Post it Note Organizer

I made this cute post it note organizer the other day. Here are the directions if you would like to make one yourself.

Cocoa cardstock

8 x 5 1/2 score at 3 3/4, 4 1/4

5 x 3 1/2 (this attaches to underneath of the inside pocket)

1/2 x 5 1/2 (this is for the ribbon that holds the pen. Attach the ribbon to this piece)

Sorbet b&t from Caboodle kit

3 1/2 x 5 1/4 (cover)

6 x 4 score 1/2” on 3 sides (the 2 short sides and 1 long side)

3/4 x 3 1/4 (for pen)

Vanilla Cream cardstock

2 1/2 x 4 1/2

2 x 4 (scraps for stamping)

Crème Brulee cardstock

2 3/4 x 4 3/4

Punch one of the long sides of the pocket with a circle punch, but use only 1/2 of the circle to punch it. This will allow you to get into the pocket.

Isn't this birdcage stamp set cute! I know...so many stamps...so little time. This set is called Love Birds (C1396). These post it note organizer is a great little handmade gift for teachers, co-workers or friends. Not a bad thing to have in your own purse!

Organize Your Photos

Have you taken a lot of pictures for one event and the task was daunting to get them scrapbooked? Well, I think I can help. I had my pictures developed from our recent New Zealand trip and just looked at all of them and thought...UGH! So I developed a plan. I took all my pictures and arranged them by day, then by event. I looked in my closet and found some envelopes I wasn't using (use what you have) and organized my photos with those. What I really like about these envelopes is they hold both 4 x 6 and 5 x 7 photos. Here is a picture of what it looks like now.

Each envelope has the date and event written on it and any notes I might need to know. Maybe it is the stamp set I am using, the marker color I will color the lamb (I know...but it keeps me from having to rethink it). When I am ready to scrapbook, I can grab an envelope (whatever my mood decides) and get to my scrapbooking and preserving all those memories.

I hope this helps you a little more organized.

Need Ideas?

If you need some GREAT scrapbooking & stamping ideas, then you will want our new Spring Catalog (if we think Spring will it come faster?)

It is PACKED with ideas. In fact there are 170 pieces of art in this catalog.

Would you like your own copy? You can get these ideas for just pennies! It's a GREAT value! Contact me to get your copy today!

Birthday Cards

Here are two cards that I made with our Veranda kits. The one on the right was for my friend Kristine and the one below was my mom's birthday card. I LOVE these candle stamps.

They are very versatile, and so fun to use! They are called Candlelight (C1394). And of course, I used our Wishes How to Book. The "thought bubble" used on Kristine's card is from another new set Leave Your Mark (D1405). This has 4 "thought bubbles", several phrases, bracket and quotes.

And, if you like our Veranda kit then you will LOVE our Creative Basics kit too. This kit comes with 2 additional designs of patterned paper (6 of each) and 4 yards of Crème Brulee ribbon for just $7.95.

Have some fun creating your own cards!

Snow Days Layout

I love this layout! I am using my "Use What You Have" philosophy, so I grabbed some pictures of the December 8 & 9th blizzard, the leftovers from the Sweet Home kit (what my groups used in December), my Cherish book, In the month of January stamp set (C1402), Snow Flurries stamp set (D1384) and Snow Friends (D1244) stamp set (my personal favorite...how can you resist those stinkin cute snowmen!), white brads, Mini Medley White Daisy collection (Z1136 this also came in the workshop kit from our December group) and my Dimensional Elements Flurries (Z1225).

I just used one piece of background & texture paper from the kit (little white dots on blue background...I call it the little snowflake paper...lol) I had that left over and some cardstock and I am done!

The Cherish layout I used was Rise N' Shine on pages 108 & 109. So get out your Cherish book and recreate this cute layout! I know you have snow pictures! LOL If you don't have our Cherish How To Book, you need it! Ok...you HAVE TO HAVE IT! These books make scrapbooking so fast & easy! So call or email me and I will get a copy ordered for you!

Art & Soul Episode

We have a new episode of Art & Soul on my website! It is under the CTMH tv tab. This month's Art & Soul is called Oh Baby! And features baby cards and layouts. It also highlights embossing, our Irresistibles Lots of Dots and our memory cube. Check it out on my website.

They also show our new Topstitch kit that my groups are using this month. I still have space available if you would like to come and make 4 layouts using this kit!! Call, email me or check out my calendar on my website for dates!

It is only 10 minutes at 57 seconds, but you will gain so much scrapbooking and stamping knowledge and who knows...you might get inspired to create your own layouts.

New Zealand

As you know, we recently returned from New Zealand on a Close to my Heart incentive Trip. I wanted to share this layout with you that I made the other day. This is one of my favorite pictures that we took.

We had this amazing view of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables mountain range and Lake Wakatipu. It looks like a post card. But I took it! lol And better yet, I was THERE!

This layout is from our Cherish book. I am going to use it as my first page in my New Zealand Album. It is so easy to get your scrapbooking done when you use our books. The stamps I used here were a set that CTMH gave us for the trip. And the paper is from our You Rock kit. I wouldn't have thought this kit would have worked for this, but it totally does! Stay tuned for more layouts from my trip!

Book Easel

Here's a great idea if you are using one of our How To Books while you are scrapbooking or making cards. This is a recipe book holder you would use in your kitchen while cooking. But I use it when I am scrapbooking and need our idea books (which is all the time).

This keeps your book open, gives you more room to work on your desk or table and when you are done or if you "travel" with your supplies, it folds flat for easy storage. The top right picture is it folded and stored on my bookshelf with my albums. I make sure I don't leave without this when I scrapbook away from home.

I believe I got this one at Bed Bath & Beyond several years ago. I think the most important thing when getting one of these is to make sure it folds flat for easy storage and ease of taking it with you when you scrapbook.

This is just another way to not only keep your scrapbooking area cleaned up from clutter, but you will be able to see the How To book much easier. Hope this helps you get a little more organized and more scrapbooked!

There's an App for That!

Have you ever been scrapbooking and you can't think of the correct spelling for a word?

You can take a dictionary with you (which is what I use to do) but that can get bulky and if it is one of the smaller dictionaries, it may not have the word you need. So, I found out There's an App for that! The app is called "speller" the icon has an ABC on it with a red check mark. And best of all...it is Free! I LOVE FREE!

So, if you have a itouch or iphone, you can download the app and always have spell check with you whenever you scrapbook. It saved me more then a few times!

Go to itunes and get your spell check app today!

Jeanette Lynton's Blog

If you are into blogs, you will want to check out jeanettelynton.com. She is the founder of Close to my Heart and I love her dearly! She has an amazing blog so check it out. BUT, specifically check out Thursday, February 4th post. (yesterday). She posted pictures of our trip to New Zealand and I made her blog! YEAH! See if you can find me!! Hint...I am the one with the yellow life jacket on (like the picture here..this is Monica and Me)! Also...at the end of the post is a video clip of our Jet Boat ride. This is when the driver spins us 360 degrees (they call it the Hamilton Slide) in the boat on the river, WAY COOL! But at the end you will hear someone yell, "DO IT AGAIN DO IT AGAIN". That would be ME! lol Then the camera shows me. LOL Too fun! You can't see the spinning too much but I will tell you it was a blast! If you get a chance to go Jet Boating...DO IT!

I created a couple Valentines Cards. The first one is a 8 x 3 1/2 from CTMH's Wishes Book and using the In the Month of February stamps with our That's Amore kit. The card to the right is a 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 small card again using our Wishes Book. This time I used stamp sets A Love (A1103) and Togetherness (D1402). A quick and easy card using supplies I had. So my husbands Valentine's card is done (above) and I used what I had.

Art & Soul Layout

Here is another layout that I did today. It was the re-creation of the one from the latest episode of Art & Soul. I did it a little different, but for the most part it is pretty close to theirs! It was a fun layout to do using our Veranda kit, dimensional elements heart and our In the Month of February stamp set. The layout was from our Imagine Book...layout Classical Look page 68.

The bonus on this layout, I got to scrapbook more pictures of that cute little boy I have. These pictures just happen to be from 21 years ago! Dang, where did the years go? Luckily I still have pictures to scrapbook!

Love Layout

It's almost Valentines Day and I wanted to post this cute layout of my son Cody and his girlfriend Brooke. Not only is the layout cute, but so are they! Ok, I am biased!

I created this layout using Close to my Heart's Imagine How to Book. The layout is called Perfect Prelude (page 26 & 27). I wanted to "use what I had" and came across this adorable paper. It's from our That's Amore kit. I also used our new In the Month of stamps. This one is "In the Month of February" (C1403). I also used our "A Love" stamp set (A1103) this set is only $7.95! These sets are perfect for those Valentine pictures or like I did here, several close together cuddly pictures.

February is the "love" month, so grab your papers, ink and stamps and create some layouts you will LOVE!

Did you know I have stamping & scrapbooking tv episodes on my website? I do, they are called Art & Soul and this month they feature a cute Valentines layout, sucker covers (using our new Veranda kit) and the use of our finishing files. If you have 10 minutes and 54 seconds, why not go to my website, grab a drink, sit back and watch a GREAT episode of Art & Soul!

I am going to recreate the layout they featured with my own pictures and will be posting it soon! So stop back and check it out...better yet, why don't you recreate it too!