Close To My Heart

So I've been thinking for awhile now about becoming a Close to My Heart consultant.  I've never really been a consultant before for anything ,other than a short stint with Avon and I mostly bought for myself.  I'm finally taking the plunge!  A lot of things are changing at CTMH, so now's the best time to sign up.  They have a lot of classes to take on-line that shows how to work the business and how to make different items with the many stamps, inks and papers that they have available.  I can't wait to start learning all about them, although I know quite a lot already having learned about them well over a year ago.   Keep watch, I'll post about them soon.  I just signed up tonight!

I made this tile last year as a good bye (moved away) gift to a friend.  It is a ceramic tile stamped with a CTMH stamp of the month set, using staz-on ink to make it permanent.  I also warmed this tile in the oven to try to insure that it stayed permanent.  Because the tile was ceramic, the stamps smeared easily while stamping.  Since staz-on takes a little bit to dry on this surface, I was able to wipe off the goofs (about 3-4 times).  I also recommend having staz-on remover close at hand also.  To finish it off, I glued ribbon around the edge.  I included an easel to display it, but this would also make a nice coffee mug coaster.  Enjoy!

Framed Sentiments

A friend and I got together to make up some framed sentiment projects to see what we could come up with for a women's get together.  This is what we came up with.  The stamp set is Close to My heart and  came with 3 different  flower designs.   I tried to stamp out and color a daisy image, but the markers we were using made it look to color bookish, so I ended up making the calla lilies like my friend did.  I used a different ink, marker and phrase than she did.  I always have to be different !  Here it is!

Mine is the one on the right.  I liked the paper so much, that I didn't want to cover too much of it up when I put a coordinating paper behind the stamped image, so I trimmed it really close, maybe a little too much when you compare it to my friend's, but by itself, I like it.  I like how the calla lilies are softer on the frame to the left, but using the darker ink like I used makes them pop more too.  They both work.  These frames are 4" x 6".

Click on images to enlarge them. 

My husband gave me this stamp set for my birthday, so I made him this stamped sentiment for his birthday.  the sentiment is a quote from Helen Keller, so wise she was.  This frame is 5" X 7"

So I was on a role with these stamped sentiment projects and made this one to let the women know they could use other stamps than the flowers.  I had the paper already in my stash from a paper pack.  I really like how the writing on the background paper coordinates with the scroll cross and sentiment.  The frame is 5" X 7". 

Enjoy!

Christmas Card Swap 2009

Here is the Christmas card I made and sent to Vjkats from the HGTV Holiday crafts message boards.

Front of card

Inside of card.

Hidden pocket with ornament

The ornament (two sided)

The sentiment

Happy Halloween

This one was made by my friend Christina. (I just had to post a pic!)

Check out Jeanette's post on October 19th. (www.jeanettelynton.com) She made a really cool project into some paper pumpkins with clay pots as a base. Awesome, I'll be making these sometime soon and then I'll post pics. Have a fun and safe Halloween!!!

Cold and Snowy Day

Last night I made a card before heading to bed and it turned out OK. Here is last's night card. I wanted to try it out before making it with my friend. I also tried putting a couple of necklaces together, really simple ones. All I did was add a pendant to some pre-made chains. One I liked, the other needs some more details to it. I should know better than to start a project when I should be going to bed.

Today I woke up to the weather being cold, windy and with a light dusting of snow. A good day for staying inside and being creative. This afternoon I got together with my friend Christina to put together card kits for an upcoming card workshop. Then we both made a version of that card as samples for the women to have an idea as to what the are making. I forgot to take a picture of the cards though!!! Grrr!! I probably won't see this card again 'til the 7th of November so I'll have to post a pic then. Card making is becoming more and more exciting to me, but every time I find a craft that I want to make and try to sell, I soon talk myself out of it, telling myself that the items are not really good enough to sell, and then I never follow through with doing the research needed to find out if I could sell my stuff. OR I buy enough materials in order to make many many multiples of something, and then never sit down and do them. I'm so easily distracted. So here I sit with faint ideas of making and selling cards, along with the many other Christmas ornaments that I love creating. Anyone else have the same struggles?