Tomorrow is the Last Day to Get Your Paper Fix

Tomorrow is your last chance for FREE paper.  Yup, CTMH changed things for the better when they introduced the Annual Inspirations 2016-2017.  They changed the paper packets to be more generic and by color palette.

Whimsy paper Fundamentals

No longer are fall or spring color combinations wasted in this idea book.  Instead, you'll get paper for the Whimsy, Adventure, and Enchantment... but let's not forget the Basics... color palettes.  Colors and patterns that can be combined within and among the palettes.  But CTMH didn't stop there!  They added some rustic and memo papers as well as blingy paper.

If you're ready to dive in and purchase all the colors, you will receive your choice of the Uptown Fundamentals or the Rustic Fundamentals (shown in picture above) with the purchase of the Whimsy, Adventure, and Enchantment paper packets.  You might be thinking you don't need all this paper, but the colors and patterns are so versatile that you'll be coming back to them again and again.



I can't wait to share creations with these papers!  Just take advantage of the offer!  You'll be sorry if you wait too long, the offer is only good through August 31, 2016 (11pm Pacific Time).

Flower Market Friends Banner Card

I received this card from a friend (and consultant) of mine, and fell in love with it.  She made it with the new Flower Market Cricut Collection.  As you look at the details, notice the texture of the flower and leaves.  Those are two stamps from the three stamp sets that come with the collection.


So, I had to lift Candace's card and knew the perfect card to use it for.  My Cardaholic's challenge was to use summer colors - vivid yellow, orange, pink, and green.  I was going to a adopt Candace's card.

This is what mine turned into.  I used Design Space to create it.  Using Design Space allowed me to create the card base as well as the petals and leaves fill in.  Let me explain...

CARD BASE (my picture cut off the bottom - look at the below image to see the points of the card): After importing the image, I copied and pasted it.  I will use the second copy for the "detailed" work. To the first copy, I ungrouped the images and then deleted the top part, leaving the solid banner.  I then sized the banner to my desired size (I kept the size linked/locked) - about 4" x 5.5" - I wanted the card to be able to fit into a standard envelope.  Now that was done, I copied the image, rotated it 180 degrees, butted the straight sides together and welded the two images.  Once that was done, I added a score line at the seam.

DETAIL: Next, I sized the detail to match the card base.  Easy peasy. I made another two copies of this and pasted them.

FLOWER: With one of the copies, I ungrouped the pieces and deleted the solid banner.  I then went into "Hide contour" and hid everything but the five petals.  I then enlarged the petals so that I could glue them to the underside of the flower.  It's hard to tell, but I embossed the leaves with clear embossing powder.  I used the same stamp set Candace did.  Then I used Bonding Memory Glue on the Whisper cardstock flower outline and adhered the petals.  Canary was the color of choice.

LEAVES: The second (really my third) copy of the banner was used for the leaves.  I repeated the FLOWER process for the leaves.  This time I stamped tone on tone (Pear ink on Pear paper).

FRIENDS: This was cut out with Whisper cardstock.

By using the Hide Contour feature, I didn't have to cut the whole top part out in the different colors.  Therefore I had very little waste of paper.  : )

The card was finished off with some bakers twine threaded through a bling button.

Here are the cards side by side...

You can see what a difference colors can make.  : )

To note: Candace uses an Expressions machine and doesn't use Design Space. Design Space isn't needed, but it's nice if I need to make this card in the future, I can just access the file.  You'd be able to replicate this in Craft Room too (for Expressions machines).  Design Space is for Explore or Air machines.  If you haven't purchased a machine yet, I suggest the Explore or Air.  Although the prices of the Expressions have dropped, they are being phased out.  You'll need to start using Craft Room as more cartridges go digital.  Design Space is a much more powerful program.  The disadvantage to the Explore/Air is that the machine is not a stand alone - you need a computer to cut your images.  Using the Craft Room will require your machine be connected to the computer though.

Fiesta Card Kit Doubles Up

I bought the fiesta card kit at the beginning of the Seasonal Expressions 2 activation - three months ago.  I was just going to show you how quick and simple the cards can go together.

Here is how the card kit comes.  The idea is to stamp the center white circle with an M sized stamp, color it in, and call it a day.  Very quick and simple.

See how the green/silver paper is the card base?!











I changed it up a bit, and thought I should show you before these babies are retired (next Wednesday - Aug 31,2016).

I made these 4 cards using 2 fiesta cards, some extra circle cuts, and some black cardstock.  Well, I used white cardstock for the flowers too.  20 card bases (because the kit makes 10 cards, and we're doubling that by cutting the bases apart, we need new bases).  And Watercolor Pencils.  Some Foam Tape.  And a couple of stamp sets.  Oh, and black ink.

I cut one fiesta card base at the seam, and used that to cover a new card base.  Then I cut the other fiesta side down to 4" x 5.25".  I had cut out a 4.25" x 5.5" Black cardstock base already.  Ooh, and as I'm typing this up, maybe leave the white card base showing instead of using black (let me know what you think)...  Let me show you close ups of the cards.

These first two show the fiesta base covering the whole base/front.  Both sayings are from Happy to Be Friends (C1605) set.  As another aside here, this stamp set comes in Spanish (C1605S) and French (C1605F).  Click on the order numbers to see the set on my website.  The Hawaiian Hibiscus (B1527) set lends the flowers and leaves.  They were colored in with the Watercolor Pencils and blended with the blending pen.

These next two cards have a black background (it's hard to see, but you'll have to trust me - look at the picture of the four cards, it's easier to see the black bases in that picture).  Same coloring technique as the above two cards.

Happy Birthday is from the M sized stamp set M1144 and has two birthday sentiments (this one is retiring next week too!).


What do you think?  Easy to replicate as long as you get the kit before next Wednesday the 31st.  There is also the Jubilee Card Kit with Raspberry and gold dots accents.  I've seen several flamingos with those bases.

Maybe I'll do a workshop with these cards next month?  What do you think?  I'll need to order by next Wednesday too, so let me know before then!

Thoughtful Thursday 8/25/16

Just getting this one in for the day.  I was getting ready for the middle school's welcome back carnival last week....

I just finished JK Rowling's new book/play.  Which, I have to say, wasn't the best.  Without giving anything away, I wish they didn't make Ron to be such a dolt.  To me, they exasperated his character from the HP series.  He wasn't as bad then.

In the meantime, Umbridge has a cameo in the book.  This was and is so true!

Like I said, Umbridge plays a very small role in the book, but it just brought back all the hatred I had toward her.  The actress who played her did such a good job!  And Rowlings wrote her part superbly!!

What did you think of the new book?

Highlight of Florence Paper Packet

I'm BAACCKKK!  This past Friday we had our middle school welcome back carnival.  It was a really long day (I was in charge), but we had a TON of students and families!  A success!!  This weekend I spent a lot of time on the couch recovering.  It helped a lot that the Olympics were still going on.  And, yes, I did take a nap!

Tonight I wanted to share with you a video about our Florence paper packet.  In the video, you'll get a chance to see the papers up close as well as some finished projects.  As you fall in love with the paper, don't wait too long to purchase it.  Florence, like everything in the Seasonal Expressions 2 idea booklet, will be retiring on August 31, 2016.

Once you've watched the video, come check out what we have to offer!

Stamping Technique Class

I'm teaching through the Poway Adult School in the Fall!  I'm super excited, and nervous.

This class I'm teaching is about stamping techniques.  There are two Saturday classes - October 8th and 15th, 2016 from 9 to 11:30am both weekends.

What will you learn?  We'll start at the basics of seasoning your stamps, go through the basics of stamping and then learn about distressing and other techniques.  In all, we'll go over 40 techniques, and you'll go home with a ringed sample of each technique we cover.

If you click here, I'll send you to the Poway Adult School home page.  Under courses, you can do a Course Search.  The name of the class is STAMPING TECHNIQUES GALORE.  Or you can look through the catalog.  Or hover over Courses, then Adult Courses, then Arts and Crafts, and finally Art Appreciation.

If you are just starting out in stamping, or want a refresher (but you might learn something new too), this is the class for you.

I hope to see you and your friends there!

Unbox your Cricut Expressions Machine

My second class through the Poway Adult School is all about the Cricut Expressions machine.

Do you have an Expressions machine but don't know how to use it?  Another hands on class... we'll go through the settings and each icon so you can use the machine!  We'll cut out a title for a binder.  Since I won't be using Close to my Heart Cartridges, students will be able to choose her/his own font from the machine default.

And if there's time, we'll go over the basics of Cricut Craft Room - the online place to create. The best part of Craft Room is that you can save your projects and cut them again and again.

UNBOX YOUR CRICUT EXPRESSIONS MACHINE can be found at the Poway Adult School.  Search under Courses using that title, or look through the catalog.

The class is Saturday October 1, 2016 from 9am to 12pm.

Unleash Your Cricut Explore/Air Machine

The first class I'm teaching at the Poway Adult School is about the Cricut Explore/Air machines.  Really, it's about using Design Space.  Too many people own the machine but aren't sure how to use it.  I'm planning on this being a hands on workshop where we'll go through the basics of Design Space.  Everyone will have their machine, and we'll cut some images out.  I won't be using Close to my Heart Collections, so the projects will vary - depending on what paper people bring and select.

I think this is the best class for me to start with (assuming enough people sign up for the class to run).

UNLEASH YOUR CRICUT EXPLORE/AIR MACHINE will be offered on Saturday September 24th, 2016 from 9am to 12pm.  Head over to Poway Adult School  to sign up for this class.

After the class, you'll want to go home and play and create!!

Don't worry if you don't own the Explore or Air machine.  I'm teaching another class about the Expressions machines.  And if you don't have a Cricut machine yet, you'll want the Explore or Air machine.  Cricut is going to all digital, which means no more cutting off line.  You can get some great deals on machines right now.

Thoughtful Thursday 8/4/16

I'm trying something new... I'm teaching through the Poway Adult School.  Well, I hope to teach.  There are three classes that the school is offering.  I'll teach if enough people sign up to take the courses.  What are they?  There are two Cricut classes, one for the Expressions machines and one for the Explore and Air machine.  The final class is a technique class.  We're going to cover 40 techniques that can be used when stamping and paper crafting.  I'm the most nervous about that class!

Check them out (along with other great classes the school provides).  My classes are listed under Arts and Crafts and Art Appreciation section (page 7).

I've been wanting to try teaching for a number of years.  My girls are old enough now, and my desire has grown too.  If the class(es) don't go this time, we'll try again.  Hopefully, though...

What new thing are you going to try?!

2016-2017 Annual Inspiration Now Live

OMG, you guys!  The new Idea book is chalked full of inspiring paper, stamps, and tools.  And, yes, there is a new Cricut Collection - Flower Market.

The flowers shown here are from the new Cricut Collection... but there is so much more (to the collection and the idea book)!

If you'd like to look page by page, online, you can.  Just click here and you can start looking!  If you've been a fan of CTMH for awhile, or are just falling in love, you'll notice that the book is thinner than in the past.  The papers and stamps now reflect the year round colors.  The background and texture papers are now the color families.

Don't worry though!  The designed/seasonal background and texture paper will be coming out in the Holiday Expressions and two Seasonal Expressions.

And with the start of this Annual Inspiration, that means there is only to the end of the month to purchase items from the Seasonal Expressions 2 booklet.  Plenty of good things in there, so don't miss out!