Yes, I do create scrapbook layouts!

My 12x12 scrapbooking has taken a back seat lately to other paper crafts. So, in an effort to return to my roots, so to speak, I present a 2-page layout I created yesterday:



The inspiration came from a dress yesterday which I saw at the Fashion in Film exhibit at the New Mexico Museum of Art. The dress was worn by Joanne Whalley in the 1994 tv mini-series "Scarlett", a sequel to Gone With The Wind.



I was struck by the flowers on the neckline, particularly the contrast of the flowers with the color of the dress. I'm not a big fan of lace, but this is one exception.

And the only scrapbook subject I could pair with the inspiration of such a beautiful dress is my beautiful daughter.



The letter I wrote to my daughter right after the concert.



Supplies (Close to my Heart unless noted):
Cardstock: Spring Iris, Creme Brulee
Floral Die-cuts
Ink: Black
My Acrylix Stamp sets: Annotations, My Heart, Chocolate Alphabets, large and small

Exciting Day!

I, for one, have grown a bit weary of creating cards and other paper things with Christmas- and Winter-themed products. That could be because I started making Christmas cards in September. So, I have a great cure.

I have been waiting for a couple of weeks to share this with everyone. I dropped a hint. But now I can officially share it!

Close to my Heart is letting us get a jump on National Papercrafting month in January by offering this gorgeous paper packet and large stamp set starting today! The Key to my Heart Kit is so cute, I can hardly stand it.



Besides the desk organizer, I made a couple other fun little projects... a pen holder an a window box.

The My Acrylix stamp set is a Size E, which is larger and usually reserved for big alphas. This set includes fun flourishes that match perfectly with the patterned paper included in the kit. The colors are Tulip, Sorbet, Juniper, and Creme Brulee, CTMH's newest colors.

Of course, there are ways you can get this kit at a discounted rate -- spend $130 and get the kit for free, or spend $75 and get the kit for $20. However, CTMH is also offering it at the retail price of $47.90, so you can get the kit without spending a minimum amount on other products.

Papertake Weekly

Apparently I have entered a(nother) challenge phase. The Papertake Weekly Challenge this week is my favorite kind of challenge, a sketch! Woo hoo!



I had a great time making this card, and it provided a welcome diversion from Christmas cards.



This card is for a member of my Close to my Heart team. The paper is not available to the public yet, but it's going to be a hit! The colors used are Sweet Leaf, Twilight, Vineyard Berry, Cocoa, and Colonial White. The images are from a consultant-only set, but some similar images will be available in the new Idea Book that debuts on Jan 1. Keep an eye out for them! As for the embellishments, the bracket and star are from Dazzling Die Cuts, and the ribbon is 1/4" grosgrain in Vineyard Berry.

Sketch Saturday

While looking at various blogs, I came upon Sketch Saturday. The sketch struck me right away as a fun one, so I found some great holiday paper and stamps. I'm a pushover for a good sketch, and this sketch is great! Here is my take on the sketch:



The patterned paper is from CTMH's Aspen My Reflections Level 2 Paper Packet, and the stamps are CTMH's My Acrylix set called Homeward Bound. I colored the image with watercolor pencils and blended them with my Waterbrush. The glitter is Diamond Sparkles by PSX (very old, in fact I dont think the company exists anymore). The ovals and circles were cut using my Coluzzle. Finally, a chance to use my oval template!

A challenge? Really?

Yes, much time has passed since I took up a challenge. But yesterday I was completely lacking inspiration, and I still have Christmas cards which need to be made. So, I hopped on over to Papertake Weekly and took up this week's recipe challenge.



The recipe called for one ribbon, two rectangles, and three round embellishments. Feeling particularly creative, I stacked three embellishments -- a button, a brad, and a sparkle -- rather than laying them out alone.



The polar bear image is one I received from SBS-12 sistah, Melissa, in a recent Holiday Images Swap. Thanks, Melissa! The other materials are CTMH, including the patterned paper from Evensong Creative Basics, presents image from the my Acrylix Stamp set Jingle Borders (which could also be used for a birthday card as a wise friend pointed out), and ribbon, button, brad, and sparkle. The colored inks are Cranberry and Olive.

Countdown to Christmas, and Blog Candy

When I was young, my mom would get an Advent calendar, and my sister and I would take turns opening the little door each day to reveal a chocolate. I was usually odd (don't say it!) and my sister, even. Oh how I looked forward to those odd days. I didn't even like the chocolates much; I liked opening the doors. I enjoyed tearing the perforation and discovering a shape below the chocolate. In the years after I left home, my mom continued to send me Advent calendars. But without that childlike excitement, I usually didn't open the doors.

Now I have taken that excitement and applied my current, craftiness to create a reusable Advent calendar. Each day in December, my husband and my daughter will take turns pulling out a little drawer filled with Hershey's Kisses!

Materials:
Paper: Evensong B&T Duos, Level 2 Paper Packet (CTMH)
Stickers: Evensong My Stickease (CTMH)
Rub-ons (CTMH)
Brads (CTMH)
Countdown Calendar with number stickers included (Karen Foster Design)

And head on over to Jami's blog. For blog candy. Congrats on 7,000 hits, Jami!

Happy USA Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for the inspiration and friendship you all provide. Your creativity and kindness are irreplaceable.

On this day, even if you don't live in the USA, give thanks for your family — whatever that family is to you. Be it your birth family, adopted family, online family, or close friends, give a little shout out for their presence in your lives.

Here is my contribution to Thanksgiving: pumpkin pies and a candle jar decorated with CTMH rub ons.

Papercrafting Sneak Peek

I needed a short break from Holiday crafting so I moved on to something I am finding super exciting. I love, love, love, this paper and stamp set. It is from Close to my Heart, but it isn't available to customers yet. January will be National Papercrafting Month, and this paper will help us celebrate that. I will give you a couple sneak peeks before it is available. Without further adieu, I present the desk organizer I made...

Supplies (all CTMH except as noted):
B&T Duos (secret packet)
Cardstock: Juniper, Colonial White
Paint around the edges: Create-a-Shade Paint with Creme Brulee reinker added
Colors: Juniper, Creme Brulee, Tulip, Sorbet, Colonial White
Tag: Dimensional Element from Dazzling Die Cuts collection, attached with Colonial White Waxy Flax
Desk Organizer: Bare Elements

Thank You Card

I was hoping to cheat and find some cute challenge this card would fit into, but the truth is I just made it for a friend with no internet blog challenge backing. It is made, however, from the Center Charms pattern out of Jeanette Lynton's Originals Card Confidence program.



Continuing my month of Dazzling Die Cuts, I attached the Twilight circles to Twilight cardstock then sanded the raised edges. And shockingly, I actually embossed the Desert Sand "T". The B&T Duos paper is from the My Reflections Simple Pleasures paper packet. Oh, and the tag is also a Dazzling Die Cut.

Dazzling Die Cuts

Our CTMH Constant Campaign for this month is so cute and inexpensive. I just had to share. Below is a picture of the display board I created and bring with me to gatherings and workshops.

Colors: Twilight, Creme Brulee, Bamboo, Outdoor Denim

Pumpkins

The best time to get pumpkins is after Halloween. We picked up 16 small ones at the Wagner Farm and decorated them sans carving. The daughter did an excellent job with paint pens and feathers, while I chose a simple homage to my alma mater.

Fall Card

I had a blast making this card for a swap with my SBS-12 sistahs.




All materials CTMH:
Cardstock: Colonial White (card and image bases), Cocoa (solid layer), Indian Corn Blue (scalloped circle)
B&T Duos: Stripes from Magic Moments
My Acrylix Stamp Sets: Thoughtful Seasons (leaf, pumpkin, and HARVEST sentiment), Tiny Typewriter (asterisk in between HAR and VEST)
Exclusive Inks: Sunflower (leaf), Cocoa (pumpkin and sentiment)
Ribbon: Sunflower Organdy from Autumn Harvest Ribbon Round
Tag: Dazzling Die Cuts small tag in Sunflower, adhered to Dimensional Elements chipboard tag
Waxy Flax: Chocolate (to tie tag to bow)
Eyelet: Hollyhock

Incredulous

I can barely put to words my feelings now. I am stunned, happy, scared, anxious, and elated all at once.

My husband voted for the first time today. I am so proud of him. All the poll workers clapped when they found out he was a first-timer! Here is a picture taken with my Blackberry camera. It's not an artistic masterpiece, but it captures a memory I will hold dearly in my heart.

Autumn Squash Book & Christmas Cards

For Michelle, who will be hosting a workshop next week, I present the Autumn Squash Book. Not squash like the gourd, but squash like smashing something. The multiple folds in this book allow it to squash. So fun!

And, of course, I am making a few Christmas cards here and there:

And now, my photo of the day.

Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch

To fulfill a promise, DH and I took the daughter to the pumpkin patch today in Corrales. We quickly discovered that we had chosen a perfect day to go. Being the last day, there was no crowd, and we were able to take home as many pumpkins as we wanted for free. The pickins were slim, but we chose 16 adorably cute, small pumpkins. In the maze I was grateful that DH took the lead. I was a bit panicky at first, thinking of Children of the Corn, but it was actually lots of fun.

And the photo I have chosen for the photo-a-day challenge:



Now it's off to create a squash book in preparation for an upcoming workshop!

Photo-a-Day Challenge Kick-off

I have taken on a personal challenge to take a photo each day during the month of November. I want to get to know my new(ish) camera, and I want to work on my stick-to-it-ness.

My first photo depicts a little bit of each person in our family. I wanted to start with something from our everyday lives, and what better than something we scan over each day, consciously or not.



Also, as an Autumn gift, I decorated a candy jar for my boss. Not only is the jar functional, it is so stinkin' cute, if I do say so myself!



My favorite element on the jar is the "D", which is an alpha from CTMH's November Constant Campaign, Dazzling Die Cuts. I have been working with these textured cardstock goodies for a week or so and having so much fun. Look for more artwork using these die cuts this month.

November already?

I can't believe we are already in November. Amazing! Here is a card I created using the Close to my Heart November Stamp of the Month, All Decked Out. The stamp set is so cute because it you can create so many different snowmen. Here is the first one I made:



Materials (All CTMH, except as noted)
Cardstock: Bamboo and Crystal Blue(sanded with fine grit side of sanding block from Sanding Kit in a circular motion all over), Twilight Textured (edges sanded with medium grit side of sanding block), White Daisy
B&T Duos: Plaid (left side base) and Twilight Snowflakes (hat, nose and scarf) from the Aspen, My Reflections Paper Packet
My Acrylix Stamp Set: All Decked Out
Other: Prisma Glitter set with Bonding Memories Glue

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And while I was in the holiday mood (and had out my Aspen paper packet), I made a simple piece to go on the mantle.

Materials (All CTMH, except as noted)
Cardstock: Bamboo (distressed with Edge Distresser) and Creme Brulee (sanded with block from Sanding Kit)
B&T Duos: Plaid from the Aspen, My Reflections Paper Packet (distressed with Edge Distresser)
Letters: Dimensional Elements alphas (sponged with Exclusive Inks in Twilight and covered with Liquid Glass)
My Stickease: Aspen, My Reflections
Silver Hinges and brads
Other: Silver hinges and brads, Bonding Memories Glue, Coasters (from stash)

It's here! It's here!

The Close to my Heart Journey to Director Goal Setting and Planning Guide is in my hot little hands... Of course I took pics as I was opening it! Off I go to tell my J2D buds :-)

Cute Pocket-Sized Album

A fabulously artsy CTMH consultant shared this project with some of us, and I fell in love with it. So, here is my version.







Thanks, Tressa Black, for the inspiration and instructions.

I will be teaching this workshop Saturday at a fundraiser crop for the PTO of the preschool up the street, Shining Stars. For more information, leave a comment.