Creative Corner - YIKES!

* PLEASE know that you will have to turn your head sideways to see the pictures. :0) I uploaded and deleted and rotated pictures a hundred times, and EVERYTIME they came out sideways...not sure what happened...SORRY! :0)

Hello Friends!

It has been such a crazy couple of weeks - busy with school, church, and so much more. I was eating lunch with the kids this afternoon, and it hit me...it's been TWO weeks since I posted a Creative Corner!

So....let's correct that problem. Do you need some inspiration?

Here's a cute mini book I made recently. Let me share a little something about the book...

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Marcia called and wanted to ask a favor. She knows that I am always looking for some kind of community service to involve my kids in, so she told me a story about sweet young 5 year old girl named Oceana. Oceana was recently placed in the hospital where she has been diagnosed with cancer, for the SECOND time. The story moved my heart with compassion, and when Marcia asked if we could make a couple of Valentine cards for her - I couldn't help but say "YES!".

That started the creative process...we made Valentine cards, crocheted, a hat, blanket and bag, and picked out some yummy chocolate. The final touch to the goodies was this mini 6x6 album. I immediately went to my leftover Hooligans paper, it matched the purple and green that we used for her hat, blanket and bag. Such FUN colors! We made the book to be an ABC book of Oceana's favorite things. She can add a picture and journal about the item.

Hope you like it and feel inspired to not only be creative, but also to serve someone in your part of the world. Can I ask one other favor? When you kneel down to pray at night, please offer up a special petition for a sweet young girl named Oceana.

Happy Scrappin'...I will be back on Thursday to post another Creative Corner...hopefully, the pictures will be straight! :0)

Come See What's New with CTMH...

Welcome to our New Product Blog Hop! My friends and I are so excited about the new products in the CTMH Spring/Summer 2011 Ideabook, and I am so glad you are joining us on this blog hop.

If you came here from Melissa's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all the way around. If you get lost along the way, you can find a complete list HERE.

We have 11 talented consultants participating in this hop. The journey is simple...just click on the link at the end of each blog post to move to the next blog.

READY?! Here we go...

My creative project features the new MyCreations Banner and the new Sophia paper pack. I have to be honest, this project is one that fellow consultant Karen Pedersen created. When she shared it, I just couldn't resist and created one for myself!

The banner is made to use for home decor puposes...it uses the new E-Size Bohemian Alphabet set to spell SPRING on one side, and SUMMER on the other. Also, the new 2 inch scalloped punch was used to create the floral pieces each letter is mounted on. To complete the touch on the paper flowers, the new CTMH Pink Assortment of Buttons were used.

The MyCreations banners are amazing, and can be used for many different occassions and can even showcase precious photos.

The Sophia Paperpack is a collection of beautiful floral themed paper using the color combination of Blush, Hollyhock, Pear and Goldrush. It is GORGEOUS!

Ready to see some more amazing artwork?! "Hop" on over to Shirley's Blog. Be sure to check out all the consultants' blogs to see some creative work and to pick up some GREAT crafting ideas.

Don't forget also to contact your consultant or check HERE to see how you can purchase these products for yourself.

Just for fun, here's another fun item I created using my Sophia scrap...A journal for my good friend Roslyn Faust. ENJOY!

February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring February's SOTM, which is "Friendship", a set of 8 stamps. If you have come here from Adeline's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have several Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations 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!

To create this 5x7 card, I used paper from the Wings Level 2 paper pack, and the Ribbon Winner card template from the CTMH Orginals Card Confidence Program. The flourish was created by using the "Multi-Colored Embossing" technique found on page 23 of the new CTMH Spring/Summer Catalog. I first stamped the image in Vineyard Berry ink and then "rolled" the edges in Black ink. To complete the technique, I clear embossed over the top of the color.

The finishing touches of the card include using embellishments from the new Black Mini-Medley collection, Colonial White Organdy ribbon, and scissor distressing around all the edges.

To see more fabulous Stamp of the Month artwork, "Hop" on over to Laurie'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 February SOTM is only available until February 28th. Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Creative Corner

Hello Everyone!

Happy Thursday! Are you preparing for a fun and exciting weekend?! I can't wait - I am working on all of my special little projects for our CTMH Catalog crop on Saturday - it is going to be so much fun to share all the new a fun stuff with all of my scrapping friends! Hope you will join me : Saturday, Noon - 6pm at my home. WOOHOO!

Okay, so the real reason for this post is to share some creative inspiration with you this week. This simple project was so fun to create and is going to make a super-duper gift for a great friend of mine. I took an 8x10 photo frame and scrapped...now all I have to do is add a simple dry erase marker, and it becomes a very fashionable dry erase board that sits at your desk, or by the phone - anywhere you need it to be!

Of course, if you are not sure of how to design your space, I just used a 5x7 card design from the CTMH Wishes book, and made sure I left a space larger enough to write a message on...EASY!

Also, if you notice, I added a wallet size mat in the top left corner. This is the perfect spot for a sweet picture of someone special in your life. Fun, huh?!

Hope you enjoy this easy project - try one for yourself - you'll be surprised by how easy it is, and what a neat gift it will make.

Hello Friends!

Hope you are enjoying a wonderful productive week!

Thanks to my consultant friend, Pamela O'Connor, I am currently participating in a scrapbook challenge that combines the art of scrapbooking with Bible study - commonly known as Faithbooking. This version of Faithbooking involves creating a scrapbook page that revolves around a word that you have studied in your personal devotional time.

The fun part is that the lady coordinating this challenge gives a new word every 2 weeks, and the new word begins with the next letter of the alphabet. So, today, I am sharing with you my "A" page which is "Anchor".

I hope you enjoy these posts. I will share each time a new word has been scrapbooked - hang in there with me, and we will complete the alphabet during 2011.

I would like to encourage each of you to join me on this journey this year. Take the time to let your heart meditate on the focus word and don't be afraid to search through God's Word to bring guidance and strength to you.

I look forward to hearing from you all - and hope that this simple art will be an inspiration to you creatively and spiritually.

If you would like to check on the blog I am following for this challenge, click here. :0)

Creative Corner

Hello Friends!



Happy Thursday! I hope you all are enjoying your week and feeling productive. How excited are you that the weekend is almost here?!



Today, I would like to share a special project with you that I created a few weeks ago for my special friend, Jamie Sossamon. Jamie is a friend of mine from our homeschooling world, and she is just days - maybe hours away from delivering her fourth child. This lady is amazing and her children are just beautiful. I can't wait to give her this gift for baby Emma...

This beautiful white 12x12 shadow box came from Target, and I created a single layout to showcase a special newborn 8x10 photo of baby Emma. There is also a space to include her newborn statistics. Even in the top right corner, they could add her wristband from the hospital - there is room for it in the shadowbox. What a wonderful way to capture this precious newborn's grand entrance to the world! :0)

Welcome to baby Emma, and blessings to the Sossamon family!

I have been wanting to share this project for several weeks...I hope you like it and can see in spite of the wallpaper... :o)

This is the gift I made for my Mother-in-Law for Christmas. The pictures are of each of the grandkids and each of her 2 sons' families. My MIL was sooooo happy to receive this - pictures from the heart always make a wonderful gift!

This 13x14 shadow box came from Seven Gypies. I used CTMH Carnberry, Black and White cardstock to mat the wallet size black and white photos, and included a tag with the family name on the bottom. It was so easy to embellish, and I think the ribbons on the handle really set it off.

I hope you enjoy this! Let me know what you think...