It's National Scrapbooking Month!!

This year for NSM we have an awesome group of special products called Live Beautifully. First, there's the paper pack containing 16 sheets:  2 each of 6 double-sided designs and 2 each of 2 single-sided gold foil designs.  To coordinate with the paper we have a D-size stamp set.

Finally, the Cut Above Layout Kit is perfect for everyone from the seasoned scrapbooker to the novice. The kit comes by itself or you can bundle it with adhesive, journaling pen and an album. Better yet, the bundle is 20% off retail!! The finished pages, presented in an album, makes a lovely gift for Mom, a graduate or a June bride.

Be sure to check under "Events" for information on all the classes I'm offering using the Live Beautifully products.

New Expressions - New Products

Our new Seasonal Expressions was released January 1, 2017 and will run through April 30, 2017. Products are available while supplies last so get your favorites early, it's hard to guess what will be popular.

This edition offers new products perfect for weddings and babies, including the Hello Lovely Creative Collection, seasonal albums in White, Sea Glass and Pink, card making kits and a new product, Cut Above scrapbooking kits. These are designed with beginners in mind and include pre-cut pieces, memory protectors and instructions for a traditional 2-page layout and a pocket scrapbooking layout. Even better, all the photos are 4x6!

Building on the Fundamentals line, we've added four more sets of Complements including one that's "Springtime" themed. It's always nice to see the bright colors in the middle of winter.  My favorite new collection is "Sugar Rush." 

Each collection is available in a Workshop Your Way Scrapbooking Kit with the optional Card Making add-ons. This one is "Some Kinda Wonderful."

 And of course, you'll find new Cardmaking Kits, Thin Cuts, Stamp Sets and the SOTMs for January -April.

What is your favorite new product? Comment below...

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Studio J progress

I hope you were able to find time to play with Studio J last month. I got my order in just under the wire on Sunday night.  I ordered 29 double page layouts...all from events BEFORE our son's wedding. Now working on the actual wedding and reception pages. Here is one of my layouts...

You'll notice that I used Claire paper, which is retired. This is the paper (stashed, begged and bought) that we used for the invitations and boxes. Even if I had enough paper remaining, Studio J gave me the option of using additional prints from the paper pack that I don't have. The wedding colors were orange, teal and dark blue. I added Lagoon accents throughout to bring in the teal color.

Any of you that know me well, know journaling is neither my strong suit nor my favorite part of scrapbooking. Studio J doesn't let me forget about journaling the way traditional scrapbooking can be "in progress" for years. I could print my pages without journaling, add it later but it's much better (IMO) to do it now and have a cohesive look. Although, here's one of my favorite "cheater" ways of journaling...adding factual information, LOL! You should see some of my vacation pages, you'd get a history lesson from reading about the museums, etc. we visited!

PS...It doesn't work to write posts in a timely fashion if you don't schedule or post them...

PPS...My computer died of alcohol poisoning (not my fault).

Wedding Projects #4

Continuing the wedding projects!

CAKE BOXES

The cake boxes were used as containers for the Candy Bar at the wedding reception. 

Lots of scoring! Fortunately, the cake boxes were made 

after our Score Board came out.  Very helpful!!

The boxes and the flower are both made with Cricut Art Philosophy Collection. 

The boxes were cut at 3, 4 and 5 inches.

The rose maybe have been cut Fit To Page, I can't remember. 

So much easier than the little ones!

I also ended up edging the petals in Sorbet.

Cakes are trimmed with Colonial White Rosette Ribbon (retired).

                                     Here are the cake boxes on the Candy Bar at the reception.
                       One cake had four layers, the other had three. Each layer has nine boxes.
                                      I also cut tags on the Cricut to label the candy containers.

Do you, or someone you know, have a wedding in the future? I'd love to help! Contact me for help with design, assembly, decorations and most importantly, the scrapbook! 

Wedding Projects #3

I made several paper projects for our son's wedding. 

And when I wasn't able to get into the craft room, I was knitting this shawl for the bride.

I gave it to her at the shower.

SHOWER INVITATION

The flower is stamped using the Rock and Roll technique.

Stamp Set:  Girls Rock

Compatible with:  Cricut Art Philosophy Collection

Texture made with Cuttlebug using:  Damask Embossing Folder

Stamp Set:  Card Word Puzzle (retired)

Stamp set:  It's Your Day (retired)

The cute little bird is from Cuddly Salutations B1458, one of our exclusive Hostess stamp sets.

Coming Next:  3-D Cake Boxes

                                    

Wedding Project #2

Continuing with projects from our son's wedding...

REHEARSAL DINNER INVITATION

This time I edged the Claire paper in Outdoor Denim ink. 

Stamp Set:  My Sunshine (retired)

Compatible with:  Cricut Artiste Collection

Stamp Set:  Little Reminder (retired)

Colors are:  Sorbet, Outdoor Denim and Colonial White

For this invitation I used regular printer paper.  Print first, stamp second.

Stamp Sets:  Solo "2" (retired) and

D1497 from the Cricut Art Philosophy Collection

Coming Next:  Shower Invitation and gift

Wedding Projects #1

Our oldest son married his high school sweetheart last month. My next several posts will be the items I made for the wedding.

 THE INVITATION

The monogram for the belly band was cut, then printed and finally stamped. That was probably not the easiest way to do it, but I was conserving paper! ;-)

You may not be able to tell, but the printing is in Outdoor Denim! 

Yes, you can tell your printer to match CTMH colors!! (Ask me how.)

Colors are:  Sorbet, Outdoor Denim and Colonial White

The invitations were mailed in our 5x7 Colonial White envelopes.

The paper pack is Claire. It is retired but I had quite a bit left. Turns out it wasn't enough though. Much thanks to all of my fellow consultants who were willing to give up packs from their stash!!  (One of the many reasons I love this company!) For the scrapbook, I'll be using Studio J. Did you know there are YEARS of retired paper on Studio J?  Currently there are 125 kit options. And, next month (November 2014) the Constant Campaign is a Studio J special!!

Here's the inside. I printed the invitation and enclosures at home on Colonial White, 

then stamped the images in Outdoor Denim ink. I also edged the top enclosure in Sorbet.

Stamp Set:  Hello Tweety (retired)

The film strip on the left was cut using the Cricut Artbooking Collection.

Now, does anyone have any ideas for all of these leftover pieces?

Quite the production!

Next:  Rehearsal Dinner Invitation...