Sunday, January 31, 2010

February SOTM Blog Hop!




THANK YOU for stopping by my blog to see my contribution to our CTMH consultant Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! I enjoy being a part of this creative hop every month! I've created a few things to share using the February SOTM - D1407 Piece of Cake. All the papers I've used for these projects come from the Topstitch Level 2 paper packet (X7120B).
  • First is my 4.5" circle card. The design for this card was inspired by Wishes - Inner Court (p. 67). I colored the cupcake frosting with a blending pen and chocolate ink. Then the rest was colored in with our baby pink and heavenly blue markers. I added a little liquid glass to add some shine and the heart I created with our new Dimensional Elements Hearts Z1278 (a chipboard heart that I covered with heavenly blue cardstock, stamped the sentiment on with chocolate ink, and then scissor distressed the edges around the heart).
  • The 2.5x3.5" card design on the left was inspired by Originals - Center View (p. 16). The flowers on the cake were colored in with baby pink and sweet leaf markers and topped off with my favorite thing to add sparkle - our new bitty sparkles Z1263! The cake design is done using the "paper-piecing technique." First, I stamped the cake with chocolate ink on the colonial white cardstock rectangle piece as well as on a scrap of chocolate cardstock and cut the chocolate cake out (cutting off the flowers at the top of the chocolate piece, so when I mount that piece over the colonial white piece the flowers show on the colonial white piece that is then colored with markers). Then I stamped two more cakes with chocolate ink - one on baby pink cardstock and one of heavenly blue cardstock. Then I cut out those pieces and adhered them over the parts of the cake where I wanted those colors to be. The "Make a Wish" sentiment was stamped with our colonial white pigment ink (I just love the look of our white inks on dark papers!!)
  • My 3x3" card and treat bag topper shown below it both feature the "chalk-popping" technique as well as a little hand-stiching using chocolate waxy flax. I love to stitch with our waxy flax because the flax is firm enough that there is no need to thread it with a needle. Just be sure to punch your holes a little bigger so the waxy flax fits through the holes easily. To do the chalk-popping, I stamped the cake with colonial white ink on colonial white cardstock. Then I used a cotton ball to pick up and apply vinyard berry chalk (from our Autumn Soft Chalks set Z904). Using plenty of chalk on the cotton ball, wipe it gently over the ink in a circular motion and watch the color "pop" right off the paper at you - so fun and very easy to do!
  • Finally, you might have noticed that my treat bag topper looks almost exactly like my 3x3 card. That is because I simply used this same 3x3 design and instead of adding it to a card base, just added it to my chocolate cardstock bag topper instead! The clear bag I used here is intended to hold a 3x6 card and comes from clearbags.com (B3x6S - $5.00 for 100). The cardstock used to make the topper measures 3.5" x 7" before it is folded in half. I really like using this size of bag and topper because you can use any 3x3 card design from Wishes or Originals to inspire your creativity and your 3x3 design fits perfectly centered on this size bag topper every time! You can use brads, eyelets, staples, punched holes tied with ribbon, or hand-stitching to hold your topper on the bag. I used only chocolate brads to hold my topper on the bag (I don't use any adhesive to adhere the topper to the bag just to make it easier for the recipient to open it more easily without destroying it). I really hope you enjoy these ideas and that you feel inspired to have fun making some of your own similar treat bags for Valentine's Day this year (it is only two weeks away - so Happy V-Day everyone)!!
Your next stop on the blog hop can be found by clicking HERE TO VISIT TAMMY'S BLOG!! Thanks again for stopping by and we'll look forward to sharing with you again next month!
  • If a link doesn't work or you get lost at any point while you're hopping, please click HERE TO VISIT HELEN'S BLOG for a complete list of all of the participating bloggers!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

February's Workshop kit is TOPSTITCH!

Love Is In The Air (exclusive B-sized stamp set!)
Not shown in the Idea Book, but available only
when you pre-order a Level 3 basic or best workshop kit!

Card #1 (below) Card #2 (below)
Card #3 (below)
12x12 scrapbook page - left side (below)
12x12 scrapbook page - right side (below)

Workshop dates for you to choose from are:
♥ Friday, February 19th (6pm to 10pm)*
♥ Saturday, February 20th (1pm to 5pm)*
♥ Book your own workshop date with a few friends
to earn free products!
♥ Purchase your kit to use at any of my upcoming workshop
play dates in March or April 2010

*February 6th is your last day to order your Topstitch Workshop kit to guarantee it will arrive in time for the February 19th and 20th workshop play dates! This kit will still be available for purchase from me anytime throughout the rest of the Spring Idea Book Season (it can be ordered only until April 31st).

On the day of the workshop - Please remember to bring your own adhesive, 12" paper trimmer, and your favorite pair of sharp straight-edged scissors (the cost of adhesive is NOT included in the workshop kit fee). I will always have tombow adhesive dispensers and refills available for you to purchase if you need them (at a very affordable price). I will provide everything else you might need including the glue dots and liquid glass (or any other specialty-type of adhesive we might use).

Level 1 BASIC Kit – you pay $15.00
Total value $15.15 including tax & shipping – you save $.15
X7120A Topstitch Level 1 kit – includes My Stickease® ($9.95)
Z1104 Clear Sparkles ($2.95)

Level 2 BASIC Kit – you pay $23.00
Total value $24.48 including tax & shipping – you save $1.48
X7120B Topstitch Level 2 paper packet ($12.95)
X7120C Topstitch Level 2 My Stickease® ($4.95)
Z1104 Clear Sparkles ($2.95)

Level 3 BASIC Kit – you pay $30 (or $35 to add the My Stickease)
Includes exclusive stamp set and one embellishment
Total value $38.56 including tax & shipping – you save $8.56!
(kit G1005 has $32.85 retail value for $29.95)
X7120B Topstitch Level 2 paper packet ($12.95)
My Acrylix® exclusive Love is in the Air stamp set ($13.95)
Z1276 Mini-Medley Accents Colonial White Collection ($4.95)
Workshop Guide ($1.00)

Level 3 BETTER Kit – you pay $32 (or $37 to add the My Stickease)
Includes full embellishments, but no stamp set
(you can use mine at the workshop)
Total value $33.28 including tax & shipping – you save $1.28 X7120B Topstitch Level 2 paper packet ($12.95)
Z1276 Mini-Medley Accents Colonial White Collection ($4.95)
Z1278 Dimensional Elements Hearts ($3.25)
Z1104 Clear Sparkles ($2.95)
Z1096 Embroidery Floss Neutral Assortment ($3.25)
Workshop Guide ($1.00)

Level 3 BEST Kit – you pay $40.00
(or $45 to add the My Stickease)
Includes exclusive stamp set and full selection of embellishments!
Total value $49.66 including tax & shipping –
you save $9.66! (best value!)
X7120B Topstitch Level 2 paper packet ($12.95)
My Acrylix® exclusive Love is in the Air stamp set ($13.95)
Z1276 Mini-Medley Accents Colonial White Collection ($4.95)
Z1278 Dimensional Elements Hearts ($3.25)
Z1104 Clear Sparkles ($2.95)
Z1096 Embroidery Floss Neutral Assortment ($3.25)
Workshop Guide ($1.00)
**(The artwork shown in the workshop guide and above show the fully embellished layouts and cards created using this kit!!)

Additional Required Tools:
When you attend the workshop, I will have all of these items on hand for you to use!
If you are not able to create with me in person, you can either add these items on to your order or substitute other similar items you may already have to use
(for example, any alphabet font stamp set you have could be substituted to create your desired titles).
E1013 My Acrylix® Field Trip Alphabet $34.95
Z2102 Baby Pink Exclusive Inks® Pad $5.25
Z2111 Chocolate Exclusive Inks® Pad $5.25
Z2126 Heavenly Blue Exclusive Inks® Pad $5.25
Z1114 Piercing Tool Kit $5.95
Z697 Sponge $1.25
Y1000 1" × 1" My Acrylix® Block $3.95
Y1003 2" × 2" My Acrylix® Block $6.50
Y1009 2" × 3 1/2" My Acrylix® Block $7.50

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Spring Product Preview Workshop Cards by Katrina!

So Sweet stamps (C1389) with Veranda Creative Basics (X509)
and Veranda Level 2 paper packet (Z119B)
featuring our NEW Filgree Charms (Z1269) and NEW Just Blooms
Spring Blossom paper flowers (Z1266)So Sweet stamps (C1389) with Veranda Level 2 paper packet (Z119B)
A Tweet stamps (A1104) with Veranda Creative Basics (X5809) and
Veranda Level 2 paper packet (X7119B)
Charmed (C1385) with Topstitch Level 2 paper packet (X7120B)
featuring our NEW Bitty Sparkles (Z1263)
Charmed (C1385) with Topstitch Level 2 paper packet (X7120B)
Piece of Cake - Feb10 SOTM (D1407) with
Topstitch Level 2 paper packet (X7120B)
These are the beautiful cards that Katrina designed for our Spring
Product Preview Workshop held on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010!
Amazing creativity as always Katrina - Love it all!!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Spring Product Preview Workshop SNEAK PEEK of Jen's creations!!


My friend and downline Katrina and I are busy preparing for our big CTMH Spring Product Preview Workshop that is coming up this Saturday, January 23rd (from 1-6pm). These are the first two cards I've designed that all of the guests at our event will be creating! We will be making a lot more cards in addition to a two-page layout, so this is just a little sneak peek of only some of what we'll be creating. Both cards you see here are inspired by our Wishes card confidence program and the card with the butterfly uses the "puddle pad" technique - very easy and so much fun to do! If you think you'd like more information about attending, feel free to visit the calendar section of my myctmh website (http://www.stampwithjen.myctmh.com/). You can click on any event on my online calendar to read the full details about it, then feel free to contact me with any questions you might have! If you live nearby (Barstow, CA) and you aren't planning to come yet, I hope you will consider joining us as you still have just a few days left to RSVP!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

CTMH team meeting at Cindy's house today!




Today I drove about two hours to Menifee with a few of my Close to my Heart consultant friends to attend a team meeting at my 3rd upline Cindy Baker's house! I enjoyed the drive and conversation with my friend and downline Katrina and my upline Mary and sideline Jolene and then we had a great time at our meeting. The creative projects were fun to make and very inspiring, the food was yummy (potluck), and I really enjoyed getting out for the social time too! Cindy presented some good ideas for us to take and apply to make our businesses better. Our team theme for the year will be the same theme we will be focusing on at Convention in Washington D.C. this Summer: "Picture This." Cindy challenged us to come up with a small goal (something realistic we can accomplish with CTMH) and "Picture ourselves" achieving it within the next 6 months. We made the sweetest little gift card wallet using our new Topstitch papers and also an altered canvas wall-hanging to help remind us of our "Picture This" goal to shoot for over the next 6 months.

I added a photo of Washington D.C. to my canvas to remind me of my goal. I will be working towards earning enough income with my CTMH business to help me pay for my trip to the Washington D.C. Convention in July! I love attending our Conventions!! This will be the 5th one I've attended and I have already registered and decided that I am going for sure (whether I can really afford it or not - lol). I am so blessed to have such a loving husband and family willing to support me and sacrifice a little just so I can go enjoy a week away to this wonderful event with CTMH. This year though, I would really like to be able to say that I earned and covered my own expenses in full which will probably be about $1200 including the registration fee, air fare, hotel, and food costs. So that is what I will be working towards! I hope you enjoy the photos I've shared here to show you what we created. What a good day it has been!!