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!