April Stamp of the Month

I absolutely LOVE the April Stamp of the Month set from Close To My Heart - World's Best Dad. With boys, this stamp set is right up my alley.

The layout is from Imagine - Fiesta. The paper tearing technique lends itself to creating a wonderful landscape scene using the Stardust Level 2 Paper Packet. Other colors include: Bamboo, Topiary, Moonstruck and Honey.

For the fish, I stamped them in Topiary ink on White Daisy Cardstock. They were then colored with the waterbrush using ink directly from the ink pads (Topiary and Honey). I applied Liquid Glass to the fish (generously and BEFORE cutting them out). Once they had dried (I let them dry overnight), I cut them out closely with the Micro-Tip Scissors - great for getting into tiny spaces and detailing. I "strung" the fish on hemp, using the Piercing Tool to poke holes in the fish and thread the hemp through them, tying a knot to secure the hemp. The fish are glue-dotted down at the top, leaving their tails free.

I used a Dimensional Elements Bookplate covered with Bamboo Cardstock and threaded on hemp for a journaling element.

The edges of all the photo mats are distressed with the Edge Distresser for a more rugged look.

On the right side page, the fish is again stamped in Topiary, waterbrushed, liquid glassed, and cut out. The fishing creel is stamped in Bamboo on White Daisy Cardstock, then waterbrushed with Honey and detail cut. I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch the hole in the handle. I used a Pewter Bitty Brad for the buckle accent. The canoe is stamped in Bamboo on the lighter side of the Textured Bamboo Cardstock and cut out. I wrapped hemp around the photo mat, securing it with glue-dots on the back side only so a photo can be slipped under it. You could also hang a tag or Dimensional Element from the hemp.

The fishing rod is stamped in Bamboo on the lighter side of the Textured Bamboo Cardstock and detail cut. Notice that I cut of the "fishing line" from the finished image. For the line, I used Embroidery Floss Neutral Assortment - White Daisy in two-ply (they are 6-ply strands). I carefully poked holes in the fishing rod using the Piercing Tool, then carefully threaded the Embroidery Floss through the rod with a needle. I glue dotted the fish to the line in the "lake" leaving his tail free.

Other accessories include pewter brads.

I'm very pleased at how this layout turned out. Hopefully, I can find a few minutes to dig out some photos of the boys fishing and complete this page.

World's Best Dad is available April 1-30, 2009 only.

Until next time...

The Great Outdoors

I'm participating as a vendor at a National Scrapbook Day Crop with The Scrapbook Tree in Vincennes on May 2nd. Each vendor is asked to offer a make and take or class project for the event. I'm offering the following 2 page layout.


I am more of a "masculine" scrapper having all boys in my house. Flowers, pink and frilly just don't quite cut it for fishing, camping, motorcycles, and all the other fun things boys get into.

The layout is done with Stardust Level 2 Papers (colors are Topiary, Moonstruck, Bamboo, and Honey), Extreme Caps Alphabet Stamp Set, Natural Hemp, Dimensional Elements Bookplates, and Pewter Brads. The title is stamped in Topiary ink.

Techniques include paper tearing and edge distressing.

Until next time...

Stardust Cards

Here are the cards for tomorrow night's Card Workshop. We'll make 2 each of the 5 designs. Of course since our background and texture paper is double sided, everyone's cards may end up slightly different than the ones I have here.


All designs from Originals. The bottom two are inspired and/or cased from K. Aaron Brown and the CTMH Consultant Bulletin Board (sorry I forgot who).

Papers: Stardust Level 2
Stamps: Shining Star and Wishing Star
Inks: Moonstruck, Topiary, Honey
Accessories: Summer Carnival Sassy Strands, Pewter Brads
Techniques: Generation Stamping

Until next time...

March Stamp of the Month - Butterfly Wings

I finally finished my contribution to March's Stamp of the Month swap. Originally, I was only going to do one page, but then I thought that would be cheating the swap group, so I ended up doing a 2 page layout. I'm not really a butterfly type person, so this was a little challenging for me.

I chose Reflections Bottom Border Triple Combination for the left page and Reflections Bottom Border Overlap (modified) for the right page. I love this book as it's mostly one page layouts, but also gives several options for companion pages, as well as photo placements. We were required to use the colors from the Unforgettable Level 2 Paper Packet - Sorbet, Juniper, Vanilla Cream, Desert Sand and Cocoa.

The corners are the large flourish stamp done in second generation Sorbet. Then I sponged around the edges of the base page. The butterfly is stamped in Juniper and cut out and glue dotted to the corner of the photo mat. The Colonial White ribbon photo corners allow for photo placement underneath them. For the scalloped portion of the border, I just cut along the lines of the B&T paper from the Unforgettable Paper Packet.

I used the same stamping techniques on this page as far as the butterflies and the flourish corners. The scalloped border section is what I had trimmed off the border from the left page accent. The tag actually pulls out of the Sorbet cardstock for hidden journaling or more photos. To achieve this, cut a slit in the center of your cardstock approximately 1/4 inch wider than your tag (my tag is 3 1/2 inches). I used Colonial White ribbon just under the slit to help cover it up. Using adhesive only on the outer edges of the Sorbet piece, adhere the Sorbet cardstock to the page. This will create a pocket for your tag to slide in and out of.

When you place it in your memory protector (page protector), you can slide a small cutting mat under your memory protector and cut a slit just large enough to slide the tag in and out to be read without taking the page out of the protector. To prevent the page protector from tearing further than you need it to, take your eyelet setter or small 1/8" punch and at the ends of the slit in the protect, punch holes (through the top layer only), to round the slit off. (I hope all that made sense and I apologize if it didn't - the sinus medication is really messing with my head.)

Butterfly Wings D1341:

(Set of 9) $22.95 US/ $28.50 CAN From dainty butterflies to fluttering hearts, this stamp set is a charmer with its artistic flourishes, appealing designs, and loving words.

Available March 1–31, 2009 only.

Recommended Blocks:2" × 2" (Y1003), 4" × 4" (Y1008), 2" × 3½" (Y1009)

With a minimum qualifying purchase, get your Stamp of the Month at a great discount or FREE!

That's it for now. I'll be working on cards for tomorrow's Card Night. With a little bit of luck, I'll have them posted for you by the end of the night.

Until next time...

Evansville Crop for the Cure

I had a WONDERFUL time at the Crop for the Cure on Saturday! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see my Close To My Heart booth and visit with us.

I thought I'd share a few pictures from Saturday's event.

This is my spinner. I've had this spinner for years. It started out as a way to store my stamps. Well, for those of you that know me, that didn't last very long. It has since become a way to display the accessories from Close To My Heart. The "header" sign was cut on my Cricut (Accent Essentials, I think). The price tags were also cut on my Cricut. I then glue dotted them to an office binder clip that clips nicely onto my shelves.

This is my artwork display area (or at least the majority of it). I have my recruiting board in the back which highlight the Top 10 Reasons to join my team. I did open up the albums for croppers to flip through - we just hadn't got that far when I snapped photos.

One of my Workshop on the Go displays (That's Amore). I am offering the Basic Workshop package shipped directly to you for $4.95. While you don't get the stamps that are used, you do get the Level 2 Paper Packet, Stickease, and accessories, as well as the instructions to complete them.

Another of my displays. I got these peg boards from a wonderful consultant and friend, Michele Gamble. If I remember right, her dad makes these. I love the added space they gave me for showing off more product!

This is our "sign in" table. I had a door prize drawing for a retired Key To My Heart kit. I also had Spring 09 Idea Books for sale, as well as recruiting information, and hostess information.

The Make and Takes are held in a separate room away from the main cropping, which helps with the distractions.

This is the Make and Take I offered for Saturday. I realize it's a simple page, but when you're asked to keep it to 10 minutes and you can have up to 16 people at one time, simple is good - especially when you aren't sure of everyone's experience. The page is from Imagine - Monologue Left. I used the Stardust Level 2 Papers, Cocoa Cardstock and Colonial White Cardstock. The "Wish" is stamped in Cocoa Ink with the Building Block Alphabet. I added just a small piece of Twill Ribbon as an accent. Everyone that participated got to play with the stamps, as well as see the B&T Duos, so they got to choose the colors they wanted. Thanks to everyone who came back to play!

I have to mention these two gals. I could not have done this without Lea Rae and Sherryl. They both got up early and drove down to spend the day with me at my booth. Lea Rae is wonderful about helping people and talking with people. Sherryl is still learning as she's new to the whole scrapbooking thing, but she jumped right in there for a LONG day. I think they got a little of their own scrapbooking done during the day. Thanks so much, gals! I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks also goes to my mom for coming over 2 days in a row to help me stuff goody bags and get things finished up and ready. I greatly appreciate the help!

Now, I have a week and a half to get ready to do it all over again! And I LOVE every minute of it!

Until next time...