A little Play time

Thanks to the lovely ice storm, I have managed to sneak a little play time in around the constant running with the kids.  This is what I managed to get done, I was hoping to have a card class in February, and I might still if the weather will hold off.  Right now my Layout class that was to be held in January will be held this tuesday Feb 8 6-8pm at the Warren Township community Center. 

Here are the cards I got done during my play time on Tuesday, just so you know the electric went out while I was finishing the last card & I actually put the final touches on it by Cell phone Lite. LOL

When I saw this weeks Mojo Monday sketch #176 I couldn't help but think of tearing the paper and layering it on my card.  Here is the sketch I based all my cards on.

I decided to create my cards using the Sweetheart Paper Pack from Close To My Heart, the colors in the paper pack are Baby pink, Black, Cotton Candy and Tulip. I used the floral Paper from the pack, along with Black, White Daisy and Baby Pink Cardstock, along with Tulip & Black ink.

For my first card I took Black, Baby Pink and White Daisy Cardstock and piled them together, and then started tearing all three at once so the tears would follow the same contour. I then placed them on my card leaving about a half an inch between each layer of cardstock, I did ink the edges of the White Daisy Card stock to set it apart from the base.  I then embellished it with various items I had created.  Other items used, Soul Mates Stamp Set, Dainty Thoughts Stamp Set, CM Heart Punches.  For the stamped images I inked the image up in Tulip ink and them sponged black over it for added effect.

As I was working on the first card I was finding elements that I really didn't care for, so I of course had to create a second card this time I didn't use the Whit Daisy cardstock, I replaced it with the Floral B&T from the Sweetheart Paper pack.  I really liked the effect this layering created.  Stamp Sets Used, Soul Mates, and Dainty Thoughts.  The hearts are inked in tulip and then just the one side of the heart is rolled in the black ink.

Awhile ago I bought the Close To My Heart Clear Acrylic Cards, and had yet to get them out to play with.  While I was working on the tearing and the layering I kept thinking about the clear cards and thought how neat it would have looked with the torn paper on the outside of the card and the whit on the inside.  So I layered my 3 peices of paper to tear when I remembered we would need a matching piece on the inside of the card also so I added a piece of white daisy cardstock to my pile and tore away.  This is my final result.

  

The front of the clear card
Stamp Set Used Adorning Corners
Embelishments: Just Blooms Paper flowers White Daisy Variety Pack & Spring Blossom
Licorice Opaques Adhesive Gems.

Clear Card inside
Stamp Sets used: Adorning Corners, & True Friends

This card is definately my favorite card.  I love how it came together, but I still wanted a card that would be an inexpensive demo for me to teach at a card class, so I headed back to the drawing board and came up with my next card. 

Stamp Sets Used: Adorning corners, and Gracious Greetings

This was my last card of the night, as I had to stamp the Happy Birthday and adhere the flower on by Cell phone light.  My cell phone was the only light I had near me when the power went out and I definately didn't want to kill my Mojo until the card was complete so I opened my phone inked up my stamp and stamped away, then put adrop of liquid glass on the flower and placed it in the desired location.  Then I went looking for the flash lights, and other power outage items we would need for the night.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to play since as we had no electric for 46 hours, and the time since has been spent playing catch up on the laundry, watching the boys wrestle, grocery shopping and trying to get my self healthy as I have picked up a nasty bug in the process.

It's Wrestling Season!!!!!!!

Hi all in Blog Land, Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  Things have been a little crazy here, After holidays the boys wrestling teams have been going full tilt.  So every weekend for the last 2 and the next 5 consist of me sitting at all day wrestling tournaments supporting and cheering on the boys.  And Taking lots of Pictures, Last weekend I took over 600 at the Beallsville Invitational :-). Now to find to get them in a scrapbook before Robbie graduates in  May.

 Here are the highlights of the last couple of weekends.



After entering the Stitchco Tournament in Coshocton with
a record of 1-8., Robbie pulled off the upset of the weekend
and placed Second in the 215 weight class
Of course that was the day I forgot my Camera so I had to use my cell phone.



Robbie with his Second Place medal
After Stitchco His record was 6-11

Robbie wrestling a kid from Shadyside in the Championship Round at
the Beallville Invitational

Robbie wrestling a kid from Shadyside in the Championship Round at
the Beallville Invitational
He had 5 pins on the day, Including the one to beat this kid and
Win the 215 weight class

Robbie Getting his 1st place plaque,
When we were done with pictures he went
down the line and congratulated all the boys
In case you can't tell from the picture they handed theplaques
out immediately after the first place match.

Not only Did Robbie get 5 pins on the day but the Tusky Valley Varsity Team
Brought home the first place trophy.

Robbie and Dani win his 1st place plaque
He is now 11-12, and in the month of January
his record is 10-4 not bad. 

Tony wrestling Garaway



Tony on his way to a win.  He won 7-4



Tony Pinning his kid from Manchester in 29 seconds
His Record is now 6-7

Scrapbooking Class at Warren Twp Community Center Is PostPoned

The Scrapbooking class that was to be tonight from 6-8pm has been moved to next Tues Jan 18 at the same time, due to the weather.

Come join us next week.

Another Completed layout

I just finished the layout I am planning on using for my January Classes.  On the layout I have also included an additional embellishment, Inspired by Tracey Mason's Rolled paper roses which can be found here, http://tmasonstudio.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-09-14T10%3A38%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=7   





This is only the second page from our wedding that I have gotten done. 
Guess I better get hopping, maybe our wedding album will be done before our 10th aniversary



Left page

Right side


I had a blast making these flowers.  They all started out as Colonial white cardstock,  For the really dark Vineyard Berry roses I rubbed my ink pad all over the square before I cut it to get my color effect.  I then Sponged the edges after I had cut the paper.  The lighter Roses where first lightly colored using the stipple brush, and then after cutting I sponged all the edges with Vineyard Berry.  The leaves are Sweet Leaf Cardstock folded & then punched using only a corner of my CM heart punch.

Light colored flower, used stipple brush on Colonial White cardstockto give it a hit of color
then sponged the edges after it had been cut 

Dark Vineyard Berry Rose, was rubbed over with the ink pad, and
then the edges where sponged after it was cut.

Scrapbooking Class at Warren Twp Community Center

Do you want to learn how to scrapbook your favorite photos? Plus learn a few techniques that add that WOW factor to your layouts.

Come to my scrapbooking class on Tues. January 11, from 6-8 pm at the Warren Township Community Center. Cost is $5.00

For more info contact Jennifer Smith @ 330-364-3640 or e-mail scrappinjenn@hotmail.com

or Portia King at the Warren Twp Community Center.

Class size limited, so make your reservation early.
 
This is the Layout you will be making.



By completing this layout you will learn a small sampling of Techniques.
Techniques are as follows:
- Using Stipple brush to add color & texture to your paper

- Ink disstressing
- Second Generation Stamping
- Rock and Roll Technique
- Masking
- Making a hiden journal box

   
Now for a Close up of the individual pages:
 

Left Side Page

Right page

Products Used: (All CTMH unless otherwise stated)
Wings Bulk Paper Pack, Vineyard Berry, Sweet Leaf & Colonial White Cardstock
Soul Mates Stamp Set, Large Friendship alphabet
Vineyard Berry Ink, Stipple Brush, Post-It note for masking. Colonial White Grosgrain ribbon from Mini Medley.  Heart Brads from Jo-ann's but they will be replaced with the CTMH Black Button Brads when I get them.  The layout is from Imagine it is "Swing Rhythm" on page 112.
 
I have actually finished this layout  and will post later with Pictures and a few more hand made embellishments.

No Peeking Edition #3 (Mom I know you have already looked :-)

Ok this is the last gift I have done and ready for the H2H challenge.  This is a 6x6 accordian album completed using the Mistletoe Level 1 kit.  I got this Idea from several ladies on the Close  To My Heart Consultant Bulletin Boards, sorry girls I don't remember exactly who you all, but THANKS A MILLION.  This is an album from our Christmas in 2008 when we spent it in the cabin in Tennessee.  It is a gift for my mother-in-law.  Though I like it so much I think I am going to have to recreate it again for me.




 


The inside pages

Front & Back Cover with center pages



The Front cover.  the picture is of an old rake that they have sitting in front of
the cabin with a wreath on it.  Ken remembers having to ride on the seat when making hay.
I only have several pictures of the rake, I take a dozen or so everytime we are there.




This is the first pages.  It shows how my In-Laws had the cabin decorated when we got there.

 




The second set of pages.




the back cover





The center back pages.

 This project came together really quickly.  I did in all the white edges of the album in New England Ivy Ink.  I used the Mistletoe level 1 kit and cut the base pages into 6x6 squares.  Then played around with my pictures and decide on my order. Then went through and double matted all my pictures.  I also matted all the MyStickEase onto at least one sheet of cardstock for dimension and cut out.  The funnest part was Creating the Merry Christmas "M" and the Packages and Holly Embellishments.  For these I stamped the image in New England Ivy on my base  and cut out (for the Merry Christmas I didn't cut it out.)  I then stamped the image again on the Cranberry side of the snowflake B&T, I used New England Ivy for the M and Cranberry for the rest.  I then cut them out (yes I am insane when it comes to fine cutting I enjoy doing it).  Then I paper Pieced the Cranberry over top the same image on the base.  Of course for the Gifts and Holly I thought they needed a little more dimension so i mounted them on Colonial White Cardstock and Cut them out again.  Did I mention that the fine cutting for me is relaxing?  Here is a close up ofthe gift & holly.

Close up of the gifts

Close up of the Holly

Materials Used all CTMH unless otherwise noted:  Mistletoe Level 1 Paper pack and My Stickease.  St. Nick  Stamp Set, Cranberry, New England Ivy, Colonial White Card Stock, Mistletoe Level 2 Assortment, CTMH Cranberry Ribbon, Gold Ribbon I had in my stash, Foam Tape.

Hope you enjoyed viewing all the gifts I have made so far.  Now it is time to hurry back to my craft room to make more wonderful items.  Please feel free to leave a comment.  

No Peekiing Edition #2 (Mom I know you are tempted to take a peek:-)

Okay so I said I managed to get several projects started in Tennessee over Thanksgiving.  Well thanks to Wrestling I not had much time to complete what I had started up until today when my totally full calender was totally cleared off by 10am.  I started the day out with taking Jimmy to the high school to catch the bus for his wrestling match today at 6:15 AM.  Then I came back home and tried to catch another hour's sleep before I left  to go to the match.  The day was to be full, cause I had to leave Jimmy's match at 4:00pm to go home and get ready for a card class at 6:00 pm.  Robbie, Dani & I left for the Wrestling tournament at 8:30 which would get us up to the meet by the 9:00 am start time.  Well thanks to my son thinking he knew a short cut to get there we ended up arriving about 15 minutes late.  As I pulled into the school my phone rang and it was my upline Karen calling to let me know that we were going to have to cancel our card class for the evening.  Whew, now I could spend the day watching Jimmy wrestle and not have to worry about having to leave before he was done.  So we go into the match Robbie and Dani pay to get in while I am still talking on the phone to Karen.  The kids go on in and find Jimmy, only to come immediately back out to tell me that they had a full bracket in Jimmy's weight class with no room for alternates (Jimmy had lost his wrestle off) so Jimmy wasn't wrestling today.  Now we kindly ask the lady taking money if Robbie and Dani can have a refund and we collect Jimmy and head home.  Whew my once Overloaded schedule has now become a free day for Mom.  So of course when I get home I immediately call Karen and we set up a playdate for the afternoon.  I quickly pack my bags and run off to have several hours of kids free paper therapy.  YEEHAW.

One of the projects I had started when I was in Tennessee was to cut up a Notebook Level One kit I had gotten when I first became a consultant 2 years ago.  I had taken this kit out of it's bag several times over the years but never could quite seem to be able to get pictures on it.  I have no clue what it is about Level 1's but I have a very hard time using them to complete pages.  On the Close To My Heart  Bulletin Boards lately some of the very talented consultants have been posting some awesome 6x6 mini My Creations Memory Showcase Accordian Albums and cards made from Level 1 kits, forgive me ladies I have forgotten who all you were.  These  projects inspired my next set of gifts that I have created.

Shhhhh Don't tell them but this is what my Mom and Mother In Law
are getting for  Christmas.

No you are not seeing double, I have created 2 very similar wall hanging for my Mother and MIL.  My Idea started with me cutting up my Notebook Level 1 Paper into 6 inch squares.  I them adhered them to some 6x6 chipboard I had laying around, and since I had 4 pieces of chipboard & Level 1 combo's, and 4 sons I decided to make a wall hanging using some current pictures I had taken of the boys.  Robbie's picture is one of his Sr. Pict's I had taken in October and the other 3 boys are pictures I took in TN over Thanksgiving.  This particulare pattern sheet from the level one looked really good when I alternated the sides the Black was on when laying out the wall hanging.  This project came together really easily as all I had to do was distress all the edges of the Level 1 paper with Desert Sand, then cut my Colonial White and Crystal Blue Mats, Distress the Crystal Blue mats with Crystal Blue ink, and Stamp out each boys' name using "The Works" Stamp Set & Desert Sand Ink.  Once that was done I adhered it all together, punched my holes with a crop-a-dile and then they were ready to assemble.  I couldn't decide on how to connect the 4 boards, as our boys aren't ribbon type of guys and the twill was too big for my holes.  I then thought of the leather lace Ken uses to braid hatbands.  It was perfect, plus it added to the rustic feel the distressed Black and Bamboo cardstock provided,   Of course once I got the first one together I just had to create another one using the exact same pattern, as I loved how well the boys pictures looked with this paper.  My initial plan was use 2 different Level 1's to clean them out of my stash.  Now for my problem, I only had 1 Notebook Level 1 paper pack, and it is not longer available for purchase, not to mention the fact that I was on a roll and wanted the second one done now.  So I decided to recreated the pattern using Bamboo, & Black Cardstock, and a piece of Crystal Blue B&T from the Notebook Level 2 kit.  I sanded the Bamboo & Black cardstock so some of the white was showing like the Level 1 was, I then used a slightly different B&T for the Crystal Blue strip as I no longer had the original pattern used (it was my favorite).  I measured and assembled the second one not quite as quickly but almost as quickly as the first and unless you look closely you can't tell that I didn't use the exact same paper on each.

This is a Picture of Robbie our Oldest.
this one was made using the Notebook Level 1 kit.

And this is the one in which I had to recreate the look and feel of the Level 1 kit
using Cardstock and B&T.  It is really hard to tell the difference. 

And so the rest don't feel left out here is a close up of each of their blocks, from the Level 1 kit.

Jimmy Son #2

Tony Son #3

Dillon our Baby

I still have a couple gifts to show you.  But it is getting late and I have to keep Mom in suspense a little while longer as I know she will not heed my warnings and will have read this post before Christmas. LOL  Mom just act surprised on Christmas when you open your gifts.LOL  Love ya.