m.e. creating

Trouble Shooting #1 - Final layouts

2011-03-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

This is the final double set of these pictures. As you can see, Carmela's little angel became just that as the photo session was completed.

There are some items from Close to My Heart on these pages, by the way. While the paper itself looks similar to some of the beautiful "My Reflections" paper sets, it isn't, but the paper leaves are from CTMH.

These pictures are all precious and the paper leaves on top of the leaf pattern on the paper itself looks very professional. Especially with the clothes the little boy is wearing! It all just works!

Trouble Shooting #1 - Another complete set

2011-03-17T15:00:00.004-05:00

Last night I printed off a little St. Patrick's day decoration. I printed it out in color, in a rich Kelly green and was really bummed when I couldn't match the color with any ribbon or cardstock that I found. What a pain. It turned out okay, but it made me grateful all over again for our coordinating sets of scrapbooking paper.

Here is a perfect example of the blessings of coordination. This isn't actually Close to My Heart paper, but our "My Reflections" paper sets with matching Stickease work the very same way. In this case, Carmela was able to pick and choose which pages would make the double layouts. Because all of the papers went together, there is no real right or wrong answers for it.

In Carmela's case, this black and white portrait page worked great to off-set the case of the sad-faces from yesterday.

Separated from the other pages is this one. I have to admit, it is my favorite. I'm not sure how Carmela is planning to use it, but if it were me, it would be the title page or ending page of my album!

Trouble Shooting Lesson #1 - Complete

2011-03-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here is the set that Carmela put together with this portrait photo. It is terribly simple with striped paper on the right and a 1 1/2 inch strip of cardstock verticle, 2 inches from the left side. The strip goes over her 2-inch cream cardstock journaling piece, but under the 1/2 inch brown cardstock border.

This page was the opposite of one of the ones I posted yesterday, one where her son wasn't smiling. When it is coupled with this great set of duplicate pictures where he's grinning from ear to ear, it offsets any sadness that might be associated with the picture.

I also love the idea of repeating a precious picture like this one! I've even seen them done in different colors, but having them in the neutral shades really makes this whole layout!

Another trouble shooting completion follows tomorrow!

Trouble Shooting Lesson 1 - No Smiles

2011-03-15T18:05:00.003-05:00

My friend, Carmela, shared these pictures with me. She had quite a challenge the last time she took her son, then 3 years old, to a photo studio. I don't remember why she said he wouldn't smile, but he wasn't cooperating at all. But even uncooperative, is that not the cutest face??? Still, what is a mom to do when faced with paying for a whole round of photos without smiles? Well, I think in Carmela's case, it had to do with some type fun snack, but those first pictures surely weren't trash!

To be honest, I'm in awe of Carmela's ingenuity! She is an interior decorator, so it doesn't surprise me that she came up with such an awesome plan. First, she used the pictures, mostly in black and white, which really adds to the solemness of the facial expression. Because of that, her mounts had color, but not overwhelmingly so, and they had a natural distressed look to them.

Secondly, she mixed these photos in with others (post-snack?) that were full of smiles so there was a good balance to them. This pic of her son's back was priceless to me, but actually he refused to turn around. Love the sports theme to it, but the title tells a great story!

Again, she used muted, but colorful backgrounds and all from the same palette so she could exchange the single layouts until she found the double sets that she wanted. Sheer genius! Tomorrow I'll post the double layout sets that she made.

Tracy's Full Album - Part II

2011-03-11T22:43:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I started sharing the album that our new scrapper, Tracy, made for her mother-in-law. This turned into a particularly special book of memories for their whole family. After she dedicated some pages to the whole family and then her mother and father-in-law, Tracy dedicated a section to each of the 3 sons that her parents-in-law had. This page started the section. The opposite side was laid out, but she didn't have the pics of the brothers that she wanted for that page with her. Doubtless, some childhood pics will adorn that page!

The first section was for Jeff and his kids.

The next section was for Chris and his family.

The final section was for Sean and his family.

Several pages at the end of the book were laid out and ready for pictures and would likely contain some candids of the family. I'm amazed at the quick learning that proved itself in this album and I'm so pleased to show it to you!

Tracy's Full Album - Part I

2011-03-10T22:08:00.000-06:00

Like I mentioned yesterday, we had a new scrapper with us during our retreat and she completed an entire album for her mother-in-law. She did an amazing job and I want to show you her work. Way to go, Tracy!

Tracy used this book to celebrate her hubby's whole family. She began with whole group pictures.

Then she set up a couple of pages for her mother and father-in-law. There is a sad note to this story. The day after Tracy returned home from this retreat, her father-in-law went to be with the Lord. This book surely ended up being a precious, precious gift!

Retreat fun!

2011-03-09T21:34:00.000-06:00

This February retreat was a great time! We ended up with 16 people joining us for the weekend at the Hilton Garden Inn in Addison. You can see we thoroughly spread out and there is always a lot of laughter, and creativity floating around the crop room.

This retreat had people coming in from all over. Many were from here in the Dallas area, but we had some come up from South Texas (and I do mean SOUTH), the Austin area, and even as far as California.

At our last retreat, we started a new tradition to spend part of our first night at the Hawaiian Nail Bar getting well-deserved pedicures! Here are this groups toesies after the trip.

These pics were actually taken fairly early on Friday evening, just after the gals started arriving, but the filled room is always abuzz.

This retreat, we had a brand new scrapper, and she had a full album by the time she left on Sunday! Amazing! Every group is different! We have all ages and all cropping abilities. We have some that are focused on getting the pages done quickly and others who are embellishment queens, filling their pages with accents, bling and all types of techniques, and still others who create works of art that have little to do with scrapbooking, but everything to do with creativity!

Close friends meet up again at every chance they get and new friendships are built. We have about 4 retreats per year, roughly August, November, February, and June.

The next two scheduled retreats are June 3-5 and August 5-7. If you are interested in joining this talented group at one of the retreats, please contact me for further details!

Retreat Workshop - Sweetheart

2011-03-08T21:07:00.000-06:00

This was the layout that I used for my retreat workshop. At my retreats, I always provide one short workshop where I cut out all of the paper ahead of time so it is just a matter of passing out the pieces and putting it all together. This idea just came to me and I LOVE how it turned out. (I wasn't sure it would!) The title will be, "Let Me Count the Ways." I'll probably have to make several of these layouts, one for each of my kids!

The floral B&T was cut the same for both sides of the layout. The bottom made up of a 6 x 12 cut corner to corner, but you have to do it twice to get them to lay point to point like they are. It is the same for the top outside floral pieces which are diagonal cuts of two 5 x 3 pieces. The good news is that you can use the 4 leftover pieces to make another double layout the very same way. You can even make it different by using the back printed side of the B&T. The final piece of the "heart" is a diagonally cut 3 x 3 square.

The mats are made with the pink polkadot paper. The left hand side has a 6 x 8 tucked into the bottom "pocket". I did make it a pocket to facilitate adding a picture, but the mat is actually set into the layout firmly. It looks like it can move, but I don't want it to be. The top mat is 4 x 5 and it is tucked under the inside of the heart. A 2 x 5 piece of polkadot is at the bottom of the page for journaling. The right hand side has some more off-set mats: a 5 x 7 portrait style and another 4 x 5. Like the first, all of the mats are adhered even though they look like they're just tucked into pockets. Also on the right hand side are 4 journaling strips, hanging down from the outside edge of the heart. I added some Mocha Opaques and Pink buttons throughout the layout. I also plan to add some chipboard hearts as well once I've added my pics and titles.

Piecing Together Sweethearts

2011-03-07T20:52:00.000-06:00

During my Scrappin' Happy Classes and all of my Monthly Layout Workshops, I try to be really efficient with my paper. My goal is to have little leftover once I'm all done. However, with a couple of extra base pages (white), Angie made these pages with all the leftovers from the Sweetheart workshop. It looks like she started with a 4 x 12 of the stripe B&T at the top of the left hand page and matched that at the bottom right hand corner with a 2 x 5 piece of the stripe B&T. Above the stripe sits a floral B&T that measured 3 x 12 on the right hand side. The left hand page matches it with a 3 x 10 floral. Over this she laid a 1 x 10 of black cardstock on both sides. On the left hand one, though she covered the edges with some random squares: the pink side of a 3-inch square and another of a 2-inch square, where she mounted some other random squares in a checkerboard fashion. Under the largest one is a 2 x 6 black cardstock that abuts the stripe at the top of the page. Last but not least, are some black cardstock mats at the top of the right hand page and some other random squares added to a pink 1-inch strip for decoration. I just love the way this turned out and am so impressed with Angie's creativity! I may have to stop giving away my scraps to my little girls!

Sweetheart Workshop - Layout #5

2011-03-04T09:00:00.002-06:00

The pattern for this double actually calls for black cardstock bases and two 11 x 11 B&T papers centered on them both. However, I hate wasting paper like that. Part of the reason my workshops can make 5 and sometimes 6 doubles out of a paper pack is because I take shortcuts to save paper. So instead of the original, I used eight 1/2 inch strips of black cardstock to frame the B&T and I let the B&T's be the bases for these layouts.

The "frames" were unique because I mitered the corners. It was really very simple. I lined up two strips to make a 90 degree angle exactly then I snipped through both layers from the inside corner to the point to make two matching mitered edges. Then I lightly sanded the strips, especially the edges, so that the mitering would pop a little.

To accent this page - ultra simple! - I added a 2 1/2 inch strip, torn down 1 side, of the stripe paper and over that I layered a 1 inch strip, torn down both sides, of the floral. Aside from that I added a little cut-out, stamped butterfly with a curly trail stamped under it. Finally, once I put the pictures down, I added some stamped hearts and some of the epoxy sticker hearts and dots to and around the picture of my boy and his puppy. The stickers and all the stamps come with this workshop kit. And don't forget that even though I've already done the workshop, you can still have these pages using my instructions and photos.

Both B&T paper strips overlay across the whole page on the left hand side, but on the right hand page, the striped paper isn't torn and only fits inside the frame so it measures 4 x 11. Overlaying it is a 1 x 12 that is torn on both sides. *****When tearing paper, to get the pretty white edge, always tear what you're going to throw away toward you.***** As a last accent on this page, I added a full butterfly, stamped and cut out, along with a stamped curly trail that actually goes over the picture. Our inks are water-based, so once I stamped this picture, I set it aside for a couple of hours to make sure it dried completely. I've never had trouble with smearing on our B&T or cardstock because they will absorb the ink, but the pictures and other glossy surfaces won't absorb so I always give them plenty of drying time.

Sweetheart Workshop - Layout #4

2011-03-03T08:58:00.000-06:00

I think this is another layout from Magic, but I can't find it anywhere! I used white cardstock for the bases - very easy to stamp on - and stamps were my primary accent on the layout. I look forward to putting my pictures on this page. I expect to not only fill the mats, but also have a square picture on the bottom left corner of the left hand page and another one of some sort over the hearts on the right hand page. Although I might use the hearts section (4 x 12 piece) as my title section and put a picture or two in the 4 x 12 section of the stripe up at the top of the page. A 2 x 12 piece of Cotton Candy cardstock separates the two 4 x 12 sections and at the bottom of the heart paper is a 1 1/2 x 12 piece of floral B&T.

The left hand page was accented with a couple of cut-out, stamped butterflies and the curly trails that go with them. The curly trail for the big butterfly also crosses the 2-inch heart strip that draws the heart paper from the right hand page across to the left hand side.

Above that strip, at the top-right corner is a 6 x 4 piece of Cotton Candy cardstock. Under the heart B&T is a 2 x 7 piece of the striped B&T with a 1 1/2 x 7 piece under that. The floral must be 1/2 inch from the bottom edge of the base page to allow for the stamping that goes across the bottom of both pages. The 3 words are part of the stamp set that goes with the Sweetheart workshop and I spaced them evenly on a 6 inch block for easy stamping!

Sweetheart Workshop - Layout #3

2011-03-02T08:51:00.003-06:00

This was by far one of the EASIEST layouts! I will DEFINITELY use this design again and again! Like one of the other layouts in this group, I used a plan from the Magic instructional book, but I wanted more of the base page - the polka-dot B&T - to show, so I did some alterations to it. The left-hand page has a 6 inch piece of the heart B&T. I made a point to cut the 6 inch pieces for both of the pages off the bottom-half of the heart B&T so that both of the pieces would match across the layout. I placed it 1 inch down from the top edges from both pages. The 1 1/2 inch strip of the strip goes 1 1/2 inches from the bottom edges of both pages. A 3-inch strip of pink cardstock (our new Cotton Candy color!) overlays the other two papers and is 1 inch from the left edge. I did some accenting on this page down at the bottom left corner with a cut-out, stamped butterfly and a stamped curly trail in black. I also put a second accent, an epoxy heart that comes with the workshop along with the stamp sets.

The right hand page continues the design across the page. I don't measure the exact distance from the top edge of the page as much as I make sure that both pages have the design lining up.

I added some accents to the bottom right corner of this layout with a small butterfly stamped cut-out and a stamped curly trail. I also added a large epoxy frame to the picture to highlight my sweet old dog. She is so amazingly patient with us when we put hats and other decorations on her.

Sweetheart Workshop - Layout #2

2011-03-01T08:50:00.000-06:00

Like I mentioned in yesterday's post, these layouts were fast and easy. I think the reason they were so fast is because the papers - the B&Ts (background and texture, also known as printed or designed paper) - are so GREAT! In this one, the paper I dubbed "Heart Lattice" provides the base. I wanted to show plenty of it, so, while a Magic patter inspired the layout, I altered it quite a bit!

The best thing about this layout is how the papers stretch across both pages. The effect makes it flow together perfectly. The pink cardstock (our new Cotton Candy color!) is cut 10 x 8 for the left and 6 x 8 for the right. Under that is the floral B&T. A 10 x 2 strip peaks out at the top and bottom of the cardstock on the left, but the 10 x 11 piece dominates the right hand page. A 3 x 12 piece of the strip goes along the bottom of the grouping, about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom edge of the base, and over the floral paper. Last, but not least, I highlighted the bottom of the pink cardstock with just an edge of white cardstock and a second layer of black cardstock with a scalloped edge on it.
I really liked the effect the edging had. It makes the photo section sort of pop out. I added a couple of butterflies to the top-left corner of the page and a little heart epoxy sticker to the bottom left corner. Both the stickers and the stamp set comes with the workshop kit!

I also added another epoxy sticker to the right side of the layout that looks a little like a backward S. This is to highlight my title when I get it on. The title will be "And They Call It Puppy Love," and this time it will be in white. I'll likely use my Cricut for it; at least for the "Puppy Love" part, because I intend to put that over the striped section at the bottom of the right hand page. The other epoxy sticker, that looks like a regular S, marks the end of where I expect my title to go.

On that right hand page, I added a heart sticker and adhered a stamped heart directly on my picture. Our stickers, adhesive, paper, and inks are acid free and lignon free so they are safe to use even directly on a picture!

Something else I like to do when I can is spread one picture across both pages like with this pic of my son with his new puppy. (I can't believe he was ever that tiny - the puppy, not the boy!) It really draws the eye into the pages and makes them work together like a team.

Sweetheart Workshop - Layout #1

2011-02-28T09:08:00.001-06:00

Our monthly workshop lasted only about 3 hours last night! These layouts proved to be the EASIEST we've done in QUITE some time, but they turned out AWESOME! Since I have 4 kids, I keep 5 albums - 1 for each of them and 1 for myself. That's the reason for all the duplicate pictures over the next few days. I plan to title all of them, "And They Call It Puppy Love!" (Yes, I was always a Donny Osmond fan!) The title on this one will go across the top, Tulip cardstock and I'll use black paper or ink for it.

The Tulip cardstock is actually the base here. I used three 1 1/2 inch strips of black cardstock as borders between the top half and bottom half of the page, but on the left hand page, you can tell that I cut the border into "chunks" so that one of them overlapped the picture a little. It turned out that I only used a 1 1/2 x 4 overlapping the picture and a 1 1/2 x 3 to complete the border on the other side. I edge the horizontal borders on both pages with a 1/2 inch strip of the floral B&T, but again, I chunked that up to match the black cardstock on the left hand page. Also on the left hand page, I added a 1-inch strip of the floral next to the vertical black, going under the horizontal stripe. As final accents on this page, I used the Sweetheart Assortment of epoxy stickers that comes with the workshopt set. I added a 3 dots to the horizontal stripe and a frame to the bottom corner. The workshop set also includes an exclusive stamp set, made just for the workshop. This one had some great ones in it. I stamped one of the butterflies, using the rock-n-roll method to deepen the color at the edge of the wings, and cut it out to add to my frame. I thought about titling the page "Dog and Butterfly" (yes I'm a child of the 80's) but I decided I better not because Captain, the black puppy in the picture, would just LOVE to eat the butterflies - a gruesome thought - totally away from the spirit of the song that inspires the title!

The right hand page was super simple! The heart paper is just a 6 x 6 square (the 3 x 6 on the left hand pages just gives an illusion of a larger frame.) Then the black accent along with the floral strip finishes off the page. There aren't even many accents on her. I added 1 epoxy heart, with a cut-out stamped heart and a directly stamped heart up by Captain's picture (He was about 2 months old when he came in the pic where he's licking my boy and he was 4 months in the next picture - so handsome!) and 2 little dots on the floral strip like the 3 on the left hand page. Simple and done - that's the way I like the workshops to be!

You Rock - He's a Champion!!!

2011-02-12T18:11:00.011-06:00

This layout was a life-saver! I had some pretty bad photos - well, not bad - just oddly colored and off of facebook so they were already small and the quality was lousy. But this even was so special and important to my nephew, I just couldn't leave it out. I LOVE how this layout allowed me to use only a few pics (I only had a few) and they didn't have to be very big to fill in the space!

This photo had an unnatural blue tint to it because of the spot lights, but the multicolored "You Rock" design package blended the different variations of the photo colors perfectly. I also really liked how the stickease pieces could be layered - in this case - to allow me to point out that awesome drummer-boy!

By the way, have you noticed how the titles in the Studio J Online scrapbooking can go directly on the paper or even over pictures? It's like stamping (without smears) on transparency paper and without the glare! (I can't even FIND transparency paper anymore, let alone the glareless type!)

By the way, this layout shows pics from a special regional "Idol" competition, and YES, my nephews band won!!! He SO ROCKS!

As soon as I finish dumping Verizon internet, I'll upload this last picture. It is thoroughly ridiculous that I have to spend 5 hours downloading 5 pics! And customer service just keep telling me it all seems fine and I should just upgrade to their new high dollar program. I don't need a new program, I need the one I have to work the way it has for the last 7 years! So stay tuned until Tuesday when a new carrier will be configured!

Studio J Album - Animal Cookies

2011-02-08T12:14:00.008-06:00

I gave my sis-in-law a full album for Christmas of her only child, who graduates from high school this year. I knew she really wanted one and although she is one of the craftiest gals I know - and amazing at everything she touches - I also knew she didn't have time to make one before his graduation. I started collecting photos in the summer, but I didn't really start on the layouts until October. I was able to scrapbook ALL of the photos I was able to get with no problem in less than 10 days, just working a little here and there. In fact, I was able to get as many as 4 double layouts completed in just 2 hours! (With journaling, embellishments, photos, and titles!) So until I get some more "blog fodder" at my retreat next weekend, I'm going to start showing the pages in my nephew's book to give you an idea of the amazing tool that Studio J offers.

OH, and this month - February 2011 - Studio J members can get a free layout when they purchase 9 others! Considering that the doubles are only about $6.50 for members, it is a GREAT deal!

With photos in such color, the perfect paper pack is the Animal Cookies set! The pictures that I had for this weren't the best of quality, but the photo spots were small so the quality worked out fine! And take a look at the metal photo clips! Don't they look real??? Unless I'm running my fingers over the embellishments, they look just like the real thing, 3-dimensional with shadows and light glares just like they would if they were actual metal accents.

This little snippet of the layout shows several important details. First is the stickease. You can even layer stickease, like putting letters over an open frame. This picture also shows the torn white edge of the "paper." Again, looking totally real. The paper in this case is set up like the "backside" of the actual paper. See, the actual Background & Texture paper has a backside that repeats the print only in a solid color. The extra bonus you get in doing it online is that you can CHOOSE the color you want for the print. I love that, because sometimes the backside color just doesn't go with the way I've worked the rest of the layout.

Not only do the metal accents look realistic, but the ribbon accents look like real ribbon. With the program, I have the options of adding ribbons wherever I wish. There are also options to widen the ribbon or make it thinner. I can turn the ribbon accents in any direction. I can also add knots, ties, and loops. I can connect it to photo loops like shown, or through ribbon slides. I can have a slant or flat cut to it and I can crop it so it ends where I want it to. This picture also shows the torn paper. This particular layout uses a lot of torn paper.

The titling available in Studio J is so easy to use. There are probably two dozen different fonts and they can be added on a mat of any color - including vellum. But my favorite way of adding titles is just across whatever is already there, like I did with this title. It can even show up across the photos themselves if necessary.

This design is from the Imagine book (page 58) and is called "Dialogue."

Brochure Layout - an Editorial

2011-02-07T09:18:00.000-06:00

I know I usually explain how I made or embellished the layouts from the workshops that I've completed, but this time I'm doing something a little different. See, I can't really explain this particular layout in much detail anyway because it is the layout from the full color instructional brochure that came with the workshop kit.

So I'm gonna give a little editorial on the sentiment that is shown here. First, I gotta tell you, I loved the instruction's technique of masking the sentiment card with the actual stamp. It turned out so cool! But, I totally disagree with the sentiment. I could go through some clever stuff about the mind of Picasso, but I don't really want to hammer the poor, sad man. Instead, I'd rather redirect to the truth. Everything you can imagine ISN'T REAL; that's why it's called an imagination! BUT, there is something real about our imagination and this sentiment reminds me of it. Ephesians 3:20 indicates that God "is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine . . ." How amazing is that. Everything that I imagine isn't real! Thank GOD (and I SURE don't say that lightly! Is there ANYONE who would want EVERYTHING they could imagine to be real? Talk about a Midas curse! No mom would, that's for sure!!!) But my heavenly Daddy (Jesus said in Mark 14:36 that we should call him, "Abba" which means "Daddy.") is able to do more than I can imagine. "Exceeding Abundantly" so much more that I can't even comprehend it. That is just way cool. The sentiment on this page is already gone!

A couple of details on the embellishments, though. First, I used a second generation stamp on all of the floral images, in Vineyard Berry. Then I did a "rock-n-roll" technique in full Vineyard Berry along the edges. I added a small, black brad into the center of all the floral images after I cut them out.

On the photo frame, I put one of the floral images. Then I threaded 2 ends of the ribbon into the center hole of the photo frame and tied the ends into a knot to hold it in place. I have to say that I think it would've been a lot easier to glue the photo frame to the ribbon and then glue the knot to the top of the photo frame. It gives the same effect, but isn't nearly as difficult.

Two of the photo clips (also a part of the black Mini-Medley that came with this workshop set) were used on one of the pictures. Three inches of ribbon were knotted on each of the photo clip before they were attached to the layout. Liquid Glass or Glue-dots are the best ways to attach metal accents.

The long, swirly stamp was use to adorn the Sweet Leaf 1 1/2 inch strip, but there is a trick to attaching a previously stamped image to the next image. I used the stamp right-side up for the first image and then up-side down for the next image, repeating the pattern. I also made a point to create a double loop (like two paisleys in a circle) each time I stamped the next image. As a final trick, I started stamping the first image in the dead center of the strip and added images to either side of the center until I had filled the strip.

This workshop was a BLAST to put together! I hope you will share yours with me if you try it!

Wings Workshop Layout #4

2011-02-04T19:57:00.000-06:00

This layout utilized the decorative backsides of our Background and Texture papers. The design is from page 98 in Magic and is called, "Abracadabra."

For the bases on this double, I used the light colored, dotted B&T paper that came with the Wings workshop kit. (BTW, the Wings workshop kit is available still!)

I liked the way this page came together, especially the way the Juniper (bluish) color was highlighted. It totally changes the look of the set. On the original layout, the top-right open spot was saved for journaling and decorations, but I preferred to use it for a photo. (I'm all about using the space on pages for photos. With 4 kids, I really need to utilize the space as efficiently as possible!) Under the main picture, I intended to add another picture, but didn't need to, so it will be my spot for the title, "There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters!"

Just like on the last few layouts (especially layout #1) I used the new spray pen with Vineyard Berry ink to create a texture on the Colonial White cardstock. The trouble with this layout is that I left two really important (and rather large) elements out of my patterns. So when I got to the end of all of my cutting, and had used the last of my papers for the most part, I realized that the large 8 x 8 square hadn't been cut and neither had the 3 1/2 x 8 piece on the right-hand page. The only paper I had left was the letter-filled B&T, but it was already being used on this page, so I got creative and used the back of the letter-filled B&T for the last two pieces. I'm SO GLAD Close to My Heart started putting designs on the backsides of our texture paper!

I also enjoyed the embellishments for this page. I randomly stamped one of the floral images several times on the 1 1/2 x 12 Colonial White strip. I also stamped the mini heart just a few times between the images and finished the strip out with 2 small brads that were part of the "Mini-Medley" that came with the kit.

On the left-side of the page, in the journaling place where I put a picture, I also added several accents. I knotted some ribbon and glued it to the top of the button, then glued the button to the top-left of the small square in the bottom-right of the left-hand page. I scattered 2 small button brads, a small 4-hole button, and a small brad between the button and the picture.

I was so pleased with the way this turned out. Let me know if you try it!

Wings Workshop Layout #3

2011-02-03T15:34:00.001-06:00

Now I admit, this is not a favorite layout. I really thought I would like it, and I still may, but I have to do a little work on it before I get to that point.

I used the beautiful green floral B&T paper as one of the bases and I used Sweet Leaf cardstock as the other base. The layout pattern I used was based on "Love Potion" from page 18 in Magic.

First, I used the second piece of green floral B&T to create the design at the top. I cut that swirl out of a 3 x 12 strip of the B&T. I also flip-flopped the pages, inverting both pages and exchanging them.

To further enhance this page I stamped the floral frame using Juniper ink and used the "Rock-n-Roll" technique in black to highlight the outside edges. Then I used one of the smaller floral designs from the stamp set (FYI: This stamp set is the one that comes with the workshop kit. This kit is still available through July!) and stamped it in Pear, following it up with some "rock-n-roll" action using Juniper. I only did about 5 of them, but I like the effect that they gave.

On this page, I also changed the photos. the pattern called for a 6 x 6 picture on the bottom-left section. Instead, I used four 3 x 3 photo squares to put together this section. I also cut down the 4 x 6 that I put into the right bottom corner. I decided I wanted a mat under the picture, so I cut it down to 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 and centered it in the space.

I think what I'm missing here is something dark. I think I need some black somewhere. Maybe a 1/4 or 1/2 inch strip of black paper to act as a mat around the entire section. (I'm talking about the photos as a whole unit.)

On the right-hand side, I didn't really add anything, although instead of using a 4 x 6 photo, I used a 4 x 3 on the top of the section . At the bottom, though, I didn't want to cut the photo down anymore (although I did trim about 1/2 inch off of the width). So, I let the extra inch or so hang over into the green 3 x 3 square at the bottom of the photo section.

Again, I think I'll put some black at the right and top of the photo section so that it mats the whole unit and sets it off from the rest of the layout. That and some black letters for the title will be just what this layout needs.

Wings Workshop Layout #2

2011-02-02T09:00:00.002-06:00

This layout can really throw me as to how it goes into my book. I keep looking at it and initially thinking the right page is the left and vice versa. I finally realized the trick during the workshop, though: The left hand page continues onto the right page by extending the 8 x 10 Vineyard Berry cardstock, into a 4 x 12 strip of it about 2 inches from the bottom of the right page. I stacked another 4 x 12, this of the green print, about the cardstock to complete the effect. The confusion I had came from how I looked at the 3 x 11 strip of the black print and thought that it went with the 11 x 11 black print on the other page. I actually had it sitting like that for a while before I realized my mistake.

For this layout, I used the "Charmed" design from page 80 of the Magic book by Close to My Heart founder, Jeanette Lynton.

Like the last layout, I used the new spray pen on my Colonial White 4 x 4 cardstock squares. I also did a technique called "Masking" on the 3 x 4 journaling card on the right hand page. After cutting the card itself, I cut a 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 card of scrap and laid it on top of the card. I centered the scrap before I misted the card heavily. Then when I removed the scrap, the clear center of the card was set up with a misted 1/4 inch frame around the whole thing.

I further embellished the page by adding 5 black brads to the edge of the card. On the second one, I added a photo clip.

All of the embellishments I used were part of a "Mini-Medley" that went with this workshop. I used 13 inches of the ribbon and wraped the edges around so that the ribbon overlapped the Vineyard Berry cardstock by about 1/2 inch. I actually attached the little metal frame onto the ribbon itself using one of the button brads. Inside the frame, I stamped the word "inspire" and cut the square corner to corner so that it would fit just right. I also inked the edges in the same ink that I used to stamp it, Vineyard Berry.

I applied one other stamp to this double. I used the large, ornate frame and stamped the center-bottom of the 3 x 12 Colonial White cardstock in black. I stamped the pointed edge into the middle and then turned it over and stamped the curved center of the bottom on either side of it in such a way that the images blended together.

Wings Workshop Layout #1

2011-02-01T09:10:00.003-06:00

This page will be titled, "There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters!" Yes, I've got to get on the titling of all my pages, but the pictures on these are some of my favorites! We didn't use a professional photographer this year. Instead, my daughter, Katie, and I happened to find this great park near the house and waited for a dry overcast day. As soon as one came along, we packed up a step-stool and my camera bag and rushed out there. It was a little windy, but that ended up working to our advantage as we got some awesome shots.

This is the way the two pages looked together with all the pictures on them. I covered up a little of it though, so I'll also show the empty layout below.

What makes this double special (well, the whole set utilized this tool!) is the new Close to My Heart Spray Pen! You can tell in this picture of the girls, that the whole background (Colonial White Cardstock) has a light mist of Vineyard Berry. It gives texture to the whole layout. I love the variety this adds to my pages!

The design itself, called "Transfigure," was made from the directions in Magic page 112, but the layout was terribly simple with a few 1 inch and 1/2 inch strips along with some 4 inch squares. The actual pattern calls for a large 8 x 6 picture tucked between the two strips and over the 4 x 12 piece of the black and green print. With that large pic, there was an illusion that the red and black print went from the middle of the right-hand page all the way to the left edge of the left-hand page. Since I didn't use that large pic, the illusion is broken, but I still like the way it turned out.

I utilized the 4 x 12 piece of green and black print to mat a portrait style picture I had. I cut the picture down to 3 3/4 inches wide. For the small pictures, I actually took 3 full-sized pictures (4 x 6) and cut and pasted them into a single 4 x 6 "canvas" in a photo editing program. It made the pictures each a little less than 2 inches wide and they were a little more than 3 inches tall on the prints. I cut one of them down to 3 inches tall and matted it on the green square. I had a 4 x 4 of my redhead, that wouldn't fit right into the final square on this page, but I didn't want to cut it down any more. So, I just used it as it was, and completely covered the last of the squares with the larger picture. A little, 4-hole button adorned the bottom left of the page.

The right hand page shows the little 3 x 3 squares the way they were meant to be. I put another little mini pic in one of them and left the other one open so I could add journaling later. The picture of the trio went in the highlighted spot at the top of this 8 x 9 piece of B&T. I ended up having this gorgeous 4 x 6 pic of my redhead leftover, but it is my favorite picture of her out of all that I've ever taken! Leaving it out of this layout just wasn't an option, so I just placed it in the corner, where it fit perfectly!

Not much embellishment went on this page. I stamped one of the images that came with this set in the top corner in Vineyard Berry and then used the "Rock-n-Roll" technique to add dimension to it. (To achieve the effect: after stamping the original image, ink up just the edges of the stamp in black. To get just the edges, rock the edge of the stamp into the ink and roll it slightly toward the center.) I also stamped this black partial image on scrap paper first to make my edging a second generation image. That makes the black edge a little less intense. I added a cordoroy brad from the mini-medley that came with this kit and a large button. On the button, I threaded 3 inches of ribbon through 2 of the holes and tied a knot on the top of the button. It was hard to thread the ribbon, though and for the rest of my buttons, I just tied a little knot and glued it to the top of the button. The effect was the same.

Two New Sets!

2011-01-31T09:00:00.001-06:00

We had so much fun at the workshops this weekend! We did a Scrappin' Happy first and followed it up with a "Workshop on the Go" using the new Wings set. It was gorgeous!!! I'll be posting those double layouts in the next few days and I also finished up the Sweetheart layouts for that workshop in February! I won't post those pages until AFTER the workshop, but you can see the flyer for it HERE! Contact me if you are interested in the Sweetheart workshop (or just leave a comment) and I'll get back with you about the details.

I will say that the new spray pens are awesome! So easy to work with and they create such great textures to my paper. I only used one color in them for the Wings pages, but I'm looking forward to blending, first misting one color and then another. I think it could make a great effect! If you're not sure what I'm talking about, just wait another day! On February 1st, the new Spring/Summer Idea goes "live" and you can view it at my website; marji.myctmh.com. The spray pen is on page 121, so check it out. And watch for the new posting of my Wings workshop pages starting tomorrow. You'll see exactly how that super cool pen works!

Mistletoe Workshop Layout #5

2011-01-30T13:30:00.001-06:00

This is the layout that actually came in the brochure with the Mistletoe workshop. I hope you will order it before they are gone forever. Even if it's February already, go ahead and call me! I MIGHT be able to get the workshop kit, still.

This is one CUTE double, but again, I must confess to some instruction altering. See the large holly paper section at the top of the left page was actually supposed to be a large picture (9 inches wide). Now I don't know about you, but I don't print out pictures that big and I don't REALLY want too many of them in my book. In fact, with 4 kids, 3 nephews, and 1 niece, I prefer to have MANY little photos to save the memories - since that's what I have such a bad time with - instead of one big photo with lots of details. So, I cut a 9 x 6 of the paper instead and plan to house 2 to 4 smaller photos in the space instead of a great big one. As for the blank area on the right, that is for three 4 x 3 photos in a row. Not sure if I'll do that, or a 4 x 6 and then a smaller one.

I really like the embellishments in this one, though. The kit comes with the Mistletoe brad set that includes the poinsettias, the pretty green framed brad that you can see and the etched pewter brads. I added to the texture by raising a couple of the stamped images up just a bit. And the ornament in the center of the title card will be the letter O whenever I figure out what I'm going to say. "Joy comes in the morning" or "So much fun." The brochure says, "SNOW much fun," but it just doesn't usually snow around here at Christmas and this year was no exception. Maybe I'll make it "O Christmas Tree."

If you want this set of the Olivia that I've shown, today is the last day to order it! Email me!!!!

Mistletoe Workshop Layout #4

2011-01-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty musically oriented, so I LOVE this paper and I wanted to make sure that plenty of it would be seen so I chose a layout with a lot of the base page open. This one is called "Mesmerize" and it is only page 34 of Magic, Although I changed it just a bit - go figure??? Really it was a tiny change. The 3 x 5 piece of green print B&T was really smaller in the pattern to make way for a 2 1/2 x 3 picture, but I thought I might put a 4 x 6 across the "crack." That is, I'll cut the picture (in a non-essential place) and divide it between the two pages with the musical matting around it. I didn't really want a picture to be part of the boundary for the matting, so I lengthened the green print to complete the edge.

I decorated this with just a few accents, a couple of stamped, cut out images and 2 poinsettia brads with a pewter brad seemed all that was needed. I'll probably move the ornaments to the bottom corner and use that center stripe for the titling of this page.

This layout can hold a TON of photos! I'm thinking: one in the candy-stripe mat, another small one below it, a 2 1/2 x 3 inch pic on the right side under the green print in the corner and two more of the same size or a 3 x 5 tall one next to it. A 4 x 5 in the blank spot next to that and another one in the bottom right blank spot. Add the divided 4 x 6 in the middle, and that accommodates 7-9 photos easily! I wonder if I have enough pics of my kids caroling???

Mistletoe Workshop Layout #3

2011-01-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

Now this layout is just plain and even a little boring, but try to picture the right hand page with a 4 x 6 photo about the journaling card and a 3 x 3 photo under the diagonal stripe. Then picture a title across the top of both pages and either some extra 5 x 4 photos along the right side or more journaling and a picture at the bottom. Then on the left hand side goes one 6 x 6 picture or two 6 x 3 pics. Another 3 x 3 goes next to the candy strip and a final 6 x 4 goes under the green print B&T.

I know that's a lot to imagine and without the pictures, this layout just isn't done any justice, but it will look awesome when it's done! It is called "Love Potion" and can be found on page 18 of the Magic book although I altered it a little. The pattern calls for the two 4 x 6 pics that are on the inside of each page to be right next to each other. I didn't like the way that looked as much so I pulled the Colonial White journaling cardstock down to the bottom of the grouping. Once the pics are on, I'll stamp the outline of the groupings, but I didn't want to do that ahead because I may be adding extra pictures. Boy, I really need to get some pics printed!

One last item is the little pocket at the top. This can be used as a souvenir pocket, but I think I'll position some cropped pics and stamped ornaments spilling out of the pocket. Don't worry, I'll repost this one when I'm done with it. Probably after my retreat in February.

Mistletoe Workshop Layout #2

2011-01-26T09:03:00.000-06:00

This layout is called "Showtime" and the instructions for it are on page 106 of Magic. I didn't have to make any changes for this layout. It was perfect just the way it was! And I love the way these papers go together for this layout. It's almost too much, though so the only stamping I did was the "Noel" in the bottom-left and top-right.

The only other embellishment on this page is the white poinsettia brad in the bottom left corner. This double is begging for pictures, but it just doesn't need anything else!

Mistletoe Workshop Layout #1

2011-01-25T08:42:00.000-06:00

This layout is called "Performance" and all basic instructions for it are on page 48 in the Magic "how-to" book by Jeanette Lynton, the founder of Close to My Heart. Something I love about this program is the pattern CD that is included with the books. I used them for the parenthecal patterns on the bottom of the left page and the side of the right page.

I adjusted the left hand side of the page. The 4 1/2 x 7 piece of green print B&T was actually only 1 small B&T and a 2 inch open space. I didn't like the way it looked on this page, so I filled in the open spot. Also, the original layout called for 1/2 inch border all the way around each page. But I thought I might use the open brown section as a mat for my pictures instead of filling them in entirely so I moved both pages to where they would meet in the middle of the layout.

For the decorations, I random stamped (using 2nd generation stamping) on the right side card and added two cut out ornaments and a poinsettia brad that came with the set. For the left side, I just added the one cut out ornament. I raised all the cut-outs on 3D foam squares. Finally, I added some "stitching" with my Cocoa marker along the parenthetical edge of the two cards.

Olivia Workshop Layout #4

2011-01-24T09:00:00.000-06:00

I was so inspired by this paper set that I did a little creative cutting on this layout. Even though I cut the tar out of the light floral B&T, I still had a 4 x 8 section leftover to use on my first layout and was able to cut that flower out of the leftover.

Sometimes when I do these free-handed cuts, I start with a basic square cut, but I didn't with this one. I just followed the lines that were already part of the design. Once they are cut out, the 4 x 8 is square cut, avoiding the large flower that I used on the 1st layout. As for the est of the page, I cut a 4 x 12 and a 4 x 2 of the polka-dot Sunset B&T and tore the long edge of the 12 x 4 and 2 edges of the 4 x 2. All these edges I distressed by scraping them through Bamboo ink. (Gold ink would've worked better for it if I had any!)

I added a couple of Shimmer brads to opposite corners of the layout. To decorate the top right I stamped on a scrap of some leftover B&T in Barn Red. I overlapped several large leaves and then cut out the whole grouping together. If I had it to do all over again, I would probably have matted this grouping on a lighter color of cardstock, like Bamboo. That would really make it pop!

Olivia Workshop #3

2011-01-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

This is the layout that came with the Olivia workshop. A color brochure with complete instructions is included with the kit. If you buy ANY set, this one should be the one! It is positively gorgeous!
I've only just decided what photos to use on this page and I can't wait to get them on there. The brochure includes three 5 x 7 pictures with 2 of them landscapes on the left page and the other portrait on the right page. It also includes six 2 x 2 photos with 3 on the left side of each page. All of the photos match the rest of the paper by being sanded on the edges - yes, on the edges of the actual photos. AND the portrait photo on the brochure shows a little of the picture sanded off and a stamped sentiment in the sanded area. I am SO doing that!

In keeping with the sanded theme, the stamped images (I hate cutting out stamped images, but they end up looking SO nice!) are also sanded a bit in the middle and coupled with some 2nd generational stamping.

Olivia Workshop Layout #2

2011-01-20T11:55:00.000-06:00

This layout isn't an original, so I can't give exact cutting dimensions, but I can tell you that it is the "Enchantment" layout from the Magic Scrapbooking program, on page 78. I can also tell you that I altered the original cutting directions in order to save paper. I cut the 1/2 inch strip of Colonial White for the top of the left page, but instead of making the 12 x 11 big cut for the right-hand page, I made two separate cuts. The first was 1/2 x 12 to go all the way across, but the second cut is only 2 x 10 1/2.
I distressed all of the Colonial White pieces in Bamboo ink the same way. I apply the ink to an empty block and then swirl it onto the paper in little circles until most of the ink is gone. Then I reink the block and repeat the process until the distressing is the way I want it.

On both pages, the base is Bamboo. The top, orange section is the backside of the bright green, floral B&T. The middle section is the watercolor B&T and I put just a few random stamps using the small leaf stamp (that comes with the workshop) in Barn Red ink. Then the bottom section that spans the 2 pages is the stripe. I didn't randomly stamp the stripe, it actually comes that way, but I did stamp the Bamboo base at the bottom. I used Bamboo for the large stamp, Autumn Terra Cotta (as I didn't have the Sunset stamp pad at the time) in a 2nd generational stamp with a long, skinny leaf, and I used the same small leaf in Barn Red, too.

I added a "Delight" to the top of this page, thinking that it would be appropriate no matter what photos I choose to put on the page. I also randomly placed some of the Shimmer brads to give the layout a finished look to it.

Olivia Workshop Layout #1

2011-01-19T16:49:00.003-06:00

Since I already had some of the pages out, even though I haven't finished the pages with photos, yet, I thought I would go ahead and give the instructions for these pages. This double is my own layout, so I can actually give cutting dimensions.

The right pages is a pocket page with inserts that act as photo mats. I always wondered how anyone could use a pocket page in their album because the inserts would be so hard to reach from the top. They are, if you're reaching in from the top, but not if you cut a slit into the plastic. You will need to slice the page protector the width of the insert plus a hole punch on each side so the slice won't extend too far. I usually make my slice just below the top of my insert. That way my insert can stick out just a little without removing protections for the photo.

The left page is a continuation of the right, in look, but it isn't a pocket page. I used some little "belts" to continue the theme, but even though the pictures can tuck up under them, no slits are necessary to view these as they are not removable.

The left base is the darker leaf B&T and the right base is the light floral B&T. The left layout has a 4 x 12 cut (although it can be 4 x 8) of the light floral B&T and is aligned on the right-top of the base page. A 5 x 12 cut of the watercolor B&T lies at the bottom of the base page, but I tore the top edge all the way across before I stuck it down. On top of this is a 4 x 6 of the Sunset polka-dot with the top edge torn. I added another strip of the paper cut 1 1/2 x 6 that I actually wrapped around the corner of a 5 x 7 piece of Smoothie paper. I tore the long edge of the strip first. I also added a 3 x 3 piece of Sunset polka-dot at the top-right. The final card is a 4 x 6 Smoothie mat off-set on the left side of the page. I cut out one of the flowers from the light floral B&T and overlapped the 4 x 6 mat as a final touch.

The right layout starts at the bottom with a 6 x 12 of the dark leaf B&T with the top edge torn all the way across. It was placed directly on the bottom of the base, but the torn side is left clean of adhesive so that the pocket can be made. On top of the dark leaf pocket, also directly against the bottom of the base is a 5 x 12 of the watercolor B&T (top edge torn). I applied a u-shape of adhesive to the B&T to make a pocket section, as well. Under the dark leaf pocket I tucked a 7 x 8 piece of Smoothie as a photo mat. The inserts for the watercolor pocket include a 4 x 5 of the Sunset polka-dot and a 5 x 7 of the same paper overlaid with a 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 of Smoothie cardstock. I added the Shimmer brads to the two inserts to act as handles.

I didn't use any stamping on this page as it was perfectly embellished with just the shimmer brads and I felt more stamping would make it quite busy.

Olivia, Mistletoe, and Hooligan Workshop Sets Will be Gone at the End of the Month!

2011-01-18T23:15:00.006-06:00

This is just one of the Olivia layouts that I'll be posting and giving directions for in the next few days. This is one of the most beautiful sets I've worked with and I highly recommend it! The kit comes with a stamp set that was created especially for this workshop and it also includes the shimmer brads in bronze, silver, and gold. The set is only available through the end of the month. Contact me this week if you want to order it! See the flyer for the workshop and another example HERE.

These layouts were made with the new, traditional Mistletoe set. This set makes some BEAUTIFUL layouts and it again comes with a set of embellishments (Mistletoe) and a stamp set created for the workshop. Both of these sets come with a full-color brochure, by the way. But like the other, the Mistletoe workshop kit is only available for the rest of the month of January. See the workshop flyer and another example HERE.

Hooligan was also a fun workshop, but I don't have any pictures of it. However you can see an example of it on the flyer HERE. It, like the others, comes with a special stamp set and a set of embellishments as well as a color brochure.

Magnifique Layout #5

2011-01-14T09:15:00.001-06:00

I won't say that this layout is a total failure, but I accidentally dropped my stamp pad onto the cardstock so I had to do some unexpected distressing on it. I really don't like the way it turned out, but it was better than the marked side and the back already had adhesive on it.

It started out like the "Symphony Sweet" on page 24 of Imagaind, but I found I really wanted my base page to play a large roll, so I didn't want to cover it as much as the pattern showed. So I started with an 3 x 11 of the Lagoon cardstock and placed it flush against the bottom and 1 inch from the left side of the page. I placed a 7 x 10 of the striped patterned paper directly into the top right corner, overlaping the first piece. Then I overlapped a 2 1/2 x 12 inch strip of the blue flowers on the striped paper, about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom edge of it. The picutres went on the stripe, and over the "floral belt," but I think I'll go back and add some cream matting to the pictures to help them stand out better. I can also add a few more 3 x 3 pictures onto the Lagoon cardstock.

For the right hand page, I started with a 4 x 12 of the Lagoon cardstock across the bottom. To this I added a 5 x 10 piece of the stripe to the top left corner, continuing the patter across the break in the pages, and another "floral belt" of the same size and in the same placement as the one on the other page.

I stamped several of the flowers and dots using Pacifica ink over the feathers of the print. Looking at them, it brings back how much I like this paper, yet I'm still not satisfied with the layout. I think the Lagoon is too pronounced. I may go back and make those two large lagoon papers either Chocolate, Pacifica, or maybe even Outdoor Denim.

I made the flower the same way that I did before, stamping the heart into a 3-leaf clover with the points over-lapping, and then adding a backward image of the heart 3 times in the gaps between the ones that are there. When I did it, I used the back side of the Lagoon and Pacifica dotted paper. The back of it was actually in cream and bamboo, so the ink worked really well with it. It stamped the hearts into the flower shape, but still allowed the print to show through, even though the color was altered. (I used the Sky ink.)

I stamped the pointy flower into the center of the big flower using Pacifica and then stamped it again, turning the image so that the new petals hit in between the formerly stamped ones. Then I finished it off with a Chocolate biggie brad.

Magnifique #4 Layout

2011-01-13T08:49:00.000-06:00

This layout is a slight alteration on the "Leading Lady" on page 16 of the Imagine book. The book shows that there can be 5 pictures on this double layout, but I added another on the right-hand page. In fact, using smaller pictures than the ones they used in the book, I could probably add 2 to 3 more pictures to the pages easily.

Embellishing this double was so simple with the Chocolate Mini-Medley and the stamp set that accompanied the kit. The first image that I made was the large flower at the bottom left corner of the left hand page. I made it with the heart stamp that accompanies the set by overlapping three heart images. Then I turned the heart upside down on the block and stamped it 3 more times to fill in between the other three hearts, to make the large flower. Then I stamped the largest of the flower images and placed a cream biggie brad into the center of the flower. I stuck it down into the corner of the page and then trimmed off the excess of the flower.

For the other embellishments, I stamped a variety of flowers, layering the different images and different colors (Pacifica, Lagoon, Sky, and Chocolate) as well as using 2nd generation stamping. That sort of stamping requires you to ink up your stamp and first stamp it onto scratch paper before applying the ink to your project. It creates a lighter version of the original. Then I cut out all the flowers in different ways and stamped a dot or put in a brad into the center. I also used a few of the paper flowers that came with the set , as well.

Magnifique Layout #3

2011-01-12T09:16:00.000-06:00

This peacock paper is so beautiful, I really wanted to feature it in one of my doubles so this one is a personal design.

The right side is the peacock base. A 1 x 12 inch strip of the cream and blue flower print lays 3 1/2 inches below the top edge of the paper. A 4 x 3 inch lagoon cardstock piece served as a photo mat in the top left corner of the page. The only other piece on the page is a 5 x 1 inch piece of chocolate cardstock.

The left page is almost as simple. The left side is a 4 x 12 piece of the second peacock page that comes in the set. I made sure to cut out the feathery part. The right side is a 3 x 12 piece of the blue and cream flower paper. I put a 1 x 4 piece of lagoon cardstock over the peacock piece about an inch up from the bottom of the page. I also put a 1 x 3 piece of lagoon cardstock over the floral piece, also about an inch up from the bottom of the page. Then I put a 1/2 x 12 inch strip of the floral across both cardstock pieces. (Actually, it was closer to 3/8 inch - less than 1/2 inch - so that it would fit easier through the ribbon slide that I added at the end.) Lastly, I added two 4 x 6 mats onto the page.

On the two mats on the left and the small mat on the right, I added an image from the stamp set into the bottom right corners. I also added a square cream colored brad and a cream ribbon slide onto the 1/2 inch strip. That's it - way simple!

Magnifique Layout #2

2011-01-11T09:15:00.000-06:00

This layout, "Introduction," is from the Imagine book on page 32. In the index, the book says that the layout will work for 6 pictures, but as you can see, I got 10 photos on my layouts. Of course I printed off special sizes. Oh and don't look too closely at that pics because they are just place holders, printed out on regular cardstock.

This double features a lot of torn paper, so extra stamping and too many embellishments would busy the layout to an extreme.

Magnifique Workshop #1

2011-01-10T08:50:00.004-06:00

Before I go any further, let me make a plug for the Wings workshop kit. Even though my workshop may be full, this kit is SO worth it and you can make several different things without any help from me! All of the workshops include a main double layout, a suggestion for a 2nd layout and a card set to choose from, but the wings workshop also includes a great banner pattern to create with the leftovers after you make the main workshop pages. It is an AWESOME kit! You can see a flyer for it HERE.

My workshop was full yesterday and we had a great, creative time! This one was actually the December workshop, but since the end of December was so busy, we kicked it into the first part of January. I have a workshop at the end of January, too. It MAY have 1 seat open, so if you're interested in it, give me a call.

The layout shown in this post is the one that was explained in the brochure that came with the Magnifique kit. The kit is still available for the month of January, but come February when the new Idea Book goes live, this kit will be gone.

The beauty of these kits is that they come with an original double layout design and full-color instructions to recreate it. They also come with embellishments and a stamp set made especially for the kit. The Magnifique set comes with a floral designed stamp set and the Shades of Chocolate Mini-medley embellishment set. We no longer sell the embellishment set, and the stamp set can't be purchased separately. Add to that the fact that you get the set at a discounted price from what it would be if you COULD buy it all separately and it is a great deal at $29.95 plus shipping and tax. Another prize is that I show all the layouts that I include with my workshop, so even if you miss it, you can recreate it all on your own.

All this is to say, you need to order the kit now or lose the chance. However, the paper pack will still be available through July.

The embellishments on this particular layout were so much fun to make and so easy! All of them are laid out step-by-step in the brochure that comes with the workshop kit, but basically I stamped the flower images in Pacifica ink in full strength (1st generation stamping) and also in 2nd generation stamping (stamping a second time, after some of the ink has been removed on scratch paper). With this technique, I also interspersed paper flowers, brads and "Biggie" brads (all part of this kit) along with dots of various colors. The effect was fanciful!

Studio J - Free Spirit

2011-01-07T08:37:00.000-06:00

This was one of the first layouts I made with Studio J. I was just fooling around. (Did you know you could try it without paying a dime? Try it now at my website: marji.myctmh.com)

I was showing it to a customer and then I liked the way it ended up so much that I just had to go ahead and get the printouts.

This layout really shows a awesome detail in the program. See the title isn't a Stickease, it's just a title. I could choose the size, font, and color of it. I can also choose the background color, if I'd rather have a vellum background, like I did with the journaling (and it perfectly "sticks" without showing any adhesive marks at all like the real vellum does!) or, like I did here, with no background at all. I could even lay it over a picture if I choose. I wince when I think of how difficult it would've been to stick down those tiny letters of the "the" if I'd cut them out with a Cricut! Yikes! But here, no tiny letters, but perfect lettering every time!

Studio J - Splendor

2011-01-06T08:20:00.000-06:00

The layouts in Studio J also vary greatly. Some of them require a large picture or two with a couple of extra on the side. Other layouts, like this one can offer places for LOADS of pictures. I especially like the way I can focus on a small element of my pictures as is the case in the 2 photos below.

As with the other sets, the Stickease for this one is plentiful. I used it to creat the flower vine. This Stickease set also included a rickrack ribbon that worked perfectly for my layout. This particular layout also gives a good example of all the embellishments that are available with this program. Buttons, ribbons, and all sorts of metal embellishments, in any of the Close to My Heart 60 colors, are easy to use.

Studio J - New Paper Sets!!!

2011-01-05T08:59:00.000-06:00

The paper sets I can choose from at Studio J include all the current sets. They also include some of the most popular retired sets - LOVE THAT! In addition to all of those, they all add sets that were never offered in paper. This set, called, "Hippitiy Hop," is such.

Even though this set was never physically published, it still has all of the elements of the published sets. It includes plenty of stickease, like all the eggs, the "Happy Easter" title and the date that I created using the Alphabet Stickease. (And I never run out of the letters I need!)

Just like with the last posting, I had some pictures that wouldn't print out well, but were just too cute to blow off. Using Studio J and some of the mattings that are available through the program, I could still use the pictures! I ended up making 3 of these double layouts in just under an hour for 3 different books (one for each girl). All I had to do was switch out a few pictures and change the journaling a little. Studio J lets me copy a whole layout as a new project and do simple adjustments in no time!

Studio J - Back Country

2011-01-04T13:26:00.004-06:00

I'm working on catching up with all of the layouts I have failed to create. Studio J makes this so easy. I can make 3 to 4 double layouts in just about 2 hours and have them totally complete, with titles, journaling, photos, and impressive embellishments.

Studio J also allows me to resize my Stickease. See the Stickease that comes with a "My Reflections" pack is better than stickers because they are heavier card weight. But the Stickease that comes with Studio J is even better because I can reuse each sticker again and again on the layout and even change the sizes of the images.

I love that I can place brads and ribbons whereever I please and I can resize them, too. I can also place my titles and journaling anywhere, even across photos. OR in this case, place my title in a light colored font over a dark cardstock base. That's possible in normal paper scrap-booking, but rather difficult unless I want to stick with plain cream colors or white.

Another thing that was important with this layout is the fact that I could use all of my pictures. Many of them wouldn't process well because the images were too small, but on this digital layout, I could focus on the small images and easily bring them into focus.

Also, I have become a member of Studio J. For a yearly fee, I can get all of my layouts for half-price, and I can get 1 order per month for no shipping. I also get large and small jpegs of my layouts so I can post them here or print them out again. It makes the membership SO worthwhile!

Studio J Layouts - Animal Cookies

2011-01-03T21:50:00.005-06:00

I'm a big fan of Studio J and will be showing you numerous layouts that I've made recently with this fabulous new tool!!! I have so many favorite things about this program that it is hard to narrow it down to one, but I think the best thing of all is that I can use it for free!!! I don't have to pay a penny until I decide I want to purchase a layout. That means I can play around with all sorts of options before I settle on one.

Another thing I love about the program is that I don't have to print off pictures. That's a big plus, because I enjoy using a variety of sizes in my photos and this really saves me money since I don't have to print out the more expensive 8 x 10 or 5 x 7 pictures. I can also get sizes like these 2 x 2 which are impossible to print. Its not such a big deal if I can cut down a 4 x 6 print to the size I want, but, as in the case of these pictures, cutting the original down to a 2 x 2 would cut out so much of the action, it would be impossible to tell what was going on at all.

There are a variety of embellishments available with Studio J in any of the Close to My Heart 60 colors. I can also use the colors in titles and journaling, not to mention the fun fonts I have to choose from. And in the title of the layout, I used the Alphabet that came with the Stickease. Of course it wasn't this big originally, but it is easy to adjust the size.

This layout is call "Dialogue." I'm not sure if it is from the Cherish or the Imagine book, but I like the way it has paper tearing throughout.

Passages - Layout #5

2010-12-01T09:00:00.001-06:00

These two layouts were part of a challenge from one of my customers. See once we're done with the workshop, she pulls out some extra cardstock and uses the scraps to make some extra layouts. (Yes, she's very creative!) So I wanted to use more of the paper so she wouldn't have to come up with design ideas herself. And voila! These layouts came out.

I started with a 6x10 of the map paper on the left-hand page and a 2x6 of the postcard paper along the bottom of it. Then I used a 6x12 piece of the stripe (cut with the strip, vertically) for the other side of the paper. On the edge of this, I put a 1x10 of the postcard paper, leaving 2 inches of the stripe at the top showing. I then cut a 5x2 piece of the postcard paper that lines up in the center of the layout, flush with the edge of the map paper. A 13-inch ribbon with a pewter slide stretches across the page at the bottom of the 2-inch section. The other ribbon is described in depth below.

The right page starts with 2x12 strips of map paper, brown cardstock, and stripe, all lined up next to each other. A 6x6 pocket of the brown B&T makes up the bottom right of the layout. For the top right, I used a 6x6 piece of map paper and a 5x5 postcard cut as a mat on top of it.

I used more of the brown B&T as a tag in the pocket and added a pewter hinge at the top to keep it from falling into the pocket. The general measurement of the tag is 3 x 5. A ribbon is stretched from top to bottom of this layout and a 1x3 piece of postcard adorns the top of the pocket.

The ribbon at the bottom of the left-hand page is knotted on the right side and the resulting loop is slipped over the side of a spiral clip. That clip is then attached to the layout with a brad, like on other pages. I tied another knot around a photo clip and then wrapped the end of the ribbon around the left side of the layout to complete the design.

All-in-all, I was really pleased with this workshop. I used almost all of the paper in the set and ALL of pewter embellishments along with most of the ribbon. I was really pleased with the results of the effort.

Passages - Layout #4

2010-11-30T08:55:00.002-06:00

These easy layout were included with the Passage Workshop on the Go kit. I try really hard to make them just like they are shown, but this one begged a change. See the little circle designs are actually four folded circles, like this one.

To make it this way, you fold it in half and then in 1/4 before unfolding it. Then you collapse it so that the two sides fold into the center of two triangular quarters. Then with your thumb, you fold down one top edge of the quarter. It's easier to see the design when using paper that has more of a difference between the back and front. You put 4 of them together to make the complete circle and then put a brad in the center.

I made a much easier version, though, and it only used 2 circles instead of 4. For this one, I used one circle as a base and then folded just a bit of the second circle to make it more of a square. I then put a brad into the center. It doesn't have the folds or bulk of the original, but it is much easier to make and work with.

The top accents are easy with the new Chocolate Ribbon collection. I just anchored one end with a pewter hinge around one edge and wrapped the other end around the other edge of the page. Adding some quick stamps and decorative brads made an easy and fast double layout.

Passages - Layout #3

2010-11-29T08:20:00.002-06:00

The designs on these two pages left too much base page showing and I didn't like the effect, so I altered the design to completely cover the bases. The cuts on the left-hand side start with a 1x12 strip of the journaling sheet. The catch with this cut is that it goes across the words so that they will show vertically on the page. All the other cuts are horizontal, with the writing lines. There is a 2x4 cut like that at the bottom right corner of that page. Next to the 1x12 strip of journaling paper is a 1x12 strip of postcard paper. Another postcard cut is a 4x4 at the top right corner. The last base-cover cut is a 6x12, with the lines, on the striped paper. A 5x7 and 4x6 of Brown Bag cardstock finish the collection. The 5x7 sheet is edge-distressed all the way around and the 4x6 has the top edge torn off, just a bit.

On the right-hand page, the top is a 4x12 of the postcard paper. The bottom is a 2x12 of the journaling paper - cut horizontally, with the writing. In the middle of this is a 6x12 of the striped paper, but this time it is cut ACROSS the stripes. That way the stripes will agree between the pages.

The decoration at the top of the left-hand page is worked with a few different cuts. The base is a 1x7 inch scrap of any B&T (I used some postcard paper). On top of that is a 1x12 inch brown B&T paper. I left 1 1/2 inch flat and then made a crease. After a 1/4 inch, I made another crease, then again after 3/4 inches. I continued down the paper, creasing at 1/4 then 3/4 inches until I was left with 1 1/2 inches at the end. On the two ends, I added an open hinge to one and a stamped key hole (stamped in Colonial White) to the other.

At the bottom of the pages, I added a 1-inch strip of Brown Bag, both of them 5-inches long, but torn to differen lengths. On the left-hand page, I embellished with brads and spirals. On the right hand page, I repeated the pleated brown B&T design paper and tucked on end under the torn cardstock and the other one under a pewter photo clip.

The final design, at the top of the right page, started with an upside down 1x8 strip of postcard paper. Along with that, I cut a brown ring out of scrap paper, measuring about 3 inches, and another about 3 1/2 inch circle out of Brown Bag. Both of these I edge distressed, like all the other cardstock pieces. At that point, I folded 1 inch of the postcard strip and secured it with a pewter designer brad and then glued the left edge of the ring to the circle so it would be centered on the Brown Bag circle. Using the entire unit, I stretched the postcard paper to the right edge of the layout and glued it down, flush. Then I glued down the rest of the unit as it layed evenly across the page.

Passages - Layout #2

2010-11-27T21:25:00.010-06:00

Not sure why the colors on these pics are different, but be assured they are both from the same paper pack and really do go together. This layout started the postcard paper from the Passages set. It seemed a perfect partner to the journaling paper in the set, so I put them together and mounted on the chocolate cardstock. The open spaces on this layout was key, because the base paper complimented the others perfectly.

The cuts for the left-hand page included a 2x5 and 2x7 of the journaling paper. From the postcard paper, a 5x5 and a 5x7. From the brown B&T I cut 1 1/2 inch squares (3) and punched some circles to go in the squares from the Autumn Terra Cotta cardstock.

The cuts for the right-hand page include, from the journaling paper, two 2x7 strips and a 5x5 and 5x7 from the postcard paper. Again, 3 squares at 2x2 each from the brown B&T and punched circles from the Autumn Terra Cotta cardstock complete the cuts.

On both pages, ribbon from the chocolate collection is used. For the left-hand side, I used an 8-inch piece of ribbon. I tied one end of the ribbon around a metal tag then gathered up the other end tightly until the ribbon was only about 3 inches long from knot to tip. I glued it down with adhesive (usually Liquid Glass - I LOVE Liquid Glass!) letting the knot and tag hang down and I wrapped the other end of the ribbon to the bag and secured it the same way.

On the right-hand side, I used a 14-inch piece of ribbon. I pulled the white strings a little out of one end of the ribbon and tied the strings in a knot, then out of the other end of the ribbon, I gathered up the ribbon tightly until it was 8 inches long. Before I put down the bottom-left postcard paper piece, I glued down the ribbon, putting the knotted end around on the right side of the layout. The other edge of the ribbon tucks under the postcard paper piece about a half inch. I make sure that the gathered section isn't under the postcard paper.

The circle punch that I have has an edge to it, and it is about 1-inch in diameter. I decorated them with spirals, medium brads, and designer brads from the pewter collection.

I lined up 3, vertically, on the right-hand page and the other 3, horizontally, on the left page so that, when placed together, they look like a continuous design.

I know a LOT of people travel - and this set is perfect for photos from those trips, especially European trips. For me, my best trip is to my in-laws in Oklahoma (a peaceful, but not normally chic, destination) so I'm not really sure how I will use these layouts. If you have any ideas, pass them along!

Passages Workshop #1

2010-09-20T15:28:00.002-05:00

I'm terribly delayed in posting this workshop! Life and volleyball season has set in!

This is a wonderfully easy layout that I based on the orange and red printed B&T that came with this set. This left page has a 4 x 12 piece of the smokey B&T along the left edge, and a 4 x 8 piece of Chocolate cardstock across the bottom span, about 1 inch from the bottom edge. In the top section, a 6 x 7 inch piece of brown bag cardstock is layered with a 6 3/4 x 4 1/2 piece of chocolate cardstoco as a mat for a focal picture.

I embellished this side with some satin ribbon. I cut it to 15 inches and then cut it in the middle and retied it for extra flair. I also added 3 brads and one picture clip to the focal point mat.

On the right hand page, also based on the orange and red B&T, I put a 6 x 6 smokey B&T in the bottom right corner and a 6 x 6 piece of Brown

Bag cardstock in the bottom left corner.

I put a 3 x 6 piece of the smokey B&T (turned to the back) in the top/left corner for a journaling section and

I'm embellished it with a hinge attached to the top section. I added a chocolate cardstock mat (7 x 5) embellished with a stamped clock face from

the included stampset (in Chocolate) on some scrap paper and cut out. The scrap paper I used was a bit of the postcard B&T I had left over and just happened to have a light impression of the capitol building on it. I added another satin ribbon done the same way to this page.

Silhouette Cutting

2010-08-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

This was my workshop layout for this weekend. I confess, I am REALLY partial to this page and enjoyed putting it together. This is Mari's take on the concept. Let me run it down for you. We used 2 sheets of the floral design paper from the Unforgettable set and 2 sheets of the blue print design paper from the same set. On the left page, the floral was the base. We cut 3 1/2 inches of the blue print and another 1/2 inch of it. We layered the two about 1/2 inch from the left side with the pink side showing on the 1/2 inch strip.

Also on this page, we used part of the floral design page. We cut 3 inches off of the right side of the page and then silhouette cut the branches and flowers. We laid this piece over the blue (5 x 7) mats and the pictures to create an overlay.

We used a couple of silhouetted overlays on the right hand page, too. First, starting at the cut we made before, we cut a silhouette around the flower that we cut through part of, then cut down the stem to the bottom of the page. This cut went into the bottom right corner. After that, we cut alont the large branch on the left hand side of the page and let that section create the left border for the page. Mari added a flip collection using either the CTMH Flip Flaps or clear envelopes and she attached a dated cover to the top of the stack. She added brads and stickease to complete the page including a few extra flowers.

Three Things I Like - No Four!

2010-08-27T09:00:00.001-05:00

Mari shared this layout and it really draws in the eye. First, I like the smaller sized pictures that all match in size and shape. The line on the right hand-center is echoed on either side.

Second, I like the ovals on the left hand page. They would be perfect for a Christmas page, but accent well to the pinning theme of this layout.

Finally, I like Mari's use of her paper. The Desert Sand and the Crystal blue go great with her design paper and I like how she cut out some of the florals from the the design! I also like how something as simple as a 4-inch strip down the middel can create such a focal point.

Newsprint On Pages

2010-08-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

In these layouts, Molly used the Sarsaparilla sets to highlight a 4th grade moment for her son. She plans to make a copy of the news article so that the paper won't yellow, but this set really complimented the picture as well as the news print.

As in some of her other layouts, she used the stickease that came with the kit as her main embellishments. The strip at the top of the page is stickease as is the title, which is raised on 3D foam tape. And do you notice the little imprinted tab on the side of the picture? That's a stickease, too! Also, the little stars at the bottom are part of the set. She used 3D foam tape again on the accent below the strip. It is hard to tell that the card below the strip is stickease, but it is. Molly punched holes in it and threaded hemp through the holes (perfect for this type of paper set!) to enhance the theme of the pages.

Sports Layout

2010-08-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

Molly Strikes again, and this time with the retired "Rowdy" set. This was one of my favorite sets. I'm not sure if it was the color scheme that I liked so much or the crazy design of some of the papers, but it certainly lended itself to the sports genre!

The way these pages are laid out, they could be Level 1 kits! Check out the edges on the grassy paper in the first picture. Molly has a "paper tearing" tool! I have a new toy to find! It is a metal stick, like a ruler, only with deckled edges on either side. I'm not sure how it worked, even though I saw her doing it, but it sure looked easy! Also in that picture, she added some natural hemp. It is an easy, inexpensive embellishment for boys pages, tomboy pages, or country pages.

While Molly did use some of the stickease to garnish the pages, she also used other accents like these edge anchors on a vellum title piece. The letters might be rubons, but printing on vellum from a computer is also pretty and easy!

Just a side note: Notice how she dates each page. I'm always forgetting to do that and getting my pages mixed up! So simple!

The "DUDE" in the second close-up is part of the stickease for this kit, as is the tan and blue frame under it. The word is raised on 3D foam tape. I'm not sure how Molly did it, but I've done it before and actually stuck down the stickease onto cardstock and cut it out before I mounted it. I've done it before, mounting the foam directly onto the sticky side of the image, but the sticky side still stuck to the paper, wherever I didn't have foam tape. It's a little more work to cut it out, but that way the adhesive on the stickease isn't exposed. Seems like someone told me they put baby powder on the backs of stickers if they didn't want them to be sticky. I've never tried it. Not sure it would work, though. Has anyone tried anything else?

More Travel Layouts from Molly!

2010-08-24T13:29:00.002-05:00

These awesome layouts are from Molly, highlighting a vacation they took recently. The Moon Doggie patterns worked perfectly for this jungle trip!

Simple embellishments are on this page - just the stickease that goes with the set. I LOVE stickease! I know it will match and it is just so easy to use! It adds to the theme without being overbearing and Molly's pictures are the focal point!

Kawabunga II!

2010-08-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

Molly shared some more pages of her family trip. This is the simplest of layouts (an 11 x 11 design sheet on top of a 12 x 12 cardstock) but Molly's details make it really pop.

This is a perfect example of Stickease, our card-weight stickers that go with each paper set. All the embellishements on this page are stickease, the stripe, the flowers, even the title!

Another detail is the variety of picture shapes. I'm believing that Molly just cropped the small pictures at the top right of this page instead of ordering a special size, but you can order large sizes and cut them down. I've order a wallet page once to get 3 smaller pictures, and I've even put 4 pictures together in my photo program and printed them out as one 4x6 to get some 2 x 3 shots for a page I wanted.

Another detail that I like about this page is HOW she cropped the pictures. She used a deckle edge on all of the pics and even used the same edge on some of her mats. I confess, it's been a WHILE since I used any trimmer besides my EURO trimmer, but I'm gonna hafta pull out all my scissors and play a little! I noticed how some of the mats are straight and some are deckled, adding to the variety. Oh and I always love the look of overlapping matted, off-set photos.

Putting it all together, it makes for a great grouping. My favorite of this layout is the section on the far right. The long white mat with all the small, identically-sized photos. It reminds me of the old photo accordions that come out of wallets in old movies!

Kawabunga!

2010-08-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

Molly shared her layouts from a recent family vacation. They are gorgeous pics and some of her details really set the tone of the pages and perfected the theme.

On her first page, I was particularly interested in the way she used hemp to highlight some of the stickease in the center. The basic goal of a layout is to draw the eye in and this page certainly does that especially with the central artwork.

Her second page easily flows from the first one. On this page I especially like the way she off-set her photos on the lower left mat. And I LOVE the weaving artwork to set off her journaling. This is a really easy technique that makes a statement, especially for themes like this beach one or rustic rural/country ones. She used 3 12 x 1 inch strips for the vertical slats and 4 other 1-inch strips of various lengths (less than 5 inches) for the horizontal slats. It's easiest to create the weave on the paper instead of trying to make it then putting it on the paper. If it had been me making this up, I would've started by placing just a little adhesive on the vertical slats, right in the middle of them to just barely hold them in place. At that point, I would weave two slats above the adhesive, where the vertical slats are adhered to the base page, and two slats below it. Then I would stick it all down thoroughly.

Molly completed the look by attaching more hemp to the stickease and raising it on 3D foam tape. Oh, by the way, this set is called Moon Doggie and it is retiring so there is precious little of it left! If you want it, please order it from the shopping link at my website; marji.myctmh.com. You'll find it at the "My Reflections 12 x 12" link.

Heart 2 Heart - Back to School Challenge

2010-08-19T13:05:00.005-05:00

When I saw this week's challenge, I just had to show off some of the incredible artwork that was made this weekend at my retreat. I can't take credit for it, but it perfectly fits this category!

Miranda made all of these awesome items especially to get ready for school. First, she created a decorated clipboard for the 7th grade volleyball coach. With this she used stickers and cut itemes as well as design paper cut into a variety of shapes. This is all adhered using Mod Podge, I think.

She used the Cricut to create the letters and words along with some swirlies, and on the front, simple stripes adorn the clipboard. Finally, she completed the project with a mess of ribbons at the top of the clip and lots of bling on the clip itself!

Miranda also used Stickles to decorate a couple of pairs of white sneakers. I'm gonna do this for my twins! It is just their style - but don't tell them about it!!! Anyway, Miranda has one pair for herself - so in character for you, Miranda! - and another pair for her neice! I LOVE how they turned out and can't wait to do some of my own!
But I've been doing back to school things as well! I made 21 journals for our co-op credit teachers a week ago and didn't take a picture of a single one of them! Blah! I used Daydream paper and cardstock to make 2 pockets and added a monogram square at the bottom instead of the blue jean "pocket" in the picture. I also had a bunch of brads: large, medium, one flower, and a photo clip.

I made this one a while back using sanded Outdoor Denim cardstock to immitate bluejeans. The Cranberry grosgrain ribbon goes through stamped "belt loops" on both sides of the book and it ties it together.

More Retreating News

2010-08-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

That brown stuff you see spread all over Maria's legs is chocolate - yes, chocolate, with little mint sprigs sticking out of it. No wonder she was smiling like crazy in the pic I posted yesterday.

Brandy's legs were covered with Milk and Honey. I had the peppermint treatment. Yes, little green sprigs grew out of my legs too, but without the chocolate. Ashley had some sort of fancy treatment, but I don't think it was a food group. Still looked odd though.

So when we all got together, we not only looked good, we felt good, and the whole car smelled good all the way back to the hotel! What a way to begin the weekend. Yes, we will do that again. In fact, I'd love to include that, for whomever might wish to join the fun, at every retreat!

Retreating News

2010-08-17T09:04:00.002-05:00

I know this is peculiar, but a half dozen of us took a break on Friday night (Yeah, that's right, a break at a retreat - go figure!) before we even got started on the retreating. We went down to a great place in Addison, off of Beltline Road, called "Hawaiian Nail Bar" and had a great time chatting and bonding and getting SASSY NAILS!

Oh, but there was a LOT more that went on at our excursion!

We got massages in our chairs while our toes soaked in a warm pool filled with oranges, rose petals and some other type of thing that looked very botanical - but then what do I know? They offer free mixed drinks, both regular and virgin versions and Friday night, they had football on. I thought it was funny that they had on a pre-season game when the place was filled (about 30 chairs in all) with laughing, relaxing females, but then I realized that most of the staff were male. No wonder all the females around us were laughing!

I do have more on this subject, like why Maria is smiling so big - no, it wasn't somthing in her drink! You'll have to tune back in tomorrow to find out and it is well worth the visit.

As for the next retreat and those following, we're just gonna hafta make this "Bar" a regular attraction! Our visit sure started our weekend off right!

What a RETREAT!

2010-08-15T21:02:00.002-05:00

This was as much a reunion as a retreat! We had gals coming from all over the country - Yes, I'm serious; Maria came in from San Jose! We also had Rhonda up from Victoria, Lisa in from the Hill Country and Alissa all the way from the tip of south Texas.

This was our room on Sunday morning. We had a great group of gals with us this weekend AND all our STUFF! But the hotel staff (Hilton Garden Inn in Addison) was SO GOOD to us and we had an amazing time!

Couldn't resist doing this picture! (Carmela's idea!) But it was inspired by Miranda when she poked her head out from under the table just as I clicked the picture at the top.

My next retreat is November 12-14 and many of the seats are already spoken for. We always have a great time and the price is terrifice! Contact me for fees and more information.

New STUFF!

2010-08-12T11:45:00.002-05:00

I just got a box-full of CTMH products; it's like Christmas! I can't wait to use them all and as these are all brand new products, and the books are "LIVE" until September 1, I'll give you a few tasty tidbits of the goodies I got!

1st and favorite! There is a NEW Scrapbooking Program book from Jeannette Lynton. Let's just say, the designs match the name of the book perfectly ~ Magic! Just wait 'til you see it!

I have to say, this Idea Book is way up there with my all-time favorites! I LOVE every single paper set in this book and I SELDOM can say that! I plan to start up on the 2 fall sets tomorrow at my retreat, working up the Workshops on the Go so I can have them to show off. The other two sets are called Mistletoe and Magnifique and I confess, I'm saving the best for last this time!!!

This book has new Albums, tricks, embellishments, AND COLORS! Really you simply MUST see it! Contact me if you'd like to find out how you can get a book of your own! As of September 1, you can view it at my website (marji.myctmh.com). You can view the summer book there right now if you've never seen Close to My Heart before!

I'm off to retreat!

Unforgettable Layout

2010-08-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

Don't the off-set pictures on a page draw your eye to them? And it is all about setting up the pictures! In this case, Linda Swisher silhouetted the pictures of her girls. That means she cut closely around them. I know . . . you probably already knew that, but just in case! She then matted the pics onto Ocean cardstock (or at least it looks like ocean) which seems to be matted on a slightly larger rectangle of blush, and finally matted again on more Ocean - this last piece trimmed with deckle trimmer, maybe? I like the effect! The letters were done on her Cricut with some stickease accents and the stripe on the right hand page wass also done with cardstock and stickease. GREAT PAGES! By the way, the Unforgettable sets are all retiring and are on sale at my website, marji.myctmh.com.

Emporium Layout

2010-08-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

I love the way Emporium papers can enhance a variety of photos. I thought of them as fairly formal, but they look great with these blue jean pics! Linda Swisher shared these. She used her Cricut for the lettering, but Emporium paper and stickease to build the pages. Simple and elegant!

Way Easy, Way Fast!!!

2010-08-05T08:56:00.001-05:00

These cute pages were made by Kim Gilmore using some Christmas base pages, which were the pre-curser to our Level 1 Kits. We carry them in all the different paper kit designs. They are so simple to use. Each one includes 4 ready-made layouts, 2 extra coordinating cardstocks, 2 extra matching design sheets, and 2 sheets of matching stickease.

Using these ready made layouts are so simple. Just crop your pictures and stick them down; it can't be easier! Kim used some retired base pages that were along the same lines, but were packaged according to color instead of a design set. They didn't include extra matching paper, cardstocks, or stickease, but were so popular that the company started making designs just like them using the different paper pack. I'm SO glad they did!

In fact, almost 6 years ago, when I started with Close to My Heart, I made up a BIG portion of my daughter's scrapbook using these base pages and the Level 1 kits. I created 112 pages in just 9 days - not 216 hours, but 9 actual calendar days when I had to grocery shop, teach my kids, do laundry, and everything else in a normal routine.

When Close to My Heart says that it makes scrapbooking faster and easier, they aren't kidding!!!

By the way, many of the Level 1 kits are on sale at my website, marji.myctmh.com. Have you checked them out?

OMIGOSH! What a SALE!

2010-08-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

Today starting at 10 AM, you can purchase paper packs, stickease, and Level 1 Kits at more than half off! Visit the shopping link at my website, marji.myctmh.com, to see what is on sale and make your order. It will be shipped directly to you! You don't want to miss this opportunity!

Stardust Birthday Card #4

2010-08-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

This last card is on a 6 x 8 folded base with a 4 x 6 Starry B&T paper over the top. The matting for the right side card is 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 of the Green B&T. The bottom matting is 4 x 2 of the same paper. I edged the bottom mat in Moonstruck first. The bottom sentiment card is 3 x 1 1/2 and distressed in Topiary. I adhered it 1/4 inch from the left side of the mat and centered from top to bottom.

The side sentiment is also distressed in Topiary and measures 3 1/2 x 1 1/2. The 3 squares at the top are all 1 1/2 inches and edged in Topiary, too.

I inked up a Dimensional Element (flower) in Moonstruck and topped it with an Orange button. I added another larger Orange button with a knotted ribbon and a large Outdoor Denim button to complete the collection.

As a final embellishment, I added "Glitz" in dots to some of the sentiment cards as well as the candles and the confetti.

Stardust Card #3

2010-08-02T09:35:00.000-05:00

This card seemed a little plain to me, but in looking at it now, I've changed my mind. I can't think of anything to add that wouldn't detract from it. The star B&T covers the card measuring 6 x 4 1/2. The accent piece is the part I tore off for the previous posting, but this time I used the back side. I inked it all the way around and stamped it with a "Make a wish......" stamp before adhering it. I also made it a "pocket" so I could insert my 1 x 2 1/2 inch "You're a star" card. I stamped it in Moonstruck, but distressed it in Topiary. The large sentiment is on a coluzzle cut card. I stamped it first, like last time, with the back-side of the stamp in Crystal Blue and then the front of the stamp in Moonstruck. Once it was stamped, I lined up the coluzzle to follow the stamping and then made a fairly straight cut connecting the two curves. I roughed up the edges with the edge distresser and inked it in Moonstruck before I adhered it to the card. And I made it stand up by using the new 3d foam tape along the sides.

Stardust Birthday Card #2

2010-07-31T15:20:00.003-05:00

With this card, we started with a 6 x 4 1/2 inch base and a piece of the Green B&T of the same measurement to cover it. I used a 3 1/5 x 6 piece of starry B&T and tore it in half from corner to corner for an accent piece. After adhering it all, I inked up all the edges in Moonstruck. The Star Spangled Blue Mat Card measures 5 x 2 1/4 and is sanded all along all the edges. The Sentiment card on top is roughed up with the edge distresser and inked up with Moonstruck. It measures 4 1/2 x 1 3/4. The sentiment can be any large stamp and I started by stamping the backside of the stamp in a light ink (Crystal Blue) first, before stamping the right side in Moonstruck. I love the effect this technique gives! The "Happy Birthday" stamp card measures 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 and is inked in Topiary ink. To finish it off, I added a bow, but to make it easy, I didn't adhere it, I just poked the ribbon through two holes in the top of the card before tying the bow.

Birthday Cards

2010-07-29T16:12:00.005-05:00

Some great folks and I made a set of birthday the other afternoon at a local retirement center. They were pretty easy on the fingers - nothing really tiny or difficult to work with - but they did take a while to finish.

Once we stamped the sentiments (and I used every birthday sentiment I owned!) we distressed both of the sentiment cards with Topiary or Moonstruck ink. The base of this card was a 10 1/2 x 4 card, folded at 6 inches. This left an inch and a half of the inside of the card exposed by the card cover. The celebrate sentiment card is 1 1/2 x 4 and fits exactly over the exposed area.

The card shown has the rest of the cover stamped using Heavenly Blue and Crystal Blue on the Shining Star stamps, but when I made it with the residents, I used some of the Topiary B&T paper from the Stardust set. I also sanded a 3 1/2 x 3 piece of Star Spangled Blue cardstock to use as an accent piece under the square sentiment. I also edge-distressed and inked the square sentiment before applying it to the cover. I added some Glitz and buttons and "bound" the card with some Star Spangled Banner organdy. The ribbon went through both sides of the card and I created a new fold on the front cover.

Oh Me, Oh My!

2010-07-23T15:02:00.003-05:00

Wow time has just flown by! I was so proud that I had postings prepared for all the days of my trip earlier this month and even beyond it, but I got back and just let it all go. Can't blame it on kid activities or anything else! I've just taken a break from work in general, but having realized it, I have every intention of getting things back together and keeping up with mecreating!

To start, I have a double layout from Alissa using the Caboodle pack. Aside from the pinwheel, her embellishments are all part of the stickease that comes with the pack. I especially like the way she set up a journaling section.

I'm not sure how she made the pinwheel, but I've made one before. Mine started as a 3 inch square of 2-sided B&T that is part of this kit. Two-sided paper is definitely the best for this project! I turned my square back-side up and measured in 1/2 inch on all 4 sides. I then drew a light line using a ruler to make a 2-inch drawn square in the direct center of the 3-inch square. Using the square inside the square, I cut a straight cut from the corner of the paper to the corner of the drawn square and another straight cut in the middle of the side to the middle of the drawn square (exactly perpindicular, 1 1/2 inches from the corner cut. I completed the cut by cuttin each side from the center to the corner. It doesn't really matter which side of the center you cut to the corner, but you will need to be consistent on each side. If you cut left from the center to the corner, do it the very same way on each side. When you're done, you should have a notch that looks a little like this: \_ cut out of each side of your square, leaving the 2-inch square intact on the inside. Turn your pinwheel front-side up and put a bit of mono-adhesive in the direct center of it. Take the 4 cut corners and meet them in the middle of the square. Place a glue dot or Liquid Glass on top of the 4 corners and attach a button or other embellishment into the center of the pinwheel. Once the embellishment is firmly attached, adhere the 2-inch square to your project.

Miracle Layout

2010-07-09T09:38:00.001-05:00

This layout was made with the National Scrap-booking Month package "Miracle." I love getting the specials that Close to My Heart puts out because they often debut special new accents or paper ideas. This one had a special set of our Irrisistables - and they are! The frame in this picture is one. I added the color. (The full brochure suggested that since these colors are muted tones I could add a bold feature color to it to make things pop so I added Moonstruck.) When I inked the color onto the chipboard frame, the design popped out in white. It "resists" the ink, hence the name. The round piece on the ribbon at the top is from the same set, and just for kicks, might I add that the frame is around my sweet red head who has a 4-year-old on her shoulders.

They made a special set of "Irrisistibles" for this set which is where I got the frame. I used a large circle on the left side and a small one on the bow on the right side. I also used garden green on the leaves and the ribbon was also included in the kit along with the stickease! Always take advantage of the limited edition kits - they are always SO GREAT!

Retreat Cherry-O Layout by Carmela

2010-07-08T09:39:00.001-05:00

Carmela had a cool take wither her layout, using the same pieces that everyone else got. I love the way the creative ladies at the retreats use the plans with their own ingenuity!

Carmela didn't use the cherry stamp set that was made for this page. I know, it looks like it, but it isn't - this is the ingenius part!!! She cut out some little leaf shapes by hand then crumpled them like we crumpled the base page and sanded it just a little to give the effect of veins. Close up, it looks like she just drew the stems in a dark brown color before adding the leaves with a green button at the top of them. Some lighter green thread fills the eyes of the button. She added red buttons for the cherries at the ends of the stems and filled the eyes with red thread or floss.

Her layout, like Cindy's, is totally different from mine - a further testimony of her creativity. I also like how she used black and white photos on this. I have just never done that. I need to. I know it needs to be the right type of pictures - an appropriate event. I need to find one!

Retreat Cherry-O Layout by Susan

2010-07-07T01:21:00.001-05:00

Susan followed the design plan and added her title by the Cricut and her journaling by hand. While I'm mentioning journaling, by the way, may I suggest journaling once in a while in your own handwriting. Susan's is gorgeous, but even if you think your hand-writing is awful - even if it actually IS awful - your handwriting is something your kids and loved ones are accostomed to. It is familiar and just the sight of it can draw sweet memories in their minds. As your kids get older, (when your scrapbooks for them will be even greater appreciated) the sight of your handwriting will not be repulsive, but welcomed. Seriously! And don't even get me started about cropping yourself out of pictures. I'm just saying!

Retreat Cherry-o Layout by Cindy

2010-07-06T09:30:00.001-05:00

This was Cindy's take on the workshop layout. While Linda followed the basic design and just danced a little creativity with the embellishment, Cindy is . . . well, more of a free spirit! (I can say that - she's also a best buddy!) To do this workshop, I cut all the pieces. Cindy added to it with some extra cardstock pieces and adjusted it all so much that the design is TRULY all her own.

I like the way she added the oval picture. It gives continuity with the circles of flower petals and the layout really gives space for her many pictures, making it perfect for this event.

Retreat Cherry-O Layout by Linda

2010-07-05T09:30:00.004-05:00

Linda made this layout based on my sample (which I posted a couple of weeks ago for a Heart 2 Heart challenge. You can see it by searching for Cherry-o or H2H or challenge.)

Anyway, Linda extended the flower design, using a few "petals" folded in over the blue side and a few folded in over the red side. Alternating these, she created the bottom flower on the left hand page.

Also, a note, this beach activity was for a club, so Linda covered part of the title when the picture was clicked to avoid identification. The pictures were cute and appropriate, but I doubt these gals had any intention of going on the web, so for their own anonymity, I blurred the pictures a bit. Still I liked what Linda did with the layout and couldn't resist showing it off.

Cherry-o Workshop Layout #4

2010-07-02T09:30:00.001-05:00

My FAVORITE of all of the layouts!!! I can't give out all the instructions for this one, but never fear! This is the layout that is included in the full color brochure that comes with the Cherry-o workshop! And it is just plum FULL of techniques and extras!!!

The stamp set that comes with the workshop has some great images including the little checker-board down at the lower right of the page. This looks really cool as you're looking and actually resembles a zigzag stitch. Also, the "Sweet" in the "Sweet Smile" sentiment stamp fits perfectly in the little photo tag embellishment in the Tulip Mini-Medley.
In addition to the other embellishments (shown on the flyer HERE) I added the new Cherry-o Opaques. They add a little textured bling to the pages and the two little beaded cherries on this page are examples. I had some workshop gals worried that they had to place each little bead to make the image, but it isn't necessary. They are actually on transparency film that is already covered with adhesive. One more detail here is the large button. The chocolate waxy flax was just too thin (to me) for the large button so I doubled it and tied it in a square knot along the other side.

More of the cute stamps are shown on this side of the layout along with another cool technique. The blue border is the back side of the striped B&T. The scalloped border is created with the Close to My Heart corner rounder. You slip off the corner guide (yes, it just slips right off) and, looking at the opening on the bottom of the corner rounder you line up the edge of the page with the outside metal edges of the corner guide and press. That should make one smooth cut into the edge of the paper. Repeat it, but line it up so that the near cut you just made overlaps the cut you are about to make. As you continue, you'll see the design appear. Trim any rough edges with your scissors.

"Second Generation" stamping was another technique suggested in this layout, but if I had it to do all over again, I would probably do it with the full ink. It is just a little too light to see clearly. Another change I made when I taught this layout (although it doesn't show here) is that we made this little art card a 2 1/2 x 2 1/2. That little change gave enough room for my workshop gals to add all of the leftover brads they had instead of just the 3 that are called for in the brochure.

Also, when you put buttons on a layout, use glue dots or Liquid Glass. Our Mono Adhesive is awesome, but it isn't enough to hold buttons onto the layout consistently.
I love how they go together. I'm thinking seriously of using a 5 x 7 photo for the center and cutting it in half. I really like to do this because it connects the two pages together.

Cherry-o Workshop Layout #3

2010-07-01T09:30:00.002-05:00

This layout is going to be perfect for the Easter pictures I have from this spring! The Sweet Leaf card stock acts as a base for these pages and the striped B&T, cut to 8 x 12 is the bottom section of this page. I plan to crop some regular pictures just a little smaller than the typical 4 x 6 in order to fit 4 evenly across the bottom section of this page. The top part will be the Title area and I'll add another small picture on the right, under the photo clip. (By the way, the photo clip comes with this workshop set in the mini-medley pack and I've tied a little knot of Chocolate Waxy Flax around the thinnest part of the clip.) On the left side, I added 2 of the Cherry-o Opaques to bring a little bling in.

I actually used parts of both of the striped paper for these layouts, and the second page requires a 6 x 12 piece cut "with" the stripe to match the direction on the first page. That piece goes against the right side of the page and has a chocolate 1/2-inch strip bordering it. About 2 inches up from the lower edge, I adhered a 4 x 4 chocolate mat for a small picture. I plan to put a full 4 x 6 photo near the top right of the page and will probably go ahead and mat it in chocolate.

About 1/2 inch from the left side, I have a 3 x 12 inch chocolate piece that I might use as a journal section, but more than likely will put a thin picture near the bottom of the card. A 1 x 3 inch strip of the stripe goes 1/2 down from the top of the chocolate card as an accent. In keeping with the accent on the other page, a photo clip adorns the top left corner of the card, again with a knot of Chocolate Waxy Flax at the thinnest spot. I also stamped the sentiment from the matching stamp set along the side of the card in Tulip ink.

As a final accent, I added a partial circle of brads in the bottom right corner, with a designer brad in the center. I did something like this on the other page, but the picture cuts it off. In any case, it doesn't show up as well because it happens to fall on the polka dot stripe of the B&T. I didn't add that step to my workshop and instead added more "cherries" to the 4th layout - but you have to wait until Thursday to see that one!

Cherry-o Workshop Layout #2

2010-06-30T09:30:00.001-05:00

I think I'll end up liking this layout more when I get the pictures on it. I love the paper, just a 3 x 12 strip of the cherry B&T at the top, but my embellishments just don't show up very well. I plan to use vellum paper, though, (the whitish, translucent paper) for the title bands on both pages, held down by the biggie brads that really are up in the corners of the cherry paper but are camouflaged by the print of the B&T.

The red print is the base of this page and I have started using the design paper (Close to My Heart's background and texture paper) as base pages more often. This page is accented with a simple cherry stamp design where I tied a piece of chocolate Waxy Flax around one of the stems. A large button, again with a Colonial White designer brad, completes the grouping at the bottom left of the page. I have some extra paper left over from this kit that I will use for photo mats.

On the second page, I used a 4 x 12 across the top, lined with a 9 x 1/2 inch card stock strip. (Incidentally, the strip will be up against a 3 inch photo.) I cut a 3 x 4 inch chocolate tag with rounded corners for a photo or journal pocket. The front of the pocket was made with a 3 x 3 square of the cherry B&T. I cut a notch out of the center-top of the square, after I rounded the corners, using the edge of a circle punch. I also made a circle punched out of the chocolate cardstock, folded over on itself for the top center of the tag. The rest of the tulip ribbon attaches this tag to the layout (CHEAT ALERT! I actually adhered, lightly, the tag to the page so it would stay in one place!) and another metel tag from the mini medley set hangs in front of the tag. The brown journaling spot near the bottom measures 3 x 5 and has the right corners rounded. Held down by the biggie brads, I plan to added my journaling to a piece of vellum attached to the card.

As a final embellishment, I added another Cherry-o Opaque to the bottom-right of the layout.

4th of July Door Hanger

2010-06-28T23:11:00.002-05:00

This is a really simple craft that I cooked up for the residents of a local retirement home nearby. Doing workshops at a retirement home is a challenge because I want to offer a really nice-looking project, but I have to be mindful of the ailments of older hands and eyes.

For this, I just cut a 12 x 6 of white cardstock and then cut about 3 1/2 inches off using the coluzzle to round the top edge. Inside, roughly 1/2 inch from the tope edge, I cut another circle measuring 2 3/4 in diameter. (On the large circle coluzzle template, it is the smallest outline.) I also added 6 small hole punches about 3 inches from the bottom of the card, 1/2 inch from either side and 1 inch between each hole punch.

Using the Celebration stamp called Your a Star, the ladies who joined me stamped the largest 2 stars in Heavenly blue, and the medium 3 stars in Crystal blue. They then stamped the smallest stars in Moonstruck and added Glitz to many of the small ones to sparkle the page.

After all the stamping was done, they added the ribbon to the bottom section of the cards. They inserted 4-inch cranberry ribbons to each of the holes and taped them against the back of the card. They also added the little bow to the top of the card using about 7 inches of ribbon.

With that done, the residents added pre-glued letters that I had made with my Cricut. (My daughter spread on the Mono-Adhesive because some of the pieces were really small.) The residents found it easy to place all the pieces and then used our Glitz again to added sparkly polka dots (and some of them added lines and dashes) to the letters.

It was a fun project and took very little time to prepare and make. In fact, two of the crafters made a second project in no time!

This project was a perfect one to enter into this week's Heart 2 Heart Challenges. If you want to take the challenge, check out the blog at heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com.

Cherry-o Workshop Layout #1

2010-06-28T09:30:00.001-05:00

This workshop was so much fun to put together. I'm not exactly sure which pictures I'll use on here, but I have a couple of events including some picnics that I will need to scrapbook this month.

I love the embellishments that worked with this set, too. And may I just say right here, that doing these monthly workshops has REALLY helped me get over being embellishment challenged! I'm loving doing the bling thing!

On this layout, the striped paper is cut to 4 x 12 inches and laid on a tulip card stock base with an 8 x 12 piece of the cherry checkered B&T aligned at the top of the base. Two biggie brads from the Tulip mini-medley set are at the top of the cherry B&T. A 14-inch piece of Tulip grosgrain ribbon, also from the mini-medley, is knotted around a tag from the same set.

The stamp set that comes with this workshop kit is so cute, and the checkerboard stamp gives an effect of a zigzag stitch and I interupted it with the sentiment, "Happy Day."

I used 2 buttons from the Mini-medley at the bottom left of the page. The smaller one has a bow around the eyes using Chocolate Waxy Flax. The larger one is connected to the paper with a Colonial White Designer brad through the eyes.

At the top left of the page, I added a gorgeous Opaque from the set that was made especially for Cherry-o. Just so you know, the workshop kit comes with the full paper pack, the matching stamp set, a full-color brochure, and the Tulip Mini-Medley set. Along with those, I added the Opaques, the Colonial White designer brads, and the Chocolate Waxy Flax for embellishment.

For the right page, again on a Tulip card stock base, is an 8 x 4 striped B&T, set at the top right corner, and an 8 x 8 piece of cherry checkered B&T.

Like the left page, this page has the chocolate checkered stamp-print across the top of the red card stock. This time there is no interuption.

All the papers of this layout are edged-distressed in chocolate ink. To accomplish the effect, the stamp pad is scraped across the edge of the paper piece, leaving a dark edge and little scrape marks. Sometimes more scrapes, sometimes less and there is no perfect way of creating it. Even the artwork card (a Colonial White card measuring 2 x 2) has a chocolate edge.

This page features 2 different techniques: Rock and Roll, and Masking. To create the artwork, ink up the bowl stamp in Crystal Blue and stamp it on the art card. (Make sure you ink it up thoroughly or maybe even stamp it twice to get a complete image.) Then lightly "roll" just the edges in chocolate and re-stamp the image directly on top of the first. If you've never done the "Rock and Roll" technique, you might want to practice it several times on scratch paper before you do it on your page. For the second technique, you'll need a post-it note or another paper with temporary adhesive on it. Lay the post-it at the top of the bowl to protect it from other ink, then stamp the cherry stamps in Tulip ink within the top edge of the bowl. Add some chocolate stems to the cherries and leaves inked in Sweet Leaf. Do the Rock and Roll technique with the chocolate ink on the leaves, just like you did on the bowl. Add the sentiment to the top and bottom to finish the artwork and place it 1/4 inch in from the top and right edges of the page.

At the bottom right of the page, another Opaque gives a little bling effect to the layout.

Biggie Brads are added to the top of the cherry checkered paper, just like on the left page and as a final addition, another large button accents the top-left of the 4 x 4 journal box added to the bottom-left of the page (in by 1/4 inch from the bottom and the left edges, just like the artwork is at the diagonal opposite).

My Baby is GORGEOUS!

2010-06-24T09:30:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm shamelessly partial! These pics were taken from the recent Christian Homeschool Prom. This evening is an amazing event from the decorations, to the food, to the theme, to the music! This year's theme was the Golden Age of Hollywood and there were sets all over of famous movies like High Noon, Phantom of the Opera, Singing in the Rain, Gone with the Wind, and the Wizard of Oz. The whole family took part this year, with Katie and Richie attending as special guests (and entering the swing dance competition together) Paul was on the security team and I was a photographer, and Brittany and Breana were Munchkins on the Wizard of Oz set. Needless to say I had LOTS of pictures and LOTS of journaling and I was able to put all of it on this Studio J layout. It won't win any awards, but it will bring a LOT of joy every time I look back at it.

Did I mention how much easier it is to journal on digital pages than on regular pages? I don't have bad handwriting, but I always make mistakes and they don't make correction fluid in Close to My Heart's 60 different colors! (Hey, that's an idea!) This layout is also another example of retired papers! This is the Elegant Floral paper. Perfect for prom!

This is just plain EYE CANDY!

2010-06-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

And NO, Gary, I'm not talking about your best impression of Larry Boy!!!

The way this layout lays out is just so stinkin' clever!!! It perfectly draws the eye in to the photos and there is a new treasure at every turn. I particularly like the small pictures. I didn't want to trash the little photos - precious memories! - but they were just too small to come into focus as a full-sized picture.
And again, the Stickease is all available in different, adjustable sizes along with the buttons and brads and ribbons. This just doesn't get any easier!

Types of Titles

2010-06-22T09:30:00.000-05:00

This was one of the first layouts I made with Studio J. I particularly like the way the title works with the words simply across the layout instead of on a mat or background.

Stamped titles look sharp and distinct but must always have a base. Stamping over several layers of paper leaves gaps in the images. Stickers can be annoying because they won't come back up if you accidentally set them down, and because once you use a letter, it's gone. Cutting or punching letters provides an alternative to stamping, but they can also prove difficult to adhere to the layout. With digital scrapbooking on Studio J, I have tons of options for the title and it floats on top of the rest of the design perfectly.

If you haven't tried Studio J for free, why not??? Find the link at my website: marji.mycmth.com

Adjusting Photos into Focus

2010-06-21T09:30:00.000-05:00

Most of the prints that I got from this camp out were a little grainy and somewhat out of focus. But since I can make them smaller than a regular print just by adding a border, I can really bring them into focus. And I get to use the paper I like most over and over again. (My favorite in this set is the blue plaid.) I never run out and I never have to go on a search for a coordinating paper because they're all together. Try Studio J for yourself at the link at my website. marji.myctmh.com

I don't have to buy ANYTHING I don't want to use!

2010-06-18T09:30:00.000-05:00

I really like the new Animal Cookies paper set. The papers shown in the layout are awesome for all sorts of events, but the others in the set would be a little harder for me to use. Cartoon animals, Number paper, and a variety of red hearts are great for little kids (and maybe years ahead of me when my girls are all teenagers), but unless just the right situation comes up, it will be unlikely that I would use them anytime soon. But since I'm using them on Studio J, I don't have to waste the rest of the kit or find a place to store the odds and ends. I also LOVE the fact that the stickease is available for all the kits online - ALL of the Stickease and I can use them more than once! Hurrah!

Studio J Makes Things Super Simple!

2010-06-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

This is such a cool layout. If you're like me, you always have plenty of pictures for your events. It is often a challenge to choose between the pictures! But this layout can really pack in the pics and still look well-designed.

I admit, though, that the first time I did this layout - on my own, with paper and adhesive - I cut the far right/bottom picture with the wrong angle and had to cut it again. It wasn't a BIG deal, but it gnaws at me that my picture has an extra cut line through it.

Such is not the case with Studio J! I just drag and drop the pictures and then I can align them as I need to so that the best parts of the pictures show.

I Have 5 Photo Albums

2010-06-16T09:30:00.002-05:00

Yes, I really do. I know, I'm a glutton for punishment! And, natuarlly, I find I'm terribly far behind in them! I have a several-year hole in my albums when life was just too busy to scrap-book, but I've got tons of pictures from this time period because my kids were all young.

But Studio J is helping me catch up and I know I showed you some of my latest layouts a couple of weeks ago, but my recent ones are so cute, so I want to showcase them as well. I used the Blue Ribbon pack with this one. I like that pack okay, but have never been a huge butterfly fan so I never bought it. With Studio J, I can use just the parts of the paper pack that I like and get a great layout that works perfectly with my twinkies' softball team (The Firecrackers) without having to find a way to use the papers that aren't really my favorites.

You can try Studio J for free at my website: marji.myctmh.com. Just click the Studio J link!

This layout was posted only a little over a week ago. But this week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge is Patriotic projects, so I'm linking this layout. Afterall, what is more patriotic than baseball? Try a challenge for yourself at heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com.

Father's Day Tag Book

2010-06-15T10:10:00.001-05:00

I used pieces of old retired paper packs and stickease to make this. I even cut the tag out of the top of a Level 1 layout because I was out of matching paper, but I really like the way it turned out. I sanded all of my cardstock to make it match the design of the paper pack and used 2 pieces of 8 x 12 sheets of it, adhered together, to make the accordian. I also added an envelope shaped flap from the leftovers and attached a loop of hemp using a square pewter brad. For the inside, the pockets are mostly made of stickease from the pack and snippets of leftover paper. I love the rich colors of this autumn paper pack! For the most part, they are: New England Ivy, Barn Red, Cocoa, and Autumn Terra Cotta, but I think Goldenrod is in there, too, and I know I used some Colonial White for a couple of tags.

Cute and Easy!

2010-06-13T14:25:00.011-05:00

These layouts were created by Audra and I love them because they are so easy, yet FUN!

I think the key with these is using design paper as the base for the layouts. Right away the layout has an interesting foundation for the pictures. Audra enhanced that by using more design paper (different but coordinating designs) as the mats for each of the photos.

The circles are especially appropriate for these layouts because so many of the design papers have a polka dot design to them. The circles mirror that effect and also make and interesting alternative for the photos.

Finally, Audra drew the whole layout together with the ribbon she used on the two layouts. It is exactly perfect, pulling together all the colors she used!

Help me name my retreats!!!

2010-06-11T17:18:00.003-05:00

I have gotten SEVERAL suggestions for retreat names, and I need to decide on one. You can help. Just take the survey at the left margin and let me know which name you think would reflect the retreats the best.

Totally SUMMER Layouts

2010-06-11T09:42:00.001-05:00

I'm not positive, but I THINK this is also a Kym Glass design. She was telling me about the little paper dolls she found up in Oklahoma. This layout looks like it is sponged in Ocean ink. You can get a textured look like this using a stipple brush. It does take some patience to apply the ink a little at a time, but the effect is well worth it. Kym also added extra Ocean ink arount the outside edge of the paper by scraping it directly against the stamp pad. You can achieve a more subtle look by using a sponge to scrape against the edges instead of applying it directly from the pad.

Nothing else on this layout is CTMH, but it's just so cute I had to include it in my "library."

Miracle Layout Set

2010-06-10T12:57:00.012-05:00

This week, the challenge for the Heart2Heart blog (heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com) is layouts. Well, I'm ALL OVER that!!! I do make cards, but with 4 kids and 5 albums to keep up with, (not to mention the deadlines of having them caught up by the graduations of each kid - 1 down!) scrap-booking is my chief pasttime, so this was an EASY challenge!

I didn't make too many layouts at my retreat this past weekend, but I made a set of these for my girls' albums. The Miracle set that was the special for National Scrapbooking month was perfect for these pictures and the colors in them. I added several sheets of Sweet Leaf textured cardstock to extend the set in order to cover the 4 double layouts I needed. (The set was made for only 2 doubles.) The instruction sheet suggested adding another bright color as an accent since all the paper design colors were pretty muted so I used Moonstruck to color the Irrisistible embellishments and as the waxy flax for the buttons. I used the Love Letters Rub-ons for the titles and a few little extra accents, and I added the Glitz Glitter Glue to every dot I could find on the design paper. This gave it a great sparkly look and a textured feel to the whole layout, but it's a little hard to see in the distant pictures. It's easier to see in this close up picture.

My Retreat Workshop - a la Christy Land

2010-06-09T09:00:00.001-05:00

This was Christy Land's take on my retreat workshop from the one I had in late April. I can't believe I didn't take any pictures of my own layout! The workshop started with wetting and wrinkling (carefully) the base paper which was Dutch Blue cardstock. (For Christy's page, she used a second layer of Sunflower cardstock as the bases to the pages to give strength to the layout, but the original had the blue as the only base.) Anyway, once the blue is good and wrinkled, Christy flattened it back out and let it dry overnight. She even ironed it to flatten it fully. After it was totally dry, she then sanded the peaks that were caused by the wrinkles, giving the bases an awesome texture. Adding some ink of the same color can enhance the texture.

For the workshop, I taught the gals how to make fancy full flowers. Start with punched circles and fold each circle into thirds, making a pie shaped piece. Christy made the green side of her B&T as the center of the flower and the orange as the edge. Mine also were full circles, but she utilized the stems printed on the floral B&T to make have flowers, using 3 little pie pieces and a coordinating brad as the center, holding it all together.

It's really easy to see on this last picture how the positioning of the "flowers" makes all the difference in the world. She also introduced sewing to our retreats this time, using a straight stitch around the outside edges of the blue, and a zigzag stitch between the different paper pieces.

More Veranda layouts by Kym Glass!

2010-06-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Kym Glass did it again! And I doubly love this layout because almost all the embellishments are Close to My Heart! First she started with the Veranda pallette and a rather simple layout. The Juniper cardstock is the base and she started the enhancements by distressing the bases with a crosshatch in chocolate (achieved by scraping the stamp pad corner across the edge of the paper). On top of the base, she started with two 6 x 12 pieces of the cream floral B&T (background and texture or design) paper, one on each base - about 3 1/4 inches from the bottom. On the left side, she added a 1 1/2 x 12 strip of the Juniper floral across the bottom of the cream and another one across the top of the cream on the right-hand page.

Then she started REALLY decorating! She added a simple zigzag sewing stitch where the Juniper strip met the cream paper in brown thread on both pages. For the other sides of the cream paper, also on both pages, she attached some Garden Green grosgrain ribbon. On the right hand side, she just wrapped around the back and didn't need to worry about the other side as it would be covered with the circles she would add, but on the left side, she created a great illusion. First she attached a photo hanger from the copper mini medley to the inside edge of the paper, letting it extend over the ribbon she had already attached there. Then she attached a simple knot to the ring of the photo hanger making it seem as though the ribbon that stretched across the page was attached to the hanger. Gotta love that clever lady!!!

As to the journaling area, I think that the "Things that make me smile" piece is actually a stickease from the kit. I know the striped paper under it is a designer paper from the Veranda pack. My guess is that she cut some Cocoa cardstock into the frame that is shown using a Cricut machine. She probably also cut the striped paper on a smaller setting, the very same way! On that Stickease piece, she added "glitter" brads and some bitty sparkles - both CTMH embellishments. She also inked up a "Just Blooms" paper flower with a chocolate biggie brad for a center. In the left corner and near the journaling place, she added a decorative corner from the Primavera rub-on collection and several other small rub-ons from the same sheet. To these she added rhinestones, sequins, bitty sparkles, and brads, finishing off the design with the words Family, Love, and Friends also from the rub-on collection, cut from Creme Brulee diamond B&T and edged in chocolate.

She used a rub-on corner on the right hand side as well - this time in the top corner. This one also was decorated with sequins, brads and bitty sparkles. She used the Coluzzle, big circle, to cut out the two circles and distressed them both in Chocolate ink. To the Chocolate one she added another stickease, all decked out in bitty sparkles and even a rub-on flower with a sequin for the dot of the I. To this she added a spiral clip from the Garden Green accent collection, to which she added a knot from Garden Green grosgrain ribbon. Also to this circle, she added a hinge from the copper mini accents set. It's really cool, because if she wanted to, she could use that as a working hinge, hanging through her page protector, to give herself some extra room for journaling, or hiding a picture. She added some more of the "Just Blooms" Creme Brulee' flowers, inked up in chocolate, with biggie chocolate brads as the centers. There aren't as many rub-ons on this page, although still accented with brads and bitty sparkles, but three new words, part of this rub-on sheet, are again cut out of the Creme Brulee diamond paper edged with chocolate ink. She also added a fourth word, overlapping the smaller flower and a little Garden Green spiral clip hanging on the biggie brad in the center.

She is just a master, isn't she?

Truly amazing job!!!

Need I tell you more?

2010-06-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, I want to hear what you think about Studio J? If you've tried it, make sure you post what you liked about it! If you haven't tried it, what's stopping you??? It's free to try out. In fact, you don't have to pay a nickel to use all the templates, papers, and embellishments - even some you've never seen before! There isn't any requirement either; you don't even have to create an account, (Click the "Try it out" link just above the picture.)although if you do, the program will save your pictures and layouts. So go to the link below and play for a few minutes, then come back here and tell me what you think!

Visit Studio J

New Paper Packs!

2010-06-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

Did I mention that Studio J has "paper" packs that you can't get anywhere else???
This is an example of one of those kits call "Hip Hop" with an obvious Easter theme. These sets are just like the paper ones that we get, complete with 6 B&Ts (background and texture design paper), 4 "cardstocks" of coordinating colors, and a great variety of stickease images and embellishments. I also love the way I can choose any font from the Close to My Heart font programs. I really like the colors that this set, in particular, brought together. They are the newest ones that CTMH introduced a couple of years ago: Juniper, Creme Brulee, Tulip, and Sorbet.

Heart 2 Heart Challenge for this week.

2010-06-02T23:17:00.005-05:00

The Heart 2 Heart Challenge for this week was perfect for me! I was thoroughly inspired by the sketch they offered. (You really must visit the site and see the artwork they shared there!) At the same time, though, I needed to set up my workshop for this weekend's retreat. Since it is a scrapbooking retreat, I used the sketch for a layout. It worked out perfectly for my purposes!

My layout doesn't exactly match the sketch, but that is the beauty of using a sketch! In this case, I squished the stripes and the rest, eliminating the strip that separates the stripes from the other part of the base. The biggest difference, though, is the photo mat. The sketch only allows for one, but with my rather large family, I seldom do a single-shot layout. It wasn't much to add the three small ones and the extra one at the top. Off-setting the main picture at the bottom was rather an afterthought. I always like the look of a photo that spreads across two layouts, and this sketch lended itself to that type of design.

When the two pages are together, they blend so well.

Because this is also a workshop that I'm doing for my retreat this weekend, I also had to make sure I had enough resources to make this layout multiple times. When I have a retreat, I always provide a workshop of some sort. I prepare it, cut all the papers, and spend only a little time explaining it all to the attendees. (Often they take the supplies and just go wild with it!) I always teach some type of technique. For this one, I'm teaching a paper distressing technique involving sandpaper and an iron. Very carefully, I wrinkled up the paper. I've done it before after wetting it slightly, thinking the water would make the paper wrinkle more easily, but it doesn't. It tears VERY easily whether it is wet or dry! After I spread it back out, I ironed it flat on the highest setting. Once it was flat again, I sanded the raised portions lightly, allowing the white core to show through. This technique also looks really cool if you ink up the sanded edges. Another way to do it is use a lighter colored paper and ink the raised edges color-on-color.

Have I given up paper scrap booking??

2010-06-02T08:00:00.004-05:00

Oh my goodness, NO! Like I said in the last post, I LOVE the puzzle. I like the feel of the paper and the challenge of making everything fit just right!

But being as behind as I am - yes, this layout is of pictures from our first year of home schooling in May of 2001 - and having so many of my pictures on disk, digital scrapbooking just makes sense for me in order to catch up! And this layout was one of my favorites. Yes, it's digital, even the paper tearing and the sanding that you see on the navy "card stock". This site allows for all types of paper distressing in a variety of colors! If you haven't tried it, go check it out at the Studio J link at my website, marji.myctmh.com, or use this direct link: Studio J

You need to check out Studio J!!!

2010-06-01T08:28:00.003-05:00

Seriously? Digital Scrapbooking? No Way! I love the paper, the puzzle of it all. I would NEVER enjoy scrapbooking if I had to do it on the computer!

. . . At least that's what I THOUGHT! I had actually tried some digital scrapbooking a couple of years ago, so I had some experience, but it was NOTHING compared to the ease and speed with which I made pages using Studio J. If you're like me, you have many events that haven't been scrapbooked. For me that runs from about 2001 to about 2006 AND I keep up with books for my kids as well! This program makes all of that so simple! I just follow the steps, upload my pics from disks, and make a few choices about the layout and the paper pack, and the embellishments.

NO JOKE! I made the layout above with 2 different sets of pictures and the layout below in the two hours of my girls' gym time. Folks, it just doesn't get any easier than this. If you've never tried digital scrapbook, you just have to! Try it before you spend a nickel! Take about 15 minutes and check out this incredible program! You can find the Studio J link at my website, marji.myctmh.com or just follow this direct link.

Veranda Card #4

2010-05-27T20:49:00.003-05:00

I loved making this card, but I have to confess that I was inspired by Kym Glass' layout in an earlier blog article. Search "Veranda" to find her layout.

I can also tell you that her layout was inspired by the cover of the Spring 2010 Close to My Heart Idea Book, so I guess, my card was too!

I started with the stamps from the "Treasure Life" stamp set on the Juniper floral B&T card base. I rounded the corners and then inked up the edges in chocolate brown. The circle parts were cut with the coluzzle and the gold one is about 2 "lines" smaller than the brown one. I stamped the sentiment in the center of the gold page and could also use the circle parts as a pocket if I wanted to.

Naming my Retreat!!!!

2010-05-27T16:58:00.009-05:00

Help Help Help!!!

Now that I regularly have these retreats, I think they should have a name of some sort. But I need some ideas.

Please comment leaving a suggestion or two, or even more, for my retreat name and at the end of June, we'll have a vote!

Thanks so much!!!!

Veranda - Card 3

2010-05-19T22:05:00.004-05:00

This is almost an monochromatic card, and it turned out so elegant! I started with the back side of the Juniper B&T (background and texture paper) that showes the same design only in shades of Creme Brulee'. I sponged Creme Brulee' ink all around the 4 1/2 x 6 paper and then edged it again by scraping it in Chocolate ink. I did the same thing to the other paper, a Creme Brulee' diamond design paper that measured 4 1/2 x 3. Then, using Creme Brulee' ink, I stamped several images from the Treasures stamp set, using the large, medium, and small dandilions and the stem. I also stamped the center of the dandilion again using a "fluff" stamp from the same set. I stamped the medium dandilion, without the stem, in chocolate in the center of the large image to finish the effect.

That done, I used the rub-ons to add my sentiment at the top and a design at the bottom of the card. Finally, I threaded 2 strings of Chocolate waxy flax through a green button and, spreading out the strings, taped them down on the backside of the card. I didn't want the ugly strings and tape to show, though, so I added a spare piece of cardstock to the inside cover of the card, adhering it with the same 2-sided tape that I used to stick down the strings.