February SOTM Blog Hop - Home Sweet Home

Welcome to the first blog hop of CTMH's Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book!  I can't wait to show you all of the new artwork I've been working on with these gorgeous papers, stamps and embellies.  Don't have an Idea Book yet?  Leave me a comment below and I'll be happy to send you one, just for the cost of shipping.

Thanks for visiting from my dear friend, Scrapi Traci's blog.  She always comes up with the cutest artwork; I can't tell you how many things I've "scraplifted" from her!

Home Sweet Home is the featured Stamp of the Month for February.  It's a set of four stamps that stamp so clear and crisp, you'll just love them.

I've been doing a lot of thinking of this concept of home, and really got to thinking about how grateful I am to call the good 'ole USA my home.  I decided to take an "old" layout...a Studio J layout (more on that below) and add the "Home Sweet Home" sentiment to my layout.  What do you think?

I've been looking for an excuse to cover an "oopsie" on this Studio J layout.  I had added a button, then removed it, but forgot to remove the stitching on it!  So, I layered some Outdoor Denim, Cranberry and Champagne Cardstock and stamped Home Sweet Home in Outdoor Denim.  Then, I used my Piercing Tool Kit and my CTMH Ruler with guide holes for perfect stitching to add a little Natural Hemp to the paper.  I feel like it tied it in so nicely with the stitches in my Studio J layout.  

Speaking of Studio J...did you know that layouts are just $5 this month!?  What a steal!  Head over here to try Studio J out for yourself for free.  If you need a little direction, leave me a comment below and I'll send you a two-page tutorial to get you started on Studio J today!

Thanks to all of our brave men and women who dedicate their blood, sweat and tears to protect my family's freedom.  You are the reason I can call the USA my Home Sweet Home!

Now, it's time to hop on over to Kami Welter's blog to see how she's used this great stamp set!

For Always Scrapbooking Workshop

Do you have a copy of Close To My Heart's Spring/Summer Idea Book yet?  You can start ordering from it on Friday and it's so chock full of eye candy that you'll probably get a sugar high from just looking at it.  Seriously!

The first scrapbooking workshop I'm doing is For Always.  Check out the three layouts below that we'll be completing on February 19th from 9 to noon or 7 to 10 PM.

The cost is just $28 and includes a For Always paper pack, For Always My Stickease, For Always Assortment (those little resin flowers), extra cardstock, Silver Shimmer Trim and Black Adhesive Gems to complete the layouts.

RSVP by February 4th so I can order your products in time for the workshop.  You're going to love how quickly these layouts come together!

Whooo's Your Valentine?

There are only three more days (unless supplies run out before then) of the adorable Whooo's Your Valentine promotion from CTMH.  Here's what my peeps who joined me at my Open House this past Friday made with the kit:

With a $35 purchase of product from the Fall/Winter 2012 Idea Book, you can get this great kit to make 12 Valentine treat tubes.  It includes the most adorable stamp set you've ever seen!  Don't forget, you only have three more days to order Pear & Partridge, Moonlight, Flirty and La Belle Vie before they're gone forever!!!

It was simple!  Those familiar with stamping, those new to stamping, those who'd had a couple glasses of wine...everyone was able to easily and quickly put together a treat tube for a Valentine's Day gift.  I suggested they give it to their husbands now and tell them to fill it with something special...I think a couple of Pandora beads would look lovely in there, right?

Be Mine Vinyl Plate

Company's coming in the morning, it's midnight and you need something for that corner in your kitchen.  What's a girl to do?  Whip out her CTMH Artiste cartridge and her Cricut machine of course!

I needed a little Valentine's decor so found an inexpensive red charger at my local craft store (with some fab bling surrounding the edge).  I used the "Be Mine" button on my Cricut Artiste cartridge to cut out the sentiment and hearts (3 inches for Be Mine and 1.5 for the hearts).  Seriously, this project took me five minutes to complete and I'm happy with the cheer it adds to my kitchen.

What's your favorite quick decorating tip?

Monogram Cards

I have the best customers!  I enjoy and appreciate each of the women who I get to scrapbook with each month and truly look forward to my time with them.  So, at my Open House today, I gave each of them a little "thank you" for supporting my business in 2012.  It's a set of monogrammed cards with the coordinating monogram stamp.

Below is a closer look at the card.  You've probably seen it all over Pinterest.  It was designed by the amazing Lisa Stenz and just about every CTMH consultant I know has "scraplifted" it!  If you haven't been to her website, Lisa's Creative Corner, you've got to check out her gorgeous, clean and simple designs.

Thanks so much to my wonderful scrappers!  I look forward to making even more fun memories with you, and some new friends, in 2013!

"Met You" Heart Picture

Give your valentine a canvas of how he freed your heart this February 14th!  Just use a little blue painters' tape to create lines along a 5x7 canvas and use black acrylic paint to create stripes.  Then, I used Ruby cardstock and CTMH's new glitter paper to create the hearts on the canvas.  The sentiment, "Met You," tells him that HIS love set you free!

Pinterest is one of my favorite places to find inspiration.  I found this basic design pinned from www.uncommondesignsonline.com.  They have some adorable ideas.  Go check them out!

Come to My Open House!

Join me this Friday, January 25th from 10 AM to noon or 7-10 PM to view the latest CTMH goodies!  You'll get your copy of the 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book, view lots of upcoming home decor, card and scrapbooking workshops and have the ability to purchase retired product at a great discount!

I'll also have snacks, drinks and an adorable creative item for you to make and take home.  Come at your convenience and stay as long as you'd like!

Chantilly Card Workshop

Heart Candles

I love the LED candles you can find lately at local home stores.  They still have a waxy outside that smells faintly of vanilla, but there's none of that wax mess and waste you get from regular candles.  However, they're just so plain and screaming for some color.  So, I answered by dressing some up and giving them a little "love."

For a little Valentine's Day flair, I added a red vinyl heart, a strip of Black Striped Grosgrain Ribbon and some cranberry twine from the Baker's Twine Harvest Assortment to my LED candle.  I found the glass candle holder at a local craft store and spray painted it in a black gloss.  I love how the project turned out!

You can find these candles and holders at On a Whim Boutique in Lucketts, Virginia, where I'm selling a few pieces in a friend's booth.  

Love is in the Air!

I'm always a bit depressed taking down Christmas decorations.  But, this year, I've decided to focus on creating some new Valentine's Day decor to fill the empty corners and doors.

This photo really doesn't do this little wall hanging justice due to the bright white door.  But, here's how I created it:

1. I bought an 8x10 canvas from my local craft store and "painted" it with Red Glitz Glitter Glue.  Then, I set it aside to dry for about an hour.
2. While it was drying, I cut out several hearts and the word Love with my CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge, using a retired CTMH paper pack, Roxie.
3. I used some Bonding Memories Glue to adhere the hearts and letters to the glittered canvas.
4. Then, I "painted" Mod Podge over the entire surface of the canvas.  At first, your art will look very dull and cloudy.  After the Mod Podge dries, you have a beautiful, protected piece of art!
5. Finally, I used my CTMH Stapler to attach two pieces of Black Tulle Ribbon to the back of the canvas frame and tied a sweet little bow to hang the picture.

How are you decorating for Valentine's Day?

Dakota, It's Not Just Country

I have two boys but am not even a little bit country, despite living in Virginia.  So, while I was thrilled with the  colors and some patterns in Dakota, I was a little unsure how to make it work for my typical photos.

Sorry there are no photos on these layouts, but I'm excited for this week's workshop featuring Dakota.  Thanks to my good friend, Scrapi Traci, for the layout designs.  Again, I created grid cutting guides to complete all the paper trimming before layout assembly.

What would I do without my Artiste Cricut Cartridge from Close To My Heart?  The flower images, shapes and letters are so quick and easy to cut out.  They give my layouts such a finished look for just the price of a bit of paper.  Do you have yours yet?  What are your favorite images to cut out?

La Belle Vie

The Beautiful Life...isn't that a great name for a paper pack?  Especially when it's in fancy French!  I'm teaching two workshops this week with La Belle Vie scrapbook layouts...six layouts altogether.  (Note:  I actually taught these last week, but wasn't able to finish this post because Explorer wasn't playing nicely with Blogger..a big shout out now to Google Chrome!).  What do you think?

I created a cutting guideline so we cut everything out first, each cut piece of cardstock or B&T Duo was placed on top of the base it would be adhered to.  So, all six layouts were completed in about three hours.  I was thrilled with the results!