JANUARY CHALLENGES

1. BoM  -  One (or more) things I would change about me.
2. Card  -  Wishes pg. 46   Simply Secure - also an example in Winter catalog page 19, 32, 88
3. Layout  - Imagine pg. 40 -  Imagine Ensemble Piece 
4. Product - Liquid Glass and Chipboard
5. Color Combination  -  Black/ White/ and one other color
6. Technique  -  Covering (decorating)  Chipboard  

So, there you go.  The first challenges for 2011.  I hope you will play with me.  I hope to post my entries by the 20th.

It's a New Year

I know that all of you know that already, but I'm a little slower than some and the new year is just now starting to catch up to me.  One of the things that sort of got pushed to the side last year and most especially during the holidays were our monthly challenges.

You thought I had forgotten didn't you!!?  Well, not only didn't I forget, I have the challenges for the whole year planned out, so there will be no excise for you not to get them.  I will post them at the first of each month, and hopefully, you will send me a picture of your 'answer' to the challenge at some time during the year.  I am really excited about that this year.

I have 4 different challenges each month. 1. A Book of Me page challenge.  It doesn't matter what size the page is or what product you use, just make a page about YOU!!  I plan on posting one about ME every month.  One rule for this one, you must journal.  2. Card challenge - make a card using the layout of the challenge.  3. Layout challenge - make a page using the layout in the challenge (challenges can be combined!)  4. Product challenge - try some of our great products!  I will tell you which one to try each month.  Use it on your page or your card!   5. Color Combination challenge - I will give you the colors!  6. Technique challenge- try a new technique!  I find all kinds of things I can do but never have.  Let's try some of those 'out of the box' things!!

So, those are the fun things I hope to have going on this year.  I know I will do them, will you play with me?  All entrants can send a picture to me or have me take a picture of your entry at a meeting or class.  I hope to give away a prize every month and a big one at the end of the year.  I also hope to share your entries on the blog.  Let's show some ART!

December Catch Up

Well, Now that the new year is here, I am trying to get caught up on all my stuff, including my blog!  Long time no see!  =)   I know you all check daily to see if I have written anything, so I need to get on the stick and get some catching up done.  

I am so excited to be able to share the gift that I made my good friend D. for Christmas.  Well, not the whole gift, because I forgot to take pictures when I was done with it.  She is going to have to let me snag it and take some pictures to share with you all, but for now, you get to see the in progress.  

 These are the layouts for the CTMH My Creations Cube  # Z1152.  I taught a class and we all worked on our cubes, but it helps to lay them out as you work so you can see the way they will fit together in the end. So, this is the layout of my friend D's box.  The 4 sides shown facing us, and the top, upside down, because that is how the box lays out.  When it is all put together, the top will open right over the bright yellow frame, right where I wanted it to.

 I popped this frame out with foam tape by CTMH, #1151, so that I could use it as a pocket and put some tags with pictures in behind it. I had several pictures that were to long to fit in the mini album I put INSIDE the box.

I used a lot of chipboard and fun summer paper out of my stash too!  And bling, oh my! This was one of the funnest projects I have done in a long time!  I really enjoyed it and hope to have pictures of the FINISHED cube up soon.

So, now the question is ..... What are you doing to use up your stash?    See if you can't take some time this week to make a card or layout and use up some of that paper that you bought because you LOVE IT!  It's no good sitting in a box.  Have fun scrappin'    C

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 ...... 

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 

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. 

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.