Calypso for Summer!

My daughter just reminded me that school starts in two weeks. Two weeks folks! Since the Olympics is in full swing and I have a tendency to get swept up in the games, that two weeks will go even faster than expected.

Along with the passing of August will be the end of the most recent Seasonal Expressions. If you missed out on some of your favorites from the last Annual Inspirations catalog as it retired, don't miss out on some of your favorites from this seasonal catalog. And that includes Calypso.

This paper packet embodies summer! It makes me wish I were sitting on a beach somewhere. I need a last minute summer vacation just so I can get the perfect photos for these pages.

These is one of the three layouts featured at my Cherish Your Memories August workshops. Interested? Order the workshop your way from me and I'll provide you the cutting guide.

Happy Summer!

Magical Layouts

 

This month's Cherish Your Memories workshop is Magical. Oh, how I love this paper! I have lots of Disney photos so these were easy for me. But I did try to make generic enough layouts that they could be used with any theme park, state fair, or other occasion too.  This first layout was inspired by Janel Brinkerhoff.

 

Here's the second layout. This one was all mine. No stamping involved on this one--just using the complements.  (Sorry for the glare on the photos--still trying to figure out how to get good photos in my light box without that glare. Any suggestions?)

And this is layout three, inspired by Amber Filingim. I love having creative friends. We all keep each other inspired. 

The great advantage of the new Workshops Your Way is that you can get so many layouts out of one packet. I love it! You can always buy the paper and complements and sequins separately if you prefer.

This kit retires at the end of August so get yours now! If you don't live locally to join my Cherish groups, buy from my website and I'm happy to send you the cutting guide. 

Happy Crafting!

Urban scrapbook layouts

Once upon a time there was a girl who loved to paper craft that thought she had all the time in the world to do all the things she wanted to do. And then reality hit.

They say you can do anything you want, just not everything. Well, that is the truth! Since I last blogged, I have hosted a day crop, an all night crop (still recovering from that one), various scrapbooking classes, helped with a conference at work, wrapped up my daughter's Winter Guard season and sent her off to World Color Guard Championships (her team took 43rd our of 180 teams in her division), been home to visit my parents, hosted family here at home, finally cleaned out my closet and drawers, been to library board meetings, said goodbye to my precious St. Bernard (love you, Inga), and tried to keep up on the day to day. And believe it or not, there has been some paper crafting in there! Just not time to blog about it. Ever have life hit you like that?

So, now I take a deep breath and post my pages for my May Cherish Your Memories classes.

I LOVE the Urban paper, and the complements, and the assortment. I used all three this month. Due to time crunch I did take my inspiration from two very talented fellow Close to My Heart consultants. I love that we are one big family that helps inspire one another.

Here is the second layout. Classes are this Friday and Saturday but as always, I'm happy to send you the cutting instructions. Just purchase the paper, complements, and assortment from me on my website or directly and let me know and I'll send it your way!

Penelope

Wow, February has flown by. It's already time to promote my March Cherish Your Memories Class Penelope. Once again this Workshop Your Way comes with everything you need to make three layouts and a Picture My Life layout.

This kit is just in time for spring. And those little birds are so cute!

I dug into the archive for some of these photos. Sid was just 7 at this birthday party. Now she's 16! It's good to go back and remember, isn't it?

The kit includes the Penelope complements, limeade washi, and silver playful puffies. And you have LOTS of leftovers.

And, as I mentioned earlier, you have two sheets of Picture My Life cards so pocket scrapbooking, horizontal on one side, vertical on the other. You use some on the layouts but you have a full sheet and some left over.

And of course, you can make cards with your leftovers. The cutting guide includes all the cuts! Spring Critters, which have thinlets to make for easy cutting, is the stamp set used for the leftover cards.

The beauty of this kit is that the cutting guide is available online so you can purchase this and work on it at home or contact me to join one of my Cherish Your Memories classes and make it in the company of friends.

Happy Memory Keeping!

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!

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!

A little Halloween scrapbooking

Just a little Halloween scrapbooking! Making sure I'm all ready to document the festivities. 

This month's Cherish Your Memories group kit featured Nevermore and the Nevermore complements. I love that silhouette of the trick or treaters. I love the vintage feel of it. 

Happy Halloween!

Seaside

One more plug for Seaside before it is gone.

Here are my pages from my Cherish Your Memories group this summer. The pages above were inspired by the lovely Jen Mahan, my wonderful friend and creative genius.

Lots of details on this one. Most pieces are sponged in desert sand ink and several are popped up off the page.

 

I kept things simpler on this one and added a tree cut with the Artiste Cricut cartridge. 

I think the Seaside complements had to be some of the best yet.

You can still get this paper and the complements but only until the end of the month or until they sell out (whichever comes first). Order from me and I'll share the cutting guide for these pages. 

Happy Summer!

Blossom

Summer is winding down and so is the CTMH catalog. Don't forget there are a lot of items retiring and they are beginning to run low. Blossom is one of those paper packets that I love but it will soon be gone.

 My pages are ready for my August Cherish Your Memories Class. I love the colors in these pages.

I kept them simple this month because my groups are doing two kits this month (see here for the other set). But sometimes simple is all you need.

If you're interested in a kit, let me know. Or if you're local and want to come to my class, let me know that as well.

Take care all!

I'm back!

Have you missed me? The last several months have been a challenge for me and my creative side went into hibernation. Let me clarify that all the critical things, home, family, friends and faith, are all good. But I'm making some changes, rebalancing my life, and as a result, bringing my creative side back out to play. It feels good. 

So with that explanation out of the way, it's time to fire back up the blog. And I have lots of catch up to do. In the midst of a crazy 7 months, I have an Artistic U to catch you up on, a Close to My Heart Convention to share highlights from, and a new catalog coming out.

So let's start with first things first. The new CTMH catalog will be live on September 1st. And there is some fabulous stuff to come. But to make room for the new stuff, as always, there are some things we love that must retire. So if you want to make sure you don't miss out on any of your favorites from the current catalog, check out what is retiring here.

Amongst the retiring items will be the Wanderful paper packet. And that is one of two packets that we'll be scrapbooking with at my Cherish Your Memories nights in August (contact me if you're interested in attending one near you or just getting a kit).

I love to travel and my job requires a lot of it so I am always in need of travel pages. This paper and the complementing stickers are perfect for anyone with the travel bug and lots of travel pictures to go with it. Don't travel? Do you have a bucket list of spots you'd like to visit? These could be the perfect pages for that as well.

If you wanted to add more pictures to this one, or even the next, some 4x6 flip flaps would be a great addition to get as many pictures as possible on these pages from your trip.

I mixed stamping and complements for these pages. And some black arrow washi (which is retiring).

I love that station wagon. I drove one all through high school. While I did not love the Wonder Wagon then, I do love the memories that came with that station wagon. I might need a second set of these stickers to make a page about that crazy car.

I'm so glad to be back from my extended vacation from crafting (not a vacation I would recommend) and looking forward to sharing more creative fun with all of you. The truth is, when I'm not creating, it's hard to get back to it so I can't wait to get my creative mojo back.

Happy Crafting!

Springtime?

Remember the saying about March, "In like a lion, out like a lamb"?  And then "April Showers Bring May Flowers"? Well, after a pretty phenomenal thunder and lightning storm in the middle of the night last night and a very rainy, with a bit of snow, and windy day today, I'm wondering if the lion scared the lamb away.

But never fear, spring will be here in some shape or form. Trees are beginning to burst into bloom, my daffodils are up and the days are getting warmer. To celebrate the spring, my scrapbook groups did the bright and colorful Lollydoodle paper packet this month.

Inspired by Amber Fillingim

Inspired by Autumn Gittins

 For some hidden photos or journaling, check out the little book!

Not everyone loves interactive elements. Sometimes they are hard to get to when you have your pages in sheet protectors. The page is cute without the hidden book. But if you want to keep the interactive element, I very lightly draw a line around the outside of the book on the sheet protector. Then I remove the page from the sheet protector, place a cutting mat inside the sheet protector and use a craft knife to cut away the square. Easy peasy.

I have a couple of leftover kits if interested. Contact me for more info. Or if you are interested in future scrapbook groups, just let me know.

Take care all and here's to hoping spring is here in full soon.