CTMH July Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Isn't the Happy Forever stamp set absolutely adorable? For this month only, four precious hedgehogs, three sentiments, a tiny butterfly, and a sweet little heart are waiting for you! If you'd like to see some amazing artwork using this stamp set, join me in this month's blog hop. (If you came here from Michelle Loncar's blog then you're already hopping along. The next stop will be Wanda's! It's a circular hop featuring about 70 different Close To My Heart consultants, so hop on and off until you work your way through.)

This card is extra special to me because it is made in honor of my friend Melinda. (We taught French together when we were beginning teachers many moons ago, so I had to share some herisson- or hedgehog- love with her!) Melinda's a 40-year-old mom of two precious little girls and is going through a really hard time right now. Please say a prayer for her and her family as she fights cancer for the 2nd time! (You can read her story HERE.)

To create this little darling, I placed the three hedgehog stamps and the butterfly along the bottom of the card front, then picked them up with my block, inked them in Chocolate ink, and stamped them all at once. Easy peasy!

Next, I used my CTMH chalks and my favorite applicator, Q-tips, to color the scene. Coloring with chalk is so incredibly easy! Just keep your chalk eraser at hand in case you get a little crazy and too much chalk goes where you don't want it. It cleans up easily.

Finally, I finished the card with two bands of Zippidee patterned paper across the top, and then added the sentiment on a piece of torn Cranberry card stock (also from the Zippidee paper pack). A knot of Colonial White ribbon finished up this card.

Thanks for hopping by! Go check out the rest of the hop by clicking to Wanda's blog next.

Passages Birthday Layout

When I planned this past Sunday's scrapbook class, I knew the Passages paper pack would be perfect for pictures of Dad and/or travel, which is how I planned to use my layout. While flipping through my photos, however, I came across the pictures from my birthday this year and decided that they were a great match. Sorry, Dad! (I am very excited to have a layout about my extended family and me! They are such a part of my life, and I feel so fortunate to have them live near me.)

This layout sketch is called "Jazzy Combination," and it's from Close To My Heart's Imagine how-to guide. Since I pre-cut all the papers for the class participants, our layouts went together in a snap.

All supplies from Close To My Heart: Passages paper pack; Live Inspired, Lifetime*, Today's Date, and Extreme Caps stamp sets; Cocoa, Brown Bag, Barn Red, Desert Sand, and Olive inks; Cocoa marker; journaling pens; Marks Passages epoxy clips; Metal brads

*The Lifetime stamp set is only available in the Passages Workshop on the Go kit (until August 31, 2010).

Shades of Green & Sketch 70 Challenge Card

The challenge today over at 365 Cards (day 120) is to create something using three shades of green. Mmmm do I love greens (most shades anyway)! I remembered that Jeanette Lynton had posted a Color Me Monday combo with greens in it, and I found this gorgeous inspiration: Ponderosa Pine, Topiary, Sweet Leaf, and Colonial White.

When I saw this week's sketch (Sketch 70) over at Card Patterns, I knew that I had to make something with it, so I combined these two challenges. The great part was that I used up several scraps, plus tried out a new (to me at least) technique, homemade glimmer mist. Here's a close-up of what I created:

The shimmery mist was easy to make. Fill any small spray bottle (I bought Mist-It Ultra Fine Mist Sprayers) about 75%-90% full of ispopryl rubbing alcohol. Then add Create-A-Shade Pearl Paint and shake well. Finally, mist this gorgeous spray onto your projects. (You can also add reinker to color your spray. Ooh la la!)

CTMH Supplies: D1306 Treasure Life stamp set; Ponderosa Pine & Colonial White card stock; Stardust paper pack scraps (Topiary polka dots); Emporium paper pack scraps (Sweet Leaf floral pattern); Ponderosa Pine, Topiary, and Sweet Leaf inks; Create-A-Shade Pearl Paint (for shimmery mist); Basic craft buttons; Sweet Leaf designer ribbon rounds; Z1094 embroidery floss (Topiary)

P.S. I forgot to mention that I cut the background scalloped matte with my Pazzles.

Quote of the Week Plus a View from My Garden

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be."

~Anne Frank

My Creations Binder Princess Album & Matching Card

All school year, I participated in a "secret pal" exchange with the other fifth grade teachers. I was thrilled to be giving (secretly of course) to Kelly, who was Ansley's 5th grade teacher and mom to two darling little girls.

As part of our end-of-the-year final gift and reveal, I made this My Creations 3-Ring Binder scrapbook album (below) with a matching card.

Can you see the Glitz Glue sparkling on the title frame?

Don't you think the Daydream paper pack is perfect for the mom of two little princesses?

(Feel free to click on any image to view larger.)

You can see the flip-flaps I added in between the tabbed pages to allow for more pictures. I just cut paper, folded it in half, and then adhered it to the sticky part of the flip-flap. Three holes and it's ready to go in the album!


Just Blooms paper flowers, attached with glitter brads, added a sweet touch throughout the album.

(All supplies from Close To My Heart; let me know if you have any questions about any of the materials or any other aspect of this project. Thanks for looking!)

May they all live happily ever after (and enjoy some of their memories in this little scrapbook)!

H2H Color Challenge: Buttercup, Tulip, & Black

When I have time, there's nothing I love more than a paper craft challenge. (You'll find several "challenge" blogs on my sidebar at right.) One of my favorite challenge sites is the Heart 2 Heart blog.

This week's challenge is to use the following Close To My Heart colors to create something new. Because my Creme Brulee and Tulip Just Blooms were already out on my table, I switched the Buttercup to Creme Brulee and used one of my favorite Wishes patterns, "Inner Court," to create this circle card.

All supplies from Close To My Heart: Black card stock; Veranda and Jingle paper packs; Nature's Ambience rub-ons; Just Blooms Spring Blossoms and White Daisy; black Zippidee Fancy Fuzz; black large brad; Sparkle

X-Treme Card

{Final Guest Post for a while}

D1432 X-Treme stamp set by Corinna McGregor, using the Zippidee paper pack

Rock on!

Fun "Critter" Cards!

Since coming home from our vacation, I have been creating a few new projects of my own, but I still have a few guest artist creations to post. (Also, I am still learning how to use my new laptop so that is making it take a bit longer to post my own creations also.)

Clockwise from top left:

B1350 Family Ties- Pets top-fold 4"x4" card by Carrie Haines

B1353 A Little Buzz standard top-fold card by Sharon Ivanaukas

D1435 Howdy 6"x6" layout by Shelly Allen

A1108 A Flitter 3"x3" side-fold card by Corinna McGregor

Cherry-O Cheer

{Guest Artists Post}

Here's a little cheer with the Cherry-O paper pack. Have a happy day!

Top: C1406 Hit The Spot with E1014 Posterboard Alphabet by Cyndi Jennings



Bottom: C1414 Little Princess by Kara Johnson


Don't forget to check out each day's Jackpot June special!

Longaberger Specials Saturday through Monday ONLY

{This post will remain at the top until Monday. Scroll down for more...}

Just click HERE to take advantage of some terrific savings!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day today to all the fathers of the world who have taken the time and made the effort to be a DAD! My girls and I are so blessed. Their Daddy lives for them, and it shows!

At left, Daddy and the girls visit Mickey's house in Toon Town at the Magic Kingdome. Below, he's loving on Ms. Pat, who's known him since he was a wee boy. (It was great visiting with her last week!)

The day wouldn't be complete without mentioning another special dad, MINE! I am so appreciative of all that he did for us growing up, from building character to being there to travel and so much more. Here he is last week teaching the grandkids how to play our favorite card game, gin rummy. (He probably doesn't appreciate me mentioning beating him and a friend at rummy when I was only five, but that just goes to show what a good teacher he is!)

Happy Father's Day, Daddy and Grumps! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

Father's Day Inspiration/More June Stamp of the Month

Here are this month's fabulous card swap with the June stamp of the month, Wonderful Friend. We all used the Passages paper pack and the June stamp of the month. If you haven't made a Father's Day card yet, it's not too late! Maybe one of these will serve as inspiration.

Clockwise from top left:

My Hero by Pam Berry; Dad by Tonya Stone; Pocketwatch by Chris Hill; Tie by Taralyn

Top to bottom:

Greatest Treasures by Carla Ramirez; Dad's Ties by Bridget Mahler; Dad by Camy Eisentrager

Thankful Thursday

We are home from a wonderful vacation, and here are a few things that I am so thankful right now:

• Our Chase Disney Visa (the points we've been earning and hoarding paid for our trip to Walt Disney World!)
• Family (especially my Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Don, my cousin Scott and his family, my cousin Beth and her family, my cousin Debby and her family, and my Aunt Ginny)
• Spending time with family near and far
• My mother-in-law for all that she did at my house while we were gone (What a surprise to come home to!)
• Safety (We made it there & back)
• The freedoms we enjoy to be able to travel where we want when we want

I've been doing laundry all day and also went to the grocery store to stock back up. Even though we were in the camper, most of our fresh stuff was gone, and I hadn't planned meals for the rest of this week/weekend. (Tonight we're trying Paula Deen's Creamy Macaroni & Cheese, the first I've ever made from "scratch!")

My new lap top arrived (Yippee!), so I am not sure when I will get photos uploaded to post from our trip. Though I'm thrilled to have it, it is HUGE and so is the learning curve. Be sure to check back if you want to see them!

Cherry-O Projects

{More Guest Artists}

Left: Luggage Tag by Melissa Foltz (B1352 Ms. Scrapbook stamp set)



Right: Waterfall Card by Penny Kentosh (B1348 Bowl of Cherries, ONLY available in the Cherry-O Workshop to Go kit)

*Just Blooms* Blog Hop

Just Blooms paper flowers are one of my favorite Close To My Heart products! They can add a feminine touch to anything, and they come in several different collections. Join me on a blog hop to see some of the fun things you can do with these inexpensive and versatile embellishments. (If you're here from Lori's blog, welcome and keep hopping along. If you're starting here, hop to the next blog- link at the end- and then keep hopping until you get back here.)


Though what's inside this box will have to wait for a future post, the box itself was so fun (and easy) to make! I began with a common jewelry box and then covered the top with nested squares from the Emporium paper pack. I stacked 6 Just Blooms paper flowers on top of each other and then held them together with a pewter brad. The cute butterfly even came from the Just Blooms pack. I pushed it into Buttercup ink to color it and then used a Cocoa marker to set off the body.

Now hop on over to Tracey's blog to see her creation! Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Birthday, Ansley!

Our big girl turns 12 today!!! We're celebrating at the beach and with family tonight. We love you, honey girl!

Where's Waldo?

Or in our case, where are the "Griswolds?" Here's a hint (or two):

These lovely cards are courtesy of Laurie Varner (Ticket to Ride stamp set, Zippidee paper pack and more from the Zippidee Workshop on the Go) and Dawn Ross (Thrill Ride stamp set and Zippidee paper pack).

M - I - C...

See you real soon!

In The Month Of... Stamp Sets/Artwork

{Another Guest Artist Post} Each of these standard-size cards begins with the Splendor paper pack and each features a different "In The Month Of..." stamp set. Left to right:

C1415 In The Month Of May by Carrie Hammond



C1416 In The Month of June by Sylvia Jacquot



C1417 In The Month of July by Joanne Coleman


When you pull the bottom section, here is what you see. This technique is known as a "waterfall card." Try googling that for instructions.

Finally, C1418 In The Month of August by Joanne Coleman