest costume of all: your teacher! LOL

(The girls had set up their own photo shoot so I had to get in on the fun!)

We hope you had a safe and happy Halloween!

Blog Award!

Thank you, Sarah, for nominating me!

The rules are this: I need to pass this award on to five people, post on their blog to let them know I left this award, and then I need to answer a list of questions in ONE word. Fun!

1. Where is your cell phone? purse

2. Your hair? messy

3. Your mother? wonderful

4. Your father? ditto

5. Your favorite food? Italian

6. Your dream last night? Uhmmm?

7. Your favorite drink? tea

8. Your dream/goal? doctorate

9. What room are you in? playroom

10. Your hobby? scrapbooking (Duh!)

11. Your fear? tragedy

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? here

13. Where were you last night? home

14. Something that you aren't? unhappy

15. Muffins? Yum!

16. Wish list item? CraftCuttingSystem How's that for one word? ;)

17. Where did you grow up? FloridaGeorgia

18. Last thing you did? ate

19. What are you wearing? pjs

20. Your TV? On (grrr)

21. Your Pets? underfoot

22. Friends? some

23. Your life? BUSY

24. Your mood? content

25. Missing Someone? nephews

26. vehicle? "bus"

27. Something your not wearing? bra

28. Your favorite store? Ingles? (That's where our $$ goes!)

29. Your favorite color? not orange

30. When was the last time you laughed? yesterday

31. Last time you cried? ??

32. Your best friend? Mom

33. One place that I go to over and over? Work!
34. Facebook? yes

35. Favorite place to eat? out

Now I have to pass this on to 5 people - hard to narrow it down to 5 because there are so many blogs that inspire me daily! Sarah, I'm sending this one right back at you!

1. My Mom

2. Tresa

3. Helen

4. Karen

5. Aaron

Whew! If I didn't pick you it's not because I don't love you! LOL

November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

Welcome to the November Close To My Heart stamp of the month blog hop!
You can start hopping right here to see a bunch heartwarming artwork with the "Around the Block" stamp set. (If you're already hopping, then you should have come here from Deb's blog. Scroll down to find the next stop.)

As soon as I saw all the stamps in this set to create your own houses, I thought about the verse that I put on this card. (I simply typed the verse the size I wanted and then printed it out on the lighter side of a piece of B&T paper from the Grace collection.) I had a lot of fun paper-piecing the various elements of this card to give them depth and dimension. (I love my CTMH micro-tip scissors for this kind of teeny tiny work!)

I used my markers to color the curtains and my blending pen for the cloud, the windows themselves, and the flowers in the flower box. I used the Grace paper pack plus Bamboo cardstock for the actual house, but threw in some Sweet Leaf paper from the Emporium pack for the "topiaries" by the door. (Thanks, Karen P., for idea! See how the cloud stamp was turned on its side?)

Isn't the bitty brad the cutest little door knob? Don't you just want to knock and see who's home? I also embellished the sentiment piece with a few more brads (regular and bitty size).

I can't wait to create a layout about our house, so be looking for that in the near future. This set is also going to be cute to scrapbook the girls' dollhouse and all the fun they have playing with it.

Now, before you hop "Around to the Block" to our next stop, Kimberly's blog, please leave me a comment to let me know who visited my "home" on the 'net. Thanks!

If for some reason you get lost on the hop (missing links or whatever) come back and click HERE for the complete list. You should be able to tell where you've visited and be able to find your spot again. Thanks for hoppin' and hangin' with us!

Remember, each month you can purchase the stamp of the month outright for only $22.95, create your own discount*, or even earn it FREE! Let me know if you need to "hook up" with a CTMH consultant.

*Spend $25 for a 25% discount, $50 for a 50% discount, $75 for a 75% discount, or earn the stamp of the month free with a $100 purchase.

**BlOgToBeRfEsT bLoG cAnDy: CaRd GiVeAwAy**

You've already seen this card (if you've been visiting my blog this month), but I have decided to offer it as a giveaway. I will mail it to the recipient of your choosing with your personal message inside. The stamped sentiment reads:
anything is possible. the power is already inside you.

Hopefully this post will stay at the top until the end of the month. Scroll down for my daily ramblings, I mean postings. Thanks!

How can you win? Just leave me a comment saying something to the effect that you want to be entered to win or that you know someone who really needs this card. You have until midnight 10/31 to enter, and I will pick a random winner on the 1st and announce it here no later than 11/2. If you're the winner, I'll ask you to contact me privately with the recipient's info, the message, etc. Good luck!

My Stamp Inventory Notebook

My husband says that I have a problem. Actually, an addiction. He says that I am addicted to Close To My Heart stamps. I beg to differ. It is not an addiction. I don't care if this first step is admittance. It is not an addiction.

I did realize that I had a problem, though, when I couldn't exactly remember every image of every stamp that I own. I think it may be my advancing age. It certainly wouldn't be because I own too many stamps.

Since CTMH's stamps are clear now and require such little space to store, I do not have them all "on display" like I did with my wood-mounted stamps long ago. I am such a visual person, and out of sight is literally out of mind.

I thought and thought and brainstormed and brainstormed on this little problem and decided that I needed a stamp inventory notebook. I have some cheap-o photo albums for a certain supercenter chain near you that is supposed to hold photos. I have painstakingly cut out images of the stamps that I own from my old catalogs. GASP! I know! I cut up a few old catalogs! I do have intact versions of these same old catalogs.

If the image was small enough, I just slipped it into the binder. Some images were larger so I have to cut them into pieces and paste onto a 4x6 piece of old patterned paper in that set's color.

Now what do I mean by that stamp set's color? Each CTMH stamp set has a colored sheet in the front of the plastic envelope that indicates which category that stamp belongs to. I store my stamp sets alphabetically in color groups. Hey, that's what works for me.

Here are the categories:

Alphabet Fonts: Indian Corn Blue

Sentiments: Blush

Frames, Tags and Borders: Lilac Mist

Spring: Buttercup

Summer: Golden Ember

Autumn: Olive

Winter: Desert Sand

Celebration: Amethyst

Everyday Life: Crystal Blue

Animals, Outdoors and Travel: Topiary

Oh, yeah! One more detail: I created the tabs for my binder by cutting out cardstock to fit that I stamped with a file folder stamp and then labeled with the appropriate category.

Do you see the "R" on each of these? Well, these stamps are retired but I still love them.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Quote of the Week/Scrapbook Challenge

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars. ~Martin Luther

The natural world around us is so inspiring to me. Both of these pictures were taken from my classroom this week. I know, rough isn't it? How bad could a day at the "office" be when you can look out at this scenery? (Winter can be a bit blah, but the mountains are interesting no matter what the weather.)

I challenge you to find a handful of pictures that go well with this quote and use them (photos & quote) on a scrapbook layout. If you complete the challenge and post your layout online, link to it here in the comments, okay?