ZOOM Birthday

I had a gathering at my house tonight, so here is another one from my archives. I will close the gathering tomorrow and plan for a gathering I have on Friday, so my archives will be busy over the next few days. I hope to get back to stamping soon!

Here is a card I completed for a consultant swap when the 2007 Spring Idea Book came out. We had to use one of the new stamp sets and this is one of the first new sets I bought from that Idea Book. It goes well with all the boy pages and cards I make.

I used Flyin' High, Rough 'N Tumble Level 2 paper pack, and Outdoor Denim cardstock, White Daisy cardstock, White Daisy conchos, and Cranberry Sassy Strands. Inks used were Cranberry, White Daisy, Clover Meadow, and Star Spangled Blue. I put Liquid Glass on the windshield and headlights to make them glassy, and I sanded the Outdoor Denim cardstock. The inside of the cards reads "Another Birthday!". Hope you like it!

Happy stamping!

Thanks Beary Much

Last night, I spent the evening cutting materials for the make-n-take for tonight's gathering. We will be making the last Father's Day card I sent you. The one my sister liked. So I pulled this Thank You card from my archives to share with you. It is still one of my favorites. I used the Originals Card Confidence Program to pick a design to start my thank you card.

Then I used The Best Way and Little Fill-Ups with Jar (retired). The sentiment Thanks Beary Much comes from the retired set. In addition, I used Star Spangled Blue cardstock , Star Spangled Blue gingham (retired), White Daisy cardstock and Star Spangled Blue ink. I painted the inside of the flower with Sunny Yellow marker and traced the outline of the flower with a blending pen. I tied it up with Star Spangled Blue Ribbon from the Summer Carnival Organdy Ribbon Rounds.

Take time to create and inspire!

Caught A Bug?

I copied this design from the 2006 Summer Idea Book. It is a Get Well card, but since it is one of a kind I am not sure how soon I will part with it. I thought the design was cute and wanted to copy it. The only difference is I filled the jar with Bugs instead of using sculpting foam to make one. This stamp set is another must, since I have two boys. Especially since my oldest likes to pick bugs up, and bring them to me so I can see them.

In addition, I used The Works Alphabet (2007 February Stamp of the month) and Lazy Days Level 2 paper pack. Accessories used are metal-rimmed tags, spring craft buttons, Dimensional Elements Classic Alphabet, and Buttercup brads. I edged the Crystal Blue and Bamboo cardstock with black ink and I sanded the Garden Green cardstock.

I have two gatherings to prepare for this week, so will have to pull something for the archives to share with you for the rest of the week.

Take time to create!

Bye bye to Dad cards

This is the card that came on yesterday's blog. I had two people tell me they couldn't enlarge it or see it, so I told them I would post it again with the last card I made. It goes with the last card I made with Vintage Father's Day stamp set below. I reversed the colors on the card image below and used different accessories.








This is the card my sister, Connie, likes the best. I used the same punches (concave and corner rounder). Accessories used are white brads and white daisy grosgrain ribbon. I stamped the dad stamp this time on the ribbon with Vineyard Berry ink. I like this technique. It is easy to do and it makes the ribbon a little more interesting. I used the same paper pack, Just Chillin' Level 2, Vineyard Berry cardstock, Ocean cardstock and White Daisy cardstock.

Since Connie is attending one of the gatherings I am having this week and this is the make-n-take, she is giving this card to Dad. I will have to choose another. I think I am going to give him the Outdoor Denim and Bamboo one with the gate fold.

Thanks for viewing all of my creations while playing with Vintage Father's Day. I think this is a stamp set that is great to use for masculine cards. A must for my stamp collection. Then again, what stamp set isn't...LOL!

Happy Stamping and HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Remembering Dad

Here is the third card I made with Vintage Father's Day (click to enlarge). I love stamping! I can use the same stamp set and design so many different looks. I used our new White Daisy ink that came out in the 2007 Summer Idea Book. This ink is located in the back on the catalog and is a pigment ink, unlike most of our other inks. We still carry the original White Daisy ink that is located with the Antique ink pad set. When using the new pigment ink, make sure you wait to let it dry. That is one thing about pigment ink, it doesn't dry like our other inks do. The great thing about it...it is bright and pops off the page.

In addition, I used Just Chillin' Level 2 paper pack, Vineyard Berry cardstock, Ocean cardstock and White Daisy cardstock. I used a concave paper punch for the Ocean cardstock and a corner rounder for the White Daisy cardstock. Accessories used are a silver brad and a silver hinge.

I have one more in the series of Father's Day cards I made and haven't decided which one to send my dad. I know my sister will send the last one I show you, so I can't send that one.

Take time to stamp!

Vintage Father's Day

Here is another card I made with Vintage Father's Day (click to enlarge). This is like the card in the 2007 Summer Idea Book on page 75. It is a gate fold card and it held shut with CTMH's natural hemp cord.

I used Outdoor Denim and Bamboo cardstock and Outdoor Denim ink. Accessories used are twill ribbon, gold square brads, Outdoor Denim baby pins and natural hemp cord. I used pop dots on the round accents to hold the cord, so the card would stay closed.

I put all the stamps I used on a big block and stamped one time on the Bamboo cardstock and cut around the image.

There will be more Father's Day cards coming, because I have two more that I made. I am saving the one my sister, Connie, likes best for last. She hates it that I didn't show it first, but what are sisters for...LOL!

Happy Stamping!

Father's Day

Well, yesterday I published a post with the card I made for Tate's graduation from Kindergarten. I didn't see it come through, so I dont' know if you got to see it. I think you can scroll down from this post and see it or go to my blog www.clearlyinspired.blogspot.com and look at it there.

Father's Day is fast approaching and I have been playing with this stamp set Vintage Father's Day. In addition, I used Weathered Backgrounds to stamp the white card base. I really like the background stamp sets, because the possibilities are endless when using them.

Accessories used are Outdoor Denim brad and grosgrain ribbon and Cocoa Collection Ribbon Rounds. I will post the other cards I have made in the next few days.

Take time to stamp!

Tate's graduation card

My oldest son, Tate, graduated from Kindergarten yesterday. I made this card for him for the occasion (click to enlarge). Just the other day I feel like I just dropped him off for the first day of school. He saw me making other graduation cards for all the high school graduates and wanted to know what his was going to look like. He loves for me to make him cards, and I should do it more often.

I added the blue and yellow after I found out two of the three kindergarten classes were going to wear blue or yellow shirts. The shirt on the stamped little boy is supposed to look tie-dye, because each class wore a different color tie-dye shirt. Tate's class wore yellow. I apologize for my spelling of tie-dye...I am not sure if it is correct.

I used Class Of, Bottle Caps and Fun Friends stamp sets. Fun Friends is retired. In addition, I used holiday red, black, moonstruck and sunny yellow cardstock. I used holiday red brads for accents on the black strips of paper and a black brad on the graduation cap. I colored the stamped boy with our exclusive ink markers. The colors I used are holiday red, sunny yellow, indian corn blue, outdoor denim, black and parchment. I used pop dots on the boy to make him stand out on the card.

I hope you enjoyed this card are much as he did!

Happy Stamping!

Mother's Day card

Hello!

Sorry I didn't get a posting done for yesterday! From traveling home, unpacking, doing laundry and opening our pool yesterday...I just couldn't get it done. I still have one more posting for my scrapbook room and I will submit that for tomorrow.

Here is the card I gave my mom for Mother's Day. I used our purse template from Coluzzle and decorated it with Garden Green cardstock and Elegant Bouquet Level 2 paper packet. In addition, I used spring beads and olive waxy flax. I stamped with Elegant Floral and The Works Alphabet (2007 February Stamp of the month). The inside was stamped with "Happy Mother's Day".

Have a great day and Happy Stamping!

End of tour

Okay, we have come to the end of my scrapbook room tour. Here are the built-in cupboards to the right of my scrapbook table. As you can see I keep anything and everything in this cabinet. Of course, you can see more baskets. Aren't baskets wonderful? I have my xryon machine stored in here, embellishments, CTMH paperwork and punches just to name a few.

My ultimate basket sits on the window sill above my stamp sets. I wish I would have purchased two of these when I found them at JoAnn Fabrics. I use this basket to show all the cards I have made using CTMH products or the swap cards I have received from other consultants and clients. In addition, I have three 6 x 6 albums stored in this nifty basket. My outdoor denim linen album shows the A-Z, 26 reasons, why you should become a CTMH consultant. My cranberry linen album has A-Z recipes showing our solo alphabet and my outdoor denim simulated leather album shows many techniques you can do with stamping and other CTMH products. This basket is so much fun to look through time and time again.

This is half of the built-in shelves leading out of my scrapbook room and up to my kitchen. I show off pictures and projects here. If you enlarge the picture, you can see the coaster frames I made with my boys' pictures. I gave these to grandparents, aunts and held a workshop to show others how easy they are to make.

Here is the other half of the built-in shelves housing more pictures and idea books. Like I said...I can't get enough idea books. I just bought another one the other day for cards. It is pretty cool!

I couldn't let this tour end without showing you my new Cuddlebug. I haven't used it yet and am itching to emboss some paper. My sister told me that JoAnn Fabrics has 40% off this week on the embossing plates. I am making a trip tomorrow. I can't wait to show you some cards made with this little bug. Once you get bitten, you won't be able to stop...

Thanks for going on this tour with me. I hope you enjoyed it!

Keep stampin'!

Stamp sets, etc.

I have two types of containers where I keep my stamp sets. The first one is the CTMH Acrylix organizer that has a lid. These are great, because you can set other containers on them and when I take them to a gathering or crop I can set them in the bottom of my CTMH rolling tote and stack things on top. On my shelves, I put these boxes on the bottom and clear plastic crates I buy from Wal-Mart on top. My shelves are not tall enough to stack two Acrylix organizers on top of each other, so I had to find another way to maximize my storage space. Below my stamp sets are My Accent organizers that hold bigger brads, eyelets, My Accents and my CTMH ribbon case and block case. In addition, I have my techniques binder and idea books. Another thing I can't pass in stores are idea books. I just love them!

Here is the wooden tool chest to the left on my scrapping desk on the floor. I keep my CTMH idea books and catalogs in the pink basket and I keep paper packets I have for sale and projects in progress in the brown basket.

Here is the front of my wooden tool chest that my mom gave me. It has soooo many drawers. It is just like pockets; you can't have enough. I keep envelopes, extra supply of brads, buttons, etc. in here. Every drawer is full. The bottom drawer is for all the ribbon I rarely use. The top of this chest lifts up and I keep my tag maker, embossing powders and glue dots.


Tomorrow will be the last of my scrapbook room tour and then I will be able to post more artwork. Thanks for looking!


HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Paper and ribbon...these are a few of my favorite things!

Paper and ribbon are just a few of my favorite things. I can't wait to buy all the paper packets once a new CTMH Idea Book comes out, and I almost have all the designer ribbon rounds except one. I have heard when in doubt add ribbon!

This is an aerial view of my shelves to the right of my scrapping table. As you can see my shelves are lined with vertical paper holders.

Here you can see I divide my cardstock into 12 x 12 Cropper Hopper paper holders. I label them by color and put each individual color, i.e. Sweet Leaf, Olive, etc. into 13 x 13 resealable bags that have a ziplock closure. I leave my Level 2 paper kits in their ziplock storage bags and divide them by boy and girl themes. This way when I want to create a layout, I just grab the paper pack I want to use and all the coordinating cardstock is with it.

Here is my "expensive" storage case for my big ribbon rounds. LOL! I use a shoe box with a flip top lid to store these. Two rows fit perfectly in this box, so I didn't have to spend much money on this organizational product. Money saved is money spent on other scrapping supplies. LOL!

I have two of these containers that hold my American Craft ribbon. These containers can be found at Hobby Lobby too. They are inexpensive and hold the small rounds of ribbon.

I can't believe it I forgot to take a picture of my CTMH ribbon storage case. Since I am at my parents, I can't just ran to my room and click some pictures, so click here to see our ribbon storage case that is similiar to the My Accents case. It is light weight and easy to travel with. It holds our ribbon rounds and I don't crop without it. Since our ribbon matches all of our paper and embellishments, it is a must for me to have at my side.

As you can see I am not a ribbon snob, who has to buy just one kind. I do rely on my CTMH ribbon when the color needs to be a perfect match. I have a few ribbon spools that I don't use much stored in the bottom of my wooden tool chest that I will show you tomorrow.

Have a great day and stamp for me...I am having withdrawals since I am out of town.

My scrapping room

Organization! What scrapper can do without this? I think it gets to be an addiction just like getting all the cool products. I can't pass baskets, storage containters and totes without stopping to see if I need the latest and greatest organizational products. I can't get enough and I love to organize my room. Sometime it feeds my scrapping fix just to move around all my "stuff".

Above is my scrapping table, which is the creative center of my room...LOL! I try to keep all the essentials around me, so I don't have to keep getting up when I am creating a layout or card. Notice I have a little Ott lite on the right side of my table, up on a stand. This is a must for my room, because the lighting isn't very good in this section.

This is the stamp pad holder my father-in-law made me. It pivots, so I can get to all four sides while sitting at my desk. I LOVE it! It hold all 60 of my ink pads, reinkers, markers and daubers. Yes, I have 60 daubers. I love daubing and I don't like my colors mixing. I finally marked each one with the name of the color. I used my label maker, which I couldn't live without. Connie, don't you wish you had one? LOL! I had to say that, because I got her one and she has lost it. I keep my spritzer and scrubber on top with my speciality ink pads, i.e. gold, silver, and my new White Daisy from the 2007 summer idea book.




This is my "toteally cool" tote. I store most of my tools in this little tote. I love pockets and it as a lot of them. I keep my pivotal stapler and colored staples in the bottom section, which I need to use more. There is a big section in the middle that can hold about anything. I keep my cutter and rulers in there. This great tote even holds my crop-a-dile. Everything is at my fingertips from my craft knife to my waxy flax. I can pick this up and take it with me to a gathering or crop and know that I have all my essential tools to complete almost any project. I ordered mine online, but you can get this cute tote at Hobby Lobby. Don't forget your 40% off coupon.




Here is the bulletin board that hangs on the left side of my scrap table. I wanted a bulletin board to hold all the handmade cards I receive from friends and family and other pictures that might not make it in my scrapbooks. I couldn't find one big enough at the stores, so my friend, Debbie, assured me we could make one. Well, I was a little skeptical, but I think it turned out pretty good. We laughed a lot when it came time to figure out the ribbon placement and Debbie was brave enough to make one on her own. I couldn't do that.

Over the next few days, I will share with you how I store my paper, embellishments, ribbon, etc. I hope you enjoy this tour of my scrap room and if you have any questions, please let me know.

Happy stamping!

Gone Fishing

Spring is here and school is almost out, which means it is fishing time around here. My father-in-law loves fishing, so I made him this card for his birthday. It is a pretty simple design that I used from the Originals Card Confidence Program. This is my card bible when I want to make a card and don't feel like designing it from scratch.

I used Hook, Line and Sinker and Rustic Trail Level 2 paper packet and Olive and Goldrush cardstock. In addition, I used an Autumn Terracotta photo clip from the My Accents accessory kits. The inks used on this card are Olive, Holiday Red and Desert Sand. I hope you like it!

Oh, I almost forgot...Aimee loved the baby boy frame I made for her.

For the next few blogs I am going to focus on organization and give you a tour of my scrapbook room. I had someone ask me how I organize all my products and it gave me the idea to show you where I create my layouts, cards, etc. I love seeing the rooms in the scrapbook magazines, so I am going to showcase mine.

Have a great day and take time to create!

Lincoln's photo frame

Here is the wooden photo frame (click to enlarge) I decorated for my hair stylist, who had a baby in April. They named him Lincoln and they will call him Linc. Isn't that cute? Well, I hope she likes it. I chose the Dutch Blue background & textured paper, because she showed me pictures of his nursery and it is decorated around a cabinet she bought that has frosted glass with white polka dots.

In addition, I used Essential Alphabet and embossed it with white embossing powder. The buttons and spirals can be found in the White Daisy My Accents accessory kits. The ribbon is the only non-CTMH products I used. The chenille fiber is from the White Daisy Sassy Strands.

Here is layout completed with the "E" sized Essential Alphabet I created last year.

I will see Aimee tomorrow night for a hair appointment, so I will let you know what she thought about her gift. The card (click to enlarge) to the left didn't scan very well. It is a card I made some time ago and will accompany the gift. I used the stamp set Little Angel to create this baby boy card. It is an oldie but goodie. I have used it a lot when creating Tanner's baby album.

Take time to stamp!

Happy Monday!

Another Monday is here! I can't believe how fast this month is flying. I didn't do any stamping over the weekend. I know, I can't believe it either. You think I would have used Mother's Day as an excuse to stamp and create something. There just wasn't time.

I did take the time to address all the cards I need to send out this week. Here is a sympathy card I made a while ago with Sweet Flowers (click picture to enlarge). I am sending this to Seth's aunt. Her dad passed away last week and we could not make it to the funeral, which was out of town. Sympathy cards is something I never get around to making and I am sure they are appreciated, so I better start creating more this month. This was my last one. I have so many flower stamp sets that I should be able to come up with one or two designs. It just doesn't seem like I can pass up the new flower stamp sets that come out in each idea book. I already purchased Beloved Blossoms on page 38 of the 2007 summer idea book. I love what they did with the stamp set on page 39 and it is a flower. I had to have it! LOL!

Yesterday, I did take the time to clean my scrapbook room and rearrange (again) all my stuff. I had to find a place for my Cuttlebug. I don't know what it is, but I like cleaning my scrapbook room and the rest of the house can be cluttered. I think it must be looking at all the neat gadgets and products I have. By cleaning "MY" room, I got a little scrapbook fix. That held me over to my next stamping time. I am going to try to find time to stamp today and tomorrow, because I need to make a baby boy picture frame for my hair stylist. I see her tomorrow and that is what I am going to give her for a baby gift. I will post pics once I finish it.

Have a great day and take time to stamp!

Happy Mother's Day

I pulled one of my cards from the archives to share with you today, because I am thinking of you on Mother's Day (click picture to enlarge). It is your special day. Being a mother is one of my greatest joys in life. I wouldn't have started scrapbooking and cardmaking if it wasn't for my two wonderful boys. I love looking at the pictures I have taken and reliving the memories of those great moments.

Happy Mother's Day!

Oh, I forgot to mention...I gotten bitten by the bug today. No, not the cricut, the cuttlebug. My boys got me this wonderful machine for Mother's Day. I can't wait to emboss. Now, I have to go buy some embossing folders. DARN! Ha Ha!

For this card, I used the 2007 March stamp of the month, Rustic Flowers and the chalkboard technique.

Have a great day and take time to create!

Graduation cards

I was going to post the Mother's Day card I made; however, my mom has subscribed to my blog and I don't want to spoil it for her. HEE HEE!



It is that time of year again, so I made two graduation cards. This one is for Seth's second cousin who is graduating from Harlan High School in Harlan, IA. I used retired holiday red and black background and textured paper, black brads, black waxy flax and dimensional elements ribbon accents. The stamp sets used are Class Of, Free Spirit (August 2007 stamp of the month) and For Every Occasion (April 2007 stamp of the month).





This card is for my nephew, Travis, who is graduating from Holy Trinity High School in Fort Madison, IA. I used holiday red paper, star spangled blue paper, black brads and white grosgrain ribbon. I embossed "2007" with silver embossing powder and I used the empressor tool and guide to create the lines on the blue paper and then I sanded them for a masculine look.


A graduation stamp is a must in my collection. Next week, I need to make my son, Tate, a graduation card for his Kindergarten graduation on May 23rd. I can't believe he is getting so big.


Take time to stamp and inspire someone!

Live, Laugh, Love

Click picture to enlarge

Here is the last layout I created on National Scrapbooking Day. It is from pages 64-65 from our Cherish Idea Book. I used Rough 'N Tumble paper packet. In addition, I used topiary brads, cranberry grosgrain ribbon and the following stamp sets: Solo P, Precious Alphabet, All You Need and Kid Power.

Take time to stamp and create something!

FAMILY

On this layout from pages 56-57 from the Cherish book, I used different colors than I normally work with for my boys pages. These colors look great together. I used the new Baroque size E alphabet from the 2007 summer idea book. The paper packet is Simple Pleasures. The other stamp sets I used were Alfresco and Romantic Backgrounds. The ribbon is from the Cocoa and Twilight Ribbon Rounds. In addition, I used bigger brads, regular sized brads and natural hemp. I hope you like it!

Take time to stamp...you will be glad you did!

BOYS RULE

Boys do rule in my house. By that I mean, I am overwhelmed by boys; however, mom does rule the nest....LOL!

I love this layout I completed last weekend, because of how the title brings out the little bit of cranberry in the layout. First, I used a blue colored title and it just didn't pop. When I changed the title to cranberry, I knew it worked.

This layout was created from pages 32-33 in the Cherish book. I used Lazy Days of Summer paper pack and Lazy Days of Summer My Stickease Assortment. The stamps sets used were Rustic Alphabet and Little Treasures. The embellishments are white daisy bigger brads.

I hope you like it!

Stamp Your Heart Out!

Perfection Baby Page

I created this layout using pages 20-21 in the Cherish book. This paper packet is retired; however, I used the following stamp sets: Little Angel, Floral Elements, Baby and Whimsy Caps, In addition, I used white daisy buttons, white daisy grosgrain ribbon, dimensional elements bookplates, sweet leaf ink and buttercup ink.

I hope this inspires you to create some layouts too.

Take time to stamp!

Tanner baby page

All designs copyright CTMH.

Here is the first layout I created on National Scrapbooking Day. I scrap an unconventional way for me. I didn't take any pictures. I took my Cherish book, paper packets, ribbon, and all my embellishments. Now, I have to choose pictures from my computer and print them off to fit the layout. I think this is a better way for me to scrap, since I print my pictures at home and can print any size I need.

I had so much fun using the Cherish book. I would thumb through the layouts and pick one, then I chose a paper packet and the rest is history. It is so easy to follow the cutting instructions and with the matching paper packets I didn't have to worry about the right colors. Everything matched down to the last embellishment! Yeah! This layout was adapted from the layout on pages 18-19. I will update you with the completed layout, once I attach Tanner's pictures.

National Scrapbooking Day

Hello!

Today, I am recovering from National Scrapbooking Day. I went to the Scrap-N-Station in Gretna to celebrate this day by scrapbooking for 10 hours. Yes, a straight 10 hours. I created five two-page layouts. I know that doesn't sound like much, but it is for me. I will take pictures of them and post on my blog in the next few days.

I still need to unpack everything from the van, so I better hop to it.

Take time to stamp!