September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring September's Stamp of the Month, which is Family is Forever, a set of 7 stamps. If you came here from Tina Lovell's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you'll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda's Blog.

This month we have 80 Close to My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this September's Stamp of the Month and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I have a 6 x 6 Desk Calendar on my scrapbooking island that I make for myself. I started it from October 2013 - September 2014 and now it is time for me to get next year's layouts done.

I used Close to My Heart's Snowhaven Paper Packet with CMTH's Glacier, Black & Flaxen cardstocks.

To embellish the layout, I used CTMH's Bling Gems Gold Assortment, CTMH's Gold Assortment Sequins, CTMH's Damask Embossing Folder, CTMH's Artbooking Cricut Cartridge to cut out the 5" calendar and Storybook Cricut Cartridge for "February".

I used CTMH's September Stamp of the Month - Family is Forever ("Love is Forever" & hearts), Joyful Jar (heart on calendar - discontinued), Wild Thing (paw - discontinued) and Seasonal Thoughts ("family day" - discontinued) stamp sets with CTMH Black & Glacier inks.

Now "Hop" on over to Jaime Llewellyn's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great inspiration and fun project ideas! Remember, the September Stamp of the Month is only available until September 30th.

My September Order Deadlines are:

Monday, September 8, 2014 & Wednesday, September 17, 2014.

Hearts of the West Blog Hop #5

Welcome to the Hearts of the West Team Blog Hop - September's Edition. If this is your first time joining us, you will love it. It features 9 Close to My Heart Consultants from all over Canada showing you their projects. 

This month's challenge is using the Pathfinding Paper Packet, brought to you by the New Annual Inspirations Idea Book. This month's challenge was chosen by our Team Leader Nancy Klein.

If you came from Linda Pekrul's Blog, then you are in the right place. This is a go around blog so you can start any where. Just in case you lose your way, the full blog hop list is at the bottom of this post. So, as always, grab your beverage of choice, relax and enjoy the inspiration.

I got this idea from page 53 in the Close to My Heart Annual Inspirations Idea Book/Catalogue. This Thanksgiving/Birthday Celebration, I am going to have all my family and friends fill out one of the 3 x 4 cards of what they are thankful for besides family & friends.

My brother, Jim and my birthday normally lands on Thanksgiving weekend and we celebrate our birthdays and Thanksgiving together.

I used Close to My Heart's Pathfinding & Seaside Paper Packets with CTMH Olive cardstock.

To embellish my CTMH Journaling Card Box, I used CTMH Olive Baker's Twine (discontinued), CTMH's Marvy Uchida LePen Journaling Pen for my faux stitching on the "patches", CTMH Edge Distresser, a button from my stash and Zutter's Distrezz-it-All electronic paper distresser.

I used CTMH's Thankful Heart and Pathfinding Scrapbooking Workshop stamp sets with CTMH Cocoa & Juniper inks.

Your next stop is Justine Hovey's Blog.

Thanks for joining us this month and come back next month to see what crafty projects we can inspire you with!

1. Nancy Klein
2. Chantal Pearson
3. Linda Pekrul
4. Donna Digby - You are here.
5. Justine Hovey
6. Chelsey Vorosmarty
7. Terry Ann Diack
8. Freya Hall Dunbar
9. Sonia Parent St Jean

September Free Make 'n' Take

Free Make 'n' Take

Thursday, September 4, 2014

4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

In My Scrap Room

Everyone Welcome!

This is a drop in workshop. The 4 x 4 Birthday Card will only take you 5 - 10 minutes to make.

I used Close to My Heart's Seaside Paper Packet with CTMH Lagoon, Desert Sand & Colonial White cardstocks.

To embellish the card, I used CTMH's Spray Pen with Champagne Re-inker and some twine from my stash.

I used CTMH's Brushed Scrapbooking Workshop (butterfly), Magical Moment (banner & heart), #30years of happy - National Stamping Month (Thinking of You, It's Your Day & arrow), Zoology (you're special) and You Mean the World to Me (inside sentiment) stamp sets with CTMH Desert Sand ink.

Don't forget...every Thursday night in September I will be running some sort of workshop or Open House. For every Thursday event you attend in September, you will receive a ballot for my draw prize at the end of the month - Limited Edition Stamp Set.

Yes, if you look closely at the photo...you can see my reflection of me taking the photo.

Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary Vicki & Stacey!

I used Close to My Heart's Brushed Paper Packet with CTMH White Daisy and Hollyhock cardstocks and white vellum from my stash.

To embellish the card I used CTMH's Sparkles Clear Flourishes - Small, CTMH Clear Sparkles, CTMH's Flowers (discontinued), CTMH's Base & Bling Word Accents (love heart - discontinued), CTMH's Cherish Charm (discontinued), CTMH's Brads (discontinued), CTMH Color Ready Seam Binding Ribbon (discontinued), Maya Road Heart Pin and Stampin' Up's Spritzer Tool with Copic Marker RV32 (flowers).

I used CTMH's Soul Mates stamp set (discontinued) and CTMH's Glamour Lowercase Alphabet stamp set (25) with CTMH Slate ink.

This card was made for my sister and brother-in-law, Vicki & Stacey Thompson for their 25th Wedding Anniversary.

Happy Thanksgiving Card

I am participating in Color My Heart Color Dare #107 - Smokey Plum & Olive.

I am also participating in Freshly Made Sketches #150 - A Sketch by Linda C.

I used Close to My Heart's Smokey Plum, Olive and Dessert Sand cardstocks.

To embellish the card, I used CTMH's Artisan Studs, CTMH Woodgrain Embossing Folder, twine from my stash, Stampin' Up Baked Brown Sugar marker and the zig zag stitch on my sewing machine with thread from Fabricland.

I used CTMH's Fall Harvest, Season of Thanks and Thankful Heart stamp sets with CTMH Dessert Sand, Bamboo, Olive & Smokey Plum inks.

Happy For You Card

This is the card that my Close to My Heart Stamping Five Groups are making in the months of August and September.

I used CTMH's Pathfinding and Seaside Paper Packets with CTMH Barn Red and Glacier cardstocks.

To embellish the card, I used CTMH's Brown & Tan Assortment Sparkles, CTMH's Baker's Twine Neutral Metallic Assortment, CTMH's Gold Polka-Dot Washi Tape and CTMH's Woodgrain Embossing Folder.

I used CTMH's Brushed Scrapbooking Workshop ("happy") and CTMH's It's the Little Things - November Stamp of the Month stamp sets with CTMH's Pigment Cocoa & Pigment Barn Red inks with CTMH Clear Embossing Powder and CTMH's Autumn Terracotta, Goldrush, Olive, Chocolate, Barn Red and Cocoa inks.

I also used CTMH's Colonial White ink to do the ghost stamping effect that you see around the words "happy for you". My girlfriend, Lee-Ann, did this technique on a couple of her cards a few months back and I have been dying to try it out ever since.

Jack-O-Lantern Necklace

I used Close to My Heart's Base & Bling Faux Antiqued Silver Chain and Circle Pendant with CTMH's Scaredy Cat Assortment.

To embellish the necklace, I used CTMH's Black Hemp (discontinued).

I used CTMH's 3D Foam Tape to adhere the metal jack-o-lantern charm to the pendant. To give the glowing effect, I coloured the pendant (where you would normally put a sticker or photo) with Copic Marker YR27.

My copic marker did get a bit black from colouring the silver pendant, but a few swipes on a scrap piece of paper and it was as good as new.

Dry Erase Board

Here is a great idea that I have seen popping up on the Close to My Heart Artwork FaceBook Wall....Homemade Dry Erase Boards. I don't remember exactly who shared their designs, but thank you.

I used CTMH's Brushed Paper Packet with CTMH White Daisy cardstock.

I used CTMH's Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge to make the flowers, CTMH's Spray Pen with Pear Re-inker, CTMH's Damask Embossing Folder, Don Juan Cricut Cartridge for "create" and the zig zag stitch on my sewing machine with thread from Fabricland.

I used CTMH's Chalk It Up Scrapbooking Workshop stamp set for the hearts with CTMH Juniper ink.

The white 8 x 10 frame came from the Dollarama for $2.

G & G's Fishing 8 x 8 Layout

This is the Third 8 x 8 Layout that I made for my grandparents' scrapbook album stand. This is the last layout that I made for their anniversary gift.

I used Pebbles Inc. - Family Ties - Brother and Pebbles Inc. - Lil' Buddy Collection - Bursts with Bazzill Nautical Blue - Medium and BoBunny Ocean Double Dot cardstocks.

To embellish the layout, I used the Serif Font on the Cuttin' Up Cricut Cartridge for the title, Die Cuts with a View brads, Spinners from D & R Sporting Goods and the zig zag stitch on my sewing machine with thread from Fabricland.

For the journaling box, I used CTMH's Frame of Mind (discontinued) and Outdoor Thoughts (discontinued) stamp sets with CTMH's Moonstruck (discontinued) ink and Midnight Muse Stampin' Up marker.

G & G's Driving 8 x 8 Layout

Here is the Second 8 x 8 Layout that I designed for my grandparent's scrapbook album stand.

I used BoBunny's On the Go Signs double-sided patterned paper with BoBunny's Paprika, Licorice and Orange Citrus Double Dot cardstocks.

To embellish the layout, I used the Street Sign Cricut Cartridge for the titles, CTMH Keyboard Uppercase with CTMH Black ink for the date and CTMH's Marvy Journaling Pen with a ruler for the dashed out lines around the layout.

G & G's Coffee 8 x 8 Layout

Last week I came across a 7 Gypsies Scrapbooking Album Stand in my stash and I thought to myself that it would be perfect for my grandparent's 72nd Wedding Anniversary gift.

The stand came with 5 x 7 Vertical Page Protectors. I didn't like that size, so I replaced them with Worldus 8 x 8 Page Protectors.

I used to scrapbook a 12 x 12 Year in Review Calendar for my grandparents every year, but with all the chaos in my life the last few years I haven't been able to make one for them.

With this gift, I can scrapbook them an 8 x 8 layout when ever it works for me and add it to their stand.

I used Creative Imaginations Debbie Mumm Java Beans patterned paper and Flair Design Coffee Talk patterned paper with Bazzill Suede Brown - Dark and BoBunny Decaf Double Dot cardstocks.

To embellish the layout, I used Go Canada Cricut Cartridge for the coffee cup, CTMH brads (discontinued), ribbon from my stash and a Zig brown marker for my journaling.

My grandparents started taking me for "coffee" when I was in high school. When my daughter turned 18 months old, they started taking her for "coffee" on their own without me with them. They aren't able to take TJ on their own, but we do make sure that TJ joins them at the mall for "coffee" whenever we can.

Thinking of You - Danielle

My friend's father passed away after a short battle with cancer. He loved to sail. This was the card that I made to go with the flowers that my friends and I sent to her.

I used Close to My Heart's Seaside Paper Packet with CTMH Chocolate cardstock.

To embellish the card, I used CTMH's Artisan Studs and a miscellaneous circular paper clip. I couldn't stand the thought of this card being clipped onto our flower arrangement with a regular office paperclip.

I used CTMH's Seaside Greetings stamp set with CTMH Chocolate ink.

Happy 72nd Anniversary G & G!

Today is my grandparents', Joyce & John Makahanik's, 72nd Wedding Anniversary.

I used Close to My Heart's Wanderful Paper Packet with CTMH's Colonial White and Glacier cardstocks.

To embellish the card, I used CTMH's Artbooking Cricut Cartridge, CTMH's Damask Embossing Folder and an EK Success Heart Punch.

I used CTMH's Seaside Greetings stamp set for the "Congratulations" and CTMH's Vogue Alphabet stamp set for the inside of the card with Slate ink.

I will be celebrating my grandparents' anniversary this weekend with my Makahanik family from California, B.C. and of course, from here in Thunder Bay.

Turkey Treat Tube

Yes, I am a bit obsessed with Close to My Heart's Clear Treat Tubes.

I still have 2 or 3 more ideas that I want to play around with.

This one was a lot of fun. The plumage of the turkey is my son's hand print and I wanted something "Thanksgivingy" to put in the treat tube. I had no idea what to use until I walked around the Bulk Zone and saw the multi-coloured popcorn seeds.

You can ask my husband how excited I was when I found the popcorn seeds. It was exactly what I was looking for.

Due to my concussion, I did pay for that walk physically, but mentally I was on Cloud Nine!

I used Close to My Heart's Pathfinding Paper Packet with CTMH Barn Red, Goldrush, Olive and Chocolate cardstocks.

I used my treat tube box template from an old CTMH Promotional Kit to make the treat tube box.

To embellish the treat tube and box, I used CTMH's Triangle Studs for the beak, googly eyes from my stash, circle nestabilities for the circle cut-outs, CTMH Art Philosophy for the leaf die-cuts and my soon to be 3 year old son's hand for the plumage.

I used the following CTMH stamp sets: Holiday Tags for the "Happy", Thanksgiving Wreath - Hostess Rewards for the "THANKS" and "giving", Perfect Fit - Thanksgiving for the "Thankful", Pathfinding Cardmaking Workshop for the "for", Scroll Album Workshop for the "Family" (discontinued), Notice the Details for the "Little Moments" (discontinued), Doodle Signs - Hostess Rewards for the "friends" (discontinued), Confetti Wishes Scrapbooking Workshop for the dots on the leaves and Pathfinding Scrapbooking Workshop for the subtle background on each Goldrush Square.

I used CTMH's Barn Red ink for all the words, Olive ink on the Olive cardstock leaves, Chocolate ink on the Chocolate cardstock leaves and Canary ink for the subtle background on all the Goldrush Squares.

I did want to also use my daughter's hand print, but she is 16 and her hand print is way too big for this size of treat tube. We did try.

Emma's 15th Birthday Gift

I went to wrap my cousin, Emma's, 15th Birthday gift and realized that we hadn't yet replaced our Chronicle Journal Newspaper Roll.

We normally have 1 or 2 rolls of the Chronicle Journal paper on hand at all times for wrapping gifts and using for craft projects, but we are out right now.

So, I grabbed some Close to My Heart Seaside Patterned Paper and wrapped my cousin's gift. I finished it off with some hemp twine that I purchased from Home Depot many moons ago.

Balloon Ride - CTMH Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program

This is one of the 13 Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program Kits that Close to My Heart offers.

For $27.50, you get 44 - 4x6 double sided cards (2 of each 22 designs), 78 - 3x4 double sided cards (3 of each 26 designs, 1 - 12x12 double sided designed cover sheet and 10 - 12x12 Memory Protectors in various designs.

The above photos are of the Balloon Ride line. The second photo is the back of the first photo. The forth photo is the back of the third photo and so forth and so forth. This way you get to see all the double sided cards offered in the line.

AUGUST PROMOTION

Purchase any 1 of the 13 CTMH Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program Kits and you may purchase any 1 of the 8 12x12 Memory Protectors 10-Packs for $3. Regular Retail Price $10.95.

Order Deadline: Thursday, August 21, 2014

To place an order or for more information, please contact me at ddigby@shaw.ca.

Chantilly - CTMH Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program

This is one of the 13 Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program Kits that Close to My Heart offers.

For $27.50, you get 44 - 4x6 double sided cards (2 of each 22 designs), 78 - 3x4 double sided cards (3 of each 26 designs, 1 - 12x12 double sided designed cover sheet and 10 - 12x12 Memory Protectors in various designs.

The above photos are of the Chantilly line. The second photo is the back of the first photo. The forth photo is the back of the third photo and so forth and so forth. This way you get to see all the double sided cards offered in the line.

AUGUST PROMOTION

Purchase any 1 of the 13 CTMH Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program Kits and you may purchase any 1 of the 8 12x12 Memory Protectors 10-Packs for $3. Regular Retail Price $10.95.

Order Deadline: Thursday, August 21, 2014

To place an order or for more information, please contact me at ddigby@shaw.ca.