Live Beautifully Card Class (Local and Long-Distant Kits available)

You can join me as we make these beautiful greeting cards - for various occasions - using the exclusive (and only available in May and while supplies last) "Live Beautifully" paper pack and stamp set. Can't make the physical event? No worries! There are other ways for you to get these cards whether you create them or I do so for you. 

These 10 greeting cards have sentiments like "Be your own kind of beautiful", "Smile", "She believed she could so she did", and other encouraging sayings. (Individual photos of the cards are provided below.)

There are a few ways to get your hands on these cards:

• OPTION #1: Attend a class in Mansfield, TX on Monday, May 22, 2017 at 6 pm. You can find complete details by clicking here.
• OPTION #2: Purchase a Kit-to-Go that would be mailed to you and include full-color photos and directions for easy assembly. All card pieces will be pre-cut and stamped so you can assemble at your convenience. 
• OPTION #3: Purchase the completed cards, ready for you to give to anyone you choose as an occasion arises. Envelopes will be included.

Live Beautifully Cards

Option 1: Card Class $25.00 USD Option 2: Kit-To-Go (includes shipping) $30.00 USD Option 3: Completed Cards (includes shipping) $30.00 USD

(The Class and Kit-To-Go fee includes card bases, envelopes and embellishments, with everything pre-cut and ready to assemble. There are also some fun techniques included. Everyone who registers by the RSVP deadline of May 16th will receive a fun product item worth $4.95.) 

Check out the cards in greater detail!

If you have any questions about the options for obtaining these cards, please let me know. Handmade cards are best and cost a fraction of what you will pay in the stores!

(The cards were designed by fellow Consultant, Jacqueline Paech.) 

Live Beautifully During National Scrapbook Month

I love the various "Constant Campaigns" Close To My Heart releases, especially when it involves NEW AND EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTS! And this one is...simply beautiful!

There are different ways to get this product and today I am highlighting the Live Beautifully Cut Above Layout Kit! Would you believe me if I told you that you can create FIVE beautiful layouts (10 pages) in about an hour?! It's true, you can! That is because this kit comes with full-color photos, directions for assembly, base pages, pre-cut pieces and die-cuts, stickers, and photo placeholders - all you need is adhesive and a journaling pen!

Check out the layouts that result from the Cut Above Kit:

Beautiful, don't you think?! (And the photos don't do the gold accents any justice, just sayin'.)

These kits are perfect for someone new to scrapbooking or anyone who enjoys creating layouts that don't take a lot of time nor products. However, they are also perfect for seasoned scrapbookers who can appreciate a beautiful and well-designed layout when you see it, ready for your photos and journaling.

You can purchase this kit outright (to include all that is shown above) OR you can buy the kit in a bundle and save 20%! The Bundle includes an album, adhesive, and a journaling pen!

You can choose from a Grey Post-Bound or D-Ring Album.

YOU CAN GET THE CUT ABOVE LAYOUT KIT FREE if you join my team this month, as a Consultant. Find details here or contact me. (I'll share some additional information about this in a future post.)

I do have my layouts complete. I will show them over the next week, both before and after photos (hold me to that, will ya?!).

Let me know if you want to order this exclusive kit! Enjoy the rest of the work week!

National Scrapbooking Month Blog Hop

For this hop we are highlighting the beautiful and exclusive product line, "Live Beautifully", that is only available this month and while supplies last. It is a beautiful paper pack and stamp set that are perfect for celebrating National Scrapbooking Month, although I chose to use them to create a greeting card.

Live Beautifully Paper Pack

Live Beautifully Stamp Set

Live Beautifully Cut Above Kit

There are various products to purchase this month, at a great price, so be sure to check out all that is available to you by clicking here. The image of the stamp set is pictured above.

If you are coming from Sheila's Blog, you are on the right track. You can find a complete list of participants by clicking here.

I decided to create a pretty simple card incorporating the two rose and leaf images included in the stamp set, and my favorite sentiment (although I do love the other one as well).

To create this card, I stamped the roses in Lemon and Raspberry inks and used a black Journaling Pen to fill in the details on the flowers. I did the same with the leaves, first inking them in Willow, stamping off onto a scratch paper, and then rolling it again in Willow ink. That is what provided the two-tones on the leaves.

A few Gold Gems, some 3-D foam tape to add dimension, and the sentiment in Black Ink is all I added to this card. I love being able to create simple but purposeful cards that I can reproduce in a timely manner.

Consider letting me know what you think of my card and then head over to Michelle Stewart's Blog and see what artwork she has to share with you.

Happy hoppin'!

Blog with Friends - "Outdoor Life"

Click on image to enlarge view

Welcome to this month's "Blog with Friends" post where we are highlighting the theme, "Outdoor Life". My blogger friends' links have been provided below. I encourage you to check our their sites, and the fabulous topics associated with the theme, when you are done reading mine. :)

To tie into this month's theme, I created a set of 10 handmade greeting cards, using our NEW Prickly Pear product line to create them. The cards can be used for a variety of occasions and are super fun and fiesta-y! Here are my two favorites:

Both of these happen to have a cactus on them; not all of them do. I do love the "party like there's no manana" sentiment and the cheerful colors of the used products. I hope you do too!

Most of the focal points are from the Complements pack that includes stickers and dimensional elements. A little bit of stamping was included. 

CHECK MY BLOG POST ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2017,where details about the products used will be included as well as a way to GET YOUR HANDS ON THESE CARDS!

Wishing you a great start to your week!

"Apple Cider Chive Potato Salad" by Baking in a Tornado

"Let's Take It Outside" at Think in English

"Picnic Food" at Spatulas on Parade

"Stretching My Green Thumb" at Cluttered Genius

Time to Fiesta!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I am thrilled to be spending this weekend, celebrating Cinco de Mayo and National Scrapbooking Day, with 16 other papercrafters! Twelve of us are retreating this weekend at Crafty Creations Retreat (Mansfield, TX) and consuming ourselves in creativity, friendship and fun! I hope you have some things planned for this weekend.

One of the things I love doing for retreat and crop attendees is making goodies. Here are two of them for you to enjoy.

This goodie marks their spot. It was inspired from an idea of Pinterest (of course), with a few personal touches. It is a fun place card idea that is perfectly suited for this themed day and event.

This is one of their sprinkles they received a short time ago. I love this sentiment, "Fiesta like there's no manana." It came from the "Fiesta Time" stamp set. Based upon my sleeping pattern thus far, I think I am taking it literally. LOL I filled the bag with a box of Skittles, chosen based upon the fun colors that I think are "fiesta-ey".

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and be sure to fiesta like there's no manana!

May SOTM Blog Hop - "Live, Laugh, Love"

Happy National Scrapbooking Month! I hope you plan on celebrating our love for this hobby sometime during this month and ideally, all month long. It's a great excuse to do so, don't ya think?!

Welcome to our "Stamp of the Month Blog Hop" where we are featuring this month's Stamp of the Month, "Live, Laugh, Love". 

It comes with these 9 wonderful images, all of which make great titles and accents for layouts and yet are still perfect enough for greeting cards. You can purchase it for $17.95 or get it for $5 with a qualifying order. Read here for details. 

We are excited to share some fun artwork creations incorporating this stamp set. If you are coming from Marie's Blog, you are on the right track. If you were to get lost in this hop, you can find a complete list of participants by clicking here. 

What is also exciting about today and this hop is that Close To My Heart just released this NEW publication, "Seasonal Expressions 2", complete with BRAND NEW PRODUCTS you are sure to see highlighted in the artwork. You can get a hard copy FREE with every purchase starting today (through August 31, 2017). 

I love how this card turned out (and hope you do too). It was very relaxing to color the flowers and leaves with our ShinHan Markers. The patterned paper - black with white polka dots and white with gold polka dots (although not easy to see though the photo) - is from our Live Beautifully paper pack, also released today in honor of National Scrapbooking Month. 

I added a variety of gems (aka embellishments) to the center of the flowers for that much-needed "bling". Thin 3-D Foam Tape was used for the flowers to add some dimension to the card. The sentiment is from the Flower Market Cricut Collection. (It's one of my favorite stamp sets because of the variety of sentiments it provides me.)

Card design is from Sketch #146 from the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge, 

Please head over to Wendy's Blog to see what she has created with this must-have stamp set. Consider leaving a comment before heading that direction. I always love hearing from you!

Have a wonderful National Scrapbooking Month!

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: "Teeny Tiny"

Welcome to the first Heart 2 Heart Challenge for May 2017! Is it challenging for anyone else to believe May is already here?! Not being in a school setting anymore, I no longer countdown the end of the school year with my students so it seems to roll around unexpectedly the last few years.

This week's challenge is "Teeny Tiny". We hope you will connect to this Heart 2 Heart Challenge and interpret the theme however you see fit, being sure to incorporate Close To My Heart products when you do!

I struggled a bit with the interpretation of the theme but decided to focus on this NEW stamp image, "Scripty Thank You", that has teeny tiny leaves and flowers. Our NEW Oval Thin Cuts are a perfect fit for it.

I totally CASEd this card design from page 54 in our NEW Idea Book that releases today (see details below). The card size is our standard, 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I included the dimensions for this card. Please feel free to use them and consider sharing your artwork with me when you do. I would love to see them!

Artwork tips:

• Dovetail the Smoothie (blush) and Lemon (yellow) pieces of cardstock.
• Center the black piece, left to right, and place 1" from the top of the fold.

To color in the image, I used our Shin Han Markers. A little "extra" was added with the White Twine and Pink Enamel Gems. Thin 3-D Foam Tape was used to "pop" the Blossom banner and sentiment.

The patterned paper in the back has a large rose pattern and is from our "Live Beautifully" paper pack (has a coordinating stamp set) that is our special this month in honor of National Scrapbooking Month. It is a definite beauty and something you will want to be sure you buy. Plus, there are a variety of ways to purchase it, including special prices when purchased with additional items! Be sure to check them out!

If you didn't already know, Close To My Heart released new products in their new publication today, "Seasonal Expressions 2" (aka SE2). Contact me if you would like a hard copy of it (and don't currently have a CTMH Consultant) or you also get one FREE when you place an order on my website.

Wishing you a blessed May!