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

Well, all over my craft desk that is! It seems every year my holiday paper crafting starts earlier and earlier! This year, I think it started even before the official first day of fall! Man, it’s pretty bad when I am creating holiday projects and the stores haven’t even starting carrying Halloween goodies yet! But in order to make sure I have lots of lovely little creations for all my workshop hostesses I have to get started this early!

So in keeping with my post-a-palooza, the next project I am sharing is this lovely little creation for an upcoming workshop which happens to be a Christmas mini-album!

Supplies Used:

• X7085B Everlasting Level 2 Paper Pack
• X7085C Everlasting My Stickease
• X1404 True Fit Folios
• D1366 Holiday Trinkets Stamp Set
• E1009 Building Block Alphabet Stamp Set
• Z2116 Cranberry Exclusive Inks
• Z2118 Desert Sand Exclusive Inks
• Z1103 Cranberry Grosgrain Ribbon
• Z1126 Colonial White Ribbon Rounds
• Z1219 Essential Brad Assortment
• Z1285 Holiday Buttons
• Z1084 Olive Waxy Flax
• Z1086 Cranberry Waxy Flax
  

World Cardmaking Day

In honor of World Card Making Day I have decided to share some of the Christmas Cards I created with our new Jingle Paper pack. As I have mentioned before, I LOVE THIS PAPER PACK! Not only is it so versatile for other papercrafting besides Christmas...it can also make such dramatically different styles and color familes of cards - all in the same paper pack! Take a look at these two cards....both of which you could be making at my upcoming Christmas Card Workshop on October 17th. Want more info on my workshops? Visit my website at www.stampinallday.myctmh.com or contact me!




Supplies used:

• X7115B Jingle paper pack
• C1371 Holiday Jingle Stamp Set
• Z1126 Colonial White Ribbon Rounds
• Z1104 Sparkles
• Z2166 Tulip Stamp Pad

Supplies Used:

• X7115B Jingle paper pack
• D1366 Holiday Trinkets Stamp Set
• Z1220 Twinkle Brad Assortment
• Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

Invitation inundation....

So it was with great pleasure that Katie (my little sister) allowed me the opportunity to make her wedding invitations. After scouring the many, many sample books at the store she quickly discovered the style and type of invitations she really wanted were better suited for a ‘champagne budget’ and she’s working with something closer to a ‘tap water budget’!! Shocked and dismayed at the prices on these very simple invitations we were seeing, I knew I could make them with no problem and at a fraction of the cost! So many brainstorming and collaboration sessions later, we came up with this final product. This is a 5x7 invitation with a creative side-fold, wax-sealed flap design. When you open the invitation, there is a pocket on the left hand side which held the rsvp card and small additional information card. All the traditional wedding information was centered on the inside. If you don’t know Katie…she has impeccable taste! So it was my goal to make sure her handmade invitations didn’t look ‘handmade’. One of the things I am most happy with is the beautiful metallic cardstock with matching envelopes I was able to locate on the internet. (Gotta love Google!) After many months, lots and lots of hours and a few friends over to help with the assembly ….75 of these beauties were finally mailed out a few weeks ago….



As soon as I was finally finished with the wedding invitations…it was already time to think about the bridal shower invites. So back to the brainstorming we went. Katie took some time to go through my CTMH catalogs…picked a stamp set and a color scheme and I was off and running. I was also really pleased with how this little 8x3-1/2 beauty came out! With the exception of the small flower and the black metallic cardstock (same used on her invitations) all the other supplies used were from Close to my Heart! Take note I even used some of the paper from our new Jingle Level 2 paper pack…that is a Christmas paper pack! (When CTMH released the new catty and this new spunky colored Christmas paper was in there – I was really disappointed. I was really hoping for a more traditional paper pack.) But this paper pack is so versatile!! I am now in LOVE! I have done tons of artwork with it already and plan to do much, much more! So with that being said…check out this great invitation and come back again soon to check out all the great art I will be posting with the new Jingle paper pack!

Thanks for visiting today!

Finally coming up for air....

WOW! This past month has just been a non-stop, whirlwind month! My oldest baby girl turned 16 this month and we had a terrific party for her! I even made her two-tier, fondant covered, pink floral cake! I had a fantastic Open House at the beginning of this month, completed 75 wedding invites and 30 bridal shower invites, 5 more workshops and a Vegas scrapbooking retreat weekend later….and the month was gone! Whew! That tuckered me out just listing it...I can't believe I lived it! So I apologize for my absence as I was shocked myself to see it’s been a whole month since I have posted on my blog! It’s not from lack of items to share…just lack of time! So hold on….’cause I plan on having a post-a-palooza in the next few days and weeks sharing all the great goodies I have and those which have yet to come! So I hope to see you back again soon!

So, to begin my 'post-a-palooza' I am going to go back to the beginning of the month! Here is the Sweet 16 birthday party invitation I made for my daughter's party.


Okay, so not that I need to add another creative hobby to my list...but lately I have been having a blast exploring cake decorating! I attended a cake decorating class with my mother-in-law back in August and I am now hooked! So here is the very first two-tier cake I have ever made! It is covered in pink fondant frosting with handmade sugar paste flowers. Yes, I did....I made every single one of those flowers by hand and then attached each and every one individually to the cake. It was slightly bitter-sweet when we finally cut into it! :)

Okie dokie! That finished off my first post of the month! I am off to schedule other posts for the rest of this week and beyond! So hopefully I will see you back tomorrow!

Bouncin' right along....

Welcome to the next instalment of the Stamp of the Month blog hop! This month we have 71 consultants featuring artwork on their blogs with September's Stamp of the Month Treasures. If you have come here from Paige's blog, then you are on the right track! However, if my blog is your first stop...then you might want to go back to Jena's blog and start from the beginning.

Here are my sweet and simple creations with Treasures....

Supplies Used:

D1375 Treasures Stamp of the Month
X5751 Sorbet Cardstock
1273 Desert Sand Cardstock
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
Z891 Versamark Ink Pad
Z902 Spring Soft Chalks
Z2118 Desert Sand Ink Pad
Z578 Corner Rounder
Z1123 Sorbet Ribbon Round Collection
Z1218 Metal Brad Assortment
Z1096 Neutral Embroidery Floss Assortment

Now "Hop" on over to Sherry's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the September SOTM is only available until August 30th! Contact me today to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Creation for a cause...

A few weeks back, I was given a very special assignment from Close to my Heart. I was very honored to be included in a group of very talented consultants who were invited to do a piece of artwork for a silent auction to benefit Operation Smile. I didn't have much time to create a one-of-a-kind, 'over-the-top' piece of artwork...but was pretty pleased with the final product I sent!

The silent auction was held last weekend during Close to my Heart's Leadership convention and raised over $5300 to benefit Operation Smile! I am so pleased to say that will help over 20 children receive a much needed operation to help give them a beautiful new smile!

I decided to do a piece of home decor artwork rather than creat a mini-album or the like. I used a 12x12 canvas and created a family picture frame. All the products I used were from Close to my Heart with the exception of the canvas and stand.

Click here to learn more about Operation Smile or how you can help.

August Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring August's SOTM, D1352-It's Your Day a set of 26 stamps. If you have come here from Dawn'sBlog, you are on the right path! If this is your first stop, you may want to go back to Jena's Blog and start from the beginning!

This month we have 66 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this stamp set and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is so simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! The sit back and get ready to be inspired!

Here are my two creations using only Close to my Heart Product:

Supplies Used:

D1352 It's Your Day August Stamp of the Month

X7112B Animal Cookies Level 2 paper pack

Z270 White Grosgrain Ribbon

Z1133 White Ricrac

Z1052 Ricrack Collection

Z1155 Clear Buttons

Z1111 Summer Carnival Brads

Z2166Tulip Exclusive Ink Pad

Z2150 Sunflower Exclusive Ink Pad

Z2119 Dutch Blue Exclusive Ink Pad

Z2113 Clover Meadow Exclusive Ink Pad

Z1294 Sanding Kit

Now "Hop" on over to Beth's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the August SOTM is only available until August 30th! Contact me today to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

If you get lost along the way or find links that aren't working, here is a complete list of all the talented ladies who are participating:

Jena DeVries
http://www.livelovelaughscrapbook.blogspot.com/
Kristie Horness-Herdener
http://www.goofyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Carla Ironside
http://www.carlacreates.blogspot.com/
Deb Young
http://www.scrapbookczar.blogspot.com/
Alanna Moses
http://www.damoses.blogspot.com/
Paige Dolecki
http://www.paigespaperparadise.blogspot.com/
Wendy Kessler
http://www.myscrapbookingblog.com/
Heather Painchaud
http://www.twindragonflydesigns.blogspot.com/
Helen Onulak
http://www.hookedonstamping.com/
Barbra Otten
http://barbraotten.blogspot.com/
Haley Dyer
http://www.inkyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Nona Davenport
http://www.nonapearl.blogspot.com/
Michelle Robinson
http://www.amaizenbluelady.typepad.com/
Cindy Leek
http://www.paperspadsandpictures.blogspot.com/
Melissa Laverty
http://www.fancymelissa.blogspot.com/
Katy Donaldson
http://www.scrappinkaty.blogspot.com/
Amy McVey
http://www.clearlystamping.blogspot.com/
Tammy Lea Pinchard
http://www.creativeimpressions-pinchme.blogspot.com/
Leslie Markland
http://pandascrapper.blogspot.com/
Judy Burger
http://makingtimeformemories.blogspot.com/
Laurie R Newton
http://scrapsfromthebeach.blogspot.com/
Kami Welter
http://www.scrappin4memories.blogspot.com/
Tracy Oleksak
http://www.mamaolie.blogspot.com/
Karen Norman
http://www.gettinscrappywithit.blogspot.com/
Chris Shouse
http://www.houseostamps.wordpress.com/
Cibele Glazer
http://www.flowerfoot.blogspot.com/
Debra Van Patten
http://memoriesoftheheartbydeb.blogspot.com/
Terrie Dodd
http://www.my-life-in-real-time.blogspot.com/
Jamia Bankhead
http://www.papermadnessinc.blogspot.com/
Anne Beck
http://www.anniemuses.blogspot.com
Jennifer Patrick
http://www.roxybonds-scrappin.blogspot.com/
Laurie Levnik
http://www.creationsbylaurie.blogspot.com/
Lori Miller
http://www.clearlyfromtheheart.blogspot.com/
Brae Montgomery
http://thebrae-er.blogspot.com/
Dawn Ross
http://www.iamahappystamper.blogspot.com/
Dawn Slipcevic
http://dawnscrapsalot.blogspot.com/
Barbara Harris
http://www.paper-creations117.blogspot.com/
Carol Taggio
http://craftycarol55.blogspot.com/
Jill Lucas
http://scrapwench.blogspot.com/
Chris Green
http://www.createwithchris.blogspot.com/
Nancy Ball
http://www.ballisticdesign.blogspot.com/
Dawn Heuft
http://www.stamptildawn.blogspot.com/
Kelly Triggs
http://www.stampinallday.blogspot.com/
Beth Naumann
http://www.bethscreativeblock.blogspot.com/
Antoinette Herrin
http://www.godblessyourart.blogspot.com/
Jessica Booth
http://jessicabooth.blogspot.com/
Jen Rubio
http://www.jenrubio.blogspot.com/
Misty Jackson
http://www.misstscraps.blogspot.com/
Adeline E. Brill
http://adeline-brill.blogspot.com/
Lori Leng
http://www.pinkcloudscrappers.blogspot.com/
Pam Klassen
http://eimmap.blogspot.com/
Pamela OConnor
http://www.cherishyourmemories.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Royal
http://www.craftroyalty.blogspot.com/
Caren Goldsein
http://www.scrappycaren.blogspot.com/
Shannon Pelletier
http://www.mycolorfulworldinvt.blogspot.com/
Sherry Thompson
http://www.picturespatternsandpaper.blogspot.com/
Maricar Harris
http://www.maricarharris.blogspot.com/
Traci Godbee
http://createwithtraci.blogspot.com/
Laura Dame
http://www.thecroppersconnection.blogspot.com/
Miranda Kurz
http://www.scrampinwithmiranda.com/
Leisa Hubley
http://www.bigredscraps.blogspot.com/
Julia Menssen
http://www.ralphandjulia.blogspot.com/
Jan Moxey
http://scrapandstamp4ever.blogspot.com/
Jody Gustafson
http://www.cre8nmemories.blogspot.com/