Thoughtful Thursday 1/7/2016

What do you think about this?! I'd like to chase some of my dreams this year...

I'm even going to go out on a limb and call them resolutions. I would like to send birthday cards to those whom I know (and who's address I have). Want one too, but I may not have your address? Email me (dskdots (at) san (dot) rr (dot) com and I'll add you.  I've told myself about this goal for a year, but I'm not sure I put it out there. I've read that by sharing, you are more likely to follow through.

For other months, I'd like to send out thinking of you cards.  Connecting with happy mail hopefully will put a smile on the recipients face.

I would like to be more technologically savvy and present.  I'm taking a four week class on that starting next week.

I would like to interact with my customers more - share more one on one.  And I would like to have more customers.  Therefore I need to leave my comfort zone and tout what I do to more people. : )

What about you? What dream do you want to catch this year?!

Seasonal Expressions January - April 2016 Now LIVE!

Nothing like starting the new year with health issues... I'm better now and am ready to show you the newest offerings from Close to my Heart!  Seasonal Expressions is now available for your viewing pleasure!

What's new, you may ask?

• First, there are three new paper packets that have been repackaged.  With our current Inspirations paper packets, you'll be receiving some cardstock along with the background and texture paper.  Starting with Charlotte, Penelope, and Regatta, the cardstock is replaced with two more background and texture papers - including one page of Picture My Life cards.  Here's a look at the Charlotte paper packet and you can see what I mean...
  

• Second, we now have Thin Cuts which are metal dies the coordinate with some stamp sets to eliminate cutting.  You'll use your favorite die cutting machine to cut shapes.  The neat thing is they come in a 6" x 6" pouch (just like the stamp sets) and stay on a magnetic sheet.  Right now there are 4 Thin Cuts available, but I suspect more will be coming in the next Seasonal Expression (but don't hold me to it!)
• Of course there are new stamp sets and accessories!
• Close to my Heart has listened to you in regards to the Workshops on the Go.  They have been renamed to Workshops Your Way and do NOT include a stamp set.  Instead they include the coordinating complements and extras (still so worth the price which has come down a little!).  From that, you'll be able to create 3 layouts plus a Picture My Life pocket scrapbooking layout.  With a few other suggested items, you can create cards with the extra paper and accessories.
• Three new Picture My Life program cards, including an overlay in white
• The Everyday Life collection - includes an album, coordinating Memory Protectors, planner/calendar, My Crush pages, Wahsi tape, and a roller stamp
• Another Instalife album and cards for those "little" moments (the album fits our 4" x 4" Memory Protectors)
• Finally, our Stamp of the Months for January through April are shown in the back

You just need to check things out for yourself... there is WAY to much fabulous for me to show you here.  Plus you'll get to see the inspiring artwork found within the Seasonal Expressions.

Are you ready to have some of the new items, but are still recovering from the holidays?  Think about hosting your own gathering.  We can do an online gathering where you'd invite your friends to shop your gathering.  We can do a Facebook gathering - all done online.  Or I can come to your home and show your friends and neighbors some of the awesomeness of Close to my Heart products.

Thoughtful Thursday 12/24/15

Merry Christmas!  I hope you are spending today or tomorrow with family or friends.  If you can't, may you think of them and smile!

Hugs!

A Little When It's Needed

Sunday Ray went to find Belle.  He told me it was time when he won't take the meds (or food) that might help him.  I listened even though it was hard...

Yesterday was hard for me, especially when the doorbell rang.  After 11 years (at this house - I had an additional 11 years at our other house) of hearing a dog bark, it was silent.

I had shopping to do, but I stopped by the decoration section.  I needed something to make me a little happier.  I found and bought this.  Putting him out was the second thing I did when I got home (peeing was the first -- I  know, tmi).

It made me happier to know there's a dog around, and there always will be.








The third thing I did when I got home was go check on my Snowbell bulbs.  I'd been really good about not checking on them, but it was time.




I found six plants just breaking ground!  Some of them aren't even this high so it was hard to find them all.  In fact, this one was under the bark that I pushed aside to find!

I was as happy as I could be!





I'm trusting that Ray found Belle who introduced him to Benny (who lived with Belle) who in turn introduced him to Rex, Rosie (first dogs), Cujo, Prairie (sister's dogs), and Camille (another sister's dog).  Cujo and Prairie introduced Lily to Ray too.  And just maybe, they found my childhood dog, Missy.  Gosh, I hope so!  And they are one big family running around and healthy.

This is the first time since 1993 that a dog has not lived in my house.  I need a couple of months before I start looking for our next two...  Thanks Ray and Belle, my wonderful babies, for these chapters of my life.  You will be missed, and through my tears, I'll smile at all the good times.

6th Grade Camp Card: 5 of 5

Whew!  So I decided on, cut, and assembled (oh, and wrote) all five of the camp cards in about 2 hours (okay, maybe 2.5 hours - it was a late night).

This last card is Middle Ground (page 19) of Wishes.  Words from Finding the Words and butterfly from Your Own Kind of Wonderful (D1627).

First off, I made my card to determine the colors I was going to paint my butterfly.  The background is Gypsy cardstock.  There is also Pixie ("Special" is stamped on that) and Cotton Candy (one step darker than Pixie) to back the butterfly.  The polka dot strip is the zip strip from one of the B&T papers.

Once I knew the colors of the card, I took a rectangular piece of Watercolor paper and my watercolors.  I painted horizontally across the rectangle.  Once it was dry (I assembled the card and others while I waited), I stamped with Black ink (you can use the Stazon on Archival Ink, but since I stamped after the paper was dry, I wasn't worried about bleedage (yes that is a word I just made up)).

There was too much white space after I adhered the butterfly on so I added some Black Sparkles (retired).  The butterfly may look like it's taking off the card (it is if you were holding the card), because it is.  I added thin foam to the middle of the lower wings and regular 3D foam to the top of the top wings.  I glued the bottom of the bottom wings directly to the paper.  Fun!

I should probably start on my summer camp cards now and put them aside so I can get some sleep before the girls leave!  Wait, I can't do that... I don't know what wonderful paper there is going to be in the Seasonal Expressions 2 supplemental.  Somethings are better to wait...

6th Grade Camp Card 4 of 5

Today's camp card was inspired by the color Pacifica.  It is one of the colors from the Kaleidoscope paper packet, but I wasn't happy with what I had in my mind with any of the background and texture papers.  Finding the Words ( D1646) was the only stamp set used for this card.

Bandwidth is the pattern, came from Originals, and is on page 31.

The Pacifica cardstock background was distressed by lightly rubbing (in a circular motion) the Pacifica ink pad on the cardstock.  In fact, all of the distressing was done with Pacifica ink.  The Lagoon band with "Love" and the two squares (Sweet Leaf and White Daisy)  are sponge distressed.

The hearts were stamped in the three colors of the card - Sweet Leaf, Lagoon, and Pacifica.  They are placed on the card to stand out.  It wouldn't have looked as good if I put the Pacifica heart on top because it wouldn't stand out as much, just like the Lagoon heart wouldn't being on top of the Lagoon  band.

6th Grade Camp Card #3 of 5

I have so much to share this week, I'm doing it twice today!

This card made me smile!  The butterfly is from Your Own Kind of Wonderful (D1627).  The words are again from Finding the Words (D1646).  And the paper is from the Kaleidoscope paper packet.

"MAKE ME SMILE" is a straight stamp that I curved (I love acrylic stamps!!!).  The butterly is stamped in Gypsy.

This card was originally a 6" x 6" card found in Wishes.  It's called Keep it Level and is home on page 107.  Since I wanted to make a 3" x 3" card, I just halved each of the measurements from the book.  Simple.  : )

Hopefully Amber smiled when she opened this one.