Wednesday, December 22, 2010

More Christmas Gifts!

Having to make a gift for someone you don't really know well is so hard!  I drew the name of one of my club members that I don't know too much about and had free reign to make whatever I wanted for her.  OY!  The pressure!  Then I saw CTMH's mix and mingle album and it got an idea brewing in my little pea brain.  =)

I made a wall hanging for Cherryl's scrap booking/ sewing space.  (I did get a little hint from a friend of hers!) One side says CREATE and on the other side I thought I should put something seasonal, so I went with JOY.

All of the paper is CTMH, the buttons are from my grandma's button box I inherited, and Thank goodness for my CRICUT!  I cut all of the Christmas side decorations and then glittered them.  I think they turned out so neat!  I hope you got a chance to flex your creative muscles this season.  
Merry Christmas to all ...... 

Monday, December 13, 2010

Sharing Christmas day One

I am so excited to share the pictures of the Twilight album I made as a gift for my friend for Christmas.  
In our scrap booking club we had a Christmas gift exchange, and I drew the name of my friend who LOVES Twilight.  I have been wanting to try one of these albums for a long time and this was the perfect excuse. 

The cover has a home made flower (the big one) accented by a couple prima flowers. 

I saw this rose lace and knew it would be perfect for this album.  

The tags were stamped with a CTMH stamp and everything was ink distressed of course. 

I found some red flower lace too!  Isn't it great?

Interactive pages.  I am working on making my albums more interesting. 

More black rose lace and some Silhouette paper by CTMH.


Check out the ribbon behind these pictures!  I have a bunch left, and can't wait to find a spot to use it.  It is really webby (is that a word?)

Pocket page made from pictures filled with tags.


I made several charm dangles to hang on the album too.  It adds a ton of interest and I have the beads.  Another hobby I am starting to do.  Ha ha ha.  

I hope you enjoy my friend's album  I am planning on teaching a class on this album sometime this coming spring.  Watch for the announcements!
Have a great day!  connie 

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving.


I just want to share pictures of how generous you all have been over the last couple months.These bags hold cards that I have sent overseas to a National Guard Unit in Afghanistan.  Our friend, Carstin, receives the cards and lets members of her unit (or everyone on the facility?) "shop" for the cards they would like. They don't pay for these cards.  And according to Carstin, ours are much better than anything they can get at the BX!  =)   I really feel like we are doing some 'giving back ' by keeping this program going.  I would just like to remind you to bring cards to ANY of our club meetings.  They can be any theme, they will get used sooner or later.  I send a box every month that I have enough cards.

 
 I guess what I am trying to say, is THANK YOU, for being in our scrap booking club, for supporting my causes, and most of all for being my friends.  I am truly blessed to have you in my life.
 Can you guess what this is??  Well, it is the sides for one of our chipboard cubes.  This one was made by one of the girls who to the class to learn to decorate that cube.  These "pages" are laid out in the same form they will be added to the cube.  Isn't it beautiful?  It is going to look great on some one's desk for Christmas.  I would show you the one I am working on but .......
Well, you know, it's the time of year I can't share everything!!  ;-)     See you next week. 

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Well, it's Wednesday morning already.  How does that happen?  I really planned on getting on here and updating on Monday, but, life.  You know.  
My son is home from college for 2 weeks.  I am excited and dreading.  It is weird to have that extra person in the house when we have established routines without him.  And, of course, he is on vacation.  So he is running on way different hours than the rest of the family.  On the other hand, he makes me laugh so much and I love just being able to hug him at will.  It's all good.  

Can you guess what this is?  I used some really old CTMH paper and my Cricut (which I LOVE!!) to make the pages of a cute little Toilet paper roll mini album.  This is a school theme, like a BoM for a kid.  I bound these pages with my Bind it All machine and it is an adorable little album.  I am thinking we should do a class on this next year.  You will have to let me know.
I am off to Michaels to get a new Cricut mat (and something else, I'm sure!)  So I will update you again next week.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Winner South Dakota

 OK, so I know you are all wondering why I titled this post Winner, SD.  Well, I was wondering why all my fun friends from Sturgis would get up at 5AM, and drive 4 hours to go to Winner SD.  I went with them to find out, and this is the result!
We SHOPPED!  There is the best little hobby store there called - ha ha - The Hobby Shoppe!  Go figure!  And she has a great supply of paper, stickers, kits, flowers, inks and well scrap booking stuff.  We showed up on a day that she was hosting a weekend crop, so the store was filled with crazy women (and one young man!) who totally understood why we would do something crazy like this. We shopped for a couple hours, every time we walked through again, we saw something we had missed. And then, those crazy scrappers there for the crop invited us to share their lunch.  We had such a great time and we were welcomed with open arms!  We are already planning on going again - after our checkbooks recover! 
Ruth, the owner, even set up a little make and take for us.  Isn't this Halloween hanger adorable?  I ended up finishing mine up at home (I'm a bit slow you know!) but, I love it! 

I picked up some great Bo Bunny Press papers, perfect for the 20 yr. old boys around my house.  And I even got the paper to make my oldest son's graduation announcements for college.  She had paper with mechanics' tools, and then that textured chrome looking paper.  I'm sure I can work that into an announcement for graduation from mechanics school. 

I'll post a bit of my work later this week. The project I am focused on today I can't show, it's a Christmas gift.  But, later this week, something will show up.  Have a great one!  and I'll talk to you later. 

Friday, October 22, 2010

Just a couple notes!

The first note today is a little warning.  Never, Ever, Never re-ink your ink pads when you are frustrated because they are so dry!  What may happen is that you decide to really make sure they are inked up and you end up with a big ol' mess! 
I ended up with black ink clear up to my elbows!!  and I am still wiping it off the sides of my ink pad - BUT my pad is now nice and juicy just like I like it.  I wait too long between re-inkings.  Should you be checking your ink pads?  Don't forget that we offer re-inkers for all of out CTMH pads!

 I am so proud of this page! I have been playing with my DSIL's gypsy for about a week now and this is my very first shadowed cut, done on the same mat at one time.  Does that make sense?
 This is what the finished page looks like.  Using up some really old CTMH paper.  Lime green and moonstruck blue.  WOW!  Eye popping combination. 
It may be hard to see, but here is the mat after I did both cuts.  I love that I can do it all at once with the gypsy and the cricut together.  I plan on doing a lot more playing before Christmas gets here.  Maybe I'll even get a Gypsy of my own! 

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Ssshhhhh! Don't tell


  OK, I have to share the fun project I did at the retreat this weekend.  I have wanted to do one of these books forever, but they scared the crud out of me.  They are so chunky and have so many layers of creativity.  Well, I just didn't know if I was up to the task.  But, I have been watching some very creative artists make these on another blog for months and .....  well, it was time to jump in. 

I spent all day Saturday working on this one album, but this weekend wasn't about getting things done, like last year, it was about tapping into that creative person I know lives inside me. 

This album is for the couple that I am making the invitations for.  It matches their wedding colors and is very feminine and blingy like the bride.  I know that the groom loves the scrapbooking I do, because he is all over in my son's albums and is very tickled with that thought. I know that they will love this forever and I can't wait to get pictures in it after the wedding.


Front Cover


The "book" on the left page opens up for 5 pictures inside.



A picture or pictures can be tucked under the flourish on the right page.


All the tags are glimmer misted.  This stuff is great!




Another book that opens up to hold 5 pictures.



Monday, October 11, 2010

My Busy Life!

Well, this  how I have been spending all my free time this week.  My son's good friend is getting married next month and I have been asked to make the invitations.  100!  and I need to have them done by Wed. so the lovely bride can get them in the mail.  I am about 1/2 way through, and I will be so glad when they are done!

In the meantime, I thought I would start showing you some of the layouts that I did that earned ribbons at the fair.  This one is of my oldest son and his friends at the pool hall!  I had a really hard time coming up with a page for 'sports' since my boys are older and don't play ball any more.

A red ribbon.  I can't complain about that.  Maybe you can enter a layout in your states fair next year.  What sports layout do you have?  Won't you share with me?

Monday, October 4, 2010

FREE card class full in Rapid City

This card class, scheduled for October 24th is full, but I am hoping to do another one in November.  If you would be interested in joining the fun, just give me a call or post a comment on this blog and we will get all the information to you! 

I've been busy ....really!

This is my excuse and I am sticking to it - literally!  My son's very good friends are getting married and I have been asked to make the wedding invitations.  I said yes before I knew how soon the wedding was.  I also chose the cards to CASE before I knew how many I was going to be making.  So, I am in the middle of making 100 wedding invitations in 2 weeks.  What was I thinking?  What am I ever thinking when it comes to my kids and their friends that I adore? 
These that you see above are the cumulative work of 3 days of cricut cutting, gluing, cuttle-bugging and planning.  I hope they all continue to go together as well as these last steps have gone.  Now to get the rest of the parts and pieces cut and glued and print out the actual invitation. 

Oh, there was the one moment of deciding on a black tie or a white tie, once good old Martha came through for me and provided a bow punch after 5 days of looking and begging.  Ha!  Gotta love Martha!

Friday, September 24, 2010

One more FREE class

For those of you that took advantage of the Triple Play National Stamping Month Special offered by Close to my Heart, I am having a 'class' so that we can all assemble one of the albums together. 
OCTOBER 28...6PM-9PM .... RAPID CITY HARDEE'S ...HAINES AVE.
Please RSVP to twocut@rap.midco.net


FREE CLASSES IN OCTOBER

Well, I suppose it is about time for me to announce some of the FREE classes that I have coming up.  I am going to have a very busy schedule and you all are going to have a great time. To start with, I am having a FREE card making class.  This is a RSVP class.  I must know you are planning on participating as I only have room for 10 people at a time.  These are the pictures of the card patterns, so you will know what to bring as far as stamp sizes.  When you RSVP, I will send you a list of the materials you will need to bring to the class.  If the first class fills up, I will schedule a second class. 

This example shows the same cards with a different theme.  I am encouraging all participants to do fall or Christmas cards.  So, the classes are:
RAPID CITY .......OCTOBER 24.....1PM-5PM
STURGIS.....OCTOBER 22 .....6PM-9PM
You must come to class with card bases cut and folded!  this is essential for time!


The next FREE class I am offering is a class on decorating the fun chipboard cubes offered by CTMH.  You will have to provide your own cube (I am putting my last order for these in on Sept 30) but we are going to have so much fun making these great decorated cubes for gifts!  

 This cube is for my daddy for his birthday.  I know he thinks I forgot, but I didn't, just wanted to show it to you before I give it away! 

and classes are:
RAPID CITY.....OCTOBER 15.....6PM-9PM
STURGIS.....OCTOBER 29.....630PM-9PM


Thursday, September 9, 2010

Scrapper Beware!

So, I was getting ready for the local State Fair, trying to get all my layouts together to enter, and I couldn't find one.  I went through EVERY Album, every bag and box with paper in it, in every room.  Hours, days, I spent looking for this layout.  I knew it was beautiful, it would win a great ribbon and it would really represent Close to my Heart well in our community. 


Isn't it beautiful?  And I had a spot for a baby layout (I entered 15 layouts). So, I hunted and hunted.  I narrowed it down enough to know it was in a book, but which book? 

Then it dawned on me!

It is in the baby book I MAILED TO MY NEPHEW LAST WEEK!
No wonder I couldn't find it! 

This is the result of having way too many ongoing projects! 
Scrapper beware!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

August so soon?

Well, August has come and is passing in a rush.  I am thrilled that the motorcycles are here (I know not all of you feel that way)for us, it means family is going to visit.  This year my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, niece, great nephew, and baby daddy came to visit.  I didn't have to much time with them, because of work, but I did manage to get out and play one morning. We went to dinasour hill and Storybook Island. These are 2 of the best places in town for kids and they are FREE! 

This park is great because little boys can get up close and personal with these big dinasours.  They are all life sized!  (A little scarey for small people!)

Kids who come to this park LOVE the statues. 

How cool is it that mom will play on the rides with my favorite boy?  I think she was having as much fun as he was!
Christopher Robin, Eyore, and Tigger too!  What a great place to spend the morning.

Tomorrow I will share with you what I am doing with these pictures!

I hope you are taking the time to have fun with your families too.  If you aren't out there taking pictures, what are you going to put in your scrapbooks?

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

July Again Already! - update

It has been a crazy month and I was planning on having challenges and pictures up for all of you today, but that isn't going to happen just yet. I just want to let everyone know that I am still alive and doing my classes every month and having a blast!! This month we used the Passages Paper pack and made some beautiful pages!! I will post mine tonight after work. This morning, I have to get the trim on the house painted, or it may never get done! ;-)



My scrapbooking room is a mess! I am preparing for a big rummage sale and am selling about 3/4 of my woodies! I just don't use them any more and can't justify the space they take up. I only kept the ones I really love. I am also getting rid of about 50 CTMH sets that are retired. I find that it is time to filter some things out so I am ready for the new catalog coming out Sept. 1.



I am so excited!! We have a bunch of new changes coming and they will be so great. Want a teaser? We have 8 new colors being released Sept. 1. Brand new SUMMER colors. and of course, NEW PAPER PACKS! I can't wait! I swear, this is my favorite time of year.



Well, I have to go swing a paint brush, but I will have some artwork up here tonight! Bye,

Sunday, May 23, 2010

My latest project and a challenge!

So, now that I have the baby album for my great niece done and the 9X9 album that I was commissioned to do for a friend done, it is time to address the needs of my own family. My son is celebrating his Eagle Scout award on June 19th and I am just starting the invitations. I have a list of 60 and I am sure I have forgotten some. I am going to be up nights all week doing this. And to top it off, I just discovered I don't have a silver ink pad! Who doesn't have a silver ink pad?? that is just crazy!

Does this layout look familiar?? It is the same layout we used for the YOU ROCK workshop. I knew when I saw the layout for club that this was what I wanted to use for Jamie's invitations. I didn't use CTMH paper, but I found some really fun paper that glitters and really represents what this award is (to me anyway!)

I got all the paper cut, and went to stamp the eagle that I have for the invites, and the stamp apparently grew legs. I hunted for a half hour for it before I gave up and called a friend to see if she could help me out. We ended up finding an eagle on the STAND AND SALUTE cricut cartridge. I tried it in red, blue and black and this is what my final product looks like.

And this is what the original card from club looked like. Isn't it amazing what changing some paper and the accents will do for a layout. I am thinking that his THANK YOU cards may have the same layout and I will use the D1408 A LITTLE EVERYTHING stamp set. I don't know what papers I will use, but I have a lot of the SASPARILLA papers left. And that is pretty masculine. Hhhhmmmm.... that could work.
Anyway, your challenge this week. Change up one of your club card patterns and send it to me. I will post it and you can rack up points! I am still keeping track of them. You might even want to give this card a shot! have fun!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Starting over ... Again

Well, this month has been nothing but a series of family crises' and so once again I have let things like my blog slip. If it makes you feel any better, I haven't crafted or followed anyone elses' blogs and websites like I usually do either. However, I am going to make a big effort to get back on track. Starting with this months BoM challenge. I have run across so many ideas this morning and have even thought of the things that relate to May - birthdays, mom's day ..... but in the end, I think we will just do a page about every day. Let's do a page about our nightly routines.

What do you do every night before bed? It can be one thing that you elaborate on or a series of routines that you journal about so your family knows a bit of what your life was like.

I hope to get my page done today and post it tomorrow. In the meantime, I have started to get control of some of the commitments that I have made and get my life back on the track I have laid for it. See you tomorrow, c

Monday, April 26, 2010

April BoM challenge

Well, I am sure that this is not the kind of picture you expected to see when you came to check on the BoM challenge for April. Yes, I know it is very, very late and I am sorry. Life did take over this month and I have not stayed on task. Time to get back on that horse and get things done.

So, back to the picture. As you know I was (am) trying to do a 365 album this year. That got sidetracked too. I am picking up and starting where I am though, because I still think it's a great idea and I love Flylady's credo of not beating yourself up when you slip. So ... the pictures! These are the 2 desserts I made for Easter dinner. Seems like ages ago. This first one was the one I was so excited about. It was sherbet and a cream cheese mixture. It was supposed to be so pretty and layered and FROZEN. Well, it... ummmm.... tasted good. I was very disappointed that it didn't freeze in the 3 hours the recipe called for.
This recipe is a 'Southern Peach Cobbler' from a recipe book/swap my sister in law was in and she made a book for me too! I love it. And the cobbler was EASY and GOOD. OK, 1 out of 2 isn't bad. Easter was wonderful for our family, we all got together and shared some laughs and generally bonded. We don't ALL get together very often so when we do it is a real blessed time. So, now I am sure, you are wondering about the BoM challenge.
This month, I am only giving you a word. FAITH You can do a layout about what you believe, or where it came from. What it means to you or what you have faith in. Sometimes it is something as simple as having faith that a recipe you want to try will be good enough to serve your family. I'll write again soon.