Europe 2016: Day 7, Berlin

On our epic European adventure, we took an excursion into the city of Berlin.  I would have loved to have been able to spend more time there but am grateful for being able to see a few of the most important sites.

We bused into Berlin from our port and had a bus tour before we stopped in the center of town to take a walking tour. 

Can you tell that I used the Something Fierce collection for these Berlin pages?  Not a single dinosaur in sight...

We also had a little free time, so we did try currywurst.  I used a flip flap to journal about it.  (Not our favorite, but when in Berlin...)

Next are our photos of the Wall and the Holocaust Memorial.

I felt that it was important to keep this pages solemn and somber to focus on the photos and remember the history. 

More Europe 2016 Layouts: Day 6 (Copenhagen)

If you're new to the blog, the back story is that we were able to go to Europe for a month during the summer of 2016.  I am diligently working on getting my photos (finally) scrapbooked.  I was on a roll for a while and am excited to get back on track.  (You can follow my progress- and more importantly our trip- using the Europe 2016 tab, above).

On our final day in Copenhagen, my cousin dropped us off to wander Nyhavn ("New Harbor," established in the 17th century).  I paired these pictures with the (retired but still available on my website) Central Park collection. 

I used a flip-flap to be able to include all of my photos plus the all-important journaling about what we saw.

I've always had a love of churches and cathedrals and our visit included walking by the Russian Orthodox Church and the English Church.

This layout also uses the Central Park collection.

We had such a great time and took so many pictures during our six days with my cousin in Denmark that my layouts have filled an entire album!  Here's my closing page, a tribute to the iconic Danish Little Mermaid (with my adorable "mermaids").

Thanks for traveling along with us!  If you'd like to enjoy our trip, be sure to click on the Europe 2016 tab, above.  It is definitely a work in progress!

H2H Challenges: 18th Birthday

My gorgeous niece turned 18 today, and here is the easel card that I made for her.  I hope that she likes it!  I think this card fits the current Heart 2 Heart challenge, Creative cards!

I began with my  CTMH/You Are Here cartidge to cut the birthday border and the #18 from the From the Heart collection.

 I used my gold shimmer brush to highlight the cupcake.

The interior card sentiment "happy birthday" was stamped with Sapphire ink.

Won't you join me in wishing my sweet niece a very happy birthday?!?

Something Fierce Paper Collection Blog Hop

Have you had a chance to browse the new Seasonal Expressions 1 for 2019?  If so then I'm sure our gorgeous paper collections have jumped out at you!  This month we are spotlighting the Something Fierce collection, so hop around to see some great project ideas.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Carol's blog, and from here you'll visit Debi's blog next.)

With its cute dinosaurs, this collection is fabulous for kids' projects, but I wanted to also show that it works for "big kids" too, like some of my high school senior's band pictures.  (You can read more about this layout HERE.)

Of course it was perfect for my cousin's first birthday, paired with the Year of Sweetness stamp set.  (Learn more HERE.)

Finally, here's another fun birthday card using the January stamp of the month, Card Captions, and that adorable dinosaur paper.  (Learn more HERE.)

Thanks for letting me share a few of my Something Fierce projects.  Please leave a comment before you hop on off to Debi's blog.  Thank you!

Tag, You're It! {CTMH Technique Blog Hop}

Tag, You're It!  Tags are so fun to use alone or layered onto a project.  You're going to love seeing all the possibilities along this month's CTMH Technique Blog Hop.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably already arrived from Michelle Johns' blog and you'll visit Debi McBain next.)

This layout is the title page for volume 2 of our epic European adventure in 2016.  (Yes, I am way behind on scrapbooking, and I am okay with that.  Don't judge. LOL)  I used the So Much Happy Workshop Your Way collection and my CTMH/Cricut You Are Here cartridge.

The top left tag is from the You Are Here stamps.  After cutting out the tag, I stamped the image on it with Lagoon.  Then I stamped the image again in Sapphire on scrap and cut out the "vacation" band.  The other tag is from the So Much Happy collection.

My photo mat is another tag from You Are Here, as is the yellow label and the "here we go" sentiment (stamped with Candy Apple ink).  Can you see all the adorable So Much Happy puffy stickers?  Aren't those clouds cute too?

Thank you for letting my share a little bit more of our trip and my girls, plus hopefully I've provided some tag inspiration.  After leaving a comment, hop on over to Debi's blog next!

Seasonal Expressions 1 2019 New Product Blog Hop

Have you gotten your hands on the new Close To My Heart Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book?  Better yet, have you gotten your new goodies to play with?  We're featuring our favorites from the new collections on this blog hop.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Melinda's blog.  From here, you'll visit Gina's blog next.)

The Something Fierce collection isn't just for little kids!  I used it to showcase some of my daughter's marching band pictures, and I love how they look with this color palette.

My layout design is based on the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 3 Pattern 18.  (I am planning on having my daughter write her own journaling since this layout is going in her senior year album.)

In addition to the Something Fierce complements, I added some gray gems for a little subtle bling.

Here are two cards I've made with the Something Fierce collection:

You definitely feel the dinosaur jive with this birthday card featuring the January stamp of the month, Card Captions.  (Learn more HERE.)

My second card uses the Year of Sweetness stamp set and was given to my cousin for his first birthday.  (Learn more HERE.)

Thank you very much for letting me share some ideas with the Something Fierce collection.  Believe it or not, it's not even my favorite collection of this Idea Book!  I am really looking forward to playing with the other papers featured this quarter also.  Be sure to visit all of the bloggers on this hop for lots of inspiration.  Please leave a comment before going to visit GINA'S BLOG next.

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

Years of Sweetness First Birthday Card

My cousin Ben turned ONE last month, so I created this card with the Years of Sweetness stamp set and Something Fierce paper collection.

The card is based on a pattern from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4.  After cutting out the cupcake image from the CTMH/Cricut Artbooking cartridge, I stamped it with Lemon, Carolina, and Willow.  The sentiment is Carolina.  Here's a peek at the inside (before personalizing it).

I think he liked his card (and he even toted it around for a bit)!  Isn't he adorable?

Here are some more ideas from the CTMH Corporate Artwork Staff.

Isn't this set cute for boys or girls? 

Short Story Mini Album

Close To My Heart has partnered with Stacy Julian to create Story by Stacy, which now features 3 different kinds (sizes) of mini albums and a worksheet to help you make them.  Story Starter is 4"x4",  Short Story albums are 6"x6", and the newest addition, Stories I Love, is 6"x8".  (You can learn more about each one HERE.)  Below is my Black & White Short Story right out of the packaging. 

I knew exactly what I wanted to make so I did not use the worksheet.  My husband's mom made him this poster of pictures for his 50th birthday, and I have been wanting to convert them into a mini album.

I pulled the pictures off and cut out her journaling to include as much as I could.  Here are the results:

Each pair is a 6"x6" left and right page.  I did make the effort to pull a few more childhood photos to include his dad and his brother in his album.

School photos and young adult shenanigans

Dating and early married life

Here come the girls!

I went ahead and added a family photo from this year since I had extra and needed one more page.  I probably should have found a photo from his 50th birthday, but I didn't go to the trouble when this beauty was already sitting on my craft table.  The final page is a photo of the poster itself and a quick note about how his mom had made the poster and then I had turned it into an album.

I am really looking forward to my next one!  I might actually follow the directions on the next one...

January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Card Captions

Happy 2019!  Close To My Heart is kicking off the year with a lovely January stamp of the month, Card Captions (and of course the brand new Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea book!).  You are going to want to use this stamp set all year long!  Hop along this blog hop to get some great ideas and inspiration.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Darlys's blog.  From here, you'll visit Gina next.)

Each month I participate in a stamp of the month swap with my CTMH team, and this month we paired Card Captions with the new Something Fierce collection.  I used my CTMH/Cricut Artistry cartridge to cut the present for this cute little birthday card.  I stamped the sentiment in Bluebird and the dots in Carolina (on a Carolina card stock base).

Didn't my team do a lovely job with these cards?  My favorite might be the one with the cup of soup packet (bottom right).  Unfortunately, I'm not sure which consultant made which card, so please let me know if I have shared yours here!

Pretty in pink and with Thin Cuts

Fun birthday cards

Don't you love all these sentiments?

Thank you for hopping by here in the new year. I would love a comment before you head on off to Gina's blog.  Happy hopping!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}