The Croppers Connection

For Sale Page

2011-11-14T09:04:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned a few days ago I have been busy cleaning up all my papercraft supplies. I found a few more stamp sets I am ready to part with . I have listed them on a separate page that you can click on at the top of the blog. Sorry the photos are not the best! If you are interested in any of these stamp sets please drop me an email at soccermom_1963@yahoo.com. Payments can be made through paypal.

Latest Foster

2011-11-13T09:38:00.003-05:00

Yes, we are still fostering rescue dogs through a rescue organization called Paws and Prayers. This handsome guy was with us for 6 weeks and went to his forever home last Saturday.

Boy do I miss this guy! He came to us with absolutely no training or manners but wanted so much to please! Our female lab, Jenny, loved him! They would play for hours if we would let them.

I am happy to say that our Blackie went to a wonderful home! The man that adopted him has found all the great qualities we were able to see in him. His name is now Guiness and he gets to run in the woods and just do what dogs are suppose to do.

If you are looking to add a dog or cat to your family please consider a rescue! They have SO much love to give.

I'm Baaaack!

2011-11-12T17:05:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone!

I have no explanation for my 6 month without a post and really can't explain why I am back. I went through a period after I stopped selling CTMH that I really wanted nothing to do with papercrafting or anything related to it. Since my blog focuses alot on that hobby I had trouble posting.

I am SO happy to say that whatever caused my lack of interest is now gone and I am excited to jump back in. I am busy organizing and simplifying my stash today. It is a HUGE job but also a fun one!

The biggest chore is putting all my finished pages in my albums. I am one of those people who stick all the finished pages in a drawer to add later. The problem.....I am also very anal about getting everything in chronological order.

I decided today to take a deep breath and move on......just get those pages out of the drawer and in a book! So I am happy to say I have added all the completed pages to Jack's soccer book and the family book. I know they are not in perfect chronological order with the years marked but I am moving on. Now just the vacation book and Jack's book to go.

Back to work.......

Going Out of Business Sale

2011-05-15T14:42:00.004-04:00

The last week I have been busy with my going out of business sale. I had all kinds of CTMH products and other scrapbook products I put out for sale.

I could not believe how many ladies stopped by! It was great to see everyone....PLUS I think they liked the great bargains they got!

I am a little sad because I truly have made some great friends during the last 5 years while selling Close To My Heart. I hope to continue to see many of them and continue to scrapbook with them.

Now I am in the process of listing what is left on ebay. I am not too much of an Ebay user but I think it is a good way to get rid of the rest of my stuff. If you are interested in some good deals keep an eye on my listings over the next few weeks. My first listing today was for 50 new stamp sets with a starting price of $100. What a deal!

What are You Reading?

2011-05-10T08:53:00.004-04:00

I have always enjoyed reading but I am a very slow reader. I used to get so frustrated because it would take me FOREVER to finish a book.

My wonderful hubby gave me a Nook for Christmas. I wasn't sure if I would like it because I kind of like the whole reading experience...the book itself, the bookstore or the library. Well I have to tell you ....I LOVE IT!

I do not like that I have to purchase to books for the nook. I was mostly a library gal and liked the idea of using the books and returning them. What I DO like is that I can read SO much faster with the Nook. I'm not really sure why but I don't get as distracted and I like that I can set the font any size that I like.

So back to the question....what are you reading? I am in the second book of the Hunger Games series....Catching Fire. I had heard great things about the series and jumped in without really knowing what the books were about. I have to say that these books are definitely not the type of books I usually read but I am enjoying them. I can't say I love them...but I like them. The Hunger Games was written for young adult reading so they are an easy read. I think if you are looking for something to read they are worth trying. SO many people loved them that you may too.

I am always looking for my next book or series to read. So share with me....what are you reading?

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T20:04:00.004-04:00

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day. This is a bookmark card my friend, Pam, taught me.
I made one of these for my Mom and also for my Mother in law. It is a fun card to make and the receiver has a little gift to keep.

RECIPE:

1.Cut two pieces of paper. One from cardstock 4"x4", one from patterned paper 2 3/4"x 2 3/4".

2.Cut the patterned paper diagonally.

3.Mark the 4" paper at 2" on 3 sides. Then score from the two side marks to the top mark. This gives you the lines to fold the corner in on.

4.Fold both corners in and glue.

5.Attach the patterned paper to the top triangle. Flip over and attach the other patterned paper over the two folded in corners.

6.Decorate as you like.

After you finish the book mark you decorate a standard 5 1/2"x4 1/4" card and then slip the bookmark over the corner.

Lots of changes

2011-04-30T13:53:00.003-04:00

I have been laying low this month. My hubby and I have been having lots of chats and I have decided to make some changes in my life.

The biggest change....as of tomorrow I will no longer be a Close To My Heart consultant. I have been a consultant for 5 years. I still can say I love the products but feel it is time for me to move on. There are so many other opportunities in the scrapbooking world that I would like to explore.

I am having a going out of business sale in a few weeks. Any products, layouts or other scrapbook items I am ready to part with will be listed here if they do not sell at the sale. I will add a "FOR SALE" page specifically to list these items.

I will continue to share some of my creativity and family life on this blog so don't go anywhere! I think you will like what is to come.

Cherished Layout Workshop

2011-04-03T10:24:00.003-04:00

Each month I host a Cherished Layout workshop. This month we are using the Sophia paper pack to make 2-2 page layouts. The designs are from the CTMH "how to" book, Cherish.

The cost of the basic workshop is $15. What do you get for $15?.....Half of a Level 2 paper pack plus additional cardstock, sparkles and GLITZ Glitter Gel. The beyond basic workshop is $20 and also includes a pack of dimensional elements (cardstock letters) for the title.

You do not have to live close to participate in this class. I am happy to stamp the images and send the products with color photo and instructions. Actual shipping fees applied.

If you are interested in this class please email me at soccermom_1963@yahoo.com.

Cricut Fun

2011-03-14T18:19:00.000-04:00

I went to a weekend retreat a couple months ago and took a class from one of my sister CTMH consultants. She had us do something I had never thought of and I thought it was pretty cool so I wanted to share.

If you look at my "CREATE" title you will see little purple lines on it. I wanted to bring out the purple in the layout so I random stamped on the letters I cut with the Cricut. I just cut them, left them on the paper, and random stamped.

When random stamping, the best say to get an even look is to stamp the images in a triangle. Every time you stamp check to see if where you are going to stamp will form a triangle with two other images.

After I finished the random stamping I removed the letters and put them on my layout. Voila....all done!

Our Weekend House Guest

2011-03-13T18:07:00.003-04:00

It is not unusual for us to have a stray dog stay at our house for a while. Usually we get the strays through the rescue group we foster for, Paws and Prayers. Well this cute little guy came to us through a bunch of events that are way to complicated to go in to....but....he is so darn cute I had to share his picture.

We have been calling him Mr. Puggles. Why is Mr. Puggles different than the dogs we usually foster?
Well Mr. Puggles weighs about 75 pounds less! We usually go for the bigger dogs. Occasionally we have fostered a puppy that was this size but not a full grown dog!

I am not a person who puts clothes on our dogs...partially because it is hard to find any that fit our big boys. Well that is not completely true....our one lab wore a Cav's jersey of Jack's a couple times. I am starting to see why people with little dogs do dress them up. Everytime we go outside Mr. Puggles starts to shiver from the cold.

Mr. Puggles will be moving on tomorrow but it was nice for him to visit.

Rock of Ages Retreat

2011-03-11T20:21:00.001-05:00

I wanted to share a couple pictures of the beautiful house Pam and I rented for our February retreat. I forgot to take pictures until the Sunday morning but did get a few. The picture above is of the great room. It has HUGE windows that look out on a big deck and Lake Erie.

This is Lisa and Eleanor starting to pack up. It was nice to get to know them both at the retreat. I am happy they will both be joining us again in March!

The kitchen was absolutely beautiful! I would have loved to bring it home with me.

Tammy and Lisa are going to love this jammie picture. It was nice getting to know both of them also. The best part of being a CTMH consultant is all the WONDERFUL ladies I have met!

March Stamp of the Month

2011-03-10T20:11:00.000-05:00

This cute card using the March Stamp of the Month was created by my friend, Pam Miner.

The March Stamp of the Month is called Sensational Season. This set has 10 bunny stamps that are perfect for Easter. They are also ideal to color with copic markers! The retail cost of this set is $22.95 but can be purchased for discounted prices or earned completely FREE by spending $100 on Close To My Heart quality products. For more information on the Stamp of the Month visit my website, www.ldame.myctmh.com.

Winter Funk Day!

2011-03-09T16:49:00.003-05:00

For all of you who do not live in Ohio, this is a picture of Lake Erie from the Rock Of Ages house in Marblehead Ohio. We held a scrapbook retreat here a few weeks ago and this was the view out of the window.

Most of the winter here has been cold and filled with snow! I know....I know ....it is Northeast Ohio. That does not mean by March I am not tired of the weather and in a Winter Funk.

Today was my day off and I had so much I should do to get ready for the next retreat. The house could have used a good cleaning and yes...I can always make another trip to the grocery store.

I am HAPPY to say I did none of these! I had a "me" day and did all kinds of things to help me survive a couple more weeks of winter. I got my hair cut in a new style with highlights. After that I went and got a manicure and a pedicure. It is so nice to look down and see my toes looking pretty again!

I came home feeling refreshed and ready to conquer all the jobs ahead of me. We all need a "me" day now and then!

Oh Where Oh Where Have I Been?

2011-03-08T18:43:00.002-05:00

Well it has been over a month since I have posted to my blog. That is a LONG time! I am happy to say I am alive and well.

So what have I been doing for the last month? Lots of basketball and soccer and time getting ready for a weekend retreat that I hosted with a friend of mine, Pam, a few weeks ago.

FAMILY UPDATE....My son has grown at least 8 inches this year which has helped his B-Ball game but hasn't been too good for his knees. We visited a great sports medicine doc a few weeks back. Jack is now in physical therapy and his knees are getting stronger. He also is going to be taking off a week or so from ALL sports! I don't know that Jack has ever spent a week without participating in some type of sports....we'll see how he does!

RETREAT UPDATE....Remember that huge snow storm a few Fridays ago? Well that was the day I was driving up to Lake Erie to host the retreat. Absolutely beautiful location! We went to move our cars for the plow before the retreat started and my co-host fell and sprained her ankle. After a trip to the ER she was on crutches all weekend. We made it through the retreat and everyone had a great time. We just needed to make a few adjustments to work through the cirumstances we could not control.

So those are the highlights of the last month. I am hoping to update the stamp of the month and March special on my blog tomorrow. I also will post some pictures of new projects. I have a big pile of artwork I want to share. See you then!

SALE! Up to 80% off!

2011-02-03T20:16:00.002-05:00

I am busy getting ready for a crop this Saturday but wanted to take a break and let everyone know that Close To My Heart has just added items to their Clearance Section. Some of these items are up to 80% off. There are all kinds of products.....rub ons, ribbons, paper, and so much more! If you would like to take a look at the sale items and start shopping click here.

NEW LOOK....
I hope you like the new look of my blog. I decided it was time to go with a simpler background. I really like this one for Valentine's Day. I think it is a beautiful color!

Healthy Snacks?

2011-02-02T09:44:00.008-05:00

This morning I am sitting here in cold icy Ohio thinking about the eating changes I have made recently.

Some things I am proud of:
*Taking my lunch to work
*Drinking more water
*Preparing more dinners at home
*Thinking more about what I am eating
*Actually opening and reading some of the nutrition/diet type emails I have signed up for
*Signing up for Weight Watchers Online

Some things I am not so proud of:
*Too little exercise
* Recording intake and points on ww online has not become a habit which it needs to!
* Still too many processed foods

I intentionally wanted to have more in my "proud of" list because these are life changes and it is one step at a time!

Now to my question of the day. What do you eat for healthy snacks? Jack and I are big on cereal type bars...special K , nutrigrain, etc. I'm not sure these are the healthiest choice.
I would like to start snacking on more whole foods and less processed foods. Some things we do snack on:
*pretzels
*hummus and veggies....ok not Jack but Mark and I do
*fruit
*yogurt

As always...part of the issue is preparation. When I don't prepare ahead of time I end up going with the easiest choice! I need to add a set day to go to grocery store and stock up on these healthy snacks so we don't run out.

I would love any snack suggestions anyone has!

SITE OF THE DAY
I mentioned all those emails I have signed up for from healthier eating sites....well this is one of them. She follows the basic ww plan but has great recipes for making a high cal item skinnier.
Hope you enjoy!

www.hungry-girl.com

Fabulous FREE February Special

2011-01-31T19:38:00.004-05:00

Have you been thinking you might like being a Close To My Heart consultant? If so February is the month to sign up for my team.

Close To M Heart is offering an opportunity to receive a complete rebate on the cost of your consultant kit PLUS $100 to spend on selected CTMH products!

How does it work? Purchase the Close To My Heart consultant kit for $129. This kit is packed full of exclusive CTMH products with a retail value up to $391. Once you are a consultant and meet both levels of STTT you will receive a rebate for the cost of the kit PLUS your $100 in product credit.

So what is STTT? It stands for Straight to the Top. It is reached by starting off your business with a bang and reaching sales requirements. You won't be doing this alone! CTMH has a GREAT training academy plus I will be here to help you every step of the way!

So are you ready to get started? Starting February 1, go to my website and sign up for your consultant kit. I am always thrilled to have new team members on my team, Croppers Connection!

Tolerance and Acceptance

2011-01-30T18:17:00.005-05:00

I am trying to get back on track with the correct topic for each day's post. Today is Sunday so it is family day.

Today I am thinking alot about tolerance and acceptance. My son has ADHD. It is a disability that doesn't cause him to be in a wheelchair or special classes. It does however cause him to be impulsive and intense about many things....including sports.

Today I sat at a parks and rec basketball game listening to a Dad behind me complain about my son. About how he was WAY to competitive and doesn't he understand this is a "fun" league.
He went on and on about my son for most of the game. Some of what he said was true.

While I was listening to this Dad I kept thinking to myself that I should say something to him. He had no clue we were Jack's parents. He had no idea Jack has ADHD and we work every day on appropriate and inappropriate behavior and how much improvement Jack is showing in this area. Instead I chose to show tolerance.

I decided I had no clue what was going on in this man's life and I would try tolerance. Tolerance like I would like people to show my son. See that he is extreme, but tolerate it even though you might not understand why he is that way.

What do I wish for Jack's future? I hope he continues to learn to work with his disability and ABILITIES....because he has SO many. I hope he learns acceptance for those that may be different and that others accept his differences also.

Sneak Peek Spring /Summer Idea Book

2011-01-28T18:55:00.007-05:00

Close to My Heart has changed their Idea Books! There will now be two Idea Books per year. Each Idea Book will be packed with new beautiful paper packs and stamp sets.

The Spring/Summer Idea Book will be available to customers on February 1.

One of the advantages of being a consultant is that we can order the new products a month early. I wanted to give everyone a sneak peek of one of the new paper packs, Sweetheart. This paper pack is so pretty and great for Valentines day or for those girly-girl pages.

I also used one of the new stamp sets, Affection (c1441) and one of the new button packs.

I have to say I like all of the eight new paper packs in the Spring/Summer Idea Book , but Sweetheart is probably my favorite!

Be sure to check my website on Feb 1st to see all the great new products!

Weight Watchers Week One

2011-01-26T09:12:00.002-05:00

I would like to be able to tell everyone I had a great week and lost lots of weight....but I don't like to lie!

What I can tell you is that I still think Weight Watchers is a great plan...if you follow it and keep track of your points. Unfortunately...I did NOT do that. I did not feel well most of the week and I was gone for the weekend.....but these are just excuses! As you can probably tell I am not very happy with myself this week. OK let me think of some positives....I have started taking a multivitamin each day and I am still drinking more water. As for weight loss... I am down about 6 pounds since I started making my life changes a couple days before New Years. Yes it is a start but with the amount of weight I have to lose I could have easily lost more by now if I had stuck to my healthy eating goals.

My goal for this week is to start recording my points and make better food choices. Today I plan to make vegetable soup in the crock pot which is a good start.

EXCITING NEWS OF THE WEEK:
I have decided to sign up as a Thirty One consultant. They have great totes, purses, lunch bags, etc. I mostly did this because I love their products and they work great to carry all my scrapbook stuff. I will have a website soon and I will give you the address for that when I get it.
If you are interested in any of the wonderful Thirty One products just let me know!

Broken Bones

2011-01-24T18:43:00.003-05:00

I am back from my retreat. I had fun but unfortunately I didn't feel very good for most of the retreat. I feel like I didn't do my best work and I was not as productive as I usually am at retreats. I also had hoped to do some blog posting from the retreat but I had trouble with downloading the photos.

This week I will be sharing more artwork than normal. Today I am sharing my favorite layout from the weekend. Later in the week I will be giving you a sneak peak at one of the new paper packs from the Idea Book which will be available for ordering on February 1. I also want to share a fun project I made with the Close To My Heart vendor that was at the retreat.

When I scrapbook I end up doing two pages of some of the photos. One goes in our family book and one goes in Jack's book. This is one of the layouts I did of Jack getting his cast on when he broke his ankle.

I hid the journaling under the 4 smaller photos and it can be pulled out. Here is how the journaling looks when it is out of its secret hiding spot.

I used one of the patterns from the Imagine "how to" book. At first I wasn't real comfortable with the smaller photos but I do like the completed layout.

Scrapbook Retreat Here I Come!

2011-01-20T18:24:00.002-05:00

My posts are going to be off schedule the rest of the week. I am leaving tomorrow morning to head to a scrapbook retreat of a sister consultant. It is a beautiful setting and I can't wait! I am taking photos from this Christmas, a few foster dogs and Jack's birthday. I also have a few Close to My Heart projects I am planning to work on. If I get ALL that done I can do some Studio J layouts!!

So lets hope the snow stops soon and the roads aren't bad for the 1 1/2 hour drive. I'm taking my camera with me so stay tuned for updates from the retreat.

Healthy Changes...YES or NO?

2011-01-19T09:17:00.004-05:00

Well it is Wednesday and my check in day for my healthy lifestyle changes. I have been thinking about the last few weeks this morning. A summary....I have improved a few things but not as much as I would like.

I am going to start with the things I have improved. I am definitely drinking more water....of course with that comes more trips to the bathroom but I am getting used to that. I am eating more fruits and vegetables. I do well when I have raw veggies cut up in the frig to eat...if not I have trouble picking fruit or veggies over a quicker less healthy snack. I am doing better with preparing meal ideas in advance and cooking dinner. We have cut down our fast food to about once a week.

Now for the things I don't feel I am doing as well on. Exercise....none...zippo...YUCK! Well that might not be exactly true. I do try to think more about parking further away and taking the stairs when possible. I have not made effort to walk any of our pups more or use the treadmill like I want to. While I am doing better with some aspects of my eating I still am eating too many calories and not keeping track of what I am eating.

This week I made the decision to join Weight Watchers online. This will help me to monitor my intake and be more honest with what I am really eating. I thought about the meetings but right now my life is pretty busy so I decided to try online first. If I can't commit and keep on track for the first month I committed to going to weekly meetings.

Even though there are some things I have not done as well on as I would like I truly feel committed to a healthier lifestyle. As I get closer to 50 I am concerned more about my health. I have a great future ahead of me but I need to take care of myself to make it all it can be!

ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
I want to share this article from Sparkpeople.com. It is about what 300 calories of food looks like. I have to say I was SHOCKED by some of the comparisons. It really made me think about what I am eating.

I'm Getting a Raise!

2011-01-17T19:06:00.005-05:00

This weekend Close To My Heart held a Team Builder conference in Utah. This conference was for the top consultants. About 60 consultants attended. One of the big announcements was the plan to increase the consultant's commissions. The final details have not been announced. From what I have heard, I think everyone will be VERY happy!

The consultants at Team Builders also got to go to business classes and toss around ideas with other top consultants. Of course any CTMH event is not complete without some creativity! The attendees also got to make some fun projects using products from the new idea book which will be available Feb 1.

Close To My Heart also gave the attendees lots of free products! CTMH is always very generous with the free products at their events. I have to say I have found Close to My Heart to be a great company to work with!

Wings Layout

2011-01-15T21:07:00.002-05:00

Each month I have a Cherished Layout workshop. We use different layouts from the Cherish book and a different paper pack each month. This month we are using the Wings paper pack. The Wings paper pack uses some of the colors I love...vineyard berry, juniper, sweet leaf and of course black.

For this layout I also used the January Stamp of the Month, Find Your Style. If you are interested in purchasing any of these products, you can visit my website.

For those of you with the Cherish Book this layout can be found on pages 28 and 29.

I LOVE a Scrapbook Sale!

2011-01-14T17:29:00.003-05:00

I love a sale of any kind but I especially love a SCRAPBOOK sale!

Close to My Heart has added more items to their discounted items. Most items are at least 50% off! Paper packs starting at $4....stickease for $1.50. These definitely are prices you don't want to pass up!

To start shopping now go to my website....shop online and then to discounted items. Have fun!

Just Because Cards

2011-01-13T20:23:00.003-05:00

Tonight I am not feeling my best but wanted to share some artwork with everyone.

My upline, Pam, brought a bunch of cards to a team meeting. These are three from her stash. I am not sure if she created these herself or if they are from swaps. Either way ....I liked the styles.

Enjoy!

Water...Water...and MORE Water!

2011-01-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

I have to admit until recently my Starbucks cup rarely had water in it. I LOVE coffee but have taken up the water habit since I am improving my health.

Everyone has heard it is good to drink at least 8 cups of water a day...but why? A couple big benefits to dieters is that it increases fat burning and helps cut down on cravings. Other benefits? A few are increased energy, better digestion and healthier skin.

That all sound good but how do you get in the habit of drinking 8 cups a day. A few things I have done is cut back on diet pop and coffee. At work I try to make sure I always have a glass of water on my desk. I try to always take a bottle of water or my Starbucks cup with me when I am driving Jack around. If it is in the car with me I find I tend to drink more.

So what do you do to increase your water intake? I would love some new ideas.

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK: I have found www.sparkpeople.com a great site with lots of information about healthy eating and exercise. They also have a free calorie calculator which is pretty cool. If you have never been to this site check it out!

Technique Tuesday....Chalk Popping

2011-01-11T16:43:00.004-05:00

I decided to start Technique Tuesday on my blog to help remind everyone of some different techniques. If you are like me you get stuck in a rut and use the same ideas and techniques over and over.

Today's technique is called Chalk Popping. It is a fun way to add color to a stamped image.

SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED:
Versamark Stamp Pad
Chalk
Stamp Set
Cotton Balls or chalk applicators

DIRECTIONS:
1. Stamp image using Versamark. Stamp straight down and pull straight up. Don't rock stamp or the image might blur.
2. Using cotton ball or applicator apply chalk to stamped image in circular motion. Shade with more or less chalk on the applicator.

As you can see by the directions, this is a super easy technique. I used Chalk Popping to add color to the butterfly on the card above. This stamp set is the January Stamp of the Month, Find Your Style.

As I was searching the Internet for information on Chalk Popping I found the video below. It was made by the Close To My Heart corporate office and gives great step by step instructions and some good samples.

I would love to see your artwork using Chalk Popping!

I'm Lovin' Studio J

2011-01-08T11:36:00.006-05:00

If anyone had told me a couple months ago that I would like ANY TYPE of online scrapbooking I would have told them they were crazy!! But guess what? I gave the online program Close To My Heart carries, Studio J, a try and I LOVE it!

These are some of the layouts I made the first time I tried Studio J. I see a few things I would like to do differently next time, but with anything new it takes a little time to get used to. I liked that I got to go step by step. This helped me from getting overwhelmed. I liked that I got to pick from a great variety of layouts and change them to meet my needs....PLUS I got to use all the great CTMH products including paper packs!

I did 10 two page layouts over a couple evenings while I was watching TV. After I completed the layouts , Studio J told me if I missed anything.

Now I certainly don't expect to use Studio J for ALL my layouts. I have WAY too many fun products in my stash not to continue to do classic scrapbooking. I expect that I will use this for some of the older photos I have to help me get caught up.

I purchased the Studio J membership which was $99 for 12 months. I pay about half the retail price for the layouts with the membership. I also get page protectors and free shipping for the layouts I purchase. One of the best things is I get JPG files for all the layouts I purchased. That means I can print them out myself or share them with you like this.

I am now a true believer in the Studio J online program. If you would like more information on this you can either visit my website or contact me .

Oh...one more thing. If you have friends who want to scrapbook but don't want to invest all the money to get started...tell them about Studio J.

Annie..Our Terrier Girl

2011-01-07T15:00:00.000-05:00

This is Annie! She is our newest foster. We were not planning to take another foster dog quite so quickly but our local pound was full and the rescue group we foster with wanted to help them out by pulling some of dogs.

Annie is not the type of dogs we usually take. First of all a majority of our foster dogs have been labs and they all have been males. We are enjoying getting to know the personality traits of a terrier. Let me tell you they are very different than our big goofy labs!

If you are considering adding a dog or cat to your family please consider a rescue. I can tell you from my experience they are great dogs just looking for some love.

Card of the Week

2011-01-06T09:21:00.000-05:00

I am excited to finally try out my new Close To My Heart circle cards. I had purchased these before the holidays but didn't have a chance to play with them.

I made this Thank You card using the

Ricochet pattern from the Wishes book. If you haven't seen the Wishes book it has lots of fun patterns for circle cards in addition to the more common size cards.

I LOVE this paper! It was in one of the monthly special kits CTMH offered a few months ago. I was very excited to see the Miracle paper pack in the Spring/Summer Idea Book which will be available in February. It includes the same papers that were in this kit. I love the color combination...bamboo, crystal blue, heavenly blue, and sweat leaf.

Life Changes

2011-01-05T08:11:00.002-05:00

It is Wednesday and time for me to share about the life changes I will be making this year.

It is hard for me to share about my constant battle with my weight. It is embarrassing for me. I feel pretty "together" in other areas of my life but when it comes to my own health ...not so much.

I am not looking to be a skinny minnie. I tried that in high school and my early twenties. I am just looking to be a healthy weight, feel good about myself, and to be fit for my family.

I am not following any particular diet. I am starting by adding more whole foods to our diet and cut out some of the junk. Part of my problem is preparing in advance. There are many nights that we are on the go. I tend to stop and pick up something at a drive thru instead of coming home and making a quick healthy dinner. I need to change this. Since Wednesday is my day off I plan to cook a few things in advance and stick in the freezer or frig to have later in the week. I also hope to use my crock pot more for some make ahead healthy meals.

Now the bigger issue for me....exercise! I hate to exercise!!!! I do better in the summer when I can get out and do some biking or hiking but I still don't like it. Anyway.....for right now I am going to try to increase my activity. I am parking further back in parking lots to increase my walking, taking the stairs more at work and walking the dogs on the nicer days. I know this may not sound like a lot of exercise but for me it needs to be life changes....one day at a time.

Well there you have it ...the changes I plan to start with to change my life. These will change over time but I have to start somewhere. Wish me luck!

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK: Each week I hope to share a product I have found that I like. Today the product is Thomas's Bagel Thins. My friend, Cathy, told me about these and I love them! They are thin little bagels that are tasty with less calories and carb than regular bagels. They come in a variety of flavors. I had to look a while but I was able to find them in whole wheat which is what I prefer.

Product Sneak Peak...Inspirations

2011-01-03T18:21:00.002-05:00

Some of you may have already heard that Close to My Heart is changing things up a little bit when it comes to their Idea Books. Starting in February, CTMH will be putting out two Idea Books per year. The Idea Books will be available less frequently BUT will have more wonderful products per Idea Book.

During January, CTMH is giving their customers (and consultants) a sneak peak at a few of the new products in the Inspirations brochure. Besides seeing the products, you will be able to purchase a few select products at discounted prices. If you purchase one of the Wings Workshop on the Go kits you can purchase any of the stamps in the Inspiration brochure at a discounted price. As always, these purchase will go toward the discounted price on the Stamp of the Month.

This all may sound a little confusing but it is a great opportunity to sample new products at discounted prices. For all of the details and to see the Inspirations brochure online please go to my website, www.ldame.myctmh.com. If you see something you like, you can purchase it through the same website.

Happy Shopping!

Pork and Sauerkraut....A New Year's Tradition

2011-01-02T10:14:00.003-05:00

I'm sure we were not the only ones eating pork and sauerkraut yesterday. I have had this meal on New Year's Day for as long as I can remember. I remember going to my Mom's to eat ribs and sauerkraut even before I got married.

Now Mark and I are the ones cooking for our Moms. It is a nice quiet celebration after the bigger family gatherings around Christmas. We used to make the kids at least take a little bite of sauerkraut for luck but have given that up sometime through the years.

The only difference this year....the pork took FOREVER to cook! We sat and sat ....waiting. The oven seems to work fine except when I try to cook meat. I guess I will be having a visit from my local appliance repair man this week.

We were finally able to eat and had an enjoyable evening. I'm glad that we are able to do this for our Moms because I know they enjoy it. It is one of those thing we do and wonder if our kids will be cooking pork for us some New Year's Day.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T13:34:00.002-05:00

I posted yesterday about my plan to post more regularly on my blog. I love sharing on my blog and the response I get, but some how it gets put on a back burner sometimes. My goal is to post 5x a week. Here is what to expect.

Monday- Close to My Heart Day. Close To My Heart always has great things going on that I will be excited to share about.

Tuesday- Technique Day. Each week I will share a technique. The technique might be new to you or maybe just one you haven't used in a while.

Wednesday- Workout/Weight Loss Day. This will be one of the hardest for me. As I posted yesterday, one of my other goals for this year is to get healthier. I always start out good but then slip back into old behavior. I am hoping sharing will keep me on track.

Thursday- Card Thursday. This day is devoted completely to cards. I may share something I just created or artwork from one of my friends. You will be sure to be inspired!

Friday- Foster/Family Day. As most of you know we foster dogs for a local rescue group. I love to share about my fosters. They become part of our family while they are here. Friday might also include family posts depending what is going on in our life.

Saturday- Scrappin' Day. As with Card Thursday, I will share scrapbook layouts I created or that were created by my friends. I may also share cool websites I find. Be sure that the topic will
be fun and related to scrapbooking.

Sunday- Family Day. I love my family and being a Mom....most of the time. My family is such a big part of my life I definitely need a day devoted to them.

Well there you have it! I am looking forward to everything that 2011 has in store for me, my family and my CTMH business. I hope you can share it with me through my blog!

Goals for 2011

2010-12-31T09:35:00.004-05:00

Each year as the New Year approaches I look forward to things I want to accomplish the next year. Many people call them resolutions....I prefer to call them goals.

Here are some of the ones I came up with for this year.

1. Organization....I used to be a very organized person but the last few years that has changed.
My goal is to organize both my CTMH business and my personal life so that I don't waste so
much time looking for things. So I am going to pull out my label maker and find a place for
everything and keep things in their place.

2. Blog posting....I have a plan. Each day of the week you will be able to find a specific theme. I
can not say I will be posting daily but I hope to post at least 5 times a week. Stay tuned for
more on this tomorrow.

3. Healthier lifestyle....of course with this comes weight loss and exercise. I would also like to
get back on track with cooking healthy meals for my family.

4. Read more...computer less....there are great things online but I can waste lots of time doing
nothing also. I plan to read at least one book a month. Any ideas of some good ones to start
with?

5. Work on more scrapbook layouts for my own albums. This includes using Studio J regularly.

I purchased the Studio J membership so I want to make 10 layouts monthly with Studio J

and at least 5 classic layouts.

I try to make my goals obtainable so that I don't feel like I failed. You will hear more about these goals throughout the year. Anyone want to share their goals for next year?

Happy New Year everyone!

Our Newest Foster, Thorton

2010-12-12T19:01:00.003-05:00

We have had a super busy weekend with soccer and basketball. In between games yesterday we picked up our new foster, Thorton or Thor for short. Thor was owned by a family who moved out of town and could not take him with them. He was at the pound for about a month before he came to Paws and Prayers. Thor is a super sweet dog and knows basic commands. The only thing we need to work on is fattening him up a little. He is pretty skinny and is enjoying eating his three meals a day.

If you would like more information on Thorton or all the other great rescues looking for a home please check out the Paws and Prayers website.

Jack Discovers His Creative Side

2010-12-11T10:58:00.000-05:00

My son is ALL boy! He lives for sports. I am happy to say he is also a very good student when he doesn't let his social life get in the way.

All the 8th graders have to take a sewing class. The first assignment in the class was to do laundry. Well he did fine with that. He followed the steps and his clothes came out clean and smelling oh so fresh. Next came the sewing project.

I keep track of his grades on the internet. Once sewing started I saw his grade start to go down little by little. My A/B grade son was going to get his first D because he can't sew!

Luckily, I have an old sewing machine and the teacher let him bring home his pillow to finish. I have NEVER seen seams quite like his ! Anyway....he sat down and I had him rip out everything he had done and we started over. When he was at home with me sitting beside him giving him step by step instructions he did great!

I know he would never admit it but I think he is proud of his pillow and that he didn't give up!

Sisters Scented Candles

2010-12-10T10:52:00.001-05:00

This is my sister, Sue, at the Frosty Boutique last weekend. She is the owner of Sisters Scented Candles. They make all natural soy candles and hand cream.

If you have not burned a soy candle you don't know what you are missing! They burn SO much cleaner than the "regular" candles. The burning time on these candles is much longer. I don't know if that is true for all soy candles but I know it is for the ones from Sisters Scented Candles.

If you would like to take a look at her website I am sure she would appreciate it. My favorite is fresh baked bread....YUM.

Jewelry....not so much fun

2010-12-09T10:26:00.000-05:00

I mentioned last week that I would post the washer necklaces I made for the craft show. Well let me tell you that jewelry is not my thing! The washers turned out lovely BUT I am too old to get all those little loops in place for the back closure. I could not get my bifocals focused right to do what needed done...lol...now is that OLD or what!?!

Not being a jewelry maker, I went to Joann Fabrics and asked a very nice man how to apply the clasps. He was very helpful and it seemed very easy when he was telling me BUT not when I got home.

Anyway....I only made a few of the necklaces for the sale. I have more to finish but will find an easier way to apply the clasp when I do those.

Frosty's Boutique

2010-12-08T10:18:00.003-05:00

As many of you know I decided to sign up for a craft show rather last minute. I participated in this show about 5 years ago and knew it a fun show with lots of people so I figured what the heck.

I did have a fun time. There were two items that sold like crazy! They were the Hershey snowmen and the acrylic post it note holders. Now I can't take credit for coming up with either of these ideas. I got them off another stamping website. I actually took a few special orders when I ran out of these.

So I am glad I participated and will be again next year. If you see anything in the photos you are interested in ordering just send me an email at soccermom_1963@yahoo.com. I would be glad to help you get ready for the holidays!

Another Fun Day of CREATING!

2010-12-01T19:46:00.002-05:00

It is a snowy day here in Ohio but I still had a perfect day. I got to stay in my jammies and play with paper most of the day!

Today I worked on a variety of projects for the craft show this weekend. These are some of the teacher gift sets I made. The notebook has a notepad and pocket on the inside. The post it note holder comes with matching pen. People will be able to buy these together or separate. I made lots of both of these with a variety of themes.

Tomorrow I am going to finish up my washer necklaces. I can't wait! I didn't know if I would like making these because I have never made any type of jewelry, but they are a nice blend of paper crafting and jewelry making.

Next Wednesday I will be holding an open house for all of you locals. I will be selling all the items I have left from the craft show PLUS all my in stock CTMH products at a huge discount. If that wasn't enough I will also give 10% discount on any orders placed that day. A holiday gift for everyone!

If you are interesting in purchasing any of the items I am showing on my blog just let me know. I have not had a chance to list them on Etsy yet but I am taking orders.

Check back tomorrow for more creating!

Holiday M&M Tubes

2010-11-30T13:35:00.003-05:00

Sorry it has been SO long since I have updated my blog. I have been busy with Thanksgiving and getting ready for a craft show this weekend. I am posting now because a sister consultant, Mindy, wanted to see some of these cute M&M tubes decorated for Christmas.

I made these for the craft show Saturday. These are 1"x 8" bags I got from clearbags.com. The snowmen are filled with regular holiday M&Ms and the ones topped with the gift are mint. (FYI the mint are harder to work with.)

After I filled the bags with the M&Ms....24 for the plain and 17 for the mint...but who is counting...I used a square and round punch and then punches a scalloped edge just a little bigger. For the snowman I used the All Decked Out (D1308) stamp set from CTMH. I used the circle for the snowman head and just decorated it. Now the hat and scarf took a little time. I stamped, colored with copics and cut them out. The mint tubes were a little quicker...no cutting! I used the St. Nick (B1356) set from CTMH. The top of the bags have a sticky closing. I stuck them shut, stapled on the scalloped design and then used glue to adhere the stamped images.

I think these turned out cute as can be! I am selling them for $1.50 each or 4 for $5. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Oh ...by the way... I am hoping to get my blog decorations updated for Christmas later today so check back to see my new look!

Fun Little Notebook

2010-11-07T19:47:00.004-05:00

I saw instructions for this cute little notebook on another blog the other day. I was doing a lot of blog surfing for ideas that day so unfortunately I can't give credit to the blog I found it on.

The original blog writer used these as her to do list in her purse. She made a bunch of them and handed them out when school started.

I think I will keep one in my car to write down all those things I think of when I am driving or sitting at soccer practice. There is a cute little pocket for receipts or coupons. My debit card receipts are going there so I can find them to add to check book.....before my hubby yells at me!

Here are the measurements:
Start with card stock 10 3/4"x 8 1/4". Score at 5 1/4" and 5 1/2". Fold on score lines.
Designed paper for front measures 5"x8". Pocket measures 5 1/8" x 5". You can cut a piece of designed paper 1/4"- 1/2" smaller for on top of the pocket.

For complete instructions watch my video.

Last Day for October Stamp of the Month

2010-10-31T07:36:00.005-04:00

Today is the last day to purchase the October stamp of the month, Share the Magic. I love this holiday set and could easily see myself using it on all my greeting cards this season!

Share the Magic is a set of 12 holiday stamps and verses. The retail price is $22.95 which is a nice price BUT it you would like to see how to receive it at a discounted price or for FREE , take a look at the chart below.

If you are interested in adding this set to your collection, you can shop online at my website, http://www.ldame.myctmh.com/ or contact me.

Close To My Heart TV....Art and Soul

2010-10-20T16:07:00.000-04:00

Have you ever watched CTMH TV? If not, you need to give it a try! Each episode focuses on different techniques and products. I just watched the newest episode and saw a fun technique for tissue stamping. If you would like to watch this episode plus other episodes just click on this link.

Fun Fall Weekend

2010-10-19T12:08:00.005-04:00

This weekend we had a chance to enjoy some fun fall weather. Jack did not have school on Friday so Mark and I took the day off to spend with him. We traveled a little over an hour from home to go to a huge flea market we all enjoy. While we were there we stopped by a local apple orchard. I love orchards and farmers markets so whenever there is one close to where we are I try to go.

I had Mark stop the car when we were driving through the orchard so I could get a picture of Jack by one of the apple trees. I know he is kind of old for this but he humored his Mom and was a good sport about it.

Saturday we got our new foster, Hardy. We haven't fostered for a couple months because our life has been so hectic with soccer. Hardy is a fun 2 year old chocolate lab. He is enjoying playing with our labs and learning to be a good boy. He will be a great addition for some family!

Sunday we just hung out around home and did stuff. I so enjoy my time with my two favorite guys!

Monsters Galore

2010-10-17T19:59:00.005-04:00

I had some extra paper left over from my Hooligans class layout so I decided to use it to make these lollipop covers.

I used the Merry Monsters ( B1333) stamp set. I colored the images with my copic markers and here they are.

Oh....one more thing. I used the Carmel Apple Pops because I thought they were most appropriate for this time of year.

If you would like to see the step by step instructions you can take a look at my YouTube video. Just let me know if you have questions.

Lovin' Flip Flaps

2010-10-15T10:04:00.000-04:00

I recently returned from a scrapbook retreat put on by one of my sister CTMH consultants, Cathy Gill. I had a wonderful time working on my own photos and pages.

Many times I have extra pictures I want to include but don't really want to do a whole page for them. Well while I was away I tried an AWESOME CTMH product, FLIP FLAPS. Flip Flaps are pockets that can be added to your layouts to add more photos. They are also great if you have photos of a chain of events you want in a row. They are easy to adhere to the page and are so easy to use. Besides that they are reasonable at $3.95 for a pack of 15 of the 4x6 size. Flip flaps also come in an assortment pack with some larger protectors down to the 4x6 size.

Flip flaps open to reveal additional photos

If you are like me and love to include lots of pictures of those special moments in your life, I highly recommend trying Flip Flaps. You won't be sorry!

Guest Designer for SCRAP A LITTLE

2010-10-14T10:32:00.005-04:00

I was on Scrapbook.com a couple weeks ago and a blog was looking for guest designers. I went to check out the blog, Scrap a Little, and loved it!

The blog author is Helen Croft and she has great sketches for layouts and fun little projects you can make.

She gave all the applicants a sketch to follow and make your own. Here is the layout I turned in. It features CTMH products and our obnoxious lab, Jenny.

Well it ends up that there were less applicants than expected so everyone who applied gets to be a guest designer. I am very excited because I have never done anything like this before. You will be able to see my design on January 1st. Don't worry I will remind everyone close to time.

I suggest you check out Helen's blog, . Right now she is doing a giveaway for a CTMH

Championship for the Cobras?

2010-10-14T09:54:00.003-04:00

I love soccer ....I especially love early morning soccer! Jack's first game on Sunday was at 8:30. It was a nice cool morning and a great day for soccer.

The 4 teams that finish the season with the best records go to playoffs. Jack's team finished the season in second place this fall. They played the third place team in the first playoff game. The Cobras had easily beat this team in the regular season.

Unfortunately things didn't turn out to be in the Cobras favor at the playoff game. Some of the key players (including my son) were just a "little off". The team could have won if it would have been just one player having a bad day but it was too many and they lost 1 to 2.

I am still very proud of the Cobras and the team work they have shown all season. They will have another chance at the championship in the spring.

Thank you to everyone who participated in my playoff sale. The orders have all been placed and should be to me by next week. Since the Cobras didn't win there was not a grand prize drawing but I am sure everyone will enjoy their extra goodies!

October Playoff Sale

2010-10-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

As most of you know soccer is a HUGE part of our life! I am proud to say the Jack's soccer team, The Cobras, will once again be playing for the U14 GAASA league championship. To celebrate I will be having a fun sale.

This sale will be from 8am-9pm on Sunday October 10th.

*Anyone who places a $25 order will receive a FREE handmade goodie from me.

*Anyone who places a $50 order will be invited to attend a FREE scrapbook layout or card workshop. If you are not local I will mail the supplies and instructions to you.

IF YOU ARE THE FIRST TO PLACE A $50 ORDER....you will receive a FREE paper pack in addition to the workshop.

*Anyone who places a $100 order will receive a FREE a,b, or c size stamp set or paper pack PLUS the free workshop.

To enjoy the benefits of this sale please email me (soccermom_1963@yahoo.com) or call me with your order. I will contact you with the total after shipping and tax. I will be watching soccer but just leave me a message on my voicemail and I will get back to you. If you don't have a catalog you can look at the online catalog on my website, http://www.ldame.myctmh.com/.

IF JACK'S TEAM WINS...I will pick a name from anyone who orders that day to win an extra special item.

This is a sale you won't want to miss. It is a great chance to get some fun free items and who doesn't like free stuff?

Fall Fun Card Recipe

2010-10-07T08:30:00.000-04:00

The other day I was wanted to make a Thank You card but didn't have a lot of time. I pulled out my trusty Originals book for ideas. I always start by looking at the color images. I found a sample of a fall card and used the same recipe but added my style to it.

Here is the recipe...

1. Start with a 6x6 card with the fold on the left side.

2. Cut paper: PIECE A 5 3/4"x 5 3/4", PIECE B 5 3/4"x3", PIECE C 3 1/4"x3 1/4", PIECE D 4"x4". On my card I used designed paper for piece A and B.

3. Center piece A on your card front.

4. Adhere piece B to piece A placing 3/4" from left side.

5. Adhere piece C to piece D. Attach to center of the card front.

I embellished my card with some stamped fall leaves and stitching. I suggest stamping on piece C prior to attaching to piece D.

I would love to see how everyone makes this recipe their own. Once you make a card using this recipe email it to me at soccermom_1963@yahoo.com . I will share any photos I get on my blog.

I can't wait to see everyone's artwork!

And The Winner Is.....

2010-10-05T19:16:00.006-04:00

WINNER

Clerissa picked the winner of the Scentsy give away and it was " The Bradys". Please email Clerissa at sc_lewis@msn.com and she will get your Taro Mini Plug-in in the mail.

Thanks for everyone who signed up for Clerissa's newsletter and became a follower of my blog.

The Croppers Connection Team

2010-10-04T19:21:00.000-04:00

Saturday my Close To My Heart upline, Pam, came to my house for a team meeting. I am glad that Tamara and Kelly from my team, Croppers Connection, were able to come.

I have met such great ladies since I started as a consultant with Close To My Heart. I have fun with both the other consultants and my customers. It is a great way to meet people with the same interests you have.

Another benefit of being a consultant is the wonderful training CTMH offers. Besides the individual instruction you get from your upline and team meetings, CTMH offers a wonderful training academy. There are courses in creativity, business and personal development. I have watches some of these courses over and over and learn something new each time.

If you are interested in more information on becoming a Close to My Heart consultant and joining my team, Croppers Connection just drop me an email at soccermom_1963@yahoo.com or visit my website, www.ldame.myctmh.com.

Scentsy Give Away

2010-09-29T08:00:00.007-04:00

Have you heard of Scentsy? It is the BEST thing in candles.
What makes it the best? NO flame!

Scentsy sells beautiful ceramic warmers to melt over 90 scents of wax in, so never again will you have to worry about an open flame in your home or office. But that is not all!

Scentsy offers products ranging from non-alcohol hand sanitizing foam to car scents,from room sprays to stuffed animals you can put a favorite scent in.

My Scentsy consultant, Clerissa, is donating the taro mini plug-in to one of my lucky blog readers! To qualify, visit Clerissa's website and sign up for her newsletter, then become a follower here on my blog and leave a comment stating that you have done both. If you are already a follower, just leave a comment after you sign up for Clerissa's newsletter. It's that easy!

If you'd like to also order something from my online party, you'll receive a second entry for the give-away. To shop my party, just go to the website and click on "Laura’s Online Party!!!"

Make sure to check out the fun new holiday warmers available and the scent of the month is maple butter, so that is 10 percent off!

The winner will be drawn on Monday October 4th!

Good luck!

Reorganized Scrapbook Room

2010-09-27T17:10:00.002-04:00

As promised many months ago, I am sharing a video of my newly organized scrapbook room. If you remember correctly my table and floor were covered with stuff. Now everything is fairly organized and easy to find. Can I say it is just the way I want it? NO...but I have realized it will probably never be perfect.

This is my first attempt at video. I hope you enjoy it. I hope to share more videos in the future with techniques and other fun stuff.

Paper Dolls

2010-09-25T20:32:00.002-04:00

I LOVE the Paper Dolls cartridges for the Cricut!

I took a Cricut class a while back because I knew I wasn't getting as much out of my Cricut as I could be. I learned so much! I never was very good at looking at the book and figuring out how to set the machine to get what I wanted. Well I am happy to say now I can!

Today I made some fall die cuts from the Everyday Paper Doll cartridge. I think they turned out so cute. I used CTMH cardstock so I could sand the knees on this little guy's jeans to make it look like the faded spots that little boys always get. I used a little chalk to pinken up his cheeks and he is done.

If you have not tried any of the Paper Doll cartridges I highly suggest them. There are such cute images that just jazz up any scrapbook page!

Intensity

2010-09-22T09:19:00.003-04:00

I haven't talked about my son, Jack, in a while so I thought it was time! If I had to describe Jack in one word I think it would be "INTENSITY".

Jack does everything with his whole being. I love the intensity he shows as a team player. It makes him a great leader and makes him approach every
game as though he is playing for the pros. On a good day he can turn that intensity to motivation for his team. On a bad day....well lets just say he expects everyone to play as if they are pros.

Jack also puts his whole self into school. He expects to get good grades and usually does. He is self motivated and the homework is started as soon as he hits the house after school. I never need to check if things are done. I just know they are.

Jack has this same intensity when it comes to friends and family. He has had the same "best friend" since first grade and he would help him or his family in any way he could. He loves his family the same way. I told him the other day he was a Mama's boy. He thought that might be a bad thing. When I explained there was nothing wrong with loving and trying to help your Mom he was fine with it. I'm happy to say my almost 14 year old still hugs me and tells me he loves me. Of course some of those hugs are so strong they could probably break a rib or two!

Jack's intensity definitely has a bad side but I try to focus on the good and deal with the bad when necessary. I figure any positive characteristic can also show not so positive behaviors at one time or another.

Anyone who knows me is well aware of how proud I am of Jack! He takes each day and lives it to the fullest.

Pumpkin Poop...It's a Fall Thing!

2010-09-19T20:28:00.003-04:00

Each fall when I start making things for fall expos Pumpkin Poop is always right at the top of the list! It amazes me what a big seller this is. Some people buy it for trick or treat and some for a a little treat for their grandkids but they all think it is fun.

Here is the poem that goes with the handstamped bag topper and candy corn.

PUMPKIN POOP

I started to carve a pumpkin

With my carving knife and scoop,

But the pumpkin got so scared

That he took a poop!

It looked so cute and funny

Just like a candy treat,

So I'm sharing it with you now

Because you are so sweet!

Cherished Layouts

2010-09-14T19:46:00.006-04:00

This month I am starting a new monthly workshop I am excited about! It is called Cherished Layouts. Each month we will create two layouts from the Cherish "How To" book using one of Close To My Heart's beautiful paper packs. This month I am using Olivia for some fall themed layouts.

Each attendee will need to bring their own Cherish book and can purchase at a discounted price prior to their first class. I know once my scrapbooking friends get used to using the Cherish book they will love it! Cherish makes it so darn easy to create layouts quickly and painlessly.

Another great thing about this class is that my customers who are not local or can not make the class can still participate. If you would like to see all the pictures for this class visit my website, http://www.ldame.myctmh.com/ and look under MY ART.

The Winner Is.....

2010-09-04T19:05:00.002-04:00

I had planned on making a video of me picking the winner of my blog candy. After sitting most of the day at soccer tournaments in Ohio wind and rain I decided I wasn't quite looking ready for a video. My picking of the winner was very scientific...I wrote the names on pieces of paper and picked one. Drum Roll Please......the winner is Peggy Herrington! Congrats Peggy! I will be emailing you to get your address to send your fall blog candy.

I truly do love all 4 of the new CTMH paper packs! If I had to pick a favorite I would say mine is probably Olivia. Fall is my favorite time of year and I love the fall colors in this paper pack. I also really like the new Harvest Home stamp set that goes so nicely with the paper.

Thank you to everyone who participated! I will have another give away soon....

Ready for Some Blog Candy?

2010-09-01T12:38:00.003-04:00

I am SO excited! Today is the day the Autumn/Winter Idea Book from Close To My Heart is available to customers.

I have had my idea book for a while and have been looking at all the new stamp sets and paper packs. I couldn't wait until today to share it with everyone.

I am a paper pack hoarder! I have SO much paper I have to keep buying new stronger storage to hold it all. That is pretty sad!

As always there are four new paper packs introduced in the new idea book. To get a chance to win a fun "FALL" themed blog candy all you have to do is enter a comment telling me which one is your favorite. If you don't have the idea book that is OK...you can check them out online at my website, www.ldame.myctmh.com. The whole idea book is available online.

You have until Friday Sept 3rd to pick your favorite and make your comment. I will announce the winner sometime on Saturday. I will also share which pack is my favorite when I announce the winner. Good Luck!

Birthday Girl

2010-08-29T15:01:00.003-04:00

Last night we went out to dinner with Jackie to celebrate her 24th birthday! I am amazed she keeps getting older while Mark and I stay so young.

We enjoyed dinner at the Texas Roadhouse with family and then back here for Dairy Queen cake. Jackie is doing such a nice job of displaying the card I made her with the Be Yourself (D1349) stamp set. I love this fun set and have used it on all kinds of projects.

It was an enjoyable evening and I am enjoying seeing the beautiful young woman Jackie is becoming.

Celebrate Stamping with TRIPLE Play!

2010-08-21T20:03:00.007-04:00

Celebrate your love of stamping with the Triple Play kit when you purchase My Acrylix stamps from your wish list. You can get the kit free when you host a qualifying gathering or sign up as a Close To My Heart consultant. Here are the five ways to get this outstanding mini album kit:

*Buy the Triple Play kit for $29.95.
*Purchase $25 on My Acrylix stamps
and get the kit for $15.
*Spend $40 on My Acrylix stamps
and get the kit for only $5!
*Host a gathering with sales of $300
and get the Triple Play kit for FREE!
*Join Close To My Heart as a
Consultant September 1-30 and get the kit for FREE!

The Triple Play kit is available while supply lasts. Kits are available Aug 15- Sept 30.
If you would like to order your kit today, visit my website and shop online.

Summer in Bloom

2010-08-11T18:02:00.003-04:00

My husband and I enjoy our yard. Our yard is kind of a hodge podge of plants. We have lots of perennials we have gotten the last few years thanks to my mother in law and a friend of mine, Carrie.
This is one of the plants we got a start of from my mother in law. I'm not sure what it is called but it is just beautiful right now. My mother in law got her start from someone in Kentucky. My mother in law is over 80 and sometimes is a little forgetful but she can tell you where she got the start for every flower in her yard! The things people remember.

I love to look at my plants and play in the dirt but I am horrible at remembering the names of what we have. Can anyone help me out with this one?

Our House

2010-08-09T21:18:00.003-04:00

I am VERY excited to be getting hard wood floors in our family room. I am NOT very excited about the next 10 days or so.

We got a call over the weekend that the floor guys would be over this morning. We were very excited to get the process started but not as excited about having to clear out the room. Where would we put all the stuff? We are lucky enough to have a large sunroom so last night Mark, Jack and I moved furniture, fish tanks, TV and all the other stuff that had accumulated in our family room to our sunroom.

.
So now we have the family room tore up, the sunroom full of furniture and my office full of wood. We are doing our best to not fall over each other or a dog and go one with our daily activities.

I'll be happy to show off the finished room soon!

$2,$4, $6,$8 Who Do We Appreciate ?

2010-08-04T08:51:00.002-04:00

Close To My Heart is offering a HUGE sale starting today at 11 am eastern time!

For 8 days, August 4-August 11, Close to My Heart is offering all Level 1, Level 2, and Stickease at HUGE savings!

Level 1 Paper Packs $4

Level 2 Paper Packs $6

Stickease $2

To get these great savings you must shop online at www.ldame.myctmh.com. Remember all of these paper packs are on the CTMH recently announced retiring list so once they are gone ....the are gone! Happy Shopping!

Red...Our Old Man

2010-08-03T21:53:00.000-04:00

Our house has truly become the Senior Dog Haven! We have been fostering quite a few old guys lately. Red is our most recent addition.

Red is very special. We believe he spent most of his life with a family that loved him. Some how he got out and wondered away. The kind lady that found him made every attempt to find his owner but no luck. So Red ended up with Paws and Prayers.

Red is very special because we think he is a pretty old guy. He has very limited hearing and is very mellow. He loves to be outside. Sometimes when he goes out we will have trouble finding Red. When we do find him he is usually napping under our back porch or in the shade of a nice tree.

Mark and I hope that Red will find a forever home. Until then he will enjoy his life here at he Senior Dog Haven.

Happy Birthday Miss Kim

2010-08-02T18:37:00.000-04:00

I work in a very small office. A lot of the time it is just myself and Kim, our secretary there. I tell Kim we are very lucky we like each other or it could make for a l..o...n....g work day!

Well I wasn't a very good co-worker last week. I missed Kim's birthday. I decided to make a card for her even though it will be a little late.

I used the Aspiration stamp set. It is one of my favorite floral sets. I colored it with my copics and added a little liquid glass. It always amazed me how easy it is to use the copics with my Close to My Heart products! I embellished with a couple clear beads that I colored with the copics to match the flower and....VIOLA.....a card for Kim!

August Stamp of the Month

2010-08-01T18:24:00.005-04:00

It is the first of August and time for a new Stamp of the Month! Before I tell you about the stamp I would like to tell you I cannot take credit for this beautiful artwork. I got it in a swap with my sister consultants and honestly I am not sure which consultant made these. Thank you...whoever you are!

This month the stamp of the month is Something Spendid. It is a set of 13 beautiful floral stamps and verses. I could see myself using this stamp set on birthday cards, just because notes, and even my scrapbook pages.

If you are interested in purchasing the August Stamp of the Month remember that it is only available during August!

I have included below the discounted prices for the stamp sets. If you place a $100 order you will receive this set absolutely FREE! If you are interested in purchasing Something Splendid please visit my website, http://www.ldame.myctmh.com/.

Close To My Heart Retiring Products

2010-07-30T17:23:00.003-04:00

Close To My Heart has just announced the products that will be retired at the end of the year.
If you LOVE our current paper packs you may want to stock up. Most of the current paper packs are being retired . CTMH is getting ready for some great new things next year!

If you would like to take a look at what will be retiring click here.
Once you see all the great products you can shop online at http://www.ldame.myctmh.com/.

Don't delay! Once these products are gone they are gone for good! Happy Shopping!

Zippidee!

2010-07-25T21:00:00.004-04:00

I haven't shared any artwork for a while so I thought I would share one of the displays I found today while I was cleaning my craft room.

Each time a new catalog comes out I do a swap with some sister Close To My Heart consultants. We each create artwork using one of the new paper packs.

My paper pack from the Summer Idea Book was Zippidee. This is such a fun paper pack using the primary colors. It would be perfect for Disney layouts!

These are the three cards I made with the paper pack. I used the Thrill Ride and Hit the Spot stamp sets.

Papa is Officially Ours!

2010-07-19T17:48:00.004-04:00

When people hear I foster dogs the response is often "Oh...I don't think I could do that. I would want to keep them all." I have a special place in my heart for each dog I have fostered but I know I can't keep helping more rescue animals if I keep them all. I think that each one has went to the perfect home for them.

Papa is a little different story. Paws and Prayers pulled him from the Summit County pound in April. When I first met him I thought he was rather ugly and didn't have much personality but realized it is really hard for an animal to be in a cage for 6 weeks. The first day Papa was with us he injurtd his leg or upset a previous injury. So now we have a rather unattractive dog that hops on 3 legs...oh did I mention he was also rather stinky!

As Papa was here longer his personality started coming out. He reminds us of one of those dogs in the picture of the dogs playing poker and that he should have a cigar in his mouth. He started making us laugh with his cat like rubbing on us to be petted. We also realized he liked to "sing and dance" for his dinner. After a few baths he even smelled much better. We had a few applicants for Papa but none that I thought were the perfect match.

Papa went to a specialist for his knee and we found out if was a more extensive injury than we first thought but the vet said that if he got around OK there was no reason to do surgery at this time. So Papa continued on hopping around and waiting for his forever family.

As the months went on we got closer and closer to Papa. He has such a sweet heart. I was afraid I would never find a good match for him. Other foster dogs came and went and Papa was still with us. Then it happened.....Papa made his way upstairs and slept in Jack's room. It may sound like a little thing but trust me it wasn't! Jack has always wanted one of the dogs to sleep in his room and Papa was the first one who voluntarily did it.

I realized the hunt for the perfect family was over...it was us all the time! Papa has his forever family .....but WE are really the lucky ones. We get to share our life with Papa!

It happened again!

2010-07-18T09:16:00.005-04:00

I took about a month off from papercrafting and look what happened to my space! How does this happen? How do I get SO much stuff?
Well it is once again time to organize!

I have two rooms that I have taken over for my crafting and CTMH business. One room holds all my fun stuff and the other has my computer and is more of an office. Well I am going to start with the "creative corner". Yesterday I moved most everything out and I hope to clean the carpet today. Then it is time to get rid of stuff. I so hate to part with all my fun stuff but a girl CAN have too much scrapbook stuff! I have proven this to be true. After that it is time to organize...organize and organize some more!

Keep checking back over the next few weeks for the "after" photos.

Time for Some Life Changes

2010-05-26T16:28:00.007-04:00

I have been doing lots of thinking lately and I am going to be changing some things in my life. One thing I will be changing is getting rid of some of this stuff I have accumulated! I truly think someone just drove by and dumped it.....lol! Well a lot of the stuff I am getting rid of is related to my Close To My Heart business. I am still going to be a consultant but just slow things down a little. I have set up a seperate page just to list all the goodies I have for sale. Today I am starting with my motivational CDs and books. If you are interested in seeing what I have for sale just CLICK HERE or click the link in the right column of my blog labeled "FOR SALE". Happy Shopping!

Fourth Annual Scrapbook and Stamping Garage Sale

2010-05-12T11:50:00.003-04:00

Many of you may be aware of this fun filled event I host each year! On June 19th I will be hosting my annual scrapbook and stamping garage sale. If you have scrapbook or stamping products you are interested in getting rid of or want to get some GREAT deals on some new items this is an event you won't want to miss! The products will be from a variety of companies including Close To My Heart, Stampin Up , Creative Memories plus all the popular store brands.

If you would like more information please click on the link in the right column to a seperate page with all the details.

Flowers for Mom

2010-05-09T11:30:00.006-04:00

I love being a Mom! I love to celebrate my Mom!
Mark and I are very lucky to still have both our Moms with us....and to have both live about 5 minutes from our home. Yesterday we celebrated with both of them.

Our Moms are very different but both love us in the way they know how. For Mother's Day Mark's Mom wanted some yardwork done....so that is what he did. Jack and I took my Mom out to dinner at IHOP. You may say IHOP....what a weird place for a Mothers Day dinner. Well Mom had commented recently that she used to love the International House of Pancakes ( now IHOP) so Jack and I tried to surprise her by taking her there. We all enjoyed dinner!

Both Moms received a Gerber daisy. Do they like Gerber daisies? I'm not sure...but I sure do! I like that they have such pretty colors and are so pretty this time of year!

Today we are celebrating me being a Mom! Mark and Jack are out getting me coffee right now. Then we will probably take a trip to the dog park and Jack has a soccer game later today. Just what I wanted....a relaxed day with the two of them.

To all those women out there...Moms and those who care for others....celebrate today!

May Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2010-04-30T21:00:00.001-04:00

It is that time of the month again....time to share all the wonderful artwork created using the May Stamp of the Month. Each month over 60 Close to My Heart consultants get together and share their creativity. If you came here from Terrie's blog you are on the right track.

This month the stamp of the month is called Cherish the Moment. This is the first stamp of the month from the Summer Idea Book. Cherish the Moment features 8 stamps.

I used this stamp of the month to make this Thank You card. I used are the You Rock paper pack (x7122b). Ink colors are Smokey Plum and Olive. I used the brush from the texturing tools to add ink to the edges of all my paper. I added a piece of ribbon and tied a bow. I stamped the Thank You stamp from Cherish the Moment. I inked half the image in olive, the other half in smokey plum. I liked the finished product! I then cut out the stamped image and added it to the card with pop dots.

If you are interested in purchasing this stamp of the month and don't have a consultant please visit my website, http://www.ldame.myctmh.com/.

Now hop on over to Latisha's blog and see some more great artwork. Thanks for stopping by!

Start Enjoying Studio J Today!

2010-04-27T09:07:00.004-04:00

Studio J is the new online scrapbooking software offered by Close To My Heart. Since Studio J is stored online there is no software to purchase or downloading needed. You can just sign in and start creating. Studio J offers FLEXIBILITY, VARIETY, and CUSTOMIZATION!

You don't have to be an experienced scrapbooker to use Studio J. You just need to follow these 5 simple steps...
Upload photos.

Choose the desired themed kit.

Select an exclusive layout pattern.

Add photos, embellishments, title, and journaling.

Purchase custom-printed layouts ready for a cherished album .

How much does Studio J layouts cost? The introductory price is $12.95 for a two page layout. If you purchase 5 layouts you receive a pack of 5 page protectors FREE with your purchase. If you purchase over 10 layouts you receive FREE page protectors PLUS FREE SHIPPING!

If you don't have time to sit down and complete 10 layouts at one time don't worry. Studio J will store your completed work for up to 90 days. You can order the layouts at any time.....either one at a time or wait until you have completed 10 layouts to get the free shipping.

How do you get started? It is super easy! Just sign into my website and go to the link for STUDIO J ONLINE SCRAPBOOKING. Create an account and you are set to go. To save your work you must sign in under your account, not as a guest. You don't need to pay anything until you decide to order your layouts. How cool is that!

I am offering my own introductory special! Anyone who purchases 10 layouts now through the end of May will have the chance to purchase a 1/2 price 12x12 Close To My Heart album. Your choice of color. So don't wait....start creating today!

I am SO excited about Studio J that I want everyone to give it a try!

If you have any questions just give me a call or email me.

A Little Update

2010-04-22T17:56:00.005-04:00

I took a look at my blog today and realized I still had an Easter background...that is pretty bad! I changed my background but I'm not sure I like it. Please let me know what you think. I think it is kind of hard to read on the orange background but I love the design.

I have something exciting to share....I am now officially Copic certified! I headed down to Columbus a few weeks ago for the certificiation class. It was lots of fun and I learned SO much! I can't wait to share all my new information.

If you are not familiar with copic markers they are wonderful. They are an alcohol based marker and are great for coloring and shading. They have been around for about 25 years and used by artists but are fairly new to the scrapbooking and stamping community.

I am also excited to say I will be teaching a Copic 101 class in May. If you are interested in the details just let me know.

Digger and Red go to Vermont

2010-04-07T13:16:00.001-04:00

We have been fostering these cute little coonhound puppies for a couple weeks now. The black and brown one is Digger and the brown one is Red. No Digger does not dig! My husband just thought that was a good name for a coonhound puppy so that is what we called him.

I am happy to say that these two will be going to their "furever" home together! They are moving to Vermont on Sunday. They will have a four legged coonhound sister who is a little older. I am sure she will enjoy her new playmates.

If you have always wanted a coonhound you now have your chance! There are three litter mates of Digger and Red that Paws and Prayers has. If you would like to take a look at these cute little girls just go to http://www.pawsandprayers.org/ and click on adoptable dogs.

We Love the Cavs!

2010-04-06T12:58:00.002-04:00

As many of you know we are HUGE Cleveland Cavs fans! Jack has gotten us all hooked. Jack loves most sports but the Cavs in particular because they are one of his " home teams".

Every year we make a point to go to at least one game. We always try to get great seats in an area we haven't sat before. Well this year we got tickets in row 3 by the tunnel where the players come out.

Jack was very excited! He couldn't wait to try to high five the players and see them up close. To tell you the truth I think I was as excited as he was!

Jack got a high five or two. He couldn't believe how big their hands were! He also got to see all the players up close which he also enjoyed.

I liked watching all it takes for a game to come off without a hitch. From the security, to the ushers, to the water/towel boys and the TV crews. I also enjoyed watching the fans. What a wide variety of people come together with a common interest....hoping the Cavs win yet another game!

We left the game happy with our bellies full of junk food. I can't wait for the next one!

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

I took this picture of these cute little posies in my front yard. What a great sign of spring!

I know each year when Easter approaches spring will have already sprung.... or be just around the corner.
I hope all of you have a great Easter and enjoy whatever you choose to do!

40 for $50 Workshop

2010-04-03T12:45:00.003-04:00

A couple weeks ago I held my first 40 for $50 workshop. I got the idea from a consultant in Michigan, Donna P. What we do at these workshops is complete 40 simple scrapbook pages for $50. Everyone who attends has the option to buy a coordinating paper pack and embellishments to go with the pages.

We did Fall/Winter pages this time. There was a variety of random stamping, cricut cut outs, and a few with just a variety of great paper.

We had a bake potato bar for lunch. Everyone brought a dessert or salad to share.

Everyone had a great time and was thrilled to leave with SO many completed pages.

I will be having my Spring/Summer class in June. If you would like to participate just let me know. You do not need to attend. I will be glad to pack up the stamped pages and send them to you. You just need to pay for the workshop and postage.

Shylo Finds a Home

2010-03-12T09:34:00.000-05:00

The first thing out of most people's mouth when they hear I foster rescues is "Oh I couldn't do that...I couldn't give them up". Well sometimes it isn't easy to give them up. Each one has touched my heart but none like Shylo did. I don't know if it was his gentle personality or his gorgeous, sad eyes but I got very attached to the big boy. I knew the type of home Shylo needed to go to and I can honestly say I think he is with the perfect family!

Shylo is now living in Indiana with Lynne. She came to pick him up a few weeks ago with her friend Shannon. Anyone who would drive 4 hours for a dog she knew was meant to be hers is cool in my book! Shylo is living on 100 acres with a lake. He gets long walks regularly and I know he is LOVING it!

I know in my heart it was time for him to move on to his forever family so I can help more rescues. I still miss Shylo but when I see the happy pictures Lynne sends me I know he is going to have a great life!

Made It My Own

2010-03-11T09:24:00.000-05:00

I hate to throw out my old scrapbook and papercrafting magazines. Who knows when you might need an idea from them. What I have started doing is when I am done reading the magazine I cut out any ideas I want to keep. I glue them to printer paper, stick them in a page protector and then put them in a three ring binder.
When I am stuck for an idea I pull it out my binder and used one of my saved samples.

I saw a card I liked but made it my own using CTMH paper and stamps I had. The top card is mine.

This is the sample from the magazine.

When you are looking through the magazines remember you don't have to like the whole project. If you like even part of it you can make it your own.

Cricut Fun

2010-03-10T09:05:00.006-05:00

I love teaching scrapbook classes and I love attending scrapbook classes! I attended a Cricut class with a few of my friends at a local scrapbook store called Scrap n Stamp Haven. It was fun to play with the cricut and all the cartridges. I am embarrassed to say that I didn't use my cricut as much as I would like because I often got frustrated with it. I wanted to make these cute little designs and it just wasn't happening! I think I now can say I am going to be a much happier cricut user!

Monda used the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge

Kelly attended the class also! Do you think I would go to a class without Kelly?

I want to pass on two helpful hints that have already made my cricut use easier.

1. When you get a new cutting mat for your cricut you need to mark the clear protective sheet before you ever take it off. There is a right and a wrong way to put this on. If you put the wrong side toward the cutting mat it will peel off the sticky. So now I just mark mine "TOP" prior to using.

2. After taking off that clear cover take your hands and pat them all over the mat. The oils from your hands will keep the images from sticking so much the first few uses. If they start to stick again just pat the mat again with your hands. This has helped my frustration of having trouble getting the images off the cutting mat.

This is Becky. She owns Scrap n Stamp Haven. It is a fun store! If you live local check it out. It is on Main Street in Ravenna.

March Blog Hop

2010-02-28T21:00:00.001-05:00

It that time again! Time for over 60 Close To My Heart consultants to share their artwork using March's Stamp of the Month. If you came here from Terrie's Blog you are on the right track.

The March Stamp of the Month, A Little Everything (D1408), features 26 stamps. This is a set I can see myself using over and over again.

Here is the artwork I created using this versatile set.

In addition to the March SOM I used the One of a Kind (D1410) stamp set. This paper pack is called Veranda (X7119B) and is featured in the Spring 2010 Idea Book. The colors I used were cocoa, tulip, juniper and creme brulee. The ricrac comes in the Ricrac Collection (Z1052) Ribbon Round. I jazzed up the center flower a little with Liquid Glass.

A Little Everything, the March SOM, can be purchased for the retail value of $22.95. If you place an order for other quality CTMH products you can get it for a discounted price or even free!

*Spend $25 and get 25% OFF....$17.21

*Spend $50 and get 50% OFF...$11.48

*Spend $75 and get 75% OFF...$5.74

*Spend $100 and get the Stamp of the Month for FREE

If you are interested in purchasing the March SOM and don't already have a CTMH consultant I can help you. Please visit my website, http://www.ldame.myctmh.com/.

Now hop on over to Kristie's blog to see more great artwork. Thanks for stopping by!

Scavenger Hunt Winner

2010-02-07T21:53:00.002-05:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Close To My Heart Scavenger Hunt from my newsletter. The winner of the stamp set is Sarah H. Everyone who responded with the correct answers will receive a sample pack of the new Heart Dimensional Elements.

A Weekend of Girl Time

2010-02-05T16:28:00.000-05:00

I'm heading back to the Stratton House Inn for another weekend with the girls. This time I am joining a bunch of ladies I work with plus a few added friends. Here are my goals for the weekend....

1) Stay in my jammies ALL day Saturday

2) Take naps

3) Laugh a lot

4) Scrapbook....scrapbook....and scrapbook some more

5) Watch a few chick flicks

Now doesn't that sound like the perfect weekend!

Give & Get Back

2010-02-04T18:22:00.000-05:00

The hearts of everyone at Close To My Heart go out to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Like so many of us they are eager to help. This month when you purchase a 12x12 textured cardstock combo pack you will get one FREE! For every one of these special offers purchased , CTMH will donate $2 to Operation Smile's Haiti relief efforts.

This means for $14.95 you will receive two of CTMH's high quality textured cardstock combo packs PLUS help this urgent cause.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this special and helping the people of Haiti you can shop online at www.ldame.myctmh.com.

Foster of the Week....Shylo

2010-02-03T21:12:00.003-05:00

Ok..I am exaggerating. We do not have a new foster dog each week BUT sometimes it feels that way! I am happy to announce that we have had 3 foster dogs and each one has found a great home.

Shylo is now staying with us. He is a yellow lab. Shylo has had a tough life. He is only 8 months old but was abused. He is very timid but is excited about experiencing new things each day! Today he learned to go up AND down the stairs with out me having to practically drag him. He is SO proud of himself!

Shylo has such a sweet heart and is going to make the perfect dog for some family. If you are looking for a pet please think about a rescue. They may take a little work but it is so worth it! They will give you loads of unconditional love forever.

February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2010-01-31T21:00:00.000-05:00

Can you believe how quick January flew by! Well it is that time again....time for the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! Each month over 60 Close To My Heart consultants share artwork using the Stamp of the Month. The Stamp of the Month is an exclusive stamp set created by Close to My Heart and available only for that month. So if you came here from Jill's blog you are on the right track.

This month's Stamp of the Month is called Piece of Cake (D1407). It features all kinds of cute cake and cupcake designs with birthday celebration sayings. It was perfect to use to make my sister's birthday card below.

For this card I used the Piece of Cake stamp set with the Magic Moments level 2 paper pack. This is one of my all time favorite paper packs! I love the colorful combinations of pink brown, blue and green. I added a piece of ribbon and...VIOLA....the card was set to go.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the products I used please contact your CTMH consultant. If you don't have a consultant, I would be glad to have you shop online at my website, www.ldame.myctmh.com.

To see more wonderful artwork using the Stamp of the Month please hop on over to Carla's
blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Aspiration

2010-01-19T16:50:00.003-05:00

I had a little time to play with my Close To My Heart products today and decided to make a card using one of my favorite floral stamp sets, Aspiration (C1340). I like these flowers because they are two part stamps. First you stamp the edge of the flower in one color, then the center in another. Since all CTMH stamps are acrylic it is super easy to line up the center and get it right every time!

So to make this card I started with a colored base card. I bought this one but the base card can be made easily by cutting cardstock. I used scraps for the rest of the card. I found two coordinating pieces and cut the edges with an edge punch. Then I stamped the floral image twice using the same colors. One I used second generation stamping to make it look lighter. I cut out the images and glued them to my card. I stamped two stems on the card and added a piece of chocolate ribbon.

And there you have it ....a cute all occasion card using mostly scraps. Off I go to do more creating...

Copic Markers....to Buy or Not to Buy

2010-01-17T12:47:00.002-05:00

Are you a scrapbooker like me that LOVES to buy! I like having all the cool tools and new products out there.

I have to admit I don't have a great track record of using all these products regularly. I bought a Bind it All. How many times have I used it....ah never! I saw such cool projects made with it and I was going to make them all and teach my friends how to make them. Well that didn't happen!

The Bind it All is just one on a list of many...gotta have but don't use products. Well my new gotta have product is Copic Markers. I have not purchased them yet but have checked out all the websites that sell them for the best price. I have investigated the different types of copic markers to see what I would buy if I were going to buy them. I am trying to use some self restraint!

So ....I need your input. Do you have Copic markers and do you use them? What should I do....help me out....please!

Celebrate National Papercrafting Month....with Felicity

2010-01-16T09:58:00.005-05:00

I had a fun Friday evening. A couple of my scrapbook buddies came over and we scrapbooked and caught up on all the news.

I finally got a chance to play with Felicity and LOVED it! Included in the Felicity collection is a fun D-size stamp set featuring flowers, birds, flourishes plus an entire alphabet! There are decorative die cut paper that matches the designed paper in the collection. As always, CTMH includes a color guide with a few ideas for layouts and cards with the kit.

How do you get your own kit? It can be purchases for the retail value of $34.95 OR spend $60 on acrylic stamp sets (not including stamp of the month) and receive Felicity FREE OR place an order for $125 or more in full retail priced CTMH products and receive one FREE.

If you have been thinking about signing up as a consultant and LOVE this kit sign up this month and Felicity will be included in your consultant kit.

Are you ready to make your purchase or find out more about the Felicity collection? Visit my website . Hurry, the Felicity is only available until January 31st or while supplies last!

Rufus...Our Newest Foster Dog

2010-01-08T17:49:00.000-05:00

Have you EVER seen ears like this? I know I haven't! Meet Rufus. He is a 4-5 month old puppy who Paws and Prayers removed from the pound. He is a lab mix. My guess is he has some terrier in him. I absolutely adore this little guy! He has personality as BIG as his ears!

Spring Idea Book

2010-01-07T17:31:00.000-05:00

Have you seen the new Close To My Heart Spring Idea Book yet? It is loaded with new paper packs, stamp sets and embellishments! If you would like your own copy I would be glad to send one to you. The cost is $3.95 plus $1.00 postage. Would you like to get one FREE? Place a $50 order during January and I will send you one. If you would like to start shopping hop on over to my website.