The Price of Paper

March Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - Potential

2012-02-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Stamp ofthe Month Blog Hop! This time around we're featuring the March set Potential, aset of 8 stamps. If you have come here from Karen's blog,you are on the right path. The Blog Hop is a great big circle so you can starthere and work your way around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find acomplete list of participating consultants here.

There are over 50 Close ToMy Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the March Stamp of the Monthand other great CTMH products on their blogs. Hopping is simple to do - justclick on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one.Here we go!

I had a one of my toughestchallenges yet this month. How on earth was I going to create something usingmostly red, white and blue-colored papers and a stamp set full of elegantflourishes? It took a lot of scratching my head, trying different things, andchanging my mind, but in the end I think I came up with a cute card.

Supply list:

X7152B Superhero Level 2Paper Packet

S1203 Potential

Z1352 Colonial White 4 1/2”Circle Cards

Z2105 Black ExclusivesInks stamp pad

Z2305 Black Exclusives Inksmarker

Z1326 Sparkles Red, Pink& Purple Assortment

Z1487 Pewter Mini-Medley

Z1463 Flutter Paper Shapes

Z1686 Cricut ArtPhilosophy Cartridge

Our number of swap participants has grown enoughthat we split into two groups. The top photo is of the cards for the group I’min. The second photo is of the cards from the other group.

Now "Hop" onover to Allisa's blog to see her work, and be sure to visit each consultant'sblog to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas! Don't forget,this exclusive stamp set is only available until March 31st! Contact me to getyours today!

February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - Thoughtful Tidings

2012-01-31T19:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Stamp ofthe Month Blog Hop! This time around we're featuring the February setThoughtful Tidings (S1202) which includes 10 stamps. If you have come herefrom Kristine'sblog,you are on the right path. The Blog Hop is a great big circle so you can starthere and work your way around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find a completelist of participating consultants here.

There are over 50 Close ToMy Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the February Stamp of theMonth and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This month is especiallyexciting because all of the projects include new product! The Spring/Summer2012 Idea Book became available February 1^st!

Here is theStamp of the Month. Such a versatile set!

I hadn't made a swap cardwith Elemental yet so it was the perfect choice for this month's card. (As partof my swap group assignment I had to choose a paper pack that carried over fromthe Fall/Winter Idea Book, so that’s why I didn’t use new paper.) I wanted tocut my card base using the Art Philosophy cartridge and decided to go with thesame shape as the stamp image I wanted to use. I thought the littlepop of blue (Pacifica) was a nice finishing touch.

The photo didn’treally capture how I did the sentiment very well. I actually stamped it inOlive on the coordinating shape, and then I stamped just the “thank” inChocolate on a 1/2” x 1 1/2” piece. I used a piece of 3-D Foam Tape to pop itup.

Supply list:

X7141B Elemental Level 2Paper Packet

S1202 Thoughtful Tidings

1388 Colonial WhiteCardstock (card base)

1245 Olive Cardstock

X5754 Creme Brulee Cardstock

Z2118 Desert SandExclusives Inks stamp pad

Z2111 Chocolate ExclusivesInks stamp pad

Z2137 Olive ExclusivesInks stamp pad

Z2192 Pacifica Cardstock

Z1705 Durables Studs(Square)

Z1464 Milestone Shapes

Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

Z697 Sponge

Z1686 Cricut ArtPhilosophy Cartridge

The first weekend in February was a very snowy one here in Colorado, so we were unable to have our monthly unit meeting. We all mailed our cards to each other, and I took photos, but then I forgot to add them to my post until now. Sorry for the delay!

We have two separategroups participating in our Stamp of the Month swap, but the cards are all sogreat that we want to share them all.

Now "Hop" on over to Kathleen's blog to see her work, and be sure to visit each consultant's blog to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas! Don't forget, this exclusive stamp set is only available until February 29th! Contact me to get yours today!

New Product Blog Hop

2012-01-29T19:06:00.001-07:00

Hello and welcome to the New Product Blog Hop for Spring/Summer 2012! If you have come here from Gina's blog you are in the right place!

The Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book will be available for customers on February 1st, but in the meantime, take a look through our Blog Hop to get a sneak peek at some of the fabulous things in store for you!

I am crazy about fleur-de-lis, so I decided to make a masculine card for my project.

Supply list:

X7150B Victory paper packet

X7151B Footloose paper packet

A1127 A Journey stamp set

1188 Colonial White cardstock

Z2104 Barn Red Exclusive Inks

Z2140 Outdoor Denim Exclusive Inks

Z2135 New England Ivy Exclusive Inks

Z1096 Neutral Embroidery Floss (Chocolate)

Z1366 Metal Brads Assorment (Pewter)

Z1294 Sanding Kit

Z1297 Edge Distresser

Now hop on over to Susan's blog to see the great project she created!

Going, going, gone!

2012-01-15T14:14:00.001-07:00

In anticipation of the upcoming 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book, Close to My Heart has released the list of products that will retire on January 31st. (The new Idea Book will be available on February 1st.) Don't count on something you want being put on the While Supplies Last section of my website at a later date, get it now!

Fellow consultant Tammy Jenkins graciously created a slideshow showing all of the products that will be retired. Here is that slideshow:

Click here to visit my website and get your favorite products before they're gone!

Productivity

2012-01-11T16:34:00.002-07:00

I follow Positively Positive on Facebook, and this afternoon they shared this story on How to Be Productive from their blog. I know that I run into creative blocks and lack of motivation, and the next time I do, I'm going to try some of this gal's tips. The article is short and worth the read. I hope you find it useful too!

January SOTM Blog Hop - Little Reminder

2011-12-31T18:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! This time around we're featuring the January set Little Reminder, a set of 25 stamps. If you have come here from Dawn's blog, you are on the right path. The Blog Hop is a great big circle so you can start here and work your way around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find a complete list of participating consultants here.

There are over 50 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the January Stamp of the Month and other great CTMH products on their blogs. Hopping is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one. Here we go!

This time my assigned paper packet from my swap group was Roxie, which features Black, Tulip, Smoothie, and Desert Sand. I decided I didn't want my card to be for anything specific, so I didn't choose a date. I left the options open so that when I or my fellow swappers are ready to use the card, we can customize it for the occasion.

Here is my supply list:

X7140B Roxie Level 2 Paper Packet
S1201 Little Reminder
1388 Colonial White Cardstock (card base)
Z2105 Black Exclusives Inks stamp pad
Z1366 Metal Brad Assortment (Pewter)
Z1615 Designer Ribbon Red Collection
Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

Here are all the cards the members of our swap groups made. What a great assortment of designs!

Now "Hop" on over to Krista's blog to see her work, and be sure to visit each consultant's blog to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas! Don't forget, this exclusive stamp set is only available until January 31st! Contact me to get yours today!

Rock the Block Hop

2011-12-18T19:03:00.002-07:00

Welcome to the Rock the Block Blog Hop!

This fun hop features the fabulous Rock the Block promotion that runs from December 19, 2011 through January 31, 2012. It includes an exclusive E-size stamp set, as well as the My Creations Collage Cubes that can be yours for just $15 with qualifying purchase*. If you have come here from Angel's blog, you are on the right path. The Blog Hop is a great big circle so you can start here and work your way around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find a complete list of participating consultants here.

There are over 25 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the Rock the Block stamp set and the Collage Cubes. Hopping is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one. Here we go!

I am crazy about the Sonoma papers because I love purple! I'm also crazy about my son and the photos I had taken of him over the summer, so I decided to use them for this project. This is the top:

Side 2:

Side 3:

Side 4:

Tray inside:

Side view:

Supply List:

X7143B Sonoma Level 2 paper packet
Rock the Block stamp set
My Creations Collage Cubes
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
Z2137 Olive Exclusives Inks stamp pad
Z2141 Smokey Plum Exclusives Inks stamp pad
Z2114 Cocoa Exclusives Inks stamp pad
Z2118 Desert Sand Exclusives Inks stamp pad
Cricut® Close to My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge

Now "Hop" on over to Rachel's blog to see her work, and be sure to visit each consultant's blog to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas! Remember, this amazing deal is only available until January 31st!

*Make a minimum purchase of $25 from the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book and get the two NEW products for just $15: the My Creations® Collage Cubes (a Spring/Summer 2012 sneak-peek product!) and the exclusive My Acrylix® Rock the Block E-size stamp set. That’s a retail savings of almost $30! You're going to love the Collage Cubes and the Rock the Block stamp set, which work together for interactive, 3-D fun.

Teacher Gifts

2011-12-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

As we all know, it's that time of year again. Time to figure out what you're going to give your children's teachers for Christmas. I just about always make monogrammed note cards. They're fairly fast, simple, and easy, and considering how many gifts teachers receive, they should also come in handy.

Once I found out that my son's teacher likes purple, I decided to make it even easier on myself by making the same monogrammed cards I'd made for myself with the My Creations Card Box and Sonoma papers. I made a few simple modifications (I used the zip-strip border instead of plain Olive cardstock, I added a little more color by leaving a border around the patterned paper, and I made the monogram the center of a flower rather than just layering it on a scalloped circle).

I also stamped the monogram on the envelope flap to make the set more complete.

While all of my son's teachers are important, I wanted to give gifts to his homeroom teacher, as well as his math and reading teachers. The note cards were for the homeroom teacher, but I wanted to make her something else that I could also give the others. I decided to go with using the Typeset papers to create a door hanger pouch that I could put Post-It Notes in.

I have made these before, but it was so much easier with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge and our new double-sided paper! I didn't have to take the time to cut paper to fit and glue it down, I just hit "cut" and my door hanger was ready to go! Even though Close to My Heart's new patterned papers are a heavier weight, I thought it would be wise to sturdy the back up a bit. I did this by cutting another door hanger from Juniper cardstock and cutting it off where it just covered the back. I also cut out the piece for the front of the pocket and put it on the inside of the pouch for a little support. The zip-strip was the perfect accent for the pouch edge, and with just a few embellishments I had a great gift!

Maid Service

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

I received one of these magnets from my cousin many years ago, and I still get a kick out of it. It's such a cute and simple idea, and I have duplicated it several times to give as gifts to friends. I made a new batch to sell at a recent craft fair and managed to sell quite a few.

Here's how to make some of your own:

Magnetic sheets (I actually just recycled the magnets that come on the front of the phone book!)
Patterned paper
White or Colonial White cardstock
Buttons
Adhesive (i.e., Tombow, Xyron Sticker Maker, Glue Dots)

Using your favorite word processing or layout program, type up the text so that it fits inside a 2 1/4" x 2" rectangle. Print and then cut out the rectangles. Trim both the magnets and patterned paper to 2 3/4" x 2 1/4". Adhere the patterned paper to the magnet, and then the text piece on top of that. Use a Glue Dot to stick a button in the middle, and you're done!

The text reads: (top) Press Button for Maid Service

(bottom) If No One Answers Wait a Moment Then Do It Yourself!

Happy crafting!

December SOTM Blog Hop - Mad About You

2011-11-30T18:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring the December SOTM Mad About You, a set of 14 stamps. If you have come here from Nikka's blog, you are on the right path. The Blog Hop is a great big circle so you can start here and work your way around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find a complete list of participating consultants here.

There are many Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the December Stamp of the Month and other great CTMH products on their blogs. Hopping is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one. Here we go!

I'm part of a Stamp of the Month Swap group, and each member has been assigned a specific paper packet for each month. For December I had to use Typeset, which features Black, Juniper, Vineyard Berry, and Creme Brulee. Based on the theme of the stamp set I decided to make a rather non-traditional Valentine's Day card.

Here is my supply list:

X7139B Typeset Level 2 Paper Packet
S1112 Mad About You
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
1301 Bamboo Cardstock
X5910 Dark Red Shade Pack
Z2157 Vineyard Berry Exclusives Inks stamp pad
Z2114 Cocoa Exclusives Inks stamp pad
Z1487 Pewter Mini-Medley Accents Collection
Z1366 Metal Brad Assortment (Pewter)
Z1102 Colonial White Grosgrain
Z1617 Dark Chocolate Striped Grosgrain
Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

These are the cards made by my swap group. The talented ladies who made them are top row: Kimberly Deines and LeAnne Dudley; middle row: Vicki Price, and bottom row: Krista Staton and Angie Petersen.

Now "Hop" on over to Krista's blog to see her work, and be sure to visit each consultant's blog to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas! Remember, this exclusive stamp set is only available until December 31st!

Black Friday Sale!

2011-11-25T10:33:00.001-07:00

Haveyou been good this year and gotten your name on the Nice list?

Ifso, have Santa* email me an order anytime Friday,November 25^th through midnight Sunday, November 27^th forthe

Cricut® Art PhilosophyCollection

(or any order totaling $99or more**)

Santa*will receive a 10% discount off his order

plusfree gift wrapping and delivery from my house to under your tree!

This offer isonly available through Vicki Price, Close to My Heart Independent Consultant. ValidFriday, November 25^th through midnight Sunday, November 27^th.All orders must be paid in full no later than November 28^th. Cash,check, and credit cards accepted. Not valid with online orders. *Santa can be asignificant other, friend, relative, or even yourself. **$99 total beforeshipping and taxes.

Email me at priceofpaper@gmail.com to order!

Stocking Stuffers

2011-11-18T00:34:00.001-07:00

I've been busy making things for an upcoming craft fair, and below you'll see what I've made so far. First up, Reindeer Noses. (Got this idea off Pinterest after a friend told me about it.)

A fellow consultant gave similar M&M favors to several of us who attended Convention at Disneyland back in July. I thought they made great stocking stuffers so I just made Christmas tags instead of Disney-themed ones.

I love Stamp on This for fun things to make for gifts, and when I was ordering 2012 calendars I came across these fun tubes. I really didn't know what I was getting until they arrived, but I knew instantly they were perfect for Kisses.

I'm hoping that these simple little gifts will sell like hotcakes at the craft fair!

Finally - A Picture of Me!

2011-11-12T14:34:00.001-07:00

I've been waiting to get my hands on a photo of myself for a month. I did have photos of myself, of course, but I knew there was a pretty good one taken at a recent wedding, and it was the one I wanted to use right now. It's hard to get just a photo of myself because I'm usually either the one taking pictures of everyone else, or when I think of asking someone to photograph me, I'm in my Sunday comfy clothes and not looking too photogenic. I'm busy crafting this weekend, so I'll have project photos to post in the next day or two!

Card Box & Monogrammed Cards

2011-11-06T00:23:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite pieces of artwork in the Fall/Winter Idea Book is the Christmas Cards box on page 120. I knew it was something I either wanted to copy or use for inspiration. I decided on the inspiration because I thought a card box would make a great gift and workshop project.

I also decided it was time I made something for myself, and since I'm crazy about the Sonoma papers, I chose to use them for the project. I decorated the box first because I knew it would take me longer than the cards would. The patterns in this set are so elegant that I added some of the Opaques to keep the embellishments as elegant as the papers.

Although I absolutely love the purple flowers, the crystal charm is my favorite accessory on the box. It's the perfect touch!

I purposely made the cards without too much fuss. Even though I made this set for myself, it's nice to have some cards that don't have bulky embellishments that can drive up the price of mailing them.

I couldn't decide which side of the paper I liked better, so I went with the best of both worlds - five of each!

Please feel free to contact me if you'd like cutting dimensions or a supply list so you can make this project for yourself!

Holiday Wishes

2011-11-04T14:00:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited to get this deal for myself! This is one of the prettiest Christmas trees I've ever seen. Here are the details:

When you place a minimum order of $25 in My Acrylix® Stamp Sets* between November 1–30, you can add a new D-size Holiday Wishes stamp set for only $5! That’s a significant savings of $12.95. You may buy one Holiday Wishes stamp set for every $25 in qualifying stamp sets you purchase. As a creative bonus, many of the images in the set coordinate with our Cricut® Art Philosophy cartridge for added cutting and stamping fun!

My Sister's Birthday

2011-11-02T21:47:00.001-06:00

My little sister had a birthday a couple weeks ago, but I didn't post what I'd made her at the time because I didn't want to take a chance that she'd see it online before she actually had it in her hot little hands.

I started with her card and the fact that she loves dragonflies. I couldn't resist using the adorable dragonfly on the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge! I also thought the Roxie paper suited her taste. I ended up with extra dragonflies in trying to figure out the perfect size, so I decided to use one on the envelope too.

As for her gift, I was at a loss as to what to make this year when I realized that she needed a place to jot down the funny things my 3-year-old niece says. I decided to make her a homemade "smash it" book.

I love making these books myself because it's a fabulous way to use up paper I've been hoarding. My sister happens to like pink, as does my niece, so I found a bunch of different pink papers to use.

I made three pocket pages for clippings, ticket stubs, etc. I decided to make a few more dragonflies so that there's one on each pocket.

I included lined paper for memories and funnies.

The remaining pages are basically layouts where she can attach small photos, receipts, and anything else she wants to keep.

I was really happy with the results, and so was she! Happy birthday, Sister!

November SOTM Blog Hop - Cherish the Day

2011-10-31T18:59:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring the November SOTM Cherish the Day, a set of 44 stamps! If you have come here from Kristine's blog, you are on the right path. The Blog Hop is a great big circle so you can start here and work your way around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find a complete list of participating consultants here.

This time around we have over 50 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the November Stamp of the Month and other great CTMH products on their blogs. Hopping is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one. Here we go!

I'm part of a Stamp of the Month Swap, and each member has been assigned a specific paper packet for each month. For November I was given the Wonderland packet which features Crystal Blue, Twilight, Chocolate, and Grey Flannel. These colors make me think of January, so I decided to make a New Year's card.

Here is my supply list:

X7146B Wonderland Level 2 Paper Packet
S1111 Cherish the Day
D1482 Love Life
Z1353 4 1/2" White Daisy Circle Cards
Z2111 Chocolate Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Z2117 Crystal Blue Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Z2160 Twilight Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Z1385 Designer Ribbon Blue Collection
Z1104 Clear Sparkles
Z1151 3-D Foam Tape
Sponge

Here are all the cards made by my swap group. The talented ladies who made them are top row: Vicki Price, Krista Staton, and Angie Petersen. Bottom row: LeAnne Dudley, Bertha MacMillan, and Kimberly Deines.

Now "Hop" on over to Kathleen's blog to see her work, and be sure to visit each consultant's blog to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas! Remember, this exclusive stamp set is only available until November 30th!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T12:43:00.001-06:00

I'm so excited! My favorite holiday is here! I made this banner last year, but I love it so much that I had to post it again. It's truly one of the best things I've ever made. Those little Hooligans monsters were so adorable, and this project wouldn't have been the same without them.

I'm looking forward to dressing up later to pass out candy to the neighborhood kids. It's something I do every year. Generally I wear my renaissance costume, but I thought I'd do something different today. I spent a small amount of money to get a fun wig, a witch's hat, and some false eyelashes. I'm going to pull some things from my closet and be my own kind of witch. Who cares if I look like a traditional witch as long as I get to be someone else for a few hours?

I will share pictures from today's festivities later in the week. Happy Halloween!

My Favorite Fall Soup

2011-10-10T17:32:00.000-06:00

I know thousands of people - probably millions - are happy fall is here. I, however, am not one of them. I am a summer girl! I'm not saying I like it when it's in the triple digits, but I do like it to be around 80. I also love all the sunshine. I find it totally depressing when the sun isn't up when I drag myself out of bed and it's down long before dinnertime... Okay, before I start going off on a tangent, let me get to the soup part of my title. I do love soup, and I love it any day of the year. I make it often, and mostly in the slow cooker. Last year I discovered a pumpkin soup recipe in a Halloween magazine that I fell in love with, and today I decided to make it for lunch. I haven't had it for at least six months, and it was delicious. I thought it was even more delicious than any of the times I've made it before. Because I enjoyed it so much and I love to share my favorite recipes, I thought I'd post it here.

The recipe and photo are from Taste of Home. You can link to it here. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Corn Soup

Prep: 20 min. Cook: 25 min.

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) vegetable broth

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons lime juice

Directions

In a large saucepan, saute onion and red pepper in butter until almost tender. Add the corn, jalapeno, garlic and chili powder; saute 2 minutes longer. (I had a fresh zucchini from our garden and decided to add it. I sauted it with the onion and red pepper.)

Stir in the broth, pumpkin, salt and cayenne until blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Yield: 7 servings.

Editor's Note: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 120 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 9 mg cholesterol, 714 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fat.

Pumpkin Corn Soup published in Light & Tasty October/November 2007, p50

Cute Christmas Trees!

2011-10-06T20:18:00.000-06:00

Fellow Close to My Heart consultant Mandy Leahy posted a tutorial on how to make cute paper Christmas trees using the Art Philosophy cartridge and a Cricut machine. Thanks, Mandy, for allowing me to share this with my readers! Click here to go to her blog and see the tutorial.

Happy Blogtoberfest!

2011-10-04T21:22:00.001-06:00

What, you ask, is Blogtoberfest? The answer is simple. Blogtoberfest is a celebration of blogs and blogging. The wonderful and talented Tresa Black came up with the idea, and she has been kind enough to encourage others to join her in the celebration. The best part is that everyone gets to celebrate in their own way! Some may celebrate by posting more photos, videos or tutorials, while others may do so by changing the look of their blog or setting specific goals for the month.

I've decided to be part of the "more" crowd - more posts, which means more artwork! I need to create, create, create!

If you click on Tresa's Blog Dog logo in the top left of my page, it will take you to a list of all participants so you can see how they're celebrating. You can also use the link to get it on the fun!

October Constant Campaign

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever thought about becoming a Close to My Heart consultant? If so, October is a great month to sign up!

New Consultants who enroll with Close To My Heart between October 1–31, 2011, will receive one FREE* New Consultant Kit add-on collection! Each of our three add-on collections is priced at $40 and has a retail value of $80–$130, so this is an incredible deal! (The cost of the Consultant Kit/enrollment fee is $99.)

*Shipping/handling is free on add-on collections. US tax will be charged on the retail price of $40.

Holiday Magic - October Stamp of the Month Swap

2011-09-30T18:59:00.000-06:00

Here is my card for the October Stamp of the Month swap. I didn't want to have to cut out all the stockings by hand, so I cut them out using the Close to My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge, but slightly smaller than what the stamp image size is. The image still covers all of the shape, but I didn't have to worry as much about it lining up.

These are the cards made by our entire swap group. The designers are from top left (with the paper packet they used in parentheses): LeAnne Dudley (Typeset), Jodi Frank (Dreamin'), Randa Wacaster (Elemental), Julie Nilsson (Roxie), Angie Petersen (Wonderland), Vicki Price (Believe), Bertha MacMillan (Sonoma), Cathlene Burk (Mischief), and Krista Staton (Roxie). (I have to note here that Bertha actually put ink on her lips and kissed the rim of that adorable coffee cup!)

Which Came First?

2011-09-29T21:54:00.000-06:00

What inspires you when creating a new layout? Do you take a must-scrap photo of your kids and choose paper to go with it? Do you find paper that you fall madly in love with and then find photos to go with it? Maybe you see a layout in a design book or magazine that you really like and want to recreate it? I think I've used all of these as inspiration. I've also "staged" photos to go along with a paper pack!

I think I'm going to be guilty of the latter again soon. You see, Halloween is my favorite holiday. I find it so much less stressful than other holidays, and I certainly think it's more fun. I'm one of those silly grown-ups who loves to dress up, and I do - every year. But what I love most is helping my son find just the right costume. Now normally I leave it completely up to him, and I'm always happy to invest in his costume because I know he'll wear it again and again until it either falls apart or no longer fits. This year, though, is an exception. The moment I saw Close to My Heart's new Mischief papers, I knew I wanted him to dress as a pirate. Sure, if you look at the layouts in the Idea Book you'll see vampires and seemingly scarier things than pirates, but I saw my son the pirate on those pages. So, when it came time to start deciding on a costume, I had to break out my best mom-negotiating skills. The first thing he said he wanted to be was a gangster because the catalog we were looking at had a costume with a toy machine gun, and he wanted that gun. (Boys!) Not so fast! "I think you should be a pirate," I told him. He wasn't convinced, but this is where my negotiating skills kicked in. "How about I'll only buy you that machine gun if you dress as a pirate." (Okay, maybe this wasn't actually negotiating. Perhaps it was more like blackmail or extortion, but we moms have to do what we have to do, right?) And you guessed it, he's going to be a pirate.

Halloween is pretty much the only thing that has me excited about it being fall. I can't wait to snap those pictures on All Hallow's Eve and then get them on my layout. (That should probably say "layouts" because I love the Mischief paper so much that I'll have to do at least two.) I'm definitely going to use the Mischief Workshop on the Go (below) for one of them. Happy Haunting!

Shoebox Swap

2011-09-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Every time Close to My Heart releases a new Idea Book, our local unit has what we call a Shoebox Swap. The rules are that you can use any new stamp set and any new paper packet to design a card. You must also use current embellishments to make it a Level 3 card. Once those who want to participate have signed up, they create and put together just one card, and then they cut all pieces needed for each of the other participants. On the day of our monthly unit meeting we all show up with some sort of box that contains all the supplies needed for everyone else to create our card, including all stamps, embellishments, ink pads, sponges, etc. We generally start by passing our box to the person on our left, and then the madness begins! It's really a lot of fun, and we all end up with a great selection of cards for everyone to see and get an idea of what's available in the new catalog.

We had two new ladies join us this time, and their contributions were terrific! Those who participated were: Kimberly Deines, Randa Wacaster, Julie Nilsson, Vicki Price, Jodi Frank, Cathlene Burk, LeAnne Dudley, and Deb McNett. Thanks for all the great cards!

Boys and Big Boy Toys

2011-09-24T18:50:00.002-06:00

My boys have been playing with power tools almost all day. I have wanted a second shelf for our son's room for two or three years, and they finally started working on it today! (My husband built the first shelf the same two or three years ago, but at the time we didn't have the additional material to build two, and ever since he's hardly had time to play in his garage.) They got the shelf built, and while the glue was drying they started working on a project my son brainstormed last night - a wooden stool. It's really a wooden step stool rather than a stool to sit on, but it's his stool, so we're going to let him call it whatever he wants.

I'm excited to scrap these photos for a couple reasons: 1) my son learned about all sorts of new power tools today, and he even gave using most of them a try, and 2) when he was designing his stool last night he made several small drawings on a piece of paper, and he even included some measurements he took with his own tape measure. I will have the design plans to scrapbook too.

Now that the stool is all put together, my son has decided it needs stained. He's got it all sanded down and ready to go. I'll get pictures of that process tomorrow.

Limited Edition Cards - September Stamp of the Month

2011-09-24T02:13:00.001-06:00

Here are the swap cards our local unit made with the September Stamp of the Month Limited Edition. I photographed my card back at the beginning of the month but completely forgot to do the group. Better late than never, right? The talented designers are (top row): Vicki Price, Cathlene Burk (below mine), Krista Staton, Jodi Frank, Julie Nilsson, (bottom row) Angie Petersen, Randa Wacaster, LeAnne Dudley, and Bertha MacMillan.

Back-to-School Cards

2011-09-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

I've been making back-to-school cards for my son, his friends, and his teachers ever since his second year of preschool. It's something I love to do. The moment I saw the Typeset paper, I knew I had to use it to make this year's cards. The School Rocks stamp set goes with the paper perfectly, and I love the results.

What's Included in Close to My Heart's Art Philosophy Cricut Bundle?

2011-09-12T23:30:00.000-06:00

Watch this informative video from Close to My Heart to learn about what's included in the Art Philosophy Cricut Bundle. The video also features a tiny sampling of some of the cute shapes and 3-D items on the cartridge.

I am surprised and honored!

2011-09-12T22:29:00.005-06:00

I was browsing my friend's blog earlier today and discovered that she'd given me a blog award! I didn't even know there was such a thing! Thank you so much, LeAnne Dudley!

This award recognizes the little bloggers out there with fewer than 200 followers. How fun to share the love and boost each other's followers. LeAnne has a terrific little blog too, so be sure to check it out!

Now I get to pass the award on to five of my favorite blogs with less than 200 followers. I hope to find a few more followers and help others at the same time. If you haven't already, click on the link to follow me, and then take a look at these other creative blogs and follow them as well.

I had a hard time choosing only five because there are so many great blogs out there! However, if you see your name/blog listed below, please pass on the award so we can keep boosting each other's followers:

Make and Take Time

Isom Cre8tions

Stamped & Papered

Stampin' Buds

Clearly Stamping

Now, if you visit each blog and follow the ones you like, the numbers will increase dramatically and you will have made numerous new friends and contacts!

Limited Edition - September Stamp of the Month Swap

2011-09-12T16:30:00.000-06:00

This is my Stamp of the Month swap card for September. I used the Mischief papers along with the Limited Edition stamp set, and I also used the Key Moments stamp set to add another decorative element. The border down the side was cut using the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. (Card size: 3x6)

Washer Necklaces

2011-09-12T11:57:00.002-06:00

My very talented downline LeAnne discovered washer necklaces last year, and after she made a bunch of them, she posted a tutorial on her blog. Click here to see how to make these gorgeous necklaces yourself. They're the perfect project to use up some scrap on, and they make a great gift!

(Many thanks to LeAnne Dudley for allowing me to link to her tutorial.)

Busy Papercrafting

2011-08-30T22:36:00.002-06:00

I've been busy papercrafting for the last few days. I completed a swap, made back-to-school cards, and am now working on two more swaps. I haven't taken pictures yet, but I will - and I will get them posted soon!

Open House Projects Fall/Winter 2011

2011-08-21T14:13:00.002-06:00

I held my Fall/Winter 2011 Idea Book Open House on Friday and Saturday. I had a lot of fun playing with the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge to make goodies to show my guests.

I made these Take Out boxes and put little gifts in them as party favors.

Pillow Boxes cut from the Elemental paper pack.

3 1/2" Cut-out Card with Elemental for the trees.

Summer Fun Layout featuring the Elemental paper pack.

4 1/2" Square Card made with Sonoma papers, as well as the Harvest Happiness and Unscripted stamp sets.

Extra! Extra!

2011-08-18T20:56:00.003-06:00

Love alphabet stamp sets? Then the August special Extra! Extra! is just for you! Spend just $50, purchase the August Stamp of the Month "Wicked"for just $5, and receive this great alphabet "A Typeface" for FREE!

Studio J Layout - New Year 2011

2011-08-13T23:07:00.003-06:00

I am going to be completely honest. I was one of those people who had no interest in digital scrapbooking - I love the feel and the smell of paper. So, believe it or not, this is my first Studio J layout! I started it a while back and just hadn't gotten around to finishing it. Now that I have I am wondering why I waited so long to use this wonderful program! The options available are endless. I definitely see the benefits of using Studio J and will be using it more often in the future. Don't wait! Give it a try today!

August Stamp of the Month (Wicked) Swap Card

2011-08-12T12:52:00.003-06:00

Every month our local unit does a card swap with the Stamp of the Month. This one is mine. I used the Dreamin' papers, added a touch of Smokey Plum, and cut my sentiment pieces with the new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.

These are all the cards from the August swap. The talented artists are: Julie Nilsson (top), LeAnne Dudley, Angie Petersen, and Vicki Price (middle row), and Randa Wacaster, Jodi Frank, and Cathlene Burk (bottom row).

Retro Tech Cards & Deskpad Holder

2011-08-02T01:04:00.006-06:00

I was immediately enamored by the Retro Tech stamp set when it was released this spring. After getting some inspiration from a fellow consultant, these cards are what I came up with. (I also took a little color inspiration from "I Love Lucy".)

St. Patrick's Day 2011

2011-08-02T00:57:00.005-06:00

Those mischievous leprechauns were at it again this year, so I captured some of their fun in this layout from Magic.

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-08-02T00:55:00.005-06:00

Close to My Heart's Sweetheart paper was perfect for creating this fun and simple Valentine's Day layout.

Valentine Workshop 2011

2011-08-02T00:51:00.004-06:00

Using five different card patterns from either our Workshops on the Go or one of our card design books, I created 8 Valentines using both the Sweetheart and Wings papers. I also used several different stamp sets, including A Game.

Christmas Card Workshop 2010

2011-08-02T00:46:00.004-06:00

Since we now have circle cards, I thought it would be fun to use them to make Christmas cards this year. I also used the Mistletoe papers, the Mistletoe Level 2 accessories, and some Glitz Glitter Gel along with the A Timber and St. Nick stamp sets.

14-Page Layout Workshop using Reflections

2011-08-02T00:38:00.003-06:00

Another consultant created this 14-page layout workshop using the Reflections Design Book. I don't usually do 1-page layouts, so I paired them up to end up with seven 2-page layouts. I love how they turned out with the Lucky papers. I have photos of my son playing outdoors that I'm going to put on them.

All-Occasion Card Workshop

2011-08-02T00:28:00.006-06:00

Another name for this project is "Card-a-palooza". Using four different sheets of B&T (patterned paper), I was able to create 25 cards. These photos are a representation from two different examples I made for a total of 50 cards. The cards in the top photo were made using two patterns from Wings, one pattern from Wings Creative Basics, and one pattern from Emporium, The cards in the bottom photo were made using two patterns from Bliss, one pattern from Veranda, and another pattern from Wings Creative Basics. I used at least two different stamp sets, including Card Chatter - Birthday and Card Chatter - Sympathy.

Father's Day 2010

2011-08-02T00:22:00.005-06:00

This is still probably my favorite layout I've ever done. I used Close to My Heart's Passages paper for the perfect backdrop to my guys. The right page is interactive. I used hinges to create flaps with hidden photos underneath.

Reach for the Stars

2011-08-02T00:17:00.004-06:00

If you have unused Close to My Heart Level 1 Kits lying around, you can do so much more with them than what you might think. I took this Stardust Level 1 Kit and turned it into a Level 2 Layout with great results!

Long Time No Blog

2011-03-09T18:19:00.003-07:00

I knew it had been a long time since I'd posted on my blog, but I didn't realize it had been this long! I sincerely hope to change that, starting with this post. I know I have lots of photos to add because I've made a lot of projects in more than a year! Keep your eyes peeled for new stuff!

October Snow

2010-01-06T14:41:00.006-07:00

Our first really big snowstorm came at the end of October and I was happy to get to get these photos scrapped. This was sketch challenge #3, but there were no requirements. I love this one!

First Christmases

2010-01-06T14:35:00.006-07:00

Here's another layout from a sketch challenge. This one was more difficult for me. The requirements were using paper you'd been hoarding for at least six months, use two photos from different events or times, and no cardstock except for the journaling. After I found the photos it came together pretty easily.

Friends

2010-01-06T14:25:00.004-07:00

I made this fun layout for a sketch challenge. The requirements were: use a piece of paper that you had had for more than a year, one piece of chipboard, and some buttons. I had exactly the right amount of photos that I needed.

Masculine Birthday Cards

2009-08-31T11:13:00.005-06:00

I needed some masculine birthday cards so I used some of my favorite paper and came up with these.

Scrapbook in a Purse

2008-10-13T21:34:00.008-06:00

I got this pattern from a bulletin board and just love how easy it is to make one of these! I've made two like the pink one and given them away as gifts, and then I made the "western" one and gave it to my friend Penny who has always been a cowgirl. I need to make one for me and actually put photos and journaling in it! (Sorry the bottom photo is blurry - I was in a hurry and only took one shot.)

Perfect Day Cards

2008-10-08T15:22:00.006-06:00

This is a 10-card workshop I made up for a class this past weekend. I really love this paper and these colors.

Christmas Cards

2008-08-07T12:57:00.005-06:00

I needed a project for my open house last fall. I had never used this gorgeous this stamp set and thought it would go beautifully with this new paper, so I designed these fast and simple cards.

Holiday Thanks

2008-08-07T12:53:00.004-06:00

I've always liked this paper but never took the right photos to use it for scrapbooking, so I decided to make holiday thank you cards with it. I was pleased with the results.

Convention Artwork

2008-08-07T12:41:00.003-06:00

This card made it onto the artwork board at Close to My Heart's recent Convention in Orlando, FL! Go me!

Valentine

2008-08-07T12:37:00.004-06:00

This is one of my favorite papers ever - and one of my favorite stamp sets. I thought they made a very elegant Valentine.

Teacher Cards

2008-07-29T14:53:00.004-06:00

The "thanks" card was for my son's summer school teacher, and the other one I made several of for all the teachers at the end of preschool in May. (I got the idea for this one from a magazine.)

Photo Tablets

2008-07-29T14:48:00.004-06:00

I got the idea for these tablets from a magazine. I especially love the one of me and my sister. I was about 5. My cousin just happened to find this photo in her stash last year and it was fun to use it. I gave identical ones to my mom and my sister for Christmas. Guess I should make myself one, too!

Hello Kitty Cards

2008-07-29T14:13:00.003-06:00

My mom loves Hello Kitty, so I made her these cards for Mother's Day.

For My Girlfriends

2008-07-29T13:44:00.006-06:00

I thought it would be fun to use some discontinued paper and make my friends some layouts for Christmas, especially because they have 4 girls between them (and one boy), and I just have a boy. I had so much fun making these!

Birthday Cards

2008-07-29T13:40:00.003-06:00

I needed some birthday cards a few months back, so I made a few like this to use up some discontinued paper. I was really pleased with the results, and they were so simple!

Cinco de Mayo Favors

2008-07-29T13:32:00.004-06:00

I taught a workshop on Cinco de Mayo last year, so I thought it would be fun to have party-like favors. I love using discontinued papers to create gift bags.

Clipboards

2008-07-29T13:25:00.007-06:00

A fellow consultant gave our group a cute clipboard for Christmas a couple years ago, so I made some for my family last year.

M&M Jar

2008-07-27T19:42:00.012-06:00

I made this for my husband for his birthday last year.

Today

2008-07-16T21:38:00.004-06:00

This is the day I decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon. I think it's going to be fun.