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Friday, June 19, 2015

CTMH Updates!!

   Happy Friday, everyone! Today I head down in Wisconsin for my cousin's graduation party and for my baby shower this weekend. I am looking forward to celebrating our little guy yet again this month with family and friends! I think he's definitely loved already!

   Before I go, though, I have some updates to share with you from CTMH! I have a lot to share, so without further delay...here ya go:

Updated "While Supplies Last":


   Yesterday, CTMH updated their clearance items on my Online Shopping site! There are a lot of new and exciting items discounted to sell, and believe me you don't want to miss out on some of these goodies!

Here's just a few of the new items added to the "While Supplies Last" section on my Online Shopping site!

August's New Product Release:  


   Another exciting announcement I have for you today is the unveiling of August's stamp-of-the-month! The current Annual Inspirations and Seasonal Expressions II Idea Books have been extended to stay live until September 1st! However, the Annual book does not have an August SOTM to show you! Well CTMH released the August SOTM for everyone to see so that we can plan our orders ahead of time for this special $5 stamp set!

   The August SOTM is called "Framed" and it has 12 awesome images to use on all your projects and designs. Here's a picture of the August SOTM:


   Isn't this awesome?? I love how versatile it is and all the fun fonts it has! I can't wait to start creating with this awesome stamp set, and I think you're going to love it, too!

   In August, CTMH will also be releasing a new paper pack as well! I have no idea what it looks like or what colors it has, but I am excited that CTMH is accommodating the extended amount of time the Idea Books are live with extra product releases! I will make sure and keep you updated on the new paper pack in July as soon as images are released to us!

Unavailable Items:


   Have you checked out the list of retiring products yet? There's so many great things to scoop up from this list, but I have to tell you that some of it is already gone! Here are the products that are no longer available and have sold out:


Z1296    Distressing Inks                
Z1342    Dark Chocolate Faux Leather Album       
Z1473    White Daisy Die-Cut Cards          
Z1823    My Creations Clear Treat Tubes                
Z1942    Picture My Life Avonlea               
Z2002    Topiary Washi Tape        
Z2042    My Crush In the Pink Assortment                            
Z4131    Exclusive Inks Organizer               
Z4132    Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad Tower
  
   There is still time to take advantage of the My Crush promotion going on this month. The "In the Pink" book is still available even though the "In the Pink" assortment has sold out. CTMH announced that when you purchase the "In the Pink" book and matching clips then you get the coordinating stamp set, "Glitter Glam", for FREE!! So there's still an opportunity to get this Crush book for yourself and score an awesome deal!


   That's it, everyone! Those are the updates I have for you before the weekend! If you have any questions or need anything, though, feel free to contact me! I would love to help you out! I hope you all have a great weekend, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Artwork Spotlight: Blossom Layout

   Sorry I haven't had a chance to post Artwork these last couple weeks! I have had back -to-back baby showers the last couple weekends, and my weekend posts got put off because of this! I hope everyone is having a great start to their week, though! Enjoy this first artwork post for June!  

   Hey, everyone! It's the first artwork post for June which means that I have a Blossom paper project to share with you today!

   This month I am featuring the Blossom paper pack in my projects, workshops, and classes. So today I want to share with you a layout that I created using the Blossom paper pack, Blossom Complements, Flaxen thick twine, the Artbooking Cricut cartridge, and the "Documenting Moments" and "Snapshot Memories" stamp sets!


   I used the sketch from the "Make It From Your Heart Vol 2" how-to book (page 15). I wanted a little more masculine feel to the layout, so I used the greens and blues from the Blossom paper pack. I then paired it with Kraft and Honey cardstocks.

   For embellishments, I stamped the washi tape images from the "Snapshot Memories" stamp set in Lagoon (sorry I just realized one of my washi strips is falling off on the right side...oops). Then I used Honey triangle washi tape, and retired wooden shapes as well! The title I cut out twice from the Sunset pattern paper in the pack. I then layered them for a shadow effect. The flags and arrow border are from the Blossom Complements set!


   I loved how this layout turned out! I can't wait to put some fun pictures on here to complete the look! If you have any questions on products used, please let me know! Otherwise you can shop for everything you need to complete this project on my Online Shop!

  Also, when you purchase the Blossom pack, or the Blossom WOTG, with the Blossom Complements from me this month, you will automatically receive instructions to complete the exclusive layout you see below for FREE!! What are you waiting for?? Get your free layout instructions today and place your order!


   Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Tuesday Tidbit: Many Ways to Distress

   Welcome to the first Tuesday Tidbit for June! Today I thought I would share a video from CTMH about the different tools and techniques you can use to distress your paper projects! I know that this might be a "review" tip for a lot of you, but I like to revisit classic techniques now and then because it's good to be reminded of the simple things we can do to spruce up our everyday projects!

   I love the look of distressed paper, but there are a lot of ways to achieve this look. You can use ink, sandpaper, or a sharp edge! It all depends on the style or look that you are going for! Check out the awesome video demonstrating some of my favorite ways to distress paper projects:


   Heads up, though, CTMH is retiring the Distress Inks this year! So if you are interested in scoring this set of inks (in Black and Chocolate, 1"x1" pads for only $3.95/set), make sure and shop my Online Site today because these amazing inks will sell out fast!

   I hope this has inspired you to get crafty this week! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Friday, June 5, 2015

2015 Retiring List!!!!

   CTMH released the retiring products list for 2015 yesterday! Holy cats, friends! There are sooooo many amazing products on this list! I am sad to see some of them go, but I'm even more excited to see what could be replacing them in the new Annual book (coming in September)!!!

   All the items on the list are now considered while supplies last! That means that if you see some of your favorites, or items that you still want to get from your wish list, NOW is the time to get them! I will not be able to get any retired items for you (easily) once they're gone! So start shopping, friends, and let me know if I can help you plan your orders through the summer!

Here is a small picture of some of the items retiring this year! I couldn't make my screen font small enough to get a screenshot of all the items! So there's definitely a lot of great goodies to still scoop up while you can!

   I hope you're having a great weekend! Stop by my Online Shopping site to view all the retired items, clearance items, and all available stamp sets from CTMH! Trust me; you don't want to miss out on your favorites! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Window Frame Project

   I am officially 31 weeks pregnant today! I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going! I feel great and have no complaints. I feel very blessed so far, and hope it lasts through labor as well!

   Today I have a very special project I want to share with all of you! Back in April I had a lady I met at last fall's craft fair contact me. She was wondering if I could help her with a graduation project that she wanted to complete for her daughter's party in June. We had talked about it briefly at the craft fair last fall, and she was following up in hopes that I could be hired to design this project for her!

   I was flattered! I love doing projects for people, and this one was right up my alley! She had 2 windows with 9 panes in each. She was hoping that I could design a project so that she could showcase her daughter's photos from birth to 11th grade in each pane! She wanted a shabby chic type of feel, and she wanted to use a coral color and tiffany blue color as the many accents. She also had these burlap 8x10 boards that she was hoping to use on the back of each pane for each picture to sit on.

   So I met with her at the end of April before we left for New Orleans, and then started working on the windows a week after we got back! I finished up the final details Memorial Day weekend, and her other daughter picked them up from me last week!

   It was a little challenging trying to figure out the best way to attach the burlap boards without showing a lot of glue or adhesive from the front side, but I think I got it figured out after trying a couple things! 

   I am really pleased with how they turned out, and I wanted to share pictures* of them with all of you so you can see some of the stuff I have been working on lately!  I'm sorry if the pictures are a little blurry. It is hard to get a good picture against glass!

First Window Pane Completed
Close-up of the Name Banner I put in the upper corner of the frame. These were chipboard letters that I painted in white acrylic paint and then coated with Avery Elle Sea Glass pigment ink. To make sure the ink didn't rub off, I then coated each letter in a Matte finish Mod Podge.
Here is the first row of pictures. I used My Mind's Eye, Heidi Swapp, and Core-dinations papers for the whole project. I cut the branches and paper flowers on the Cricut using the Art Philosophy and Artiste cartridges. I then embellished the photos with brads, pearl gems, mini clothespins, Base & Bling charms, lace ribbon, and a border punch. 
Here is the second row of pictures. I tried to keep the theme similar throughout both windows, but accented and laid each pane out different for contrast! These pictures were embellished with more of the same die-cuts, pearl gems, paper doilies, hemp twine, Base & Bling charms, and some hand-stitching over vellum!
Here is the third and final row on the first window. I embellished these pictures with paper butterflies, paper flowers, pearl flourishes, lace ribbon, and a stick pin.
Here's the 2nd window completed!
Here's the burlap banner on the second window.
Here's the first row of the window at a closer view. I embellished these with similar items as the first window frame! I have pearl gems, a die-cut doily, hand-stitching, Base & Bling charms, hemp cord, and the same papers from the same lines as before!
Here is the second row of pictures. You can see that I embellished the panes very similarly between the two windows. It made it easier to tie everything together!
Here is the last row of pictures! I love the feminine feel of the whole project, and the vintage look with everything put together.
Here's a close up picture of the paper flower detail that I put on both bottom corners of the windows. I cut the rolled flowers from CTMH's Art Philosophy and Artiste cartridges, distressed the edges in Cashmere ink, rolled them using my quilling tool, and glued them together with Liquid gold (I mean glass)! Then I added some distressed branches, and some pearl finishes, and that was it! These were super fun to make!
The "titles" under each picture were stamped with White Daisy ink on chalkboard paper. Chalkboard paper isn't very porous, though, and the ink takes a long time to dry. So to make it smudge proof I embossed it with clear embossing powder and a heat gun. The two font stamp sets I used to create these titles were the "Glamour Lowercase Alphabet" and the "Artfully Sent Alphabet" both from CTMH!

   I hope you enjoyed looking at my finished project! I had a blast making it, and can't wait to hear how it's received at her graduation party in a couple weeks! If you have any questions on products used or techniques, please let me know! Otherwise, have a great rest of your week, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

*I was given permission by the mom to post these pictures to my social media sites.

Monday, June 1, 2015

June's Steals & Deals

   Summer is right around the corner! June is here, and it's going to be an amazing month! Since today is the first day of the month, I have my monthly newsletter to share with you! Click on the link below to access my newsletter, but make sure and subscribe so you never miss an "issue"!

Candid Correspondence: June Newsletter
   
   I hope this has all of you excited for June! Let me know if you need anything or would like to place an order this month! Have a great start to your week, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Artwork Spotlight: Jackson Layout

   It's the last day of National Scrapbooking Month! Didn't this month go fast?? To finish off the month, I want to share with you one last layout I made using the Jackson paper pack! I used a sketch from a "Scrapbook Generations" sketches book, and then modified it to use up my Jackson Complements and make a two-page spread!


   I also used some retired CTMH washi tape (Lagoon Houndstooth, Slate Polka-dot, and Woodgrain), the "Feathers" stamp set, and the Brave enamel shapes for this layout!

   This layout was perfect for using up all my little pieces of scrap papers and zip strips! All the strips seem to appear to span underneath each photo space, but in reality I used small scraps on either side of the main photo space! It stretched my papers out a little further, and created a fun pattern when cut at different sizes and lengths!

   That's it! That's the last of my projects for National Scrapbooking Month! I hope you enjoyed getting peeks all month long of the Jackson projects I was working on! Don't forget to take advantage of May's specials by midnight tonight, though! You don't want to miss out on the Exclusive NSM paper pack, Taste of Summer, the matching stamp set, the super cute May SOTM, or my May special for the mystery hostess drawing!  Get all these goodies and more by shopping my Online Site or placing an order with me directly!



**Don't miss out on these specials this month! It's a great month for awesome steals and deals!!!**

 

   I'll see you back here tomorrow for some new monthly specials and deals for June! Enjoy the rest of your long weekend, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

CTMH Updates and Free Prints!!!

   Hey everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! We didn't go anywhere because Ian had to work the weekend, but we had surprise guests stop in and stay with us on Sunday! It was really nice to see some old college friends and catch up a little bit!

   I do not have a Tuesday Tidbit for you today! Instead I wanted to let you know about some CTMH updates and photo print specials going on this week!

UNAVAILABLE ITEMS:


   First I have a couple updates on current products that are unavailable at the moment. If you are looking to order these products soon, let me know and I will put you on a list to update you as soon as they are available again. Here are some currently backordered products:

1.) Jackson Complements are on backorder until the end of May/beginning of June

2.) CTMH Rolling Tote is on backorder under mid-July sometime. There has been a huge demand for this awesome organizer, and if you are still looking to get your hands on one, let me know! I will put you on my waiting list!

 

LAST CHANCE ITEMS:


   Also keep in mind that there are only 5 days left to order your Exclusive Taste of Summer paper pack and stamp set! This new collection is only available during the month of May, and is selling very quickly! It sounds like quantities are limited this last week for ordering. So if you want this collection for yourself, I would suggest ordering sooner rather than later to ensure you can get your own!

Exclusive Taste of Summer Paper Pack
Exclusive Taste of Summer stamp set








   You only have 5 days left in the month to take advantage of my Mystery Hostess drawing, too! When you place an order with me this month, you can earn tickets into the mystery hostess drawing! It's really simple, and you get to choose your CTMH freebies if you're the winner!


   Want to earn extra tickets into the drawing??? Then take advantage of these special items when ordering:

Place a $50 order = 1 Ticket
Place a $100 order = 2 Tickets
Purchase the Jackson Paper Pack = 2 Tickets
Purchase the Jackson WOTG = 4 Tickets
Purchase the May SOTM: Just Sayin' = 1 Ticket
Purchase the Taste of Summer Exclusive Paper Pack = 2 Tickets
Purchase the Taste of Summer Exclusive Stamp Set = 3 Tickets

Place an order totaling $150 or more and you automatically receive hostess rewards of your choice, and a special gift from me (valued at $20)!!!!

   I love showing my appreciation for all of you, my customers, and I am so excited to be sharing this very special deal with you!! If you have any questions or need help planning your order, please let me know! Otherwise, have fun shopping and celebrating National Scrapbooking Month! 

 

 

FREE/DISCOUNTED PHOTO PRINTS:


   This week you have the opportunity to take advantage of some amazing photo offers, too! You don't want to miss out on these steals, and now's the time to start printing those photos you took of your Memorial Day festivities! Here's the deals for the week:

Snapfish.com: There are two amazing deals going on right now! You can get 99 photos for only 99 cents if you order by midnight tonight! You can use the code PENNYMAY on as many different orders as you want (remember S&H and tax are added, though)!

   You can also get a FREE 8x8 canvas print when you order $39 or more on the Snapfish site! This deal also ends tonight at midnight, though! So make sure and get your prints and photo gifts ordered this afternoon!

Shutterfly.com: This site is offering 101 free photo prints when you use the code MEMORIALDAY at checkout! I have heard it is cheaper to order 99 prints because S&H is cheaper, but you can decide for yourself when you order! You have under midnight tomorrow, May 27th, to get your free prints ordered, though! So don't delay!

 

CTMH Creative Challenge:


   On Friday, CTMH posted the next weekely creative challenge early (since Monday was a holiday)! They wanted to give everyone a little extra time over the weekend to plan their projects, and they also included an awesome giveaway! Here's all the details for this week's Creative Challenge if you missed it:

   Jeanette’s next creative challenge is for you to get creative with the My Crush His and Her line from the Seasonal Expressions II Idea Book! This is the official announcement, so pay attention: your challenge is to create artwork using the papers you tear from one or both of the My Crush For Her and For Him books.
We know it’s a few days early, but no one ever complained about a little extra time to make a masterpiece, did they?




   The deadline is midnight on May 31, and we can’t wait to see what you come up with—so hop to it! The winner will receive TWO My Crush For Her books with which to make even more great artwork.
We’re just so excited to see the artwork you make with the papers from these books. The challenge is on!

   To get you pumped for this unique challenge, we’re also giving away 20 For Her books to 10 winners with this announcement. That means 10 lucky souls will get two books apiece with which to make the finest layouts and cards out there. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on the CTMH blog post telling us about your favorite way to use the For Him and For Her books: as mini books, on cards, or on scrapbook pages. We’ll announce the winners of the giveaway on Tuesday, May 26th, right here on the CTMH blog. THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED AND WINNERS ANNOUNCED ON THE CTMH BLOG!


   That's it, friends! That's all the information you need to know this week! I will be sending out the June newsletter later this week as well! So keep on the look out for that! I hope you all are enjoying this short week! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Artwork Spotlight: Jackson Layout

   Happy Memorial Day weekend to you all! I hope you're enjoying some family time and relaxation this weekend while remembering those that served and protected our country. I have a lot of service members in my family, and am thankful every day for the sacrifices they all made for our freedoms. I take it for granted all the amazing things I get to do each day because of the freedoms we are allowed in this country. It really can be humbling when you think about it. 

  On a completely different note...I cannot get enough of the Jackson paper pack this month (if you can't tell by now!!). The colors are so much fun, and the patterns are swoon worthy as well! With that said, I have another Jackson layout to share with you all today!

Layout featuring the Jackson paper pack and "The Authentic Life" stamp set from the SE II Idea Book!

   I had a ton of fun creating this layout! It was really easy because I simply scraplifted it from the Seasonal Expressions II Idea Book (page 22). You can get the "recipe" to make this layout for yourself on my Online Business site and in the "Make It From the Heart: Vol 1" How-to book!

   When you're on my online site, you can find recipes for all the projects from the idea books by clicking on Idea Books > Recipes (link under each individual Idea Book).

   The only difference on my layout is that I didn't sew the Barn Red X's on my pages. Instead I used the lower case x from the Artfully Sent alphabet stamp, and stamped the faux stitches in Barn Red on my layout.

   If you have any questions about this layout or the products I used, please let me know! Otherwise I hope you are having an awesome weekend! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Tuesday Tidbit: Swipe Hype Stamping

   Hey everyone! Welcome back to another Tuesday Tidbit! Today I want to revisit a fun stamping technique that will add texture and movement to any of your crafty projects! A fellow consultant on my team recently used this technique on her layout with an alphabet stamp set. I loved the look she got when she combined it with the Jackson paper collection, and decided it would be a great tip to share with you all this week!

   This technique is called "swiping", and I love using this technique to show direction or to just add extra dimension to some stamps! Here's a video by CTMH showing exactly how this technique works, and what it looks like on some awesome projects:


   I hope you all enjoyed seeing this technique up close! What will you use this technique on? Do you have some fun ideas in mind for your next project? I know I'll be revisiting this technique on my next projects! I just love the overall look!

   Don't forget you still have a little over a week to take advantage of my mystery hostess drawing this month! Just place an order with me or on my Online Shopping site, and you can be entered into the drawing for FREE hostess rewards of your choice!

  
   You can get all the information and specifics of this awesome monthly deal on my Steals & Deals page, but if you have any questions, please let me know! I would love to help you get your CTMH goodies this month!

   I hope you all are having a great start to your week, and are feeling more inspired after today's Tidbit! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Artwork Spotlight: Jackson Layout

   It's another Sunday Funday day featuring the Jackson Paper Pack! Today I want to share with you one of my favorite layouts using this paper! This layout was designed by a fellow team member and consultant, Dana Kessler! I loved her design so much I had to scraplift it immediately!

Jackson layout designed by Dana Kessler of Scraptabulous Designs
   This layout is a perfect addition to the WOTG layouts I shared earlier this month! I will be adding more of our "up North" trip pictures to this once I print them all!

   To complete this layout I used the Jackson paper pack, matching Complements, and the Brave Enamel Shapes all from the Seasonal Expressions II Idea Book! I free handed the paper triangle shapes from scrap papers, and cut the arrow shapes for the sides using Cricut Craft Room and the Artbooking Cricut Cartridge. I didn't do any stamping on this particular layout, but love the look of all the layered Complements as embellishments.

   The Jackson paper pack is the May paper pack-of-the-month on my blog and in my workshops! If you want to play along and get this amazing collection for yourself, order yours on my Online Site today! I will have lots of additional artwork and tips to share with you as the month goes on! So you don't want to miss out!

   I hope you are getting some crafting time in during this National Scrapbooking Month! Have a wonderful week, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity! 

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Tuesday Tidbit: Crafter's Block

   Hey, everyone!! I hope all of the moms out there had a wonderful weekend being celebrated and cherished! You deserve it each and every day, but I hope your weekend was exceptionally special!

   I was able to spend my weekend with my mom doing some scrapbooking at my house here in MN. It was an awesome weekend, and we had a great time getting some paper therapy in every day! The time always goes too fast, though, when she's here!

   It's time for another Tuesday Tidbit already, and I have a quick tip to help any of you that have experienced Crafter's Block. You know what I mean, right?? You finally have time to get some crafting done, you start to get out some supplies, and.....blank.....you can't figure out where to start or you're just not feeling too creative all the sudden! Trust me...this happens to us all!

   So what do you do? Well one of my favorite things to do to get those creative juices flowing is to
"scraplift" a favorite project. This could be something you saw on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or even in an old magazine.  Wherever you find inspiration....that's where you start!

Pinterest is a great source to scraplift your favorite artists, and get creative ideas flowing! This is my CTMH Scrapbook Layouts board from my Pinterest page! I love all the amazing ideas I can find here!

   Sketches work great for this, too! Pick a sketch you like (even if it's one you have already used before), and just start "scraplifting" the idea(s). Pretty soon you'll find that you're modifying, making it your own, and starting to feel that creative mojo again!

   Some of my favorite books to grab for sketches are the CTMH How-to guides! These books are jam packed with sketches and ideas to get your projects going!

There are four How-to books for creating scrapbook layouts.

There are two How-to books for creating cards!

   It's a great way to jump start your creative time, and a fun way to start getting projects done! I hope you enjoyed this week's Tidbit, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Artwork Spotlight: Jackson Cards

   Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend celebrating you and all you do!

   For today's Sunday Funday I want to share with you some cards I made using the Jackson paper pack and newly released stamp sets from the Seasonal Expressions II Idea Book!

   This first card was made at my Seasonal Expressions II Preview Party in March as a FREE make-n-take! I used the Jackson papers and the "Finding the Words" stamp set, and accented the card using the new Oceanside sequins and Flaxen thick twine. I love the colors on this card! The sentiment was stamped in Cocoa and Barn Red inks.


   The second card I'm sharing today is one that was made at last week's Workshop Wednesday! This card also featured the Jackson papers and "Finding the Words" stamp set. However, this time I decided to edge distress the glacier cardstock to give it a little added texture!


   The third card today was also made at last week's Workshop! This card featured the Jackson paper with the new "Dizzy Circles" stamp set! I embellished the card using Glacier thick twice and a brown marker (for the stitched edges). The circles were stamped in Juniper and Barn Red inks.

   The last card I'm sharing today was one of the cards from last week's Workshop as well, but this card featured the awesome May SOTM: Just Sayin'! I love this stamp set! It's so versatile and fun, and the possibilities with this set are completely endless! I can't wait to play with it some more!

   I also used the new "Treats of Friendship" stamp set for this card! The images were stamped using Archival Black ink on the patterned Jackson papers. The background is stamped in Flaxen ink, and the sentiment in Barn Red and Black inks! I was inspired to create this card by a fellow consultant, Brenda Rose, who used the coffee stamp set on the patterned papers for her card on her blog. I loved the look, and knew I had to try it!


   There you have it! Some fun artwork to get you inspired this week! You can always play along with my Jackson projects this month by getting your hands on this amazing collection for yourself! Just hop over to my Online Shopping Site to get all the goodies you need today! Don't forget orders placed this month can qualify for the mystery hostess drawing at the end of the month to win FREE CTMH goodies of your choice! You can get all the details about this special under the Steals & Deals tab!

   Thanks for checking out my cards this week! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Tuesday Tidbit: Making Ephemera


   Happy Cinco de Mayo to you all! I hope you are enjoying the start of this beautiful Spring month! The weather has been gorgeous up here in Minnesota, but we could use some rain really soon!

   Anyone get a start on their projects this past weekend to celebrate National Scrapbooking Month? I was traveling back from New Orleans this weekend so I didn't get a chance to play yet, but hopefully later today!

   I have a fun Tuesday Tidbit for you today! Today I want to share with you an easy and effective way to use stickers as embellishments on your layouts. I love all the super cute stickers that are on the market! Especially the sticker complements that CTMH has with each of their paper packs. Unfortunately, though, once you stick one down they are difficult to move, change, or layer afterward!

   I want to share with you something that I do when I want to use up some of my complementing stickers! I turn all my stickers into ephemera to make it easier to position them on my project and make it easier to decide how to use them as embellishments! Here's how I make sticker ephemera:

1.) Gather Supplies: Sticker sheets, baby powder, splat mat, and baby wipes!

All the supplies you need for this quick tip!

2.) Pour a small amount of baby powder on your splat mat, and use your finger to apply the baby powder to the back of your stickers.

It can be messy, but it's so fast and easy to do!

3.) Make sure the back of the sticker is completely covered in baby powder so that the sticker loses its "stick" completely.

4.) Do this to all the stickers in the complements set. Then store them in a baggie or their original packaging until you're ready to use them!

All of these Blossom stickers have baby powder on the back. They still have a little tack to them, but just enough to keep them stored on these sheets until I'm ready to use them!

5.) When you're ready to add the ephemera to your project, layer them and place them where you want them. Then add adhesive (I use the CTMH glue pen) or foam tape to the back of the ephemera piece and adhere!

   I do this to all my complement stickers when I receive them with my paper packs! It makes it much easier to project plan and embellish without the commitment of leaving them super sticky! Plus it doesn't take long, and cleans up super easy, too!

Here's my stack of Wanderful ephemera made after unsticking all the stickers from the sheets! It's all ready for layering and embellishing without the hassle of a permanent stick!

   With really sticky stickers, sometimes they will still have a little "stick" to them even after the baby powder is applied. I put these back on the sticker sheets to keep them in place and prevent them from sticking to each other later. You could also use wax paper to help the ephemera from sticking to each other, too!

    That's it! I hope you enjoyed today's Tuesday Tidbit and found it helpful for embellishing your next project! If you have any questions, please let me know! Otherwise, have a great day, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Artwork Spotlight: Jackson Layouts

   Good Morning, everyone! I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday so far! I have some artwork to share with you today to help kick start May's National Scrapbooking celebrations!

   I absolutely fell in love with the Jackson collection in the Seasonal Expressions II Idea Book! The colors, patterns, and amazing images were all a must have for me when I first saw it! I quickly started playing with the Jackson papers, and have already used up my entire WOTG pack, complements, and assortment! Oops!! Guess I might need to get more!! ;)

   Today I want to share with you the two layouts that are demonstrated in the WOTG instructions and kit. These two layouts were super easy and fun to put together, and I cannot wait to put some of my pictures from last year's North Shore trip on these pages! Here are my versions of the WOTG layouts:

This is the main layout featured in the WOTG kit! This layout was made using the Artbooking Cricut cartridge in addition to the Jackson WOTG kit! If you don't have this cartridge yet, that's okay, too! CTMH provides alternate instructions for completing the layout without the Cricut cuts! You can access these instructions on my Online Site under "Workshops On The Go"! I paperclipped my title die-cut to my page so that I can add it later after I add my photos!
This is the alternate layout that you can make using your leftover papers from the WOTG kit! The cutting instructions for this layout can also be found on my Online Site as well! I love the ombre effect stamping that these WOTG layouts taught on a couple of the pieces! It's such a neat technique, and definitely worth checking out!

   The Jackson paper pack is the May paper pack-of-the-month on my blog and in my workshops! If you want to play along and get this amazing collection for yourself, order yours on my Online Site today! I will have lots of additional artwork and tips to share with you as the month goes on! So you don't want to miss out! I hope you enjoyed checking out these layouts from the Jackson WOTG! Have a wonderful first week of May, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Friday, May 1, 2015

Happy May Day!!

   It's already the first day of May! Goodness where is the time going! I'm loving this nice weather we're having this week, though!

   Did you know that today kick starts National Scrapbooking Month?? Yep, and CTMH is celebrating with some amazing steals and deals for you this month!

   I also have an exclusive deal for you to take advantage of during this month of celebration! How does FREE CTMH product sound?

   You can get all the details and information in my monthly newsletter today! You can check it out by clicking the link below:

Candid Correspondence: May Newsletter
What do you think? Pretty awesome month, right?? You can start shopping and taking advantage of these deals now on my Online Site! I also hope that you'll join me May 16th for my "Scrap Your Stash" all day crop! I will have special prizes and projects available to continue the celebrations for National Scrapbooking Month! 

   Have a great start to your month, everyone, and I hope you have a great weekend as well! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!