Seasonal Expression I Blog Hop

Welcome!  Life is sure exciting the entire month of December, isn't it?  So seriously, who is thinking about Valentine's Day?  I am!

Our brand new Seasonal Expression I supplement went live on December 1st and so it is time for a blog hop!  The very talented group of Stamp of the Month Bog Hop consultants is sponsoring this hop and we have over 30 consultants participating in this hop.

If you have been hopping with us, then you have arrived from Melissa's blog here.  Don't worry, if you get lost along the way, you can always find the list on Melinda's blog here.

My Valentine's Day layout inspiration came from Scrapbooking Generation's new Create e-magazine from February 2014 here.  I layed out my design in the Cricut Design Space program to give me an idea of colors and cuts.  Here is my sketch idea...

You can find the free downloads for this layout and the others here.

Next I started to work with the Heartstrings paper pack and accessories.

Love this paper pack!

Heartstrings Complements and Assortments

Then I accented the layout with stamped images from the C1604 Forever in My Heart stamp set.

The red outlines are the cut files from the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  You can find my Cricut Design Space file here.

If you do not have an Explore, here are the cut sizes.

Art Philosophy - page 26

Large Heart - 2"

Small Heart -  1 1/2"

Art Philosophy - page 35
Label - 1 1/2"

Finally here is the layout that I have been working on!

Now it is off to Sheila's blog here for her Parisian tour...  

Thank you for joining us on this Seasonal Expressions I Blog Hop!

Cricut Craft Room Basics 101

Come join me for this lecture/demo class this Friday!  Even though Provo Craft is introducing a new cutter and software this month on HSN, many of us will still take advantage of the FREE software download called Cricut Craft Room.  It is a pretty basic software class but there are many useful tips that you will receive when you join us.

Here is one of the cards that I will be demonstrating the "Hide Contour" tool function...

This card was a copy from an issue of Papercraft magazine and it is all designed in CCR using Close to My Heart's Artiste cartridge.  You will receive all of the files for the projects so you can go home and cut them out yourself!  Here is what the file looks like!

Be sure to RSVP by February 6th!!

When:  February 7th
Where:  My home
Time: 6-8:00 p.m.
Cost: $10.00
What to bring?:  a USB stick for all of your free designs  ...you do not need to bring your Cricut!


Please email me your RSVP by Feb. 6th!

February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

It's All About L-O-V-E!!  If you have been hopping with us, then you have come from Kami's blog here and checked out her awesome project. Don't worry if you get lost you can always got to Melinda's blog list here


 This month's stamp set includes these lovable foxes, hearts and "love' sayings!

I was having a hard time trying to create a scrapbook page using this stamp set but I started with the artwork that corp provided in the new Spring/Summer Idea Book!  It is pattern #18 ....a single page layout is found on page 41.  I used that design to create the blog badge for the hop. 

Every time I looked at this stamp set, a song came to mind...hmmm.  Do you remember what group made it famous?

Sorry... I couldn't resist!
                    

I finally decided on TWO different Valentine Mini-Albums (with a little help from Corp..) They were SUPER cutting intensive and I did add additional embellishments after I took the pictures.. sorry!!

Supplies:

Z1906 Cricut^® Artbooking Collection

S1401 Cross-Stitch wishes

S1402 Wild about Love

C1575 True to Life
Whoo's Your Valentine (retired)

Colors – Blush, Hollyhock, Ruby, Cotton Candy, Slate, Cocoa, Vineyard Berry and Black

**Ivy Lane B & T Paper Packet and Zip strip

**Lollydoodle B & T Paper Packet and Zip strip

Z1933 Ruby Chevron Washi Tape

Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim

Z1921 Baker’s Twine Cranberry OR 3 1” binder rings and assorted ribbons

CCR files included….

"I Love You" Version.. I cut apart the stamp set and created a WPC cutting file to make my life easier.... 

If you own a Pazzles cutter, then you can find the files here..

Here  are inside pages 1 & 2...

Here are inside pages 3 & 4

Here are inside pages 5 & 6

Here are inside pages 7 & 8

Here is the cover of the  "You and Me" Version

Inside pages of the "You and Me" Mini Album - similar but slightly different...

Now it is time to bounce over to Sarita's blog here.  

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Enjoy!

01/18 Getting ready for Valentine's Day!

I subscribed to the Cutting Edge SVG magazine recently and the idea for the project came from Joanna!  Thank you for the inspiration!

I love LOVE Valentine's Day - my second favorite holiday!  As a little girl, I loved picking out my valentines at the store and decorating the box for my desk and of course, the classroom Valentine box!  I just wished my mother hadn't thrown them out - needless to say - I saved all of my children's valentines....

Here is the cracker box from the Pazzles Craft Room library - an investment worth the money.  I followed Joanna's direction and I had to cut a few of them out until I was happy with the results.

 

I also used the Whoo's Your Valentine stamp set - the special this month with Close to My Heart to add the tags to the cracker box.  If you are interested in purchasing this set you can shop online here.

Supplies:

K & Company - Valentine paper pack 

Whoo's Your Valentine stamp set

Ruby inks and White Daisy paper by CTMH

Valentine ribbon from my 'stash'

You can this purchase this set for $10 when you purchase $35.00 in CTMH product - a great deal!

Now that I have the time (broken ankle - boohoo!) I have been reviewing Klo's Classroom - you can find a listing of them here.  I am convinced the more you use the software, the easier it seems to be!  You do not need to be a member of  the Pazzles Craft Room to access the classroom videos.

This weekend is the Marathon of classes with Klo.  It begins January 18th at 6:00 p.m. CST and ends on Monday January 21 at 1:00 p.m. CST.  I hope to be able to participate but if I miss any of them, Klo with post the recorded classes on the archives page!  I love the educational support Pazzles offers with their product - kudos to Christine, Klo  and the company!

So it is now back to school...:)

It is now time to brighten up the blog a bit...

I know it is not spring anywhere in this country - BUT January is a blah month...so I thought I would do some spring cleaning and change my blog background and my focus on my crafting!  

Some of you may already know that I fell and broke my ankle the other day and to make it short and sweet- I AM losing my mind!  I am a very active person but not now.....  I have WAY too much time on my hands! ( I even watched T.V. last night!)

So today I took on a few challenges......

Here is the first one of the day!  The Color My Heart web site has a challenge every week and this is Color Dare #25 - Ruby and Indian Corn Blue!  You can view it here!

I was working on a Cricut Craft  Room file when I fell.  I was planning on sharing the design and I had already cut it out in Ruby ( rather fortunate- I must say!)  So I glue my box together and found my retired Indian Corn Blue rick-rack - (did I tell you I was watching Hoarders last night????)   I finished my first Whoo's Your Valentine? treat tube today!

The special this month is still on....

So if you would like to purchase the set for only $10  - just let me know!

So here is the pic of my treat tube- enjoy!! ( I think I may start eating the chocolate NOW!)

You can find the CCR file for this box and the stamp set cut outs  here.

(Hopefully the link has been fixed - let me know if it does not!)

Remember you will need a box account to log in.  Enjoy!

Happy January!

January used to be my least favorite month when I lived in WNY, but now that I live in Florida, I LOVE January!

Why? - you ask - it was either too warm for snow or too cold to do anything IN the snow!  It was dull and dreary BUT no more!

No, it is time for sun and cool weather (OK - 80 degrees may not be cool...) but it is NOT 90+ degrees!  So with that being said, it is time to move onto the January "Make It From YOUR Heart " workshop!

This month I will be featuring the La Belle Vie paper pack....

 

This paper pack will be retiring at the end of this month so NOW is the time to buy it, if you love it!

Now I am sooo excited to share with you  my good news!  My youngest son is engaged to a very bright and wonderful girl named Elizabeth!  She has her English degree from Berkeley and we always check with her when I have a question about movies or books!

So here is the layout that I started with their engagement photos...so obliviously there has to be more journaling on this layout. ( all about the story...)

You will make this exact layout and instead of "Love" you can select "Family" - either one- it is your choice!  

Plus we are making the SOTM Valentine gift box as well... a  perfect gift for the perfect person!  So if you are ready to be creative then join me!

P.S.  I will have a surprise project for the ladies who have been attending these workshops since they started in the fall.  (No pictures yet - remember it is a surprise!!)

January SOTM Blog Hop

Happy New Year!!  2013 has arrived and with it a new CTMH Idea Book and thoughts of spring!  We have over 60 consultants hopping with us this month and if you are following the blog hop, then you have come from Lisa Sargent's blog.

I just cannot imagine thinking bout this month's stamp set without thinking of LOVE!  Valentine's Day is my second favorite holiday- I love the colors and the candy, of course!

 

                                

I decided to create a Valentine favor box using the Art Philosophy cartridge.  I welded the heart on the same page and added the small circles for the ribbon as well.  This is a perfect project for a make-n-take or a workshop.  You could probable get two to a page if you reduced the design in size. Here is my Cricut Craft Room design - very simple to recreate.

The link to this file can be found here.   You will want to create a box account to be able to downlaod this file.  Enjoy!

Then I thought it would look like vintage lace if I embossed the roses onto the background paper.  It did not take much time at all to create this favor making it the perfect SOTM project for my January workshop.

Supplies:

Paper:  Ruby and colonial white cardstock

Inks: Versamark Ink and White embossing powder, Ruby and black ink

Stamps:  S1301 Happy Valentine's, Love is from the Whoo's Your Valentine?

Ribbons: Organza ribbon

Now it is off to  Vicki Price's blog where you will find more creative artwork using this stamp set.

Whooo's Your Valentine Blog Hop

Celebrate National Stamping Month with the Whooo's Your Valentine kit  from Close to My Heart.  This fabulous kit which retails for $40 can be yours when you spend $35 or more in Close to My Heart product from the Autumn/Winter 2012 idea Book!

This kit includes 12 die-cut boxes, 3 cardstock sheets, 1 sheet of glitter paper, 12 treat tubes and this exclusive D- stamp set designed specifically for this kit!  This kit offers you a sneak peek at two new Spring/Summer 2013 products the..... treat tubes and the silver glitter paper

 The Kit includes:
• 12 — Die-Cut Boxes (3 each of 4 colors: Blush, Hollyhock, Ruby, White Daisy)
• 3 — 12" x 12" Cardstock Sheets (Blush, Hollyhock, White Daisy)
• 1 — Sheet Silver Glitter Paper—new product for Spring/Summer 2013!
• 12 — Treat Tubes with Lids—new product for Spring/Summer 2013!
• 1 —My Acrylix® Whooo’s Your Valentine Stamp Set (D-size)

This special promotion runs from December 13- January 2013 and you can shop directly from my website  http://ctmh.com/sweetaline

So if your family is not sure what to buy you for Christmas - shop for yourself!  Or have them call me or email me Sweetaline@verizon.net and I'll do the shopping!

There is an inspiring blog hop going on right now!  I was unable to participate this time because my holiday shopping got in the way...  Check out the hop by starting here and just hop all the way through.  If you have any trouble you can find the entire list here

So grab a cup of hot cocoa and settle down for some of your "me-time" during this hectic time of year!

CTMH Sharing from the Heart - January 2012

Brrrr.  it is cold again here in Tampa, Fl. BUT not as cold as other states in the U.S. , I'm sure.  If you are hopping with us, you have arrived from Elizabeth's blog where you saw her creative design.  This month our choices were the Stamp of the Month, Valentine's Day or Winter.  well I picked Valentine's day - my SECOND favorite holiday...  why?  because it is all about the candy!

You know sometime we just need a jump start for our creativity!  So I am addicted to Pinterest!  But I have truly  found some really great ideas and have"pinned" them to my boards.  One of my first delights was Scrapbook Generations.  What an awesome group of designers.  I am amazed at how creative  their designs are - so run NOT walk to their web site here.

I am not a big fan of the Roxie paper pack and because ONE of my resolutions was to use up what I already owned!..... I created my Valentine page using the scraps from the retired Sweetheart paper pack and the matching My Stickease.

I was surprised at how quickly the layout went together.  Now I can post this!

If you would like to follow me on Pinterest, let me know at
SweetAline@verizon.net  and I will invite you!  Now it is off to Wendy's blog where I know she will have a stunning piece of artwork.  I may be back with a winter layout, this cold weather has put me into a scrapbooking mood!