3x3 SWAP

Well, I decided to jump into the mix and hostess my very 1st CTMH swap. So starting with something small is a good idea, right? I used to give little hand-made 'thank you' tags attached to my customer's orders, but life got busy and I stopped doing it. I really want to start my little tradition again. I got my 3x3" swap cards completed this afternoon. What do you think? I like them. ;o)

What I used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Originals - Stage Right
Perfect Day B&T
Chocolate, Juniper and Colonial White C/S
Life's Creation stamp set
A Huge Thanks (Consultant) stamp set
Chocolate and Juniper inks
Chocolate Bigger Brads
Punches (Threading Water, 1 1/2" circle, 1" circle - other)
Sponge (other)

This will be a long one!!! (Weekend Retreat pics)

Hellooooo..... glad to be home and very tired! As usual I packed way too much stuff and most of it is still sitting in my car waiting to be hauled back in the house. But I got some stuff done while away... yay! Most of the layouts still need journaling 'cause I'm so bad at getting that part done. But to my defence, I forgot where I packed my notes, like dates and stuff. I'm not going to go into great detail on each picture because that would take too long, so here goes...


This one is a work in progress... it will possibly be for an upcoming workshop. I forgot that the red cardstock tends to bleed when I emboss with white, so I will have to come up with another idea for that. Actually, while typing, I just figured out what I'll do... LOL.


Another upcoming workshop done with the new Notebook papers. I love this layout and the fact that you can just turn over the blue B&T paper and it has pink with black polka dots on the other side to use for a girly layout.


This is a lift from a layout that I loved so much, done by Jennifer Jordan (another CTMH sistah). I still have the journaling to do in the white square block.


I love how this one turned out. We have such beautiful blue skies in the winter here. It may be cold here, but it is so pretty with the snow sparkling in the sun.


This layout is a total lift from Reflections. I loved the Mexican feel of the orange B&T with the picture. We went on a holiday with our BFFs to Cabo San Lucas way back in either 1998 or 1999 (have to look that up) and I took this picture while there. This was our first trip to Mexico.


I won a prize at the retreat and one of the items I got was a fabulous Making Memories Kraft multi paper pack that I fell in love with. I just had to create with it and made the next 3 layouts using papers from it.

Autumn Splendor... a brayered card

Thanks to Lourae Minor, a fellow CTMH sistah, I pulled out my brayer and inked it up again. Lately I have only been using it to make sure my C/S is sticking to my Cricut mat before cutting. The tree skeleton stamp is an old wooden one by Rubber Stampede that I have. I brayered my card before thinking about masking for a moon, so I ended up doing it the harder way... I cut a 2" circle, sponged the ink onto it, stamped the trees in second gereration stamping and then stamped on the sentiment. I'm pretty good a forgetting stuff and then figuring out how to make it work anyway... LOL.

What I used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Autumn Splendor stamp set
Winter Woods stamp (Rubber Stampede)
Cappuccino Delight (Kaleidacolor rainbow stamp pad)
Black ink
Black Brads
Autumn Leaves
Black and Colonial White C/S
2" Fiskars circle punch
Sponge

Inspired card... All Decked Out (Nov. SOTM)

Faith Hofrichter (AKA Markie's Mom), one of my stamping idols, posted a card on her blog yesterday that I knew I had to reproduce! She is such a source of inspiration for me. This is my version of her card. I made mine 5 1/2 x 5 1/2" in size. TFL

What I used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
All Decked Out stamp set (Nov. SOTM)
Festive Thoughts stamp set
Juniper and Colonial White C/S
Perfect Day B&T
Cuttlebug embossing folder (snowflake)
Black, Juniper and Sorbet inks
Sparkles
CC metal charm
White Daisy organdy
Grommet (from sewing section at Walmart)
DMC floss (in Juniper color - I used to Cross-stitch many moons ago)
1 1/2" circle punch
Pop-dots
Black journal pen (for the dots)
Waterbrush

Two cards...

Well, I ended up changing my mind on one of my workshop cards (the Joy Forever one) kind of last minute (but before I cut the papers, thankfully) and created this one to make instead. I like this one much better and it's more likely to be used, since we all know someone who has a birthday... LOL.

What I used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Magic Moments B&T
Hollyhock, Cocoa and Colonial White C/S
Hollyhock and Cocoa inks
Building Block Alpha
Oct. SOTM Annotations
Just Blooms White Daisy Variety Pack
Garden Green brad
Hollyhock twill ribbon
Photo corner punch (SU)


This one is made from a Bella image that was sent to me sent by a fellow CTMH sistah. I don't have this stamp (yet), but pulled it out to use it on my Monday Crafting Day at my BFFs. When I was away at my Workshop in Grande Prairie, I went to Michaels and broke down and purchased a set of 72 Prisma Premier coloring pencils that I've been oogling for-like-ever! I had a 50% off coupon, otherwise I never would have paid the regular price of $120 for a set of pencil crayons! I still think I'm kinda crazy for buying them for $60... Anywhoo, I finally was able to try the Gamsol technique on this card. It will take some getting used to, I'm sure, but I am fairly happy with the way the coloring turned out. I need some more practice.


What I used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Notebook B&T
Bamboo, Hollyhock, Black, Desert Sand and White Daisy C/S
Black ink
Prisma Premier Coloring Pencils (Michaels)
Odorless Mineral Spirits (Michaels)
Blending Nibs (Michaels)
Treading Water Fiskars edge punch (LSS)
Prima flower (LSS)
Colonial White Bigger Brad
Pop-dots (other)
Uniball Signo White Gel Pen (SU)

I actually made this card to give to a friend of mine whom I had been going to Yoga with before school let out for summer break. We have intentions of going again now that school is back in, but she's pretty busy right now and it's okay with me. I ended up over-extending my arm trying a move and I think I popped my shoulder out last May. It's still bugging me daily... leave it to me to get injured doing YOGA! LOL :D

Votive card...

This is a total CASE (Copy And Steal Exactly) from a votive card that Jane Oleary (CTMH Consultant) made. I re-created it a while ago and am just now getting around to posting it.





I used an actual tea light for photo purposes, but would recommend buying the battery operated tea lights you can purchase at craft stores for this. The card can fold flat for mailing and fits in a standard sized envelope (4.25 x 5.5).

Gift for Norma...

This is a birthday gift I gave to my BFF for her birthday on Monday. She was very appreciative!


I made her 3 sets of the same 8 cards, but used different papers for each set. I tied each set up (including envelopes) with matching ribbon. In the above photo, I used SUs Ginger Blossom papers. Here's a couple of pictures of the other papers I used for the other 2 sets (below):

Chatterbox


And this is the paper that came with the original Just Because Card Kit:


To wrap the gift, I decorated a gift bag and made a matching 'quilt' card (thanks to Nona Davenport for the instrucions), because Norma is really into quilting right now. I ended up adding 3 buttons (black, colonial white and hollyhock) onto the bottom left corner of the 'For You' square on the gift bag after I took the photo.

Winner of my Blog Candy is.....

SARA! Congratulations, Sara! My son pulled your name. I just need you to email me with your mailing address and I'll get your gifty out in the mail ASAP! :o)

10,000 hits = BLOG CANDY!!!

Well, I knew it was coming, but it was a surprise that I came on to my blog and saw my counter sitting at exactly 10,000! That was kinda cool! Anyways, ya'll know what that means... BLOG CANDY! I am going to give away a Serendipity Kit on Monday, September 15th. Just leave a comment on this post and don't forget to leave me your email address in case you're the winner! Thanks and good luck!

Plant Smiles card...

Well, I've been busy trying to do all my prep-work for my upcoming workshop this weekend. It took me 5 hours yesterday, of just cutting and assembling my 2 different layouts for 10 people. I still have to do all the prep for the cards and should be able to get that done today. I always forget how long it takes and how much work goes into these things. Hopefully everyone enjoys the workshop, because that's what makes it worthwhile to me.

So I took a little break for some 'me-time' to create this card. I saw a card on the SCS website posted by someone who goes under the name 'myboys'. It was so pretty, so I had to make my own version of it and here it is.

What I used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Treasure Life stamp set (Sept. Stamp of the Month)
Perfect Day B&Ts
Chocolate and Colonial White C/S
Chocolate and Juniper inks
2 1/2" and 3" Marvy Uchida scallop circle punches
Scallop edge punch (SU)
Square Chocolate brads (Chocolate Mini Medleys)
Make-up sponge (other)

Upcoming Workshop... 2 LOs and 2 cards

I have a Workshop coming up next weekend. I will be driving 2 1/2 hrs to Grande Prairie to do this one. It was requested that we do 2 layouts and 2 cards and this is what we will be working on...