Yuletide Christmas Cards

Earlier in the month I did a Christmas card class with the Yuletide stickers.  I was pleased with how they turned out.  Several people have expressed interest and so I will be doing this class again - probably in March or April, once we all recover from the holidays that are upon us  :-)

Please leave me a comment if you might be interested in attending the class.

Some of the paper is from last year's Stampin' Up stash that I just loved.  Several stamp sets were used for the current Idea Book.  Let me know if you are interested in purchasing any of the Yuletide line or the holiday stamps!

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas!!

:-)  Wendy

Confetti Layout for my Club Gals

Here is a layout I did with the Confetti Workshop on the Go for my Club, but I did not use any stamps!  :-)  I just ďidn't feel the love for the stamp set - how do you all feel about the stamps?   Here's a picture of the set:

Leave me a comment with your thoughts  :-)

So here is the left side of the layout:

And here is the right:

The white pieces are the placeholders for my pictures and will end being frames for the pictures.

And now I just need some great birthday party pictures! 

Thanks for stopping by!  See you soon!

If you enjoy my artwork and posts please click the button on the right to receive an e-mail whenever I add a new post!   And I would love to have you follow me!

Thanks and take care!

One last Halloween card?

Here's one last Halloween card - I cut the haunted house out of the Scaredy Cat paper - the orange was a piece of scrap not quite big enough so added the shimmer trim  on the right side - finished it off with the SPOOKY embellishment from Scaredy Cat.  It was fun to make  I encourage you to see your scraps as opportunities for inspiration  :-)

 This sympathy card was also made with Scaredy Cat paper.  I stamped the cat twice & fussy cut (gasp) and paper pieced it together.

I love this paper pack & will miss it when mine runs out but alas Confetti & Yuletide are waiting in my wings - AND YOURS!!  (As a reminder Scaredy is still available to purchase until July 2015)

Stand by for those projects coming up SOON  - promise!

Happy Fall to All!

This is my new Fall wreath - made it this weekend.  I've had the supplies for it for about a month but no time.  So Sunday night I made time.  And I love how it turned out. What do you all think?

Thanks for looking!
Have a great Evening!

Artfully Sent Artwork Blog Hop

Thanks for joining us on this months Blog Hop!  :-)     You should have arrived here from Denise Elliott's blog.   We hope you get lots of inspiration for making your own projects with Artfully Sent - Close to My Heart's newest Cricut cartridge.  The cartridge has TONS of images to make Pop-up cards and Scene and Sentiment cards, Tag cards and lots of extra images to use for scrapbook layouts and don't forget it comes with 3 stamp sets which work wonderfully for these - and your own designed cards.

Contact me or click on the link to the left to go to my website and purchase your own Cricut cartridge.

OK - Now on to the artwork, right?
This first card uses two of the stamp sets that come with Artfully Sent  - 4 fancy frames and LOTS of sentiments to fit inside them - these sayings and frames are great on lots of other cards also - see my arrow card below.

Card Front                                                         

                                                                 Inside

How adorable is this VW bug?  LOVE it!  And the "LoveBug" is perfect to go along with it.    I liked it so much that I had to make another 5 x 7" card with green glitter paper bug.

My last sample from the cartridge is from the same page as the VW bug - the arrow card on the sentiment key - I also used our arrow embossing folder and arrow washi tape.  The RockStar stamp is from last months 30 Year Anniversary stamp set.  

I hope you've enjoyed my cards and now travel on to Sheila's Stamping Stuff for the next round of Artfully Sent artwork.
Enjoy your day and be sure to include some creative paper crafting in it!

Memory Frame Project

I am so excited to share this project with you all!

Many of you know I lost my dear friend Lori in 2013.  She became a paper crafter when one day she was buying cards from me and in her very New York accent and style said to me:  "You know - I could go to Michaels and buy the stuff to make these cheaper than what you are selling them for."  Quite matter of factly she said it.  :-)  I, by this time used to her very up front thoughts and comments such as this, said, you're right.  You could.  But will you?

She did!  ;-)

And she also bought a lot of Close to My Heart products from me in the last 5 years of her life.  I think paper crafting was one of the few things she could do that gave her joy (besides her dogs ;-) ) and peace - and that made MY heart happy.   

When she knew the cancer was going to take her to Heaven she told me to sort through her things and take whatever I wanted.   I did not realize what a gift of memory and love this would be in the months after she left this earth.   When I use her supplies and tools and things its like she's right there with me and it is the most amazing gift she ever gave me - herself after she was gone.

I was at a crop a few months back and my friend MaryLou was sitting next to me as I was shuffling paper around - paper that was Lori's  and some things that had been cut with dies and items stamped - all with Lori's things - the last time we crafted together in her Craft Room!   It was like I couldn't bring the cards together and thoughts of Lori swirled in my mind.  MaryLou gave me the idea to use these items in a memory frame of some kind.  I LOVED THIS IDEA!!   :-)

Well the paper and things traveled around with me a while longer but then I was recently ready to put them all together into a project representing Lori and my Memories of her and I am so excited to share it with all of you!

I still intend to paint the butterfly with red and orange and yellow and use some stickles - Lori was a glittery butterfly kinda gal! and then put some Liquid Glass over it - I also want to give the Memories cutout some color, too, but I just couldn't wait any longer to post it on my blog  :-)

I used the Close to My Heart pennant frame and I LOVE how it turned out - you can cut the paper overlay with our Cricut cartridge and it makes it so easy!!  

Let me know if YOU want to order a pennant frame and make your own Memory frame.  It could be memories of someone who is now gone or memories of a special event or just a super special Moment you want to memorialize.  You could make it simple with a just a picture (mine doesn't have a picture at all) and some memorabilia from your event - mine has some of the dies that Lori loved to use so much.  I can help you make a design if you like - let me know!

Enjoy your day and I wish you Happy Memories of your loved ones today!

Some Lovely Random Cards

Here are some cards I made at a fundraiser crop I went to at the beginning of the month.   I had some paper leftover from a bigger project I was working on that day - a Memory frame for my friend Lori - that post will come next  :-)

I used the top one here with the flowers for an online swap on Facebook that I have been participating in - e-mail me or leave a comment here if you are interested in the info on that and want to join it also!!   I've just started so was going to wait to invite others to see how successful and happy I was with it, but what the heck - wanna join, too?

This bottom one on the right is my favorite - I had some packages of embellishments that were kind of like resin pieces and I love them over the embossed paper and the doily.

OK - thanks for looking at my paper pretties  :-)  I hope YOU have time today to create something beautiful that makes your heart sing!

A Quote for Today

Uh - Oh - It's been a week since I posted!     And my goal is to post a minimum of once a week.
But as long as I post today I'm still within my goal, right?

Interestingly enough I just read a quote that I think is really good and it relates to this so I thought I would use IT as my post today:

A GOAL WITHOUT A PLAN IS JUST A WISH.

Comment back to me what this quote means to you - does it ring true to you?  Do you agree or disagree?    And why...

And standby for an artwork post in the next couple days!  :-)

Happy Announcement: Guess What's Now Available ??!!

ARTFULLY SENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CTMH's newest Cricut Cartridge - Insert Happy Dance here!!!

The Artfully Sent cartridge contains a total of 400 different projects!
** 7 Different Functions**
- Pop-up Cards- 50 different designs! Sized for 5"x7"

- Build-A-Scene Cards - 50 different designs! Sized for 5"x7"

- Sentiment Cards - 50 different designs! Sized 5" x 7"

- Use 'Shift' function for 50 Border cards - sized 4 ¼"x5 ½"

- Sleeve Cards - 50 different ones designed to hold 4"x6" photo

- Use 'Shift' function for 50 Overlay cards!

- Pocket Cards which complement PML cards. Included are 50 4"x6" and 50 3"x4", a mixture of horizontal and vertical designs

- Has a great Alphabet

- and Envelopes!! In multiple sizes, some coordinate with specific card designs

Oh MY!!!!! Right??!!  I know!!   :-)
Contact me to order at a discount if you get in on my order on 9/27!!! You don't want to miss this deal!

And I promise to post samples on the Blog for you!

E-mail, call or text!

Have a great day - stay dry those of you here in Tucson!

My First Time Entering a Blog Hop!!!

Welcome to our Close to My Heart Scaredy Cat Artwork Blog Hop!

I decided it was high time I joined my other CTMH Sisters in the Blog Hop world.  I was super encouraged by a lot of the gals at Convention to be "more visible" online in different ways and this is one of the ways I am following through.

Thank you for joining me here!  :-)

You should be arriving here from Sheila's Stamping Stuff athttp://sheila-bennett.blogspot.com/2014/09/scaredy-cat-stampers-with-attitude-blog.html .   At the end of my post will be a link to the next Blog on your travels.  I hope you enjoy the trip through Scaredy Cat and get LOTS of awesome ideas to repeat in your own projects!

This first card is one I made for a card swap with my Up-Up-Upline.  It was fun breaking out with the embossing powder for the tree and the sentiment - I stamped both with our A-MAZ-ING Archival black ink pad and then used clear embossing powder on top.  Love our new ribbon on the tree and also the Rosewood Mini Medley embellishment on that circle at the top.   See how creative YOU can get with the strips on top of our 12 x 12 B & t paper - that's what that pretty scroll piece is that's popped up on the top of my card.

This next card is made with the Scaredy Cat paper and the Complements which are fabulous stickers!   I loved this haunted house as soon as I saw it - don't you?!   I cut part of the collage paper to get that wonderful fence and layered it with the house sticker as well as the moon.  I wanted to pop up the moon so I turned my sticker into a die cut by rubbing powder on the back and de-stickifying it  ;-)   Then you can put a foam pop up on it!   

Next is a layout I've made for my WOTG Club gals.  No stamping on this one - just made good use of our fun sticker complements. 

I hope you have enjoyed perusing here - be sure to click the link to go visit Jaime at Jaime next and please leave us your comments & become followers of our blogs if you enjoy our artwork!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy

Life Update :-)

OK - just wanted to share - for the record....  I have indeed been working on some things for the Blog in the background - Secret Squirrel stuff ya'll can't see.  ;-)  BUT YOU WILL!

I am joining my first Blog Hop!  I hope you will all check it out and give me some feedback if ya think I need it.  ;-)

On other news - I know a lot of you that know me have been praying for my Dad.  THANK YOU!!   He has been in the hospital since 9/1/14 - had colostomy surgery on 9/8 and it went really well - yeah! - aside from not reacting well to the anesthetic.  So he could only have ice chips for several days.   Yesterday they upgraded him to broth and jello (his favorite!  NOT!!!)   So he is progressing well.

On Monday 9/15 he will have his other surgery to clean up some bedsore wounds - please pray for that surgery - no reaction to anesthesia (I know God can take care of that!) and for quick healign and recovery.  It is expected to take months of recovery in a rehab place - sigh.....  NO FUN - but my Mom and try to brign the fun to him.  So please pray also for strengeth and stamina for us.

I know we have all felt the prayers so far and I look forward to feeling them going forward  :-)    THANKS SO MUCH!!

I will begin making some more Close to My Heart announcements here - about my workshops, classes and artwork and sales, too.  So watch for those.

Christmas Card Swap Stash

Took a couple days but, as promised, here are the cards I got in our swap at the Varsity ☺
I love them, don't you?!

Last day at Varsity Retreat :-( 

Hope you all have had a wonderful long weekend!

Channeling Tim Holtz

I was working on my circle journal today - SO MUCH FUN!!

I pulled out the craft mat and distress inks (CTMH inks just ďon't work for this technique), spray inks and water and a heat gun and masks - Oh My!!  My hands turned all kinds of colors but look how cool my tags turned out!  

These are going to be my sign in for my circle journal.

I tapped the ink pads on the mat & sprayed it with water and dragged my tag through - blew it dry then laid my mask on top and used a finger dauber to put ink on top.  To finish them off I stamped a quote on each one.

It was so much fun! Try it & tell me how it works out for you!

Have a creative Sunday tomorrow! 

Watch for my Christmas card swaps tomorrow!  ☺

Swap Card

Here is my swap card for today.  Several of us are having a Stay cation here in Tucson.  We do a Christmas card swap this time each year to get us motivated to start thinking about our own cards for the year.

What do you think?
After I get my swaps I'll come back & show you the cards I get back, OK?

Here's to a fabulous Labor Day weekened to you all!

Picture My Life Cards

Hello All - I'm baaaaaack!
I am going to try to be a more faithful poster for you all
I have wanted to make some cards with the awesome Picture my Life cards for a while and I finally got the chance to do so.
What do you think?!

I'm still learning my new tablet so bear with me - I have lots to post and will practice by doing them separately.

I will appreciate your comments and any hints for improving my blog posts for you!

Have a great day!