November SOTM Blog Hop

It's that time again! Time for another fabulous Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! If you've hopped with us before, you know the routine. If you're new to blog hopping, it's really quite easy...after checking out my Blog Hop contribution, simply click on the link to the next blogger's website. If you follow the loop all the way back here, you will be inspired by the artwork and creativity of over 60 talented Close to My Heart consultants.

November's SOTM is Around the Block, a fun set of 26 stamps including a large house and some fun sentiments to make anyone feel at home!

The following standard sized card combines the Around the Block stamp set with the Sweet Home papers. The Collage concept from Jeanette Lynton's Wishes book is so easy to follow and creates great cards quickly!

The trio of bricks is random stamped on the Indian Corn Blue card base along with the Welcome to the Neighborhood sentiment. The door is stamped in Garnet ink. A quick wash over with a blending pen filled in the main part of the door.

Remember, the Around the Block stamp set is only available through November. Head over to my Close To My Heart website (or your own consultant's website) to order you set and see how you can earn it at a great discount, or even FREE!

Now hop on over to Misty's site to see her wonderful creation! If you get lost anywhere in the hop, go to Jena's site to find the complete list of blog hoppers!

Happy Hopping!

More Treats!

The Halloween excitement has definitely hit our home! I just finished up the treats for the kids classmates. What a fun afternoon I had creating these simple and fun little treat bags!

With Joey in 3rd grade, I knew he wasn't going to be into the cutesy Jack-o-Lantern stamps I've used in past years. As soon as I saw our new Beware set, I knew it was the perfect Halloween stamp set for my growing boy!!!! :-)

Jenna picked out the goodies - individual packs of M&Ms and little parachute men toys.

The tags were quite simple to create:

Cut or punch two circles - one 2 1/2" and one 3"

Stamp the Happy Halloween image on the 2 1/2" circle

Edge the 2 1/2" circle with Orange ink

Attach the smaller circle to the larger one

Punch a hole in the tag

Tie onto treat bags

So simple...just my style!

Tricks or Treats!

Today I'm working on fun Halloween treats for the kids to take to school for their friends. I'll share my treats later, but I just had to share this adorable little treat from my super crafty customer and friend, Maria!

This Yummy Mummy is so easy to make! Simply get a Hershey's chocolate bar and wrap it with white crepe paper (you know, those fun party streamers). Smudge it with a little Chocolate ink to give it that aged look that all mummies have. Add some google eyes and a simple tag and you have a gift anyone would love!

I might make up a few to take to our neighbors when we visit their homes on Halloween. Thanks Maria - your creativity always amazes me!!

Holiday Card Workshop

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...well, maybe we need to get through Halloween and Thanksgiving first, but it's never to early to start thinking about your holiday cards!

Join me for a fun Holiday Card Workshop using our brand new Jingle Creative Basics! We'll create 20 cards (2 each of 10 designs) following one of the fabulous workshop patterns in Jeanette Lynton's handmade card idea book, Wishes.


Date: Saturday, November 21st
Time 2pm - 5pm
Location: My home in Camarillo

Cost: Choose your workshop package from the two options below...
Basic: $22.00
Includes- Complete Jingle Creative Basics pack (12 sheets of B&T and 4 yards of ribbon), 20 card bases and envelopes and all of the fun accessories you need to complete the 20 cards. you'll go home with your 20 cards and plenty of extra paper and ribbon for more creations!

Best: $32.00
Includes-Complete Jingle Creative Basics pack, complete Value Pack of White Daisy Cards & Envelopes (50 per pack), all of the fun accessories to complete the 20 cards. You'll go home with your 20 cards, plenty of extra paper and ribbon for more creations AND 30 extra cards and envelopes for the rest of your cards!

You will love these cards and the Jingle Creative Basics pack. Don't forget, CTMH's Background and Texture papers are double-sided, so you options are endless! Don't want the pretty pink on your holiday cards? Simply flip the B&Ts over when you create and you'll have a whole new look!

Call or email me TODAY to reserve your spot as space is limited! Full payment is required no later than Wednesday, November 11th to allow time to order and prep your workshop supplies!

Memories of the Mediterranean!

Yesterday, I referred to our recent Team Retreat in beautiful Lake Tahoe. Today I thought I'd share some of what I worked on while I was there!

As many of you know, Mike and I were so fortunate to cruise the Mediterranean with Close To My Heart in October 2008. It truly was the trip of a lifetime and not a week goes by that we don't talk about the fun times we had and the amazing the places we visited on this trip.

A year later, I have finally started getting the pictures onto pages and into an album! today, I'm sharing a couple of my favorites with you.

This first layout uses the Perfect Day papers - such great colors to compliment the sites of the beautiful Mediterranean and specifically Park Guell in Barcelona. a little Cocoa ribbon is attached to the right-hand page with Antique Copper Photo Hangers. The Park Guell title is created with Close to My Heart's Color-Ready Alphabets. I LOVE these white alphabet stickers - leave white, sponge with your favorite ink color or stamp a fun pattern on them - the possibilities are endless!

Close to My Heart's Vintage Travel Paper Packet is perfect for any destination and worked well with my pictures from our day in Rome! The bright blue sky of the beautiful day lead me to accent with Dutch Blue cardstock and inks. Once again, I used the Color-Ready Alphabets for the title.

The biggest challenge I've come across thus far in creating my Mediterranean Cruise album is fitting all of my favorite pictures on one page. Many of the places will certainly call for TWO 2-page layouts and we have a ton of photos. We had many great pictures from our walk through The Forum, but not quite enough for two layouts, so I was glad to come up with this design to fit 8 decent sized photos on the 2 pages.

Once again, I used the Vintage Travel papers and the Color-Ready Alphabets.

On a quick side note...if you LOVE the Vintage Travel papers, don't wait! Head on over to my website and order it today. It is on the retired list and is available only while supplies last or through December 31st (whichever comes first).

Watch for more cruise layouts to be shared and I complete more of my album!

One Sweet Gift

What do you get when you combine a 4-pack of Frappucino bottles, M&Ms in several yummy flavors and Close to My Heart's new Sweet Home My Reflections Paper Packet?

A treat too sweet to not share with YOU!

At our recent team retreat in Lake Tahoe, I was beyond spoiled by my scrappin' buddy, Amanda who was my "spirit" for the retreat - our version of Secret Sisters.

Amanda made me this incredible snack pack of M& Ms. She bought a Starbucks Frappucino 4-pack and drank the contents (must have given her plenty of energy to this project done)! After cleaning the bottles and lids she decorated them with Sweet Home papers and filled them with 4 different flavors of M&Ms. Notice the cute little circle tags to designate which flavor is in which bottle. She then covered the holder to match (I'm guessing she had to take the box apart and then re-assemble. I absolutely LOVE the ribbon and ric-rac tied to the sides.

What a fun gift! I have to admit, I think I was the envy of the retreat with all of the fabulous gifts from my Spirit! Thank you, Amanda!!!

And the Winners Are...

Note: If you're looking for the Stamp of the Month Blog hop post, please scroll down to the next post.


A big thank you to everyone who purchased tickets for my Operation Smile Raffle! Together we raised $200 for Operation Smile, THANK YOU for helping to bring a smile to a child's face.

We kept the basket of tickets out on the dining room table and everytime someone would walk by, we'd give them a little shuffle. As you can see from these pictures, Jenna was more than happy to help draw the winning tickets!

Three lucky winners are now the owners of three fabulous prizes!

Congratualtions to the following winners...
Grand Prize-Rolling CarryAll - Paddie Hawkins
1st Prize-Tickled Pink Project Pack - Jennifer Rollo
2nd Prize-Just Because Card Kit-Bree Janowski