April Stamp of the Month Close To My Heart Blog Hop

Welcome to April's Close To My Heart/Stamp of the Month blog hop. If you just joined us from Susan's Blog your on the right path.

This month's stamp is called "Flower Pot" and I have to admit it's one of my favorites from this Idea Book. It just cries Spring! With Easter right around the corner I couldn't help but think of some cute way to deliver a sweet treat with a spring theme to it, and this stamp set was perfect. I used the Caboodle paper pack, which right now seems to be all I'm using. I just can't put it down, love it! The little box is a 2-5-7-10 and was so quick and fun to make. I adhered a sheet of the B&T Duos to a plain piece of colonial white cardstock to to give the paper a little more stability. I had the box put together in no time, and then decorated the 2 1/4 squared card with the Flower Pot stamp. Sponged the pots with a little sorbet ink and some masking and then colored in the flowers with sweet leaf, buttercup and crystal blue markers. It's ready for the Easter Bunny to pick up and deliver to someone special on Easter morning.

Flower Pot is only available throughout the month of April. It has 16 stamps and retails for $22.95, but remember you can always get it discounted or even for free. Be sure to go to my website http://lorileng.myctmh.com/ to get your today, before it's gone forever.

Now it's time to hippity hoppity over to Shelia's blog....enjoy her beautiful artwork she has to offer. Have a blessed and beautiful EASTER and come back soon for more works of art.

Distressed?

This week's challenge over at DZ Doodles is Distress! So what do you love to distress, do you use your scissors, one of Close To My Heart's handy distressing tools, do you use ink...WHAT? Now is your chance to really show us how you love to distress. Use one of DZ Doodles cute little images, distress and enter in the weekly challenge. You could win two images of your choice for doing what you love.

For my distressed card this week I used Thelma Tulips. How can you not love this lady with an attitude. DZ Doodles carrys a whole line of this adorable character, so be sure to check out all the things Thelma is up to at DZ Doodles store. I used Caboodle paper from Close To My Heart along with some Blooms and pearls colored with my Copics. The Caboodle paper is just so darn poppy and really compliments Thelma's spirit.

I hope you will participate in our weekly DISTRESS challenge and have some fun..and one lucky winner will walk away with two images of their choice, so why not enter today at DZ Doodles Blog.

Pinkcloud Pulse Just Released

The Pinkcloud Pulse Newsletter went out today...if you aren't currently receiving my newsletter and would like to, please sign up on the right side bar today. Find out more about kit of the months, ongoing clubs, up and coming events with Close To My Heart and even secret specials just for newsletters.

I'm attending a crop/workshop on Saturday, so stay tuned for some cute artwork later this weekend.

It's DZ Doodle Challenge Time

Welcome to the weekly DZ Doodles challenge. This week certainly ushers in spring. We want you to be inspired by the above picture and create a card, layout or anything you can image using a DZ Doodles image and drawing your inspiration from the above pictures.

Here is my creation for the week. I really felt like the flowers were just popping of the picture so I made sure to make my pansies pop off the page. I used two digis from DZ Doodles ....Oval Basket and Pansy Seashell Planter. The two seemed to just be crying out to be to merge them together. So I colored both the images with my copics and then used my xacto blade to slice the handle of the basket to be able to slide the pansies in. Then I also cut some of the flowers petals to help them pop just a big more. Really the images are enough for this card, but I did add a little stitching and a handmade mini tassel to pull it all together. It's a fresh springy card that certainly does welcome in this time of year.


Now it's your turn...let the first picture inspire you and then enter your artwork in our weekly challenge over at DZ Doodles Blog and here's the best part......you could win two images just for playing along. Be sure to check out all the details on the blog and also other Design Team members artwork for what they created using this same challenge.

CTMH Summer 2010 Idea Book and New Club Forming

Yeap, it's almost time to start shipping out the brand new Idea Books from CTMH. They will go live for orders May 1st, but I'll start shipping them out in the next few weeks...so be sure to contact me to get yours. This is just a sneak peek of it, but I'm sure you can see...It's cute, cute, cute!

Want to get it FREE? I have a new club that is forming May 1st...this is such a wonderful way to stock up on your Close To My Heart products but also get Free Product along the way. I know what it's like to host a show of some type...You clean your house for days, prepare refreshments stay on the phone for hours begging your friends to come and then.... Only a few friends show. It's a lot of work! Now you can reap the benefits of hosting a show without having to lift a finger in work.

This club runs for 10 months and during that time you'll get to be a hostess for one of those months...you'll receive a minimum of $25 in free select product but it could be more. Most of my hostesses earn $40. $60 and much much more in product. During the course of the club you'll get all the new and current idea books shipped right to your door. Plus I give lots of other perks for being in my club. All you have to do is spend a min. of $20 a month in product ( good lands, how easy is that?)

So here is just part of a what all you'll get

Min. of $25 in free product

Stamp Set ( a gift from me to you)

Connect Club Embellishment

Three Idea Book including the shipping

and many other freebies, so contact me to find out about everything.

Plus you'll be in the first to know about specials that Close To My Heart is offering, my own personal Pinkcloud specials and be able to participate in challenges and incentives for just doing what you love...your art!

This club will go live on May 1st...so contact me today for more information. lorileng@bellsouth.net

Spaces are limited to only 10...so be sure to act fast!

CTMH Continues To Amaze Me! Welcome to the Cruise

I have to admit, I really, really looked forward to my cruise that I earned with Close To My Heart. Heck it was a vacation away from the kiddos...just my hubbie and me, who wouldn't look forward to it, but it was so much more than I expected and I want to share just a snippet with you all.

We arrived in beautiful Miami Saturday afternoon...of course Close to My Heart picked up the tab for our airfare. We stayed at the Embassy Suites with lots of other fabulous Close To My Heart families and awaited Sunday morning when we loaded up on the boat.

When my husband (Greg) and I walked into our balcony room there on the table was our first little gift of a bottle of champagne...and let me tell you that certainly kicked our vacation off with a bang. Every night when we arrived back to our room, Close To My Heart spoiled us just a bit more with little thank you gifts ( beach bag, beach towel, hats, truffles, even jewelry). It really was fun retiring every night to find another little trinket, heck who doesn't look little gifts. The picture above is of the drill you have to take prior to ships departure...yes we made even that FUN!

Monday was a day a sea and we had a company meeting...where let me just tell you I got to catch glimpses of the Summer Idea book ...and you are all in such big trouble. So just start saving your money now as we are all going to go crazy over this one.....one hint...how adorable are cherries? Yeap! adorable so a collection featuring cherries sure would be fresh, don't you think? I was also lucky enough to receive one of the MIRACLE kits that will be available to customers starting mid April, so stayed tuned for more details about that one. I will say, any picture you have, will absolutely be perfect for this MIRACLE KIT and will coordinate no problem. Above I'm with my sweet dear friend Tina and also my new Canadian friend Brandy....They both are the sweetest gals you would ever want to meet.

Tuesday was GRAND CAYMANS where we got to spend some fun times with Close To My Heart corporate and also other top sellers in the company. We made a brief tour of the island and then headed out on a boat to swim with some sting rays....it's was wonderful and yes... my husband and I both kiss Sting Rays.

On Wednesday my good friend Fancy Melissa and her hubbie, Mike accompanied us to a five star resort for the day to take in some rays, with a little food and drink. It was just what the doctor ordered...relax, relax, relax. The best part was I had a few minutes in the market before getting back on the ship to do a little shopping. Yes, I actually bought one of those crazy wrestler masks that looks like spiderman for my little four year old...he now thinks he is a true superhero.

Thursday was another day at sea with some group basketball, spa relaxation and of course...FOOD! We got back into Miami Friday and Greg and I stayed over one more night. I'm so happy we did as there were tons of flights that were getting cancelled but it also gave us one more day of alone time. The hotel where we were staying had a movie theater on one side, where we got to see Alice In Wonderland (good but strange...what did I expect) and then on the other side was this perfect restaurant where we had dinner....CATCH OF THE DAY. I have to tell you this was the best meal I have had in years. It was so Miami and just delicious.

Saturday was a day of traveling and we got back to NC around 8pm. My sweet Daddy came to the airport to get us with our children in tow and I swear, my four year old grew a year while I was gone for only a week.

To top my vacation on to perfection, my wonderful husband Greg continued the habit of leaving a gift on the bed at the end of the day and I went in to find a beautiful pair of earring and a towel folded into a heart.

Some very important things I learned and was reminded of on this cruise.

Close To My Heart only goes first class and they are the best company in the world to work for.

My husband is for sure the clown of the party and loves to get a laugh (with or without his shirt on)

I have found some of the most wonderful friends through CTMH...real, geniue, sweet friends

and I love my husband more today than I did yesterday...and tomorrow it will grow some more.

I still feel like it was a dream...it was just so perfect and to think, I earned this by doing something that I love to do. I get to share my passion for papercrafting with others and in turn, I'm creative and earn a cruise...are you serious?

Remember there is an out of this world special that is going on this month when you sign up to be a new consultant with the company and team PINKCLOUDSCRAPPERS so don't you miss next year's cruise on the EPIC...sign up today and let's Cruise together. Click Here for More Information on becoming a consultant.

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The News Is Out!!!!

Well I can finally share my BIG secret with everyone. I was asked to be on the Design Team for DZ Doodles! I'm so excited! Today is the big reveal for the new team and new blog. I'm thrilled and can't wait to share with you some awesome challenges and digi designs. My sister Gini is on the Design Team also...so watch out world, here comes trouble. We will be having challenges every week... and we hadn't really planned to do one this week, but we were all just so excited we couldn't wait. I'd like to introduce you to some other talented ladies who will also be on this exciting Design Team.

Valerie Urtiaga (DT Coordinator) http://pixiedreamdesigns.blogspot.com/

Gini Cagle (that's my big sister) http://ginicagle.blogspot.com/

Glee Cloninger http://gleefullydone.blogspot.com/

Lori Leng ( yours truly) http://pinkcloudscrappers.blogspot.com/

Patricia Stewart http://pattyandcharlie.blogspot.com/

Rosalien Zwackhalen http://rosalien-cardfun.blogspot.com/

Susan Killam http://killamcreative.blogspot.com/

Now here's the sketch for this weeks challenge, it's so simple and cute...and hey you could also win some prizes, so be sure to help us kick off our new team/blog with a band and enter your project today on the main blog.

Here is my design using the above sketch and I can't wait to see what you come up with....remember to use your adorable DZ Doodles digi!

Now go create and inspire!!!!!!!!

Paper Flowers Make a Statement

My sweet friend Denise is very creative and really does inspiring artwork. The other day I was cruising on her blog ( Click here to go to her blog ) and came across her adorable video showing how to make these beautiful paper flowers. Now you have to understand I haven't seen her since July, so it was such a welcome site just to see her smiling face and her that southern accent of her, but she also taught me something that is just wonderful. How to make these flowers. They are addictive and now I'm wanting to make them and put them on all my projects....OHHHHH NELLIE...I won't go that far, but they are really fun. I used the Key To My Heart Paper Pack which has a lot of the same colors in it that the current paper pack CaBoodle has in it. That was it...there really isn't a ton more embellishing as the flowers speak for themselves. The quote that I used is from next month's stamp of the month (April) ...so stay tuned for that one. Please go over and check out Denise video and her blog...she truly is talented and does such lovely work.

Karen's Doodles First Challenge

I was so excited to be able to participate in this week's challenge with Karen's Doodles. How cute is this poor little sick turtle...but don't worry he'll be OK with his dear friend, Bigsby mouse by his side. Be sure to head on over to Karen's Doodles and see the other beautiful artwork by their new design team.....they really rock.

Veranda's Kit of the Month Scrapbook Layout

As you know, I love the Veranda collection from Close To My Heart. It's our featured kit of the month this month G1007 and I wanted to show you how lovely the scrapbook layout comes out finished. The kit includes the full size Veranda Paper Pack, Filigree Charms, an exclusive Stamp Set that only comes with this kit and a color guide showing you step by step instructions for this layout and also cards...so it's a really a kit that works for everyone. You can also get the Copper Mini Medley Accents and Just Blooms to add to your projects and I did use both of those in this example.

It's hard when I look at this layout seeing my now four year old so little..he was so adorable. Yes, he's still adorable they just grow up way to quick. I can say being a mother is certainly the greatest bliss I've yet to experience. It's wonderful and I'm so happy I work with a company that allows me to capture those precious moments.