BE STILL...SWIRLYDOOS

I've found the greatest little store that I just love...SWIRLYDOO'S . You have to check them out.  They offer monthly kits that they have such an eye for putting together various manufactures products that really lend themselves to artistic projects.  They have tutorials and a gallery that is sure to give you tons of inspiration...Here is one of the four layouts I did over the weekend. 

The three larger flowers were all made by hand...and I love the overall look.  I also did some major water distressing to my paper and just think the overall effect is great. Some of the products I used for this layout were

My Mind's Eye Paper

Prima Flowers

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

Songbird Cricut Cartridge

Felicity Paper Pack from Close To My Heart

Bazzil Cardstock

Websters Pages Rhinestone Buttons

Flourish Accent : Close To My Heart

Dusty Attic Chipboard (OMGOSH..LOVE IT!!!)

Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Tiny Type Stamp Set: CTMH

and Photoshop Elements 9 to doctor my photo of the LowCountry Sunset.

Happy Birthday Day Greg!!!!

Today is my sweet husbands birthday. So far, he is having a GREAT week...he got to meet Olivia Newton John on Tuesday night and trust me, he has been on cloud nine ever since.  He even got to take a picture of her, so as long as he doesn't frame it and put it beside our bed, he's safe, LOL.

Here is his birthday card I made for him...I used my new Imagine ( still making up my mind if I like it or not) Graphic 45 paper, My new large spellbinders, Tim Holtz embossing folder and a little creativity.  I hope he like it.  More than anything I hope and pray for him to have a blessed year to come...

I know he doesn't read my blog much, but if he does....Greg...I love you and Happy Birthday, oh and you'll get your card tonight, LOL.

What's in Your Heart?

This is one of my favorite layouts I've done in quite some time...I love the picture of my four year old kneeling at some old church steps, I love black and white photos, I love the products I used in the layout...but more than anything, I love the meaning.....What's in your heart?  The more I study and grow I realize whatever is in your heart will come out of your mouth and actions...and that is what others will see about you.  So I have to ask, What's in your heart? I always hope and pray that people will only see love and kindness from my heart and also the same from yours.  

This layout uses a ton of Tattered Angels products, My Mind's Eye Paper, paint and glimmer mist screens, Martha Stewart punch, 3-d foam tape (of course)  and a lot of imagination. 

November's Stamp of the Month Blog HOP!

Yeap, it's that time again...Close To My Heart's monthly blog hop featuring the stamp of the month.  This month's stamp is sure to be a favorite go to, as it's all about Thank yous ( a little Thanks)...we always need those stamp sets.  This hop is so amazing as it features over 60 current Close To My Heart consultants and their creative juices and  takes on what to do with this stamp set...Talk about inspiration!!!!  So you probably just hopped here from Melinda's Blog...Welcome, let's get on with some artwork. 

I wanted to do something a little different so I designed a wine tag for this month.  The flower was created by cutting and burning ribbon...stay tuned on that one as more instructions will follow in future posts. I distressed  the edges and base of my tag with Close To My Heart's sanding kit and if you don't have one of these, you should.  The base paper I used is Olivia which is perfect for the fall season.  The overall base for the tag is a page from our dimensional chipboard album that I cut down to a tag size. It created a sturdy base with some decorative flair. The sentiment was stamped and then highlighted with the matching marker in cocoa ink.  I  added a stickease sticker that has so much class and a few mocha pearls and it's done. It's a simple project but adds such a punch to a bottle of sparkling cider or wine.  Especially with the holidays approaching and hostess gifts being something we have to consider, I hope you consider this quick but elegant idea.

This is everything you get with this month's stamp set (16 stamps). The set retails for 22.95, but contact me and I"m happy to tell you how to get it discounted or even free...plus this month you can get an additional stamp set free with $100 order...that's $46 free in stamps with $100 purchase...just in time for holiday gift giving. 

Now it's time to hop on over to Judy's Blog and see what amazing creation she had come up for you this month.

Please be sure to leave a comment and /or follow my blog if you like my work.  You can also check out my store at the following link: Shop Now

Have a great month and remember it's the season for giving thanks...

Cricut Circle Monthly Challenge

I am just barely getting my entry in for the Cricut Circle Club monthly challenge - but, here it is! I used Wall Decor and More for my flower and "create" and then for my scalloped matting, I used French Manor (the first exclusive cart for Cricut Circle members).

One of My Favorites!

This is one of the layouts we did while in Utah on the Spa Get Away and it's one of my favorites...it has such a contemporary feel with the graffiti look (that's how I refer to this style, LOL).  I adore the over all effect and love the little hinged secret that reveals the journaling and another picture.  This layout is featured in the new Magic book...so contact me today to get your copy. 

Want 3 CTMH Stamp Sets FREE ?

Now is the time to start getting those holiday wish lists together and really get a TON of goodies from Close to My Heart.  During the month of November you can really make out a like a bandit with the Give a little MORE promotion.  For every $100 in product that you purchase you'll get not only the free stamp of the month that is just adorable...give a little thanks....but you can also choose any A, B, C, or D stamp set from the current Fall/Winter Idea Book for FREE.  (excludes stamp of the month, personalized and E size stamps)

So for $100 worth of product you could get up to $45.90 free in stamp sets...that is quite a savings...but you know the more I've thought about it the more I want to make it even more lucrative for you ...

PINKCLOUDSCRAPPERS EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL

so as my own personal special I'll also throw in a D size stamp (22.95 value) set (my random pick) for you also with every $100 purchase...Now that's almost $69 in FREE stamps...what a way to welcome in the Holiday Season.

Also if you have multiple orders of $100...then you will receive the promotion double but we'll also enter it as a gathering...so you'll get at least $25 in free select product for free too! and maybe more depending on your order. 

So if you have some holiday money coming in from loved one or relatives or you just want to treat yourself now is the time.  The promotion starts as of the 1st of November and will go until November 31st...so be sure to email me today or place your order online at my website.  I will be mailing out the stamp sets from me direct, so orders will ship separately.  Also it would be best to email me before you place your order in case you qualify for hostess rewards.

All free products are subject to tax and shipping charges.

Give a Little Thanks....November Stamp of the Month

Funky Fun Halloween Tag

This is a tag I created for Halloween, that really heads towards the eerie side.  I made the roses with crepe paper that was dragged through tattered angels and then rolled into the roses...after the shape was formed I used some of the new glitter glaze from Tattered angels and dripped the red on the edges to form the blood look.  The base of the card uses the Alice in Wonderland Graphic 45 Halloween paper, though it's a little hard to see it under all the layers.  I pleated some paper on the edge to add more texture and dimension and used on of Tattered Angels chipboard tile for the gate piece.  There tiles are wonderful as they have some dimension so I colored and then sanded and then colored more to get that multi-color look.

I loved exploring techniques with this project.  I'm really enjoying trying to think outside the box and this one for sure fits that bill.....

Scrapping Doors?

As many of you know I adore the lowcountry of S.C. and try to spend as much time there as I can.  This is a layout I did with pictures of some of the different doors you'll find as you walk the Battery in Charleston, S.C.  With all the history there I couldn't help but think of all of the people in the past that had walked through those doors, what happened in their lives?  what all have those doors seen?  It's fansinating to me and fun to imagine. 

I really distressed and built up this layout out with the handy dandy 3-D foam tape and my edge distressor that you all know I LOVE.  I also used tattered angels to give a sparkle to the page.  Really the basic layout is just layers and layers distressed and built up to give some a great overall effect.  It really has so much more depth in person that this picture does it justice.  

Blessing Abound

As we start to head into the season where we really stop and count our blessings...I have so many to name.  One of my blessing was winning a trip with Close To My Heart, where I was flown out to Utah and treated to a weekend of pampering and scrapping...How awesome is that. 

This is the first page of the album we created on our scrapbooking spa retreat...I love it!!!!!  Everything is perfect and it certainly was a day to cherish.  Can you believe the mountain views that we woke up to every morning. I loved the controlled detailed sanding on the edge of the cardstock and I also loved the reinker effect that I created using a stipple brush and a little jar of reinker.  It's a beautiful layout that the artists at CTMH designed for us and it just seemed to be crying out for me to add this picture.  How could you not cherish a day like that?