New Meets Old

Hey everyone!  I am sorry about the delay in posting. I have broken my arm, at the wrist and I am moving a bit slow.  Typing is one of those things that can only be done in short bursts.

Today I have so much to share!!!  I have had several classes since I last posted and I have had plenty of time to spend in my scrap room since I haven't been able to work.  I am trying to at least be able to see the floor before I return to work.  It is a slow process! 

So, on to New meets Old:

This card is made with some of my favorite paper from a couple years ago.  I have been hoarding it, and now it is time to use it up and move on!  Can you see what the "new" is?

  Your right, a NEW  stamp set, 'Thank You' #D1361 and ..... Art Philosophy!  This scalloped circle is from the cricut cartridge!  I cut 6 of them faster than I could ever cut them out by hand or even punch them.  And while they were cutting, I was doing something else.  I love the CRICUT, it allows me to multi task.  (Don't tell my husband!)

 These cards are from my last monthly work shop.  We used the Mischief paper pack. My card makers wanted both Halloween and Fall cards, so that is what I did.  These are all the same paper, the exact same location on the cards, just different stamp sets.  Isn't it cool that we can do that? 

 And the OLD part of these cards .... the pattern.  We used a CHRISTMAS pattern for our card maps!  If you look, I have all the cards laid out in the same positions as the flyer.  Just the paper and stamp changes make the difference.  So Cool.  (sorry, I am very impressed with myself today, ha ha )

Well, I think that is all I can do for now.  I will chat at you again soon.  c

Fair Returns

So, the Central States Fair has been here and gone and I am pleased to share the results of my entries.  I entered 11 two page spreads and got ribbons on all of them!!  That is so cool.  I love when other people tell me what I am doing is OK. 

I got 5 first place ribbons, 3 second place ribbons, and 2 third place ribbons.  I also took Judges Choice on one of my pages.  That was really neat. 

Several of the pages I entered were pages that I created using the workshop guides from CTMH.  The one that took Judges Choice was the page I did from the Olivia Workshop last Fall.  The page turned out beautiful, and the judges commented on all the attention to detail.

What I found interesting, knowing what the trend is in the scrapbooking world, were the comments on my second and third place pages.  It really bothered the judges that I didn't fill up all the space.  On this Disney page, they felt there should have been some sort of a border. 

On this page, the judges thought I should have had more "stuff" in the blue space of the page. 

Now, I think leaving the top blue, with the focus being below that including the embellishments and photos, draws the eye more to the subject matter, but that is just my opinion. 

Even in this page, they wanted me to add more 'stuff' to the black area.  I guess I am just really comfortable with the concept of 'white space' while some people aren't. I'd love to know how you feel about the new 'white space' trend.  Please leave me a comment and let me know.

Well, that's all the news for today.  I better go get the last of my weekend things done so I can enjoy the week ahead.  See ya!

Going, Going, Gone

Summer is going so fast and now we have finished another week.   It has been a wild one too.  I was really busy at my day job (yeah!!)  and came home and was really busy with my CTMH business.  I had my monthly club meeting in Sturgis on Wed. and that was such a mess!  For some reason we didn't have the room scheduled and there I was .... with no place to play and 17 friends coming to play!  Well, thank goodness, the Sturgis gals take such good care of me, we found a spot to play at the last minute! We made pages with the TYPESET papers from out new catalog.  What great paper. 

Now, I am gearing up for next month!  We are going to be playing with the Mischief papers, only we are making FALL cards instead of HALLOWEEN cards.  It should be really fun to design some cards that will use our new papers.   I am also preparing a great second calendar class for Sept. 4.  We are going to be using the WINGS paper pack from the SPRING Idea Book.  I can't wait to see the dramatic, beautiful calendars that these papers are going to finish.

And, Oct. 1, I am going to be celebrating NATIONAL CARD MAKING DAY by creating 8 CLEAR CHRISTMAS CARDS.  This is going to be a great class and I will be taking sign ups for this class soon! 

Well, I need to run off to get some sleep (how inconvenient!) So I can get a few things accomplished on my day off tomorrow!

OK - Fall is coming

and I need to get this BLOG thing going again.  Who thought it would be so hard to find the time to talk to all of you?  You know how good I am at this!  Talking, that is.  Not keeping up this blog obviously.  I am going to be better, I am going to be better. 

Part of what stops me is that I think I need to have something to show you every time, and honestly, life has been to busy to create for awhile.  I feel lucky if I get the CLUB workshops done.  (Speaking of which....I am needing to finish those soon!)  So, I am going to worry less about having something to show you, and more about getting our creative mojo going.  I'll see if I can share a bit of what I find interesting and what gets my creativity going.  This week, I am playing with my new CRICUT EXPRESSION. I can tell I have alot to learn, but I really am loving it.  I have been cutting out the elements for every ones cards and pages for club this week.  For hours!!  I am not crazy about this.  We may have to come up with another solution for cutting things for club next time we need to use the cricut. 

Anyway ... I did have a workshop for the first Christmas gift I have made this year. I am planning on having another workshop on SEPT. 4, 2011. This is the nicest way I can think of to give family pictures to a relative and not have them shoved in a corner. This Calender is put in our 'My Creations Display Album' #Z1054 found on page 131 of our new Fall and Winter Idea Book. So ... check out these pictures, and if you would like to make a gift calender like this one, contact me and join our class SEPT. 4.

These layouts were made using the Whoops a Daisey paper from 2 years ago. 

The class I am teaching on SEPT 4 will use the wings paper pack from last spring's idea book.

These layouts are so FUN!! and you really can get a ton of pictures in this book to share with family and friends. 

I hope you will consider coming and playing with us. 

Catching up

Well, look at this.  It is the 24th of June already.  This month has been insane.  Will came home the beginning of the month and I feel like the whole house fell apart around my ears.  Not just the house, life.  All of the control that I like to think I have, gone in an instant. 

I know I have talked to all of you about my 'flylady' routines.  This is the only thing that has kept me sane since all the boys moved in.  I am not keeping up with everything, but atleast the major things, laundry and dishes, are getting done. I am adding the office day, Friday, back into my routine.  I hope that will help with the blog and CTMH business that I would like to be getting done. 

I do have to tell you that Gary and I took a great motorcycle trip through Colorado with friends this last week.  What a great time.  I am so excited to get all the pictures from everyone and do the scrapbook pages!  I know that with the boys grown up, our books are going to be just about us from now on out so I am trying very hard to remember the camera all the time!  That is tough.  Anyway, I don't have a page or card to share with you today, but I will share a couple pictures from our trip. (oh yeah!  vacation pictures!  ha ha )

Well I am finally getting around to sharing our National Scrapbooking Day pictures.  What a great time we all had and I think everyone got a bunch of pages done!  I am looking forward to using the Lions building again next year.  We had plenty of room, it was warm, and we had plenty of parking.  That's all a scrapbooker needs, right?

Everyone had their own tables this year.  A full 8' table was nice to be able to spread out on.  These girls are neat compared to me!

My friend Jolene was the lucky girl to win the Close to my Heart National Scrapbooking Day special.  She got hers before we even got a chance to order it.  Congratulations Jolene!!

Each of the guests received the 'HOPE' stamp from CTMH.  This stamp set was designed and sold after the tsunami hit Japan.  All of the proceeds from this stamp set went to help the relief efforts in Japan.  I was glad to be able to support this cause. 

I asked each of my guests to design a card with their new stamp set, and I would include the cards in the box of cards I would be sending to Afghanistan.  

I wish I could remember who made which card!

Every one's card was different and so pretty.

And I loved that everyone tried a different tecnique or product with the stamp set.  It made them all so different.

These girls are so talented!!  Look ate these beautiful cards!  

I'm back - again

Well, talk about a neglected Blog.  I can't believe it has been that long since I have been here.  It is now Easter weekend and I am finally getting some time to scrap for my own books.  I am hoping to finally get Will's high school album(s) done.  I started his as a 9X9 and should have done a 12X12.  My little man LOVES the camera and I have a ton of pictures to scrap.  And I have 5 years to scrap.  Oh, the problems he has created!  ha ha ha   I have had to hi-jack Jamie's 9X9 album for Will, and I will do James' album in a 12X12.  Of course, he hates the camera, so I am going to have to be creative enough to turn 12 pictures into a full album.  The joys!! 

I can only deal with one problem at a time right now, so I am going to get Will's albums done.  I am planning on boxing them up and putting them in a safe place out of the way until he moves out.  We just have no storage room in this house and my albums need to be distributed to the owners.  I think if I get Will's high school years and his Eagle scout album done, that is it for him.  Then I can start on James.  You know, the one with 12 pictures!  ha

I am looking forward to a great National Scrapbooking Day.  We are going to be meeting at the Lion's Club building at the fairgrounds.  It has plenty of room for all of us, and as long as it is warm enough, I think it may be a great location. And you know how that day goes, food, scrap, food, scrap, food, food and then maybe a little chocolate, scrap.  ;-) 

Since I am talking so much about my son, this is him, entertaining his cousin at Easter 5 years ago.  I think his cousin watches too much CSI.

Here he is with his pride and joy car (which I learned to hate!! what a money pit)

And my boy!  Isn't he beautiful?  Even in 2006 he was a handsome young man.  You should see him now!! 

These are some of the fun pictures I am going to go put in an album now.  I hope you are getting some fun stuff done. 

Happy Easter!