The Road to Peace of Mind or Escape?

Coolest New Toy!!!

2012-01-15T14:37:00.000-08:00

I can now make my own thermally bound books of any size up to 15"X15" and 4" thick!!!! It's amazing!!! I just create pages I want, slide them into the spine of the cover I created, heat, and it's done! No rings, no stitching, no accordion folding. Just a book, like all those ordered through online photo sites.

Here's the first one that I by covering chipboard rectangles:

This next one is a 4X4 book and I used cardstock for the covers. It's not as study but at least as sturdy as a small spiral notebook you by at the store.

These will be wonderful for small additions for tucking into gift bags and then there is the whole realm of possibilities or themed photo albums or scrapbooks as gifts and to archive the heritage information I am working on. Whole books with all the information in nice, clean binds. :) Oh, and reports......but who wants to think about reports????

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

2012-01-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

I love Michael! He turns 52 today and I gave him several gifts including this perpetual calendar and a card (other gifts were no handmade.... :)) Here is the perpetual calendar I made. Turned out to be pretty easy to do and my wonderful friend Tracey and each made one in an afternoon. We got the idea from the Close to My Heart consultant website.

This uses a 12X12 chipboard base, Mischief papers, and various letters and alphabets. Isn't it cute? I was just surprised how fast it actually went together!

For Michael's card, I used a Mojo Monday sketch. He favorite color is purple so I tried to use purple with a masculine twist:

BIG Happy Birthday to my Love!

Paper Trail Blog Hop featuring Wonderland paper

2012-01-01T21:07:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year and welcome to 2012! If you got here from Karen's Inky Fingers blog, you have already been treated to the fabulous paper featured this month. For January, our little blog hop is featuring Close to My Heart's Wonderland paper, for an elegant "wintery" feel using neutral grays, soothing blues, toasty browns, and accented with light trendy lavender. These are thank you cards for the students and friends who gifted me for Christmas so each is a small notecard. I seem to be making lots of little notecards these days.

For more beautiful work featuring the Wonderland papers, continue to hop over to Vicki's Wizard Hangout blog!

Merry Christmas 2011!

2011-12-24T10:20:00.001-08:00

These are quick Christmas notecards I made for some close friends. The card, background, holly leaves, and tag were all quickly cut out on my Cricut. Then it was a real quick sponge to all the edges, fast stamping on the leaves and tags, and adhesive. These were REALLY fast! While the red glitter glue dried, I had time for a shower before dashing out the door. :)

Happy Birthday, Dear Friend!

2011-12-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

One of my closest and oldest friend celebrated her 40 yesterday and I wanted to make a special card for her. The internet was my life saver yesterday. I found several cards/patterns I loved, pulled together some of my friend's favorite colors from the Roxie paper pack, switched on the Cricut, and turned out this card:

It was just amazing how quickly this card fell together! I finished it off with two dozen lovely roses in the same pinks used on the car on the way to the party. The whole thing just came together so easy!

Are you Dreamin' of the Paper Trail Blog Hop?

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you hopped here from Betsy's blog you are on the Paper Trail Blog Hop. We "dreamed" up some lovely papers and designs this month using the lovely CTMH Dreamin' paper theme. Dreamin' has wonderful warm tones of Goldrush, Bamboo, Chocolate, Honey, and Colonial White that are accented with crisp beginning to show signs of winter Pacifica. I looked through my photos but just couldn't find anything worthy of this gorgeous paper so turned to Jeanette Lynton's how-to card books Wishes and Originals. These cards were not only fast and easy but FUN!

This card has a flap that tucks under the bow in the front to hold it closed. I am loving doing "insides" lately so I also took photos of this card opened with the flap and without. I just love the "resist" technique with the lovely Treasure Life stamp set!

My second card is a birthday card for a dear friend. We celebrated her birthday with "just the girls" on Friday. I figured an October birthday just cries for a "fall" birthday card. This card is 6"X6" and uses CTMH's shimmer brads to add sparkle.

Are you craving more fall dreams? Grab a mug of hot cider and hop on over to Connie's blog.

Oh, BTW!!! Happy Halloween!

Just to Say Happy Halloween

2011-10-30T16:09:00.000-07:00

I made some quick, small cards to say Happy Halloween to my friends. The circle cards and square cards are 4 1/2 X 4 1/2 and the rectangle is 3 X 2. I have so much "stash" some of these little guys are using up papers and embellishments from last year. Still cute, though, and very "Halloween-y". :)

Happy Trick 'r Treating everyone!

What do you expect from Christmas papers?

2011-09-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

Are you following the Paper Trail Blog Hop from Linda's blog, I'm next! :) Are you liking Believe? Are you ready for Christmas? I really, really love Christmas. I'm just on quite ready for it, so I used the Believe papers for a summer hike layout. This layout was so much fun! I chose an interactive layout from Close to My Heart how-to book Magic. What fun this was to put together with lots of cut outs from the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. Looking for more inspiration? Continue hopping on over to Terri's blog.

I Won!!! I Won!!!! I Won!!!!

2011-09-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I won a Close to My Heart contest!!! I entered the "Make it From Your Heart" contest with a prize of $50 of product credit! Yeah!!! I'm sooo excited!!! My card will be posted on the Close to My Heart website in the contest link under Mischief! The cards were so easy, too! I sent in a lot of things and since I sent in two entries for the Mischief card category, I am not sure which one was chosen. What do you think? Which one won?

Paul and Katie 2009 doing Virginia Beach

2011-09-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

Paul and Katie sent me these photos of their visit back East in 2009 and their beautiful day on Virginia Beach. I love these pictures of them and have wanted to scrap them for a while. The wonderful Creme Brulee, Lagoon, and Sorbet in Close to My Heart's Elemental paper pack were the perfect compliment to the photos. This was one of the most fun layouts I've done in a long time. I distressed the Sorbet cardstock by crumpling it and then swiping Colonial White ink pad directly on the paper. I used some of the distressed paper for the layout pieces and then cut 1" strips for twisted paper heart. The waves are dusted with glitter, the letters are a combination of stamping and Ready to Color alphabets. Pulled out the corner rounder for the first time in what seems years, too. I was amazing how fast the whole thing went together! This will be one of my favorite layouts of all time, I'm sure!

More Mischief!

2011-09-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

The last time our granddaughters came up to Trick or Treat was in 2009. It's such a long drive for them but so worth it on a weekend since Grandpa Michael's house is in a neighborhood and there are lots of houses to visit. Isn't little Katie darling as a Tiger!!??!! But Coley was magnificent! Love that apple and her make-up and her dress and........well love it all!!! What fun! Big sister Erika decided to stay home and help pass out candy so she forgo the costume that year.

I love the new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge!!! It was so easy to do the lace for the left and right pages and the letters/title with just a push of buttons. Loved the effects of putting the lace under the cardstock and sanding to get the "cob web" look, too! All in all a very, very fun layout using the Close to My Heart Workshop on the Go papers and stamps!

Paper Trail for September

2011-08-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

For September, our little group chose Sonoma to play with. I hope you enjoyed Vicki's wonderful creativity and am glad you continued on the "Trail" to my little blog! You know how I love scrapping and when I saw this paper, Jen's wedding was the first scrapping subject that came to mind because she loves purple so much it's how I think of her, even after all these years. So, here's my take on Sonoma. I used the Work Shop On the Go kit. What a wonderful kit for heritage photos, weddings, graduations, family pages, and more!

Beautiful papers! If you want to see more, just hop over to Karen's blog!

Getting Ready for Halloween

2011-08-27T22:33:00.000-07:00

I figured I needed to get a jump on Halloween stuff before school starts because once school starts, I loose lots of scrapping time. :) More than that, I got new and exciting papers and stamps in the mail, well......you know how it is.........gotta play!!!

Here are a few cards I've made with the new Mischief papers. Does it make you wish for the cooler weather of October?

So much fun!!! Just a beginning of what's to come!!!

Finally Sent Them Off

2011-08-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

I ran behind!!! Four wonderful friends had their first babies this year. I managed to get gifts off to two of them but the other......I was slllloooowww. I finally sent them off in the mail the other day. I really hope they like the little books and matching cards!!!

I posted the one album for Olive back a bit so here is her matching card:

For the other, I sent a card done in Miracle. It's so soft and pretty!!!

I sewed on both cards to see what I liked best: machine stitching or had stitching. The result? I like both....It's worth getting my light little machine out and doing some fast borders. On the other hand, the bold, simple hand stitches really stand out.

Which do you like best????

Something Different

2011-08-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

I've had the big peacock CTMH stamp set since it was released last year. I still have lots of Cranberry cardstock and Fanfare paper left. What to do??? Create!!! I found this card box on Tresa Black's blog and decided to try to do something with this unusual combination. What do you think?

Wonderfully coordination in the new Close to My Heart Idea Book!!!!

2011-08-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

I Found Some Old Sets in my Stash You Might be Interested In!!!

2011-08-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

Close to My Heart is famous for their papers and packages that feature coordinated stamping and scrapping products. I have some fabulous retired packages that were unbelievably popular in the back of my stash I'm offering for sale to help me clear room for new, exciting Close to My Heart paper, stamps, and embellishments, including the NEW Cricut Cartridge!

For Sale:

This is the beautiful Tickled Pink package that has fabulous Designer B&T (metallic) regular B&T, Textured cardstock die-cuts that match the D size stamp set included, textured cardstock for bases and mats, White Daisy embellishments, and instructions for several layouts. What a great deal!!! Only $20 plus shipping.

Felicity was offered during a previous fall campaign. You'll love it!!!

This beautiful fall colors package include four B&T Duos die-cuts for layering and matting, 6 different full size 12X12 B&T Duos to coordinate with the die-cuts, a D-size stamp coordinating stamp set, and a flier with ideas for layouts and cards with the recipe! What a value!!! $20 plus shipping will get this fabulous package!

You can get both packages for $30 plus shipping. Please email me for payment method and details. :)

Happy Shopping!!!!

Paper Trail for August!! Old and New!

2011-07-31T19:00:00.000-07:00

How exciting!!! The new 2011 Close to My Heart Fall/Winter Idea Book is here!!! If you got here from Pam's blog you have already seen some fabulous new ideas. I had the opportunity to play in my studio before my family vacation and just love the new exciting papers, color combinations, stamps, and embellishments. Most exciting is the new exclusive Cricut/CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge! I can't wait to get mine! In the mean time, is something old: an acrylic circle card using Fanfare papers and the Cupcake Sprinkles stamp set. If you look closely at the photos, you'll see that I let the inside paper peek through the front. I love these acrylic cards because of the "windows" you can create. The second card I made uses the colors from the new Elemental papers in the new book: Desert Sand, Olive, Pacifica, and Sorbet. The new paper theme has wonderfully versatile patterned papers. Don't you just love the easy, bright colors? If you want to see more wonderful ideas, hop over to Lynne's blog!

Still Playing with my Stash

2011-07-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

With the new Idea Book and new product available tomorrow, I got a chance to play with some of my older stash to use it up and make way for the new. I have always loved Cherry-O papers and I had some embellishments and needed some Thank You cards to replenish my reserves. Here's what I came up with:

A wonderful friend of mine added a darling little girl to her family and I'm so excited to send her this mini photo album using Olivia. I started this album at a Stamping Retreat with a wonderful Close to My Heart sister, Betsy, when she visited the Pacific Northwest last March. I sure hope this little book shows off little Olive her mommy puts the pictures in. :)

Check Out This Opportunity!!!

2011-07-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

My CTMH Sister, Kelly English-Triggs is a fabulous artists and has won lots and lots of praise, contests, and awards for her work. She's running a blog candy contest if you follow her blog and I can testify that just viewing her amazing work is blog candy all by itself!!!!

Remember to stop by again on August 1 for the next Paper Trail Blog Hop. Several from our little group went to the Close to My Heart Convention and will have wonderful creations with fresh, new ideas from the CTMH 2011 Fall/Winter Idea Book. Don't forget!!! The new stuff is sooooo exciting!

I have several new Idea Books and spaces on my calendar if you are interested in a gathering, workshop, or class!

Happy Summer,
Mare

Art Philosophy Cricut® Collection

2011-07-18T06:20:00.000-07:00

This is the FABULOUS new Cricut cartridge released by ProvoCraft and Close to My Heart and available August 1! Watch for special deals! I am so excited about the great price of this package and what it includes! If like this, wait until you see the new Idea Book with all the new papers, new stamps, and great new embellishments! So much fun!!! I'm looking to put together a club to order on the regular basis and rotate hostess benefits (which can be used on the great new Art Philosophy Cricut Collection). If you are interested (whether virtually online or in person) drop me a line! Watch the short video for more details from Kristine!

July Paper Trail Blog Hop

2011-07-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

School's out! Graduations are over! Time to celebrate our nation's birth and get into summer!

Wait!!!

Those pictures from graduation? Yep, I got 'em and I scrapped them! We added Annie to our list of nieces and nephews who have passed the rites of commencement and have signed up for college. Annie is a darling graduate! I used the Fanfare papers to showcase her with family members who attended the happy event. Sadly, this is the first graduation I have missed! I'm so glad I have photos! Don't you love the red and black? Those were her high school colors! This paper is perfect.

Lynn's Fanfare blog post led you here and if you need more inspiration, check out Karen's wonderful creations! Fanfare is a wonderfully bright and cheerful color combination: reds, blues, yellows, black, and white. It's easy to use for birthdays, July 4th, summer, graduations, family reunions, children, boys, and more!

Paper Trail for June: Lucky

2011-06-02T23:33:00.000-07:00

Wow! Another month and another fabulous Close to My Heart paper package to feature. This month the Paper Trail Blog group is featuring Lucky, a wonderful combination of Outdoor Denim, Olive, softened Desert San with a pop of Sunset.

If your hopping from Betsy's blog, your on the "Trail". Please hop over to Lynne's blog for more inspiration!

Paper Trail for May: Mayberry

2011-05-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

If you got here from Betsy's blog, you are on the Paper Trail Blog Hop with all the wonderful creations from the Mayberry Close to My Heart paper pack. I did a layout of old pictures that I antiqued, again. I am so loving that feature on my computer. It's not black and white and it's not sepia. It's just softer. My pictures were taken by my daughter in-law several years ago and somehow after time and being transfered to my computer, they became grainy and fuzzy. I tried to edit the graininess and fuzziness out but wasn't very successful. Still, these pictures tell a story and they are the only pictures we have of the even. I know there is lots and lots of emphasis on PERFECT photos but what do we do with those that are not perfect, either because of time or lack of skill or lack of expensive equipment? Do we just leave them in the boxes, disks, or files? I decided this story needs to be told. Part of our family legacy is the girls visiting my sister and riding her horse. It's part of our family stories. The girls are older, the house my sister lived in for the last 15 years and housed her horse is empty, we have another granddaughter, and life has continued to move on and creating more stories. So, I antiqued and scrapped anyway. I do hope my children and grandchildren appreciate this record of the past. The girls were darling on the Jasmyn. Martha so patient. A memorable moment in our lives. Now you know my story, hop over to Erica's blog and be some more inspiration for Mayberry!

It's a Baby Girl!!!

2011-04-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

I don't get a chance to do "pink" much and so when the second grade teacher in the classroom next door to me announced she was having a baby girl, I knew the Sophia papers would be great. They were easy to work with, too! Thanks to the inspiration of Tresa Black (for the gift card holder), Kelly English-Triggs (the brag book), and the Close to My Heart small photo album, I was able to put together a nice little gift set for my friend. Hope this inspires someone!

More Wings!

2011-04-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

One of my goals this year is to use up paper before the the next Idea Book comes out. I don't mean just doing one layout of the paper theme. I want to use up as much of the package as possible!!!! So, in that spirit, here are a few things I did with the Wings paper. The banner uses lots of different techniques including using transparencies for the butter fly and folding the wings to lift off the page. The card workshop is from the book Wishes and features the February stamp of the month called Friendship. Hope you like!

National Scrapbooking Month Promotion

2011-04-05T17:26:00.000-07:00

I am soooo getting this kit!!!!! In all honesty, I wasn't overwhelmed with the first pictures but now that I've seen this video and compared it to the latest Scrapbook, Etc. magazine in the stores, I'm completely won over and jazzed! I will comb my photos for potential black and white opportunities. I am over the top with the accents added with green on the second layout shown. The focus on photos in the center of the layout are so in right now! How fast can the package arrive? Before spring break is over.........please...........

Blissful Beauty

2011-04-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you got here from Betsy's blog, you are on the Paper Trail Blog Hop. When I played with the Bliss paper set I fall in love, again this month, with new colors and new patterns and a new stamp set called Trelis. I made a couple of thank you cards for two of my co-workers who organized a fabulous fundraiser spaghetti feed for our 5th graders. They truly were incredible. Each card featured different versions/papers/colors of this cute tri-fold card I found on the internet. There are several patterns for it floating around and I couldn't decide which one/size to use so I just made up my own. :) The band/wrap slides off to reveal the message inside. I hope they like them.

I also made a cupcake gift card holder. While these take a while to put together they are so much fun!!! I can't wait to see the reaction when I give this away! It's a great way to use up some of my retired ribbon. Just pull up the cherry on top to reveal the card. Isn't the red wonderful with these soft colors of Bliss? I'm making more from different papers and colors. I'll post when I'm done. :)

This was a fun weekend!!!!

Don't you agree it's a beautiful paper set with it's light and elegant gray, beige, and chocolate? If you hop over to Karen's blog, you find more incredible inspiration for this beautiful paper.

Bring on Spring!!!

2011-03-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

I wanted to use these darling new A-Size stamp sets from the day they were delivered by my FedEx guy! I love solid stamps: so fast and so pretty! These great new stamp sets are inexpensive and my collection is growing! :)

Happy Spring!

Paper Trail for March

2011-03-03T21:44:00.000-08:00

Did you get here from Terri's great inspiration? If not, welcome to the Paper Trail blog hop. We're just a small group of friends who have a passion for Close to My Heart which we love to share.

I got Miracle last spring during a Close to My Heart special offer and now it's being offered in the Idea Book this year with even more coordinating Background and Texture papers!!! This paper can do elegant, whimsical, and casual. It's soooo versatile it can take on a bright contrast color or stand alone. What a miracle combination!!!

This month I decided to do another interactive layout. I love all the extra photos and journaling I was able to put on my pages! Hoping you are inspired:

There is still more to view, so hop over to Karen's and see more inspiration using this beautiful and easy to use Miracle!

Cards for the Heck of It!!

2011-02-02T21:13:00.000-08:00

Here are a few things I did while trying to get inspiration for the next layouts. :)

Happy spring!!!!

February Blog Hop!

2011-02-02T21:09:00.000-08:00

I know, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, from Erica's blog. LOL In my defense: being sick and leaving my camera in the car that's in the shop.......grrrrrr. I really, really did have this layout done in time.......really!!! :)

But isn't this Sweetheart paper FABULOUS!!!!! I just LOVE the red and black. I love new Level 2 embellishments and the new ribbon and well.......everything but mostly I love my girls (okay, okay, my son and his wife, too)! They all came up to stay with me and on one sunny day we went to the park near the airfield. While the girls played, the WWII planes flew overhead. Quite the show for free!!!

If you like what you've seen here, you're going to LOVE what you see on Karen's blog!!

Michael's 51st Birthday

2011-01-09T21:18:00.000-08:00

I put together this card for Michael's birthday. He favorite color is purple. How do you make a masculine purple card????? Here's my attempt. Maybe next time I'll use purple and black?

Colors: Gypsy, Lagoon, White Daisy

Focus Tools/Embellishments: Liquid Glass, Spray Pen, Sparkles

Focus Techniques: Paper Piecing, Paint brush distressing, Re-inker and paint splattering

January Paper Trail Blog Hop Featuring Wings

2011-01-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

Ring in 2011 with new papers, stamp sets, and cool tools! If you got here from Karen's blog you are on the Paper Train Blog Hop. I made this mini album for Michael for our anniversary. What a fun project! I didn't know acrylic was so easy to work with and so fun! I used the retired acrylic album that CTMH sold until last summer as well as the new Wings paper and four brand new stamp sets. I love how it came together, hope you do, too!

Now jump over to Betsy's blog to see how she used the new Wings paper!

Nice Fall Drive

2010-12-28T06:40:00.000-08:00

Michael and I took a sunny fall drive up to a tiny little town called Index on the Skykomish River in October. It was cool, crisp, and smelled of falling leaves. After Index, we went on to Leavenworth for dinner and back home. Amazing fall colors in the mountains! I think I have finally used all the older paper packs from previous years. This theme is called Twitterpatter and I used felt diecut embellishments for the first time with ribbons and chipboard buttons.

Cute Couple

2010-12-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

My son and his fiance Katie when we visited them in Spokane the summer of 2009. Michael and I spent the day with them walking around two parks. Aren't they a cute couple? This is the Grace paper from the Fall/Winter 2009 Close to My Heart Idea Book and I added New England Ivy. I also used felt cut-out embellishments that were edged in the darker complimentary ink. Hope you like.....

December Paper Trail Blog Hop

2010-11-30T21:29:00.000-08:00

Procrastination is not pretty and does not take good photos. LOL I am hobbling on a very, very sore foot and even though my project/layout for the Magnifique papers was done, I only got around to snapping the pictures tonight. If you got here from Betsy's blog, you are on the right trail! These photos were snapped on the stairs rather than getting out the light box and big fancy lights. Still, the versatility of the papers shows and I love these pictures of my mom, sister, and niece taken last Mother's Day. Another great layout for the heritage album!

You can see more fabulous Magnifque work on Terri's blog!

To each of you, best wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season and the most of the new year!

Are you a Foodie?

2010-11-13T19:25:00.000-08:00

I don't generally consider myself a foodie and I don't generally post about food on my blog but an old friend of mine (Hi Dave!) has been posting about this blog that has the most interesting recipes. Tonight he posted a recipe that he thought was so good he made it twice. I have to admit the site has some wonderful pictures and great sounding creations! Check out the Smitten Kitten. I'm off to check out the Mushroom Lasagna which sounds WONDERFUL!

Let me know if you make something from the Smitten Kitten. :)

November Paper Trail Blog Hop: Santa Baby

2010-11-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you came from Karen's blog you are on the next stop of the Paper Trail Blog Hop! Welcome!!!!!

Here's a layout using the wonderful Mistletoe My Reflections Workshop on the Go from Close to My Heart. This was such an each layout to throw together. I used one of the new layouts from Jeanette Lynton's new Magic. Although all the layouts in the book show how to make the layout interactive, the layouts can we created as traditional layouts to be inserted easily into any album. I added Cranberry velvet ribbons from last summer's Cherry-O Creative Basics paper pack but the rest of the embellishments, stamps, and papers are fresh and new in the 2010 Fall/Winter Idea Book!

For more beautiful work using Mistletoe, continue one to Erica's blog. Thanks for stopping by. Let me know if you have any questions!

Happy Halloween!!!!

2010-10-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

This card was hard to photograph because it's mono-chromatic white and black on white and black. :) I mixed glitter with black embossing powder for the main image and then I embossed the flourish with silver pearl embossing powder. The silver pearl powder creates a nice silvery image and the glitter sparkles up the main skull image. Love the new black pearls, too!!!

Stitching and Bling!

2010-10-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

Here's our little Princess in pictures taken on Mother's Day, 2010. Katie is all princess and deserves all the bling I could find! I used Close to My Heart Topstitch papers, and Love is in the Air stamp set (B1339), but decided to downplay the Chocolate and used Vineyard Berry for most of the things that were stamped in Chocolate in the Workshop on the Go layout and switched the papers to use more of the pinks than blues. I put in lots and lots of brads and bling just to show off the youngest member of our family.

Fall Seems to be for Family Gatherings and Blog Hopping

2010-10-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

If you got here from Terri's Blog, your on the right path! We're featuring Olivia this month. What lovely paper!!! If you haven't ordered your set, you need to do so soon so you can join in the fun! I used the Out of the Hat layout from the new Magic Book! What a lot of photo places! I'll apologize for the quality of the photos right up front since I can't fit this great design in my photo box. This basic layout starts out with nine photos and if you add the new Photo Flaps, you and put another 12 photos or journal spaces on your layout. My layout features photos of our family that gathers annually at Thanksgiving. This was our 2008 gathering with 26 for a sit down turkey dinner. Yep, we had more than one turkey! This is great for my heritage album! Hope you like this and get inspired yourself!!! Hop on over to Betsy's blog to see what she's done with this beautiful Olivia!

It's a Paper Trail Blog Hop!

2010-09-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog, you're at the right place if you've arrived from Betsy's blog. This month our little blog hop is focusing on the Hooligans paper packet. Isn't it darling??!!! These are quickie 3" square enclosure cards I made with leftover paper scraps from my layouts. I still have lots of paper to make another layout and more cards. The little monster stamp set is to die for, too! Thanks for stopping by! Please follow this link to Erica's blog.

http://betsygully@blogspot.com/

I did it!!!!

2010-09-12T21:08:00.000-07:00

I completed a layout in today, in one day!!! First time I've started and completed a layout in one day in years. I followed the Hooligans WOTG exactly. As a result, I have GLITTER everywhere, literally, everywhere. These pictures are of one of my all time favorite visits with Loren, Karen, and the girls: Halloween 2008. This is the last time all three girls dressed up. In 2009, Erika decided she was too old to go trick or treating. What I really love about the new WOTG package is I still have enough paper for my Halloween 2009 layout and scraps for cards!!! What a deal!

Latest and Last of the Summer Layouts

2010-09-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

I worked on these layouts that last three weeks. Seems like I finally have gotten in to the creative mode and of course school is starting.....

Using up a favorite from a past Idea Book: Notebook. This a layout of my grandmother and pictures I found recently in that box from my mom's garage a few years ago. Whew! Do these photos ever smell like old, musky, mildewing garage! So, while I started out with the Workshop On the Go for Notebook, I couldn't help changing things up and updating the look a little. This layout is a Level 3 using the B&T, stamps, My Stickease, and embellishments. It was so fun!

This next layout is from this summer when my aunt visited. I used Cherry-O and the pattern from the WOTG. I changed the papers, though. I didn't think cherries would look good with any photos I had and much as I loved the Cherry-O paper, once I got it I thought it was going to be hard to use. I did cheat and use the Cherry-O Creative Basics bulk paper. I love my mom and and aunt's white hair. I do hope I inherit that!!!

I never really liked the paper Sweet Home that came out last fall. I didn't know how I was going to use it if at all. Why did I even buy it? I probably got it free as a Hostess Reward and then just stuck it in my stash. Usually up to challenges in my studio, I pulled it out determined to use it. The WOTG used heritage/vintage photos, which I seemed to have in every box I opened this summer. The result isn't bad at all!!! I made the journaling interactive to slide out of the protector where I recorded as much information as I could about the photos. These are photos of my mom when she was young. There are a surprising few in our family that bear her resemblance now that we can look back over the years. This page looks a lot better in real life but photos in the internet are the next best things, huh?

Wow!!! Lots of pages! My albums are filling up fast!

Road Trip and Time with the Busiest Family Members

2010-08-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

My sister and I took a road trip together to see our sons who are in Eastern Washington going to school. My Paul goes to Eastern Washington University in Cheney and Martha's Mason goes to Washington State University in Pullman. Martha and I spent time together in the car on the drive over and back. She is so busy with her business and horses and life it was nice to have some uninterrupted time with her. Both Paul and Katie each have three jobs now and I can only imagine how busy they are. Mason works for the WSU tech help desk on special projects and takes care of his senior citizen dog will taking summer classes.....whew! I'm tired just thinking of all of them!!! Great kids, great trip, good memories:

No, Not Brad Pitt.......

2010-08-13T18:47:00.000-07:00

I am still scrapping and working in my studio every chance I get. I found these photos from 2006 of Erika and Coley in their new Easter dresses. Erika is now a full 13 year old that would never be caught dead in a dress her great grandmother chose. Coley wears her cheerleading outfit from sun up to sun down. I called Karen to get the story on these pictures when I found them. She never liked the dresses, either. Whether you like the dresses or not, the girls are darling! Fast forward 4 years later, I'm scrapping them into our ever growing album of family adventures and moments as well as using up lots and lots and lots and lots of brads.......yep! I punched all those holes and put in all those brads!!!! I posted on my CTMH bulletin board earlier for suggestions to use up these great embellishments because I have all the brads that CTMH has sold since I signed up over 10 years ago. Someone made the comment about Brad Pitt for a play on words that has had me laughing in my head for the last few days. Silly things that capture your attention! I finally dragged out the I Am stamp set from the Tickled Pink scrapbook kit special CTMH sold a while back. Love the flowers in the set but these are not my usual colors to work with. Just what do you do with Easter and it's pastel pallet?????

Weighs a Ton!!!!

2010-08-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

Another layout for my family heritage album. I'm not scrapping in order, just as I get the pictures and an idea in my mind, which, BTW, never ends up like I visioned it. LOL These pictures were taken at the same time as the other pictures of my grandparents in 1969. I decided to try to match the red in my aunt's coat. I actually like how this turned out but if you are looking for the "Level 1" or "Level 2" or even the "Level 3" creativity from Close to My Heart, I think these would qualify for a "Level 3". This layout is so heavy with all the stuff on it but in person, it's very pretty! Today was the HUGE sale of past Close to My Heart papers and Stickease themes/packages. This is all from the Perfect Day package, and yes, it was on sale!!!!! (I think it's sold out, too. No wonder why.)

Yesterday's Project

2010-07-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

I am slowing but surely getting through the boxes of pictures that have been collecting at my place. Here's a photo I found of my youngest niece, Susan when she was one. Is was a cutie, now she's a beauty! Of the new papers in this quarter's CTMH Idea Book, it was my least favorite. I was surprised, though, how easy it was to work with. I pulled all the small butterflies I could find, stamped them, brushed/painted over them with a watercolor brush and inker and then added foam tape under all the wings.

Now, how do I get the gummy foam adhesive from the foam tape off my scissors!!!!!????!!!!

Attitude

2010-07-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

I found this on Facebook posted by another scrapper. Doesn't it say it all????

Thanks, Susan!

When is Enough Enough???

2010-07-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

I'm done. I finally finished the layout of my grandparents house and Christmas pictures. Well, I think I am......

These were special pictures to me and when I looked at them, there were tons of stories running through me. Around the same time, I found some pictures my grandma had been carrying in her wallet. I remember the wallet but was not sure who the people were. My next step in the investigation I called my mom. She could tell me who the people where but as seems to always happen with the stories of your family, one memory lead to another and one question of "who is..." lead to another. In the end, my mom is researching more details about her parents parents parents. In the passing she did comment, "I wish I had listened more closely to the stories Aunt Gladys told when she was a live." While I'm not always entirely sure my boys are interested in the stories my mom or I can tell from our past, there is just the chance, just a small chance sometime in the future that one of my grandchildren somewhere will be interested in the stories I remember when I look at these pictures. If nothing else, it tells future generations something about their history and culture. I may be unique. I love stories of the past, I love pictures and knowing who the people are if they are related to me. I am saddened when I go to antique shops where there are buckets of old heritage photos of someone's family for sale cheap. No one knows who those people are. Who were those beautiful people? What did they do? What was life like when they lived and played? Who are their children and grandchildren? Where did they live?

This layout took forever. Maybe I think too much, as some of my scrapping friends told me over that last few days. Mostly, I think these pictures were important to me. I had a hard time just choosing the stories to tell. When I looked at the pictures I can see rooms; I smell the coffee, basement, linen, perfumes, peanuts; I hear the shoes across the carpeting and the click of them on the basement tile; I see the shadows created by the window panes in the sunlight; and more. I remember watching the birds and my grandfather putting shaving cream on me when he shaved, and more. It was hard to choose stories and harder, still to pick the words. I finally ended up with an interactive layout meaning that behind one picture are more small protectors with the journaling of just some of the memories. Will someone in the future look at them? Will they smile?

I had to take the picture of the layout in their protectors because of the way I journaled my stories. Sorry, in advance. I tried the light box but there was too much glare the colors were not as true as going outside and shooting in the sunlight. After almost two weeks, it's time to call this done and move on......

Getting in the Groove

2010-07-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a layout I did of our one leg of our trip to Scotland and England back in 2002 and some fast cards I put together for more "just because" or "hello". :)

I'm on a roll but still hampered by the photos of my grandparents. Please continue to send suggestions this way!

Need some serious color help!!!

2010-07-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

I found these old color photos of my grandparents in front of their house (1969). I am having a really hard time deciding on colors/CTMH paper pack/design/theme. Anyone out there who can help would be greatly appreciated. The main photo is a large 8"x10" portrait:

This is the 1969 Christmas card/photo my grandmother sent:

And these two are 3"x 5" landscape photos:

So, I have almost all the CTMH paper packs from the last 5-6 years and I have all the current CTMH colors. How should I showcase these? I do pretty well with black and white heritage photos but these color photos from the 50's and 60's throw me through a loop.

Please, please help!!!! :)

Special Women

2010-06-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is a favorite photo of my mom, sister, and niece taken in January 2009. These are special women!!!!

Spring/Summer Creations in Time for Convention!

2010-06-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

These are the cards I made this spring and early summer from the bulk templates in the Wishes book by Jeanette Lynton. I decided to post them as a quasi-swap for my friends who are going to the 2010 Close to My Heart Annual Convention for Consultants. Many of my friends are celebrating 15 years with the company. I'll celebrate my 15 years in less that six months. I feel like this is my "class" of consultants. :) Anyway, here are the four sets of cards I've done. I tried using up papers I have saved to make room for new stuff that will be released at Convention. Another goal of these cards was to try to use or highlight colors I haven't used in a long time or are out of my comfort box.

Hope you like!!!!

Quickies

2010-03-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

I know it was over a week ago that I shared these with my friends at school. Just wanted to share with you the fast and quick St. Patrick's Day cards I made in one night. I just punched them out for colleagues at school using Jeanette's Color Me Monday for March 1: Ponderosa Pine, Sweet Leaf, Topiary, and Colonial White.

Happy Birthday to a Couple of Guys!

2010-03-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

Michael and I joined my sister and her husband and my brother for a celebration of three spring birthdays: Wally's and Jay's in March, mine in April. We had dinner at a nice little Greek restaurant in Seattle called Lola's and enjoyed each other's company. Here are the cards I made for the two guys. They are both made from the same paper pack but I emphasized different colors each time.

Wally's:

Jay's:

Trying to keep up.....

2010-03-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

I managed to put together a layout of my oldest, Loren, marrying his wife Karen back in 2005. Their wedding was on one of the first days I was at my new school in a new district teaching a new grade level. I didn't have any leave built up, yet, so missed the blessed event. The only pictures I found were these grainy, forgotten shots taken by an unknown photographer in the Judge's Chamber where they said their "I do". But, as far as heritage albums go, this is a lucky, lucky find! Loren and Karen's kids will be happy to find this page when they look through the albums. Speaking of albums, I'm now going to start album Number 7. While that doesn't mean much to most, if you know my albums, they are jammed pack and very thick which makes them really heavy. Seven years after I started scrapping I'm up to 7 hugely packed albums that tell wonderful stories of my life, my family's life, and our heritage all the while showing how I changed as a scrapper, too. (OK, not so important as the other reasons but for me, it's been interesting to see the change.) I tried a new technique on this layout I've had in mind a long time: changing the colors of background and texture colors. This paper used Dutch Blue, Crystal Blue, Bamboo, Buttercup, and Cocoa. I wanted to use Black to tie in the pictures and the Cocoa just made the photos look dirty. I ended up cutting circles and strips, distressing them, and adhering them over the Cocoa circles and stripes. I also replaced all the small Cocoa dots with Black brads. It took a little time but it is better than the Cocoa.

Is Spring Coming?

2010-02-28T07:57:00.000-08:00

I've been on a card "kick" lately. I am still loving Jeannette Lynton's template making several cards at once from just a few pieces of paper in her Wishes book. Anyone who has been in my studio knows I have "stash". I'm one of those that wants it all but is often afraid to use something because I'll run out and then I won't have it when I need it. LOL Is that illogical hording? But, after a mild winter, its starting to feel like spring. In the stamping/scrapping world, spring means we're on the last leg of the year before all the company conventions and release of new, exciting products (and the retirement of the older products that have become the friends of many). Close to My Hearts convention is in July and I expect there will be new colors, old colors retired, new catalog format, new programs, and new uses of technology (J Studio, CTMH TV, etc.). That all means I'm trying to use up my "stash" to make room for new stuff and I'm carefully thinking what products do I want to stock up on before they are retired. Here are cards I made from the Wishes pattern using the old Cocoa Cafe Collection from a couple of years ago. I made birthday and thank you cards since I never have enough of them! It is fun to mix old with new: along with the older papers, I use new stamp sets that are in the current CTMH Idea Book. While these turned on wonderfully, I'm ready to turn my attention to scrapping.

I also needed a birthday card for a good friend at work and sympathy cards (my biggest challenge in stamping/scrapping is making sympathy cards). I used a color challenge I found on the CTMH bulletin board for the birthday card and I used more old paper for the sympathy cards. I'd be lost without the inspiration fellow crafters on the internet!

Romance

2010-02-15T19:47:00.000-08:00

Romance is not dead, it just isn't always in the traditional "Hollywood" form. Michael and I spent most of Sunday relaxing. I took a nap, he played on the computer. We had incredible conversation and shared lots of ideas. To me sometimes, romance is a good, intelligent conversation that shares ideas and thoughts. We went shopping and Michael tagged along with real interest at a local craft store and then we went for a nice dinner. After three years and our fourth Valentine's Day, we were relaxed and comfortable with each other. I forgot my make-up and jewelry; we forgot the camera. But it doesn't matter. I watched him across the table and loved him for how he really is to me. When we got home, I gave him this card and he gave me 18 beautiful yellow roses and a new bathroom scale. While many will say that is not romantic, it was. I've been working on eating healthier and loosing weight since the last week of December and only a man who really loves me, REALLY listens to me everyday, and supports me in my efforts would think to get me something as practical and thoughtful as a scale. That is romance in the highest form; not the Hallmark/commercial romance. That is the kind of romance that says I really care what you care about and I love you.

Happy Valentine's Day, 2010.

The Love of Valentine's Day

2010-02-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

My friend Erica challenged me to do something with black, white, and another color to pop. Usually, I end up posting at the last minute on her color challenges but this week, I finished early. I used the template from Wishes and made up 16 cards using black with Colonial White and popping it with Bamboo and Tulip. It was fun and fast! I made show ">slideshow of all the cards. Let me know what your favorite is!

A Path of Paper: Stationary Box & Matching Cards

2010-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

A Path of Paper: Stationary Box & Matching Cards

When I grow up this is what I how I want to create!!! LOL I just love this card and box even though I have never like or used this paper! Now I feel compelled to copy! I hope Deneen doesn't mind. I will always give her credit!!!! :) Thanks, Deneen for the wonderful, wonderful inspiration!!!!

Do you live in stages?

2010-02-07T07:47:00.000-08:00

Seems like I scrap/stamp in stages and post in stages. Why is that? I look through my inspirational sites almost daily and I feel inspired inside of me. Then, when I finally get upstairs in my studio to create (house cleaning done, weekend day free to myself, homework/grading done, not too tired, gym workout completed, and all the other demands on life) I frequently sit at my table jumbled, confused, and not liking what I have in front of me; nothing on the outside of me. I laugh at myself. I have too many stamp sets I haven't used and I want to use them all, then can't decide which one will look right on the project; I have too many colors to choose from and can't decide which ones to use with which papers and whether to use B&T or cardstock; I have too many embellishments and none of them is ever the right size or style (beside, if I use one now, I might NEED it for another project and then I won't be able to replace it because it's retired.....Is that called hording); I can't decide what design to use for the card or the layout that fits the stamp set I've chosen for the theme or size of the project; there are too many techniques I want to try and often they just don't "fit" the project I'm trying to do...

The list goes on and on and so I don't ever seem to get much done. I wonder if I'm over whelmed or don't get up to my studio enough to really use everything a little bit and if I just don't have my own sense of style that lets me create quickly and efficiently.

I wish I knew. I wish I had two or three days at a time to create. Just 3-4 hours every other week or even every weekend just aren't enough. I always feel guilty and selfish when I do stake out time for myself in my studio, anyway, even without a family to manage. Though, it does seem once in a while I do get things "flowing" and I can come up with a couple of things that I like. Why can't I just keep them coming and why can't it be every time?????

Ideas and suggestions appreciated.

Busy and Productive Weekend

2010-01-31T21:51:00.000-08:00

I finished a layout of my niece Susan playing soccer. I used the Game On paper pack along with Clover Meadow. I like the way it turned out. :)

A friend posted a color challenge: Cranberry, Indian Corn Blue, and Sweet Leaf. I used a pattern from the book Wishes that makes 12 cards from just two pieces of cardstock and background and texture papers. I always need thank yous!!!!

2010 Whether I'm Ready Or Not

2010-01-28T05:51:00.000-08:00

So, my youngest son has a puppy and is engaged. I'm totally entrenched in another 5th grade class/year, Michael and I celebrated year number 3, and I occasionally find time to scrap/stamp. Bunch of stuff happened in between but I'm not going into the details. :) Here are some project I've completed since the last time I added a post here. I do wish I were more organized or blogging easier or that more people wanted me to blog. It mostly feels like writing to empty air, as if I'm on a stage under lights and the lights in the audience are black so I have no idea who's out there, how many are out there, or if anyone is out there. LOL

Fast thank you cards made from the book Wishes template for several cards from just a few pieces of paper. These used up lots of leftover "fallish" stuff and I gave them to students as thank yous for Christmas gifts. :) One of my new goals is to have several of these sets made up but keep them blank so I can tailor to suite the need: thank you, birthday, anniversary, sympathy, etc.

Couple of challenges and birthdays and anniversaries and etc.

Michael bought me a great lightbox to take pictures of my layouts and cards. The quality of the photos is a lot better....well except the couple of times I'm flying out the door with the ink and glue on the card still wet. :) But for the most part, the colors are more true, picture straighter, and details clearer.

I'm working on a layout of my niece Susie playing soccer. Sometimes, the title of the layouts just stump you, if you know what I mean.

Where did September and October go????

2009-10-26T18:01:00.001-07:00

Seems like just the other day I wrote and look, it's been 2 months! Where does the time go? I have a stamp that says "Times fun when you are having flies". Seems appropriate. My class this year is an absolute dream. I love each of them. We are heading into conferences and I'm so looking forward to meeting what must be wonderful parents of wonderful children. That old say, "nuts never fall far from the tree" can work the other way, too. :)

So, have I had time to create? Never as much as I'd like, ever. :) I made a card for my good friend's wedding and one for Michael to celebrate 1000 days of knowing each other. Then I have two layouts: a layout celebrating the tradition of the pies my mom bakes, and one of Katie with her first snowman.

Jen's card:

Congratulations, Jenn and Johnny and best wishes for a long and loving life together.

Michael's card:

He took me to dinner, bought me beautiful white roses, and a very heartfelt card.

Mom's pies layout:

Mom makes 12-15 pies every Thanksgiving and has been doing it for many years. It's a wonderful tradition that the whole family anticipates. She starts in the summer and makes pies based on fresh in-season fruit and then freezes them. Everyone can choose to have one of each or just their favorites (no one seems to have just one) and we all hope there is enough left over for breakfast the next morning.

Doing the layout was challenging, fun, and satisfying. The photography was not the greatest but the pictures tell a great story. I didn't have pie stamps but thought the neutral theme of trees would work. Then, to spiff it up a little, I embroidered on the trees. :) Something new for me!!!!

Finally, Katie's snow layout:
Katie is all bundled up and can hardly move her arms. I loved her saying, "Oook it da noooooo", at one and a half. :)

Thanks for taking the time to look and read!

School Starts Soon

2009-09-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

Although I've been in and out of my classroom for the last two weeks, the kids finally come on Wednesday!!! I'm looking forward to this year especially since so many of my students I've had before from one of the very best classes ever!

Here are two cards and a layout I did in August since my last posting. I'm still working on Jeanette Lynton's Color Me Monday color combos that she posts once a week on her blog. I'm about three weeks behind and with school starting might as well resign myself to get even farther. LOL

Comments welcome, as always!

Summer Creatviity

2009-08-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy summer with lots of visitors coming and going in my household. I have to admit that I have not created as much as I'd like to have created over the summer but here's what came out of my studio the last month and a half.

A going away to college gift for my niece Paige:

A layout of my darling granddaughter Katie when she was one:

Another layout of my son's Loren and his family's visit July 4th this year:

My shower gift to my good friend Jen who is getting married in a month:

And last a layout of a 2001 visit from my Dad who lives in Michigan:

Though I didn't create as much as I'd have liked, I like most of what I did do. :) Hope everyone is having a good summer!

Catching up on Blogging

2009-07-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

The end of the school just took a lot from me. LOL Teaching the 4/5 split class was a lot of work. Then, when school ended, there were visits from Paul and Katie, Loren and his brood, and my brother moved it. Somewhere between all of this, my wishes did come true to find some friends to scrap with. I am not in a card club with gals from the neighborhood, and I have a few friends from school who gather with me for crops. Life is good. Busy is good. So, here are the things I've done since April. Some things are copied, some finished CTMH Album Retreat layouts, and some are color challenges from Jeanette's blog. When I posted on the CTMH site I did give credit where due but somehow, I've lost the original inspiration for most of these and if you see your card or layout here, please chime in as I'd love to acknowledge our talent!

Layouts:

Cards:

Drop me a line when you visit!

My Baby

2009-04-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

This is another layout from the January Album Retreat in Salk Lake City that I finally found appropriate pictures to go along with the page. I'm so used to building my layouts around my photos it's taking a while to get these pages done and in the book.

This is a layout of my baby, Paul, and his darling girlfriend, Katie. They are both at Eastern together and I am lucky enough they come over every break to spend time with us. These pictures are from 2008. He's 22 and she is 21. Cute couple, huh?

Afternoon's Work

2009-03-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

I'm not a Easter card person but I had to have a card for the next card club meeting it was decided to be Easter cards. BLAH So, here's my take:

Finishing up an old project and a new one!

2009-03-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have gotten a lot done the last few weeks. I scrapped last weekend with a couple of girlfriends from work, right after I made the deadline for those darned, stressful report cards. Michael noticed such a remarkable difference in my mood after scrapping, I had to step back myself and take a hard look at me. Having something unrelated to work that gives me a sense of productive completion, taps into my creative side, and is unrelated to work is important in my life. I need to set aside time for me to get into my studio and scrap or stamp or even just organize my "stuff". :)

Here's my first 9 X 9 accordion album. I made it at another Close to My Heart sponsored event, held in Seattle in 2007. I had these photos in mind for over a year and then it took me another year to finally print them out and finish the book. I liked the way it turned out. This Christmas was significant because it was my first Christmas in my own condo, Aunt Mary was here, and there were to be no gifts but instead everyone was to give their gift of music. It really was a wonderful Christmas. What do you think?

Here's a layout I started last week. We had a record snow fall in December 2008. These are some photos my neighbor took of our neighborhood at the height of the snowfall. My challenge to myself when I did this layout was to use a Close to My Heart paper packet that I haven't been crazy about, add another color not in the pallet suggested, alter and use stickers, and use up old embellishments that have been sitting in my drawer (I admit I'm a horder and buy things then don't use them in case I ever need them, silly me, LOL). I used lots of glitter on this layout and I even altered a layout pattern in one of Jeanette Lynton's books, something that is hard for me to do. So: Aspen paper packet and stickers, added Gray Flannel, glitter, retired snowflake buttons, white fibers, window charms, Rub-ons, and brads. I'm disappointed the way glitter does not photograph well because the glitter is really amazing. I glittered the words Snow and December, the edges of all the Twighlight cardstock, and the snow in the pictures under the window charms. Very cool looking, but, I'm biased.

Quicky Mini Scrap Book and another Retreat layout done!!!

2009-03-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

A productive weekend for me!!!! Yeah! My report cards were done in time to go to an all day crop with a few friends from school. I so enjoyed loving scrapping with friends and I'm so lucky to have found some great friends at school who like paper arts, too. I made a quick 6X6 mini accordion album for a great-grandma gift to give away later this month and I finished a layout with pictures of my oldest friend from college, Barb. The layout was one of the double page layouts I put together at the CTMH Album Retreat in January. Now I hope to finish a birthday card for my brother's 50th later tonight.

Quickie Birthday Card

2009-03-05T23:26:00.000-08:00

My niece Suzie's birthday was February 23. My brother called me for an impromptu birthday at a local hamburger joint. We all met and caught up with everyone while celebrating Suze's birthday and wishing her a happy next year. Here's the card I made in about a half an hour from start to absolute finish. (For me, that's a fast card!)

First Layouts from Retreat finished!

2009-02-14T15:36:00.000-08:00

I had a great long weekend in Salt Lake City at the Close to My Heart Album Retreat. We did 21 pages, or 10 two page layouts and one title page, and Michael's mini album. It was an amazing weekend. I roomed with two new friends that I never met until we arrived at the SLC airport and Betsy Gully, a scrapping/card making friend from the DOTS days. We never left the hotel once we started scrapping Thursday night until we finished late Saturday afternoon. All meals were provided so we scrapped 8+ hours a day. It was unbelievable and I had the best time! I'm saving to go again next year! Anyway, here are three layouts I have completely finished with pictures.

Valentine's Day 2009

2009-02-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

I started this mini album at the Close to My Heart Album Retreat the first night in Salt Lake City. This is a new mini album that has not been released to the public, yet, and Nona Davenport's design. She made hers centered around her daughter and well.....I don't have a daughter but I do have a wonderful man in my life: Michael. I changed the quote, added my own pictures and journaling and the result is below. I also made a non-traditional card for him. I wanted to challenge myself to use paper I didn't really like and do something that was more masculine than pink. Here's what I ended up with. Let me know what you think.

Last Year's Anniversary Gift to Michael

2009-02-07T08:56:00.001-08:00

Catching Up or Reacquainting

2009-01-25T21:33:00.000-08:00

It's been a lot time since I posted, hasn't it? Well, this is for all my friends and foes who have been hinting and not so subtling hinting I need to update myself here.

School is going well but it's taking a lot out of me. I'm working until late almost every night and some home just don't seem to get it all done. Managing double curriculum in every subject just sorta wears me out. I'm so worn out that I can't seem to create, much to my frustration. I did and do occasionally visit my studio but the ideas and feel for color and design are just beyond me.

We had a great Thanksgiving at my sisters, a huge snow storm with the most snow in 40 years, a wonderful family Christmas, an anniversary celebration, and visits with friends to accumulate a lot of photos I can scrap when the creativity finally finds me again.

In the mean time, I somehow ended up in a monthly card club with a Stampin'Up group. That means creating a card for the swap every month and man, has that been draining on me, too. I'll post some of them at the bottom of this post. Next week I'm the hostess. I'm soooooo into the My Acrylics, and being able to see where the images I stamp go. So, next week I have no idea what I'll choose as the hostess freebie. Maybe there will be a paper pack I like, I've bought all I want the last three meetings.

I also went to Salt Lake City for a CTMH Album Retreat. We created 21 pages or 10 layouts plus the front page of an album. I am now trying to find just the right pictures for each page. They are so cool and I'll share once they are done.

So, now you're updated. Here are the cards I've worked on since I last wrote.

This card I tried using three different inks and my brayer to make the sunset. It was so pretty! The photo just isn't as vivid and beautiful as real life.

These were done for the December club. I couldn't decide on the image to use from the set so I did cads with all of them, lots of glitter and butters. They were soooo pretty!

I did a Valentine card for this next weekend but it's a not an original design of my own so I'm reluctant to post. I don't want people to think I created the idea. ;)

Bye for now. I'll post anoter when I have something to post.

A Relaxing Moment to Create

2008-09-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

I managed to squeeze in some stamping and scrapping today. Here is my answer to a color challenge a month old: Moonstruck, Honey, and neutrals that compliment or match. I needed a one page layout for the start of a new album. I had a couple of pictures of my nephew Mason from his senior year which looked well with the colors and the rest is history. I liked how it turned out. Now I'm off to do a few thank you cards for some friends of mine at work.

Speaking of Acrylic Albums:

2008-09-09T06:34:00.000-07:00

Michelle Bloom sent me the HTML code so I could post her incredible acrylic album here. If this doesn't make us want to do one of these, nothing will!

Acrylic Album Thoughts

2008-09-06T01:41:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at acrylic albums for a while. I started looking at a local craft store a few months ago and wondered if I was getting old and starting to have a hard time adjusting to new ideas. LOL I'm still not sure they are for me. Where would I put it? Who would I give it to? Where do you display it and how? And other questions ran through my mind. In the last few years, I've started doing cards and albums and other crafts just when I had a purpose other than "neat idea". My things these days tend to be for real gifts (trying to move beyond with "too homey, crafty" look and more to the would you buy this in a store look) or uses that will stay around for a while and really be appreciated for the time spent on the item. I am not sure an acrylic album fits the criteria. Will is just be something that is a cool phase? But, I'm about to get one and think a little harder. Here is a fabulous album done by the talented Tresa Black that just made my heart go pitter patter! (Drink Recipe cards included in the book here) Another album I found on the web I loved for it's black and white winter family photos. This album was done by Michelle Bloom, another Close to My Heart consultant for a workshop she is giving and I'd love to share it here but I can't figure out how to upload it to this blog. I tried saving the photos, putting them in a Word document, moving the photos to Picasa Web, and copying here but nothing seemed to work. Oh well, take me word for it, it's lovely. (If you are interested, send me your email and I'll send you the Word document. At any rate, I think I'll at least get an album and see what I think once it's in my hands. One think about the acrylic albums, though, I'm getting away from stamping because you use rub ons and embellishments on the album. Ink rubs off. That's another angle that I'm contemplating: rub ons. I'm not sure how I feel about them.

Quick Cards

2008-08-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

These are two quick cards I made last night. I've been so focused on getting my classroom ready I didn't think I'd be able to create. Last night I went upstairs about 9 and finished these about 10. Not bad, very quick. Challenges by Erica and Karen K:

Outdoor Denim, Desert Sand, Sorbet, Crystal Blue, Bamboo with Happiness and Decorative Dainties

Sorbet, Juniper Desert Sand, Vineyard Berry, Vanilla Cream with The Giving Hand and February Word Puzzle

Another Color Challenge from Karen

2008-08-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

This will probably be my last layout for a while because school is about to start which means less time for stamping. Weekends will be full doing things that couldn't be done on weekdays, like laundry, errands, spending time w/ friends and family, even grading or doing things for my classroom. I have loved the challenges of my friends and will miss them. But, this does give me time to collect more photos so that the next break I do have some things to work with the paper art.

So, here are some of the pictures I took on our dinner cruise through Lake Washington and Lake Union in Seattle. We cruised by the UW football stadium, down to Bellevue, past Bill Gate's house, past the house boat used in Sleepless in Seattle all the while enjoying a wonderful summer evening with a full moon and gorgeous, colorful sunset. The food was fabulous with seafood appetizers and a pasta bar where they made pasta dishes to order. It was a nice evening for Michael and I. I have some cute pictures of us.

I used Karen's color challenge: Sorbet (new color), Petal, Honey, Ponderosa Pine, and Chocolate. The colors weren't hard but finding a layout that I could get all the pictures on and all the journaling on was the challenge. Some parts are OK, other....eh. The layout is OK, not a total disaster, just not as good as some of the others this summer. Feels like I lost my mojo so it really is time to go back to school.

Quick cards using some more new colors and new images

2008-08-22T15:52:00.001-07:00

Erica had another color challenge and wanted to do cherries but alas, I have not cherry stamps so here is what I came up with. This challenge was Juniper, Tulip, Black, and White.

New Colors!!!!

2008-08-21T23:29:00.000-07:00

I played with two of the four new CTMH colors: Tulip and Creme' Brulee' in this layout of our Granite Falls day trip

Baby Book and Wedding Card

2008-08-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

I have been busy in my craft room. My first order from the new catalog arrived yesterday. I unpacked everything and then disciplined myself to work on two projects before getting into the new stuff. This is a 9X9 accordion baby book made with some retired CTMH paper I made for my principal who is going to have a baby the first week of school. I also made a card to go with Sharon's True Fit Folio I made a few weeks ago. So, what do you think?

This cards was an attempt to copy one made by Pammie Whammie but well, one thing led to another and this is what I ended up with. Like Pam's card, I used the Cuttlebug and similar stamps but I changed the color, some of the positions and embellishments are different. Pam's card was remarkable and I loved it but this card, to me, anyway, is just OK.

A suprise and an honor

2008-08-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

Laural sent this to me and I was very surprised! How nice and how honored!

I'm awarding to my inspiration: Erica and Karen.

Newest Katie Layout

2008-08-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a couple of days since I posted. I had a class and then Michael and I went on a fabulous dinner cruise in Lake Washington and Lake Union. Dinner was great! I took almost 130 photos. There should be something to scrap out of those! But, I still have last year's cruise to do. Guess I'd better get scrappy!

Here's a layout I did of Katie. She was 4 months old here. I used Marjorie's 29th color challenge: Cranberry, Black, Bamboo, and Grey Wool. This is the first time I've used black and white and color photos together. I also stitched on this layout for the first time. That was fun! I like it. Let me know what you think!

Karen's Challenge

2008-08-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

Another color challenge: Hollyhock, Buttercup, Garden Green, Vineyard Berry, and Bamboo and any Solor stamps sets chosen by Karen Kemme. I used the Boom-di-Ada Creative Basics papers. I made my own word puzzle stamp by going though all the Solo sets and picking words that conveyed my feelings about my friends and our get togethers. This did not turn out to be my favorite layout I've even done. I used ricrac for the first time on a layout, too. It's really thick and bulky. I'm not sure I like it, either, and I have a lot of it to use up. :( so for better or for worse, here is:

Erica's Second Color Challenge

2008-08-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

Breeze, Twilight, Cocoa, Orange, Topiary. This is a very unusual layout for me: no stamping!!!!

Erica's Color Challenge

2008-08-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

So, Denise, Karen, Erica, and I were chatting about our new catalog. Some things we like others we don't. Some of us like some of the new colors some of us don't. LOL As we got to colors, I said I thought you can really use any colors together. It's not what the colors are but how you use them. Erica disagreed.......and to try to prove her point, she went to the CTMH Color website and let the computer randomly pick two different color combos. I did the first one using Taffy, Hollyhock, Olive, Outdoor Denim, and White Daisy. When I saw the colors, I actually loved them. Erica really wanted to come up with some ugly colors but I like challenges so here is what I came up with:
Tomorrow I'll work on the other challenge: Breeze, Topiary, Twilight, Cocoa, Orange

Finished!

2008-08-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

The Halloween Layout I did of Erika and Coley is finally done. My friend Karen Kemme stamped and sent me pumpkins from a retired stamp set she still has. Look at the cute wire she attached for the vines! And thanks, Marjorie for the color challenge of Orange, Holiday Red, Sunflower, and Bubblegum (I added the black). I would never have thought to put pink in a Halloween layout! So, what do you think?

Wedding Gift

2008-08-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

I made this for a friend who was married this summer. I used her wedding colors. In each pocket/page there is a place for photos or jounalling.

Done!!!

2008-08-07T09:12:00.000-07:00

Well, five coats of paint and three days later, I finished my one wall and the space over the mantle, finally. I have decided I am not a patient project person. I am used to taking on a project and finishing it in a day. In the past I completely prepped, painted, cleaned up, and resettled a a large room in one day. These three day thing with the furniture all pulled to the middle of the room and everything covered in slippery, crinkly loud plastic is the pits! But, it's done and I am just LOVING this new red painted wall. It' warm, dramatically bold, classy, clean, and well, just me. Here's a look. I took pictures both during the day and at night with the lights on. Looks good all the time!

Evening and daylight in the dining room:

Wall over the fireplace evening and daylight:

Seeing Red

2008-08-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

I'm literally seeing red! I have spent the last three days painting one wall and a section of a wall over my fireplace red. I had not idea how much work painting red is! I started on the small section above the fireplace Saturday and it took 4 coats of red paint. When I took the painter's tape off, I realized I had to repaint the white mantle. :( Now that the mantle is repainted, I now see more brush strokes in the red. I decided to wait and let the mantle dry completely before attempting to put coat 5 on that wall. So, yesterday after finishing the mantle, I primed the big wall that goes to the top of the vaulted 20' ceiling. I didn't prime the small wall but I'm not sure it really helped. Today, I painted three coats of red paint. I'll see what it looks like tomorrow in the sunlight. I am almost afraid to remove the painter's tape because that has not been very successful. I may still be climbing the ladder to repaint the the edges of the ceiling, corners, and baseboard, all of which will have to have the tiny areas primed and then carefully painted white. I think I'll use a small artist paint brush. When it's all done, I'll post pictures. In the mean time, I haven't gotten much stamping/scrapping done.......

Retired Stamps

2008-07-31T14:18:00.000-07:00

If you are a Close To My Heart Consultant and considering buying a stamp set that is on the retired list, you might want to ask someone like me (hint, hint) if I have that set. I always pull all the retired stamp sets I have and sell them at 1/2 price plus shipping. If you don't have the retired list, I have one I can email to anyone who is not a consultant. I'm going to see if there is a way to post the retired list or link it here. Items on it are available until December 31 or until supplies last. After a month or so, I'll be donating the sets I don't sell to a charity. (I have 33 stamp sets I'm selling......)

One Page Layout for the End of Album

2008-07-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm feeling a whole lot better about this layout. I think it's from Imagine, who knows after all the altering I did. LOL This is for Majorie's 25th Color Challenge. These pictures are of my two sons and my nephew in "yesterday" and "today" photos. As much as they have changed, you can still tell who is who. The three of them are very, very close and my sister and I laugh at what a big deal they made of getting together at family gatherings. One thing changed: the tallest in the first picture is now the shortest and Mason, the youngest, is now the tallest at 6'5". Love these kids!

Couple of cards I made using Marjorie's # 29 color challenge: Barn Red, Olive, Honey, and Chocolate. I tried the reinker squash technique to create a unique background. Kind of cool cards!

Sure is nice to be out of that yucky Blue Ribbon paper and layout. I may never get to the journally because for now, I quit that layout! LOL

What do you think?

2008-07-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

These were horrible papers to work with!!!! I did not have a good time putting this together. But, it's done. I still need to journal some how some where to highlight Mason, my nephew returning from college to play as an alumni in his high school band in the parade. Last year he was the drum major. Now he's the drum major for Wash. State Univ. Any way, I cut way too many stars and put glitter in the center of each one. That took time! If I don't see another star for a year, it'll be waaay too soon. I don't think the glitter shows up very well. I've never used glitter on a scrapbook page.

I really NEED to move on to something else!!! LOL

Would Love to Meet!

2008-07-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

Two incredible stampers that I love their style and would LOVE to meet:

Erica Michel and Karen Kemme. One has a blog: Erica (you can find her on the right listed under SBS 21). I'm trying to convince Karen to start blogging just because I'm selfish and want to be able to find her stuff easily. Update 7/27/08 10:00 PDT: Karen has a blog now!!!! Yeah!!!! Click on her name to see her incredible layout.

If I could get 1/100th of the talent and vision those two have!!!!

Not to mention, they have to be two of the nicest people I've met through Close to My Heart and on the internet.

And if I could stamp like Vicki, Sonja, or Laurel, well, I'd quit my day job.....

There are lots of people I admire and I get inspiration from but these four have something in their style and creativity that really strikes my soul and I keep going back to their artwork time after time.

He's a Keeper!

2008-07-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

I was really, really bummed about the camera. Michael and I researched on the internet for a new one and concluded that I'd just get another Canon Power Shot since I still had a battery, small memory card, and all the cords for the old one and could use them on any Power Shot. We agreed to go to Costco together since there was a deal on the SE850 (one step up from my lost camera, but neither are manufactured any longer) that included a printer. I was also going to look at the newest SD890 but I wondered whether I really needed the few new features for the extra cost of the latest model. I felt better knowing I had a plan but I still felt funny just not having a camera around. I was surprised how much having one was part of my life, sort of like a car. LOL I also found that there is a scrapping store about 10 miles away! Yeah!!!! I got up yesterday, went browsing through the scrapbooking store figuring I'd stop by the grocery store to pick up peaches for a pie for Micheal, lure him over for the night, and then we'd go to Costco together today to compare shop. Nothing captured my attention at the scrapping store; I kept thinking I needed to use what more of the stash already in my craft room and I had lots of stuff that could produce the "trendy" looks I saw in the store. I called Michael from the grocery store to try to bribe him with the pie. He was weirdly untalkative and would not commit to coming over. Oh well, I bought peaches anyway and drove home thinking about the layout currently in progress in my craft room. I opened the door to my condo and there was a big box with a printer and camera in it from Michael. I was so touched, I literally had tears in my eyes. I tried calling him right away but wouldn't you know it, he didn't answer the phone. Now that is agony! But, eventually, he did come over and he did get his peach pie. My new camera and printer are now ready to go! What a sweetie and certainly a keeper Michael is! I find myself wondering about the women in his life before me who let such a gem go......

I am thinking I need to take pictures of that peach pie I made before it's all gone. LOL Would I scrap it? What theme and journaling would I use.......always on to the next layout, huh?