Scrap Our Stash January Challenge: Something NEW

This month the Scrap Our Stash challenge is something NEW. I had so much fun with this one! First, my daughters got NEW clothes thanks to Christmas gift cards from their uncle (to the extremely cool Abercrombie & Fitch store, no less). We hit the Dec. 26 50% off online sale (yay!), so the girls had an impromptu fashion show when their clothes came in.

The second NEW part is that my layout uses the NEW Close To My Heart Stella paper pack, the NEW Fashionista stamp set, and the NEW glitter buttons (all available 2/1).

The layout sketch is from the Stella workshop on the go and is featured on the back cover of the CTMH Spring/Summer idea book. (If you do not already have a Close To My Heart consultant and would like your own copy of the NEW idea book, let me know.) Of course I had to make the layout my own by using a few different patterns from the gorgeous Stella paper pack. I did use up some old buttons and stamped the title with the Bohemian Alphabet.

Here are a few close-ups of the details...

And the left page...

You've still got time to take the Scrap Our Stash NEW challenge for January. All products are welcome and all skill levels are encouraged to play. Visit the blog to browse the January NEW submissions and for complete details and how to submit your entry. Scrap YOUR stash!

Studio J Special Offer!

Only 10 days left for the Studio J buy 9/get 1 scrapbook layout FREE! Get YOUR photos and memories preserved. It's so easy!

Be Yourself Card

Even though this stamp set is no longer available, I love its message and the cool girly silhouettes in the set. I made it for a very special young lady, our younger daughter. She hasn't had the best week, so I wanted to give her a little something to cheer her up.

I started with a card base from my stash. (It is a top-fold card and the front is shorter than the back.) The Wonderland paper pack is perfect for this blue-loving girl! The argyle patterned paper is on the inside of the card. Can you see the silver glitz gel? Thank you, fellow H2H design team member, Allisa, for the idea! I glammed up the gal's dress with more silver glitz.

On the inside, I wrote her a message about how much we love her and how she should be herself, because "herself" is just wonderful! She was so surprised and pleased to find it on her pillow tonight as she went to bed.

Here's a picture of our sweet gal (along with our loveable mutt and the laundry basket)! She LOVES her North Face jacket. If you've read this far, then you won't mind reading the story behind it. She really, really wanted a North Face jacket for Christmas, and we kept telling her no way because they are way too expensive. Well, her terrific daddy found this one on eBay at a reasonable price after Christmas, so she got a North Face jacket after all.

Happy 2012 Cards

With our wonderful family cruise right before Christmas, I did NOT get my Christmas cards finished! (The pieces will still be good for next year though, so in a way, I'm early. LOL) Instead, I mailed out New Year's cards. ;)

The first one uses the Believe paper pack, but to make it less Christmas-y, I focused on the Sky & Holiday Red combo. I am loving light blue and red together!


Both cards use the January stamp of the month, but the second set uses a mix of winter stamps (some current, some retired) and the colors Heavenly Blue, Crystal Blue, Twilight, and Grey Wool.

Happy 2012!

H2H Challenges: Color Challenge Plus

We have a new challenge for you this week at Heart 2 Heart challenges: use the Close To My Heart colors Crystal Blue and Amethyst! Aren't they perfect for winter photos? The "plus" part of the challenge (should you choose to accept it) is to use glitter on your project too. Be sure to visit the H2H blog to see our talented Team B's creations. (This week is my first to host the H2H blog too. Yippee!!)

For my project, I used the Wonderland papers plus Amethyst card stock to make a 6"x6" layout for a My Creations display album. I used the Snow Flurries stamp set across the bottom in Crystal Blue, plus the Party Pennants set in Crystal Blue and Amethyst for the banner (with some silver Glitz Gel in between the pennants). "Snow Days" was stamped in Grey Wool with the A Typeface stamp set. I used the faux stitching technique on the Amethyst photo mat. That cute argyle strip is one of the "zip strips" on the top of CTMH's patterned paper. You've probably already noticed the NEW glitter buttons and the NEW Grey Wool baker's twine that will be available to customers beginning 2/1! How fun!

Bust out your Crystal Blue and Amethyst inks, card stock, etc., and get crafting! Step it up to the next level with some glittery bling too, and then link up to the H2H blog. You have all month to play!

CTMH Product Spotlight Blog Hop: ScRaPs!

For our January edition of the CTMH Product Spotlight blog hop, we are showing off ways to use your scraps! We all have them, so let's put them to good use. (If you're already hopping, then you should have arrived from Carol Horton's blog. Your next stop will be Nikka's blog.

A gorgeous card at Pamela's World of Scraps, which I saved to my Pinterest account, inspired my design. I loved the idea of using strips of paper as a banner, bunting, or pennants (whatever you want to call them)! For this baby boy card, I used the Wonderland paper pack and the January stamp of the month, Little Reminders. Each paper strip was cut down to be a little shorter and a little narrower than the one before it (I started with a 4"x1" piece). The strips were glued down, and then I attached my faux stitching strip- another scrap- across the top.

I hope that my card gives you some ideas of your own. Use up those scraps! Now, hop on over to Nikka's blog to see how she uses her scraps!

All supplies from CTMH: Wonderland paper pack; Little Reminders stamp set (only available Jan. 2012!); Heavenly Blue, Crystal Blue, and Twilight inks; Twilight marker; buttons; bone folder; sanding block; piercing tool

12 for 2011

Back in November, I started creating monthly highlight layouts of 2011 (which has inpsired me to get started much sooner this year and create the monthly highlight layout within the next month this year). I made them all in Studio J to save time, and I was able to finish them all before the end of 2011. They just arrived in the mail and look even better in person!

This weekend, I will be able to slip them all in an album. The title page is already made, so all I have to do to finish this album is create a closing page. Yippee!

If you'd like to learn more about my "12 for '12" project for this year, click on the tab up above.

H2H Challenges: Something NEW!

For 2012, we're shaking things up at Heart 2 Heart Challenges! First, we have not one, but TWO design teams! Each team will play every other week, but we're also welcome to play on our "off" weeks. My team starts next week, but I couldn't resist playing along with this week's SOMETHING NEW challenge! Be sure to go check out all of our new DT members and their great NEW creations.

My "something new" is the new Close To My Heart "Rock the Block" special offer (available until the end of the month). You get the cool HUGE (E-size) stamp set featured here plus an awesome tray with nine 3-D cubes. (See my sidebar for more info.) I also used a NEW color combo from the NEW CTMH Spring/Summer Idea Book (available to customers 2/1/12): Lagoon, Sunset, Tulip, Olive, and Cocoa.

I first made a square (4.25") card using the flowers from the stamp set. Those square sparkles are definitely hip!

Here's another square card to "rock the block." I used the two different background pattern stamps for the four blocks. For the center sentiment, I first stamped it in Cocoa on Colonial White and then on Lagoon. I cut out the center panel of the Lagoon piece and adhered it to the Colonial White one. Again, gotta love those square Sparkles!

For the third card, no, your eyes aren't deceiving you. The focal stamp (originally) says "Love," but I cut it out and reworked it to spell "Velo" which is French for bicycle. I made this card in honor of my brother, who has a "velo" t-shirt, and gave it to him to send to one of his cycling friends.

Now, it's your turn to break out something NEW and get crafting! Link up your project to the H2H Challenge blog so that we can all enjoy. Try something new!

Begin Anywhere

"It doesn't matter who you are, or what you do, it's never too late to start documenting the beauty of everyday life."

This Month's CTMH Specials

Close To My Heart has three great offers for you this month! First, be sure to check out the "Rock the Block" special offer. (I've got some fun "stamples" coming soon!) For only $15, you get the cool Rock the Block E-size stamp set (retail value $34.95) plus a tray filled with nine 3-D chipboard cubes. To be eligible for this special offer, you need to make a minimum $25 purchase.

Next up is the January stamp of the month, Little Reminders. This stamp set gives you 25 ways to start the new year (and can carry you throughout). You can purchase this set for $17.95, or for only $5 with a $50 minimum purchase. Yes, your Rock the Block purchase can help you reach that $50 goal too!

Finally, for you Studio J fans, purchase nine layouts this month and get the 10th free! This offer is available in any multiples of 9 & 10: Buy 18 and get two free, etc. I am so loving Studio J to get more scrapping done. Give it a try if you haven't already!

For any of these offers, go straight to my CTMH website. I will be posting my January class info soo!

Project 12: Monthly Ideas and More

Here are some ideas that might inspire you as you begin this year's "12 for 2012" project (scrapbooking each month's highlights).

Weekly Challenge #52 (from Memory Minder for 2011 Memory Logbook from Log Your Memory)
Reflection Challenge: Reflect on the past year.
Summarize the past year by choosing a central theme and then documenting month-to-month how that theme played out in your life.

Ideas to Explore...
What were you thankful for each month?
What was your biggest challenge each month?
What did you accomplish each month?
What did you learn?
What were the highlights?
Who were the important people in your life?
What are your regrets?
Consider creating a similar layout sharing your monthly hopes, plans, dreams or goals for the upcoming year.

Here's another (similar) idea:
This idea comes via the Write. Click. Scrapbook blog, quoting Tina Aszmus, who does something on her blog called, "Currents." She blogs the following things (with a bit of creative license and variation) every week or so:
•enjoying
•thinking
•eating
•drinking
•wearing
•listening to
•wanting
•weather
•feeling
•wondering

Other links to check out:
Marcy P.'s DIY "Project Life"
2011 Year-in-Review layout
Printable end-of-year time capsule (PDF to fill out)

Out with the Old (To Bring in the New)!

Out with the old and in with the new! January is the last month that the current Close To My Heart Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book is available, and here is a list of the items that will be retiring and no longer available as of 1/31/12. (Some items may sell out early, so if you see something you can't live without, grab them from my website!) You can find the complete list on the linked tab, above.

This announcement also means that a NEW- and of course EVEN BETTER- Idea Book will be available next month! I can't wait to share it with you on 2/1!