HOPpiness Is...

...COUSINS!

You may remember my plea a while back for help with a trampoline layout title. (Thanks for all the responses and help!) It hit me while walking my dog one evening: HOPpiness is...

Remember those cartoons from the '70s? Oh sure you do! That really summed up the kids playing together and then laughing out loud about the photos later.

Life is good!

Close To My Heart supplies:

The Works alphabet, It's a Party!, and Dream Big (incentive stamps) stamp sets

It's a Guy Thing paper pack

New England Ivy, Cocoa, Desert Sand, Olive, and Barn Red inks

Olive and Cocoa markers

Antique Copper brads

Imagine "Supporting Cast" sketch

Happy anniversary!

Today Logan and I are celebrating our 14th anniversary! Where did the time go? I must have been a mere child when I met him 18 years ago. It's been a lot of love and laughs (and of course a few required bumps in the road), but we've made it this far. I look forward to many happy returns of the day. (I must love you, honey!)



Feeling a little deja vu? The card I made for him is very similar to the one I made for my parents, but I used a different "Color Me Monday" combo. The Creme Brulee looks more peach here than it does IRL. Imagine the creamy Creme Brulee from the sample palette instead, okay?

Close To My Heart supplies:
Playful Flourishes, Say It In Style, Free Spirit, and Memory Labels stamp sets
Juniper, Creme Brulee, and Cocoa inks

Brown Bag marker
Colonial White card stock, Perfect Day paper pack
Antique Copper Bigger Brad
Creme Brulee Designer Ribbon Rounds
round sponge
Wishes "Circle Collection" 5"x7" sketch

So Sketchy Sunday #16, 17, AND 18

My friend Mary keeps cranking out the cutest card sketches!

Since I was way behind, I decided it was time to get all caught up. Her sketches are posted first, followed by a photo of my trio.

The first card (SSS16, on the top left) I made as a 3"x3". I just love those little suckers! They are the perfect size to attach to a gift (or just to brighten someone's day).

The second card (SSS17, my top right) is a bit of an odd size (4"x5"), but that's what I cut from my scrap of Twilight cardstock. Works for me!!!

The final card measures 8"x3.5". When Close To My Heart introduce this size, I thought this was odd, but they fit perfectly into a business envelope (and who doesn't have those lying around?). They also work well to hold a gift certificate or CASH, and who doesn't like that? :)

In case you're wondering, this trio is another sneak peek at the August stamp of the month, "It's Your Day."

I hope you have a happy day today, whatever you're doing!

All supplies from Close To My Heart:

It's Your Day stamp set (available Aug. 1-31, 2009)

Tinkerin' paper pack and Holiday Red cardstock scrap

Twilight, Clover Meadow, Sunny Yellow, Sunflower, and Holiday Red inks

red sparkles (retired)

white ricrac

Holiday Red organdy ribbon (retired)

staples

Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad!

My parents are celebrating their 41st wedding anniversary today! How lucky am I to have these role models, mentors, and parents? (If you find this date's blog post last year, you'll find a wedding photo of the lovely couple.) If you'd like to know more about my great parents or would like to wish them a happy anniversary yourself, click on over to the Traveling Bells. Life is definitely an adventure! They've worked hard and loved each other unconditionally to make it. Here's to many, many more!

Here's a peek at the card I made them. My color inspiration was from Jeanette Lynton's "Color Me Monday" combo.

Close To My Heart supplies:

Playful Flourishes, Say It In Style, Free Spirit, Memory Labels, and The Works alphabet stamp sets

Juniper, Bamboo, and Desert Sand inks

Vanilla Cream card stock, Desert Sand Fleurs des Jardins paper (retired), Perfect Day paper pack, Bamboo textured cardstock

Antique Copper Bigger Brad

Colonial White twill

round sponge

Wishes "Circle Collection" 5"x7" sketch

Happy birthday, America!

God bless America!

As you celebrate the Fourth of July today, take time to remember the principles on which our great country was founded and the men and women who have fought for our freedom. Freedom is not free!

We enjoyed the local fireworks show in town last night and are headed to a cookout at my sister's. The party is normally here so this year's move will be a nice change. Celebrate your independence!

Supplies (Don't forget to decorate the inside of your card, too!):

July Word Puzzle stamp set

Colonial White and Holiday Red cardstock

Holiday Red and Outdoor Denim ink

Versamark ink, white embossing powder, and heat tool

Outdoor Denim twill, Colonial White crocheted ribbon, and red sparkle (retired)

Wishes "All Stacked Up" sketch (3"x6" card)

American Girl

...dolls, that is! A few Christmases ago, Grammie and Grumps surprised the girls with their very own American Girl Dolls (Felicity and Nellie). Talk about some happy girls!!! Since then, their other grandma has added to their collection with some eBay specials. Macey is now the proud owner of an "American Boy" doll too.

One Saturday before school got out, the girls decided to set up a photo shoot with their dolls. Their imaginations astound me! Check out the backdrops, poses, etc.

Notice William "surfing" on one of my Longaberger basket lids, then later "diving" into the "water."

He even found a lovely "mermaid" (aka Nellie in a Build-A-Bear costume).

Finally, here they all are, along with MY, um, antique Apricot Blossom (Strawberry Shortcake doll from my childhood), one of their Cabbage Patch kids, and a porcelain doll.

Their next set up was a trip to the farm.

The grand finale is from Sleeping Beauty (Ansley's favorite movie as a little girl!): Prince William waking Sleeping Nellie with a kiss, and the fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merriwether looking along with two "peasant" girls.

I love being the mom of two girls. Please let them stay little a little longer!!!

July Stamp of the Month Swap Art

Did you enjoy yesterday's stamp of the month blog hop? I sure did!

I am so amazed by all the talented artists in the papercrafting world!!!

Speaking of talented artists, here are my monthly swappers' submissions. We all used the Moon Doggie paper pack (colors are Cranberry, Indian Corn Blue, Garden Green, and Desert Sand). Aren't these ladies wonderful?!? The first card, by Debra Van Patten, is a 5"x7" based on the "Medallion" sketch from Wishes. She used the "puddle pad" technique on the focal image. Drop reinkers onto felt to create your own rainbow pad. Cool!

The second card is a 6"x6", also from Wishes, called "Keep it Level," created by Katy Donaldson. Don't you love her attention to detail inside and out?

Kelly Hammonds created this 12"x12" layout (based on the Cherish "Pleasing Paradigm" sketch). I love how she used the stamped images as photo corners. So clever! She also used the color ready alphabets for her lettering, and she was able to color them with Honey ink to match her layout.

Laura Bohall made these two great cards.

Misty Blankenship combined multipe images on this gorgeous tropical card. Isn't it amazing how her colors are so different from the other combos, yet they all come from the same collection? I love the versatility and variety Close To My Heart offers.

Melinda Everitt created this beautiful bookmark. Wouldn't this make a great gift for a special bookworm?

As always, thanks for stopping by!

July Stamp of the Month BLOG HOP

Welcome to another Close To My Heart Stamp of the Month BLOG HOP! (If you came from Nona's site, you're hopping right along. If you want to start at the beginning, go to Jena's site, or just keep hopping from here- link below).

The "You've Got Flair" stamp of the month features seven lacy, Victorian outline images plus the title sentiment. I used the Moon Doggie paper pack for both of my cards. The first one follows the Wishes "Geometric" sketch. I used my Cranberry and Bamboo markers and my waterbrush with Indian Corn Blue ink to color in the focal image. There's a Cranberry brad in the very center. Then I went back w/the Cranberry marker and colored in a few tiny shapes on the background.

When I looked closely at this set, I started to see snowflakes. What do you think? Christmas in July? This sentiment comes from the Holiday Joy stamp set. I also used the Moon Doggie papers, but it doesn't look the least bit tropical now. Can you see the tiny sparkle on the dark snowflake? The scan does not do it justice.

Thanks for stopping by. Now hop on over to see what Misty has up her sleeve! Also, come back here tomorrow to see what my talented swappers created this month with "You've Got Flair," the July stamp of the month. If you don't already have a consultant and would like to get this stamp set for yourself, visit my CTMH website. Thanks!

Also, if you've ever thought about getting your own discount on CTMH products, think about signing up as a consultant this month. There's a fab "signing bonus" this month. More details to come...

Finally, here is a list of all the bloggers in this hop, and in case you're finding us later in the month or year, these links should take you directly to their July stamp of the month posts.

Jena Devries
Wendy Kessler
Sherry Thompson
Dawn Heuft
Brae Montgomery
Melissa Laverty
Karen Norman
Deb Young
Adeline E Brill
Tammy Lea Pinchard
Jen Rubio
Cibele Glazer
Laurie R Newton
Kami Welter
Helen Onulak
Sarita Schraeder
Chris Shouse
Paige Dolecki
Dawn Ross
Jamia Bankhead
Nona Davenport
Haley Dyer
Misty Jackson
Jennifer Patrick
Carla Ironside
Jody Gustafson
Heather Painchaud
Julia Menssen
Lori Miller
Pamela O'Connor
Reba Poquette
Anne Beck
Shallon Pelletier
Caren Goldsein
Jan Moxey
Kristie Horness-Herdener
Alanna Moses
Leslie Markland
Barbara Otten
Traci Godbee
Jill Lucas
Amy McVey
Laurie Levnik

Final "Deal of the Day" TODAY!

You won't believe today's final Close To My Heart "Deal of the Day!" To see what it is, click on over to my CTMH website...

Hunting Island State Park

We went camping last week to one of our favorite places, Hunting Island State Park. (Feel free to click on the link to learn more about it in case I don't beat the subject to death in this post.) We love it because the campground is right on the beach, and the 200 sites are very shady. Even though that's a lot of sites, the beach is never really crowded. It's a great place for nature lovers, but there's not a lot to do (other than swim, sun bathe, and enjoy the great outdoors).

The only major drawback (IMHO) is the darn mosquitos! They will just about carry you away if you're not careful, and since our little one is allergic to them, we didn't spend much time around the campfire.

For the first several years we visited, the lighthouse was closed for repairs, but in '07 it was open again. We enjoyed the 167-step climb to the top with Grammie & Grumps this year (who camped in the site across from us in their moho).

The interior cast-iron stairs are just beautiful. In these two photos, I'm looking up. Notice the steel reinforcements that have been added to the original stairs.

In the second photo, you can see the iron rings that support the landings of each segment of the lighthouse.

(My beach photos did not turn out well but hopefully with some editing I'll be able t post them later this week.)

Wishes Card Class Sunday

Here's a peek at one of the cards we'll be making Sunday at my "Wishes" card class. This particular card uses the June stamp of the month, Tender Tags, and the Moon Doggie paper pack. This sketch can be found on p. 119.

We'll start at 2:00. Hope you can make it!

More Presents

Grammie & Grumps brought the girls these beautiful necklaces back from Ravenna, Italy. They are actually mosaics, so click on the photos to see the intricate work. They are just beautiful!