Easy Button Scrapbooking: Little Dreamer Layout

I always love what I call "easy button" scrapbooking.  Give me layouts that don't require a lot of fuss any day of the week.  It makes the chances THAT much greater that my pics are getting into an album.  Especially since I go back to full time work at school this week!  My crafty time during the school year is precious, let me tell you, and I know yours is too.

Here is a super layout that serves just that purpose!  I tweaked a little design that corporate provided to consultants and made it "pattern paper friendly" to creating several of the same layout.  This way I was able to offer the layout at my Workshop Buffet!  :)

This one features the Little Dreamer pattern paper, Gold Shimmer Trim, Gold Glitter Gems, and the Little Dreamer Scrapbooking Stamp and Thin Cuts.

CS colors are Lagoon and Glacier while the inks are Tangerine, Lemon, Lagoon, and Glacier.

Lagoon CS is 3.5 x 11.5
Glacier CS is 4 x 12
Patterned Paper is 1.5 x 12
White photo mats are 3.5 in square
 

Gosh I adore that font!

The great thing about using a small strip of the pattered paper here is that you are free to choose coordinating solid CS and inks in the colors that YOU need.  Whether you need a feminine page or a masculine feel, you can pick the colors to suit your purpose!  These Little Dreamer products are only around while supplies last, so grab them if you want them!  ;)

One More for Year Noted!

I hope you guys are notified of this post before the month is over, but I just realized I used the Year Noted Kit to make this GREAT, glitterfied PML card for one of my latest pages.

I stamped my favorite images from the Glitter Glam My Acrylix from Close to My Heart in their Lagoon and Black Exclusive Ink. This triangle-themed paper from Year Noted was PERFECT to use with the on-trend Triangle Border Punch.  Let me show you how I backed it with my Gold Shimmer Trim...

Yep, it was that easy!  :)  Year Noted is only available this month while supplies last, so get it today while you can!  Just one $50 order on my website will qualify you for BOTH Year Noted AND the January Stamp of the Month for $5 each, so don't miss out on the SUPER deal!  :)

Happy Little Life 2015 Title Page

Well, I am out of "firsts" for 2015, lol...so I had to make one up!

Here is my first layout for the year...and it just happens to be the title page for my PML or PL or Project Life type album for 2015.  :)

I didn't design this original layout--some brilliant designer at Close to My Heart Corporate put it together for last year's convention...but I have procrastinated long enough to finally make it now, lol!  It happens to be just PERFECT for what I needed, and I just added the little 2015 banner at the bottom to customize it.  :)

There are three My Acrylix Stamp sets used for this page:

Handwritten Print Alphabet
Glitter Glam
Happy Birds

The papers are from the Chalk It Up and Wanderful Paper Packets.  I also used the ShinHan Touch Twin Alcohol Markers in Light Orange and Peacock Green to add some accent color to the flowers.

The Gold Sequins and Shimmer Trim add just the right amount of sparkle.

Here is the Lagoon Chevron D-Ring Album that I am using...

The Chalk It Up Picture My Life Kit coordinates well with both the papers and the album, so I plan to use it throughout the album.  :)

Chalk It Up Picture My Life Cards

I hope you guys have a great week!  We are all off to school today again and getting back into the routine...I HOPE!  ;)

Mojo Monday on Throwback-No-School-Thursday

I love making up blog post titles most of the time...and I like to have a little fun with it too!  My kiddos are home (along with myself since I work in the same school district) from school for the second day due to the extremely cold temperatures (THUS the throwback, lol.)  I know some of you are shaking your heads, but our buses are not equipped to run in these conditions.  I sure don't want my sweeties out there broken down, so I am relieved...PLUS I get to play in my craft cave!!!  :)

What this actually means for you today is that I have a SECOND Mojo Monday 379 creation to share!!!  Woot!

This time I used my new Verve Shining Star Stamp Set (alliteration, anyone?) for the sentiment.

I used the Indian Corn Blue chevron pattern in the Enchantment Paper Fundamentals, the gold polka-dot vellum from the retired Free to Be Me Paper Packet, and the White Enamel Stars all from Close to My Heart.  Okay, yeah, that Indian Corn Blue ribbon is retired too...sorry!

I trimmed out the sentiment with Gold Shimmer Trim, which absolutely gave the Desert Sand embossed ink a golden hue.  LOVE!  That single gold foil star comes in the Year Noted Kit available this month...

I really love the effect of using the reverse side of the chevron paper here! 

Let's see what ELSE I can get finished during this cold snap!  See you soon!  :)

Alcohol Markers Are Some Kind of Wonderful!

Alright, raise your hands if you have played with Alcohol Markers.  Any kind/brand/whatever...have you tried any?  Close to My Heart was able to partner with ShinHan to make their Touch Twin Alcohol Markers available to you in the NEW Annual Inspirations Idea Book, and I just adore coloring again! 

Well, that isn't all...they also brought back some completely amazing embossing powders by Ranger that are super fine to say the least.  ;)

I played around with these over the past few days and love what happened with this 3x3 notecard that features the Scaredy Cat Paper Packet!

This butterfly image is one of several found on the NEW Your Own Kind of Wonderful My Acrylix from Close to My Heart.  I stamped it in Versamark Ink and used the Ranger White Embossing powder to set the image.  Then it was time for some FUN...trying out some different color combos with the ShinHan Markers.  I used the Marigold and Golden Yellow for this guy.

The tiny little sentiment stamped in Black is from the adorable size M stamp, Timely Tidings, and that shiny bit of AWESOME is Gold Shimmer Trim, of course! 

REMEMBER!!!  Just one more day to pick up this super-cute Stamp of the Month from my website!

AND if you haven't had a chance to try out the Picture My Life Kits, you really need to take advantage of this fantastic offer before August is over!  :)

Tag, You're It, Tuesday!

Welcome back to my blog! 

I wanted to share this easy-peasy tag we put together at Close to My Heart convention this year.  The very talented Lisa Stenz showed off the gorgeous Pathfinding Paper Packet, and this was her make and take activity for us. 

We were able to have a sneak peek of the Lifetime of Happiness My Acrylix stamps, which I really love as a builder set.  We used Glacier, Flaxen, and Cocoa Inks. I am ready for an Autumn color palette, how about you?

Of course, the GOLD Shimmer Trim accent ALONE makes this one shine!

The Pathfinding Papers are just right to partner with this month's adorable Stamp of the Month,What A Hoot!  They are used in the following layout created by the amazing CTMH designers!

Here is a super-cute treat bag made with the Scaredy Cat Paper Packet...

And a set of seasonal cards I made with this versatile set...(read more HERE.)

 This is the last week to order it, so don't wait!

Get it HERE!

Another Look at the NEW Artfully Sent Cricut Collection!

Hello, Sunshine!

I know it is ANOTHER Monday, but cheer up, Buttercup!  I saved this card to show you today to perk you right up out of the blues!

This adorable card is just one of the MANY you can cut with the soon to be released Cricut Artfully Sent Collection...

You must forgive my fantastic editing skills when it comes to this Kraft paper.  It just doesn't like the camera!  BUT this newly-available-individually-in-August GOLD shimmer trim DOES!

Did you happen to catch the golden rays of those SEQUINS???  Yep!  Coming soon, and no adhesive required because it is already there!  ;)

Alright, there are JUST FIVE more BRAND NEW and not-yet-released Close to My Heart products to find on this one!  Can you guess what they are?   The first non-consultant who guesses them ALL correctly will win one of them!!!!  EEEEK!  :)

Ready, Set, GOOOOOOO!

July Stamp of the Month!  See it HERE!

COMING SOON TO A CTMH WEBSITE NEAR YOU!!!

The NEW Cricut Artfully Sent Collection!

Sneak Peek of the Cricut Artfully Sent Collection from Close to My Heart

Ready for another look at the AMAZING NEW Cricut cartridge coming from Close to My Heart?  ME TOO!!!  :)

Artfully Sent

We made three cards from Artfully Sent at convention, and I think this is my favorite of the three.  There are POP-UP cards on the cartridge! 

Isn't that sentiment beautiful!  No stamping required for those of you without inky fingers.  ;)  This card features two NEW colors of CS!  Do you know what they are?  Here is one pictured below...the one on the right!  ;)  The other new color is called Glacier.  YUM!

Here is a tip for you when we finally get our hands on this cartridge...when making these cards, PLEASE pay attention to where you apply adhesive, lol, TRUST ME!  ;)

I blinged mine up with some new Gold Shimmer Trim and Sequins!  :)

Leave a comment with your name and contact information (I won't post it) if you want to be informed when this FANTASTIC new cartridge is available!  I will let you know right away when I get the info.  :)

Mojo Monday is a MUST!

I am SO happy to be back in the swing of things around here!  I even got my Mojo on this week!

I LOVE a good sketch as a starting point, and this one from Mojo Monday was perfect for trying out this crumpled flower...

I layered CS flowers that had been inked with a ShinHan Alcohol Ink Marker around the edges after I.....

Spritzed them with water...

Crumpled them up...

and left them to dry.

I will be telling you all about the beautiful products I used here very soon, so subscribe to my blog or Facebook Page and tune back in on August 1st!!  If you want to find out sooner, just place a $50 order on my website, and I will send you a free copy of Close to My Heart's new Annual Inspirations Idea Book which holds the clues!

Shop 24/7 at mimimyselfandi.ctmh.com!

Damask Divas Ivy Lane Blog Hop!

 Hello, my crafty peeps!  Welcome back for another edition of the Damask Divas Blog Hop!  This time, we are debuting the BRAND NEW Ivy Lane Paper Packet! Our entire hop goes live on February 1st, so all of the links will be working by then--please bear with us as we get the kinks out and help our newest Divas get the hang of this thing!  :)

If you came from Jessica's blog, then you are on the right path!  If not, feel free to start at the beginning over at the Damask Divas Blog where you can see the entire line-up of Divas participating!  :)

Since February is a month of love at our home for a variety of reasons (V-day and two anniversaries!), I wanted to focus on that for my theme.  I had never made the mailbox from the Close to My Heart Cricut Artiste Collection, so I figured it was about time!

This amazing paper project is found on page 51 of the Artiste handbook.  I LOVE how they color coordinated the parts in the pictures so you know just what you are cutting with each step.  It really makes choosing your papers a breeze!  Then, it even shows you how to put it together in the Assembly Guide.  Thank goodness, because I did NOT do it the right way at first!  ;)

I used Cocoa CS that is included in the Ivy Lane Workshop on the Go Cardmaking Kit for the main body of my mailbox.  The trim was cut on Kraft CS.

These gorgeous 3D flowers were JUST the thing to decorate my mailbox.  I used Kraft CS, Hollyhock CS from the Cardmaking Kit, and the double sided pattern paper included as well--one side for the leaves and the other for the flowers.  :)  These beautiful cuts are also found on Artiste...the leaf is right underneath the flower.

I attached a great little love banner that is found on the Remarkable Wreath My Acrylix.  This has long been one of my favorite stamp sets from CTMH, and I even bought it BEFORE I became an independent consultant.  I stamped it in Cocoa Ink and blinged the ends of the banner up a bit with a couple of the smallest gems in the Sparkles Brown and Tan Assortment.

Back to those flowers for a moment...I inked the edges with my Sweet Leaf Exclusive Ink Pad and dauber.  Then I folded them along a faux vein to give them some depth.

See the bit of glimmer on those inked edges?  I used my Wink of Stella glitter pen to easily add the pretty sparkle.  Super-easy and quick, PLUS I love the effect on the flowers!   I attached them to the mailbox with Liquid Glass--THE BEST go-to adhesive for bulky embellishments! 

Here is one product you won't find anywhere else in the NEW Spring and Summer Idea Book--GOLD Shimmer Trim!!!  It is exclusively available in the Ivy Lane Workshop on the Go Cardmaking Kit!  Let's just say it was on my FIRST order!  ;)  It matched really well with these Rolos candies that I decorated with a simple 3/4 inch scallop punch.  These were PERFECT to fill my mailbox!  I used the Almond Hershey Kisses that are wrapped in gold for another version of this box (and my friend adored it, BTW!)

I hope you found some mojo to take with you from my blog today! 

Your next stop is Brenda's blog!  Have a great time browsing all the fabulous creations on the rest of the hop, and never let ANYONE steal your sparkle!  :)

February Stamp of the Month!

Embossing is BOSS!!