After a seven year hiatus.....I'm happy to say I'm back!

Well...I knew there was a reason why I didn't get rid of all my crafty supplies over the past seven years, 'cause all it took was a weekend reconnecting with my good friend and Jersey Girl, Christine, to get the creative juices flowing again!  One step into her crafty domain....and I was hooked!  

I knew I loved CTMH before, and that love was reborn with the CTMH Seasonal Catalog for September/October 2019....Needless to say, my new CTMH Consultant Kit contained some beautiful papers  (The whole reason why I have gotten back into paper crafting is this catalog!  Thanks to CTMH for keeping the quality products and trends I remembered!)  

The papers are a great for all your fall layouts...but overall I just love the color combinations.  

In doing some research on getting back into the latest and greatest for scrap booking this past week.  I utilized both Youtube and Pintrest as a resource.  I found not only did I step away from paper crafting but a whole lot of my "go to" peeps are no longer  active on their blogs as well.  So I will be updating my "tags" on my blog so bear with me as this may take some time.  So thanks to pinterest I found this great blog for Sketchabilities!  I love their layouts, but unfortunately....they too are no longer active, so I may be utilizing a few older sites until I link to active ones I find! 
 

But honestly aren't these fun layouts!!

To decorate the page, I had fun raiding my stash of goodies from the storage room (aka garage) it was like revisiting with a long lost friend!  I never truly realized how much I have collected over the past few years, until I opened the boxes and was able to create some beautiful embellishments on my own with just paper and a few others!  

Embelishments:

Die cuts - Spellbinders, EK Success punch, Dienamics, Whimsy, and Wooden Die Cuts  

CTMH retired embellisments (button, metalic brads, and corragated star

I also used CTMH Cardstock (Julep, Canary, Sangria, White Daisy and retired Outdoor Navy from my stash) 

Techiniques:

2nd Stage Stamping

CTMH Re-Inkers (Retired Outdoor Navy) 

Retired CTMH Spray Misters

Edge cutting (CTMH retired edger)

Sponge Dabbers edging 

Thanks for looking!  Hoping to post a lot more in the next few weeks...now that I am back to being a CTMH Consultant, I am hoping to post a whole lot more again!  

Have a great weekend!  

Cruisin' . . . over the Hill

I am really enjoying this past release of CTMH paper packs!  One of my favorites is the CTMH Cruisin Papers!  This card is based on a Sketch Saturday's from a couple of weeks ago, but hey, life's been busy. . . notice a theme happening? 

I rotated the sketch and here's what I came up with:

Isn't this image just the cutest. . . I have a couple of biker "dudes" in the family, so I'm sure I'll be able to use this card to help them celebrate an upcoming b-day!  

Inside Sentiment "Where? When? I don't remmeber any hill . . .  Happy Birthday".   

Papers:  CTMH "Cruisin" Paper Pack

Stamps:  Whimsey Stamps "Biker Girl" & CTMH "Birthday Greetings"

Ink:  Tuxedo Black, CTMH Cranberry

Accessories:  Spell Binders Die Cuts, Felt Swirls & Copic Markers

TFL!   Have a great day!!! 

H2H Scrapbooking Challenge

Over at Heart 2 Heart, design team member Cheryl, has created a great two page spread for this months challenge.  Be sure to go to Heart 2 Heart to check out Cheryl's creative example. 

It features six 4" x 6" prints (one with a little bit cut off on the side), and two 3" x 3" prints. The darker paper strips are 3" x 9", and the lighter ones are 3" x 12". The circle is 6.5", and the photos have 1/4" mats. Either side of the sketch would make a fine single page layout; just add a title to the left hand page. You can replace the stars with whatever elements work for your pictures. Don't forget to link your finished page back at H2H so they can see what you did with the sketch.

The rules are pretty simple for this Challenge: 

• In order to enter a challenge, you must use CTMH products but your project does not have to be 100% CTMH.
• If you use something from another company, please consider including details in your project's description.
• You MUST mention H2H challenges in your blog post and a link back to us would be appreciated.
• Spread the word about our challenge blog by including our badge on your blog.
• Most importantly, have fun creating - the Close To My Heart way!

Good Luck and I can't wait to see what you scrappy gals can come up with!   

I'm not only an Auntie. . . but a "Great" Auntie!!!

Ok, life has been busy!  Some of you may know and other's may not even care!   But a week ago today I became a great aunt to my nephew's little boy! I know so hard to believe that I could be a "Great" Aunt. . . but it is officially my "Title" now and I'm gonna milk it for everything it's worth! 

To honour our newest little member and my nephew, I had fun creating a "welcoming" card.  I used deconstructingjen.com's sketch #45: 

and here's my creation: 

Inside sentiment "Congratulations DAD!" 


Stamps:  Whimsey Stamps "Sympathy Bugs" and CTMH Save the Date
BandT Papers:  Simple Stories "Documented" 6x6
Cardstock is all CTMH  Cocoa and White Daisy
Ink:  Tuxedo Black & CTMH Olive 
Accessories:  Copic Markers, 3D Glue Dots, Peral Swirls, Flowers, and Quickutz Die cuts  

TFL!  :) 

Ooops. . . sorry!

Okay, firstly I have to appologize 'cause I just can't seem to get on-line to update my blog these days and I have been crafty - but the issue seems to be somewhere between the craft room and the computer it just all falls apart!  My last post was in FEBRUARY!  OMG - that is so BAD.  Where has the time gone?   Two weeks of that I was away for holidays - which I thoroughly enjoyed.  But that does not account for the other month??!!  

Anyways. . . I have been busy making cards and doing challenges - but they are no good for the challenges if you don't post them.  So, today is about posting for a challenge. . . Graphicats!  I'm barely making it under the time line - this Challenge ends on Sunday! 

Here's Cheri's Sketch:

and here's my take on it:

BandT Papers:  Authentique 6x6 Gathering Bundle
Cardstock:  is all CTMH - Juniper, Cocoa and White Daisy
Stamps:  Art Impression - Friends "Out for Lunch"
Ink:  Tuxedo Black
Embelishments:  Nestabilities, CTMH Sunrise Ribbon, Flowers, Copic Markers, 3D glue Dots.

TFL! 

I will try and get some of my creations on here in a more timely fashion this week - but can't make any promises!  Have a great weekend - I'm going to try to reconnect with another one of my passions, which I haven't done for a few years, for some inspiration in the arena. . . and maybe I will actually even get on one of my horses sooner - rather than later! 

Graphicat's Sketch - Dream

Over at Graphicat Creations they've relaunched their Sketch Blog - yipeee! I so like the sketches Cheri and her team come up with and this week's launch sketch is wonderful . . . the hard part is I couldn't figure out which sentiment/stamp combo to put together.  Here's the first sketch:

I rotated the layout counter-clockwise and this is my take on it:

This card was sooooo out of my comfort zone!  All those pastel colors, but it is a fairy and I tried my best to make it all magical. 

Here's what makes up this card:

BandT Papers:  Webster Pages "Lullably Lane & Life's Portrait"

Cardstock is all CTMH:  Taffy, Topiary, and Colonial White

Stamps:  CTMH Card Comentary (C1281) and Whimsy Stamps Silver FairyEmbelishments:  CTMH Riff Raff Ribbon, Lost & Found Yellow Pearls & Swirls, Flowers, Gelly Pen Roll Clear Star, Copic Markers, CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge, CTMH Liquid glass and Basic Grey Ribbon. 

Extended B-Day Celebration. . .Giveaway!!!

This is a card I made for a good friend for her B-day, which I knew I wasn't going to see her on the special day, so the sentiment was the inspiration for this card!   I've had the photo images stored on my memory card for a while, but held off posting until I actually gave the card to her!  So now I get to share it with everyone else. . .  =)

The layout is an older one from Sketch Saturday Layouts. . . it's always good to have a good stash of layouts laying around!  It's actually one I've wanted to play with for awhile.   Upon closer inspection. . the B-day Girls couldn't get over the "layers" on this card!   

Can you guess how many?  Leave a comment and the lucky person who guesses correctly will get a free CTMH B-Day Celebration Stamp Set!   Winner will be randomly selected from all correct guesses and MUST reside in Canada! 

. . . and here's the inside of the card.  It's this a great sentiment for those that "miss" that special date?   

Here's what makes up this Celebration:

BandT Papers:  Authentique 6x6 pad "Gathering"
Cardstock is CTMH: Sunrise, Chocolate, Juniper and Daisy White
Stamps: Simply Betty 'Baking Betty' and CTMH Birthday Sentiments
Ink:  CTMH Cocoa and CTMH Juniper
Embelishments:  CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, CTMH Cocoa Collection Pearls, and Copic Markers