Have a Ball Birthday

My beach-loving friend celebrated her birthday this month, so I made this card and gift bag for her.

 To create the card, I used the Regatta paper pack and a cool new paper pleating technique I found over at Split Coast Stampers.  I stamped the happy birthday from the CTMH/Cricut Artfully Sent collection and cut the circles from the CTMH/Cricut Artistry cartridge.  Embellishments include the Regatta assortment, blue shimmer trim, and aqua dots.

For the paper bag, I used the Beach Days stamp set and Sapphire, Ruby, and Flaxen inks.

I hope that she had a ball for her birthday!

H2H Challenge: Mother's Day

This week at Heart2Heart Challenges, we're celebrating mothers! You have less than a week until Mother's Day (in the US), and I hope that we can inspire you to get crafty. I'm very excited to be on the H2H Design Team for the next few months. Did you know that you have the entire month to play and submit your challenge creation? Please join us! (Just click on the H2H link to link up your project. There are two prizes this month, sponsored by Sharon Holmes and Angel Schifflett, going to random winners, but you must enter to win.) We the Design Team will also be checking out your work to help pick the Top Ten creations, so play along with one challenge or all of them this month!

Since my card for my mom is already made (and everyone but her can view HERE), it was time to get crafty for my mother-in-law. While on the search for some paper doilies in my craft heap (I know I have them somewhere, but they obviously weren't found!), I came across these vintage library pockets and cards. A few of them were yellow, her favorite color, and she's an avid reader, so the card evolved from there. The yellow matched well with our CTMH Buttercup card stock, so I paired it with a Desert Sand card base and some scraps from the Miracle paper pack. If you look closely, you can see that I added a few Buttercup stripes to the Miracle paper. My flower was inspired by this tutorial (which is also a Paper Craft Planet 3-D Challenge), although I certainly had to improvise on mine. (Let me know if you have any specific questions.)

The library card pulls out to be used as a book mark so that she can carry a little love with her wherever she goes. I made sure to keep the layers to a bare minimum so that it would be practical to use, so I did lots of random and generational stamping on the book mark itself. You can barely see the Buttercup flowers, but it adds a nice, subtle touch in person. I also random stamped the flowers on the back, but left it plain so that if she wanted to keep track of the books she's read or take any notes, she can.

Happy Mother's Day (just a few days early) to all the moms of the world! I am blessed to be able to share Mother's Day with my two precious daughters, my Mom, and my MIL, and lots of other special moms. Show off your creative Mother Mojo and join us at H2H!

Techniques: random stamping; generation stamping; paper piecing; rock 'n roll stamping; masking; 3-D paper roses.

Supplies from Close To My Heart: A Flitter, Chocolate Alphabet- Small, A Game, and Tag the Occasion stamp sets; Desert Sand, Buttercup, Sweet Leaf, and Crystal Blue inks; Buttercup marker and card stock; Miracle paper pack; Desert Sand card stock; 2" scalloped circle punch; 1-1/4" circle punch; Liquid Glass; Opaques Pearls

Other: library card and pocket (source unknown)

Embrace Imperfection (New Class @ BPC)

Here's another free class for you! Are you familiar with Big Picture Classes? (It used to be known as Big Picture Scrapbooking.) I go there often to nurture my creative soul, and most of the classes I've taken have been excellent. I'm signed up for "Embrace Imperfection," a FREE class starting next month. Who doesn't love free? Why don't you give it a try? Click on the class name to go check it out. Be sure to use my referral code or registration code: 730328C8 if you decide to sign up. Thanks!

Join Me for a Free Class

Just click HERE to check it out!

More Mist Tips

Practical Scrappers has a great post today about using mists- and a giveaway too!

Great Christmas Project Ideas!

My "Joyful" banner is featured today at Practical Scrappers along with some amazingly beautiful Christmas project ideas. Go check them all out!

(Here is the back of the same banner, in case you missed it before.)

Log Your Memory 12/7

Today's Story Starter #7: My wish list right now includes …

a wireless printer! (Any recommendations?)

What's on your list?

Log Your Memory 12/6

Today's Story Starter #6: My favorite way to relax right now is …

... still my usual ways:
*walking the dog (although today was awfully cold!)
*spending some time visiting favorite blogs and checking in on Facebook (I'll admit that I love to play Mahjong there!)
*curling up with a good book
*soaking in the bath tub
*stamping and scrapbooking

(OK, I am sounding quite hedonistic, aren't I?)

What is (or are) yours?

Log Your Memory 12/5

Today's Story Starter #5: The temperature outside lately has been …

COLD! In fact, our deck is turning white this morning with a bit of sleet and snow- the first of the season, and it's only 12/5! Brrr... I hadn't even pulled out all our winter clothes, but it is definitely time to NOW.

Photo-A-Day Challenge

This concept is something I really, really want to do, but I failed miserably last year (and haven't even tried this year since our little one has been sick since December rolled in). Maybe it really, truly, will be doable this year thanks to the great PDF I found right HERE. Go check it out, and let me know what you think.

Log Your Memory 12/4

Today's Story Starter #4: My fondest childhood memory involving this time of year is …

The first thing that came to mind was opening all the presents under our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, but that isn't entirely "this time of year," so I would have to say that my favorite memory this time of year would be the advent calendar my grandmother made for us and singing Christmas carols in the car in the dark on the way home from friends' houses or wherever we might have been.

Share your fondest childhood memory here too.

Be Inspired @ A Matter of Memories

Here's a cool website that I just found that you scrappers might really enjoy!



If the button doesn't take you there, try clicking HERE.

My Layout Is Featured...

...on the Stamping Scrapbooker's home page! If you like to stamp and scrapbook, then you might enjoy this Yahoo group. Go check them out! You will not be bombarded with tons of junk in your in box, but you will enjoy checking out other people's layouts (or at least I do).

Each month (or most months at least) they run a contest, and the winning layout is featured on the home page. I couldn't resist entering our family portrait layout for the "Squares" challenge. I was surprised to find out I won! Thank you!

Make It From Your Heart

If you love Close To My Heart products, then you will love the new Make It from Your Heart Art Gallery. Go check it out! You won't be disappointed, and you'll want to bust out your stamps and papers. What will you create?

Mojo Monday #128 (on Sunday)

Whew! This card for the Mojo Monday sketch #128 almost didn't happen. I cut it close on the time limit, but things have been busy here (as usual), and I'm a bit under the weather (cold/sore throat). Yesterday we did get to leave Mayberry and head South because Logan had to go to a viewing (the mother of one of his groomsmen). The girls and I hit the outlet mall, so we definitely got the better end of the bargain! (Our big score was them each getting a $10 pair of Osh Kosh jeans.)

Anyway, back to the card! All supplies are from Close To My Heart. I stamped the vine on the left side of the card in Cocoa ink. Then I stamped the flowers in Creme Brulee on the Vanilla Cream side of a piece of B&T from the Veranda collection, cut them out, and adhered them to the card. A little ink distressing, a little scissor distressing, a little flower layering, and voila! (Let me know if you have any questions about anything. I'd love to know what you think of my card. Thanks!)

Materials: Veranda Creative Basics paper pack (which includes the Creme Brulee ribbon), Veranda My Reflections paper pack; Follow Your Heart stamp set (only available with the Veranda Workshop on the Go); Cocoa and Creme Brulee inks; Cocoa marker; Dimensional Elements Perennials (chipboard); Just Blooms Spring Blossoms collection (paper flowers); Spring Blossom brads assortment

Techniques: distressing with ink and markers; scissor distressing

National Wear Red Day

Did you know that one in three women will die from cardiovascular disease? Wear red today in support of women's heart health. Visit the American Heart Association and Go Red for Women to learn more. Start changing your lifestyle NOW to protect your heart. It's the only one you've got!

Toot! Toot!

Woohoo am I excited!!!

My "Dream Wishes" card was selected as one of this week's Top Trio cards over at 365 Cards! In case you missed my card, here it is again. You can read all about it on my post for 1/20/10. I am so super excited to have been chosen!!! Thank you!

{Scroll down for today's artwork post... It may not rock the house like this one, but it's still pretty darn cute, if my humble self does say so!}

New Art & Soul Webisode

There's Lots to Love in the latest Close To My Heart TV "Art & Soul" webisode. Go check it out! Click HERE or go to http://haleyd.myctmh.com/ and then click on the CTMH TV button on left. This webisode is less than 11 minutes, so check it out this weekend. You'll love it!

Halloween Photo Tips

Halloween is one of my girls' favorite holidays (2nd only to Christmas I think). Scrapbooks, Etc. is offering some great Halloween photo tips, so go check them out if you have some ghosts and goblins to photograph this year.

We are busy around the house today and are going to a Western-theme dinner at church tonight. Yeehaw!

I'm a Winner! Woohoo!

In between loads of laundry yesterday, I was catching up on some of my favorite blogs and was shocked to find that I WON this gorgeous canvas from my fabulously artsy friend, Tresa! Am I super lucky or what?!? I am sure to have more photos when it arrives and I add my own picture. Now to decide on just the right one...

If you'd like to learn how to make those gorgeous paper roses, just click right here. Check her blog often because Tresa is fabulously talented, and not just in the paper crafting department, although there is no doubt that she is indeed the Stamp Goddess! Thank you so much! Muchas gracias!! Merci mille fois!!!

Yesterday I did indeed get the laundry finished and put away (hooray!). We got most of the household chores finished too, so we're going to our town's fall festival this afternoon. I'm glad we're back in time to go. I'm trying a new recipe in the crockpot (which I love to use) so I'll let you know how it turns out. Have a happy Saturday wherever you are and whatever you're doing!