Just Chillin'

Spring has finally made an appearance here - we saw our first crocus today!!!  I really like winter, but am looking forward to the fun that summer brings.  To get ready for some summertime adventures, I decided to create a layout with the new Surf's Up Paper Packet.  I think the colors and patterns have a fun retro feel and am really excited to put some cool black and white beach photos on these pages!

I chose to use the splashes from one of the patterned papers as accent pieces for my layout by cutting them out and adhering them with 3-D Foam Tape.  I did the same with some of the flowers from the patterned paper and coated them with Liquid Glass for a little shine.

Blue sparkles in the middles of the flowers added a little more shine and dimension.

My final embellishments for the layout are the stamped images from the Under the Sea Stamp Set.  It is one of my favorites!!!  I just love the cute little fish!!!  They were colored with my trusty colored pencils and accented with a little more Liquid Glass.

The title was cut on tthe Cricut using both the Art Philosophy and Artiste Cartridges.

Hope it inspires you to get ready for some great summer memories!!!

Materials Used (CTMH unless mentioned):

Paper:  Surf's Up, Crystal Blue CS, Colonial White CS, Sorbet CS

Stamps:  Under the Sea

Inks:  Cocoa

Embellishments:  Blue Sparkles

Other:  3-D Foam Tape, Liquid Glass, Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, Cricut Artiste Cartridge, colored pencils(Crayola)

Minute to Win It Birthday Party

My blogging has been on the back burner lately - after this post, you'll see why!  My oldest son turned 10 earlier this month and we decided to really celebrate!  After considering many different themes (because a party always has to have a theme, right?) we came up with Minute to Win It.  It seemed like the perfect fit for a group of boys turning 10!

I started by creating an invitation (after surfing the web for inspiration) that wouldn't be too complicated to make since we needed 9 of them.  Here's the final product:

I set up the text on the computer using Word and then printed on white cardstock.  Matted it on black cardstock and then using ancient scraps from my stash added the strip across the middle.  Topped it off with Minute To Win It  clip art and that's it!

The next step was planning activities, which was so easy for this theme!  The Minute To Win It website has tons of games listed along with materials lists so you know exactly what you will need.  I also discovered that the clock and the "Blueprint" - the directions for each game played on the show - are on youtube, so we also had those ready to go on my Kindle so the boys could see the directions before we started. We chose to do the following:

• Breakfast Scramble
• Junk In theTrunk
• Face the Cookie
• Ready Spaghetti
• Candelier
• Defying Gravity

Since it was a sleepover, we thought there would be TONS of time to fill so had worried that six games wouldn't be enough.  Turns out that we didn't have time to do them all - the kids had so much fun with the first three that they took multiple turns at each!  We laughed so much at all of the funny contortions and things they said.  Here's my son playing Face the Cookie (the object is to get the cookie from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands in 60 seconds):

After eating hotdogs, chips, fruit and cupcakes; playing Minute To Win It games as well as hide and seek; opening presents; and a video game or two - we decided it was time to wind down,so the boys watched Wreck It Ralph from their sleeping bags.  It was a great movie for the "game" theme of the day!!!

The next morning was a simple breakfast of several choices of cereal, cinnamon rolls, fruit, juice and milk.  The kids cleaned up, played a few video games and headed home.  As a "Thank You" for attending, they each got a mini photo album decorated to match the theme and filled with photos from the party. 

I think a great time was had by all!



Later Sk8er

The first time I looked through the new Spring/Summer catalog, the paper pack I was most excited to see was Later Sk8er.  I just love the great masculine colors and rough and tumble feel!  I know I will be using lots of it for my boys!!!

I also fell in love with the Fast and Furious Stamp Set, which happens to be featured on the same page in the catalog as Later Sk8er.  It is perfect for my youngest son, who loves trucks and cars.  I created this layout with him in mind!  The tire track border stamp really hits the mark, don't you think?

I stamped each of the trucks in several colors and then cut and paper pieced the parts to create these dimensional and multi-colored images.  Once each image was pieced, I mounted it on Outdoor Denim CS and then adhered to the layout with 3-D Foam Tape.  The gears were cut using the Cricut Artiste Cartridge.  The title came from the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge.

Hope you enjoy!

Materials used (CTMH unless mentioned):
Paper:  Later Sk8er, Outdoor Denim CS, Pear CS, Lagoon CS, White CS
Stamps:  Fast and Furious
Inks:  Outdoor Denim, Lagoon, Pear, Whisper
Other:  Cricut Artiste, Cricut Art Philosophy, 3-D Foam Tape

Claire Layout

With three boys, I don't have many opportunities to do feminine projects.  One of the best things about being a Close to My Heart Consultant is that I create layouts to showcase all of the new papers each time a catalog is released - which gives me an opportunity to use flowers, pink, and sparkles!  I created this layout using the new Claire papers and one of my very favorite new stamp sets - Paper Doll.

I just love the idea of a stamp set that creates a paper doll and clothes to dress her in!!!!  She is so cute and fun!  I will be using this layout for photos of my two year old niece who is already a fashionista and has very definite ideas about what clothing she will wear.

I used my good old Crayola colored pencils to color the stamped image in, and added some Stardust Glitz Gel to the frosting on the cupcakes and the rose in the center of her bow.  There is also Stardust Glitz Gel on the die cut flowers and the scalloped circle under the &.  Love the sparkle!

Materials Used (CTMH unless mentioned):

Paper:  Claire Paper Packet, Hollyhock CS, Outdoor Denim CS, Colonial White CS, Sorbet CS

Inks:  Cocoa

Stamps:  Paper Doll
Other:  Stardust Glitz Gel, sandpaper, Crayola colored pencils, Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, Cricut Artiste Cartridge

Digital Delights!

February is sure to be a month of digital delights because you can purchase any Studio J^® layout for only $5—that’s a savings of $1.95 per layout! This is a great opportunity to try Studio J for the first time. Create adorable baby layouts with the Wishes and Fishes kit (shown), or use the new Express Collections with collections of 10 ready-made layouts plus a front and back cover that are easy to use and professionally designed. Preserve your memories at a low price for a truly digital delight!

I hope you will give Studio J a try!  It doesn't require loading any software to your computer, and it is completely FREE to try.  You don't pay anything until you decide to order a print, and then you get the FABULOUS price of just $5 per two-page layout for the entire month of February! 

Simply click on the Studio J link on my website and create an account if you don't have one!  I can't wait to hear what you think!!!

It's FINALLY here!!!

It's here, it's here!!!!  The NEW Spring/Summer catalog from Close to My Heart is live today!!!!  I already have a wish list a mile long!  I know you will love it too! 

To see the catalog now just click here and you will be able to go through it page by lovely page.  If you would like a paper copy you can contact me at HeidiScraps@charter.net and I would be glad to ship one to you for $5.  You will recieve a coupon from me for $5 off your next order!

As a consultant, one of my favorite perks (and there are many), is that we get a month to preview each new catalog and play with new products!  I love being able to create new pages, cards, and projects to share along with the catalogs.  It is such a great way to show off all the new goodies!

Here's the first artwork I have to share using new product:

I used the very classic nautical paper packet, Tommy, and the coordinating Tommy Complements Canvas Shapes for this layout.  I love the texture and interest that the Canvas Shapes add - they are also adhesive backed so very easy to use! 

I added some Pewter Brads and some Hemp to enhance the nautical theme.  I will be adding photos of our kids on the boat last summer to this layout shortly.

Hope you enjoy the awesome NEW catalog as much as I do!!!

Materials Used (CTMH unsless mentioned):

Paper:  Tommy, Outdoor Denim CS, Cranberry CS, Colonial White CS

Embellishments:  Tommy Complements Canvas Shapes, Pewter Brads, Hemp

Clementine

Today I am sharing the layout I did with the adorable Clementine Papers from the Fall/Winter Catalog.  They are so cute and if you play it up (which I didn't here) it has a sweet feminine western flair.  The great news is that Clementine is one of the Paper Packets that will be carrying over to the NEW Spring/Summer Catalog which is almost here - four days and counting!!!!

I haven't put the photos on yet (is that a theme here?) but took some wonderful shots of my kids with their cousins at the beach last summer and they will be perfect for this!  It was a "Fabulous Day"!

The Clementine papers have awesome coordinating Canvas Shapes, which I used for the flowers and part of the title.  They are adhesive backed and printed on canvas for a little extra texture and interest on your pages and cards.  For my title, I cut apart one of the shapes to use just the banner with the word "Fabulous" on it.  It worked like a charm!!!

I love how this layout showcases the patterned papers!

I couldn't resist using my Cricut to cut a sunshine and cloud for my beach layout!  I sanded the edges of the die cut shapes as well as all of the pieces on the layout to give it a weathered look.

I also layered several of the Canvas Shapes and added some Blue Buttons tied with twine.  Such an easy accent for any layout!

Materials Used (CTMH unless mentioned):

Papers:  Clementine, Colonial White CS, Desert Sand CS, Champagne CS

Embellishments:  Clementine Complements Canvas Shapes, Blue Buttons, Twine -Home Depot

Other:  Cricut Artiste Cartridge