So not worthy....

Today in my email inbox was a lovely little note telling me I had received a blog award from a fellow consultant Tamytha Jenkins. I have stalked her blog on more than one occasion and have even flat-out stamplifted from her too!! Well, first I was totally flattered...and then felt a bit guilty, since in these past few months I have completely FAILED at this whole blogging thing!! It's not that I'm not 'stamping all day' - it's that I totally forget to take pictures and actually share what I am doing! :) And trust me, with this whole Pinterest inspiration in my life...I am doing A LOT!!

But in order to redeem myself and make sure I don't fail at the whole blog award thing too...I am going to neglect the 100 other things I should be doing right now in order to 'pay it forward' and send some kudos along to some other fellow crafters I know, adore and stalk! :)

For those of you unfamiliar with the Liebster Blog Award the goal of the award is to spotlight those bloggers with less than 200 followers and hopefully help everyone involved to increase their following. The rules are fairly simple...

• Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
• Select five bloggers (with less than 200 followers) and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they were selected.
• Copy and paste the award on your blog
• Have fun!

Here are my fave-five (under 200 followers)...in no particular order!

1. Amy More from amysartfromtheheart.blogspot.com

2. Pamela O'Conner from cherishyourmemories.blogspot.com

3. Jody Gustafson from cre8nmemories.blogspot.com

4. Karen Day from kdaycreations.blogspot.com

5. Christine Adams from creatingwithchristine.com

These ladies have all inspired me and I have most likely 'stamplifted' from them on more than one occasion...so please take a moment to go check them out!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

What?? You mean Halloween hasn't come and gone yet? Yes, yes...I know, I know. But in the papercrafting world if you aren't working on your Christmas cards in September/October...you're actually running behind!

I have been a busy, busy girl and been comin' up with some fabulous cards! So here are the Christmas cards you could be making if you were one of the lucky attendees for my Advance Stamper Christmas Card workshop this Saturday.

Each person is going to be making two each of these five fabulous cards!

If you aren't one of the lucky ladies who will be making these on Saturday...but you'd like to make some too...contact me to see how you can get a complete set (pre-stamped images and all) just for your very own!

Boardswapingpalooza!!

Wanna know what I have been up to?? Take a look...

Yep, you see that right folks! That would be a layout, 6 cards and one goodies box....
TIMES EIGHT!!

Do you wanna know why I have been working my fingers to the bone?? (or stained permanently chocolate brown??) Because I have the extreme pleasure in participating in a phenomenal board swap with some pretty phenomenal ladies!! (I won't be so obnoxious as to name-drop - but you phenomenal ladies know who you are!)

So before I bagged up all this wonderful "Wonderland" artwork up, I just had to photo and share...I actually hate to bag it up now and send it off. (I just wanna stand here and stare at all it's beauty. Like it's the newborn I just gave birth to...cause lemme tell ya girls...I labored over this stuff!!) But since I am already a few days past the deadline...I best be packing it up and shipping it off!!

Of course I will be back this week with close-ups and details about all that fabulousness you see up there! :)

"Nifty Gifty" Workshop

Nifty Gifty Workshop
Saturday, August 27th 1-5pm
$15 Workshop Fee
RSVP by August 20th
Create these stunning ‘nifty gifts’ when you join me for my next workshop. You will learn how to make a covered notebook, treat box and cardbox with uniquely shaped cards (envelopes included!) We will be playing with new Autumn/Winter papers—Typeset, Cork Letters and classy Antiqued Copper embellishments. Printed instructions will be included to recreate these projects at home!

Can’t make it on the 27th?

Contact me today to book this workshop for you and 2 or more of your friends in your home!

Don't live in my area?

Contact me today to find out how you can get a kit of your very own!

(Consultants are welcome to contact me too!)

It's a big, BIG day!!

It's here! It's here! The day has finallly arrived! Today is the first official day the new Close to my Heart catalog is available to you! Well, I know many, many consultants have given some fabulous sneak-peeks at some of the new goodies...but now you can order those goodies for yourself too!!

Click here if you would like to see the new catalog

Click here if you would like to get a copy of your very own!

Click here if you're to do some shopping! just ready

The next reason it's a big day is....I have a

BLOG CANDY WINNER!!

Thanks to all you lovely ladies (all 76 of you!!) who checked my blog out and thought it was good enough to want to follow or had already been following. I promise I have every intention of making it worth it!

I had originally intended on having my handsome 8 year old son pull a number for me and I would take a great photo, etc. etc. (You get the idea...) But he seems to be a bit uncooperative this morning. (Something about a penguin needed to be fed in his club??) So I have decided to use my next best option...I random generated a winning number....

So the winner is...

Comment #23

Lori Miller

Congratulations Lori! It was her comment letting me know she had given me a 'shout-out' on her blog which was the winner!

Okay, so that's all I have for now folks! But stay tuned...I have a 'fabulously artsy' blog hop to join...so I must go get my camera and get shootin'. I hope to be back later today to hop-hop-hop!

MEGA SALE!!

COME SHOP MY STASH!!

My scrapbooking/stamping/papercrafting supply overflow will be displayed during my Open House and is just waiting to go home with you!

Tons of NEW and GENTLY USED stamp sets starting at $2.00!!

Saturday, July 30th

Noon - 4:00pm

Contact me today if you would like directions to my home!

Don't live in the Phoenix/Surprise area??

Then contact me and I would be happy to send you a list of what I have for sale!!

These prices are just too good to miss!!

Extravaganza Artwork...Topiary

Hello everyone! Hope you are having a terrifict Tuesday!!

Today for your viewing pleasure...I have this incredible topiary make with paper! Yep! You got it! Paper!! This stunning creation was made with the fabulous new 3-D paper flower cut outs from Close to my Heart's new exclusive Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. It was as simple and easy as programing my Cricut to cut the flowers, roll and glue to a foam shape!! Now even as easy as it is...I will admit there is about 300 flowers on this baby! So cut yourself some flowers, grab your DVR remote and catch up on your favorite show.



There are a total of six different flower shapes you can cut with CTMH's new Art Philosophy Cartridge. For the foral ball I used the rose style cut to create these semi-opened rose buds. They were cut at 3-3/4", inked and distressed with Chocolate ink and the rolled and glued with a touch of hot glue.


I created the stem of the topiary with a wooden dowel and some scrap floral stems from silk flowers I purchased for another project. I inserted the dowel in the foam ball and secured it in the pot with some additional foam, then surrounded to dowel with the cut stems.

For the 'moss' I cut one of the other styles of flowers from the cartrige - a more 'pom' style flower also at about 3-3/4" in Olive Cardstock.

I was thrilled with the results! I look forward to creating some other incredible home decor with the new Close to my Heart exclusive Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge!

Thanks for stopping by today!