Find Your Style (January SOTM) Blog Hop!

Welcome to our January Stamp of the Month blog hop featuring this month's new SOTM - Find Your Style D1452! If you've just joined me from Jody's blog then you are on the right path!
All of my artwork with this stamp set uses the all-new Wings paper packet X7135B (colors are Black, Colonial White, Juniper, Sweet Leaf, and Vineyard Berry). First up (above), is a 5x7 card inspired by Wishes - Simplicity (p. 106). The bird was stamped with Juniper ink on Colonial White cardstock, cut out with micro-tipped scissors, and then sponge distressed around the edges with a sponge dauber and more Juniper ink to darken the edges. The pleated ribbon is from our new Wings Level 2 Assortment Z1398 ($4.95). The ribbon comes in shades of Black, Vineyard Berry, and Juniper and it is sooo... easy to use. I simply cut the already gathered ribbon and adhered it on my card with a few glue dots! Remember, you can click on any of my photos to see them even larger up-close if you want to! Finally, I have a 6x6 card inspired by Wishes - Celebration Card Workshop Card #2 (p. 22). The shoe was created with Black heat embossing on Vineyard Berry Cardstock. I love how the heated black embossing powder gets so shiney and makes the shoe look like it has a true shine also! I used a ribbon slide from our soon-to-be-retiring (but still available while supplies last) White Daisy Mini Medley Accents Collection Z1136 ($5.95) and topped it off with a square clear Sparkle (self-adhesive gem) to create the buckle for my shoe

that is adhered with a glue dot!

I hope you have enjoyed and are inspired by my creations! If you'd like to see a whole lot more artwork created with this stamp set by the very talented members of my consultant SOTM swap group,

please click here to be taken to the next post!
Now you can continue on the hop by visiting Sheila's blog next! Enjoy!!

Scrapbooking kick-off classes begin 1/1/11 and there's still time to enroll now!!!

Left side of layout up close (below)

Right side of layout up close (below)

The full 2-page layout (below)

Want to create a beautiful scrapbook layout similar to the one shown here featuring our all-NEW for Spring "Wings" Level 2 papers and My Stickease??! Well, YOU CAN when you join me at one of my upcoming scrapbooking classes during January for just $5!

During this 1.5 hour class I will teach you all about scrapbooking the CTMH way (FSE = Faster, Simpler, and Easier)! We will create this 2-page layout featuring brand-new products from the Spring/Summer Idea Book ($5 supply fee per person, bring your own adhesive). I will also teach you all about Studio J (our online scrapbooking design studio that is so much better than any other digital scrapbooking option out there) along with other "easy strategies" for getting more scrapbooking done this year. I will explain everything you need to know about the motivational challenge and reward system I am offering this year to help you get more done! Each class will be limited to no more than 6 students at a time so each guest will have more of my less-divided attention, time, and help (so definately bring your list of questions and concerns with you)! All you have to do is CHOOSE ONE DATE AND TIME from my available classes listed here (below) and RSVP to reserve your spot in one of my classes now:

***Sat. January 1st (New Year's Day!)***

three class times offered today

starting at 4pm* / 6pm / 8pm
(*ONLY 2 spots left at 4pm!)
(6 spots each left at 6pm and 8pm)

***Sat. January 8th - starting at 6pm***
(5 spots left)

***Sat. January 22nd - starting at 6pm***
(5 spots left)

Please plan to be on time for your class as we have a lot to cover, so I won't be able to wait for late-comers. I do expect some dates and times to fill up quickly, so please contact me to RSVP as soon as you can!! I do welcome you to invite your friends who may be interested in joining us too (this class will be great for scrapbooker's of all skill levels including beginners and very experienced scrappers as well)!

Want to learn more about this year's scrapbooking challenge and the great rewards I am offering to help motivate us? Just click on this link to my blog here for more information:

http://jenrubio.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-plan-for-new-year.html

$5 Creative Class projects for 12/10 and 12/11!

Here's a sneak peek at what we're making at my $5 Creative Class coming up this Friday evening and Saturday afternoon! It's only $5 per person to attend and learn how to create one of each of these 4 projects with me (or make two of each item for $10)! I am offering you two times to choose from this month to attend this class with me due the busy holiday season! (Friday 12/10 at 6pm or 7pm and Saturday 12/11 at 1pm)! Please contact me to RSVP right away as I do expect all 10 of my open spots to fill up quickly! For full details about what tools to bring with you, what time we start, etc... click here to visit my myctmh website calendar for more information!

More Amore (Dec SOTM) artwork!!

December SOTM Blog Hop featuring the lovely "Amore" stamp set!

Welcome to our December Stamp of the Month blog hop featuring this month's new SOTM - Amore D1445!

If you've just joined me from Sheila's blog then you are on the right path!

All of my artwork with this stamp set uses the Olivia paper packet X7128B (colors are Barn Red, Colonial White, Pear, Smoothie, and Sunset). First up (above), is a 5x7 card inspired by Wishes - Bullseye (p. 33). While I could have used "masking" or "marker coloring technique" to ink some of my images, I instead chose to use my micro-tipped scissors to cut my stamps apart for faster and easier stamping. I cut the "Two hearts that beat as one" sentiment out from the center of the swirly frame stamp that it was a part of and I also cut the small flower and stem out from below the letter "e" on the "Amore" sentiment stamp. This small flower and stem stamp is what I used to stamp the flowers all around the heart-shaped leaf wreath image with Smoothie ink. All ink distressing/sponging was done with Barn Red ink. Remember, you can click on any of my photos to see them even larger up-close if you want to!

Next, I have a 3x3 card inspired by Originals - Squares & Overlay (p. 65) and a 4.5 x 4.5" square card inspired by Wishes - All Squared Up (p. 101). I used just basic stamping with Barn Red and Smoothie inks to create these simple Valentine cards . The scrolling that the "I Love You" card is bordered with is just one edge (the top) of the heart-shaped leaf wreath stamp stamped along the outside edge of the square piece of cardstock. I've used more sponge-distressing with Barn Red ink on these cards also.

Finally, I have a 2.5 x 3.5" card inspired by Wishes - Simple Strip (p. 37) and a 3x6" card inspired by Wishes - Name Plate (p. 18). You can see a close-up shot below that better shows how I cut out and layered the "Amore" sentiment using 3D mounting tape to make it pop-up above the heart. Again, I've used lots of Barn Red ink to sponge-distress it all.

I hope you have enjoyed and are inspired by my creations! If you'd like to see a whole lot more artwork created with this stamp set by the very talented members of my consultant SOTM swap group, please visit my blog again on Friday (12/3) when I will be sharing all of their artwork here too! Now you can continue on the hop by visiting Brae's blog next! Enjoy!!

"A Timber" Card with Curves!

The Heart2Heart blog challenge this week was to create a card that is "out of shape" (not rectangular or square) - what fun!! Real women have lots of curves right?... and so aparently does my latest creation! Here is the curvy Christmas card I made this evening using one of my favorite new little nifty stamp sets - "A Timber" (it's an A-size stamp set, sells for just $7.95). I also used our Mistletoe papers X7130B and Mistletoe assortment of embellishments Z1330 with Cocoa sponging and Cocoa ribbon (adhered in place to make it look like a Christmas gift/present). In case you're wondering how I came up with this curvy shape for my card, the answer is simple. I used one of the pages from our My Creations All-Sorts Mini Albums Z1224 as a guide to trace the pattern and form the front of my card (card front measures 6.25" tall by 5" wide at the mid-point).
Here is a view of the back-side of my card (below) so you can see that I adhered my card front to a 3x6" cardstock base (a 6x6" square of cardstock before it was folded in half). This was just my way of trying to keep the cutting for the card base as simple as possible. It's also a good reminder that you can't always judge a book by it's cover, lol.
Finally, if you've never seen the All-Sorts Mini Album Z1224, here's another view of this album with one of the white chipboard pages covered and decorated up a bit (although, it is still in need of some photos and journaling, so this little album isn't quite complete yet). The papers I used to cover this page are from the Twitterpated X7118B paper pack (which is still currently available to order, but it is on the retired list making it still available, but only while supplies last).

Congratulations Penny and Roberta!!

Those of you who came to my Autumn/Winter Product Preview Workshop last September 4th may remember that I issued a challenge to all who attended. Two of the cards we created at the workshop that day were designs that were inspired by the Magnifique Workshops-on-the-go brochure (see brochure and the cards we made below). I challenged each of you in attendance to create another card using that same pattern with any CTMH stamps, papers, and embellishments you have to use. This challenge was to be our first ever customer card contest!! I was hoping to have lots and lots of contest entries and even sent out a few e-mail reminders to attendees, but alas, I ended up with just TWO beautiful card contest entries. None the less, these two cards are absolutely fabulous so therefore...I decided to give the grand prize to both contestants!
A big Congratulations goes out to Penny Gallegos and Roberta Clark who created the lovely cards you see posted above! Each of them is receiving a $12.50 credit from me (splitting the $25 grand prize) to reward them for their awesome efforts! They can use their credit towards any workshop, class, or purchase of their choice. Your cards were both so equally excellent, I just didn't want to have to choose between the two of you. Well done ladies, well done!!!

$5 Creative Class projects for 11/6!

Here's a sneak peek at what we're making at my $5 Creative Class coming up this Saturday evening! It's only $5 per person to attend and learn how to create one of each of these 3 projects with me (or make two of each item for $10 - still such a deal)! 8 of my 12 spots for this class have filled so far, so I have just 4 spots left. Please contact me to RSVP soon as I'm predicting that it will continue to fill up quickly. For full details about what tools to bring with you, what time we start, etc... click here to visit my myctmh website calendar for more information!Side view of the Post-It Note holder/cover (below)
Front view of the Post-It Note holder/cover (below)
Standard size Thank You card (below)
4.5 x 4.5" square Autumn/Thanksgiving card (below)

More "A Little Thanks" Artwork!