Welcome to the August SOTM Blog Hop!

Welcome!


If you are arriving from Debra's blog, you are on the right track. If you just happened by, go back to Jena's blog and start from the beginning so you don't miss out on any of this month's great artwork.


I so missed not participating last month in the "Blog Hop", but I'm Baaaak!


I think this months stamp is a great one for everyone to add to their stash. You just can't go wrong with a Birthday set.


This first card was made for my Dad's Birthday. I had quite a lot of candles to add to the cake, but I liked the way it turned out!




CS-White Daisy for the base and Holiday Red for the strip.


Ink Colors-Holiday Red, Sunflower, Dutch Blue and Clover Meadow


Other items-2 yellow eyelets and yellow embroidry floss.


All direct to paper stamping except the "Happy" which I stamped and cut out and pop dotted and "tied" through the eyelets. I also embossed with our gold embossing powder the "cake plate"


The second card is a wedding card that was the first thing I wanted to try when I got this stamp set. I try to think outside the box so I can market the stamps to more people. I stamped the cake parts in Bamboo ink, cut them out and pop dotted them after adding some liquid glass to hopefully make it look like fondant icing. I used some of our littlest "just blooms" in pink and white and added centers of mini crystals and pearls. I pop dotted them X2 to make it look like a cake topper (I hope) and then liquid glassed the black cake plate. Using Simple Stitches, I faux stitched the sides of this top fold card and stamped the "Celebrate: It's your day sentiment inside. Hope you like....


Now "Hop" on over to Jamia's blog for some more great ideas.


Again, if you get lost or a link isn't working, go to Jena's blog to get the hop order.



See you next month,


Terrie

Blogaversary Alert!!

Just a quick post tonight to alert you to an awesome Blogaversary "Blog Candy" givaway. Melissa over at "Keepsakes by Melissa" is celebrating a year of blogging fun with some awesome blog candy....go check it out here!

Don't forget to come to my blog on Saturday morning for the CTMH SOTM "Blog Hop"

Terrie

August Blog Hop Test...

Hello everyone,
I'm testing out the links before and after me for the August "Blog Hop" that will debut on August 1st! You will come to my blog from Debra's Blog and will travel on to Jamia's Blog after leaving here. Should you get lost or want to start from the bottom, you will go to Jena's Blog.
If all these links are good, my post will be available and ready for you to view at 12:00am on August 1st. Make sure you come back and check it out!
Terrie

Ian's Birthday-Part 2

Today we headed out to Desert Hills Lanes for Ian's 7th Birthday Party.

We had gone to Chuck E. Cheese on his actual birthday on the 14th, but he really hasn't had a party for a couple of years, so off to bowl we went. His guests included: Spencer and Brady, Paige and Parker and Trey and Logan. Leah also invited her friend Ally to tag along. Bryan is out of town (in Milwaukee), so thanks too to Lisa, Bob and Michelle for helping me out with the kids. The kids bowled amazingly well and even the littlest ones scored a strike or two. Here is a couple of pics from the event:










My goal tomorrow is to clean up my scrap table so I can actually create something! I have my post for the August SOTM "Blog Hop" ready to go, but boy did I make a big mess! I also need to clean out the hot tub and Ian is invited to a pool party, so I better get to bed so I can get everything done. Have a great weekend!
Terrie

OK, I'm ready to start posting vacation pics!

Wow, it was fun and after 1,600 pictures, 5050 miles and 90 hours in the car, we are home and I have a few shots to post of our vacation....

I'll post one picture of each place we went or each event we attended..

#1 Hoover Dam

#2 CTMH Headquarters

#4 Yellowstone

#5 Little Big Horn

#6 Devil's Tower

#7 Mt. Rushmore

#8 Flat Tire

#9 Corn Palace

#10 Moorehead with the McManamons

#11 Sandy and Dan's Wedding in Ottertail MN

#12 Mall of America

#13 Pine Creek Cabins with the O'Connells

#14 Marion

#15 Water Sking with Mary and Lee Lang and the boys

#16 Des Moines with the Kirchners

#17 Oklahoma Aquarium

#18 Tulsa with Bill, Barbara, Robyn and Bob

Home again!!!!

Whew....I'm tired, I think I'll go to bed now!

Talk to you again soon....

Terrie

Whoops....another month has slipped by!

Hi all! I am writing this from Tulsa, OK and we are in the very last stretch of our 3 week vacation. I had scheduled this post for the July SOTM Blog Hop, but some how I didn't get it organized with the person in charge, so I'm not on the official "hop", but I hope you will enjoy seeing a sample of a card you can create with the July Stamp of the Month! If you have just happened by, and would like to see all the great ideas for this month's stamp set, go to Jena's Blog and start from the beginning.
To make this card, I stamped 2 different images from the June SOTM "You've got Flair" and colored them in with colored pencils then cut them out. I stamped a sentiment from the "Say It In Style" stamp set on Creme Brulee CS with Tulip ink then matted the saying on Tulip CS. What you can't see very well in the picture is that I mounted all the images on textured jewel tone CS (now retired). It is a very deep purple.....just beautiful. I finished the card off with some Maya Road fibers.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will stop by again soon to see pics and pages from vacation...
Till then,
Terrie

It's Here....June Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

Welcome to the "Hop" If you have arrived from Melissa's Blog, you are on the right track....If you just happened by, I invite you to begin at the beginning at Jena's Blog and see all 42 creations with this month's SOTM "Tender Tags."



My 12 X 12 layout features this month's stamp set "Tender Tags" fashioned into a beautiful flower to highlight one of my favorite pictures of my little girl. It was a joy to do this page as my daughter is 12 years old now and sometimes you need to go back to the beginning to appreciate the gift that is the present. (if any of you have a 12 year old, you know what I mean!)



The base of my page is New England Ivy CS with a sheet of Colonial White CS cut down to be framed by a Tulip "Heartfelt Whimsy" felt frame. I also used the button felt accent in the center of the flower and the stem accent. I printed my picture on Colonial White Textured CS (love that look) and matted it with Pansy Purple CS. The flower petals are stamped in Pansy Purple and Petal Exclusive Ink and the Pansy petals are curled a bit around a pencil and elevated with foam tape. I cut the title with my Silhouette using the "Curlz" font. I hope you enjoy!



Now, on with the Hop.... Click over to Helen's Blog and see what she has created for you. Should you get "lost on the hop" or find links that aren't working, here is a list of all the contributors this month. Have fun and see you next month!

Jena Devries http://www.livelovelaughscrapbook.blogspot.com/

Adeline E. Brill http://adeline-brill.blogspot.com/

Deb Young http://www.scrapbookczar.blogspot.com/

Chris Green http://www.createwithchris.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Patrick http://www.roxybonds-scrappin.blogspot.com/

Chris Shouse http://www.houseostamps.wordpress.com/

Alanna Moses http://www.damoses.blogspot.com/

Haley Dyer http://www.inkyscrapper.blogspot.com/

Jen Rubio http://www.jenrubio.blogspot.com/

Kami Welter http://www.scrappin4memories.blogspot.com/

Caren Goldsein http://www.scrappycaren.blogspot.com/

Laurie R Newton http://scrapsfromthebeach.blogspot.com/

Reba Poquette http://www.thedirtyscramper.blogspot.com/

Nona Davenport http://www.nonapearl.blogspot.com/

Misty Jackson http://www.misstscraps.blogspot.com/

Julia Menssen http://www.ralphandjulia.blogspot.com/

Anne Beck http://www.anniemuses.blogspot.com/

Jamia Bankhead http://www.papermadnessinc.blogspot.com/

Dawn Ross http://www.iamahappystamper.blogspot.com/

Sherry Thompson http://www.picturespatternsandpaper.blogspot.com/

Laura Dame http://www.thecroppersconnection.blogspot.com/

Lucia Grabb http://www.luciasscrappinandstampin.blogspot.com/

Nancy Ball http://www.ballisticdesign.blogspot.com/

Shannon Laux http://www.rockinstamps.blogspot.com/

Melissa Laverty http://www.fancymelissa.blogspot.com/

Terrie Dodd http://www.my-life-in-real-time.blogspot.com/

Mindy Eggen http://www.creativevalleycreations.blogspot.com/

Helen Onulak http://www.hookedonstamping.com/

Ronnie Crowley http://www.ronniecreates.blogspot.com/

Karen Strous http://karensctmh.blogspot.com/

Jaime Benavides http://www.scrapcrazydiva.blogspot.com/

Kelly Triggs http://www.stampinallday.blogspot.com/

Lori Miller http://www.clearlyfromtheheart.blogspot.com/

Brae Montgomery http://thebrae-er.blogspot.com/

Shannon Pelletier http://www.shannonmvt.blogspot.com/

Wendy Kessler http://www.myscrapbookingblog.com/

Paige Dolecki http://www.paigespaperparadise.blogspot.com/

Pamela OConnor http://www.cherishyourmemories.blogspot.com/

Shari Odut http://stampinshari.blogspot.com/

Tammy Lea Pinchard http://www.creativeimpressions-pinchme.blogspot.com/

Dawn Heuft http://www.stamptildawn.blogspot.com/

Cibele Glazer http://www.flowerfoot.blogspot.com/

Sarita Schraeder http://www.blessedscrapper.blogspot.com

Just a quick note...

Hi all,


I know, I know, it has been awhile since I last posted and of course I promised a couple of people to post some things and haven't done it yet, but I promise, I got a LOT done today, so I should get some of that posting done tomorrow!

I will be participating in the next SOTM Blog Hop, so be on the lookout for that post too on June 1st! It was so fun last month and this month there are supposed to be over 40 "hops", so there should be lots of inspiration for this Stamp of the Month.

Leah participated in her schools Talent Show last week, so here is a pic of the girls after the performance.



Also, here are my Thank you gifts I gave to the staff and my co-teacher for Religious Ed at St. Gabes. Such a nice and easy gift to show someone how much they mean to you!


That's all for tonight, but I should be back tomorrow with some more fun things...
Stay tuned!

May SOTM "Blog Hop"

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring May's SOTM, which is Be Yourself, a set of 14 stamps. If you have come here from Deb's Blog, you are on the right path! If this is your first stop, you may want to go back to Jena's Blog and start from the beginning!
***
This month we have 18 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 chose to random stamp my Colonial White card front with several stamps from the "Be Yourself" SOTM set and a small flower from the National Scrapbook Month special "Tickled Pink" I stamped these in "Petal" ink and used the eraser of a pencil to stamp the black centers. I paper pieced the "Petal" dress and "shined" up her boots with Liquid Glass. I then matted my card front on black cardstock and finished everything with some black organdy ribbon. Very simple and fun card to make. This was my first attempt at random stamping and I have to say that I will be trying it again!

Now "Hop" on over to Lucia'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 May SOTM is only available until May 31st! Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Have fun and I'll see you next month!!

Mother's Day Cards....

Hello again,

Thought I would post the Mother's Day Card that I made for our Mom's. I lifted them almost exactly from Lisa Stenz's design. (except changed the color) Click here to go to her Blog and check out her beautiful artwork....she is very talented!

Make sure to check back on Sunday for the first ever CTMH Stamp of the Month "Blog Hop"
It should be lot's of fun and a great way to check out the SOTM and some great artwork made with it so you can "see" before you buy!
The new Summer Catalog and Idea Book is LIVE now, so if you don't have yours yet, let me know and I will get you one. Till Sunday.....

BLOG HOP!!!

Welcome to "My Life" and to the Close to my Heart Summer 2009 Idea Book Blog Hop!! Join us as we celebrate the upcoming release of the Summer 2009 Idea Book by sharing some amazing creations using new product from CTMH available May 1st! If you have arrived from Miranda's Blog, you are on the right path! If this is your first stop, you may want to go back to Erin's blog at http://www.tazzygirl2000.blogspot.com/ and start from the beginning!

It's simple to join in...just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog and it will lead you on to the next participant....Here we go!

I decided to create a CD case photo cube! I have been eyeing these cute cubes and decided to try one with the new CTMH Back Country Level 1 Stickease and Dimensional Elements In Color-Adventure on page 16 and 17 of the new catalog. I also used Outdoor Denim, Barn Red and Olive CS, some retired CTMH beads and Natural Hemp. For the water on the rafting picture, I used some B & T paper from the "Moon Doggie" Level One paper pack, bumped up one of the waves with dimensional foam tape and applied some Liquid Glass. I used the directions in the great tutorial found here and have not quite figured out how I want to finish up the bottom as I need something that won't cover my embellishments at the lower part of the cube??? It's always something : )

Anyway, without further ado....

Now, "Hop" on over to Traci's blog at www.creativetraci.blogspot.com to see her work! Be sure to visit all the consultants at their blogs to get some great ideas for the new product. Remember, the Summer 2009 Idea Book goes LIVE on May 1st!

Get on over to Jaci's Blog for some AWESOME Blog Candy!!

Hey there,
Make sure you head on over to Jaci's blog to sign up for some awesome Blog Candy. 47 items....yep, that's right....47 awesome items to celebrate her 47th birthday. Click here to do so and good luck!

I have my first five!!

Thanks to Rachel for posting the cute gift she sent me for being one of her "first five" on the CTMH bulletin board! Now I can say I officially have my own "first five" to prepare a "Pay it Forward" gift for! I'm so excited....I better get movin' and add that to my to do list tomorrow!
Leslie, Clerissa, Penny, Yael and Heather, I will be getting in contact with you soon to get your addresses to send you your goodies. Remember, I do get a little time to get them to you, so don't give up on me!!
Talk to you all soon,
Terrie

Another So Sketchy Sunday Challenge!

Hi all,

Just under the wire before the new SSS is up, but thought I wanted to keep my streak going!!

I don't know if I'm real pleased with this one. The original by Mary Vogel at On Life And Creating is so beautiful, it would be hard to do better, but since Breast Cancer Hope is one of my card mainstays, I think this one I can use and it was pretty simple...

Here were the instructions for this week:

1. Your card front should be a single, matted layer....not lots of layers, keep it clean and simple

2. Your card should include an image on the front and a sentiment on the front

3. Your card should include only one embellishment

4. Your card should include some "white space"

Here's what I came up with:

Ian was in his first Soccer tournament today. Unfortunately they didn't make it into Day 2, but the kids had a great time and did really well. They won two of their three games, but didn't have the necessary goals scored to "rack" up the extra points needed to get into Day 2. Also, they were in the toughest bracket, so we hope next year to make it all the way!

Here are some fun pics of the team and our "Young Champion"

Paying It Forward!!

Looky what I got!
Thank you so very much to Rachel from Wonderful Whimsy for these cute, creative magnets! I saw these cute flowers she created on a card on her blog and even had them bookmarked to try and create some on my own and low and behold I was lucky enough to be one of the first five to comment on her "Pay it Forward" give away, so now I have some of my very own to ooh and aww over. Thank you so much Rachel. Here is a picture of her handywork!


Now it is my turn to "Pay it Forward" Read below for the details on how you can receive a gift especially made by me as I keep the momentum going:

The 1st five get a goodie
I was fortunate enough to be one of the first five commenter's on Rachel's goodies giveaway. Now, it's my turn to pay it forward. The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you! This offer does have a few "rules of play":
1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make --- but I hope you do!
2- What I create will be just for you --- one of a kind!
3- It'll be done sometime this year (most likely it will be in the next month or two).
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. Well, a pretty good bet it will be made of paper!
5-The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog!

The first 5 people to leave a comment win a handmade card or gift (or both!) by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture on your blog of what you win when you get it! So....who will be the first 5 people? Even if you aren't in my first five, why not start this on your blog, too? Spread more love FASTER! Ready, set.....who will the first five be??
Terrie

Getting into a Groove...

Well, once a week is better than I was doing.....Thanks to Mary Vogel over on her blog "On life and Creating" for giving me the incentive to participate in her "So Sketchy Sunday."

Here is the sketch for last Sunday:

And here is my version:

I used my CTMH Fancy Cut Botanicals for the flower and vine. I also dry embossed around a smaller one to get the background on the Sorbet cardstock. I used Petal brads, CS and ink. The sentiment is from the March Word Puzzle stamp set. Pretty simple, but fun.

I'm fighting a nasty cold and I'm not winning as of yet! I signed up for a spot at our church garage sale tomorrow, but had to bow out. I did take some things out there and got in on the Lenten fish fry...YUMMMM! (You would think my appetite would leave me when I'm sick, but alas, I seek out the comfort food)

My friend Peggy is planning to come over this weekend and help me prep for a HUGE scrapbooking and crafting garage sale coming up for National Scrapbooking Day....Stay tuned for more details!

Later,

Terrie

Another "So Sketchy Sunday"

Well, I'm managing to get this done a little earlier this week....
Here is the sketch for this week:


And here is my version:



I was killing two birds with one stone with this card, I am going to a baby shower for a girl at work and thought I would try and come up with something using the sketch.
I used CTMH's Sweet Pea paper, My Stickease, Sassy Strands and Rub On's. A very quick and easy card.

I am working on my calendar for April and May, so that should be hitting your mailboxes soon, be on the look out for it!
Terrie

New So Sketchy Sunday Card

Hi again,

At least I am posting my "So Sketchy Sunday" Card before the next one gets posted! Sorry so slow, it is taking me longer than anticipated to get back to it after Regionals last weekend...


Here is this weeks Sketch..







And here is my version...



I used CTMH's Emporium paper pack, Chocolate and Twilight CS, Colored Pencils, Prisma Glitter, Wonderful Charms SS and Love Story Rub On's.
Hope you enjoy, now I'm off too get going on this week's sketch...Come join us here.
Till later this week...Have a good one,
Terrie

I LOVE CTMH!

Edit: Thanks to Mary Vogel for helping me figure out that the image on my card below is "Lilly" from the Cat's Pajamas. Love her and need to get to their site and check out their other images...you should too!

Hi all,

Just back from the Phoenix Regional Celebration and WOW is all I can say. I love this company! We spent the last several days learning and creating with the wonderful staff and the inspirational leader of Close to My Heart, Jeanette Lynton. Here are a few things we worked on and some of the creations that we saw....

This is one of the 8 two page spreads we did using several paper packs and the WOTG format demonstrating what a versatile program it is.

This is the top of our "My Creations Memory Keeper" we did with "Emporium", so cute!

I got to meet the founder and CEO of our company, Jeanette Lynton. She is as genuine and caring as I have always heard. She also is an astute business woman who is running a totally debt free company which continues to grow and prosper.

I was very lucky to get to spend the last couple of days with some new "best friends". Thanks Erin, Ashleigh and Gina for a great weekend! I hope we can keep in touch and attend another event sometime real soon!

One last thing before I close for tonight:

I did do Mary Vogel's "So Sketchy Sunday" challenge again this week, so fun...

Here is the sketch:

And here is my version:

I have to say that I got the image from a free download that I got from someone's blog, and forgive me, I did not save the name when I downloaded it. I just loved it and have had it around for awhile just waiting for me to get around to using it with CTMH's "Daydream" paper pack. Isn't she cute?

Well, that's all for now, but I hope to be back soon to show you some more inspiration from Regional's.

Terrie

Hi again!

I'm participating in a new sketch challenge, "So Sketchy Sunday's" so am posting those cards here as well as some layouts I did at a recent retreat! Enjoy

Here is the sketch I tried....my first ever! Thanks to Mary Vogel for the challenge. Here is the sketch:



Now here are my two tries at it:



What do you think?

Now here is a direct "lift" from Sheila Wilkerson. I don't lift very often, so let's just say I LOVED your original enough to recreate it.




This next one if from CTMH's "Reflections" book. It is Bottom Border-Footnotes on page 37. I used the new "Stardust" papers from the spring catalog.


I hope to be back soon with another sketch challenge....I really enjoyed it!
Terrie