Mojo270 - Contest Week

I love the sayings and cardinal in this stamp set - perfect for a wonderful holiday message:

card inside:

 card sketch from mojomonday.blogspot.com:

All supplies are Close To My Heart:
paper, border sticker (retired CTMH)
Cranberry, New England Ivy  & Colonial White cardstock
To You and Yours stamp set
Alcohol markers, Cranberry, New England Ivy, & Honey
Red glitter gems (from Pear & Partridge cardmaking kit)
Dimensional Foam tape 
Green Twill tape (retiring soon)

Other: Martha Stewart branch punch

Mojo 269 - Round or Square?

I couldn't decide, so I did BOTH! Usually these shapes challenge me, but I was highly motivated today and came up with one of each...

I will start with my favorite of the two:

 
I love the Avonlea Paper Pack used with the Silver Shimmer Trim. It gives it such a vintage look. I stamped the ornament image from this month's stamp of the month - SOTM (see image of the whole set below), titled Year Round Cheer. This also gives the card a very old-fashioned look, along with the Silver Glitz Glitter Gel I used at the top of the ornament. I just love the color of the Avonlea Off-White cardstock that comes exclusively in the paper pack, it is such a creamy color and adds such a pretty richness to the other complimentary papers. I outlined the ornament with a grey marker to help the ornament stand out and look dimensional and I edged all the pieces with slate ink & a sponge dauber before assembling.

Here is the inside of the card:

 

The following Close To My Heart products were used to create this square card:
X7155B - Avonlea Paper Pack
S1212 - Year-Round Cheer Acrylic Stamp set
D1494 - Christmas Cheer Stamp set (inside message)
Z2165 - Juniper Ink Pad
Z2173 - Slate Ink Pad
Z726 - Sponge Daubers
Z1799 - Silver Shimmer Trim
Z1482 - Silver Glitz Glitter Get
Z1392 - 2" Scallop Circle Punch
Z1151 - 3-D Foam Tape
Z1263 - Bitty Sparkles 
Z1790 - Artiste Cricut Cartridge (1 3/4" circle)

Here is the round card:

Instead of a scalloped edge, I wanted to be different and used a starburst pattern from the Artiste cartridge. It matches the dovetail shape you see on the strip on the left of the card. The colors of the Pear & Partridge Paper Pack really makes this card stand out, so festive isn't it? I edged all the front pieces with Desert Sand ink & a sponge dauber before assembling.

Here is the inside of the card:

I used the gift card insert card base that I cut on the Artiste cartridge and trimmed it down to fit this shape. Notice the Studio J 5-pack gift card? It's a great gift idea for the scrapbooker on your Christmas list.

Here is the gift card base cut at 5 1/4:

 

Next, I cut all the scalloped edges off since they weren't needed and it enabled this base to fit on the circle card (cut at 5 1/4"):

Then I just simply adhered all the pieces together (sandwiched between 5 1/4" circles) and voila, I was done. As my second graders would say: "easy peasy, lemon squeezy."

The following Close To My Heart products were used to create this round card:
X7162B - Pear & Partridge Paper Pack, including the zip strip
D1492 - Christmas Love Acrylic Stamp set (JOY)
G1043 - Stamp set from Pear & Partridge Cardmaking Kit (inside message)
Z2135 - New England Ivy Ink Pad
Z2118 - Desert Sand Ink Pad
Z726 - Sponge Daubers
X7162C - Pear & Partridge Complements Glittery Rub-Ons
Z1151 - 3-D Foam Tape
Z1326 - Red, Pink, & Purple Sparkle Assortment
Z1790 - Artiste Cricut Cartridge (circles, gift card base, starburst shapes) 

*If you are interested in purchasing any products to make these cards, or any other Close To My Heart Products, you can access my website at www.clearlycreativepam.ctmh.com 

On a final note, I have to share a few more pictures of my stamping buddy. When I was standing at the Cricut, I looked down to see this:

I couldn't resist to take a few more photos of my "helper" -  Mauer:

 He loves his recycled Close To My Heart box...um, I mean bed

 Good night all.

Thoughtful Thursday

Unfortunately, procrastination has been my best friend lately! I need to do some other posts  besides my Thoughtful Thursday. I do have some cards to post, and I will have some holiday ideas coming soon. I know I have promised in the recent past, but I WILL GET BETTER at posting pictures. I created this blog to share creativity, not quotes and I need to get out of this rut, so I am starting a New Years resolution early (see I am ahead of the game). Hang in here, I will stop procrastinating...soon. Ha ha. Thanks for sticking with me and checking in.

Thoughtful Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Thoughtful Thursday

So true!

Mojo 266

It's been awhile since I've done a Mojo Monday sketch. It feels good to have my Mojo back : )

All products Close To My Heart:
-Clementine Paper Pack (Sorbet B&T, cardstock)
-Pear & Partridge Paper Pack (Olive B&T, Desert Sand cardstock)
-Sorbet dye ink, Saddle pigment ink (love this)
-Various alcohol markers
-Just Blooms Paper Shapes (flowers, leaves)
-Burlap Ribbon (one of my fav's from the Autumn/Winter Catalog)
-Universal Backgrounds stamp set (burlap background)
-Abundance stamp set:

November Stamp Special - Get the Nov. SOTM for $5.00/Get any stamp set for 50% PLUS CTMH will donate $ to Hurricane Sandy Relief!

In November, you’ll get something extra when you buy the stamp of the month—50% off another stamp set! When you place an order of $50 or more in full retail products and buy the November Stamp of the Month set, Capture the Date, for just $5, you can pick any stamp set at 50% off! Get Capture the Date and then capture the savings today! To show our support of Red Cross relief efforts for those areas of the US severely affected by Hurricane Sandy, Close To My Heart will donate $1 for every Stamp of the Month set sold as a part of this promotion during November.

*Shipping/handling may apply. Offer valid November 1–30, 2012. Offer valid for A–E and M size
stamp sets only; K size, Workshops on the Go®, Cricut® collections, and Stamp of the Month stamp sets are not eligible for this promotion. Maximum of one 50% off stamp set per order.

visit my online business address to learn more: www.clearlycreativepam.ctmh.com

Thoughtful Thursday

I saw this t-shirt at 2 Chick Designs and thought it was so cute, I had to share. Yes, sometimes SCRAPBOOKING is the answer! Don't you agree?

Thoughtful Thursday

Please excuse my absence

Hello to all my faithful followers. I apologize for being absent from posting artwork lately. I have a vendor fair coming up this weekend that I have been busy preparing for. Check back starting next week and I hope to have some new artwork to share with you. Thank you for sticking with me through my absence.

If anyone local is interested, here are the details of the Vendor Fair:

TROY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

2^nd ANNUAL HOLIDAY VENDOR FAIR

When:  Saturday, November 3, 2012, 10am-3pm

Where: Troy WBO Intermediate School

      5820 W Theodore St, Plainfield, IL

 50 Vendors and Crafters will be on hand to help you with your holiday shopping needs!

Also Available…..

Raffle Prizes, 50/50 Raffle, Cake Walk, and Concessions

(including Papa John’s Pizza and TCBY frozen yogurt!).

 Kids’ craft area hosted by Joliet Pottery Lounge!

All Teachers will receive a 10% discount with teacher ID!

Bring a friend and enjoy the fun!

$1 Donation requested at entry.

For more information call 815-744-1974 or 815-729-3155.

Thoughtful Thursday

Thoughtful Thursday

How many of you are guilty of this?

Boo!

I case'd this card off of Splitcoasters and had to share it with you because it turned out too cute to be scary! I used retired paper from the recent Dotty For You paper special and cut the B from the BOO saying on the Cricut Artiste cartridge. The adorable ghost is from the Creepy Creatures stamp set and the not-so-scary spider is from the Moonlight Workshop on the Go stamp set.

*All products Close To My Heart

Check back early next week - hoping to post some new artwork and do a prize giveaway, as promised!

Thoughtful Thursday

What are you going to do today?

"Meet me in St. Louis"

This past weekend, I traveled to St. Louis with some fellow consultants to attend Close To My Heart's Regional Celebration. CTMH always outdoes themselves with their conventions. We had business classes, create n' takes, product training, etc. So much to list. I will be posting more over the next few weeks, so be sure to check back.

I also want to mention that I am getting close to 5,000 views on my blog, so I will be having some special give-a-ways coming up soon to celebrate.

 This is the first time I had been in St. Louis. The Arch is beautiful

 (so was the weather as you can see). 

 These are my friends and fellow consultants who I traveled with. Barb is on the left, and Lori is on your right. I chuckle when I see this photo, because I was doing the splits to scoot down to get in the picture and was nervous I'd fall to the floor before the picture was snapped. Whew, close one!

 Silly girls! We just love doing our make n' takes!

Taking out the "big guns" to get those projects done!

Thoughtful Thursday

Today I didn't think any words were needed. 

Sometimes a picture really can say a thousand words.

Thoughtful Thursday

"Birth certificates show when you were born, death certificates show when you died, scrapbooks show that you really lived."

Thoughtful Thursday

Where is your hiding place?

Mojo Monday 257

 
It's contest week at Mojo Monday and I knew I had to use this cute scarecrow stamp from Close To My Heart's September Stamp of the Month. Isn't he just the cutest? I just received some of CTMH's new alcohol markers and thought this project would be a perfect time to try them out. I didn't think I did too bad for my first time coloring with alcohol markers. Frankly, it isn't that difficult, you just color in with the lighter color and go over parts of it with a shade darker. There is a marker set (of 2 markers per set) available for every one of CTMH's 40 exclusive colors, so with a palette of 80 colors available, I could color all day! Did I mention that the price is ridiculously low at $5.95 per set! Here is a close up of the smiley little guy:

 Here is the sketch for this week:

All products Close To My Heart:
*Clementine Paper Packet
*Cottage Assortment
*Burlap Ribbon
*Brown Stazon Ink Pad
*Almond Glitz Glitter Gel
*Alcohol Marker sets: Sorbet, Honey, Indian Corn Blue, Creme Brulee, &   Autumn Terracotta
*Cricut Artiste cartridge (only available through an independent consultant)
*September SOTM - Fall Favorites

Here is a picture of the complete set - it can be yours as low as $5.00 with a $50.00 order 

Any of these items can be ordered on my website: www.clearlycreativepam.ctmh.com

Thoughtful Thursday

Mojo Monday 256

This week's Mojo Monday sketch is Round or Square - well, I say it's hip to be square! I had fun with this one (could have something to do with Halloween being my favorite holiday for decorating and creating). I love the saying from Close To My Heart's Creepy Creations stamp set and the little Dracula image is too cute to be scary!

 

 

*All products Close To My Heart and can be purchased at: www.clearlycreativepam.ctmh.com
-Black cardstock/ink/alcohol marker
-Smokey Plum cardstock/ink/alcohol marker
-Moonlight Paper Packet
-Artiste Cricut Cartridge
-Creepy Characters Stamp Set
-Black Sparkles
-Foam Tape

Thoughtful Thursday

 

...and my scrapbooks would be bare!

Here is a recent picture of me with my boys: 

(Love them to the moon & back)

Mojo Monday 255

This card just makes me want to say Yee Haw! The style is really out of the box for me and that is what I love about Mojo Monday sketches, they take me out of my comfort zone and help me create one step further than I typically would.

The paper is from Close To My Heart's Dakota paper pack. It's not something I would usually go for, only because if I were to use it for scrapbooking, I wouldn't have any pictures to go with it. The more I thought about it and used it, I fell in love with it and think it goes with any masculine-themed pictures. It will be adorable to use on pages for my boys. I think our burlap ribbon is a perfect fit as a compliment to any project you use this paper on. The patterns of the B&T paper really go well together and made this sketch quite easy to put together. I edged all the papers by distressing them with black ink. I had an afterthought to stitch, but everything was already taped down, so I took a black marker and drew in stitch lines on all the edges. Instead of a scalloped border, like the sketch shows, I made little banners and glued them down under the strip of paper and alternated popping them up, every other one. I was inspired by the Dakota WOTG for the trim that looks like barbed-wire. I used black hemp to mimic the wire and finished the two ends with Durable Round Studs. The saying is from Casual Expressions stamp set and stamped in Pacifica on a shape cut on the Artiste Cricut cartridge.The little star is stamped in Barn Red and cut out by hand.

*All products can be purchased on my website http://clearlycreativepam.ctmh.com/Retail/Category.aspx