Merry Christmas

Okay, okay, I admit it.  I got caught up in the cookie baking and a few other holiday traditions.  Everything else went on the back burner.  Can anyone relate?  I love this season and wish the (universal) we would keep the Spirit of Christ in our hearts all year long.  I fall short too often. 

Everyone has been extremely helpful everywhere I turn.  It was a joy going to the Post Office yesterday to mail off some of those tasty treats ( peanut butter, oatmeal, and my personal favorite, chocolate chip cookies).  Now, if any of you are in the area, we welcome you to come sample them for yourself.

Here is my favorite card for Christmas.  I made 60 of these for my sister to send to her friends.  My sister is not only a great friend and wonderful sister, but she is also a fan.  I am blessed to have her in my life.  I chalked the backgroud and although the chalk was purchased from CTMH, they do not have it available in the current idea book.  All other supllies are CTMH with the exception of the gold card stock. Thank you for checking out my blog.  I hope to hear from you in the New Year.

Metal with Elemental in Sorbet and Olive

Hi Heart 2 Heart folks!  This is my metal.  It is a purse cut out with a Coluzzle shape and coins that are the back side of gems.  My beautiful daughter gave me the idea for the coins and the phrase "Counting the Days".  Oh yes, she is clever as well as beautiful.  The colors are sorbet and olive.  How fun is this! Oh yes, and please celebrate with me...I just got my PhD Certificate for CTMH and the magnetic clip on pin.  It is very cool.

Many Thanks

Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  This is the time of year when many of us are feeling especially thankful.  The Spirit of love and giving is in the air and so should the Spirit of Thankfulness be.  I am thankful for my many blessings.  Although this year has had its challenges for my family as well as for many of you, I am thankful for the everyday miracles we all experience.  The sunrise, the smell of the orange blossoms, the friendship of a wonderful daughter and a beautiful and talented sister.  And there is so much more.  My hope and prayer for each of you who read this blog is that you will have a season that is filled with abundant blessings and love.  Just a reminder that each one of us can give thanks and offer inspiration and encouragement to our family and friends through our chosen craft.  Many thanks to you...

Heart 2 Heart Challenge

This is an interesting color combination for the challenge for this week.  The colors are bamboo, juniper, and autumn terracota.  I have been wanting to use the So Grateful stamp by CTMH so here I am participating in my first Heart 2 Heart challenge.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

All products used are from Close To My Heart.  The two buddies on top were colored by my daughter, Teresa.  They are 10 minute cards except for the coloring and that depends on you.

Cameo Card - Special technique

This card was made using the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (available here) with coordinating Close to My Heart Stamps.  The background paper was made using colonial white card stock, liquid glass, and smokey plum ink.  Crunch up a piece of regular computer paper into a ball.  Make a puddle of liquid glass on a disposable piece of cardstock or plastic.  Dab the wadded paper into the liquid glass puddle and then dab on your cardstock randomly.  Allow cardstock to dry.  Wipe ink on cardstock with a sponge or old piece of fabric and allow to dry.  Attach cardstock to card base and decorate as desired.

Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge

Here are three cards using Cricut's Art Philosophy Cartridge that is available from Close to My Heart Independent Consultants like me.  It has been a blast making cards and scrapbook pages using this cartridge that has 700 images.  And the coordinating stamps that are available through Close to My Heart take the art up another notch.  You can order the Art Philosophy Cartridge by contacting me directly or by clicking on the link on the right side of the screen.  It is a great value - the cartridge comes with three coordination stamp sets and three packages of coordinating chip board pieces.

Cherry-O Cover Page and Treasure Pocket (Last Page)

Okay, this is the first album.  Thank you for being patient.  I am hoping that I will learn to crop the pictures so all you see is the pages.  If anyone has helpful hints, I would love to hear them.  The final page of the album is a treasure pocket for memorabilia such as theatre tickets, brochures, programs, or report cards.  You get the idea.  This was really a fun album to make.  I am already started on my next album using Roxie Paper Package, by Close to My heart.  I will post the boy's album that is already finished as soon as I am able.  I would love to hear your comments.

Cherry-O Album (continued)

Fun and Easy Girl Album

Well, as you can see, I am slightly challenged in my posting skills.  Here are two of the layouts from my first themed album.  Leslie Cook from Close to My Heart had the idea to put together layouts from a single paper package and add a few more pages of cardstock.  What a great idea!  Leslie selected the patterns to use from a couple of CTMH "how-to" books and made a master pattern.  Put your own embellishments on to make it personal and add titles.  What a quick and easy way to collect your memories.  I will post the rest of the pages as soon as I am able.  If you have any questions regarding the album or Close to My Heart products, email me.  You can also click the link to shop online.  Please keep in mind that once the photos are placed, the edges of the patterns will show, but not look quite as busy as it does without the photos.

Saturday Morning

Good rmorning!  It is a hot, but lovely Saturday in So. Cal.  I finished a 20 page scrapbook made from ONE Close to My Heart paper pack.  I haven't quite mastered everything computer yet.  I'm sure some of you understand.  The plan is to photograph the pages and post them.  Hopefully, I will accomplish that feat sometime today or tomorrow.  If anyone has any good tips for sizing etc., please feel free to email me.  If you are interested in making your own custom scrapbook, but need a little inspiration or direction, that's what I do. 

Gloria - 1st Draft

This is the 1st draft of a Christmas card.  The final card will be bordered in a shiny gold cardstock if I am able to find what I'm lloking for.  What do you think???

Hooray Bouquet and Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge

This was a quick card to make with a little help from the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  You can purchase this new cartridge through any Close to My Heart Independent Consultant, including me. 

Halloween Card

Here is a cute card made with Close to My Heart Images.  The moon was masked with a circle made with a paper punch.  Begin with a light blue chalk and swirl around the moon leaving a bit of space around the mask and cover the rest of the card with the chalk.  Repeat the process with several shades of blue working from the lightest to the darkest shades.  Add a touch of purple following the same process.  Put a light shade of yellow from the mask outward to meet the blue.  Remove the mask and shade the moon with yellow and orange.  Stamp your images and you are done.  Check out junescardsnscrapbooks.myctmh.com if you are interested in getting the stamp set.

Tom and Mary Ann's Anniversary

This is the anniversary card I made for my beautiful sister and my handsome brother-in-law.  I used the Cricut cartridge that is exclusive to Close to My Heart.  If you have a Cricut and need a CTMH Consultant so you can own your own cartridge (with over 700 images available to cut), please contact me or use the link to my website  Thanks for looking...

VBS Cards

Here are 2 cards the kids, 10 and older,  put together at VBS.  We will be sending about 40 cards to the troops for them to use to send greetings back home to their friends and family.  We will be sending the cards through the American Legion in Mentone, CA.  You too could make cards for a purpose...

Good Morning!

Great news!  Close to My Heart now has their very own Cricut cartridge that coordinates with many of the stamp sets.  The cartridge will be available August 1st in a set with 3 My Acrylics stamp sets and matching chip board pieces.  The entire kit is only $99.00.  If  you have a gathering of friends and the guests buy $250 or more in product, the hostess can purchase the set at half price.

Email me to schedule a demonstration of the new cartridge.

Enjoying the summer!

Cards are fun but I also love to scrapbook memories of my grandchildren as they go through life's journey.  Hopefully, now that I am getting the hang of how to do this blog stuff, I will be able to post my art more often.