Embellish Your Life

Simple Birthday Card

2011-11-20T13:26:00.000-06:00

I am in charge of making all the birthday cards for my co-workers. This month we have three birthdays. I made the first one for Glenna and forgot to take a picture of it. This one is for Kelli and is just a simple birthday card, blank on the inside so everyone in the office could sign it.

The supplies that I used are B&T paper from retired paper pack Magnifique, bitty sparkles, colonial white ribbon, crystal blue button and colonial white waxy flax to thread through the button. The stamped image is from a very old set called Say It In Style, but is still currently available (Thats how popular and awesome that set is).

I have to give credit to Vicki Wizniuk for showing me on her blog (http://www.wizardshangout.blogspot.com/ ) how to thread the button and then slide your ribbon through the thread or waxy flax and then pull it tight and tie it. It has really made my cards and bows look so much better. I encourage you to check out her blog, it is my go to source for all things unique, she is VERY talented.

December and January Customer Special

2011-11-20T10:45:00.000-06:00

With a qualifying purchase of just $25 dollars in ANY CTMH product from the Autumn/Winter Idea Book you can take advantage of new Spring 2012 products and be the first to buy them and show them off!

After your $25 dollar purchase you can spend $15 more dollars and get the newest My Creations Collage cubes and an "E" size stamp set that is sure to make any project "Rock" for sure! Best of all that ends up being a savings of $30 when purchased thru this limited time offer.

This deal is available Dec 19th, 2011 thru January 31st 2012 ONLY, so be sure and plan your party with me and get all of this AND your hostess rewards exclusively from CTMH today!!!

November Customer Special

2011-11-20T10:26:00.000-06:00

Purchase $25 in stamps during November 1-30th and you are able to take advantage of this Holiday Wishes stamp for just $5

CTMH now has a contract with Cricut and has come out with an exclusive cartridge with over 700 different designs and this stamp set coordinates with many of those images.

CTMH makes it easier than every before to take advantage of a customer special without breaking your budget!!

November Stamp Of The Month~ Cherish The Day

2011-11-20T09:31:00.000-06:00

November is a time for celebration and friends and family. This is the perfect stamp set for just those types of occassions. November's SOTM is called Cherish The Day and is available only in the month of November from your CTMH comsultant.

Any $50 purchase allows you to take advantage of this stamp for just $5 And of course you can purchase the stamp without a purchase for retail cost $17.95 Either way, it is worth it.

Join me for the April Crop!

2011-04-02T10:12:00.000-05:00

If you are in the Middle Tennessee area or would like to order a kit to be mailed to you (complete instructions included) just give me a shout and we will get you hooked up!

For April I will be showing you how to create the layout above along with three different cards. The kit price is just 29.95 and it comes with EVERYTHING you need to complete what you see here and still have extra paper and embellishments left over.

This month the crop will be held on Saturday April 23rd at my house from 1pm-4pm. You are more than welcome to bring a friend and if they are new and unsure to CTMH I can offer them a $5 layout kit so they can get their fingers inky and see if they like it.

I hope to see you there!!!

Wings Workshop January 28th 2011

2011-01-16T21:21:00.000-06:00

If you are in the Middle Tennessee area I would like to invite you to join me for my January Workshop on the 28th. This is the first of many new paper packs that CTMH is revealing this year. The paper is called Wings and you truly will soar with this project. We will make everything you see here....two 12x12 layouts and three cards. You will have plenty of paper and supplies left over for other projects!

This is the first of two pages we will make. I love the paper in this pack. The flourishes and the scrolls are phenomenal! I liked using just plain black ink, that isn't always the case with scrapbooking. We always feel like we have to use the latest and greatest colors.

These pictures were taken of my family back in May when I was a bridesmaid at my best friends wedding. I was 6 months pregnant with my son at the time! Hard to believe he is 4 months old now....and Janna has almost been married a year...where does the time go? I turned my layout sideways for this page because my pictures were vertical instead of horizontal. I was worried it wouldn't look as good, but I think it came out perfect! That's another beauty of CTMH you can rotate anything 90 degrees and it looks just as good!

This is the first card I made . You cant see it good but the big brad in the center of the flower is corduroy...such a cool texture. The stamped image is stamped in the technique of second generation and then uses the technique of rolling. To do 2nd generation stamping you ink the image and then stamp it on a scrap piece of paper and then without reinking the image you will stamp it on the paper. However, to complete this technique you need to roll the image edges in the same color ink. Then you stamp the image on the paper and this is what it looks like.

This is the same card layout just rotated 90 degrees! It gives a whole new look to the card and you wouldn't really notice that it was the same design unless you really looked. I recently just learned how to tie pretty little bows like this. If you do not know how to tie ribbon like this it is quite easy: You make two long bunny ears with your ribbon and then take each bunny loop and tie them in a knot like you would when you tie your shoes. Then just snip your ends and it will look this awesome!! I then added the stamped flower image with the brad on top of the ribbon with a glue dot.

This is the last card we will make. Once again it is the same card design just rotated again 90 degrees. For this card I have sponged some ink on the bottom right hand corner. I was going to use my new CTMH spray pen but realized too late that I needed reinker in Vineyard Berry and I didn't have it. The spray pen is a really cool new tool that we have this year. For just 3.95 you get 3 of them and can use them with reinker and water or reinker, water and pearl paint to make a really cool iridescent mixture that splatters quite nicely. If you purchase the workshop kit you will get a spray pen.

This is the stamp set that comes with your workshop kit. As you can see I used almost every stamp on the sheet this time. Most of my stamps turn red or light pink but this is only because I used black ink and a red tinted ink on them. This does not effect the outcome of another stamped image in another color. It just shows that they are loved and actually used and this to me is part of the journey with scrapbooking. This set is normally 13.95 and is only available with this workshop kit.

This is the Mini Medley Accessories in Black that you will get with your workshop kit. This is what was left over after I was done making the above layouts and cards. I love that each time I purchase a kit I ALWAYS have extra product to use for other things. It really helps build my collection of CTMH products.

And this beautiful stamp set is the January Stamp Of The Month. It is a beautiful one too! I can see myself using this for so many occasions: Sympathy (butterfly), Love (bird), Teenagers birthday (high heel or the dress form) and then the wording is great for friendship etc...it is a VERY versatile set that will stay in my stash forever!

So, there you have it! I hope you have made it through this post. I know it was a long one, but there is just so much to share with you. If you would like to come to the crop please let me know so i can order you a kit. If you would like to purchase the kit you can do so from my website at www.inkyfingerz.myctmh.com and it comes with complete instructions for you to do it in the comfort of your own home. I hope to see you on Friday night the 28th for food, friends and fun!

Happy Scrappin!

Feelin Kind Of Crafty!

2010-12-21T22:18:00.000-06:00

Dearest Followers,
I know I have not been the best blogger in the world lately. Please forgive me. I had the BEST intentions of being a stay at home Mommy after Cian was born and getting everything in order with my business and having the best blog out there....alas, I took on more than I could chew and my blog paid the price.

I appologize and have spent the night coming up with a new template. Not sure if I like it, but it will do for now. I plan on 2011 being a stellar year for me and my love affair with Close To My Heart. I have had to go back to work, so there is not as much time to be crafty...but it is still there inside of me.

Cian is almost 4 months old now and I really have started having time to myself again. I take him upstairs with me and have him in his bouncy seat and let him watch me work. He usually enjoys it for about 20-30 minutes at a time and then he is done. I am able to get a lot of things done when he takes naps though...he tends to be a 3-4 hour long map taker! WooHoo!!

So, I promise to show you more things this year. I promise to have more pictures, better pictures. I promise to not let this blog get behind. Thank you for continuing to come back here time after time. I noticed tonight I have had page views as far away as New Zealand, Russia and France...even Romania! So very cool...I'm not worthy....

I leave you with a picture of a little sneak peak into the artwork of January. The paper is called Wings and it is breathtaking!!

January New Release called: Wings! Available January 2011 only from your CTMH Consultant

Mommy's Baby!

2010-11-11T10:38:00.000-06:00

Well, I know I have not been the best at posting on this blog lately. But have no fear!! This next week I will have new pictures to post of my upcoming card/layout workshop. It will be all Christmassy too!! In the meantime you will have to feast your eyes on my baby boy.

Cian is growing so fast I dont know how to handle it. He is two and half months old now and he is all smiles for me. He "talks" to me and is on the verge of laughing out loud. Babies are a precious gift from God and can make your day just by a simple smile.

These two pictures were taken about 1 week ago. In the first one I finally captured Cians grin. and in the second one I snapped one of him while he was sleeping. Sometimes there is nothing like a sleeping baby huh? Oh how I love this little guy.

Thanks for looking and I will be showing some new craft stuff asap!!!

My Next Workshop Idea

2010-10-23T16:55:00.000-05:00

Recently I went to my uplines house and we made a clear card. It is an acrylic card that comes with a clear envelope and it allows you to really layer your design so one thing shows on top of another and creates a really cool final image. I amm going to teach this technique at my next workshop in November.

The paper is called Olivia and is perfect for Fall. It showcases two of our new colors called Pear and Sunset. The cards come in packs and you can get round ones, square ones or scalloped. I recoomend using Tombow adhesive so that glue or other adhesive doesnt show through the clear part as you layer the card.

The workshop is going to be fun. I will post more details such as cost in another week or so. If you will be in the Murfreesboro area or would like to be just to come see me and the baby...ha ha ha... let me know and we will hook you up with all the supplies!!

Sympathy Card For A Friend

2010-10-23T16:41:00.000-05:00

One of my friends father passed away yesterday after an extended illness. I wanted to send her a sympathy card. Since I am a new Mommy again, I am a little short on time and resources. I made this today while my baby was napping. It was very quick and requires little paper and just a few cuts. But I like the way it came out. During times of grief I think simple works the best.

The butterfly is from a stamp set called Celebrate Life...very fitting I feel. I used the CTMH blending pen and used three different color inks to color the image after I stamped it. The colors I used were: Brown Bag (main image color), Autumn Terracota, Garden Green and Barn Red. This is the first time I have used our blending pen and I thought it was neat...might need a little more training on technique but it was fun and is an inexpensive tool to add to your scrapbag.

I pop dotted the butterfly to add some dimension and then stamped the "thinking of you" image underneath. That stamp is in the color Garden Green and comes from the classic set called Say It In Style. I hope you enjoy the card. I am glad to be back and it was nice to create something again!!

It's A Boy!!!

2010-09-21T16:29:00.000-05:00

Well, I have had my baby!!! Little Cian Grant was born on Sept. 8th 2010 at 4:37pm and weighed in at 8lbs and 8oz. and was 21.5 inches long.

It is hard to believe 9 months of carrying him has come to an end. I am glad to have a little bit of my body back!! It will still take some work to get the rest back, but the fluid retention is gone and the heartburn and the sore hips and the breathlessness. Now I just have to work on the flab!! Breastfeeding is really helping the weight come off, but I am sure you get to a point where it stalls. I will have to work through that and try not to get disappointed. I cant wear my pants so thats annoying.

But he is so worth every bit of the pain and the hard times and I would not trade him for anything. I love watching my other kids talk to him and hold him and love on him. I love seeing my husband as a new Dad again. Having another baby changes your marriage and makes you fall in love more deeply than ever before, or at least thats how it goes for me.

I will try and get back into my craft groove as soon as I figure out my new family groove. So hang in there, there is more to come!!

The Time Is Near

2010-08-31T13:38:00.000-05:00

I know I have not been the best blogger lately. I think that is due to sitting at work all day and having very HUGE ankles by the time I get home. It discourages me from sitting at my computer at my desk and blogging away. I am sorry about that.

I officially have 10 days until my due date of Sept 10th. I am very excited about meeting this little baby and finding out whether it is a boy or a girl. I won't be blogging or scrapbooking much during the month of Sept. I plan to come back in October full force....we'll see about that....and bring you some new and exciting things.

I do plan on updating the blog tonight to reflect all of the new products that start with CTMH tomorrow Sept. 1st. There will be a new catalog you can browse, or buy a copy from me. There are amazing new projects and products. Even though I will be a new Mommy again I am still here for my customers. I may just be a little slower responding. So check in tomorrow to see all of the new stuff!!!!! I love every bit of it!!!!!

I will blog again when the baby is born and show you some pictures. I will also be starting a new scrapbook!! How exciting it is to document my kids lives and preserve the things they would never otherwise remember and I would forget over time.

Just so you know we finally chose baby names.....the winners are: Grace Elizabeth or Cian (kee-in) Grant. Let me know what you think!!!

Love to all!!!!

You're A Deer Thank You Card

2010-08-17T10:16:00.000-05:00

Thank You Card for my shower gifts!

Here it is.... the card I created in bulk for my Thank You's to all of my coworkers and friends for my baby shower gifts. I chose the CTMH paper called Topstitch because it is both pink and blue and since this baby is a surprise I thought it went well.

The stamp that I chose was actually a dollar bin stamp at Michael's several months ago. I have really been wanting to use it but have not had to make any Thank You cards for quite some time. I inked the image in chocolate ink and then stamped it right on the Colonial White cardstock. I then distressed the edges with the edge of the Blush ink pad just swiping it all the way around.

The layout for the card came from the CTMH How To book called Wishes. I am serious when I say if you do not have these How To books you really, really should. I was able to make 21 cards in just under an hour all while getting my kids ready for bed, saying prayers and getting up to get popsicles....that is my current craving of the month!

It only used about 4 sheets of paper and then about 7 sheets of cardstock, but I like to cut my own cards. You can buy them premade and folded and save a lot of money. I hope you enjoy this card. August 27th is my crop night. I will be posting a picture of the layout and card we make from that as well as what my next workshop will be on. I am pretty sure we will be making clear acrylic cards....they are very dimensional and easy to do. So stay tuned!!! Thanks for checking this out!!

The Time Is Near!!

2010-08-14T14:02:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to share a picture of the cake that my friend Kim made for me. My co-workers threw me a baby shower last week at work and it was wonderful. Kim is so talented!! She makes cakes and does photography. We were going to take maternity pictures today but the weather isnt cooperating with us. It has been 112 degrees here every day for several months with hardly any rain and then as soon as I plan outdoor pictures here comes the monsoon. So we'll try again in 2 weeks, but I will be ready to bust by then. if it doesnt work out she will come and take pictures of the baby for me when it is born.

This is the perfect cake for either gender. I have found that by not knowing what gender the baby is one tends to rack up on all the essentials as far as baby gifts go. Not that anything froo-froo and cutsie isnt wanted or appreciated, it is just that when it comes down to it diapers, wipes and breast feeding supplies are way more practical. I have another shower in October (an after the baby shower) and I am going to have to update my registry for that one, because my current registry is pretty much taken care of.

I am going out with two of my best friends today and finishing up shopping for this little one. I need baby socks and a couple of gender neutral outfits and then I need to pack my hospital bag with the new mommy essentials and get some comfy black yoga pants for my hospital stay. I am so not staying in those open back gowns with the fishnet panties they give you in one size fits all....yeah right....have they seen the junk in my trunk lately?

Anyway, stay tuned for pictures of the baby shower gift Thank You cards that I mass prodcued the other night. My feet were as swollen as grapefruits but I used CTMH's card book and cut, glued and embellished 21 cards in just under an hour. It was so easy!! I also have a CTMH team meeting tomorrow at my Uplines house. I know I will be bringing back some awesome information for you guys. So stay tuned!! I may be 9 months pregnant but I am still at it!!!

Here we are in the breakroom at work. These are just a few of the awesome ladies I work with at the clinic here in town. You can't see the rest of them but everyone came and oohed and ahhed over me and this little one. I am so very blessed!! It seemed like I opened presents for hours. All of the food was homemade and my friend in the back beside me, Rebekah was able to make it with her daughter Ashley and her new baby, 2 week old Allie Grace. It was a lot of fun.

Delightful Things

2010-07-25T18:49:00.000-05:00

This is a layout that I did in June for a friends show. The paper collection is from CTMH and is called Grace. It shows subtle flowers and matching texture patterns. I also love how my sons pictures look good even on a flower paper. The stamp set used is called Delightful Things and matches perfectly! The colors I used are Barn Red and Twilight. I tied it all together with a piece of natural twill ribbon held on with a brad at either end.

This layout took no time because it only uses three pieces of paper and three cardstock photo mat pieces. I think it took me five minutes to cut and glue this all together. Thats CTMH, always making things faster and easier!!

Happy Birthday Shae!

2010-07-25T17:55:00.000-05:00

Sweet Little Shae! We made you this card for your third birthday. We can't believe how much you have grown and how quickly time flies. You are a beautiful little girl and we enjoy the time we get to spend with you. That blond curly hair and your sweet little voice, almost like a whisper, and those endless hugs are just some of the things we love about you. We wish you a very happy birthday this week and have fun riding the horses and seeing the dinosaurs at your birthday party!

I made this card using an older paper pack called That's Amore'. I think it is perfect for little girls scrapbooks and cards as well as for Valentine's Day, Anniversaries, Weddings and Just Because.

I used the July Stamp Of The Month called Happy Forever with this adorable little hedgehog. I made her into a girl by simply adding a hairbow, but the hedgehog can just as easily be a boy.

For the sentiment on the front I used one of the stamps from the July Stamp Of The Month that says, "You deserve to have a great day!" On the inside, which you can't see I used a stamp from an old set, although still available called Say It In Style and the inside reads... Happy Birthday!

This card was made using a template in the Wishes Card Confidence Program that CTMH carries. It does make cardmaking easier and faster and I have really been branching out by alternating just a few dimensions or embellishments on my cards and making them even more original!

If you are interested in any of the products I have shown you today please drop me a comment or an email and I will get with you asap!!

My Favorite Card EVER!

2010-07-10T13:44:00.003-05:00

When I signed up to be a CTMH consultant I couldn't wait to get my kit. Well, that was 2 years ago and this is the scraps of the paper I got in my consultant kit. the paper is called Silhouette and it is beautiful paper. I like it because it is neutral colors and can be mixed with another main color and have a totally different look. For this card I used Hollyhock as my accent color and then used Desert Sand for my stamp color. This is my all time favorite card that I have ever made.

I followed a pattern out of the CTMH card book called Originals. It is on page 90 and is called Button Trio. I just simply cut according to the directions and then stamped my images using the stamp sets called Blossom Blocks and Say It In Style. The nest step was gluing it all together and then adding my buttons. I threaded them with Hollyhock embroidery floss and then glue dotted them to the card.

I like the way the colors are balanced and the symmetry of the card's layout. I don't think as of right now I could give this card away. It may always just stay in my show off pile. If you would like to make cards like these just send me a message and I can get you started. It has saved me a lot of money over the last 2 years!!

Scrappy Cards!!

2010-07-10T13:32:00.002-05:00

When this CTMH paper came out I fell in love. I bought everything that came with this paper during that Idea Book release. It is called Twitterpated and came out last fall. It is still available and makes me smile each time I use it. I made this card last night from some of my scraps left over from my Twitterpated workshop.

The image was stamped using a stamp set called Inspiration. It has several small words such as dream, hope and creative and has 4 of the large medalion style stamps. I have used those medalions before as a magnet. I stamped the image and then covered it with a circle window sticker (very thick clear plastic charm) and then added a strong circle magnet to the back. It was a hit!! Twitterpated shows the colors of Sorbet, Choclate, Sweet Leaf and Crystal Blue.

This is a tiny little card! It is 2.5 x 3. I like this size when I am making several thank you's for my hostesses and guests after a show. they are easy to make in bulk and look really cute and dont cost you much because it doesnt require a lot of consumable product.

This cars uses the paper called Emporium. I added the buttercup strip in the middle with my stamped image in Vineyard Berry. The stamp set comes from a CTMH special celebrating 25 years and it was called Good Times. I then inked around the edges in Vineyard Berry and called it done!

Bookmarks

2010-07-09T23:26:00.002-05:00

These pretty much speak for themselves. I enjoy reading and so does my daughter. I like to make bookmarks for teachers and for my book club members. Last year I did an entire CTMH show on how to make book marks and use things like pop dots, ribbon, edge anchors, stamping and strips of paper as ribbon markers. It was cool when the customers saw how well these hold up after lots of use. The two in this picture have been in use now for over a year.

This one is made from a great paper called Good Times. It was the first paper pack I ever bought with CTMH and it is still available. I LOVE stars and this stamp set called Invitation has several to choose from. We made this one at a show and it showcases the use of edge anchors, ribbon, strips of paper for the tie at the top and stamped inage off to the side. It was a big hit.

This one is made from the Animal Cookies paper pack that I love and features the technique of using pop dots to raise your text. It is hard to see in this picture, but the quote is raised up off the bookmark with the pop dots. I used ric rac ribbon in white daisy for the tie at the top. We made this in January at my open house.

Thanks for looking!!

Cards From Scraps!

2010-07-09T23:14:00.002-05:00

This card is made from the paper pack called Daydream. It reminds me of everything magical and dreamy from when I was a little girl. I used it to make a bunch of things for a friends baby shower last year so now all I have is scraps. So I made this card with it.

It is a Thank You card. A very simple design and doesnt require many products or time, but it is still pretty. Thats what I love about this company and its products. It makes crafting and gift giving easier than ever before.

I love this paper. It is called Animal Cookies and I have pretty much used it all up. In previous posts I have commented that I am in charge of making all of my co-workers birthday cards. I get paid by my company to do this. Well, I work for doctors and sometimes it can be hard to come up with a card for a man period. I think I am going to give this one to Dr Ingle. His birthday is next Friday. He is a quiet man, very tall and slendor....but when he decides to say something funny or not you know it and remember it. I think he would like this play on words and I may add a little Happy Birthday stamp to the inside before we all sign it. Think he will like it?

This is the cutest little animal set that we have ever had in my opinion. They can be colored with markers or pencils or just stamped and paper pieced. I have seen so many cute things done with it. In the stamp set you also get monkeys, alligators, hippos, toucans and elephants. I made a checkbook cover for a friend with the elephants once, she is a HUGE Alabama fan and it went well with her attire and purse. Thats another thing I always like to tell my customers...this stuff can be used with so many other things, projects and purposes....the possibilities really are endless. Thanks for looking!

Two New Cards

2010-07-09T22:59:00.002-05:00

I remembered the other day that I had lots of scraps from all the projects I have done over the years with CTMH. I saved the good sized scraps and put them in baggies to use at a later date. I had forgotten all about them until I saw a post on the CTMH Consultant Bulletin Board. She posted some cards she had made with her scraps and it hit me!! Oh My Word....why have I not done this yet? So here they are....two new cards made of scraps.

This one uses the CTMH Creative Basics Paper in Emporium. This was a VERY popular paper pack last year. It featured the colors Crystal Blue, Vineyard Berry, Sweet Leaf and Chocolate. For the stamping I used an old stamp of the month for the butterflies and then I used Say It In Style for the wording. I like the way it turned out. Using scraps can be intimidating at best sometimes.

This card uses scraps from the paper pack called Unforgettable. This is a beautiful paper pack filled with flowers and cherry blossoms and the colors are great too. I stamped it with a set called Aspiration which remains a favorite of mine still. I am holding onto this one. I clear out my stamp stash every new year and offer them to my customers at a very discounted rate, but this one I am keeping.

It featured the colors Cocoa, Sorbet, Juniper and Hollyhock. I also use the color Desert Sand with it a lot too. I have to say this is probably one of my all time favorite cards that I have ever made. It is something about the symetry and colors that I love.

I hope you enjoyed looking at these cards. Most of the supplies I used are still available for purchase so if there is something you would like please let me know!! Thanks for stopping by!!

Hello Sunshine!

2010-07-05T15:23:00.002-05:00

Here are two layouts I did with my extra paper from my June Crop Day. I still have enough paper left for various other projects and cards. Thats what I love about these kits. They make use of everything and you still have extras at the end. You get your money's worth with this company!

These pictures of my son were taken one day last November. I like the way they are winter pictures on a summer paper and everything still "goes" together. I had recently had a miscarriage and was home recovering and we had the day together. His smile sure can brighten up a day!

I did my journaling in topiary colored marker. I like handwriting as you probably know, I say that all the time. I used stickers for this layout instead of staming and think it looks just as good. Stickers also eliminate mess with getting things out for stamping and makes your layouts finished faster. I do love stamping though so it was hard to stay away from it for this layout.

Here is a close up of one of our new Pizzaz elements. I colored this one in Honey ink and the dotted lines show through. I like the look of brackets and think that anything layered or dimensional on a layout adds a lot to the page.

Here is another element that I colored Heavenly Blue. I added the smile sticker and two of the brad stickers in the middle and then glued it on the layout.

This is a close up of one of the stickers. Our Stickease are repositional and are thick like cardstock weight. I enjoyed using these instead of stamps this time around. They said exactly what I was looking for.

If this face doesnt scream sunshine I dont know what does! He is a joy on the gloomiest of days. I love these baby teeth and the spaces between them. I love the sound of his laughter and how he got me through those days after losing the baby. Such a sweet little boy!

Thanks for looking at my pages. I hope you enjoyed them. I will post again soon and will be getting ready for my next crop in July. This one is going to be even better!! Hope to see you there!!

Fun In The Sun June Crop Layout

2010-07-05T15:07:00.002-05:00

Well, here it is, almost finished. I still need to journal on this page. I am not sure if I want to print my journaling out with a cute font or if I want it handwritten. I tend to handwrite all of my journaling because in this technical age and time handwriting is getting pushed to the way side.

These are pictures of my kids and some family (Grandpa) at Old Fort Park last year to celebrate Granny B's birthday! The kids had a blast swinging and climbing on all of the park toys there. I chose these pictures mostly because Jake's shirt is similar to the Goldrush color and the trees and the sky match the Topiary and Heavenly Blue of the layout. I think it turned out great!

I love the border stamp that came with this collection. I just stamped around the photos about 1/2 an inch out and it changes the whole look of the page.

I also am loving these new dimensional elements that CTMH brought to the table this Summer. The collection is called Pizzazz and it is full of flowers and leaves and brackets and circles. The choices are endless. Each chipboard piece comes white and you can take a sponge dauber and ink of your choice and ink right over it. The "irresistables" part stays white and makes the inage look like a stencil.

This might be hard to see on here but I took some of CTMH's new Glitz Glitter Glue and went over each Honey colored brad and then let it dry. It adds a nice flair to the page. These pages didnt use a lot of paper so it needed something to make it stand out in my opinion.

Here you can see on the upper left some more of the Pizzazz elements that I colored and layered. You can also see the glitz glue used around the border of the square Goldrush piece of cardstock as well as over the stamped image. I like the way the image that was stamped still shows through the glitter.

This was a stamp on stamp layered element that I did. I stamped the original flower design in Goldrush and then took a smaller design flower and stamped over the Goldrush image while using Chocolate ink. I then colored a Pizzazz elements with chocolate and added the Glitz Glue to that and layered them all on the cloud paper. So easy to do!

This picture of my daughter was dark, but I really wanted it in the layout. So I decided to use one of the bracket Pizzazz elements and color it chocolate and then put it right over the part of the picture that I want to emphasize. It really helped make using a dark picture in an otherwise sunny layout.

I really loved this month's crop pages. If there is anything on these pages that you would like to order for yourself please send me a message and I will get it for you. CTMH makes everything so easy!!

Crop Day June 26th 2010

2010-06-23T21:59:00.002-05:00

I love love love this months crop paper pack and accessories! The Splendor workshop is sure to be a big hit!! If you would like to order this paper pack or any of the coordinating accessories just send me an email and I will get it to you asap!!

I had a Home Gathering tonight with one of my newest friends Missy. The show was fabulous! All of the ladies that came were great sports.... some of them had never scrapbooked a page before...EVER!! Others just did it when they had the time and for them this was not very often.

I learned that for them the hardest part was getting items seperately and then never using them. They bought things on impulse (as we all do) and they bought them from different places... so nothing matched in the end.

I loved watching them get excited about CTMH's color match system. When they realized that the kits are color coded and everything comes in a zip top bag they were excited and it made me feel so good!

Missy had a great show!! She was an excellent hostess and had everyone of her guests place an order today and she had every one of her guests say they would like to come to another party. We are closing her show Monday and she is going to try and get a few more orders between now and then. I am proud to be her consultant and so glad she opened her home to me.

CTMH is my passion and sharing that with others makes life GRAND!!

My Brothers Wedding~ A Layout

2010-05-26T21:34:00.002-05:00

I wanted to use these black and white photos for awhile now. They were taken at my brothers wedding in 2008. I have been into mixing paper packs lately and thought since the pics were not colored this would be a great time to experiment. I am happy with the way it turned out for sure.

I used several different papers for this layout. The sweet leaf green paper is from a retired pack called Life Delights. The blue colored paper is from a newer set called Sweet Home and the purple colored paper is from a set called Enchanted and it was very much used for Thanksgiving and Halloween. I added a piece of Desert Sand cardstock as my neutral background and Viola' it all comes together.

The white letters are stickers that I have with CTMH. They can be colored with inks, glittered with glitter or left alone like I have done here. I chose the word Adore because both of my kids adore their new Aunt Angie and she adores them too. The flowers are paper and are from CTMH they are an autumn mix that we sell by the tube and I really like them. I pierced each one with a garden green brad from CTMH and was very pleased with the outcome and balance of the layout.

I think this is going to look great in a shadow box frame hanging in my crop space. Eventually I am going to run out of wall room with all these kids and events and awesome product from CTMH!!! Thanks for looking!!

Birthday Card For Kim

2010-05-26T21:23:00.003-05:00

Here is the newest birthday card for my co-worker Kim. Her birthday is may 31st but we are having her party tomorrow at work. For this card I used a paper pack called Key To My Heart. This was a specialty paper that was available only for a short time with CTMH. I have had it sitting there for awhile and didnt know what to do with it. I think this is perfect!

The card design came out of one of our How To books called Originals. I simply took the dimensions right out of the book and added a few of my own personal touches such as the sanding and the inking and glued it together. It was very easy to make and not time consuming at all.

The flowers are chipboard covered in paper and glued to the card. The Creme Brule flowers are paper and to top it off is a Tulip colored button with Chocolate Waxy Flax threaded through it. The leaves of the flowers are chipboard and have been inked all over with Juniper and then around the edges with Creme Brule. Using the elements really makes the card have texture and layers and is way more interesting to the eye.

The inside of the card is stamped with Juniper and Tulip ink and uses my newest alphabet purchase called Cocktail. It comes with both an upper and lower case set of alphas and thats something that is well worth it to me.

I am having a great time with all these birthday cards. I am pretty sure we do not have any June birthdays. But we do have 2 in July. One of them is a doctor and it will be interesting to see how I do a card for a man. He loves fly fishin... so maybe I will go with that. Be sure to check back often, new things are happening every day around here!! Thanks for looking!!

A Card For My Boss

2010-05-26T21:11:00.002-05:00

My boss Debbie's birthday was May 16th. The cool thing about this is that my work has offered to pay me to make everyone in our Dept a birthday card!! I am honored that they asked and thrilled to show off my creativity. So, this was the first one.

I used the CTMH paper pack called Bella and paired it with the July Stamp Of The Month! Is this little Hedgehog not the cutest thing you have ever seen? I paper pieced him so that he would have different colors and not be so flat on the page. This is also the first window card I have ever made. I have to say I am happy about the way it turned out.

The main ink colors used were Olive, Hollyhock, Pansy Purple and Creme' Brule. I am very much into mixing paper packs with stamp sets not specifically noted to "match" that paper. Most of the CTMH collection is easy to do this with. It just takes a little imagination and not being afraid to try something new.

The outside of the card says Happy Birthday and the inside reads... You deserve to have a great day! My boss was very happy with the card and knew right away that it was handmade. It made me feel good that it was more special to her. The reason I know it was: She said she is "actually going to SAVE this card" Pretty cool! Thanks for looking!!

Teacher's Gifts!

2010-05-16T14:55:00.002-05:00

My good friend needed some quick and easy teachers gifts for her kids to give out the other day. I decided to make 5 cards, 5 post it notes covers and 5 pens. It was super easy and quick. I tried my hand at random stamping my cardstock because I wanted a heavy paper for the post it note covers. I used a stamp set called Star Power and really like the way it looks. I dont think I took a picture of the inside of these but I stamped on each post it note the sentiment "You're A Star".

Here is a close up of the card using the same stamp set. The paper is from the You Rock collection at CTMH. I pop dotted the wings with the heart and it stands out from the card a bit. I like the colors because it can be for either a male or female teacher and what teacher isnt always looking for a pen and paper??

I chose the RSVP pens by Pentel... they write very good and last a long time. They also have easy to open barrels and the rolled paper fits in there nicely. Again, this was a quick project and a unique gift for Andrew and Loryn to give their teachers! Thanks for looking!!

My Very First Baby

2010-05-10T22:33:00.002-05:00

I love to tell Alexis in a silly voice that she was "my very first baby" I was scared and nervous and thought i knew everything up until the moment they handed her to me and I was supossed to do this "on my own". I had no clue and suddenly realized just how valuable my parents and my husbands parents were to me. In those early days of 1999 I realized just what being a Mother is all about and I am so glad I have a baby girl who taught me that!

Have I mentioned that she is going to be an awesome big sister? At 11 years old she is going to be such a big help to me. I have seen her in action with my friends 7 month old daughter and it blows me away how nurturing and loving and gentle she is. one day she is going to make a fine Mother herself, I just know it!! In this picture she is with my brother Andrew. We gathered Sunday at O'Charley's for dinner with my Mom.

Here are the two loves of my life. Alexis is wonderful with Jake. She is starting to want her privacy and doesn't always want him in her room. But in my opinion she tolerates him better than most 11 year old sisters would and plays very well with him despite the age difference. every now and then we have to get onto someone, but they do not like to be apart for long periods of time.

This is how I normally find Alexis.... making some silly face with Jake. Sometimes they play a game that me and my siblings played when we were young. We called it "faces" and "make me laugh". We usually had my brother Darrick as the one who had to make us laugh... he is the funniest one of all of us for sure.

This Mothers Day was the best. I got to just watch my kids be themselves and take candid pictures of them doing candid things. I love both of them with everything that I have and all that I am and just want the whole world to know about it!!

Mommy's Pal

2010-05-10T22:23:00.002-05:00

Did I tell you we are expecting again? Did I mention that Mommy's Pal is going to have issues sharing his Mommy? Did I mention that I am doing everything I can to make sure he knows he will always be my pal? Did I also mention that he wants a sister so that he can be my ONLY pal?

He had a blast in the tub tonight. I was a cool mom and let him pour in his own bubble bath. his best friend Andrew gave it to him for his birthday and he was very thankful tonight that he has a good friend like that! So sweet... this is why he is a Mommy's Pal.

He had more bubbles in the tub than water! It took forever to wash the soap out of his hair and then took forever to actually get all the bubbles off of him. He told me that he has a bubble shirt and socks on! Again, this is why he is Mommy's Pal.

He loves to wear this pirate hat and pretend that he is anything but a pirate. On this day he was a dinosaur with a pirate hat and a ray gun. I told him he looked more like an Alien in a pirate hat and he told me that he was on Earth so thats not possible..... Mommy's Pal!

This pirate/Alien/Dinosaur/Mommy's Pal makes the best smiles and hugs and kisses. He keeps me going even when I am down and out and I love every ounce of this kid.

Thanks for looking and sharing in my joy!!

May Workshop Cherry-O

2010-05-10T22:11:00.002-05:00

This is a fabulous new paper that CTMH has come out with for summer. It is called Cherry-O and I love it!! The colors are clever and the paper once again can be used for anything. And the stamp set can make other kinds of fruit by simply changing the ink color for an Orange, or a bunch of Grapes so on and so forth! I chose some pictures of us bowling last Fall. My husbands old roomate from college came to visit from New Mexico and stayed with us for a week. It was right after we lost our baby and it was great to actually get out of the house and do something in all of my sadness.

This is a close up showing you some of the embellishments that I used. I used the Colonial White Brads and the My Accents pack in Tulip. I tied a piece of Chocolate Waxy Flax to the button. I love the mini embelly kit that comes with your workshop kit!!

This picture shows a close up of the title and stamping that I did. I used one of CTMH newest alphabet stamps called Cocktail Alphabet and it is so cool because it comes in both upper and lower case letters. I then used the workshop kit stamp set, A Bowl Of Cherries, to complete the title.

This close up shows how stamping and embelly's work together to vreate textured artwork that really makes a layout stand out from the rest. I love the way the Tulip brads were used in the bowl to look like cherries.

This last closeup just shows a little more detailed stamping and embellishment use. The stamp technique is called Rock and Roll and is a great way to give dimension to your stamps so they dont look like they are flat on the page.

I hope you enjoyed these creations and I plan on bringing many more your way soon!! Have a great week!!

Folded and Scored Card Using April Stamp of the Month

2010-05-06T22:17:00.003-05:00

I tried this card style out for the first time tonight. It was so simple to make I even surprised myself! You take a piece of cardstock that is cut at 4 1/4" x 10 1/4". Then you score it at 5 1/2" and again at 8 1/4". Then you simply embellish it to your liking!!

I am really into watercolor pencils lately. I enjoy using the water brush and watching my pencil marks turn into a water color painting. I am going to teach a class on this technique in early June so look for a mass email soon! By the way... if you want to be included in my emails please let me know. Just send me your email address at mwogan@att.net. For the flowers on this card I paper pieced them. This is something that takes some time but really makes your stamping take on a new look when complete. As you can see I am still learning how to cut in the smallest of places with my new bumblebee scissors!!

The finished product stands nice and neat all alone. I love this style and think I will try out a few more cards like this and maybe add some more buttons and ribbon and flower petals!! I am dying to use my new Cherry-O paper pack.... that just might be next!! Thanks for looking!!

Post It Note Cover

2010-05-04T22:07:00.002-05:00

Here is a nifty little invention! A cover for your post it notes!! Have you ever been carrying one of these in your purse or back pack only to dig it out and it has hair and crumbs and fuzz and who knows what else trapped all over the adhesive? I know this happens to me. Now I can carry this in my purse and have a handy little pad of paper for all those important lists and phone numbers that come up when I least expect it.

This is the first one I made and I used some cheap dollar bin paper from a local scrapbook supply store. I didn't want to invest too much in case it didn't turn out to be what I invisioned. I think next time I will use a heavier cardstock that maybe has a double print on it. I also thought about random stamping on the inside of the paper if I didn't want it to be white, but then the brads would still show that hold the outside punched circles on.... so all in all it turned out ok!

After scoring the paper and adhearing the post it note I then personalized it for my friend Brooke. Her initials are BNB and we use a million of these things a day at the office where we work. Last thing I did was use brads to put on the two punched circles. I had already tied my embroidery floss to one of the brads. Then you just circle around each circle with the string and cut it off where ever you think it should be.

I plan on doing a workshop with my customers so they can learn how to make these neat and VERY inexpensive gifts. I think the total cost of the workshop would be about $5.00 depending on how cheap I can find post it notes.

Last weekend my city (Nashville Tn.) was devastated by a HUGE flood. The loss of revenue and tourism and peoples lives and homes is just something you wouldn't be able to fathom unless you were here to see it. I would like to make these as a fundraiser and give the money collected to The American Red Cross!! So if you are reading this post and know of anyone who would like to donate please send me an email at mwogan@att.net if they would like to place an order for Post It Note Covers I will send 100% of the profits to The American Red Cross. Again, all I need is an email!!

Dino-Roooooar!!

2010-05-02T19:05:00.002-05:00

My son loves Dinosaurs! He always has them being mean to each other and biting each other and wrestling each other to the ground. As his mommy I want him to be loving and sweet and have a Momma Dino, a Daddy Dino and a baby. He tells me this is not how it is. I love little boys and I love this paper.

In my last post I used this paper for a baby shower card. Today I used it for a card celebrating a Birthday Party. On the inside it says, "And so do you, please come to a party for......" I think I may use these for my sons next birthday. Well, as long as he still loves Dinos!

This paper is called Caboodle. The stamp I used is called Dino Roar and is available through CTMH only. The color inks that I used are Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue, Sorbet, Buttercup and Grey Flannel. I stamped the image and then colored it with water color pencils. I then used a waterbrush to merge the colors of the pencils together. I really like the effect this gives. To top it off I added some ribbon and buttons, cause you gotta have texture!

This is such a fun project to make. The card is little, it stands at 4& 3/4" x 3" and barely uses any paper at all. You could make a whole bunch of these in no time!! I am pretty sure my son is going to like all the Rooooaring at his next birthday party!

Baby Shower Card for Misty

2010-04-28T21:20:00.004-05:00

This is one of my all time favorite stamp sets. I love that you can use it for Spring, Babies, Easter, Sympathy, or just for Fun! It is called Springtime and it will ALWAYS be in my stash of favs!!

I used Caboodle paper pack, one of CTMH's newest, and it is perfect for boys or girls. In the above shot, sorry so dark it was night when I took my pics, I wanted to show you how I used CTMH's bitty sparkles on each rain drop. I LOVE the deminsion and texture these add to my card.

Here I stamped my two little duck images in Cocoa Ink and then used my water color pencils to color them in. After that I took a water brush and gently blended the water color pencil where I wanted it. Such an easy way to make your stamped images come to life!!

Sorry this one is a little blurry. I used a deminsional element and inked it with Sweet Leaf Ink. I then stamped the words "Sweet Baby" in Crystal Blue Ink and then glue dotted two Cocoa ribbons to the sides.

I made this card for a friend who is due to have her baby June 4th, but none of us think she will last that long. I am pregnant right now too and just the thought of it makes me long to meet my little one. I still have 18 weeks to go!! At least I am on the downhill slide now!!

Thanks for looking and I promise I will do better about updating my blog.

A Few Misc Cards and a 9x9 Layout

2010-03-29T19:13:00.005-05:00

This card is blank on the inside and is one of my favs from the paper pack called Sarsaparilla. It can be western and country or it can be flourishy (is that a word?) and girly. Thats what I love about our papers, they can be used in so many ways!

This is a 9x9 layout that I did of my kids. I had never done a 9x9 album and wanted it to be simple. I used the Life Delights paper pack and the May 2008 stamp of the month. I colored the stamp with colored pencils and then cut it out randomly around the design. I like how even my little boys pictures look good on this paper.

This is a Valentine card that I made a couple of years ago. I love this heart stamp and the fact that it is pop dotted to show the black under the pink raised stamp. I like the black and pink, it is simple and still can be given to a man for Love Day!!

This is a birthday card that I made for my girlfriend Misty. I was trying out a retired paper pack, so I dont know that name of this paper. but she loves purple and the Amethyst cardstock went well with this. I used some star shaped dimensional elements and covered them in paper. I stamped the birthday wishes and added a bow of ribbon. I am pretty sure she liked the card!!

My final selection is a baby shower card that I gave a friend who was having twins. She was having a boy and a girl and I needed something that could go for both. I love little baby feet, dont you? This is the best baby stamp. It also has little handprints and a sweet little saying about babies being perfect. I added some ribbon and stamped in chocolate.

Sorry it has been awhile since I posted something on here. Growing a baby is hard work!! I am finally over the tired stage and the nauseated stage and into the feel good, let me eat anything in sight stage!! So I am sure you will be seeing more from me as the weeks roll on. I am almost 17 weeks pregnant now, thanks for all the prayers!!

Day Out With Shannon

2010-01-16T18:11:00.002-06:00

Shannon is my friend from middle school. We met when we were 12 years old and were together practically every day after that until my dad got transfered and we moved to Middle Tennessee. I hated to leave her, we were 14 by now and I just knew we would lose touch forever.

Boy was I wrong! I worked hard at maintaining that friendship and keeping up over the years. There were times we lost touch, but never for too long. It has been almost 20 years since we met and although things have changed dramatically for both of us we still get together and have fun.

Shannons Birthday is today!! I drove to her house, about an hour away, yesterday and we spent the day together shopping, eating, laughing, talking and reminiscing in ways only the two of us would understand. This is the card that I made for her. I believe it is one of my all time favorites!

It uses the CTMH paper called Boom-Di-Ada and has rich pinks and greens that just pop against the vanilla cream cardstock. I added a little gray wool when I stamped the friend sentiment. I also added some buttons in the autumn harvest pack. I think the one blue button adds character.

I know Shannon and I will always have the perfect friendship and that no matter what life throws us we will always be Forever Friends!!

First Christmas For Mallie

2009-12-29T23:15:00.004-06:00

Ok, so one of my best friends in the world had a beautiful baby girl on October 10th 2009. I have taken many pictures of her and like most of them but this one is a favorite! I did not take the photo but I got to choose from several poses and I think this one captures her the best. I made this layout for her mom and I am giving it to her in about 8.5 hours. I hope she likes it!

This is a layout from CTMH's how to guide called Reflections. I know I mention this all the time, but those books allow me to be so creative when it comes to my artwork. I changed a few things about the embellishments and kind of added my own flair to the layout, but overall CTMH takes all the worry out of scrapbooking.

I added the pics in the wrong order. The layout says: Your first Christmas as a baby...My first Christmas as a Mother. I thought this was perfect for the reason I made this. I sure wish I had been into scrapbooking when my daughter was born, or even photography!

I typed out my saying on my laptop and then printed to my color HP printer and then trimmed the edges. I sponge daubbed them in Olive ink for a more textured look and added bitty sparkles to either side of the saying for some bling! Every girl loves bling!!

Next step was adding the sparkle brads to the snowflakes. These are one of my favorite new CTMH products. They can be used for any occassion but go with this paper packet (Jingle) very well.

For the word FIRST I stamped it with our "E" sized Alphabet called Rustic. It was my first alphabet stamp purchase as a consultant with CTMH and it is very used. I used Olive ink and stamped on white cardstock and cut the letters out and glued them to the page. For the word CHRISTMAS I used a stamp set called Chrsitmas Greetings. It is also well loved and I stamped this in Tulip ink directly onto the layout.

I thought some ribbon would balance out the top of the layout texture wise. I have to have things looking as balanced to the eye as possible. So not only is color scheme important but balance is as well. However, do not get confused and think that means everything has to be symetrical, there is a difference.

When I look at this picture and I think of Mallie that Stevie Wonder song, Isn't She Lovely, comes to mind. He wrote that song the day his daughter was born and if you listen to the words you are filled with joy for a man singing the details of his new baby girl, a baby girl he has not and never will see with his own eyes. That song to me is Mallie Elizabeth! I love you Brooke and I love you too "Mal~Mal".

We Went To Ice At Opryland!

2009-12-19T19:31:00.002-06:00

My mom took the four of us to Oprylands Ice, an indoor Ice Exhibit. This year the theme was The Peanuts and being the Snoopy lovers that we are we just had to go. This was part of our Christmas present from my mom. At almost 30.00 per ticket it can be very expensive for a family to go to this. Thanks Mom! We had a blast!

Everything is carved out of huge blocks of ice. I heard rumor that the carving starts several months before the tour opens and Japanese artists come here to carve the ice inside the building after it is unloaded from trucks. Everything in this place is ice. Even the pink chain link in the above picture. The detail is incredible. I know my kids will always remember this day.

Jake was amazed at all of the bones that Snoopy had in his bowl. This is the beginning scene when you walk in. It only got better from here with a HUGE ice slide. They provide the jackets and let me tell you those jackets are perfect for sliding down those ice slides. I flew down that thing and laughed the whole way! I felt like a kid again!!

In this rare photo you see two kids who love each other very much and were actually showing it this day. Nothing makes me happier than my kids loving and hugging and smiling with each other. If you are a regular follower of this blog you know that my husband and I lost a baby in October. While it has been the hardest thing we have been through, these two have helped us make it through. I love you Alexis and Jake and thank you for what you do to my soul.

Here is a happy Momma and her babies after being in the cold ice exhibit. Part of our VIP passes included hot chocolate and then a meet and greet with Charlie Brown. This is a day I will never forget and I wanted to share it with you. Sometimes art blogs do not get personal enough. I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our weekend adventure.

One Last Christmas Card

2009-12-19T19:15:00.002-06:00

I decided to make one last card today. This one is for my childcare sitter...let's hope neither she nor her husband see this post before they get the card!! I am so thankful for them, despite having an illness that keeps David in and out of the hospital those two manage to come to my house every morning, watch my 3 year old son, pick my 10 year old daughter up from school and run their own errands and teach my son everything a home schooled kid would learn. I couldn't be any luckier or more blessed.

For this card I used CTMH's paper called Evensong. It has rich red toned colors and then a pop of green. Traditional? Hardly. I love the way CTMH's papers can be reversed and used to make a layout or card look totally different. You can see that on this card: The light sorbet piece in the background is the reverse side of the rich Tulip piece under the felt tree. Same page just different looks.

The stamp that I used is called Christmas Greetings and it has several bold images of snowmen, trees, ornaments etc. I love the font on this stamp set. I have used this set so much the acrylic is stained red for all eternity, but I dont care...that just means I love my stamps.

In this last image I have chosen to show you a close up of our new Heartfelt Die Cuts. They are the perfect way to dress up any layout or card. I love cards and layouts that are built up in several layers. I love the look of texture as well. My ribbon is from Michael's craft store and was a 1.99 for a roll. I think it brings everything together in a unique way.

So thank you again to David and Amy for everything that you do for my family and here's to many more years as friends!!

My Son's Birthday Card

2009-12-17T21:56:00.003-06:00

I love this stamp and paper set. It has been one of my favorites for almost a year now, or since it came out. The paper is called Stardust and the stamp set is called Reach For The Stars. They are both so versatile. I have used this paper for both my daughter and my son. I have made it fit all kinds of holidays and celebrations. I absolutely love it!!

You can see in the picture above that I stamped the image on the background and textured paper so that it looked like I paper-pieced it together. I love the way the Moonstruck ink looks against the patterned paper. You should try this technique!

I love CTMH's dimensional elements, they are one product that I collect every one of as soon as they come out. I used stars for this card. I sponge daubbed them with Honey and Moonstruck ink. I love the way sponge daubbing creates texture to the element.

Here is another example of a larger dimensional element. I put this one on the front of the card. These particular ones were self adhesive, but now they do not come that way. I think that is a good idea because then you can use both sides of the element.

I LOVE the colors in this paper pack. Green is my favorite color and here I used Clover Meadow (I love that name) to stamp the Dream Big image. I added some White Daisy brads for a bit more texture and to me they kind of looked like stars out in space.

I am sure my son, who will be four on New Years Day, will love this card. He loves anything I make, but expecially anything with rockets or trains or construction vehicles. I love you Jake and I hope you have a very happy birthday!!

Paper and Stickease Only!

2009-12-09T20:19:00.002-06:00

Tonight I wanted to make a layout using a picture of my kids that I cherish. The photo is B&W and for some reason it has been hard for me to select a paper that "goes" with it in my mind. I also have a son and a daughter so sometimes choosing the right themed paper is hard as well.

I wanted to show you that pictures of little boys look just as good on "girly" paper and that B&W photos really do go with pretty much any paper design. I also wanted to show you how very little product one needs to create something like this.

I used CTMH's paper pack called Bella which has a floral/garden theme. The deep purples and rich yellows make this the perfect paper to showcase how my kids have "grown". The only other product I used was the Bella My Stickease collection.

CTMH's Stickease are a high quality, high detail cardstock sticker. They are repositional until rubbed on with your fingers. They always match your paper 100% and there are often times enough leftovers to make cards to match your layouts! At just 8.95 for two sheets these are a steal!

I am a big fan of journaling and a persons handwriting. However, in this layout I did not feel it necessary to have much journaling. I let the title tell the story, along with the picture and simply stated my kids names, their age and the month and year the photo was taken. I hope you enjoy this layout and let me know if you need any of the items mentioned above!

MoJo Monday Sketch 116

2009-12-08T19:30:00.002-06:00

Every Monday I try and complete a sketch from the MoJo Monday website. Each week they give you a sketch and then you create a card or layout with that sketch and then post it to your blog and then upload it to their site. This week there will be several winners and the prizes are Verve Stamps! How much fun is that?

By doing these sketches I have gone outside my comfort zone and created things I otherwise would not have thought of and may have missed out on. I mostly use my CTMH products but on this card I used punches both from Marvy Uchida and Martha Stewart and dollar bin ribbon and stick on snow flakes from Michael's.

The paper pack that I used is from CTMH and it is called Rustic Trail. It is very masculine paper and is more often used for fishing or camping layouts and cards. I do think it reminds me of winter and snowmen so it goes well with this theme. I just love the Martha Stewart snowflake punch!

This ribbon adds some texture and character to the card because it has that little pop of red mixed in there. Not all winter/holiday layouts and cards have to have your traditional red and green combo to go with the season. So try and step outside the lines and use different color combos on your artwork whenever you get the chance.

The stamp set that I used is called December Word Puzzle and is still available with CTMH until the end of the year I believe. It has several fun images on it and several different wording options for anything for this time of year.

So why dont you try a MoJo Monday sketch and send me the link to your blog and I will check it out. One lucky designer will win a CTMH grab bag that is sure to make your holiday projects sparkle this season!

Thanks for looking!!!

Ten Tags In A Tin (say that 10 times fast!)

2009-12-05T20:15:00.002-06:00

I did this project last week with my customers and friends. Another consultant on my CTMH Bulletin Boards gave me the idea and I customized it to fit the supplies I had on hand. I purchased the tins in the wedding section at Michael's. Everything else is CTMH product.

For the tags I used a 2 inch and 1 inch circular punch and a 1.5 inch scallop punch. I sponge daubbed the scallop punch to match my paper and punched the 1 inch circles out of CTMH background and Texture paper.

The nest step was stamping my images. I used a CTMH stamp set called Christmas Greetings and for this tree I used the Ponderosa Pine ink. The other ink colors used were Cranberry and Desert Sand.

Using the same stamp set on the back of each tag I stamped To: and From: so that I do not have to write on the front of the gift tag. I then punched a hole with my Crop-A-Dile to string my hemp through so i can tie it to the package.

The final step was to use glue dots around the base of the tin and adhere ribbon to the tin so that it can be hung on the tree. I keep mine there so that in case of last minute gift wrapping needs I am not fumbling around in the closet looking for a tag.

Merry Christmas to everyone and if you need any of the supplies to make this project please do not hesitate to contact me and I will hook you up!!

You're A Hoot!

2009-11-21T15:56:00.003-06:00

This is the layout I have planned for my friend Amy's birthday show coming up in December. Amy is a member of my birthday club where she is the hostess of the day. She will invite all of her friends to the show where they will each create this layout to take home. They each have a chance to purchase products for Amy or for themseleves. And Amy gets all of the rewards! I have had several shows with her in the past and they ALWAYS turn out to be wonderful and exciting shows! Thanks Amy!!

For this layout I used the popular paper pack called Twitterpated. It has very versatile colors that can be used for Fall pictures, New Baby layouts (girl or boy) and even Christmas cards! I also love that the patterned papers have the same design on the back only in a different color scheme. This helps not to have to cut into every paper in the pack just to put more color or design on the page.

I used my new alphabet stamp called Posterboard for the lettering. I love that these letters are easy to cut out and adhere to your page. I also used a newer stamp set for the cute little owls called You're A Hoot. I just love all the different looks this one stamp set can give your page. the colors used for this project are: Chocolate, Colonial White, Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf and Sorbet. They all look so great together don't you think? Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Jingle All The Way

2009-11-21T15:31:00.005-06:00

I wanted to share my layout design for my good friend Brooke's upcoming CTMH show. Brooke is a member of my birthday club and will be having a home show in December for all of her girlfriends. They will each make this layout and have the chance to purchase products for the birthday girl or for themselves.

For this layout I chose the popular Jingle paper pack. It has beautiful, vibrant colors that really pop against the White Daisy Cardstock. I also used the Shining Star stamp set. I stamped the images in Olive ink and Creme Brule' ink. This paper can be used for Christmas or a Birthday Celebration and look good in either setting.

I recently purchased a new alphabet stamp set called Posterboard. This is the stamp set I used to make these letters for the Fa-La-La. The beauty of this stamp set is that you can spell any word or name. No matter the complexity. Last but not least the letters are easy to cut out and adhere to your page. I added a few of our Holiday Buttons to the window sill but they look just as good on the page. I hope you enjoy this layout!!

Time Saver Cards

2009-11-15T17:09:00.002-06:00

I have two jobs, two children, a husband and my love for all things artsy. I have very little time for anything else after cleaning, chauffeuring, mothering, loving and everything else a multi-tasker Mom does. Often times friends and customers ask me how I have time to come up with the creations I make. These two cards would be the perfect example!

First of all these cards only took a total of about 10 minutes to make! Close To My Hearts paper packs are already color coordinated for you, so all you do us cut, paste, and stick on embellishments. Even those items are pretty much done for you. I usually make up several of these cards and keep them on hand for last minute gift giving or note writing. I am a big fan of handwritten letters and cards. I don't care how messy your handwriting is, it is unique unto you and is something you should be proud of.

I used the paper packs called More To Adore and Simple Pleasures. Both of these sets are older sets in the CTMH product line, but they are still available and have been best sellers for quite some time.

Each card uses a pattern from our How To Guide called Wishes. It is a must for every cardmaker. I simply cut the paper according to the guidelines and glued it on. I added the coordinated My Stickease stickers and some ribbon and brads. It was that easy! I inked around the edges of both cards mostly because I like the distressed look. But this totally optional. I hope you enjoy these cards and if you need any of the items listed please drop me an email and I can hook you up!

Two Cards In Ten Minutes

2009-11-01T16:15:00.002-06:00

I had these papers laying around my craft room and decided to use them on these two little cards. The Hippo stamp has an argyle background to it and the paper just begged to be used with the hippo.

I chose a very basic design out of my CTMH Wishes book and then just went crazy cutting. There are only 3 small pieces you have to cut for this card. The Wishes book makes it so easy to do this I swear I made both of these in about 10 minutes.

Both of these stamps are from the dollar bin at my local Michael's store. I prefer Acrylic stamps, but for small cards like these the rubber ones work fine. On the porcupine stamp I added a little bling to the flowers by using stick on rhinestones.

I think buttons and ribbon are a nice touch to any card and just make it a little more interesting to look at. I used CTMH ink colors in Orange and Chocolate for both of these cards.

If you have never made a card or your cards often tend to look the same I would recommend the Wishes book for you. It is filled with many, many different styles of card and also comes with a template CD in the back so you can print out templates for round cards or circles that you can add as an embellishment.

You may purchase this book anytime on my personal website at http://www.inkyfingerz.myctmh.com

Votive Cards

2009-11-01T12:29:00.003-06:00

Supplies for this project: (1) piece of 8.5 x 11 card stock
(1) piece of Vellum
(2) pieces of patterned paper for the frames around the vellum
Any stamps or inks that you want to
Any other regular crafting supplies (paper trimmer, scissors etc)

For this votive card I used CTMH's paper called Jingle. I also used our newest stamp set called Stocking Style. It is so versitile because it allows you to stamp any name or phrase on the stocking and then piece everything together. This paper pack features the colors: Tulip, Juniper, Olive and Creme Brule' but I often use it with White Daisy instead.

These were extremely easy to make and are the perfect little gift for a teacher or neighbor. All you need to add are the battery operated tealights to put inside the opening of the card. I got mine in a 5 pack for about $10 at a local Arts and Crafts store.

This one uses one of my favorite CTMH stamp sets called Snow Friends. If you want to get this one hurry because it is scheduled to retire at the end of this year I believe.

I used the paper pack titled Aspen for this card. I like the winter like feel of Aspen. It can be used for a Holiday or just for Winter. I have also seen it used for New Baby cards for little boys and thought it was perfect. Thats what I love about CTMH's papers.

It is hard to see in the photo but I colored the snowman with our White Daisy marker and then added some Stickles Glitter Glue to the snow under him and to the snowflakes above him. Stickles is one of my favorite accessories.

I also stamped his hat on another piece of carstock and then colored it with the cranberry marker. I then cut it out and pop dotted it onto the card to give it a little more dimension.

If you would like directions on how to make these cards I am willing to email it to you. Just send me an email at mwogan@comcast.net and use "Votive Card Directions" as your subject and I will be sure to send it your way.

I hope you enjoy this special project and use it not just at the Holidays but all year round.

Jeanette's Color Me Monday Combo

2009-10-09T18:52:00.003-05:00

Jeanette Lynton, President and CEO of Close To My Heart has a weekly blog that she does and often inspires me to make something using her Color Combos that she provides every week. This week the combo was a non-traditional one for Halloween that I LOVE! I wanted to share with you a project that Jeanette created and I copied, although I changed a few things. If you want to see more of Jeanette's weekly postings on the right side of my blog you will see a list of Blogs that I follow. Just follow the link to Jeanette's work, you won't be disappointed.

These are some dollar bin stamps that me and my girlfriend Amy found at Michael's. I am pretty much an acrylic stamping kind of girl, but for a dollar? I couldn't resist and the stamps actually gave clean images the first time I used them. Be sure and check them out. This is another creative way to keep stamping in a tight economy.

Here I used some chipboard letters from CTMH and wrapped the "O" in embroidery floss in black. I drew some of the web on the letter and then sponged the letters in black ink to give them a shadowy kind of look. The dollar store stamps went well with my letters. I love the happy little spider hanging off the web.

Here is the finished layout. I am using mine as a Halloween door hanging but you can use it as a layout in a scrapbook as well. Just add a few pictures to the squares and Viola'! Hope you enjoy this project and thank you for being patient with me about posting my artwork. I think my MoJo is coming back.

Sorry It's Been Awhile

2009-10-03T14:55:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone, I wanted to post a message to you as to why it has been so long since I have posted some artowrk. I found out I was pregnant in August and we were elated! This was my 3rd pregnancy and from the very beginning things didn't seem right. I bled slightly the whole time, which I never did with my other two pregnancies.

Time went on and we got to see our baby on ultrasound. Everything looked good and the baby had a heartbeat of 160 and was moving its arms on the ultrasound at 8 weeks! The following week I started bleeding heavily and knew in my heart something was wrong. I went back to the doctor and on the ultrasound we learned that our baby no longer had a heartbeat.

Needless to say we were devastated. I had to tell my kids which was the hardest thing of all. I was not sure if I wanted to let the miscarriage happen naturally or have a D&C but this past Thursday I woke up and had heavier bleeding and the cramping began. My body knew that my baby died and was trying to do what it needed to do.

I called my doctor and she encouraged me to come to the hospital to have a D&C that night. So I did that Thursday. It was scary to go into an operating room for the first time. But everything went well and I went home that night. I have just been recovering at home on the couch this weekend. I was 10 weeks along and the emotions have hit me today.

I have no appetite and dont feel like doing a damn thing. I am content to just be. Sometimes I want to yell and scream and other times just wail as loud as I can. I can't explain how this feels. I can tell you that my husband has been wonderful in every aspect of the word. Our 5 year anniversary is next week and I am sure it will be a special one for us. He is the best gift I have ever been given. I know with time things will get better, but for today they suck royally. Thanks for listening and wishing me well. I will post again when I feel like being crafty.

Meredith

Just Tinkerin Around

2009-09-08T19:17:00.003-05:00

Here are a couple of layouts that I did using one of my favorite paper packs called Tinkerin. It is chock full of gears and robots for out of this world fun! I have even seen it used with pink, brown and gray and this makes it look awesome for girls as well!

The only things I used to make these layouts are: Tinkerin Level 2 Paper Pack, Tinkerin My Stickease (my new loves) and ink colors Gray Flannel, Holiday Red, Clover Meadow, Twilight, and Sunflower.

These robot stickers remind me of the old Disney Channel show that my daughter used to watch called Rollie Pollie Ollie. It was a cute show!

For both of these layouts I used the How To Guide Book called Reflections. This book was very helpful at showing me how to rotate a layout to get a new effect. It also is good at showing you how to mix and match layouts for more variety in your scrapbooks. The How To books are a really a must have!

I just really love these colors and I have recently fallen in love with My Stickease assortments. if you go to my website at www.inkyfingerz.myctmh.com you can watch an episode of Art & Soul that shows you amazing things you can do with CTMH Stickease. I used to never buy them, but once I realized their value and versitility I buy them to match every paper pack that I have. Not to mention they are super affordable at only 4.95 for 2 sheets!

Thanks for looking at my artwork. Feel free to share this site with any friends that may enjoy scrapbooking or cardmaking. I hope you have a great week!!

Altered My Creations Spiral Album

2009-08-17T20:20:00.002-05:00

This is a gift I made for a dear friend's baby shower this past January. I altered one of CTMH's chipboard spiral albums by cutting off the back piece that allows it to stand up like a flip chart would.

I then covered it in Boom-Di-Ada paper and added ribbons to the spirals to give it some texture.

I personalized the inside for the baby leaving the actual date of her birth blank because as we all know baby's come in their own time.

I then found a poem on the CTMH website that another consultant used for one of her children and I just changed the wording to fit the stamp sets or accessories that I used.

Each layout showcases a number and then has that many of the same images stamped or glued to the page. That way Ava has a unique way to learn her numbers and learn to count.

It can also be used during church or other times when a mom needs a baby to be distracted or otherwise quiet. It has clear page protectors so that little messy hands don't tear up the pages.

Some of the pages with emebllishments, such as these buttons, can be felt too. So while she learns her numbers she can learn texture as well. Who knows maybe one day she'll scrapbook with me!

On the last page (#10) I left ten spaces for her mother to cut and paste pictures of her immediate family. The saying says 10 people who love me!

Western Cards

2009-08-12T22:15:00.002-05:00

These are some cards that I made using the CTMH stamp Western Flourishes. I like that the images can give a western feel or be dressed up a little more for a not so western look. This month I am doing a workshop using this paper pack (Sarsaparilla) and this stamp set. It is sure to be a good time! If you would ever like to do a workshop let me know and I can send you the kit with instructions or if you live in the area you can join my club that meets monthly.

Snow Days Are The Best

2009-08-05T20:52:00.003-05:00

Here is a layout that I made using my Reflections book from CTMH. I also used the paper pack Aspen and the coordinating My Stickease. We don't get much snow here in TN anymore, but on February 28th it snowed hard over night and in the morning, March 1st, we awoke to everything covered in a blanket of white! Needless to say my kids went crazy. My son was 3 and had NEVER seen snow before. How sad is that?

It is hard to see because I do not have the best camera but I covered my CTMH color ready alphabet stickers in Stickles glitter paint. I love that stuff! I can go a little Stickles crazy, but it looks so pretty when the light shimmers off of it.

I added some chocolate colored rub ons to this white daisy accent and then filled it in with Stickles glitter glue and held it to the page with a chocolate brad. CTMH's rub ons are so much more easy to actually get to come off the transfer paper. It is amazingly easy.

Told you I was crazy about Stickles! Here is a CTMH snowflake rub on that I added Stickles to the inside so it would shimmer. These pictures do not do this page justice at all, but hopefully you get the overall picture of what I am trying to show you. Thanks for looking!

My Love ~Ron~

2009-08-05T20:41:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to show a layout that I made the other day. I am coming up on my 5th wedding anniversary with my husband and I still have not scrapped all of the wedding pictures. I do have the cruise (honeymoon) finished and have for some time. We got married in Murfreesboro and then had a limo drive us around Nashville and finally drop us off for a nights stay at Opryland Hotel. It was beautiful of course! There are so many places to take a picture or steal a kiss. These are just a few we took before we had dinner that night.

I used paper from American Crafts (I love stars lately) and then paired it with CTMH chocolate ribbon, Hollyhock and Topiary My Accents. The greens are a little different but I like the monochromatic type feel of using color in the same families. I love the way the ribbon is threaded through the spiral clip. This technique adds a lot to this page.

These letters are my latest obsession because you can leave them plain or cover them with Stickles or sponge them any ink color...the possibilities are limitless. These letters are the CTMH Color Ready Alphabet in Oxford Caps. It was one of CTMH's June deal a day FREEBIES!

I have had a large pack of these arrow clips forever and forgot about them. These are CTMH's Hollyhock color and they add such cool dimension. They make the eye look at the photo. Overall I really enjoyed this page. I didn't use a sketch this time, I just made it up as I went along. Thanks for looking!

A Star Is Born....Mallie Elizabeth due in October

2009-07-31T22:24:00.002-05:00

Ok, this has to be the best card I have ever made! I am so excited about how easy this was. I saw the card above in the book and really wanted to make it. Tomorrow is one of my best friends baby shower and this was my chance to really show off! Brooke scrapbooks with me, so if I make her something it has to be the "BEST".
The new CTMH Wishes card program is awesome! It helps you make cards so quickly and with virtually no mistakes. The pictures and detail are superb and the directions are very easy to follow. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to make cards, whether you are a beginner or highly seasoned.

I used paper from My Mind's Eye Bohemian Collection that I purchased at Michael's today. I then chose two CTMH inks that match the paper. They are Bamboo and Juniper. I like bamboo because it is a neutral and everything needs a neutral. The Juniper really helped tone down the Tulip color which is the main color of the card.

This is a close up of the dimensional elements that I used to spell STAR. I inked around the edges in Juniper and then adhered it to the cardstock wrap with glue dots.

The cardstock wrap just slides on and off of the card and then you can open it. I think this is the perfect design for showcasing your artwork or the baby's card in her nursery.

This is what it looks like as you slip the wrap off the card. This card is a 6x6 with the fold to the left of the card. But I imagine you could do the fold at the top of a card as well and it would still look great! That's the beauty with CTMH designs, they are always interchangeable.

Here is the wrap by itself. The three pieces of cardstock are glued together and then it is wrapped around the card and scored. You then tie the ribbon around the card which allows the wrap to keep its shape. I then embellished the wrap however I wanted.

The ribbon holds so well it can stand up on its own. That's pretty cool!

I decided to use the printed side of the paper as the inside of the card. I put a small 3x3 piece of textured cardstock in the center and used my Tulip CTMH marker to write Brooke a little note. but because the inside was printed cardstock I didn't need much embellishing. Overall I am very pleased with this card and think you should give it a try. If you would like to order any of the products mentioned that are CTMH please go to my website at www.inkyfingerz.myctmh.com and then click on shopping. Thanks for looking!!

WOW! How Time Flies...

2009-07-30T21:17:00.002-05:00

Just scrolling through some folders tonight and came across these pictures of my son's hands and feet. He is three and a half now and a whole lot bigger than this. Of course we know that kids grow up, we just don't like to be reminded very often. Oh, how fast those days went by.

This is one of me holding his little foot. I think he was 4 weeks old when I took this picture.

Here is one I took of my daughters foot and my sons feet. She was 6 years old at the time and is 10 years old now! I love this picture. He was just laying on her legs while I took this picture. She was home from school that day and we just fooled around. I just wanted to share. Awwww.....

Graduation Card For My Sister

2009-07-30T21:02:00.003-05:00

Me and my crazy sister Taryn last December at Middle Tennessee State University's Commencement Ceremonies. She graduated with a degree in Marketing. One day she is going to support all of us!!

This is a card I made for my sister when she graduated from college last December. The school colors are gray/silver and royal blue. I wanted something clean cut and straight to the point. My sister is a no frills kind of girl!

The card uses all CTMH products. The large "G" is a dimensional element. I love covering those things in cardstock or textured papers and then roughing up the edges a bit. They give an interesting look to any card or layout. The banner at the top of the card and the cap are pop dotted adding just a little more to the card.

Overall I was pleased and my sister loved the fact that I made her card for her. I am so proud of the woman (wow, she's my baby sister) that she has become. She inspires me every day and I love her!

Imagine Layout

2009-07-21T22:05:00.002-05:00

I was shopping at the LSS the other day and came across some paper by Basic Gray. It immediately inspired me and I had to buy it. I could picture it with CTMH's cardstock color Ocean. I have always loved the color Ocean and like to mix it with other companies papers. I think it works well with the color wheels complimentary color of Orange. What do you think?

This layout came straight out of CTMH's book called Imagine. It gives paper dimensions and tells you just what kind of paper you need for the layout (cardstock or patterned). It is so easy to do. I chose the paper I wanted and cut each piece out and then just glued them together. I swear this whole layout only took 10 minutes at the most, even that might be stretching it!!

If you do not own one of CTMH's how to guides you really should. if you would like to purchase one give me a shout and I can walk you through the choices so you pick the one that is right for the kind of crafter you are. Have a happy week!!

Quick and Easy Cards

2009-07-13T21:55:00.002-05:00

These cards were 2 that I made for a home show that I did the other night. It was a HUGE success and I gained 5 new customers. As we all know getting new people is the key to continued success. With our July Promo going on, all new sign ons get 5 FREE items, I have to share with you this wonderful news!! I spent 3 hours of my time with the guests of this show and when it was all said and done I had three more bookings, 5 new club members and I earned my commisions at 33 dollars an hour that night. I dont know about you, but I do not make near that at my regular job and I have been there 10 years!! CTMH is the BEST Company to work for.

I couldn't get good pictures of these cards because I scrap in a room where you have to have the lighting dim when people are asleep and I just couldn't wait for my kids to wake tomorrow morning before I posted this. I hope you enjoy and feel free to ask me about how YOU can join my team!!

A Card for Mr. Zito

2009-07-08T21:22:00.002-05:00

This is a card I made for a fellow CTMH sister's Uncle. He is in the hospital again and could use some encouragement. I have always been challenged to make cards for little boys and men alike. I was happy to brighten the day of a complete stranger, as this is something that has always brought me joy. But I was also thrilled to have a challenge again.

The paper I used is called Rustic Trail and doesn't have to be just for a fisherman. The stamp sets that I used are Treetops, a new favorite, and then Because Of You. That is the one I used for the sentiment on the inside.

I think my favorite part about this card is that I cut out little fringe pieces for the grass under the trees. I also think the subtle touch of the embroidery floss is perfect for a man's card. I hope you enjoy this card Mr. Zito! I know I had fun making it for you.

Stardust Layout

2009-07-08T18:04:00.004-05:00

This is a layout that I did with the help of my Imagine How To Guide. I love those books! I also love this paper. It can be for girls or for boys, parties or any celebrations, picnics or military....get the picture? The colors promoted in this paper are: Moonstruck, Topiary, Bamboo, and Honey. This is also a fabulous set to mix and match your B&T (background & Texture) papers with. Try it and see what you can come up with.

CTMH paper pack Stardust $12.95
Ink Colors $5.25 each
Beautiful Masterpieces Priceless

Summer Two Page Layout

2009-07-04T13:52:00.002-05:00

Here is a two page layout that I did for a coworker. These pictures are of her niece, brother in law, and daughter. I mixed different paper packs and I really liked the way it turned out.

I used some paper from Emporium and some paper from Free Spirit. It was easy to match the cardstock colors since the pictures are so bright and fun. I had to add some flowers to it and have learned that CTMH's autumn flowers are NOT just for autumn.

I covered the dimensional elements with cardstock and then sponged the other ones in Indian Corn Blue and Honey ink. I wanted a sun/sky combo and I think I achieved this.

I used my CTMH How To Guide called Reflections to come up with the layout combo. This is a great tool if you are not really sure how to get started on a layout. Even though I have 10 years of scrapbooking under my belt I need help creating something that is fresh and interesting to the eye. This book has endless possibilities!! Let me know if you would like to preview it. Feel free to go to my website and look around as well.

My website is www.inkyfingerz.myctmh.com Enjoy shopping from home 24/7!!!!

Just Because Cards

2009-07-04T13:38:00.003-05:00

This card is simple but one of my favorites. It uses the CTMH paper called Boom Di Ada. I embossed the Olive cardstock with my Cuttlebug and added some CTMH autumn flowers and some CTMH Hollyhock ribbon.

This card is a Just Because card that I made using CTMH paper called Daydream. I embossed the Taffy cardstock with my Cuttlebug and then added some CTMH Hollyhock ribbon and some Prima paper flowers. Jeanette, CTMH's CEO challenged us recently to use Taffy cardstock because it is a color not often used. I decided to try it with Daydream and it seems to work.

It's A Guy Thing/ The Crinkle Paper Technique

2009-07-02T20:19:00.007-05:00

I LOVE this layout! This paper is fabulous and this technique is even better. The Barn Red cardstock has been sprayed with a little mist of water and then crinkled in my hand. It is then uncrinkled and laid out to dry. Once the pieces are dry you can take an ink pad, I used Cocoa, and rub it over the crinkled paper. I just love this look.

The file folder that I have has been cut using one of the Coluzzle templates. If this is something you are interested in you should hurry and get it; Coluzzle will be retiring items every now and then until the end of the year. I tied some hemp around my file folder to give it added dimension. I just love everything about this paper pack. It is perfect for so many different types of pictures. See what you can come up with and leave me a comment and let me know. Thanks for looking. have a great day!

More To Adore

2009-06-28T13:13:00.006-05:00

I love this layout! This was the first time my son, then 6 months old, met his great grandmother. She passed away about 6 months later and I am so thrilled that we got these pictures of them. I love the one of his hands holding onto hers. There is something to be said for the old and the new huh?

This paper is called More To Adore and actually is highlighted with blush pink cardstock in the paper pack. I decided to use Lilac Mist cardstock with my photos since my son is wearing blue and after all he is a boy. I think it looks perfect together!

Don't be afraid to mix and match paper packs. There are so many combinations with CTMH. I also mixed my alphabet stamp sets for the title. I used Rustic Alphabet for the word "Grandma" and I used the Precious Alphabet for the words "meeting" and "Wogan". CTMH's ink colors also overlap each other very nicely and never fade together. I used Lilac Mist and Chocolate for this page. See how well the Lilac Mist shows up on the same color cardstock? Thats the beauty of CTMH!

June Workshop Two More Layouts

2009-06-21T15:19:00.005-05:00

I I hope you enjoy these pictures and feel free to leave a comment!!just wanted to share the other two layouts that we will be doing at my June Workshop. I decided to use my wedding pictures. Mostly because I wanted to show that this paper looks good with both the blue side and the pink side, but also because when you look at it one usually thinks about school. I am trying to think outside the box more than in the past and feel very pleased with these layouts. I have never done a layout where you use 15 pictures on one page. It was intimidating at first but when I looked at the final picture I was very happy I consoldated some of my favorite wedding photos. It is an easy way to show many pictures from one event without

Here It Is....The $40 ($80 value) CTMH Mystery Box!

2009-06-17T18:12:00.005-05:00

I wanted everyone to see what my "Man In Brown" brought me yesterday from CTMH. It is the Mystery Goody Box that CTMH was offering last week. If you are unfamiliar with this program I will fill you in. During the entire month of June CTMH is offering A Deal A Day. Everyday on my website http://www.inkyfingerz.myctmh.com/ there is a FREE item to be given away. But the catch is it is only for that day. CTMH also told us that during the month there would be six different mystery goody boxes offered at up to 75% off retail prices with a flat out low shipping rate!

So you better believe when the $40 box came up last week I bought it. I am thrilled with the goody's inside. Everything is coordinated as far as color goes (thats no surprise with CTMH) and I added up the value and it was about 89.50 or so. So, I got an incredible deal!

I will list everything for you and give you it's retail price. I hope you are encouraged to check out my website and see what CTMH can give you for FREE! I love this business!!!!!

Items Included:

Level 2 paper Pack called Abundance 12.95

My Acrylix Stamp Set "Because of You" 22.95

Dimensional Elements Numbers 4.95

My Accents Accessory Kit in Topiary 12.95

Clear Inspirations Ribbon Slides (2) 3.95 each

Life Delights Memory Showcase Kit 12.95

Booking Set with 1x1 block 4.95

Heartfelt Collection Ribbon 9.95

Total Value $89.55

Wanna learn how to teach others the joy of scrapbooking and cardmaking? Join my team for just $99 dollars and I will get you a kit worth over $300!! You make money before you even start. Don't wait, sign up now! Just visit my website for details.

June Workshop~ Discovering the Joy of my Boy!

2009-06-14T14:25:00.004-05:00

This is my newest layout and is also one of the 3 layouts my club will be making on June 26th when they join me for my monthly workshop.

The paper pack is called Notebook and features double sided paper that is pink on one side and blue on the other. If you are often challenged to scrapbook your son's, nephews, brothers or fathers layouts this is a great place to start! Many scrapbook papers and embellishments only cater to girls or seem very feminine. CTMH is really working hard at changing that trend and I honestly believe they are a front runner to all things new in this industry. Notebook paper packs have been available for awhile now, and I have had mine about 6 months or more. I just wasn't quite sure what I would do with it.

My husband and I had these pictures made of Jake last summer and of course we got a billion 8x10's and I didn't know what to do with all of them. This layout features two of them that I love and shows you that you can cut them or scrapbook right over the tops of them and everything still ends up ok. This used to be a huge fear of mine, that I would some how "mess it up".

So, I hope you enjoy looking at my baby boy and the layout I have done. If you are interested in joining my monthly club feel free to email me or leave a comment on the blog and I will give you a shout!!

Stair Step Card

2009-06-11T21:25:00.004-05:00

This is a card that I made for my secret pal who lives in Wisconsin. It is called a stair step card and I first saw the idea published on the Bulletin Boards at CTMH. Vicki Wizniuk is a master cardmaker, so thank to her I was able to make this!! Thank you Vicki.

This is actually a very simple thing to make. I took a piece of cardstock that was 10 inches by 4 inches and simply scored lines at different intervals across the cardstock.

I then folded it in accordian style. You do want to be careful when you score your paper as it will tear if you press too hard. So gentle is better!

The next step is to cut strips of coordinating background and texture paper and then adhere it to the cardstock where ever you like. I then stamped my sentiment, this one says "Just Because" and added some embellishments like brads and buttons. Once folded up this card will fit in a basic size A envelope.

If you would like any more detail about any of the products I used or how to make something like this be sure and contact me at mwogan@comcast.net and I can get you what you need.

Have you ever considered?

2009-06-07T15:29:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to share a picture from last summer of my family. It is hard to believe this has been almost a year ago. Jake was two and a half and Alexis was 9. We took a little trip to Chattanooga for the weekend.

Now it has been almost a year and I have not scrapbooked this trip yet. I do have everything on CD so that I can go to Walmart and print off the pictures. That's a start!

One thing it is important for you to do is periodically copy all of your pictures to CD and store them in a safety deposit box at your local bank.

My husband and I do this every year. We also make a copy of everything on our laptops or computers and store this at the bank as well. We use Quicken for our finances and as everyone knows nothing that is electronic is guaranteed to always preform like you want it to, so in case we ever lose anything with our tax info or finances we know we have a pretty updated copy at the bank. We do this every 3 months at least.

In this day and age of electronic everything we have to be very vigil about saving info and encrypting info. My husband does this for a living, so if you or a family member ever needs help give us a shout. Better safe than sorry huh?

Just a Favorite!

2009-06-01T19:59:00.002-05:00

I wanted to share with you a picture of my favorite card that I have ever made. I am not sure why it is my favorite other than maybe the color scheme and the paper that I used.

I got the idea out of one of our How To Guides called Originals and just copied the dimensions. It didn't take long to make at all.

It also utilizes a technique that I love. I am not sure if it has an official name but I will call it "scoring with reverse sanding"....easier done than said!

Notice the Crystal Blue and Chocolate cardstock and how it has been sanded. I did that by scoring straight lines with my paper trimmer and scoring tool. I then turned the cardstock over and sanded the reverse side. That's it!

You will need to be sure not to push too hard with your scoring tool. It is easy to tear a hole in your paper when you distress it this much. It will give anything a great look. You can also do patterns and crosshatching and make some really neat designs.

Give it a try this week and see if you like it. I know I do. Happy Scrappin'!

Creativity Starters: Journaling

2009-05-31T16:54:00.003-05:00

I want to share with you how to get creative with your journaling. Sometimes it is hard to know what to say and just how to say it. Other times it is what we say that starts an entire layout, so knowing how to say it or how to think of it are the keys. Here are 20 more ways to get creative! Enjoy!

1. What made you laugh this week? Scrapbook the story and why it made you chuckle.
2. When you come across a quote that you love, use it to begin the journaling on a page.
3. Journal using one of the 5 senses.
4. Choose 3 adjectives that describe the event and then explain why you chose them.
5. Create a mini-album using the words to your favorite children's story but replace the illustrations with your own photos.
6. Start with a favorite movie quote that your family recites often.
7. Include an applicable scripture on your layout.
8. Pick a random date from 2005-2008. Got it? Use your diary entry from that date to create a layout. If you don't keep a journal, find your photos taken closest to that date and scrapbook them.
9. Create a page about how the weather makes you feel.
10. Take photos of your favorite object. Journal about why the piece is your favorite, what it means to you and any stories about it.
11. Ask a family member to share a favorite memory from a day, week, month or year of their life. Summarize the story in your words or write down what the family member said verbatim. You'll record a great piece of family history!
12. Think of a favorite advertising campaign (example: MasterCard's "Priceless" campaign) and use it as a starting point for your journaling.
13. Carry a small notebook with you and record the daily happenings around you. At the end of the week create a layout using those details to create a summary of the week's happenings.
14. Not sure what to scrapbook next? Write down your available themes and occasions and put them in a jar, and pull out a winner!
15. Create a Mad Lib approach on a page about your kids. Write down the story leaving blanks along the way. Have your kids fill in the blanks in their own words.
16. Record your favorite recipe and the story behind it.
17. Jot down how far in advance you know about the event being scrapbooked, the preparations you made for it, the timeline of the event and who attended.
18. Share how the topic you are scrapbooking reminds you of another experience. you could include how the previous event helped inspire or prepare you for this one. Or describe the fun times you had at both activities-you'll get 2 events scrapbooked on one layout!
19. Ready to start journaling? Simply write non-stop for 2 minutes without worrying if your text makes sense. At the end of two minutes read your thoughts. Pull out a couple of sentences that best capture your memory of the event.
20. If you were to have guessed 5 years ago what the event your scrapbooking would have been like, what would you have expected? How does that compare to your expectations of the event the day before it happened? Write your thoughts about the event and use them to show how your perception has changed over time.

Creativity Starters: Inspiration

2009-05-26T17:49:00.002-05:00

1. Pick three colors you love and create a page with them. Don't try to match the photos to the colors-chances are, the photos will look good with the color scheme.
2. Browse an artbook and find a piece to inspire your design.
3. Rip a page from a non-scrapbooking magazine and create a layout using its color scheme, design or theme.
4. Visit your local craft store and purchase a product you have never used before. Play!
5. Use a fortune from a fortune cookie as a journaling prompt to record a to-be-scrapbooked event from a new perspective.
6. Think of your scrapbook stash. Which product did you think of first? Create a page using it.
7. Let the message on a Dove Promise chocolate wrapper inspire part of your page. For example: if you find a wrapper (like the author did) that says,"Life may change us but we start and end with family." then create a layout where the first and last photos on the layout are pictures of your family.
8. What colors are you wearing today? Use the colors as color-scheme inspiration on a page.
9. Pack your camera in your purse and then pay attention to the signs you see through out the day. Photograph a favorite and let it serve as inspiration for a design.
10. Create a page using inspiration from the design on a fast food cup or bag.
11. Ask your child what shape would support the theme of your layout, then create the shape using your paper, tags or embellishments.
12. Create a page using inspiration from a favorite website.
13. Scraplift a layout from a recent issue of Creating Keepsakes Magazine.
14. Use a Becky Higgins sketch (refer to CK Magazine) as a starter for a layout, but add an element you normally wouldn't include.
15. Check out the page calls at CreatingKeepsakes.com. Choose one that appeals to you and create a page. Scan or take a digital photo of the page and then submit it for the call.
16. Make a layout where the title is inspired by a corporate logo (either in theme or design or both).
17. Use the color most prevalent in your closet to create a monochromatic layout.
18. Let the song you have listened to the most this week inspire a page topic.
19. Hang your favorite soon-to-be scrapped photos (one photo representing each event) on a wall display so you can brainstorm ways to scrapbook them.
20. Look through your album. Find a layout you have already finished, then rotate the design sideways or upside down and "scraplift" the layout using this new design approach.

There they are: 20 ways to get inspiration to begin the task of preserving your memories. Good Luck! I would love to hear from you about how this helped you. Happy Scrappin!

100 Creativity Starters

2009-05-26T17:40:00.002-05:00

I recently came across an article in one of my scrapbooking magazines that I actually tore out and have plans to frame for my office/workspace. It is an article of 100 Creativity Starters. How many times have you had a few minutes to spare and wanted to get out your scrapbooks or dust off the photo printer only to sit there and look at the book or printer as if it were an alien from another planet?
If you are like me you are busy, busy trying to make sure your kids have what they need and that the animals have what they need and that your husband is not wearing his high-waters to work today and that you have enough gas to get from home to school, school to work, work to home and home to the ball field!! Time?? What is time?
I have decided to share this article with you. but I didn't want to overwhelm you with all 100 at once. So, I thought I would keep it simple and do five installments of 20 starters. I plan to package them, if you will, into categories that we use most often when trying to be creative and not knowing where to start.
So enjoy them, copy them, write them down or post it note them to your mirror in the bathroom. Do whatever you need to do to practice them. I promise you it will make you a better Mother, Wife and Friend. As the age old saying goes, "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" Or something to that effect!!

Buddies!

2009-05-25T20:55:00.002-05:00

What is a Buddy? To me it is someone who is fun to be around and enjoys the same things as you do. It is someone you can have fun with doing the greatest adventure or even just the simplest nothing.
Recently my family and my best friends family buddied up and went to Chattanooga, TN. to let our sons experience "A Day Out With Thomas". A whole day dedicated to the little blue train who learns many BIG life lessons.
Misty's son, Andrew has been into Thomas for quite some time. He is 5 and about to start Kindergarten in the fall. Some would say he is about to move on to older things now, and while I see that side of him, some days he is still "little baby Andrew" with a choo-choo in his hand.
My son, Jake, who is a little over 3 is into Thomas but only has maybe 5 trains and is content to just play with those 5 trains and not add any more of them to his collection.
Together they are buddies, bound by the common place of the railway. They both can't wait to ride the Polar Express and drink chocolate milk when it comes to Chattanooga this winter. I love to see them play together. I love to hear them talk and laugh about the same things. I love to see those two little boys in their Thomas Shirts giggle and run without a care in the world. If only my life could be as carefree as their world is right now.
Have you ever thought about your Buddy? Take a few minutes and think about this person or people in your life. Think about the good times and the bad times. Get out old pictures and scrapbook them. I know you will be glad that you did. I am thankful for so many things. One of them is that through my buddy Misty, my son has found his buddy Andrew! The circle can continue and I know our train, with all of its cars, has a long track ahead of it.

Remembering

2009-05-24T00:24:00.002-05:00

This is Memorial Day Weekend. I thought I would share with you one of CTMH's paper packs that works well for any American Holiday and that is this one...Blue Ribbon. I love the way this July 4th layout turned out. I believe it is important that we scrapbook those times or people in our lives that served our country.

Today my family and I were riding around town doing some shopping. We drove down Medical Center Parkway and noticed thousands, it seemed, American Flags lining one of the fields along the street. Those flags have never been there before. There was a spotlight so that they could be seen at night to guide the way and remind us of all the men and women who have given their lives for our country. If you have not seen this sight yet you should take a few minutes and experience it.

My husband and I were able to teach our children something today. Our kids were able to list family members who have served this country and they were so proud to be able to do so. They liked that those flags honored or memorialized them. Alexis is ten years old now and one could tell that it touched her heart in a special way. Jake is three now and he understood what the flags meant. I could tell he did when he said, "Thats what my Grandpa did" referring to Ron's father. I just thought it was sweet and it was a memory that I will never forget.

So please teach your children about our military. Let them know that you used to not have a choice as to whether you went in or not. Remind them that some families lost every father, son, grandson, brother or uncle that they had. Teach them what the flag stands for and how it should be respected.

I wish you all a happy and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

My "Good Times" Friend!

2009-05-14T21:00:00.003-05:00

Meet my "Good Times" friend. Her name is Glenna but most people don't get that right anyway so she answers to most anything. Glenna is special to me and I will tell you why. She is always enthusiastic about CTMH. No one else is like her and if I could convince her to become a CTMH consultant she would really excel at it! Maybe one day I can get her on my team.

I like Glenna because she is real; when she is in a bad mood everyone knows and thats ok, we accept her as she is. I love it when she bangs her fist on her desk. If you have not seen that you should, it is great!

I like Glenna because she loves her family and they always come first. From Tim, her husband, to Taylor, Faith and Elijah; one knows that Glenna loves her family of 5. Even when her husband brought home a baby rabitt that turned out to be a cute, furry, little ball of (insert curse word here)!

I like Glenna because she is funny and when you get her laughing, even at herself, she gets to a point where she snorts and OMG it is the funniest thing you have ever heard! Thats how we got the phrase "Good Times" or is that when she cries and snorts??

I like Glenna because she loves my stories about my family. Not too many people can listen to a story about a "Punkin Pats" and roll in the floor laughing at it with you. From the stories about spankings to the ones that are sad and back to the funny and happy ones, she is always by my side laughing, crying, or snorting with me!

I posted this tonight because I want everyone to know how important our friends are in our lives. They lift us up, they cry with us, they laugh with us, they experience life with us. I have many, many friends and I am going to introduce you to one every now and then. Be sure and take pictures of you and your friends. Be sure and scrap those moments and write down the little details. One day you will be so very glad that you did.

Animal Cookies Workshop!

2009-05-13T20:47:00.004-05:00

Hey! This is a little sneak peak at my May Workshop called Animal Cookies! This is CTMH's newest paper and I love it!

If you would like to come to the workshop I still have room. You do not have to be an expert scrapbooker either. I will take you through it step by step. You will be amazed at what you can do.

There is still enough paper left over to make cards if you would like to. I am offering two dates for the workshop due to the Memorial Day Holiday. The dates are Friday, May 29th at 7pm and then Friday, June 5th at 7pm. Both nights are at my house and you can email me for directions at mwogan@comcast.net or you may visit my website by clicking on the Idea Book link to the right of this post.

I am so excited! I think this is going to be great!

My Little Cookie Monsters!

2009-05-09T16:28:00.003-05:00

The other day my husband decided to make cookies with the kids. They were going to make them from scratch! I had had a horrible stomach virus and also had hurt my back that day. But I still wanted to catch them on film. Ron instructed Jake on how to measure and pour flour. He wasn't too sure at first, but after he was told that it was ok to get messy he had a blast as you can see by his messy hands and cheesy grin!

Alexis was next with the brown sugar and chocolate chips! As we all know it doesn't take much for her to get messy anyway! She was kind of amazed at how sticky brown sugar is and in pure Alexis form decided to wipe it all over her tank top. What a nerd!

The cookies turned out great and I think they were pretty much gone in just a couple of days. I will always remember the classic grins and giggles of my two little cookie monsters in the kitchen that day!

When will the Sun Come Out?

2009-05-09T11:41:00.003-05:00

This has been the rainiest month and we are only 9 days into it! I have had a lot of time to craft though and thats a great thing.

I wanted to share a project that I made called a True Fit Folio. It is made from a CTMH file folder that has been folded accordian style and then glued at certain intervals to create the pockets. You then create several tags that have room for journaling and pictures. Top those tags with ribbon pulls and they easily slide in and out of the Folio.

This makes the perfect gift for any of your special occassions. I have used the CTMH paper pack called That's Amore. I love the soft colors and the pattern of the flourishes. If you would like to make one of these Folio's please contact me and I can get you the supplies and instructions. If you would like I can meet with you and help you design your own.

Well, what do you know? The sun just started to shine! Maybe this will be a beutiful day after all.

TGIF

2009-05-08T13:07:00.005-05:00

This is a card that I made for my secret pal who lives in Wisconsin. I am part of a card making unit and each month we make 2 handmade cards and send them to our pal. At the end of the 6 months you reveal yourself! Of course you can make extra things too. I try and do this for her whenever I can.

This is a birthday card. I always use CTMH products of course. The shimmery green is a pearl paint that we sell. It is actually irridescent and can be mixed with any of our re-inkers to create just the perfect shade. I chose Juniper for this card and used one of our newer paper packs called Unforgetable. I am really pleased with the way it turned out.

First Post!

2009-05-06T16:55:00.005-05:00

I am new to blogging. I just recently learned a little about it. I have always kept a diary, but this is the new way to have a diary. The only difference is, everyone CAN read this one! I am posting some pictures of my 30th birthday. Me and my girlfriends had such a blast! We went to The Big Bang in Nashville. It was awesome. I would love to go back there every month!