One Design, 3 Cards

Well, Valentine's Day has come and gone and I still have partially made cards from last year and the year before. MAYBE, just maybe, I can get them all done this year and out in the mail ON TIME next year! 

But I did get 3 cards from my December workshop finished. These were all made using the December Close To My Heart Stamp Of The Month, D1445I Amore. My actual workshop card was like the one in the center--great for engagement, wedding, anniversary, or just I love you. This set is no longer available (see next paragraph) and I have a friend who LOVES flamingos so I changed the greeting on two of them using Stampin Up set #123057 Valentine Definied. I love both CTMH and Stampin Up, but chose to represent CTMH because I like them better and I find CTMH to be more innovative. Both companies produce a good quality product, I host regular parties for my friend Sue, and you'll find both products in my house. If you want the Stampin Up set--click the stamp set name and get it quickly, it's a Sale-A-Bration set. The link I have provided will take you to my friend and supplier's website, Sue Kempter-Miller. I'm not getting a kick-back on this, I just like recommending good, honest people and Sue is about as good as they get!

One more note, for the flowers on the two side cards, I used our new Spray pens, Create-A-Shade Pearl Paint, Reinker of Choice, and regular tap water to make my own glimmermist/gimmer spray. You get 3 spray pens for $3.95, the paint is $2.95, and the reinkers are $4.25. I'm hooked on the stuff. It is so easy, inexpensive, and turns out great. The specific recipe is listed on the cardstock insert the comes with the spray pens. For the flowers, I mixed up a batch using Sky and a batch using Vineyard Berry. I sprayed the flowers first with Sky and then a light spritz of Vineyard Berry. You can't tell that they're sprayed with two colors but it sure adds a bit of dimension to the flowers. In the meantime, I'm slowly building my supply of pens. Teresa is our group hostess next month; another set of pens will be on my order!

Products Used  (Stamp sets are listed and explained above.)

X7127B Magnifique Level 2 Paper Pack

X5761 Sky 12 x 12 Cardstock

1248 Vineyard Berry 12 x 12 Cardstock

Exclusive Inks

    Z2194 Sky Stamp Pad (Background "love" is stamped on the Sky cardstock with Sky ink.)

    Z2294 Sky Reinker

    Z2157 Vineyard Berry Pad (Used to distress and sponge cardstock and paper edges.)

Z891 VersaMark pad (used for embossing)

Z1102 Colonial White 3/8" wide bulk Grosgrain Ribbon

Z1327 Sparkles, Blue & Green Assortment

Z697 Sponge

Z1039 Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint

Z678 Silver Embossing Powder

Z1380 Spray Pen

Z555 Craft Heater

1764 Craft Tray (For pouring embossing powder back into the jar)

Z1382 Tweezers (These keep you from burning your fingers when heat embossing.)

Z534 Micro-Tip Scissors (The BEST scissors for detail cutting.)

The ribbon slide is a discontinued product that I had on hand.

Avon--What a Great Company

So I went to the Avon Believe World Tour last week and had a wonderful time. I remember taking baths in the original Skin So Soft as a kid and wearing Platinum  colored Avon lipstick (I know, I'm dating myself here). I used to be an Avon rep years ago, but never thought much about it. Now, I'm more serious about it. Going to this event was the best great. I learned stuff about the company I never knew. It was started by a man. It is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, there is one consultant who has been with the company 70 years!

Avon has multiple celebrity spokespersons. Patrick Dempsy is one who was at the event. Others spoke via recorded messages. They represent Avon because it is a company that actively fights against breast cancer and domestic violence, while promoting women. Patrick Dempsey's mother has had 5 bouts of cancer, including ovarian cancer and is still alive. Here is a photo of our Chairman/CEO is Andrea Jung--what a beautiful woman.

She too has been affected by breast cancer as she shared that her mother and grandmother both have had this dreadful disease. So with each purchase y'all make, you help avon build centers and fight this dreadful disease.

AVON



This is the company that puts mascara on lashes and food on tables…

That fights wrinkles with one hand and Breast Cancer with the other…

That knows the value of a perfect lip,

 but still opens its mouth and speaks out against

Domestic Violence and for Women's Financial Independence...

This is the company that not only brings beauty to doors, but also opens them…

The company that supports 6 million Representatives in over 100 countries…

This is AVON.

The company, that for 125 years,

has stood for

beauty, innovation, optimism and above all

for women.

Our First Club Workshop Calendar Page

I've made one little change . . . when I signed up with Avon, they assigned my website address so it didn't have my "MKP." I wrote and begged and they changed it! My new Avon website address is http://mkp.avonrepresentative.com/.

I hold monthly club workshops. My club members commit to monthly purchases for one year, get projects, are hostess one month of the year, and get 20% off their purchases during their birthday month. For February, They purchased the Wings Workshop on the go (I will post that later) and we made the two pages, I sent them home with homework--to make the cards, and then I provided supplies, using the gorgeous Magnifique papers, to make our first calendar page. For those who don't want a calendar, it will work as a 12 x 12 page. Close To My Heart has a top, spiral-bound 12 x 12 calendar for $7.95. This is a bargain for those who want to make the calendar. For the months, we can stamp them, or us Silhouette, Cricut, or even Sizzix or Quickutz dies.

My page was inspired by CTMH's Book Magic. It is page 70, layout: "Ta-Da!" The book provides tips, layouts, ideas, cutting dimensions AND layout patterns for 35 12 x 12 kinetic layouts. BUT they have made the book so that they can be standard layouts or those that are movable, with pop-ups, slides, etc. It is really a clever book with lots of detailed, colored photos accompanying the directions.

My large bird was stamped on Sky cardstock with Lagoon Ink, then before stamping, the image was rolled in Vineyard Berry ink. Because you can't roll in all areas, I used a Sponge Dauber to ink those edges. Then it was cut out and I used a sponge to brush the edges with Vineyard Berry ink providing more depth to the image. Both Large an small images were affixed to the page with the body flat and the wings and tails popped up with foam tape. 

The little birds were punched out of some old copper colored paper I had from Hero Arts, using a Martha Stewart punch.

There was a shadow of the person taking a photo on the lower right corner of the photo--by the date. I stamped a swirl on photo twice to sort of hide it. It does a much better job of hiding in person. Just remember that you can ink edges or stamp on photos with our Exclusive Inks as long as you let them dry before handling them.

 

There is a hidden journaling tag behind the photo on the left. A few tips--my buttons are clear buttons. I ran my Background and Texture Paper through Xyron so the adhesive would be on the design side. Then we cut little squares out, put the design side next to the button and just trimmed excess off--super fast and easy. You can't even tell that the cut isn't even. Then the bracket--we've used that before. I run Background and Texture Paper through Xyron and attach it to Cardstock. I stamp the bracket on my cardstock and then trim. The stamped image just provides the cutting diagram. The cardstock provides stability so that I can pop it up on foam tape so that it looks like a cardstock image.

PRODUCTS USED

X7127B Magnifique Level 2 Paper Pack $12.95
D1438 Circle of Love My Acrylix Stamp Set $22.95 (big peacock in top left and photo swirl)
D1452 Find Your Style, January Stamp of the Month. (SOM's are available on a sliding scale--email me for more info.)
My bracket stamp is discontinued, but check out C1399 On the Edge $18.95
Z1391 Clear Button Assortment $5.95
Z697 Sponge $1.25
Z726 Sponge Dauber $3.95
Exclusive Inks Stamp Pads $5.95/ea
   Z2157 Vineyard Berry     Z2192 Pacifica     Z2195 Lagoon
The Foundry Tabs (on Journaling Tag) have been discontinued
The polka dot ribbon are old, discontinued CTMH products--see how nice even discontinued products coordinate!
Old Hero Arts Copper paper
Martha Stewart Bird Punch

Mini Accordion Album--January Club Project

Time to post a project! This is what my monthly club members made in January. We each purchased a Level 1 Kit and used it to make Accordion Mini Albums. I used the Magnifique set and made this album for an online friend who was just blessed with her first grandbaby.

I have listed item numbers and prices for Close To My Heart products, below. I did use some brand X that I had on hand and identified them when possible. You may search for and look at CTMH products or purchase them at MKP.MyCTMH.com.

Coming Soon . . . February projects: Wings and January 2012 Calendar Page.

Products Used

X7127A Magnifique Level 1 Kit $9.95: This includes preprinted pages, Stickease, as well as coordinating cardstock and background and texture papers.
D1470 Dreams Come True (Set of 16 My Acrylix Stamp Set) $22.95--big flourish on front
Z1196 My Creations Memory Showcase, accordion-style 6x6 album
Z1276 Colonial White Mini-Medley Accents Collection
Z1327 Blue & Green Sparkles Assortment $2.95 (108 assorted-sized, self-adhesive gemstones)
i-Rock Hot Rox (Crystal heat setting tool and gemstones)
Misc. Ribbons and Stickers
Stampin Up Button on front
Stampin Up Tag punch
Marvy Scalloped Heart Punch
Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch

Roses in January . . . are you crazy???

I'm not, but the weather is. We have had great weather. Some rain, but mild temperatues. Temperatures have been running in the mid-70s. Ray just installed a 17" tall toilet for me in our bathroom and spruced it up a bit. He hasn't had time to trim the roses and trees. We looked out the window and saw the peach tree in full bloom. On his recommendation, I went to get a picture to share. When I was out there, I saw 3 roses, just amazing for January!

The past year has been a rough one. The back yard has been a source of joy for me. When I've been down in the dumps, I can look out there and see lots of roses, and other flowers, fruit trees, palm trees, Bird of Paradise, a pretty bird bath from Robert and Jessica, and birds too! Problems, health issues, and what seems to be a gazillion doctor apointments can be overwhelming. Sometimes looking in the back and watching the birds in my back yard helps by reminding me of Matthew 6:26:

26 Look at the birds of the air;

they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,

and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (NCV)

   

Who I Live With

It's a cold, grey day in Sunny CA. While we need the water, I'm ready for our sunshine to be back. In the meantime, here is a picture of my husband Ray and me. He is amazing and can do anything. Right now he is remodeling our bathroom. It will be so nice when it is finished.



The rest of our house is shared with our furkids!

Daisy Dog--she is 14 1/2 and going strong. She has mellowed so much with age, but is still our big protector. Our granddaughter and I put bows on her whenever we find one that will stick to her collar well. 

Next is Quincy Jefferson. He is such a love bug, just the sweetest guy. He is about 6 years old and is a double dapple doxie. We loved his coloring and the fact that my friend Susan (photo with me on left) has his dad. His mom's name is Cocoa and she belongs to Susan's daugheter's mother-in-law. Both mom and dad are great dogs. When I looked double dapples up, I called and told her not to breed the two dapples again. They were lucky with the dogs they got. You can read about them here. Double Dapple Doxie Information

Our newest is Lucy Belle, part wire-haired doxie, aka fuzzbucket! About 1 1/2 year ago, my husband made me go to the swap meet with him. My granddaughter saw puppies in the back of a pickup. We knew Daisy was aging and wanted a buddy for Quincy before she passed on. Our granddaughter instantly picked Lucy Belle. Little did my husband know Daisy would still be hanging in there. Seriously we're all glad. One other thing, I don't think I will ever have just one doxie. It is so much fun to see the two of them together. They are funnier than any comedy on TV. It is just a blast to watch the them!

I am so NOT computer saavy!

Something I've always wanted to do is take a picture a day. I even remembered to start that this year. So tonight I decided I would update my Blog and share my Picture-a-Day photos. My computer ate them, including my Christmas photos! Oh well, it wasn't meant to be I guess. One less thing to scrap.

I have a monthly group of ladies who meet, In the past, as majority wanted, we made 4-5 cards. The majority now wants to incorporate cards as well. Personally, I was bored with the cards we were making so I'm ready to step things up a notch. I tested this out with my October and November groups and it went well. My December group was thrilled with the new format. (I will share that project on another day. I'm making it for a non-scrapper and just received some of the photos today.) But I do have a card from November that I can share with.

First: The pattern is from Stars & Stamps, Operation Write Home. It is the Trifold Shutter Card tutorial. They have a fantastic handout that you can print complete with dimensions. I just changed a few of them; it was easy to make the adjustments I needed for my card.

This was made using the CTMH Olivia Workshop On The Go (WOTG). The WOTGs are great. You get a paper pack, an exclusive stamp set that goes with the papers, an embellishment, a multi-page/multi colored brochure filled with instructions (including all dimensions) and tips to make cards and scrapbook pages using all elements within the kit. Everything matches and it's all ready to go in one spot, making your projects faster, simpler, and easier!

On the center greeting . . . the one with the green button in the top, left corner, you will notice that the greeting is stamped on a neutral paper, while the back side has a design. For this effect, I just cut out two pieces of paper out, the same size: a neutral-colored Cardstock (CS) and a Background and Texture (B&T)paper. Then I glued the two together. Not only does it give the nice pattern on the back side when the edges are distressed, but it also adds thickness to the B & T paper and I think makes it easier to work with.  

I also used the Stamp of the Month (SOM) for November, "A Little Thanks." A SOM set is only available during a specified month; if you like the set, get it while it is available. The best part is during their month, you can get them at a discounted price or even free with a qualifying purchase. You can read more details about this program and the current SOM at my Website. Just select the top, square box on the right--that's the spot for the current Stamp Of The Month.