Team Retreat = FUN!

Three weeks ago I hosted my annual Heartfelt Sentiments team retreat!  I was blessed to have 39 fellow scrapbookers in attendance who shared the weekend with me.  Many attendees were members of my team while some of their friends, family members and customers also decided to join in the fun!  We gathered at the Lone Oak Ranch & Retreat in Gainesville, TX.  This beautiful property resembles a Texas-style town, complete with Western memorabilia. 

During the weekend, we enjoyed delicious food, fun gifts, and lots of laughter!  It was a great time as it always is but it never lasts long enough.  However, I am grateful for the time I was able to spend with my dear friends and look forward to next year's retreat.

Here are just a few photos from the weekend.  Stay tuned for more in upcoming posts!

We never went hungry and enjoyed yummy food!

Who would have thought 39 people could crop in one room?  But...we did!

My Mom and I posing for a photo during the beautiful weather we were able to enjoy.

Ahhh...my friends and downline, Melissa, Mary and Jennifer.

Here's my version of a glamour shot.  LOL  The ranch is on some beautiful property.

Sensational Season BLOG HOP!

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring the March Stamp of the Month (SOTM), "Sensational Season", a set of 10 stamps.  I love the Spring and this stamp set is perfect for preserving your spring-time memories or for your Easter greeting cards!

If you have come here from Angel's Blog you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have approximately 57 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I absolutely fell in love with the bunnies in this stamp set!  I LOVE to color but have since gotten away from doing so on my scrapbooking projects because I learned to love the base and shade images we have.  It was good to get back as I used the Waterbrush Pen and coordinating ink colors - Blush, Hollyhock, and Grey Wool - to color in the image.  I love the soft effect the waterbrush pen offered.  To create a "frame" around the focal point, I scored a rectangle on the backside and used a Sanding Block to distress it - perfect to do because our paper has a white core.  This was a fun stamp set to play with!

Now "Hop" on over to Caren's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the SOTM is only available until the end of March, 2011!  Click here to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!  I have additional samples viewable on my website!  Click here to view them!

HAPPY HOPPIN'!

The Retreat is over...

But we had a FABULOUS TIME!  That's where I have been since my last post - preparing for my team retreat where I had 39 team members and guests in attendance!  I will post pics of the weekend after my Stamp of the Month Blog Hop goes out on the first (since I don't want to interfere with it) but I did want to take a moment to share a fun surprise I received while at the retreat.

Friday mid-morning while I was waiting for everyone to begin arriving, one of the guys from the office brought in a floral box.  I knew my hubby had no idea where the retreat was located (lol) - he just knew I was at one - and had no idea who else could have sent them.  When I opened the box, I found gorgeous flowers and a sweet card from my upline, Jody Peck!!!!! She sent it to me and my team as a wish for us having a fun weekend!

Here am I with several of my team members, showing appreciation for the beautiful flowers.

And this was them blooming after arriving home.  Loved the colors!

Thanks for being so thoughtful, Jody!  My team and I appreciated it and they were gorgeous!

Taking Advantage of Perfect 10!

This month, Studio J Members can get 1 FREE layout with the purchase of 9 and I plan on taking advantage of that later in the month.  

One of my favorite new paper packs is "Fanfare".  While I don't physically have it in my possession yet, I was excited to create some layouts in Studio J to commemorate our fun during the World Series this past year.  It seemed exceptionally fitting because of the coordinating colors.

 

I am pleased with how the layouts turned out and will continue to share layouts as I finish them.

If you are unfamiliar with Studio J, it's our NEW online design software and the tagline speaks volumes.  It is:  Real Life. Real Scrapbooks. Real Time.  You can find more about this software - which is completely FREE to use - by clicking here.  There is a standard-fee, per layout, regardless of how many embellishments and "extras" you put on your layouts.  It's a fabulous and easy-to-use program. 

This month we have this campaign as a bonus to Members.

If you have questions about Studio J or live locally and would like a demo, please contact me.  You will love this online software once you give it a try! And...don't think this means I'm getting away from the traditional scrapbooking but it will allow me to catch-up and scrapbook events quicker than I would complete by hand.  THAT makes me a happy scrapper!

Focus Word for the Year

Upon purchasing the Log Your Memory download program, I am provided weekly challenges which I have shared with my team a couple of times.  One of them is based on a practice made popular by Ali Edwards.  One week my team challenge was to choose a word that would serve as their focus for the year and then scrap it!

With their participation, they were told their creations would be highlighted on my blog with links provided to their websites and/or blogs.  So...here are the contributors.  CUTE ARTWORK if I must say so myself!

This CUTE frame was made by my Mom, Maria Elena.  I LOVE the phrases that describe each word in FOCUS and LOVE the incorporation of the "glasses".  Click here for a link to her website.

Pamela's focus word is "Expand" for 2011.  She used our adorable Wings paper pack to highlight her goals.  LOVE the skirt on the dress form made out of a Paper Bloom (flower)!  Click on the respective words for a link to her Blog and her Website.

It's rather fitting that Molly chose "Delight" because she's delightful to be around.  I LOVE that she incorporated scripture onto this Dimensional Element Heart.  Click here for a link to her website.

I'm so thrilled these ladies participated in the challenge! They will each be sent a goodie for their participation.  I had initially announced a contest but I think these are all winning artwork submissions!  Thanks for stopping by!

Super Bowl Sunday 2011

My hubby and I got up this morning and headed to Fort Worth to see the live taping of ESPN and to be amidst the Super Bowl anticipation.  It was nothing less than fun as we were seen on TV by family and friends and we saw several great movie stars including Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler and Snoop Dogg! 

Live set from the side.  Chris Carter looking my direction.

This is the set you would have seen on TV.  Their backs were towards the crowd.

Chris Carter, Keyshawn Johnson, and Boomer (Chris Berman) - ESPN Analysts.

Adam Sandler gave my hubby a 'thumbs up' when he told Adam that he enjoyed him on the Dan Patrick show the other day.

Here was Jennifer getting mic'd up.  

And here's Snoop Doggggggg!  He was being interviewed by Mort and the Pope was also a guest.  LOL  Okay so maybe not!  

 We saw other sports stars including Jerome Bettis (Steelers), Steve Young (49ers), Tedy Bruschi (Patriots), Coach Mike Ditka (Bears), Tom Jackson (Broncos), ESPN Analyst Adam Shefter, and more!

It was rather "unreal" being in the midst of this live taping but definitely something worth experiencing!  (So far the Packers have started out strong but the Steelers are stepping things up before halftime...  We'll see how this game ends.)  Enjoy the game!

 P.S.  The Packers defeated the Steelers, 31-25.

Happy Birthday Card (with Sophia)

My dear friend, Xellina, invited me over to her birthday party last night and we had a great time!  We gave her a "group" gift and I was in charge of making the card.  This is what I came up with!

I absolutely love the beautiful Pink Collection of Designer Ribbon which has ribbon that makes these beautiful rosettes.  Isn't it awesome?  There is a pink brad in the center of the flower but it's a little difficult to view from the photo.  This Sophia paper packet has totally caught my attention, can't you tell? 

Cards made with Wings

My downline, Amanda, shared some C-U-T-E cards she taught at a workshop in January.  So.. I followed her lead, changed a couple of things on them (to suit my group) and was thrilled for her generosity!

Her technique focus was embossing and I love how she incorporated it so well with this stamp set.  Both the shoe and the butterfly are embossed. The shoe has clear embossing powder on it, stamped directly over the Vineyard Berry ink, and the butterfly has black powder.  Then, a Sponge Dauber was used to apply the various colors of coordinating ink - Twilight, Vineyard Berry, and Sweet Leaf - to color up the butterfly's wings.

Thanks so much for sharing your cards, Amanda!  I appreciate it your creative inspiration and so did my club members!

NEW Product Blog Hop

Click here to view the Idea Book online.

The NEW Spring/Summer 2011 Idea Book went "live" on the 1st and I am grateful for the opportunity to be apart of this Blog Hop - highlighting some of our newest products!  If you have come here from Tonya's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here. 

We have 11 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using products from the New Spring/Summer 2011 Idea Book and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I LOVE the new Sweetheart Paper Packet and coordinating Level 2 Assortment.  I used the Level 2 paper packet, Level 2 Stickease, Level 2 Assortment and the NEW Irresistibles Eclectic Alphabet to create these two layouts.  Aren't they just gorgeous?!  They are ready for this year's Valentine's Day photos and I can't wait to see them finished!  Both layouts were created using our how-to book, "Magic". 

 

Using some leftovers from my layouts, I created this Circle Card - using a pattern out of "Wishes".  Here you can see a close-up of the Sweetheart Level 2 Assortment which is a 6" x 12" sheet of 32 epoxy stickers in various shapes and sizes!  Aren't they beautiful?!

Supplies used:  X7134B Sweetheart Level 2 Paper Packet, X7134C Sweetheart Level 2 My Stickease Assortment, Z1386 Sweetheart Level 2 Assortment, Z1395 Irresistibles Eclectic Alphabet.  Click on the links provided above to see a close-up of these products and their prices.

Now "Hop" on over to Carol's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Contact your Consultant or visit my website to see how you can get these products!

HAPPY HOPPIN'!

Hubby's Birthday (& Super Bowl festivities)

My husband and I celebrated his 40th birthday this past weekend, with his official birthday on January 31st.  With the Super Bowl in the area in just a few days, and as huge football fans, we enjoyed taking in the sights and scenes of the upcoming event.

Sunday we headed out to Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth to see where ESPN would broadcast from for Super Bowl Week.  Here are some of photos from that day.

On Monday my husband had the day off and went to the live filming of several of ESPN's broadcasts.  My parents saw him several times on ESPN that day!

His favorite commentator to listen to on ESPN Radio is Colin  Cowherd. 

He then managed a picture with the ESPN Desportes Radio Analyst. (At least that's who he said it was!  lol)

And finally he caught Simeon Rice, who was a Defensive End for the Indianapolis Colts the last time he played, being interviewed on the local ESPN Dallas radio station.

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He's been in heaven having LIVE access to all this ESPN "stuff".  He just wishes the weather would cooperate a little better.

We live close to Cowboys Stadium, where the Super Bowl will be held, and did a drive-by to take a few photos. 

This is what the front of the stadium looked like a week ago.  There has been an additional glass "wall" placed around the perimeter of the building where the logo is shown.

 

This is what it looks like now - finished.

Here's a view of the Lombardi trophy - on the east and west ends of the stadium.

I hope it's a competitive game and am cheering on the Packers!