Simply Inspired Blog Hop--Seasonal Expressions

It's time for a blog hop! It's been a while but we are back. This hop is a loop so if you get lost along the way, you can go here to see a list of all participants and get back on track. You should have arrived here from the very Fancy Melissa's blog.

This hop is all about the January to April Seasonal Expressions catalog. And I am in love with the Charlotte paper. In my last blog post, I showed you the Charlotte Workshops Your Way. Well, I wasn't satisfied so I made another layout!

This layout uses my leftover embellishments from the Workshops Your Way. I did need an extra paper packet, but believe me, I've made good use of the extra paper as you'll see in future posts.

I love the chipboard pieces from the Charlotte complements.

I had already used the today sticker on a previous layout so I just very carefully cut out the left over outline on my sticker sheet and used that here!

And another close up of those great elements.

I really do love this paper packet and I hope I've encouraged you to fall in love with it as well. And I hope I've inspired you to use those leftovers!

And now on to Karen Pedersen's blog where I know you will be inspired as well.

Happy Blog Hopping!

Charlotte Workshops Your Way

The majority of the time, I design my own layouts for my Cherish Your Memories monthly classes. Close to My Heart has always offered beautiful workshops, but they haven't quite fit my style or utilized as much of the paper or as many accessories as I like. However, for the February Cherish Your Memories classes, I'm going with CTMH's designs. They have revamped their Workshop on the Go to make Workshops Your Way, and when it comes to the Charlotte Workshops Your Way packet, I'm all in.

These colors and patterns perfectly complemented my family photos taken last summer (photo credit to the very talented D'arcy Benincosa).

There is enough paper in these kits, if you follow the online instructions, to make THREE layouts (I typically have done two in the past).

And it comes with all the accessories your heart could desire!

There are chipboard and stickers, as well as these gold Treasured puffies!

There is a whole roll of ribbon as well.

And in addition, you get two sheets of Picture My Life cards. Some of them you'll use on the layouts but you'll still have several left over to use for pocket scrapbooking.

The Picture My Life cards are vertical on one side and horizontal on the other so they will work for the orientation that best suits your photos and design.

And you know what else? You have paper left over to make cards!!!!

The cutting guide includes designs for three cards and you have left over paper to make more if you would like. (The stamp set, Springtime Wishes, is purchased separately).

The paper and accessories can all be purchased individually but bundled together as the Workshops Your Way is the most inexpensive way to go.

So join me for my February Cherish Your Memories classes or order your own Charlotte Workshops Your Way and print the online guide. And never fear, I did make a layout and a few cards of my own design that I'll be featuring later on on the blog.

Happy Memory Keeping!

Artistic U Day Crops and a Quick Card

My partners and I just wrapped up a day time Artistic U crop yesterday. In addition to our Spring and Fall overnight crafting retreats, we've decided to start offering day crops. We had our first yesterday with another next Saturday due to demand. We will continue to hold these on the third Saturday of every other month with the next day crop in March (this is tentative and could change--watch ArtisticU.net or like our facebook page for the latest).

Unlike our three day retreats which include projects, etc., these day crops are less structured. We offer space to crop, lunch and dinner, product and kits for purchase, and permission to take time for yourself to preserve your memories. Believe me, it's a bargain and well worth your money. 

My partners and me! We make a good team.

One of the features we offer at all our retreats is a card buffet. You choose from several different cards and purchase them by the card. You don't have to design them but you get the fun of stamping and putting them together. 

I had a ton of Fundamentals paper left over from a Fall project and decided I needed to make good use of it. One of my card buffet cards was this quick and colorful card. Easy peasy! 

Here's a close up of the texture of the Fundamentals. I love texture. 

So check us out at ArtisticU.net. Our Spring retreat is coming up soon!

Another Beloved Bouquet Card

Trying to get a jump on Valentine's Day this year so yes, I did make another card with the January Stamp of the Month, Beloved Bouquet.

I love the simplicity of black and white. 

Remember, it's only available in January!

Happy Paper Crafting!

A Disney Page

This one is a blast from the past. Occasionally, I pull out some layouts I use for classes and FINALLY get photos on them. Because I had created a Disney page earlier in the month, I flipped through my Disney album and realized I had a layout I had created a few years ago missing photos. I have a lot of Disney photos so that was easy to rectify.

These are not the best Disney photos I have but this is one of my favorite memories. We went to Goofy's kitchen for the first time. My oldest was 6, my middle son was 3, and my daughter was about 6 months. It was magical for them and the characters were so wonderful! Spencer, my 3 year old, really got into it. And when Christian, my six year old, hurt his leg and started to cry, Goofy came to the rescue. I can't believe I hadn't scrapped these yet! 

I tucked the journaling behind a photo. This is one story I don't want to forget. I miss my little ones. But then that is why we preserve our memories. So we don't forget memories like these.

Happy Paper Crafting and Memory Keeping!

Beloved Bouquet--January Stamp of the Month

I know that spring and flowers are still several weeks away (at least in my part of the world), but Valentine's Day is just around the corner. This month's stamp of the month, Beloved Bouquet, is perfect for Valentine's Day, weddings, people who love roses (like my lovely friend, Brenda Rose), and well, anyone!

I stamped everything using the Black Memento Ink Pad. I knew I wanted to watercolor so I wanted to make sure the ink wouldn't smear. Then I pulled out my watercolors and my brushes and just played with color.

I washed a little gray watercolor around the Happy Valentine's Day. I am not an expert with watercolors but I find them therapeutic. You just can't be afraid to mess up and start over if necessary.

A little pink shimmer trim added some sparkle (we have lots of colors so you could color coordinate with almost any rose color). This would be a great wedding card as well (I have one of those coming up so I'd better make another).

Happy Paper Crafting!

National PaperCrafting Month

January is National PaperCrafting Month and we are celebrating it with Live Your Day Pocket Cards, perfect for Picture My Life/Project Life memory keeping.

Here are just a few of the sample cards. You get a card for each month. And the best part--one side can be used vertically, the other horizontally, so they work well for any orientation.

These cards work well with our memory sheet protectors or you can choose to use them with our planners as I did here (love these Everyday Life planners by the way--do you have one for the new year?

Want to see more? Watch this short video. And remember, it's only available in January!



Happy Memory Keeping!

And one more La Vie en Rose layout!

Here's the third layout that my Cherish Your Memories class will be making with La Vie en Rose. Bet you didn't think about a Disney inspired layout with this paper? Actually neither did I. I took my inspiration from a layout that Sue Nielsen did and adapted it. And look at how perfect it is for Disney!

I love Mickey Mouse,and Disney, and Disneyland, and Disney World! And I had so much fun there last summer at the Close to My Heart Convention (we're going to Disney World for convention this summer). 

Here's some close ups of some of the details. 

Remember, if you order the La Vie en Rose paper from me, or join my Cherish your Memories group, I'm happy to share the cutting guide for all of these pages with you. 

Happy Scrapping and Paper Crafting!

More La Vie en Rose

I promised you more layouts and here is Layout #2 featuring La Vie en Rose.

This was inspired by Renae Fennema, one of my creative friends. I simplified hers a bit in the effort to get more layouts out of one packet of paper.

The Just Be and the U are cut from black glitter paper using a cricut machine and Cricut Craft Room to meld the letters. Here is a close up. 

This page can also easily be adapted by substituting Lagoon cardstock for the Pomegranate cardstock. 

Love it!

Check back in a couple of days for the third layout!

Happy New Year! La Vie en Rose

It's a new year! And I am looking forward to it. Last year was a very hard year and a good year rolled all into one. I learned a lot and am still trying to implement some of those lessons in my life. I am looking forward to this new year and what it may bring.

And so with that, let's look at life through rose colored glasses! This month for my Cherish Your Memories classes we will be using La Vie En Rose paper packet. I LOVE this paper. It looks like it should be all rosy and sweet and pretty. But it can be so much more. Check back during the week as I am going to be featuring three different layouts using this paper. You can get all three layouts that I will show you from one packet. Order the paper from me and I'm happy to share the cutting guide. Or if you're local, join my Cherish Your Memories monthly classes!

Here is the first take. Typical--using that pretty rose. I mixed in some old product because one of my plans for the new year is to use up some of my old product and make some room in my craft room (for all the cool new stuff!).

I love the color of that poppy cardstock. And that Love stamp? It is from one of the cricut stamp sets that comes with the new Artistry cartridge. 

Check back in a couple of days for layout #2!