Happy Times Paper Sample

National Scrapbooking Month means a special paper packet and stamp set from Close to my Heart.  This special paper hit the mark!  It's colors are vibrant, the patterns are hip - with gold inlays, and I just love the way they are HAPPY!

My fabulous upline mailed me this card as an example:

Some things to point out...
The leaves and flowers are all Cricut cut from the same paper (ombre red/orange with green stripes on back).  The butterfly is also a Cricut cut in Champagne cardstock and then glittered (can't tell too well from picture).

The woodgrain paper is also part of the Happy Times paper packet (CC1063 - earn with $60 or buy for $14.95)

The stamp set used is So Many Smiles C1619 (same one as my May Workshop). And the accessories are Aqua Dots (Z1853) and Clear Sparkles (Z1752).

This card made me smile!!  Thank you, Kay!

Thoughtful Thursday 5/12/2016

I seem to have a bunch on my plate in the coming weeks.  I'm trying not to panic or over stress.  Retreating to my crafting is one way for me to handle things, too bad non-crafting tasks are on my plate...

Meadowbrook Middle School is having a book fair - buy one get one free - the week of May 23rd.  Come by and buy if you want to purchase some Scholastic books at fabulous prices (because you get one free).

I'm hosting a booth at the San Diego County Fair on June 8th, June 15th, and June 17th to show off Close to my Heart.  I'll be doing a live demonstration on the 15th at 4pm.  Come see me on the Home and Hobby floor!

Lindsey is promoting from 8th grade June 9th!

And I'm trying to get the ball rolling for our Welcome Back School Carnival (August 19th).

This illustration also reminds me of the movie Through the Looking Glass that is coming out soon.  There is some imagination there!

What would you like to escape from?!

Celebrate with Cake Stamp of the Month - May 2016

Before the month disappears on me (yes, I know we're not quite half way, but it was just February yesterday)!

Here is another versatile stamp set (S1605) that can be used for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and anything else you'd celebrate with cake (graduation season is around the corner).

Here's my card using the set, which I teamed up with the Magical Paper Packet (X7209B):

This pattern #20 is from Make it From Your Heart Volume #2.  The dark blue strip is actually Sapphire cardstock (X5775).  "Celebrate" is stamped on it in Black ink (Z2105).

Next, I stamped the candle and cake slice with the Black Pigment Ink (Z2503) on scratch White Daisy cardstock.  I added Super Fine Clear Embossing Powder (Z2088) over the images and heat embossed them.

For the stand, I inked that up with VersaMark ink (Z891) and heat embossed with Silver Embossing Powder (Z2067).

Coloring was done with the ShinHan alcohol markers:

The candle is colored with Carmine (Z2448), as is the base of the flame.  The flame is finished off with Golden Yellow (Z2452).  The stand was treated to Turquoise Blue (Z2465).  The accents were hit with Warm Grey 4 (Z2467) and then the Colorless Blending Pen (Z2469) softened the color a little more.  The cake icing was colored with Marine Blue (Z2458) and then the cake was highlighted with Warm Grey 4, softened again with the Colorless Blending Pen.

Then all three elements were cut out (I highly recommend our Micro-tip scissors - Z534 or Non-stick Micro-tip scissors (Z1836).



The finishing touches:

I added the candle to the back of the cake - only half of it is exposed because I didn't want it to disappear in the dotted background. The cake stand was adhered directly to the card base.  The Cake received some Thin 3D Foam (Z2060) and the tip of the candle got 3D Foam (Z1151) to add a little more dimension to the image.

Calypso Sequins (Z3215) - black and white -  were added as accents, and done!!

Thoughtful Thursday 5/5/2016

Yesterday was Star Wars day with "May the 4th be with you" - a play on "May the Force be with you".  Since 2012, today has been Revenge of the 5th - for Revenge of the Sith - incorporating everything Star Wars beyond the original trilogy.

Here is a quick blurb about today's origins:

"Dallas-based Medina and his friend Eric Shirey created Revengeofthe5th.net in 2012 as a reaction to Star Wars Day. “My nephew cracked a joke on May 4 about Revenge of the Fifth,” Medina told Inverse over the phone. The new phrase was a riff on Revenge of the Sith, the title of George Lucas’ third prequel episode of the saga, and was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek companion to Star Wars Day. It honored the movies just like the fourth, but instead expanded the celebration to two days and was meant to highlight the kitschier side of Star Wars."  If you'd like to read more, here is the whole article.

Party goers believe May 6th is the Revenge of the 5th in celebration of Cinco de Mayo.  What's your take?

May is National Scrapbooking Month - Happy Times 2016

Along with our newest offering in the Seasonal Expressions 2 catalog, May is National Scrapbooking Month.  Of course CTMH is going to celebrate with an exclusive Stamp Set and Paper Packet!!

Get your paper packet for free with a qualifying order of $60 (subtotal).  Or you can buy it outright for $14.95.  It features floral designs, gold foil details, and fun bright colors!  The corresponding D-sized stamp set Happy Times is no slouch either!  But don't wait: the month of May will be over before you know it and so will the opportunity to purchase these items!!  Come shop now, and don't forget, Mother's Day is next week!

May 2016 Display Tray and Card Workshop

I want to share with you my May workshop.  We'll be making this display tray and two cards featuring Calypso paper, So Many Smiles stamp set, and Clear Sparkles.  This paper and workshop will make you happy with the colors.

Would you like to join me on Tuesday May 17th or Wednesday May 18th?  You'll make the display tray (the empty spots are where pictures will go), and 2 each of the two cards.  Cost will only be $32 for all materials.

Materials will need to be ordered by Thursday May 5th, so please let me know by then if you're coming.

Thoughtful Thursday April 28, 2016

Our recreational softball league has two more games.  We played Tuesday night, and play tonight for seeding purposes.  There are only three teams in our age division, so the first place team will automatically play in the championship game.

Our team is made up of new players and lots of girls without much experience.  Some of the girls want to learn and get better; some who don't care that much.  It's hard for me to understand the girls who don't care.  Why not try your best?  Why not play to help your team and teammates?  Why not care, and make a correction when a mistake is made?  You would think all the girls are there to have fun.

I chose this quote because of it all.

From the coaches perspective:  Does this mean the better players should play the majority of the game in an attempt to win (our team has won two games out of 13)?  If that's the case, then surely the coach can say he couldn't have done better.

But what about those players sitting more? How do they define success?  Will the players come back next year because the team won with them on the bench?

Personally I think that scenario is for All-Stars.  This is recreational softball.  All the girls should have a chance to play, even if that means we will probably lose.  It's the larger picture that's important.  After all, after this weekend the season will be over.  Some players still won't care.  Some players may have made the play of her life, and talk about it for years to come (or maybe think about the play).  Most of all, though, I hope each girl plays her best.

Good luck, girls.  Have some fun!