April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

The Close To My Heart April stamp of the month, My Sunshine, is absolutely perfect for the upcoming warm weather!  I love this set, and here's what we made at my scrap class on 4/28, pairing this set with the Chantille paper pack.

 This is sketch #9 from the Make It From Your Heart how-to guide.

If you've started the hop, then you probably arrived from the lovely Laila's blog, and you'll go visit my friend Adeline next.  Thanks for hopping by!

Happy Easter!

May you rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ!  Many blessings to you and yours this day and always.

Since I've been in quite the retrospective mode, I felt that Easter should be no exception.  Here are a few favorite projects from Easters past...

I can't believe how big these kids are getting!  I hope that you enjoy your Easter time this year too.

12 for '12: #12

No, we haven't turned back the calendar to Christmas (although it still feels like winter here)!  I took advantage of the recent Studio J $5 layout promotion to get some scrapping done.  This year was my second to create a monthly overview layout.  I am so glad that I began this project!  It is really neat to see the highlights (and some of the mundane, every day stuff) of each month.  Here's my December 2012 compilation:

If you haven't started your own "12 for [year]," it's certainly not too late to start one for 2012!  Just upload your favorite pictures to Studio J and get started scrapping!

Goofy Girls Layout Share

One Sunday my meeting after church ran exceedingly long, so the kids went to the car with their Dad.  (Needless to say, I was surprised that they were still there when I finished.)  While they waited, the girls decided to have fun with my camera.

The speech bubble reads, "Mom wouldn't DARE scrapbook these photos!"  Of course you know I was up to the challenge!

The layout (created in Studio J) uses an exclusive paper pack only available in Studo J.  You should open your free account and give it a try.  You can then scrapbook almost everywhere.

SOS Challenges: Sketch for 3/15

One thing that I love about Scrap Our Stash is that you can use whatever supplies that you like!  This fun blog is all about getting you motivated and scrapping.  For the first half of the month, we offer a supply/product challenge, and for the second half we have a sketch for you to try.  Here's this month's sketch:

And my interpretation:

This sketch came at the perfect time because I decided to move most of my Christmas layouts into a Christmas album, and I created the title page following the sketch.  (The photos are from 2001, our youngest's 1st Christmas; '03 or '04; and this past 2012.)  The papers are last year's Close To My Heart Christmas collection, Pear & Partridge.  Don't you love double-sided paper?  I flipped the pieces over a few times until I had a color scheme that I liked.

The ornaments were cut with the CTMH/Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  I cheated a bit in my title and used a Rusty Pickle stamp set from my stash.  If you are like me and haven't indulged in all the cool washi tape, just use patterned paper instead.

Can you believe how big the girls have gotten?  Christmas is still a wonderful time of year!  Unfortunately it's feeling more like Christmas here than spring.  If that's the case for you too, then stay inside and scrap with us.  Give this sketch a try and link it up at the SOS Challenge blog by 3/29.

 

Stamp set: Rusty Pickle

All other supplies from Close To My Heart: Pear & Partridge Workshop on the Go collection (which included the ribbon and red gems); Cocoa and New England Ivy ink; Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge; red glitter glitz gel

H2H Challenges Is So "Egg-cited" For Spring!

With Easter fast approaching and spring already here (according to the calendar but not the weather man), H2H Challenges is inviting you to create something special for this season.  Since we're going to my aunt's house for Easter dinner, I decided to make her this card:

It is a total CASE from Beth Naumann's adorable "Life Is Good" card (that of course I had saved to my Paper Crafting Pinterest board), but I used the Chantilly paper pack.  Since most of my supplies are packed up, I used a glass bowl as a block to stamp with and a piece of Chantilly chipboard for the flower center.  (The flower and banners are from the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.)

Now, we'd like for you to help us "think spring" and get "egg-cited!"  Visit the H2H blog for details and the complete story on the March Madness competition.

Update 3/19

If you've been thinking that I've been blogging less, you're absolutely right!  We are undertaking a major home remodel and are in the process of moving out of our house.  Yikes is right!

One project I've worked on is getting my scrapbook layouts organized and in albums.  I still have a long way to go, but here are my older DD's albums all boxed up.  I can't say that I'm caught up, but I've made a lot of progress!

Speaking of progress, my DH had two young fellows helping him today, so they completely moved everything out of the living room, except the necessities like the TV and internet/wifi "stuff."  Don't you like how Miss M made a pallet on the floor to enjoy her show?  (This is the view from our hallway toward the living room.)

At left (literally, from the same vantage point in the hallway) is our playroom/office area.  All the furniture is gone, but I still have lots to box up and move.  At least progress is being made.  (I think DH would have us live as if we were homeless if it were up to him!)

 

As you can see, I have little crafty time- for now.  (I do have some Studio J layouts to share soon however!)  I hope your spring will be peaceful!  I will update the blog as I can, and once we get settled in our rental I'll be able to craft again to my heart's content (when I'm not helping out on the remodel, that is).  Please keep my family in your prayers!  Thanks so much!

 

Inky hugs from me to you!

H2H Challenges "Mustache" You...

...to join us and try out the mustache trend!  At first, I thought I was going to make a layout of my older DD and her friends since she has a funny mustache necklace, but I decided that this would be better:

My husband has decided to grow out a beard and mustache!  It started as a little laziness (not shaving) but he's keeping it for now  If you watched the Oscars, you saw that several gentlemen (Ben Affleck comes to mind) are sporting some facial growth.  (Our older DD says it looks like a dead squirrel, but the younger DD likes it.)  He's threatening to go all Duck Dynasty on us, which I could not handle! 

I uploaded my digital photos to Studio J and created this layout of some recent photos.  I was able to take advantage of the $5 layout special, but if you missed it, layouts are only $6.95 regularly priced.  It's hard to print your pictures (especially with larger photos like the left page) for that price, much less create a scrapbook page!

I used some brackets as my "mustaches."  Now it's your turn.  Get trendy and show us your mustache creations!  We won't shave this challenge for later!  You have until 3/31 to play along with any of this month's H2H challenges.

SOS 1st March Challenge: Get Krafty!

Scrap Our Stash will have two challenges each month, and you can play along with either one (or both) until the 29th of the month. The first challenge will be a supply challenge (posted on the first) encouraging you to use a particular category of your stash. The second challenge (revealed on the 15th) will be a sketch challenge. We want to help challenge and inspire you to scrap your stash. All products and skill levels are welcome!

The March supply challenge is to Kraft it up! Use Kraft products (paper, embellishments, etc.) on 50% (or more) of your layout AND add at least 3 metal embellishments. I'm not sure if I have enough Kraft on my layout, but I love how it turned out.

This is our firstborn fur baby (1994-2007) in the late '90s. He was such a good boy! I really dug into my boxes of old photos and my scrappy stash! I started with the "Personality Presence" sketch from Imagine. I used Black and White Daisy card stock, plus (retired) textured Desert Sand card stock and Mischief patterned paper. I also used some Milestone corrugated shapes and (retired) color ready Kraft borders. My metal pieces came from two different pewter embellishment collections. I stamped my title with the (retired) Rustic alphabet stamp set. (All supplies are from Close To My Heart.)

Thanks for taking a peek at my layout and letting me share my "baby" with you. RIP KoKo!

Now it's your turn to get Krafty at SOS!

Go Green with Heart 2 Heart Challenges!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day (which will be here before you know it), Heart 2 Heart Challenges is encouraging you to Go GREEN!  Yes, we know that you can interpret that as a color challenge OR as a recycling/upcyling/repurposing kind of challenge too.  Interpret it how you like, but remember to use some Close To My Heart products in whatever you create.

In the spirit of going green, I do not have a new project for you but am instead sharing a few "oldies but goodies" that you might have missed the first time or around (or that you just might enjoy again- I know that I sure am).  Also, we are about to undergo a major home remodel and are in the process of boxing up our house to move out so I don't have any crafty time right now.  I hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane as much as I did!


Can you tell that I love the color green? If you have questions about any of the projects, feel free to ask in the comments and I'll get back to you! 

If you haven't already seen what our fabulous Design Team made, be sure to go check them out on the H2H blog!  You can link up your project(s) there and take part in some March Madness too!

Hello Tweety Card

Here's a sweet card I made with my new Hello Tweety stamp set and scraps from the For Always paper pack. It's a sketch from the Make It From Your Heart how-to guide.   I kept it pretty CAS to show off that gorgeous bird cage.  I like how the wires of the cage look with the chevron paper.

The current Moxie Fab World card challenge is chevrons, so I had to join the flock.

TGIF!

All supplies from Close To My Heart: Hello Tweety stamp set; For Always paper pack; Black and Lagoon inks; Blue sparkle

H2H Challenges: Spring Forward!

With Daylight Savings time approaching, we're springing forward at Heart 2 Heart Challenges!  (If your area participates in Daylight Savings time, be sure to set your clocks ahead this Saturday, 3/10, and change those smoke alarm batteries too.)

My card isn't very "spring-y," but I went with a clock/miss you theme.  I had fun playing with my new Cricut Artiste cartridge and my new Hello Tweety stamp set.  I used the For Always paper pack, Slate and Ruby inks, and a pretty little Licorice gem.  The clock and roman numeral border were cut with the Artiste.

Be sure to check out our March Madness this month, too!  If you want to play along with any of our March challenge but don't have a blog or a CTMH consultant, let me know, and I'll be happy to feature you here.  (You can find my contact info at right in my profile.)

If the H2H DT hasn't already inspired you, go to the H2H blog, check them out, and then link up your Spring Forward project.