Easter Basket

Hello!  Welcome to my blog.  If you're here because you saw my segment on daytime Durham yesterday, you're in the right spot.  Here is the project we made on the show:

I had so much fun coming up with a quick and easy project to complete on air.  When I need quick and easy, I go to my Cricut.  Every piece for this little basket was cut with the Artiste and Art Philosophy cartridges.  Here are the instructions:

1.  Cut the basket, using Buttercup cardstock.  Use the Artiste cartridge, page 73.  3-D creative function, Spring/Easter key, at 2 1/4".

2.  Cut the handle, using a piece of patterned paper.  (I used Chantilly.)  Use Shift, and the same key and function, at 2 1/4" as well.

3.  Cut the grass, using green patterned paper.  Use Accent 3 function, Shift, same key, Fit to Length mode, at 11".  

4.  Cut the tag, using cardstock.  Use the Art Philosophy cartridge, page 39. Use Shift, Tag function, key, at 2 1/4".

5.  Assemble the box following the instructions in the provided booklet.

6.  Adhere the grass, but just applying adhesive to the very bottom.  You can use your finger to curl the tips out a bit.

7.  Attach the handle with two brads the same colour.

8.  Stamp your sentiment on the tag.  I used Twilight ink.

9.  Tie your tag onto the handle using Baker's Twine.  I used Smoothie.

10.  Fill with some sweet grass and yummy treats!

Here's another look.

If you make something like this, let me know by posting your link in the comments.  I'd love to see it!  Stay tuned, because I'll be posting photos of my paper rose wreath soon.

Happy Creating!

Studio J: Altering Stickese

We just finished a great promotion, $5 layouts on Studio J.  So, of course, I took advantage of it.  I'll be posting a few of the layouts I created over the next little while, but I wanted to start with this one.

I created this one using the Wishes and Fishes Boy kit.  I changed some of the paper colours to match my photos better.  These aren't the best photos, but they're the only ones I had of this experience and boy, was it an experience!  As my title says, we had a potty battle.

I really loved the medallion stickese, but it said "My Little Prince", which definitely did not fit with my topic.  So, I changed it.  I wanted to just cover the word "prince" with a small text box with no text, but the background was textured and I didn't think I'd be able to make it look right.  Instead, I decided to cross out the word and add my own.

I created 2 text boxes to do this, working with it really zoomed in.  When I was ready to re-size, I made sure to click all three parts (holding down the ctrl key selects all the items) and sized the whole thing to where I wanted it.  I think it works even better!

Don't be afraid to make the items in Studio J work for you.  I hope you'll give it a try.  It's free to play!  Click here to explore this fun way to "catch up" on those layouts.

Happy Creating!

**Just a little note.  I've changed to comment verification for a little while because I'm getting an obscene amount of spam comments.  I will still be using comment moderating as well.  Hopefully a few days of that will put an end to them.  Please bear with me.**

Love More Free Stuff?

Everyone loves getting free stuff, right?  There's still time for you to get even more free stuff!

When you host a gathering, either in your home or online, and your sales reach $250 or more, you'll get even more free product because you'll automatically jump to the next level of hostess rewards!

So, what does it take to get in on the fun?  Just gather orders from your friends and email or call me to place them.  Then, you get to pick your hostess rewards!  Or, if you'd like to have a fun evening creating with your friends, contact me today to get a date before the end of the month.  You can also set up an online gathering, with no need to collect orders.  Everyone orders directly from my website, even easier!  But, you need to contact me today so we can get things set up!

Love CTMH?  Don't wait!

Cross Canada Blog Hop: Hinged Display Tray

Welcome to another Cross Canada Blog Hop!  This month we are focusing on the Hinged Display Tray.

This Display Tray is a 5x7 fold out wooden tray with divided sections.  You can get a closer look at it on page 125 of the 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book.  It sells for $18.95.  Talk to your CTMH consultant to order your's, but if you don't have a consultant you can click on over to my website to get your hands on one.

If you came from Michelle's blog, you're on the right track.  This is a circular hop, so just keep hopping through until you get back here, or, you can hop across Canada and start at Michelle's blog.

Here is what I did with this display tray.

To be honest, I was a little intimidated by this product.  I wasn't sure what to do with it.  It was so nice looking, I wasn't sure I could use it properly, but when the choice was made to use this tray for the hop, I took it as a challenge and jumped in with both feet.  These photos were taken over a year ago, but I still love creating with them.  They've made it on to some layouts already, but those will be hidden in albums, so I decided to use them for permanent display.  I had a very different plan when I started, but as I started working, I made small changes (and some big ones) to my plan.  I even ended up flipping the whole thing around, but I love how it turned out!

Here are close ups of each side.  There is no stamping in this project.  I only used ink on the edges of papers and on the wooden embellishments. 

Materials used:

Chocolate and Pacifica ink pads

Dreamin' paper pack (retired)

Just Blooms Paper Shapes, Flutter

Mini-Medley Accents, Wooden
Mini Clothes Pins
Opaques Mocha
Durables Artisan Studs
Colour-Ready Garden wooden shapes
Chocolate Waxy Flax
Harvest Charms (retired)
Keyboard Kraft Alphabet
sponge
3-D Foam Tape
Liquid Glass
Machine stitching

Now it's time to hop on over to Michelle M's blog.  If you get lost along the way, you can go back to Michelle's blog for a complete list.  Enjoy!  Join us next month for a focus on Home Decor.

Happy Creating!

Cross Canada Blog Hop: It's All About the Layout

If you're here because you saw me on Durham Daytime yesterday and want instructions to make the banner, click here.

Welcome to another Cross Canada Blog Hop!  This month we're featuring 2-page layouts.  If you came from Carrie's blog, you're on the right track.  Feel free to click on at the bottom of each post until you get back here, or you can literally hop across Canada and start at Michelle's blog.  Now, on to my layout.

Have you seen the gorgeous new Workshop-on-the-Go kits in the new Idea Book?  They're stunning and I particularly enjoyed working with Chantilly.

My monthly scrapbooking club will be making this layout in April.  (If you're not a part of this group, you can still join!)  A lot of them have boys and this kit doesn't say "Perfect boy paper" to me.  I thought they'd appreciate seeing it from a new perspective.  So, I created this layout.

Girly paper, now perfect for my boy!  The backs of those pretty-in-pink papers are beautiful shades of blue, green and yellow.  Here are a couple pictures of the individual pages.

I love the look on Nathaniel's face in that middle photo!  So silly, he is.  Here are a couple shots of the embellishment clusters.

Did you catch that I even used the same sparkles on this layout?  All the same products, just with a masculine twist.

Here's what's all included in the kit.  Click here to check it out on my website and order your very own.

Thanks for popping in.  I'd love to hear what you think of my change up layout.  Now it's time to hop on over Sheri's blog and see what stunning layout she's created for your inspiration.

Happy Creating!

Durham Daytime Love Banner

Happy Valentine's Day!  If you are visiting because you saw me on Durham Daytime this morning, welcome!  I'd love for you to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my projects.  I thought it would be a nice idea to post the instructions for the banner we made.

It's super easy, so here we go.

I used my Cricut and the Close To My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge to cut the banner pieces.  If you don't have a Cricut, you can easily cut them by hand.  

I used Cricut Craft Room, so I'm not 100% sure what size you would set your dial to, but the base is 5" wide and the stamped triangle is about 4.5".  The base is cut from Hollyhock cardstock, the triangle is from Blush.

Sponge the edges of the Blush triangle with Hollyhock ink 

and your favourite distressing tool.

Stamp your chosen images in blush ink.  I used Card Chatter-Love and Love Life.

Attach your two pieces together.

Using dimensional adhesive, like 3-D Foam Tape or Pop Dots, attach your letters.

Attach your favourite ribbon to the top of each piece.  I used Glue Dots.

Gotta add some more bling!

Using mini clothes pins, attach your banner pieces to a strip of hemp or twine.  Be sure to leave enough on either end to hang up your lovely new banner!

I hope you see just how easy it is to add some fun decor to your home.  I also hope you'll check out more of my blog and sign up to get my posts in your inbox.  You'll find the sign up box at the top right.  Better yet, email me for more information on my classes and Close To My Heart products.  I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Stay tuned, I'll be posting photos of the card we made in the second segment later.

Happy Creating!

CTMH: Capture The Love Moments

I had to share my favourite new product in the new Spring/Summer Idea Book.  It's perfect for this time of year, too!

Here it is:

This is the Workshop On The Go Canvas Art Kit.  It's beautiful and super easy to put together.  Everything you need is included except adhesive, blocks, and pigment ink.  The 12x12 canvas comes pre-printed to make it even quicker.  You'll want to have your Liquid Glass, Glue Dots and 3-D Foam Tape handy to put everything together.  An easy-to-follow, full-colour instruction brochure is included.  

Here are a couple of close ups of the fabulous accessories included:

I loved going through my wedding photos to find the perfect ones for this project.  We're celebrating our 10th anniversary this August so I'm feeling sort of lovey-dovey lately.  (Grin!)

I hope you don't wait for Valentine's Day to celebrate the special people in your life.  Happy Creating!