Art & Soul Episode -This One's for the Guys

Our newest episode of Art & Soul is now up on my website. Click the CTMH TV button on the left to view it! It's called, This One's for the Guys. It is filled with guy layouts and cards. They also show a real cool technique called, Over stamping. I have done a version of this and called it "in motion" but they added over stamping too. You have to check it out.

Also in this episode, they show you how to make your cardstock look like leather and even a tip for using Studio J, our online scrapbooking. So make sure you get out there and check it out. It will be the most creative 11 minutes and 53 seconds of you day! LOL

So check it out and get creating in motion!

Use What You Have

I just finished scrapbooking my Easter 2010 pictures using our Caboodle kit. This is just one of the pages, but The real thing I wanted to show you is how I USED WHAT I HAD! Remember a while ago...our Magic Moments Scrapbook kit? The one with 12 2 page layouts and all the stickers and embellishments included! That one! Well, I was creating these layouts and found the extra stickers that I had from it worked GREAT with this kit. I stamped the bunny and other Easter (Holiday Jubilee) stamps on them, colored them and tada DONE! I just get so excited when I use what I have!

So get out your extra stickers, and your Caboodle kit and get those Easter, Spring or even water pictures and get scrapbooking! It feels so good to get pages done while using what you have! AND, of course, if you want the Caboodle kit or anything else and you don't have it, I will be happy to get it ordered for you! I put orders in ALL the time, I will be happy to order your supplies too!

Leaving a Legacy

Have you ever thought of what you will be remember for when you are gone? How will you leave your legacy?

Scrapbooking is one way, but there are so many ways to leave your legacy.

I have always loved crafts. And my Grandma Lieske loved to teach me crafts. It was so fun to go to visit Grandma & Grandpa, but my favorite part was doing crafts with Grandma. She had a huge love for yarn. She was an amazing knitter. I cherish the many afghans and sweaters that she made for us. When I was in 3rd grade she taught me how to crochet. And I don't think I have put down my crochet hook much in the years. I have created many of my own afghans for my house, my kids and my family.

This is my latest creation. I made this one to match my bedspread. It was fun to make, but I am glad I am done with it. It is VERY heavy and with the weather FINALLY getting nice, I needed to get it done before it was too hot to work on. But I finished it just in time to put it away for the summer! LOL But it will get lots of use, the cats have already made sure it has lots of cat hair on it!

And my hope is that some day when I am not here, someone will see the time and love that I put into my afghans and cherish them like I cherish my Grandmas. Who knows...someday I hope to have grandkids of my own to pass on my love for crafts!

And as I type this, I realize today would have been my Grandmas birthday if she were still alive. How fitting! Start preserving your legacy today!

Graduation Layouts

Are you one of those lucky people that have a child, friend, grandchild or even a spouse graduating this month? If you look at our catalog you will find that we don't have a specific graduation kit. BUMMER! Or is it? lol

You can create your own customized layouts with YOUR school colors by using your stamps! This layout is from last year of my husband graduating with STRAIGHT A's (who does that! lol) with his Master's Degree. I waited for this catalog to come out because I knew we were going to have a new graduation kit. But we didn't. WHAT! boy was I bummed! But I got out my stamps and made my own! It's VERY easy.

I had the cake made using Outdoor Denim and Garden Green. And those are the colors of the invitations that I made too. So I grabbed those colors of stamp pads and cardstock. I also grabbed some Colonial White cardstock. I cut out the pieces I needed and stamped my graduation stamps (You Did It C1351 $18.95). Now I have my own patterned paper!
I used our Cherish How To Book, layout Rise to the Occasion on page 89.

One other thing I did was I took a picture of the sign in front of the auditorium that said the school and the date. But there was too darn many people in my picture! lol So I took one of our Irresistibles Pizzazz dimensional elements (Z1307 $4.95) brackets and put it around my husband. This hid 2 of the people that were in my picture! lol Then I stamped "You did it" and covered the other people. Now you can see my husband an no one else! How cool is that!

So don't forget that you can create your own patterned paper by stamping it!

Cherry O Open House Layout

If you came to my Summer New Catalog Open House, you were able to make this layout using our NEW Cherry O kit!

This is my favorite kit in our Summer Catalog. It just say summer and happy!

If you didn't have a chance to come to my open house, then you can make your own. I used our Cherish How to Book and the layout is Color Celebration page 30. Like I said, the paper pack is our Cherry O (X7123B $12.95). I also used Friendship Alphabet Small (C1401 $18.95), Cocktail Alphabet (my favorite and I have to stop using it so much...I am going to wear it out! LOL E1015 $34.95), Over the rainbow stamp set (D1426 $22.95) and Hot Diggity (C1407 $18.95) I love this set too! It has the cutest frog, snail and owl in it...just to name a few.

So get out your stamps and paper and start playing! And if you need any supplies, just give me a call and I will get them ordered for you!

In the Month of May Stamps

Here is a CUTE card I made with our In the Month of May stamp set (C1415 $18.95). This card is for my events calendar ((Z126 $8.50) of course for the month of May. You can very easily make a card out of it...in fact, I copied it out of our Summer catalog on page 80.

These stamp are so cute! So far we have a set from January - August! Our fall/winter catalog will have the rest of the year, but now is a great time to start your "in the month of" collections!

All the stamps in these sets are imagines that pertain to that particular month. Way cool! Check them all out in our Summer Catalog on pages 80 & 81. The new summer catalog is now live on my website. I can't wait to create a scrapbook page with these stamps! Oh, and just wait until you see the cute layout I used for our In the Month of August and my son's senior pictures! But you will have to wait for that one!

Studio J Scrapbooking Online!

Have you checked out our Studio J yet? It is very cool...if you haven't, you need to! This layout I made in Studio J...you would never know (unless you touched it) that is was a color photo and not the actual paper and buttons etc.

I created it on Studio J using the Halloween kit (not available in paper, this is an exclusive to Studio J). These were not Halloween pictures, but the chose the papers that looked Tiggerish to me! lol

You need to go check out Studio J. There is no fee to use, no software to purchase or even update! You just register (free) and start playing. You only pay when you purchase the layouts.

It is easy...all you do is

1. Create your account

2. Upload your photos

3. Choose the desired themed kit

4. Select an exclusive layout pattern

5. Add photos, embellishments, title and journaling. You can flip your pictures, flip the layouts, and pick out the colors you want your ribbons, buttons etc to be. No need to have your pictures developed (this is the part I like).

6. Purchase your custom layouts.

Here are some cost saving tips. Shipping is $7.95. So be aware of that.

The layouts are $12.95 for a 2 page layout

HOWEVER..here are the cost saving tips!

If you purchase between 5 -9 layouts (all at one time) you will get 5 page protectors FREE! BUT WAIT! Here is a BETTER deal! Purchase 10 - 20 layouts and get FREE SHIPPING AND 5 free page protectors per every 5 layouts. So, if you are purchasing 9, you will pay the $7.95 plus get 5 page protectors free, BUT if you purchase just one more (10) you will get FREE shipping and 10 page protectors instead of 5! GREAT DEAL! So when you are working with Studio J, make sure you get the best deal possible.

Oh, and you don't have to CREATE them all at the same time. Create them when you have time, come back and purchase them all at the same time...it will save you money and help get scrapbooking DONE! YEAH!

If you have questions, please call me! 402-334-5615!

Customize your own Recipe Box

Have you been looking for the perfect recipe card holder and just can't find one? I have been! But now, Close to my Heart has the PERFECT one! It is a BLANK recipe box. We call it our My Creations Recipe/Photo Box. (Z1322 $6.95)

I made this one using our Cherry O kit (my favorite!). All I did was measure the sides and top and adhere the pattern paper, sponge all the edges. I did this with blush ink. I also sponged the title, stamp a little and TADA! The "recipe" in the title was created using my Lots of Dots (Z1261 $4.95) I also used the stamps from our new Cherry O workshop kit, Bowl of Cherries (G1008 $29.95 includes the paper I used too). This is a GREAT and inexpensive gift. You really use very little paper!

Inside I put our My Original's Sugar and Spice Card Kit (X8625 $12.95). These are recipe cards (32) and tabs (6) with stickers (3 sheets). These will be GREAT gifts for weddings, showers, mothers day etc. I am going to make a "masculine" one for my son. It's time he starts collecting recipes and cooking!

You can also use these to store photos you are working on or even a fashionable accessory for your desk. Just pick out some patterned paper and go! The choices are endless.

I have measured all the pieces for you so all you have to do is grab your paper, adhesive, stamp pad, sponge and you are ready.

You will need the following;

Top - 3 1/2 x 6 1/4

Side - 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 (you will need 2 of these)

Back - 4 1/2 x 6

Front - 4 1/2 x 6 (lay box on this sheet to trace the opening and then cut this piece out.

Inside Top - 3 1/2 x 6 1/4

Inside Flap - 2 1/4 x 6 1/4 (again trace the flap and cut just a little smaller to accommodate this piece.)

Outside Flap - 2 1/4 x 6 1/4

Title - 1 3/4 x 6 and 1 1/2 x 6

I used our Irresistibles Lots of Dots for the "recipe" title, chocolate ribbon (I layered 2 ribbons to give it a different look) and a sweet leaf button with chocolate waxy flax.

The adhesive that I used was our liquid adhesive. Memory bonding glue. I gave a generous amount around the edges and some crossed through the middle. Not too much that is ripples, but enough to get it to stick real well! I found this is better then Mono adhesive.

Need to order your recipe box? Give me a call or send me an email. I will be happy to help!

May Stamp of the Month

Here is a sample using our May stamp of the month. It is called Cherish the Moments. See at the bottom of the left layout, under Happy Birthday? That's 2 of the stamps. This is actually the layout that I made for my son Cody's birthday...which is today! And on the stamped image that says "celebration", I stamped "24" because it is his 24th birthday. EEK! I can't believe my baby is 24! Where did the time go?

I can't wait to get pictures on this layout. I love the colors in this paper pack. It is called Passages and uses Barn Red, Brown Bag, Cocoa and Garden Green. I just LOVE this paper pack. Perfect for boy pages, outdoors and I really think it will be great for zoo pictures too. Stop by my Open House tomorrow to check it out in person!