love u

I made this card for a couple of different challenges.  Clean and Simple sketch #141 worked well with the pretty palette from My Time Made Easy.

This card reminds me of the sun and the pretty blue sky.  I love that!!  Other than the fabric brad from my stash, this is all Close To My Heart. 

It's 2:30 am where I am right now.  I think - well, I know - that I am having trouble sleeping because Shane moved out today.  I am very happy for him, and he moved into a nice apartment, but a mother always worries, you know!

thinking of you

This week's sketch at CPS is very clean and simple.  I loved it and used the sketch very literally. 

I used TPC Studios Ancestoral Stripe:

Along with the paper, I used CTMH colonial white cardstock, CTMH ivory organdy (discontinued), Card Chatter - Sympathy stamp set, and Mocha Opaque gems.  The trinket pin is Tim Holtz.

follow your dreams

I am finally spending some much needed time in my craft room!  Shane is moving out tomorrow, and today I ran some errands to pick up those last minute needs for his apartment.  Last night he told me that he would miss our Brita water container in the fridge, so of course, I went out to buy him a Brita pitcher.  And I think I've got him stocked up on groceries for a bit.  All I can say is I am Mom, and this is what I do!

All right, down to business.  Have you been over to Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps?  They have an awesome blog hop going on right now, and I know that you will enjoy it.  They are also doing a call for cards, and you can find more information by clicking on the red, white, and blue button on my right sidebar.  This card I made today is using their weekly sketch.  I've made it clean and simple for the Secret Crafter challenge and added twine for Crafty Ho's.  I'll be using this for a graduation card.  It's masculine as is, but I was thinking that if I added a flower to the bicycle, it would work for a girl, too.

Items used: Crate Restoration; RRR twine; CTMH You & Me stamp set (available HERE only through Tuesday!)

June Workshop - Lucky

I wanted to hop on to let you know that June's Workshop - Lucky - is filling up quickly!  I only have four spots left for a home workshop.  I will still be able to mail kits, so if you would like a kit to put together at home, just let me know!  The kit will come with full cutting guides, full instructions, and all the necessary pieces will be pre-stamped.  Look for more information under the Classes tab at the top of my blog.

Monday, June 20th at 6:30 pm
Cost - $15 (add $6 for mailing)

A Reluctant Queen

I was very excited to read this book by Joan Wolf.  I truly love the book of Esther.  In it we not only see the courage of Esther, but we clearly see the hand of God at work within a nation.  Every time I revisit this book of the Bible, I have to wonder if I am prepared in my faith for "such a time as this." (Esther 4:14)

Wolf has created a wonderful historic piece of fiction based on Esther.  And I went into this novel expecting a story and to entertained.  She has filled in the blanks, fictionally, of course, and has added more characters and elements.  What I like is that she spends time giving the reader notes at the end telling us what she has changed.  The book of Esther is no only filled with power, drama, and intrigue, but also romance.  And that is what she really seems to have captured in this book.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I recommend this book.  I do love historical fiction - especially when it's based on true life.  The writing made me feel like I was right there.  It is an easy read, and I had a hard time putting it down! 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

3x3 Cards

One of my favorite things to make for a gift is cards.  I especially like putting little 3x3's together as a gift.  So often we need just a little something to top a gift, and these work perfectly!  Just click on the photo if you's like to see them in a little more detail.

I used CTMH Mayberry for these cards, and I combined a lot of different stamps.  I am not much of a "pink" girl at all, but this particular color - Smoothie - is so warm and wonderful.  I have to tell you that for these cards I used 1-1/2 sheets of colonial white carstock, 1/2 sheet of olive cardstock,  and 1/4 sheet of each pattern.  They use so little paper and pack quite a punch!  When I was all done, I used a little Glitz Glitter Gel to ask a little touch of sparkle to the flowers.  I looked over some challenges to see if I could enter them somewhere, but so many challenges use digital images now.  Perhaps you've noticed that I have not been doing as many challenges lately, and I guess that's why.  For cards, I still like plain old stamping.  There are lots of people out there that love digital images though, so it's good we've got things in the crafting world to meet everyone's needs! 

I'll put my supply list at the bottom of this post, but I have to tell you about about these books I've been reviewing.  You'll be seeing another review soon for A Reluctant Queen, a fictional story about Esther.  I get these books free of charge either in hard copies or for my Kindle from a place called Book Sneeze that I found throught my friend Amy.  All I need to do is post a review.  I think this is wonderful because I am picking up books that I may not have read otherwise.  So check them out if you like to read and are willing to review!

Supply List:  Mayberry Level 2; Twill Ribbon (20 yds for $3.00 right now - WOW!); Pearl Opaque Gems; Clear Sparkles; Bitty Sparkles; Kraft Color-Ready Borders
Stamp Sets: You & Me; A Tulip; Sophia; Bless This Nest; Card Chatter; Spring Up

Enjoying the Sunshine - and Only a Few More Days!

I should be bringing some more artwork to you, but it's just so beautiful outside!  I received my order this morning from my Gathering last Sunday (yes, they are that quick!), so I took a drive to do some deliveries.  I came home wanting to do nothing but sit on the deck and listen to the birds.  This is such gorgeous weather!  Speaking of which, here is a 2-second video for you of the oriole that is always on my deck.

Have you clicked on the link for my fan page on Facebook?  Be sure to go there and "like" my page.  You never know when there might be a drawing for some Close To My Heart goodies!

Only a few more days to get in on the May special!  The beautiful You & Me kit is still available!

You can get this kit three ways:

1. Order it outright for $34.95 
2. Place a $50 order and get the whole she-bang for $15.  (That stamp set alone isworth $22.95!)
3. (And I think this is the best way!) Sign up to be a consultant this month and receive the kit FREE!  The Consultant kit is an AMAZING $64.50. CLICK HERE for more details or don't hesitate to contact me!

The birds are tweeting for me, so back to the deck!

New Sale Product - While Supplies Last!

I just hopped over and saw some new items in the "While Supplies Last" section on my website!  Gosh, here's just a sampling:

Chocolate Ribbon - 24 feet/$4.00

Dimensional Elements in Color - Adventure - $2.00

These are so stinkin' cute on a page or card!

Heartfelt Whimsy Die-Cuts (3-12x12 sheets of felt embellishments) - $1.50

Butterflies, birds, arrows, flourishes, flowers, stars, hearts - in three colors!!

Pretty Pins - $2.00

These are great to tuck in the bow of a ribbon!

Chocolate Mini Medley Accents - $3.00

Slides are so much fun!  This set would match that chocolate ribbon beautifully!

Autumn Garden Mini Medleys - $3.00

I LOVE the cordouroy brads - so pretty!!

Take a peek and see what you can pick up for a reasonable price, and be sure to check back often for new things!

Happy Birthday

I made a birthday card for my nephew this morning.  I am really proud of myself because his birthday is on Sunday.  It will arrive to him a couple of days early - yippee!!  Now this may sound strange, but I am notoriously late with cards and gifts.  I don't mean to be, but time always seems to slip away, and there I am hurrying at the last minute again.  So you can see why this is an accomplishment!

I used the CTMH Fanfare papers for this card.  My nephew plays baseball in the summer, so I wanted to get a baseball in there.  I found one on my Slice Big Kids card.  I cut it on some of the patterned paper and then adhered it to a white circle.  Of course, I had to sponge it all with desert sand ink to make it look dusty from a ball field!  The ribbon is from the Black Mini Medleys collection, and the stamp is from Happy Birthday (a discontinued set).

I took a look around the yard and everything is so green.  I guess after all the rainy weather we've been having, it should be!  I wanted to show you pictures of a few of my favorite blooming flowers.  The first is a bearded iris.  It has propagated by someone in this area, so it has the most wonderful smell!  I always cut these and bring them in.

And where would be without lilacs?  This is Jerry's favorite fragrance, so when they are in bloom like this, I bring fresh ones in every day.  I should tell you that this is just the end of one of my lilac bushes.  I have a row of 12 that are in full bloom!  When these are done, it won't be long before my white Japanse lilac tree blooms.  That is an amazing smell!

Now if I had to pick the most unique flower in my yard, it would be the trillium.  I planted the first one 9 years ago, and jsut last year it started to spread.  It actually grows new plants, so I guess it took some time.  This is a gorgeous flower, don't you think?

I've been working on a 3x3 card class, too, so when that is done I'll post pictures and give you the details!

Word Verification

I have been trying to post on blogs this morning.  I have been lovin' what I see!!  However, if you have word verification turned on, I have been unable to leave a comment for you. :(  Every time I try to leave a comment, blogger kicks me out to the log-in page.  Usually, word verification just kicks me out once and I'm able to get back and post.  But not today - I've tried several different blogs that have word verification, so it's not one in particular.  I just thought I'd say something because if I'm having trouble leaving comments, then others will, too!!  And from what I've seen this morning - your work deserves all the comments it can get!!

Studio J Layouts

My sister posted some pictures from my nephew's prom on Facebook.  I grabbed those right away, and today I had the opportunity to sit down and put them to a Studio J layout.  I wanted my sister to have a copy for his Open House at the end of June, and I wanted a copy for myself.  That's where Studio j comes in really handy! 

Gosh, my nephew has chosen a very beautiful young woman!!  I have not met her yet, but I understand that her personality is as beautiful as that smile!

I also had many pictures of our cookie bake weekend last November.  It was a lot easier to do them on Studio J because I was able to re-size the pictures to fit a pattern that holds 10 pictures.  If anyone from the cookie bake would like these pages, I can easily order duplicates!

My two men are out doing yardwork, and I am starting to feel quilty now.  Jerry's trimming and Shane is mowing.  I would think that I need to get out there and finish my transplanting, so that this quilt goes away. ;)

Grace

It's been very stormy in our area, so it's been a wonderful day to sit and scrap.  I love these lazy days when I can just putz and take my time on a layout.

We took these pictures last summer.  The young man, Caine, is my god-child, and my aunt and uncle, Esther and Chuck are my god-parents.  I thought it was a nice way to put things all together and create a keepsake page.

Since the beginning of the year, I have been working through my papers and buying just as little as possible.  It's unrealistic to go on a scrapbook spending freeze (I have heard of people doing this), because I just think our pages have to turn out the way we want them to look.  I was able to use up my Echo Park For the Record by cutting the flowers from one sheet.  I've had these Primas sitting around for awhile, and the last swirls of some Zva bling.  So not only do I love this layout, but I was able to use up some supplies!

Items used: Echo Park For the Record; Prima flowers; Charlene's buttons; Zva Bling; October Afternoon letters, and loads of pop dots

What a Great Day!

I just had a marvelous Saturday!  This morning was my "first" Gathering for Close To My Heart.  I say "first" because when I was CTMH before, I did so many Gatherings!  I love to bring CTMH products to people, and I love the idea of a Gathering. I got to see and catch up with people that I haven't seen for so long!  I have missed teaching at my home and welcoming people in.  I'll side track with a little story here.  Jerry and I remodeled the living room 7 years ago.  When it was done, I prayed over that room and trusted God to fill it up with people and laughter.   I have an Uppercase Living saying on the arch to the kitchen that says "Sit Long, Talk Much."  I truly believe that is what the purpose of our upstairs living room is, and it is always my pleasure to fill the room with people!

I was graced with those beautiful flowers today!  My friend Patty, who was also a downline of mine in my previous years with CTMH, brought those to me to welcome me back.  What a wonderfully sweet thing to do!  But that is Patty - she is that sweet! 

My upline, Karen (who is amazing!), told me that CTMH and I go together like peanut butter and jelly.  She is right!  And this wonderful "first" Gathering of mine just proved it!  Thanks, ladies for spending your Saturday morning having brunch with me.  You are all so close to my heart!

Sassy Lil Card Sketches

Time for a new sketch at Sassy Lil Card Sketches! 

This is what I did with the sketch, but of course I had to keep things straight ;)  And I flipped it and took a few liberties :)

I cut a frame thorugh the front of the card with a nestabilities die.  I started out doing the card without the frame, but I really like the stacked flowers and bird this way.  And it's fun to do a different kind of card once in awhile.

All products are CTMH - Miracle Level 2; Sophia stamp set; Mocha Opaque Gems; Crystal Blue waxy flax

Hop on over and see what the rest of the design team has done!

Pearfect

I have gotten so much use out of these fruity stamp set from the Mayberry Workshop on the Go kit:

The apple, pear, flower, and sentiments are just so much fun!  I have been trying to simplify my cards, so this is what I came up with using the pear:

I stamped the pears in honey ink and then sponged one side with a little olive. This would be a simple card to duplicate as a set of gift cards.  I truly love the addition of the twine.  It's just such a delicate touch. 

I hope you are starting a happy and blessed weekend!

Picture Perfect

My upline had a conference call tonight, and while I was listening to and learning on the call, I played with Studio J, the free online scrapbooking design software from CTMH.  I don't know if I've ever told you that you can go to Studio J, set up an account and play for FREE!  There is no software to download and you don't pay unless you purchase.  You should really give it a try just for the fun of it!  You can click HERE and go right to Studio J.  Here's what I put together in less than 30 minutes:

How nice to get Sassy's picture that big for this layout design!  It would cost quite a bit to print a picture that size, but with Studio J, it's included in the cost.  That makes Studio J very affordable.  I like the white edges around the patterned paper as that is where I plan to do my journaling.  I want to direct you to the embellishment clusters.  The software makes it easy to cluster and then pull the one you want to the front.  I love this layout for the pet scrapbook! 

I've got to keep it hush-hush for now, but there is something fabulous and free coming up in Studio J in June!  you just might want to go and set up your account and play a little before June.  And that's all I'm going to tease you with right now!! ;)

One of a Kind Friend

I had this stamped image sitting on my desk, and I put it to use for a challenge at Crafty Creations challenges.  They are looking for flowers, patterned paper, and ribbon this week.

This May Stamp of the Month is just so much fun!  I've been using a lot of Mayberry paper lately, and I love it!  Smoothie (the pink) leans more toward the warm side, and any warm colors instantly attract me.  The flowers were fussy cut from a sheet of patterned paper, and the ribbon is colonial white grosgrain.  This is a pretty simple card that I put together in less than 20 minutes.  However, I did have a jump on things by having the image stamped.  Do you stamp extra images?  If I have scraps leftover that I think I may not use for anything else, I stamp extra images of whatever I am creating.  I store them right in the stamp packaging so that I don't waste space or lose them.  That is one reason I love the way CTMH stamps are packaged.

I hope you are having a good day!

Summer Workshops

All of my summer workshops are now posted under the Classes tab.  Summer gets so busy that I wanted to have them planned well ahead of time so that if you are interested, you can get them on your calendar!  You will find dates, times, and class supply lists as well as the date by which you need to RSVP.  If you are longs distance - no problem!!  All classes are able to shipped (shipping is extra).  I will send full instructions, measurements, and items that are needed to be stamped will be ready for you. 

I am so excited about these workshops!  Each one teaches something a little different.  I am going to be sneaking in one more class during mid-summer on handmade flowers.  As soon as I have the information together, I will let you know that it has been added to the Classes tab.

Please feel free to contact me at girlygirlrose43@msn.com with any questions you might have!

The Promise of an Angel

To those that know me, it's not a surprise that I would be reading Amish fiction.  I truly enjoy the simplicity.  This title lets the reader know just what the book is about.  The main character Judith speaks with an angel throughout the book for comfort and strength.  Although I believe in angels and God's purpose for them in our lives, I was a bit disappointed in the way the angel was depicted in this book.  At times, it was a little too far fetched.  I can see what the author was striving for, and it is fiction.  Still and all, I would have liked to see Tobias (the angel) written in a different and more believable way. 
With that being said, I did enjoy this book.  It is faith-filled, and that is a wonderful thing.  There is a glossary of Pennsylvania Dutch terms at the beginning of the book to help with the words that are sprinkled throughout the book.  That is very helpful, I would think, to those that are not familiar with Amish fiction.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Outside Today

The weather is sunny with blue skies and in the 70's today.  It is my idea of the perfect day!  Yesterday I spent the afternoon at the greenhouse and last evening, I planted.  I had two flats left today, so I finished up some planters for the deck and then sat outside with the pets.  Oh, they were loving it out there!

I purposefully put this picture last because I wanted to tell you about this feeder,  It's got that flat feeder about halfway down, and I have been filling that with meal worms.  I have gotten some of the best birds up on the deck with that!  This morning I watched woodpeckers, grosbeaks, and bluebirds come to eat those meal worms.  Oh how fun is that?!  If I can manage to catch a picture of the baby robins (without mama attacking me!) I will share that with you, too.  We live here and let so much of boundaries stay natural just to attract all these critters!

I'll be back later to share the cards I am making for my hostess packets!

Time to Celebrate

I love making flowers!  They are just so pretty and so personal.  So when I saw the challenges at Sentimental Sunday (handmade flower and a sentiment) and Let's Ink it Up (handmade flower and a focal sentiment), I just knew I wanted to play.

I love making rosette flowers.  I used an edge punch on this one before folding it up to be a flower.  It gives it just a little more femininity.  CTMH products used are Mayberry Level 2, You and Me stamp set, Colonial White crocheted ribbon, and cocoa ink.  The punches used are Fiskars.  Those rolled up flowers were made using the Spring Up stamps set.

I plan on teaching this card (and those little roll-up flowers) at my brunch Gathering on Saturday.  So if you are local and would like to come, just let me know!

Grandma's 91st Birthday

In my last post, I showed you my first Studio J layout.  As promised, I am bringing you another layout this morning.  This is Jerry's grandma's 91st birthday.  I like the way the colors of Veranda match the pictures.

I also promised I would give you the cost breakdown today:

For the best pricing, become a Studio J member to save and enjoy great perks, including:

• 50% off retail price
• Free hi-res JPG files with each purchased layout
• Free Memory Protectors® with every order
• Exclusive membership kits and patterns
• Free shipping (monthly order of 4 to 20 layouts)
• Special deals and promotions

Membership pricing is just $6.50 per custom printed layout.  If you prefer to print your layout out yourself, you can purchase the hi-res JPG files for just $3.00.

Membership Options:

• 12-month membership - $99
• 3-month membership - $30 (this is a great way to get your feet wet and give it a whirl!)
• 5 Pack (5 two-page layouts, 5 memory protectors, and free shipping and handling) - $55.00

As always, you can purchase a two-page as a stand alone without the membership for $13.00.

One little thing I want to add.  Should you decide to join my Rose Blossoms team, the $99 Studio J membership (12 months) is one of the "choose me" options you can select for your consultant kit.  Then you would get to choose two more collections to complete your kit!!  The consultant kit is $64.50 during the month of May, so what a savings!!  PLUS, during the month of May, anyone that signs on as a consultant gets the You & Me kit FREE!!  If you want to join just to get the discount for yourself, this is the month to do it!!  Here are the other "choose me" options:

 

If you'd like more specific information, you can either e-mail me at girlygirlrose43@msn.com

 or you can go to my website for all the answers!

The Sky - My First Studio J Layout

Okay, as you know if you've been reading my blog for awhile, I am just not a digi scrapbooker.  I like to create with my hands, and to tell you the truth, I just didn't want to spend the time learning digi scrapbooking.  HOWEVER, in the past couple of nights I have been learning Studio J, the digital program from Close To My Heart.  I can't believe how easy it is!  There is no software to download.  You simply start right in.  Oh my - are there ever paper packets to choose from!  Has your very favorite paper been discontinued?  Well, you will probably find it on Studio J.  I love that!  I took some beautiful pictures of the sky the other night, and I wanted to create a layout that would match those colors.  Let me show you my very simple layout:

Are you curious as to how Studio J works?

Just create an account, then log in to Studio J and start designing layouts! Studio J is intuitive and easy to use; there are just 5 easy steps to creating a beautiful layout:

1. Upload photos.
2. Choose the desired themed kit.
3. Select an exclusive layout pattern.
4. Add photos, embellishments, title, and journaling.
5. Purchase custom-printed layouts ready for a cherished album.

The fun part is that if you are not ready to create an account, you can give Studio J a try before you create an account.  What a great way to play and get to know the program!

Now I mentioned that this is a very simple layout.  When I receive this (along with my free memory page protectors), I intend to add a few traditional touches.  That's the beauty of this!  For people like me, you can still be hands-on!  Your pictures are printed, your layouts are printed, and you get the protectors to boot.  It really is a great value. 

Come back and visit me tomorrow for another layout, and I'll give you some more information on memberships!

Chairs to You

Oh what a stinkin' cute set this is!  It's the CTMH May Stamp of the Month, Chairs to You.

I love all the different chairs and the fun sentiments.  I made a couple of quick cards for you.  This large card is my favorite "go to" pattern in the Wishes Card Confidence book - Keep it Level.  If you own the book, it is on page 107.  The 3x3 is just me putting some scraps together ;)

For the 3x3, I used the Wings Level 2 paper packet along with some matching embellishments (sweet leaf button, black waxy flax, and clear sparkles).  The 6x6 is Mayberry Level 2, colonial white buttons, colonial white grosgrain, and a Smoothie bigger brad.  Both are simple cards, but those chairs make them kind of fun!

Max on Life - Book Review

I am a huge fan of Max Lucado's.  I have read all of his books and done several of his studies.  I have never been disappointed in anything he has written, and Max on Life is no exception.

Lucado has always had an amazing way of grasping the reader with the stories he tells and his straight forward manner.  This particular book is a series of questions that he has received over the years.  Boy, does he get some interesting questions!  People have asked questions about war, feelings, parenting, ambition, and much more.  He answers all of them citing Scripture and referencing life.  I think the most interesting question for me was very simply, "Why are we here?"  The most basic of questions, and his answer was quite scripturally sound.

If you are looking for a simple read, and yet one that will make you think, this is the book for you.  It has a topical index of subjects that are covered so that it can be used a reference in day to day experiences.  The 8-page Scripture index only proves how Lucado's answers have been prayed on in order to give the best answer possible.  I like this book, and I highly recommend it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

New Items Discounted Items on My CTMH Website!

There are amazing discounts on my Close To My Website!  Go HERE to check them out on the While Supplies Last tab.  The Heartfelt Whimsy die-cuts are marked down 75% to just $1.50!  Felt is so hot right now, and these felt die-cuts are so cute!!  There are several mini medley sets on clearance at 62% off.  Such great embellishments - you see mini medleys on loads of my creations.

Quantities are limited, so shop soon for best selection! 

You are So Amazing

No challenges or design team projects today.  This was simply just a card I created because I love this stamp set and had to play!

This stamp set is from the CTMH Sophia Workshop on the Go kit.  However, instead of using it with Sophia, I chose to work with Miracle.  The blues and greens are so pretty!  I stamped four flowers - 2 are in sweet leaf and 2 are crystal blue.  As you can see, I stacked the two different colors and then added a cordouroy brad.  This is a very simple and versatile card pattern.  It is the Buckle template from the Originals book.
Here's a little tidbit for you.  When CTMH used to advertise in Paper Crafts and Creating Keepsakes, I was the face in the ad when they advertised the Originals book.  Just a piece of trivia - that will never be asked in Trivial Pursuit! - but I think about it once in awhile when I am using my Originals program.