On the Mend at Lawnscaping Challenges

Hi everyone!

There are SO many great crafty bloggers out there that I love to follow when I have the chance.  Many of them are design team members for some fabulous paper crafting products.  Over at the Lawnscaping Challenge Blog they want us to use a DT member as inspiration for our project, so I just HAD to play along!

My inspiration piece comes from Elise C. at Whimsipost.  HERE is a link to her creation..

I love the use of pattern paper in stamping, but hardly use the technique.  It was time to remedy that!  I used my Lawn Fawn On the Mend stamp set to make this card for my Aunt who was facing a mastectomy.

I used my Close to My Heart Chantilly Paper for the green turtle and a retired Flirty pattern for the ice pack.  I just stamped them in black on those papers and trimmed them out.  Then I stamped him on the white card base and put him together like a puzzle!  :)  The cute frame around this fella is from MCT.  I like playing with the white on white look lately.

Elise used one of my favorite embellishments on her card--sequins!  Guess I just HAD to add some as well, hee, hee.  Not sure what brand these are anymore, but I love the colors.  

 Such a cute little sentiment to lift somebody's spirits!

Thank you, Elise for all the CAS inspiration on your awesome blog!  Can't wait to see more!   :)

Don't forget about the two amazing specials going on with Close to My Heart this month!  Time is running out! 

See the Stamp of the Month for just $5 with a $50 purchase HERE.

Or the Cloud Nine Cardmaking kit with THREE full size NEW products for just $15 with a $35 purchase HERE!

Makeover Monday Valentines with the Close to My Heart Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit with Video

Are you having a good time with my Makeover Monday posts?  I am having a blast making the cards, so I hope so! 

Today I have some valentines to share with you that I made with several different paper packs along with the Close to My Heart special purchase for National Papercrafting Month--the Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit.

I just love the variety possible with our cutting guides!  All I had to do was swap out the patterned paper that came with the kit to get several different looks...unfortunately, the papers are disappearing fast from our warehouses with the end of our Autumn and Winter Idea Book so the Chantilly and For Always are no longer available!  :(

Chantilly Paper Packet

For Always Paper Packet

Laughing Lola Paper Packet

The good news is that you can use ANY papers on this layout to create the same look by following the cutting guide included with the kit!  Here is a short video I made to tell you about the three brand new products coming out in the Close to My Heart Spring and Summer Idea Book that you receive with this kit:

You can only get this kit in January while they last, and supplies are halfway gone!  Visit my website to fill your cart with $35 in regular price products to be able to add this kit for only $15!!!  It had a retail value of $46, so it is quite the bargain!  The best part is that you will have plenty of product left to play around with your other papers!   Here is another peek at the My Acrylix set that is included:

Want to earn the kit for FREE?!?!

Check out the details HERE to see how you can do that AND invest in your creative side for FREE!!!

Sneak Peek of the Close to My Heart Picture My Life Collection

Hi everyone!  I have the most exciting news!  Corporate has released some brand new images of the new Picture My Life scrapbooking system that will debut in the next Idea Book!  I wanted to share the amazing pics with all of you!

For those of you familiar with the Project Life scrapbooking method, this will look pretty familiar.  I had been looking into it myself to see if I could incorporate any of my current CTMH supplies to that system--and now I won't even have to since Close to My Heart is so amazingly awesome at keeping up with the current trends!  :)

Here they are!

What do you think?!  I didn't caption the pics on purpose because I want to see if you notice anything about these papers...does anything look familiar to you?

These are all based on current or past Close to My Heart Paper Packets!!!  How awesome is that?!  These coordinate with Avonlea, Babycakes, Chantilly, Later Sk8ter, Laughing Lola, and Surf's Up!

Want to be one of the first to get your hands on one of these kits?  I know I do!  Well, right now, when you join my team and sell your first $300 of product by March 31, 2014, YOU can choose one of these amazing programs for FREE!  Each set features 122 double-sided cards, a 12 x 12 cover page, plus 10 unique memory protectors to capture your life as it happens.  There are 8 different themes to choose from (yep, they are keeping two of them under wraps,) and each one is based on a popular My Reflections paper packet!  Do you think there is a chance we will see one with Stella's beautiful papers?  A girl can dream!  :)

Are you a die-hard CTMH scrapbooker?  Bonus #2 for signing up to be a consultant is that you just won't have to wait so long to get your hands on this awesome new product plus you receive an instant discount!  The program goes live to the public next February, but as a consultant, you can already purchase your kits at the consultant price in January to play with and get to know your new products!  
Bonus #3 for becoming a consultant on my team, Been There, Blinged That, is that you will receive all the help and guidance you need to get your business up an running from me!  I can help you with the behind the scenes experience to get off on the right foot.  It doesn't matter if you live near or far either.  Technology has made it possible for us to stay connected in ways other than a face to face group meeting, so you can totally learn that way if you so choose--I did!  My upline lives over halfway across the country!  That didn't stop me from learning from her though, and made me take charge of some of my own resources.  My team has their own FB page were we can all learn together and stay on top of the action!  :)

If you would like any more information about this opportunity, please do not hesitate to contact me here or at mimimyselfandi@outlook.com.  I am here to help!

Freshly Made Sketches with Chantilly 4 u

Hi everyone!  Welcome to my blog!  I am back from a long weekend of Festivals and Weddings.  I am jumping right back into the saddle by linking up last minute with Freshly Made Sketch #98.

Here is the sketch...

I had everything out and ready to go already for this one, just had to look up the sketch.  I love that I don't always clean up really well in between projects because you just don't know when you might use a paper piece ore embellishment that didn't make the cut for the last one!  ;)

I stamped the happy birthday sentiment in Pear Pigment Ink from the Adventure Pigment Ink set.  Then I sprinkled it with a bit of clear embossing powder and hit it with my heating tool.  This gave me a nice smear-proof image to color in with my Buttercup Alcohol Ink Marker. 

The Framework Alphabet My Acrylix allowed me to match my sentiment, and add a bit to it as well!  I love this new set!  I used Outdoor Denim Dye ink for these letters since I was not going to color them.

I also took a strip of the lightest green glitter paper and trimmed it with the brand new Scallop Border Punch.  It lays nicely next to a strip of Babycakes B&T Duo.  It just matches beautifully with the Chantilly Paper, doesn't it?  I love mixing up new and older patterns.  These are BOTH available now!  ;)

That just about rounds it out, so I am off to start a busy last week before school starts!  I register my SENIOR tomorrow!  Yikes...wish me luck!

Scraptacular Memories Workshop Wrap-Up!

I had a fantastic time with the ladies at my Scraptacular Memories Workshop last night!  Here is a wrap-up of the two layouts we completed.  The first one features the Chantilly Paper Packet, Bugs & Hugs and Sightseer My Acrylix Stamp Sets, and Chantilly Scrapbook Workshop on the Go My Acrylix Stamp Set.

 

This one features the For Always Paper Packet, Honeycomb and Distressed Backgrounds My Acrylix Stamp Sets.

You can find the inspiration for this layout HERE on my fabulous upline, Mandy Leahy's blog!  :)

Hug Somebody! Five Faves #4

Hi everyone!  I have an assignment for you today.  Think of a person you know who might be going through a rough spot with their health, work, or relationship.  Come on, I know you know someone.  Now, make them a card.  Support them and lift up their spirits.  Put a smile on their face for a moment.  You just never know when that human touch will be pivotal.  Here is a card that I sent to my mom last month.  I just so happened to use one of my Five Fave CTMH Embellies on it!

Mom has been going through some health changes lately and things have been rough to say the least.  But she is tough...she has been strong as far back as I can remember.  She had been so strong lately, in fact, that I hardly put too much thought to what she was dealing with--until she broke down on the phone with me one day.  It opened my eyes to the fact that even seemingly emotionally strong people are only so strong by themselves for so long.  I made this card to let her know I am here for her always to support her, and try to bring a smile to her face again.  It did.  :)

I love tying My Five Fave Embellie #4,  Black Tulle Ribbon on cards and other projects.  I have experimented with several ways to use it.  These frames on D1546 Frame Flair are awesome for covering it where I tie it in the middle with a small piece of twine, because it doesn't look all that pretty there.  Here is a pic of the super-versatile four-stamp set...

 I stamped this one in Cotton Candy Ink.  The Love and Hugs sentiment is found on C1524 Words of Comfort.  I like the way the black elements really contrast with the Chantilly papers. 

God won't give us more to bear than He will help us bear.  Who is God asking you to help through that time?   I'm willing to bet that you just thought of them at the beginning of my post.  ;)  Go spread some sparkle, my friends! 

Want to see other projects that I used this tulle on?  Click HERE!

Be Still and Know Take Two

Hi again!  I combined this beautiful Close to My Heart My Acrylix sentiment with a different paper packet today.  It really is striking to see how different it can look.  Here is the wonderful A1141 Be Still sentiment with the Chantilly Paper Packet.

I used a new embossing folder from Lifestyle Crafts called Whimsy for the background on this card.  Then I sanded the paper to let the white core peek through a bit.  All of our Close to My Heart papers have a white core that can be used in this way, and I love the versatility it adds.  One of the other things our paper packets have are these lovely little trim strips called Zip Strips.  Do you see the strip of paper behind the sentiment and across the card?  I cut it from the end of one of the B&T Duo papers in Chantilly and there is still a full 12 x 12 sheet of paper after you cut it off.  Each double sided pattern paper has a different Zip Strip pattern too.  This one inspired me to actually purchase the embossing folder since it matched so well!

This is my old friend the Color Ready Seam Binding Ribbon--but this time I used my Cotton Candy Alcohol Marker to color it!  It was so easy and dried right away.  Thanks to Consultant Pamela O'Connor for that fabulous tip on her Facebook Page!  :)  I used my trusty bow-easy tool to make the perfect little bow.

This sentiment is just such a comfort for so many occasions.  It really is a steal at only $6.95!  It is one of my favorite stamps in the new Idea Book, and I highly recommend it!


Before I let you go, here is our current Stamp of the Month!   I am sooooo excited to try this one soon!  Click HERE to see it on my website and get it for only $5 with a $50 purchase!  Otherwise, you can always get it for the regular price of $17.95 during the month of March.  :)

Floral Happiness, March 2013 Stamp Of The Month

Glue Dots, Chantilly, and Glitter, OH MY!

I wanted to show you guys this idea really quickly tonight, so hang on!

I recently saw a Pinterest or FB post (cannot remember and cannot find it!) about putting glue dots on Easter Eggs and then rolling them in glitter--how clever is that?!?  SO it got the wheels turning in my head, and I put some of my Martha Stewart glitter stash to work using that same technique on my cards! 

Here are a couple of first tries...

I used the glue dot mini's on this one...

 ...and the regular size glue dots on this flower.  The flower and leaf are cuts from the Cricut Artiste Cartridge.  That pretty flower is a stamp from the Hello Blooms My Acrylics.   The sentiment is on Card Chatter Sympathy.

Totally worth the experiment!  I really like the way this looks, and it was not hard at all!  Give it a try!  :)  If you like the stamp sets I used, they are available in my Close to My Heart Shop.  Just click the links to take you there!  :)

Damask Divas Chantilly Blog Hop

Welcome to another Damask Divas Blog Hop!  (March 1st all links will work!) Thanks so much for stopping in to see the many ways you can put your Chantilly Paper Packet to use!  If you came from Shirley's Blog, then you are in the right place.  If not, just check out the line-up at the Damask Divas Blog.

Chantilly just might be my favorite paper of all time!  Of course, I am a girl who likes to change her mind, so let's just be realistic and call it my favorite for the moment, shall we?  ;) 

I made this shadow box frame for my cousin and her hubs who had their second darling little baby girl in February.  I simply love creating these personalized frames for people who order them from my Etsy Shop.  They are fabulous gifts for new parents and easy to customize.  This is also my entry for the Heart 2 Heart February Challenge, Love is in the Air.  It has been tortuous waiting to link it up until we had the blog hop because I finished this project before Valentine's Day!!  ;)  It was totally perfect for both assignments though, so well worth the wait.

The background paper for this frame was made by dabbing my Twilight Exclusive Ink onto a piece of White Daisy Cardstock with my handy dandy sponge dauber.  I used it all over the paper and then cut out the section that I liked the best.

I used a few different Close to My Heart My Acrylix stamp sets for this one.  The Chantilly Scrapbook Workshop size C set I used for the clouds is currently available and the retired sets I used are Capture the Date, Moments in Time, and February Word Puzzle.  I used all these retired sets for numbers and lettering, so they would be very easy to substitute.  :)

The hot air balloon is a gorgeous cut found on the Close to My Heart Artiste Cricut Cartridge.  It usually has a flag on top of the balloon, but I just cut that off.  ;)   I added a bit of baker's twine to attach the basket.

These letters that spell out "olivia" are the glamour glitter alphabet stickers.

I placed one of the Chantilly zip strips along the bottom of the frame for a bit of grounding effect.  I really love the looks of this particular strip.  The sentiment at the bottom of the artwork melts my heart.  I positively had to place a heart in the basket being carried away...snif!

I hope this has inspired you to create your own beautiful paper piecing!  Have fun on the rest of our blog hop--you won't believe your eyes!  Cydney's blog is your next stop!  :)  Don't forget to enter the rafflecopter giveaway on the Damask Divas Blog for a chance to win a Close to My Heart My Acrylix Stamp Set!!!