More Studio J

Here's another Studio J layout of our vacation in 2009.  I never bought the Stickease to go with this paper pack, so I love the fact that Studio J includes the matching Stickease for each paper pack!

January 2011 CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop

Welcome to the January 2011 CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop!  This month our hop is featuring Valentine's ideas.  If you have just arrived from {Debbie's} blog, you are on the right path.  If you are just beginning here, you won't miss any of the action, as our hop is a full circle.  Just click on the link at the end of each post to take you to the next blog in the hop.

My project is a Valentine's box.  This box actually has multiple uses.  It could be placed on the desk to receive Valentines in, it could be given full of chocolate kisses, or it could even be used to hide a jewelry box.  The box came from the dollar bin at Target, and all other items are CTMH (unless noted).

  

 

Papers: CTMH cardstock in Blush and Garden Green, CTMH That's Amore
Inks: CTMH Chocolate and Tulip, StazOn Timber Brown (to color the Colonial White Bigger Brads), CTMH Re-inker in Blush and Tulip
Tools and Techniques: CTMH ribbon(Cocoa Collection), CTMH Bigger Brads (Colonial White), Sponging (to color the Colonial White Bigger Brad and the cardstock on the flag), White Daisy Crochet Flowers (from Mini Medley Accents Collection), Mod Podge
Stamp Sets: CTMH Amore

Two outside of the ordinary things I did for this project:  I used alcohol mixed with Re-inker to color the crochet flowers, and I coated the completed box with Mod Podge to give it extra durability.

I hope you're inspired to create a fun Valentine project of your own.  Now hop on over to {Vicki's} blog to see her creation.

Happy New Year!!!

I will scrap more in 2011!!!  To get that off to a good start, I made a few Studio J layouts on New Year's Eve.  This is from our family vacation in 2009.

I love Studio J membership!  I get free shipping on one order of layouts each month (minimum and maximums apply, and vary based on shipping location), my layouts are half-price because I'm a member, there are special papers and layouts that are only available to members, I get free page protectors with every order, and I get free .jpgs of my purchased layouts (both high resolution for printing, and lower resolution for posting online).  Want more info on Studio J?  Just check it out on my website by clicking here.

2010 Scrapping Counts

2010 ended up being a far busier year than I'd anticipated, so my scrapping totals were rather disappointing.  My scrapping goals for 2010 were 100 pages and 200 cards.  Here is what I ended up with:

Pages complete: 15
Cards complete: 40
Altered Items: 22
Digital Pages complete: 16

I never had time to start a scrap group or cardmaking group, I fell short on my blog posting goal (twice per week), and since I didn't scrap much, my Silhouette didn't get used much either (though I think I downloaded every file from the Silhouette store).  I didn't even mail out Christmas cards for 2010.  I did make a point of using my stash when I was able to scrap, although that was at least partly influenced by my location.  For 2011, I plan to start making others step up and do more at work, and not to volunteer to take on so many projects and activities this year.  I also intend to put scrapping on my schedule, so hopefully I will be able to do it more.  

My 2011 goals will be mostly a repeat of my 2010 goals:  100 pages (including digital), 200 cards, use my Silhouette more often, get cards done the month before they are needed AND actually get them in the mail (I'm a notorious postal failure), and try to get some of that old scrapping caught up.  Tell me about your scrapping goals for 2011.

December 2010 Spotlight Blog Hop

"If I gave you diamonds and pearls
Would you be a happy boy or a girl

If I could I would give you the world

But all I can do is just offer you my love..."

And with that bit of Prince, I bring you my contribution to the December 2010 CTMH Product Spotlight Blog Hop, featuring Sparkles and Pearls.  You may have arrived here from {DEBBIE'S} blog.  If that is the case, you are on the right path.  If this is your first stop on the hop, welcome!  Our hop is a circular hop, so you can jump in here and follow the links at the end of each blog to see all of the creations using CTMH Sparkles and CTMH Pearls.

My project this month is a {candy} jar for my desk.  Wearing combat boots for a living, I frequently feel the need to express my "grrl"-y side, which I do by carrying pink pens, working out in Running Skirts, volunteering as a cheerleading coach, and using cute stuff on my desk.  Truthfully, I don't need a candy jar on my desk, but I really do enjoy "marking my territory" in the land of testosterone.  LOL.  Anyway, back to the jar.  I actually lucked upon the jar for $.50 while at the thrift shop looking for accessories for my Halloween costume.  The previous owner had decorated it as well, but I looked beyond the decorations to see something that I could alter as I saw fit.  To me, that big cork top SCREAMED for a giant flower,  and I was happy to oblige with a CTMH Big Pink.  I mixed up a batch of glimmer-y mist using CTMH Re-inker in Garden Green, Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint, and water, which were placed in a Ranger Ink Mini Mister bottle (but you could use any leftover misting-type bottle, even your Spritz cleaner bottle).  I sprayed the flower with my glimmery-y mist and let it dry.  I used the adorable A Flitter stamp set to stamp the dragonfly and then random stamp the little butterflies in Garden Green ink on Garden Green cardstock.  The cardstock was attached with Liquid Glass.  Once the flower was really dry, I tacked it to the cork top (adhesive alone didn't seem to be the best idea) and then proceeded to decorate the flower center with CTMH Pearls and Buttercup Sassy Strands (retired).  To give some extra lift to the flower petals, I put a 3-D mounting foam square beneath each one.  Isn't this a yummy candy jar?

Now hop on over to {Tracey's} blog for some more BLING!

December 2010 Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the December 2010 CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop, featuring Amore, a set of 13 Stamps.  If you've just arrived here from {Sarita's} blog, you are on the right path.  If you are just starting here, just jump in and enjoy our circular hop, which has over 60 participants this month.  When you reach the end of a post, click on the link at the end to go to the next post in the hop.  Prepare to be inspired!!!


I just realized that this is my 18th month of participating in this blog hop! I hope you enjoy hopping for inspiration as much as I do.  This month's project is a cute card that I made following the Satchel pattern from the book Wishes.  Originally I planned to stay away from the color pink for this card, but I just couldn't resist the That's Amore papers.

Papers: CTMH cardstock in Chocolate and Garden Green
Inks: CTMH Chocolate, StazOn Timber Brown (to color the Filigree Charm and the Colonial White Designer Brad)
Tools and Techniques: CTMH ribbon, Karen Foster Design Scrapper's Floss, Sponging (to color the Filigree Charm and the Colonial White Designer Brad), Wishes "Satchel" pattern, Liquid Glass
Stamp Sets: CTMH Amore

My bit of fun for this card was the closure.  I don't think I've ever made anything with a closure like this.  I attached the Filigree Charm (which I sponged with StazOn Timber Brown to make it match) to the lower part of the card.  I cut a little piece of foam to place between the front of the card and the charm in order to give it some lift off the page (so the floss would wrap around it easily for closure).  I colored a Colonial White Designer Brad by sponging it with Timber Brown StazOn, and attached it to the top flap of the card, also using a small piece of foam to give it lift, and using Liquid Glass to attach the floss to the brad before I inserted it into the card.  I think the little pieces of foam were the secret to making this closure work well.  The foam is scraps from something I made using those little foamy sheets that they have in the craft sections (the same material that those foamy stickers in the buckets are made of).  This closure would work great for gift card or money holders too.


Remember, Amore is only available 1-31 December 2010.  Contact your Close To My Heart consultant, or click here, to find out how to order your own--or maybe even get it for FREE!!


Now hop on over to {Judy's blog} to see her creation.


If you find any broken links along the way, Helen has the complete list on her blog. 

November 2010 CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop Featuring Christmas Stamps

Welcome to the November 2010 CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop.  This month we are featuring Christmas Stamps.  If you've just arrived from {Jenifer's} blog, you are on the right path.  If you are just starting here, simply click on the link at the end of the post to go to the next blog on our circular hop.

I am simply ADORING the cute little "A" stamp sets.  Firstly, the prices were recently reduced, and I can't resist a bargain!  But most importantly, they are fantastic little sets in a cute little package.  For this month's project, I used A Timber, which features a flourished Christmas tree, a few additional decorations, some flourishes, and the "Happy Holidays" sentiment.  I also broke out my package of Colonial White Circle Cards and the Mistletoe Creative Basics pack.  I stamped the cute flourished tree in New England Ivy on Garden Green cardstock, then cut it out.  The card front was covered with the patterned paper, the sentiment was stamped on a chipboard ribbon slide (which was sponged with Bamboo ink), and then the chipboard was slid onto the gold ribbon from the Creative basics pack.  Some 3-D Mounting foam to attach the tree to the card front, a few CTMH Sparkles, and there we have an adorable little card.  Little does NOT have to equal boring! 

I hope you're inspired to use one of your smaller stamp sets to create something fun!  Now hop on over to {Chris'} blog for some more Christmas project inspiration.

If you find any broken links along the way, Wendy has the complete list of hoppers on her blog.