Album Club- starting up in Sept.

Complete a 12 page consultant quality 12 x 12 album in just 6 evenings! Here’s how…
WHO: 6 person minimum (you and 5 friends)
WHEN: At your house or mine, meeting once every other month  for 12 months or every month for 6
COST: For the first month, you just purchase the album ($24.95 + shipping and tax)- I’ll cover the cost of all 12 page protectors and the first 2 layouts, for a total of 4 pages. At the next 5 meetings, we’ll create 2 layouts (4 pgs.) for $15 per meeting. If for whatever reason you can’t attend that month, I’ll assemble the layouts for you and hold them until the next month for an additional $5.
BENEFITS:
· You’re not stuck with leftovers you never intend to use
· You’re not required to make minimum purchases
· Everything is designed, pre-cut and ready to go
· It’s scheduled craft time for you!
· I use all the latest techniques and trends, which you could pay $50-100 for as classes at retail stores
· The layouts and themes are customized to you and your friends’ interests
· You have a completed album in record time and right around $100- a steal!
** You do not have to live locally to participate. I can send you the kit with everything you need with the exception of the stamp set and I’ll even split the extra shipping with you.
Here’s a layout we did in another club just to show you what to expect.

Let me know if you’re interested, and TFL!!

Thriller Card

This is the card my team will be making-n-taking at our Team Fancy meeting this weekend.  It’s using CTMH’s Sept. stamp-of-the-month stamp set “Thriller.”  I was absolutely stoked about the shout-out to Michael Jackson.

Cool lil’ tidbit:  I’m featured in the sample art for this stamp set in the new Fall/Winter 2010  idea book.  I’m the pirate on the right with my sister in the middle and my mom on the left.  Pretty cool to see your face in the catalog, even if it is snarl…

I based  Thriller on the card below that  my friend Amy posted on her blog.  She’s a wicked awesome artist and would love for you to stop by. 


Thriller card supplies:
6x12” white cardstock
Thriller stamp set- CTMH D1442
6x4” Lagoon cardstock
6x2” striped B&T paper from Hooligan paper pack
black ink
black embossing powder
embossing ink pad
Black grosgrain ribbon
distresser and sponge
5 x 1 1/4” Pear cardstock
5x2” Haha B&T paper from Hooligan
3” purple swirly B&T paper from Hooligan
3 1/4” circle black cardstock
white paper for stamping
3D foam squares to pop up the skull
Licorice opaques
black stickles optional

Notes:
1.  You can pretty much follow the sketch t0 piece together the card, but I will say this- distress the pieces, THEN ink them.  CTMH cardstock has a white core, so we want to turn it black with ink AFTER distressing.
2.  You’ll actually be embossing the skull image twice, once for the purple background, and once to cut out the skull and pop it up.
If you have any questions, leave me a comment!  : )

Scrapbooking Clearance Sale!

SAAAAAAAALE!!!!

WHO:  Anyone!  Yes, mom, even you...
WHAT:  $2 stickease, $4 level 1 kits, $6 level 2 paper packs (Current GOOD stuff!!)  For a list of what's available with pictures, click here.
WHEN:  Wed. Aug. 4th, starting at 11:00 am, lasting for 8 days or while supplies last (the cutest stuff will  run out fast!)
WHERE:  Only on my website- click on "$2, $4, $6, for 8 Who Do We Appreciate?" on the left

HAPPY SHOPPING, YA'LL!

Bra and Panties card

    My favorite card EVER!  I received one like it in a card swap at the CTMH convention, and unfortunately, I no longer have the business card of the brilliant artiste who created it.  However, a friend pointed out that if you google "bra and panties card," there are literally tons of variations online.  This Cherry-O set is my version.  (Yes, I'm using Cherry-O again.  When you buy it in bulk, you kind of have to use it...)

    The best part about this card is that it allows you to break out those shaped scissors that never get any action.  I used scalloped scissors on the reverse side to create the edgy lace.  You can't see my bow made from matching tulip organdy right at the cleavage, but the straps are made from the same ribbon.  Choosing a paper pack that you have a coordinating stamp set for helps for the tuckus tattoo, but not necessary.  One version I saw online uses black swirlies as a "tramp stamp," a lower back tattoo just above the panties.

     So what do you do with such a risque card??  Lots!  Bridal shower, bachelorette party, "slumber" party invites (ya'll know what I'm talking about, heh-heh...), congratulations on your boob job, hey, you lost 50 lbs. and look great, whatever.  I'm sure there are other uses that I'm just too sun-spun from Hershey Park to think up right now.  But enjoy the card, and please feel free to post your version!

Riding High!

    
     Both my husband and father-in-law are 6'3-4" ish, giants to our little ones.  So here are two of the girls getting a birds' eye view of Hershey Park in 2008.  Since it won't be long before my now 7 year-old will be looking me in the eye, it would be neat to recreate this photo with her gangly legs hanging down my husband's chest.  We're actually on our way there tomorrow, but my father-in-law is currently RVing his way to Wisconsin.  I guess I'll have to step up...  : )

The Infamous Snack Bowl

   
 We all have one of those huge, space-hogging punch bowls, lying in wait for a baby shower or retirement party.  Put it to good use already!  Whenever we go to Costco and load up on a cubic yard of goldfish and pretzels, I come home and divvy it up into snack bags.  Throw in some granola bars, dried fruit, and leftover parade candy, and you've got THE INFAMOUS SNACK BOWL!!

Why we LOVE the snack bowl:

-  First and foremost, kids can help pack their own lunches.  They grab a fruit, juicebox, and snack by themselves.

-  DIY 100 calorie snack packs for mommy.

-  Snacks stay fresher longer.

-  No more 5 pairs of grubby hands sharing germs in the bottom of a chip bag.

-  No one will eat the last little bit of cereal in the box, but put it in a snack bag and they fight over it.

-  No storage issues for huge bags of chips.

-  Far fewer crumbs and spills on the floor.

-  Portion control for the kids.

-  I don't refill it until its mostly empty so nothing goes to waste.

-  Although its not very "green," we reuse snack bags whenever possible.

-  VERY easy to grab-n-go on the way out the door.  Throw a couple in the purse to avoid meltdowns.

Family Recipe Box, Cherry-O!

Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb and assume my 22 year-old sister, Julia, doesn't read my blog.  This is her graduation gift (George Mason, class of '10), and I haven't given it to her yet.  When my brother graduated from VT a couple years ago, I made him a 5x7 album including a recipe from and picture of each family member that chose to participate (don't leave out the kids in the family).  Then I realized a recipe box would be easier to add to.  This decorable magnetic-closing recipe box, Cherry-O paper pack, ribbon and embellishments are available from Close to My Heart.  I cut the letters out on my cricut, covered them with paper, inked the edges and covered each with liquid glass (also available at CTMH) to give them a glossy 3-D feel.

The beauty of this fun project is its simplicity.  I bought this coordinating set of Cherry-O recipe cards already printed "scrappy style," and they come with stickease and dividers.  I just slapped on a sticker and a matted photo and I was done!  (Your gift receiver does not need to know how easy it was.)

Practical tips:
-  Because you hope that this will actually be used in a real kitchen, I recommend sliding each card into a sealable cellophane bag for protection.  Clear Bags seriously has any size you need.
-  And secondly, I am going to attach a decorated clothes pin to the back of the box to hold the card up where the chef can read it.