October Stamp of the Month - Scandinavian Wishes

It's time for a new Stamp of the Month, and I have to tell you, that this stamp makes me happy!  

It's a beautiful Scandinavian Christmas set, and my natural choice for this card was Cranberry paper and ink.  I used the border stamp from the set to make the background paper, and this all feels very Scandinavian to me!  The embellishments are from the Ruby Mini Medleys.

During the month of October, you can get your set for just $5 with a $50 purchase!

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Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie

There is a recipe that I found a year after we were married, and I have kept it and used it all these years.  It's Jerry's favorite cookie, and I truly enjoy making these for him.  So today, I took pictures along the way so that I could share it with you!  Here's the recipe:

Hungry Jack's Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup brown sugar (dark brown adds more flavor)
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter (don't substitute margarine)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup Hungry Jack Mashed Potato Flakes
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (really necessary in this cookie)
12 oz. bag chocolate chips

Cream sugars and butter with a mixer.  Add vanilla and eggs, and mix well.  Add soda, salt, potato flakes, and flour.  After this have been mixed well, fold in chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

We make our own vanilla....

 

 It takes about six months to make so when the bottle is half full, we start another one.  It's really simple ad takes only two ingredients!  Buy three vanilla beans and split them lengthwise and put in the jar.  Add vodka to the rim and put in a dark cupboard for 6 months.  How easy is that?  It's the best vanilla I've ever used!

Use the good chips because...well, life is too short to eat bad chocolate!

For this batch, I used Nestle Chunks, but Ghirardelli are actually our favorite chips.

Bake your cookies 6 minutes on the lower rack and then 6 minutes on the top rack.  I take them carefully off the pan right away and put them on a cooling rack.  We like chewy cookies!

It's beautiful here today, and it's been a wonderful day of rejuvenation for both of us. I hope you are having an incredibly blessed Sunday, too!

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God Was Painting

I have spent all afternoon doing what I love....playing with paper and embellishments for no good reason at all.  I just had this photo developed, and I couldn't wait to sit down and scrap it.

I wanted a really rugged layout where I could still have a few delicate touches that would sync with the hummingbird.  I used a lot of paper from my stash that is discontinued (Claire and Scholastic) along with Ruby and Saddle cardstocks.  Sanding is really the biggest technique on this page, and I liked the effect that gave the whole layout.  The photo mats, arrows, and "discover" were cut with the Artbooking cartridge.  Those photo mats are actually mini album pages, but they worked out perfectly for this.  I added Antiqued Gold buttons and brads, Burlap Ribbon, Hemp Twine, Mocha Gems, and Wooden Mini Trinkets for embellishment.  There's a lot to the page, but I am glad that the photo remains the key focal point of the layout.  I am an avid bird watcher, and the furthest I have to go to watch them is on my deck.  We are blessed to have many birds in our yard and several that are willing to pose for me!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope that you are looking forward to a great weekend!

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Fall Pumpkin

This is so easy!  You can make one, too, and have it for years to come.  Simply cut sixteen 4" circles.  Fold them in half, adhere them all together back to back.  Does that make sense?   I just hand cut some leaves and then I rolled a little Kraft for the stem. I wrapped some olive paper tightly around a pencil to make the tendrils.  This is a fast, fun, and easy fall decoration that children could easily help with!  

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Happy Halloween

There is some paper called Spellbound that is in the While Supplies Last section of my website.  Hands down that has been my favorite Halloween paper.  Ever.  I love the bold Sunset, Black, and White Daisy in this package.  Not to mention that right now a package of 18 sheets of paper (12 cardstock and 6 prints)  is just $2.20!

I've been wanting to make some Halloween treat tube holders, and this paper was perfect for the candy corn M&M's I found.

To make the holders, I used a PDF file from The Cutting Cafe.  I printed the template directly on the paper, so it was really fast and easy to put these together.  The black cat is from a stamp set called Eek & Shriek, and the other stamps are from the retired Spellbound stamp set.   The cat is also a die-cut from the Artbooking cartridge.  The organdy and twine are from my stash, and what you can't see are the silver glitter circles on the top of the tubes.  What a fun little treat for Halloween!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

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50

I need a 50th birthday card for a surprise party tomorrow for one of Jerry's friends.  Black and white with a little bit of shiny seemed the way to go!  I love cutting CTMH glitter paper with the Cricut.  It cuts so beautifully!  I made the yo-yo with For Always and the sentiment is from Just a Number.

I hope you're looking forward to a great weekend!  Thanks for stopping in to visit me!

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Trick or Treat

I've been working on some classes, so today I am showing you the cover of a Halloween mini album.  I made this using the fast, simple, and easy Artbooking cartridge!

I've used items from the While Supplies List to complete this album - Spellbound paper, Black Tulle, and Black Glitter Buttons.  So easy and fun using the Artbooking cartridge!

This is a bit of a tease...I can't show you the inside just yet because I am teaching this 5-page album as one of my Artbooking classes.  Watch my right sidebar for when that class goes on sale!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

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October Card Kit

It's time for the October Card Kit!  The cards are made with Laughing Lola, and the kit contains a sympathy, cheer, and two thinking of you cards.  These are the cards we have to make every so often that need to be simply stated, so these cards have just a touch of black shimmer trim and a few gems.   To order, click on the PayPal button below the photo.  All of these cards will mailed the first week of October.

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Blessed

I was so excited to work on the new Cardabilities sketch!  

There was something about this one that really inspired me to stamp and play with paper.

This sketch was so well constructed that it was easy to follow this one closely.  I made the banner and accordion-fold flowers using the Artiste cartridge.  I simply loved the idea of a cluster of these flowers!  I've used Huntington paper, antiqued gold embellishments, and some bronze shimmer trim.  The stamp set is a new fall stamp called Count Your Blessings.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Cardabilities - sketch

ABC Challenges - Fall

Bitten by the Bug 2 - Fall Theme

My Time To Craft - Autumnal Colors

{Pin}spirational Challenges -Autumn Colors

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Sketch N Scrap

The sketch artists at Sketch N Scrap never cease to amaze me!  I am always so inspired by their sketches!!

This is what I came up with using the Artbooking cartridge:

What a cute little 2-year old boy - with a fabulous big smile!  These photos were taken 22 years ago, and Shane was thrilled to have my in-laws bird on his shoulder! The pieces I used from Artbooking are the honeycomb overlay and the two phrases.  The only other things I needed to use were a little chocolate twine, a few epoxy bubbles, and some Midtown Cork Shapes.  This retired piece of Dreamin' that I've been hoarding perfectly matched his denim jacket.

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope that your day is blessed!

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Step Cards Class

Come to make 4 steps cards for the upcoming season!  Class attendees will make two Thanksgiving cards and two Christmas cards.  Once you learn how to make the center step and side step cards, you will want to make the all the time!!  You do not need to bring anything as everything is included in the class fee including instructions so that you will be able to re-create these cards.

Tuesday, October 8th (FULL)

6:30 pm 

Thursday, October 10th

6:30 pm

Class Fee:  $12

If you would like to purchase the kit long distance, the cards will come to you with pre-cut, scored, and stamped with full instructions.  I want you to be able to create your own step cards after you take this class!

Long Distance Fee:  $16 (includes shipping)

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Gratitude

I have another step card to show you today.  This is the beautiful Huntington paper, and this card will be in my class in October.  I love the subtle tree stamp in the background that accents this beautiful sentiment.

You can choose one of two dates for this class:

Tuesday, October 8th or Thursday, October 10

(Both at 6:30 pm)

I am entering this card into the Craft-Room Challenge - Trees and/or Leaves.

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Artbooking Made Easy

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Today I am Thankful

The leaves are already starting to change colors here at our house, so it was easy for me to put up fall decor yesterday.  I love the warmth of fall colors! Here is a step card that I made using Huntington paper, the matching stamp set Happy Autumn, and the September Stamp of the Month, Poster Tidings.

This is one of the cards that I will be teaching at my Step Card Class in October.  

I am going to enter this into the following challenges:

My Sheri Crafts - Fall Colors

Pile it On - TicTac Toe (Autumn Colors, Diecuts, and Patterned Paper

Sarah Hurley - Autumn Glow

Inspired By - Photo Challenge

Thanks for stopping by today!!

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Best Wishes

I sure am falling in love with Laughing Lola.  The colors are rich and warm, and it's just really quite delightful to work with!  I found a sketch on Die Cuttin' Divas to use as a springboard for my card.

I masked off one of the sentiment stamps in the You Are My Happy set to stamp the heart.  The heart, light purple flowers, and chevrons are Laughing Lola Dimensional Elements. The center flower is an image from the Laughing Lola Workshop on the Go stamp.  I stamped it on patterned paper.  I finished off the card with some black organdy ribbon from my stash, sparkles, and a trinket pin.

I want to take a second to thank you all for your e-mails and prayers concerning my brother-in-law.  They are still working on the problem and solution, but he is doing better.  Much better.  Thank you all so much for saying prayers...I really do believe it does make the difference!

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Be Yourself

If there are any two people in the world that are always just who they are, it's my husband and his twin brother.  This morning, my brother in-law was admitted to the ICU for bleeding on his brain.  

My husband, of course, is there, but while I've been waiting to hear news I busied myself by making this layout of the two of them.  

I've used only a 2-1/2" strip of For Always chevron paper, otherwise this layout is black and white daisy cardstock.  I re-inked my black ink pad to get the richest color possible from my dye ink.  I've used several stamp sets - All the Details, Sightseer, Washi Wonder, Family Love, and Wheel of Life.  That big spinner works perfectly on this page.  I used my Artbooking cartridge to make the Polaroid frame and "be yourself."  The gathered ribbon is ruby chevron with some black twine, and I finished it all off with some discontinued brads from my stash.  My inspiration for this layout came from Sketch #105 at Sketch Savvy.

Scrapbooking is therapeutic.  Paper and stamps are the first place I go when I am praying about something.  I am very certain that there are a lot of you who can relate.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I really appreciate that you take the time to visit me!

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Artbooking Made Easy

Welcome to Artbooking Made Easy! In this 8-month series, Close To My Heart will show you how to use the brand-new, revolutionary Close To My Heart Cricut^® Artbooking collection to create works of art! From mini scrapbooks to layouts, you’ll find themes to fit any occasion—just set one dial size and let Artbooking do the rest!

Join Close To My Heart each week for the Artbooking Made Easy series from September 2013 through April 2014.   I will post the videos here and on my Facebook page each week or you can find them on Jeanette Lynton's blog, the Close To My Heart Youtube channel, or the Close To My Heart Facebook page.

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First Day

Have you been over to visit the Rose Blossom Garden Challenge Blog?  We'd love for you to play!

This month we are going to be challenging you to do School Theme projects.  You always get a bonus entry in our monthly drawing if you use the specific key we name.  For this one, the bonus key is the "Z" key on the Artbooking cartridge.

I've used Outdoor Denim paper for this layout with remnants of Scholastic.  The images from the Z key are the notebook strip, calendar page, First Day, the journaling block, and the notes tab.  With a few embellishments, Artbooking easily created the page!

Thanks for stopping in today!  I really appreciate you!!

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Scrapbook Generation Blog Hop

Welcome to the SG Blog Hop for September, if this is your first stop, you might like to start at the Scrapbook Generation blog and then hop through each link.

I used a Scrapbook Generation sketch from September 2012.

I told you about the Close To My Heart September special - You Are My Happy - in a video the other day. I've used several stamps from the triple set on this layout - the butterflies, flowers, stars, and sentiment.  These stamps work beautifully on a page!  The washi tape is actually stamping from our new hostess set called Washi Wonder.  The paper is Dream Pop, and I've been hanging onto these papers for just the right pages.  

These photos are from the Chicago Regional Celebration in April.  Two of my lovely team members met each other for the first time, and it was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL to watch them get to know each other.  No matter how far they live from each other, my team members surely become instant friends of the heart!

If you aren't familiar with Scrapbooke Generation, you can find their sketches in books and as downloads in the Scrapbook Generation store, and there is a free one every month in case you wanted to try it out.

Next on the hop is Laureen so be sure to stop by and see what she has created for you. Leave a comment on each blog and one lucky commenter will receive a free sketch bundle of their choice from the store. The winner will be draw on September 9th, so you have one week to leave a comment.

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You Are My Happy

Look at all these amazing stamp sets!  They are whimsical and fun and will stand the test of time in paper crafting.  I am still amazed at the value of this special!!  These three sets retail at $47.90, and they can be yours for just $10!

Click here to order yours today!

(When you have a $50 order in your cart, you will be prompted to add this set.)

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New Challenge at Sketch N Scrap

 There is a new challenge at Sketch N Scrap, and we'd love for you to play along!

This is a perfectly lovely sketch, but I will be the first to admit that I had a very hard time with this one.  It forced me to step outside my box and create in a way that I am not used to.  For that very reason, I was thrilled to work on it and stretch my creative muscles.  I decided to grab some pictures that I really love and make a page that just makes me happy!

These two men in my life make me happy.

Very. Happy.

Rather than telling you what products I used or how I made this layout, I want tell you something else.

These photos were taken in 1994, and Shane was just 5 years old.  Jerry was taking him fishing with his Mickey Mouse fishing pole.

Grasp every single moment you can with your children.  

They grow up.  Way. Too. Fast.

I know that's not a popular thing to say right now as I have seen all kinds of articles from young mothers that are tired of hearing it.  I heard that when I was a young mother, too, but it didn't bother me.  I always kind of looked at that at "Titus 2" encouragement and learning from the mothers that went before me.

So let them be little and enjoy every single moment of their running and playing (and fishing).  You never know where your children's lives will carry them, and it's very important that you never take your time with them for granted.  They are such little blessings from God.

Thanks for stopping in today..and remember to make every day your best day!

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