Last Day

Today is the last day to get in on the specials that I have talked about all month long.  This is the last day to get a FREE stampset with a purchase of a My Crush book and matching embellishment.

It is also the last day to get the stamp of the month, which is super cute!

Just go to my website to get you My Crush and stamp of the month today!

Cards from the Brushed Workshop

My internet is working today, wahoo!  So I can finally add more pictures.  Today I will add the pictures of the cards that you can make using the rest of the paper from the Brushed Workshop.

Don't these cards just make you happy?  I love the bright colors.  To make mine a little more gender neutral I did not add the Pixie Thick Twine.  

If you are not sure what I am talking about today, just visit this post from yesterday.  In short, I am giving out instructions for a workshop that make 6 2 page layouts using the Brushed papers and embellishments.  You can also make 12 cards just by adding a few things to your order, or using things from your stash.  Everyone who places a $25 order on my website gets the instructions, but you better hurry because you only have until June 30th!  Also don't forget that you can get a free stampset with a purchase of a My Crush book and coordinating embellishments.  

Happy Scrapbooking!

Brushed Workshop

Hello everyone!  I hope that you enjoyed the blog hop from earlier this week, if you missed it you can just go here to get started.  But remember to come back to learn about a 6 2-page layout and 12 card using the Brushed paper and assortments.  It is super fun, sparkly, and works for boy and girl layouts.   A fellow Close to My Heart consultant, Susan Williams, came up with the layouts and I was able to purchase the files from her so that I could offer it to you guys.  Sometimes I come up with my own, but when someone has already done all the work and I love it, I have decided not to reinvent the wheel and just share what I can with you instead.  So I hope you like it.

In order to get the files to put together the layouts and cards you will need to place an order on my website of $25 or more in the month of June.  Please add your order to the Brushed workshop gathering.  If I get enough orders to reach $150, I will give away the $25 hostess rewards to one of the people who placed an order in June.  So spread the word and share this blog post so that you can have a chance at winning $25 in FREE scrapbooking supplies (or cardmaking).  I will have a supplies list posted after all the pictures.

Brushed Workshop Supply List:

Brushed Paper pack X7190B ($9.95)
Brushed Complements X7190C ($4.95)
Brushed Assortment Z3013 ($6.95)
Black/Grey Glitter Paper Z1829 ($5.95)
Pixie Thick Twine Z3035 ($3.95)

You will also need 15 additional sheets of White Daisey Cardstock.  You can use what you have in your stash already or order the 24 pack #1385 ($9.50)

If you are wanting to do the 12 cards than you will need card bases and envelopes.  If you don't already have some you can order those as well.  They come in a 50 pack X254 ($14.95).  You will also need to grab your favorite stamp set or order a few new ones to add some sentiments to your cards.  I am loving the M size stamps for cards.  I used My Happy M1045 ($2.95) and Sweeter with You M1053 ($2.95).  I also used the sentiment from Your Own Kind of Wonderful D1627 ($17.95). I would post pictures of the cards, but my internet is touch and go today (it took me 5 hours to just get this much done, and I had already written everything up last night).  I promise I will try to get them up tonight or tomorrow morning!

Let me know if you have any questions, I would love to help!

Happy Scrapbooking!

Update to the Summer Crush

The My Crush In the Pink assortments are all sold out, so Close to My Heart is allowing everyone to buy the In the Pink Clips as a replacement and still get the free stampset.  So in order to get the Free stampset for the In the Pink my Crush you just have to buy:

The In the Pink My Crush book and:

The In the Pink Clips.

Then you get: 

For FREE!

Just go to my website to get started!

Use Your Stash Blog Hop-Coloring

If you are coming from Paige Dolecki's blog you are on the right track!  Welcome to the Use your Stash Blog Hop.  This month's challenge was to coloring something on our scrapbook page.  I LOVE to color and so do my littles, so I thought this would be a fun challenge.  I decided to do a page following a sketch I found online from Pinterest.  I love the way that it turned out and hope you do too!

I used the ShinHan Marigold and Turquoise Blue markers to color in the flowers from the Love Blooms stampset.  Yes this is a stampset that has a stamp that will color in the flowers for you, but I wanted a different look this time around.  I wanted to make a few of the flower petals darker than others, but didn't want them in a normal, usual pattern.  By coloring over the petals more than once I was able to get the darker look that I was looking for where I wanted it.  That is the joy of using the ShinHan Alcohol markers, you can get the different tones just by coloring over the areas more than once.  You can also get a totally different color by using two markers and they blend so well together because they are alcohol based.

Now head on over to Marilee Eatough to see what she had fun coloring this month!

Products used:

Blossom paper pack X7196B 
Pear Cardstock X5764 or in a combo pack X5935
Kraft paper Z1375

Pear stamp pad Z2197
Chocolate stamp pad  Z2111

Handwritten Print Alphabet E1030
Love Blooms C1511 (no longer available)
Brushstrokes Flair C1608

Coral Reef Sequins Z3042
Teal Shimmer Trim Z1918
White Shimmer Trim Z3024
Lagoon Hearts Washi Tape Z2004

ShinHan Marigold Z2457
ShinHan Turquoise Blue Z2465

You can get all these products at my website.

Happy Scrapbooking!

Picture My Life

Remember my post the other week about how fast and easy it was to get a bunch of my photos out of a box and into an album using Close to My Heart's Picture My Life line?  Well I am here to tell you that all of the current Picture My Life kits (ala carte and scrapbooking programs) are being retired at the end of August and as of right now they are on a while supplies last basis.

To get any of the Picture My Life kits today before they run out just click here.

Happy Scrapbooking!

PS I finished my layouts and am super excited to share them with you next week along with some BONUS cards I made too!

Birthday Celebration and Retiring list

I am taking the day to celebrate the birth of my son, he is turning 5 and I am totally surprised that it has already been that long!  Our little mister is so funny and such fun to have around the house.  So I don't have any artwork for you (though I am working on something that involves the Brushed paper pack and 6 two page layouts, so stay tuned!).  I do have some information for you though, Close to My Heart has released the list of retiring items that will be gone on a while supplies last basis.  To see the retiring items just click here and make sure you get the things you are wanting before they are gone!

Happy Scrapbooking!

Organize Stamps with Evernote

Lately I have been doing a lot of scrapbooking, I think that the nesting phase is kicking in and I just HAVE to get more current on my scrapbooks.  This is actually fine with me, it helps me to not focus on all the crazy pregnancy stuff that is going on.  All this scrapbooking is making me wish I had a way to know which stamps I have and what images I have.  I also want to know what title stamps I have and what journaling or quote stamps are in my stash.  So I started doing a little search and came up with two FREE software programs/apps that can be my brain and keep track of my stamps.  The programs/apps are called Evernote and OneNote.  I decided to go with Evernote just because my husband uses it, and my laptop is kind of old and can't handle the software needed for OneNote.

I used the following video to help me get started.  I also set a small goal for myself so that I could keep moving on getting my stamp stash organized.  My goal was to put all my stamps into my Evernote Notebook from my Close to My Heart Large Organizer.



I found the video a little long winded, but did help me to know what steps to take and how to get started.   I am super excited about the search idea, how much easier it will be to run a search for butterfly and have a picture of all my stamps with butterflies and a note of where I am storing them.

Now some people have a lot of stamps (like hundreds), I don't have that many, mostly because if I am not using it I tend to sell it or give it to my daughter so she can use it, so the actual storage of my stamps is really simple.  I have one Large Organizer from Close to My Heart that has all my Everyday Life stamps (chevrons, travel, doily, birds, trees etc), Card making stamps, and Alphabet stamps.

I use the plastic dividers that you can also get through Close to My Heart to separate my stamps into the categories mentioned above.

I also have two of the My Acrylix Organizers that hold my stamps from the Workshops on the Go, and an unorganized one, that is going to get organized this week.

I thought I would share all of this because having things organized makes scrapbooking and cardmaking so my faster and simpler and easier, which is just how I like it!  Hopefully this helps someone and I will share a screen shot of my Evernote Notebook as soon as I am finished with it.

Happy Scrapbooking!

What to do with a My Crush Book

Have you seen my post about the June special?  It is an amazing deal, one that I am taking full advantage of and I hope you do to!

Here are the details in case you missed it: During the month of June, when you purchase any My Crush® book and its accompanying assortment pictured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015, you will receive the coordinating stamp set FREE! That is a savings of at least $9.95 USD/$10.95 CAD! Choose from five lovely My Crush book offerings that will provide a swoon-worthy background for your favorite memories. From family reunions to camping adventures to holiday countdowns—and much more—you will be crushing on all these books and the possibilities they provide. This offer is only available while supplies last and once they’re gone, these books are gone for good, so put your orders in early to get your summer romance rolling today!

If you are wondering what to do with a My Crush book I have come up with a list of ideas for you:

Senior scrapbook (I have a scrapbook of my senior year and I cherish it!)
Vacation book (like my Disneyworld book shown here)
Baby book
Friendship book
Religion journal
Inspiration book
Summer book
Boy Scouts/ Girl Scouts book
ABC book
Year in review book
First year of marriage book
Adventure book
Favorite things book
Family History book (I think it would be so fun to have a book filled with pictures of a family member with memories and stories to go along with it)
Bucket list book (how fun would it be to have a bucket list book that you put pictures in of you completing your bucket list)
Missionary book (you may need more than one for this one!)

There are so many uses for the My Crush Books that I hope you fall in love with them like I have!  Here is the list of My Crush Books that are available and how you can get the free stamp set:

In the Pink:
Z2000 My Crush® In the Pink Book
Z2042 My Crush® In the Pink Assortment
B1465 My Acrylix® Glitter Glam

Wildwood:
Z2001 My Crush® Wildwood Book
Z2040 My Crush® Wildwood Assortment
B1456 My Acrylix® Born to Roam

Holiday Happenings:
Z2098 My Crush® Holiday Happenings Book
Z2062 My Crush® Holiday Happenings Assortment
C1602 My Acrylix® Magical Moment

Modville:
Z1855 My Crush® Modville Book
Z1886 My Crush® Besties Assortment
OR
Z1887 My Crush® Best Day Ever Assortment
B1431 My Acrylix® Reel Life

Bluebird:
Z1856 My Crush® Bluebird Book
Z1888 My Crush® Memories Assortment
OR
Z1889 My Crush® Favorites Assortment
B1432 My Acrylix® Love This

Happy Scrapbooking!

Pathfinding and Exploring

The Pathfinding paper pack is so fun to use with everyday photos that work well with orange and blue (which by the way are complimentary colors because they are opposite each other on the color wheel).  While looking through my photos from 2010 that haven't been scrapbooked yet I found some that worked well with the Pathfinding papers.

I had a great time using up a ton of my stash in this layout.  I used three products that are retired and that you can't buy anymore and I love how they mix in well with current products.  I love that Close to My Heart keeps their colors current and that they don't change ALL the time, so my chocolate stuff is still usable with current products because chocolate is still a current color.

Products used: 

Pathfinding paper pack

Chocolate cardstock

Goldrush Cardstock

Love Blooms stampset C1511 (no longer available)

Pathfinding Scrapbooking Workshop stamp set D1621 (only available in the workshop on the go)

Dark Chocolate Ribbon Z1617 (no longer available)

Rosette Ribbon Z1800 (no longer available)

Bronze Shimmer Trim 

Bling Gems Assortment Gold

Dimensional Elements letters (no longer available)

Chocolate ink

Sap Green ShinHan marker

Marine Blue ShinHan marker

Marigold ShinHan marker

Bronze ShinHan marker

Happy Scrapbooking!

My Crush in June

During the month of June, when you purchase any My Crush® book and its accompanying assortment pictured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015, you will receive the coordinating stamp set FREE! That is a savings of at least $9.95 USD/$10.95 CAD! Choose from five lovely My Crush book offerings that will provide a swoon-worthy background for your favorite memories. From family reunions to camping adventures to holiday countdowns—and much more—you will be crushing on all these books and the possibilities they provide. This offer is only available while supplies last and once they’re gone, these books are gone for good, so put your orders in early to get your summer romance rolling today!

I LOVE the My Crush books and I am going to be buying a lot of them this month.  They make great gifts, either made up with picures or just given to someone to use themselves.   The holiday one is a great way to capture all your holiday pictures and memories.  My eight year old daughter loves the In the Pink album and assortments.  I used the Bluebird My Crush to complete an album documenting our trip to Disneyworld (just click here to see it).  If you have any questions just let me know!

Here is a list of the My Crush albums and assortments with the coordinating stamp set:

In the Pink:
Z2000 My Crush® In the Pink Book
Z2042 My Crush® In the Pink Assortment
B1465 My Acrylix® Glitter Glam

Wildwood:
Z2001 My Crush® Wildwood Book
Z2040 My Crush® Wildwood Assortment
B1456 My Acrylix® Born to Roam

Holiday Happenings:
Z2098 My Crush® Holiday Happenings Book
Z2062 My Crush® Holiday Happenings Assortment
C1602 My Acrylix® Magical Moment

Modville:
Z1855 My Crush® Modville Book
Z1886 My Crush® Besties Assortment
OR
Z1887 My Crush® Best Day Ever Assortment
B1431 My Acrylix® Reel Life

Bluebird:
Z1856 My Crush® Bluebird Book
Z1888 My Crush® Memories Assortment
OR
Z1889 My Crush® Favorites Assortment
B1432 My Acrylix® Love This

You can get your My Crush at my website.

Happy Scrapbooking!