Waterfall Pictures

This layout features 33 pictures!! Mostly 4" x 6" and 3" x 3". Ya that's right 33 pictures and all of them a fair size. How is that possible??? Well with the use of the waterfall picture technique featured in Close To My Heart Magic Layout book and with the use of Flip Flaps (Visit http://melaniebarr.myctmh.com for more details or to order). Well worth the effort.

Peek-A-Boo Picture

This technique is featured in the Close To My Heart Magic Layout book. (visit my website to get more information on this book http://melaniebarr.myctmh.com/). It seems very involve but the secret to this technique is ziploc sandwich bags. It is surprisingly easy to make; once you have the instructions (available in CTMH Magic Layout book).

Studio J

Well, I got the Studio J membership with Close To My Heart, which is the CTMH Digital Scrapbooking program; and finally I have used it. I must say I am impressed. I don't think this will completely replace scrapbooking for me. But in one evening I have completed four 2-page layouts. This will be a great tool when I want to catch up on some scrapbooking.

Here are pictures of the pages I have created (I get the JPEG file for free with the membership, so that I may print/share these as much as I please).

Layout 1: Test Ride

Layout 2: Thirty

Layout 3: Calaway Park

Layout 4: Just Girls

There is so many paper kits to pick from (some extra under the membership) and layouts (tons more with the membership), and from there the embellishments. I had a great time and I am so pleased with these.

My sister and I recently got together to prepare some samples for upcoming workshops. My sister, Jinny, recently became a consultant with Close To My Heart. She's always had an interest for scrapbooking although she mostly just admired what I made and made very little time for her own scrapbook. I had started doing the workshop with CTMH and contacted her when I was doing the Cherry-O Workshop knowing she would love it. Well she couldn't make time, which was fine. She is a busy single mother after all. A few months later she came to one of my workshop and saw the sample page that had been done with the Cherry-O and she whacked me in the arm (sisterly love.. you know!). She loved the workshop and was mad I didn't make her come. Go figures.

She started hosting her own workshop and it was getting so big that we figured we would be better off if she became a consultant. Gives her a discount and cut down my trips to Calgary. Best of all, I now have a consultant friend to make the sample pages and cards with. Yeah!!

This is a partially completed two page layout for the Olivia Workshop. At first from the pictures in the Idea Book I wasn't completely sold on this. But to see it live... is a complete different experience. I really like it. and the stamp is absolutely gorgeous!!!

The only problem is that it features the sanding edges technique. Well it's not really a problem for me, and the look is amazing... but my sister didn't fare too well.

Yup that would be a face cloth in her mouth... She was attempting to diminish the grinching feeling she would get from sanding the paper. She complained a lot... loudly... it was really funny. Didn't bother me at all. This may be a tricky workshop for her.. hehehe.

Christmas Card Workshop

I love sending cards for Christmas and I'm really excited about these... mainly because they are 6" x 6" and you know what that means. No? Well it means that I can send a 4" x 6" Christmas picture with my card, no itty bitty photo for my family this year. Yeah!!

Here are pictures of the cards we will be creating at the Zella Hall Scrapbooking Weekend on November 6th and 7th.

The workshop includes. All the cardstock and pattern paper that will be required for completing these cards, sparkles, ribbon, the 6"x6" envelopes and the stamp set A Timber. This workshop will complete 12 cards; 2 each of 6 different patterns. You get all this for $25 or if you prefer you can get the workshop kit for $15 without the stamp set (which will still be made available for you to use).

Here are a close up of the cards that we will be creating.

Card 1

Card 2

Card 3

Card 4

Card 5

Card 6

Here is the list of items that you should be providing:

Paper trimmer*

Adhesive

Scissor*

Acrylic Block *

Corner Rounder*

*these will be made available for sharing but that will slow us down.

I will have the ink pads there for sharing but again if you have your own it will speed up the project. I have used Chocolate, Olive, and Holiday Red (Cranberry would also work). If you would like me to order you these ink pad along with your workshop please let me know before Oct 20Th.

Unusual Scrappin'

There was a bike decorating contest for the Didsbury Rodeo.

And then I started to think... how do you decorate a bike.
Luckily, my scrapbook supplies saved the day... yet again.

Here are pictures of the boys "firetruck" bikes.

Yup, those gloves where insanely too big.. but they had a great time.

Barbwire Fence Card

I have discovered a new blog worth mentioning this week. I was so excited to find it. Didn't know it was out there. Please take the time to visit heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com. They hold scrapbooking, cardmaking contest using Close To My Heart product.

I wonder if this card would qualify for the H2H8 contest??




I must admit I didn't come up with the idea of this card by myself. I came across a sample of a white picket fence card in front of a window (using Close To My Heart's Flower Pot a previous stamp of the month). I intend to make it as well and will be posting it when I complete it. But with fathers day coming soon and my father in law's birthday, I wanted a more masculine card.

I did discover a few things making this card... mainly the importance of a clean work surface. Arggg.

Here is the instruction for making this card.

Material and tools required:
(everything I used was from Close To My Heart)
Chocolate cardstock x5642
Colonial White cardstock 1388
Chocolate ink stamp pad z2211
Cocoa ink stamp pad z2214
Colonial White ink stamp pad z2168
Desert Sand ink stamp pad z2118
Grey Wool ink stamp pad z2125
Olive ink stamp pad z2153
Goldrush ink stamp pad z2123
Indian Corn Blue ink stamp pad z2130
Vineyard Berry z2157
Clover Meadow z2113
Paper Trimmer z338
Micro Tip Scissors z534
Sponge z697
Scoring Stylus z608
1 1/4" Circle Punch z1311
My Farm stamp set D1219
Post It's
Vellum Spray
Scrap paper
White colour pencil

Step 1: Take a sheet of chocolate cardstock and the chocolate ink stamp pad. Place the stamp pad flat on the cardstock (ink side down) and rub in circular motion. Do this on both side of the paper. This is really so cool makes a great faux leather look. You have got to try this. It will work with any cardstock and matching ink pad.



Step 2: Cut out the base of the card from the chocolate faux leather cardstock 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4". As well cut out three piece of 12" by 1/2".

Step 3: Cut out of Colonial White cardstock 4 1/8" by 5 3/8".

Step 4: Stamp on Post it image of the tractor and cut out. I gave a quick spray with vellum adhesive to the parts that was not sticky and let dry till just tacky. Be sure to keep outside part of the post it.



Step 5: Place post it tractor on Colonial White cut out cardstock where desired and place two more post it at "horizon".



Step 6: Dab sponge into Colonial White ink stamp pad and dabing excess off on scrap paper apply a soft layer to top part of exposed cardstock. Be careful the Colonial White is a pigment ink and it is thick and slow drying... I covered myself with it, I'm speaking (or typing) with experience.



Step 7: Continue Step 6 with the Olive stamp pad applying the color just under the Colonial White area blending softly. Be sure to dab excess off on scrap paper before applying to your project. Again I am speaking with experience. After that finish bottom section using the same technique with Desert Sand ink stamp pad.



Step 8: Reposition the post it to cover the bottom portion of the "horizon". Using circle punch cut out a circle out of post it and apply on upper left corner of the tractor post it. I used the adhesive spray here again.



Step 9: Dab on colour as was done for bottom half of card using first Goldrush, Vineyard Berry, then Idian Corn Blue. Vineyard Berry is a very bright colour; be sure to remove excess on scrap paper so obtain a pastel like colour (I missed that step near the sun... oh well).



Step 10: At this point you can remove all the post it and see how the background looks.



Step 11: Place the outside post it of the tractor around the tractor silhouette and dab on some Clover Meadow. Cause well this is a John Deer household I guess.



Step 12: Remove post it and ink up the tractor stamp with Cocoa ink stamp pad. This is a large detailed stamp so be sure to place the protective foam sheet that comes with your stamp set under your project so that it'll push the cardstock up to the stamp for a good contact. Line up carefully and stamp in the designated space. Gotta love clear stamps. Good luck doing that with a wooden or rubber stamp. Ya I have a preference.



Step 13: Stamp the... barley??.. or is it hay?? I am such a bad farm girl. I have no idea what kind of "crop" it is but stamp it at different highs on the lower left corner of the card. I quickly noticed that stamping in second and third generation really gives it depth and movement. I stamped this in Cocoa ink. I also inked the edges with Cocoa ink.



Step 14: Cut from the 12" by 1/2" piece a 2", 2 1/2", 3", and 3 1/2" pieces.



Step 15: I used a white colour pencil to mark the middle and 1/4" from the one end to cut out the corners.



Step 16: Ink edges with cocoa ink.



Step 17: On remaining 12" by 1/2" piece; stamp barbwire in Cocoa ink then cut out. Ya this time takes a little bit of time. You may want to do it comfortably on the couch watching tv. Your done before you know it. Really.



Step 18: Cut one of the barbwire at about 4 1/2" lengths and the other one at a little over 5". The stamp is not long enough for those measurement but it is easy to stamp it side by side continuing the barbwire pattern. Glue the barbwire to the fence post and fold excess and glue to back of the card creating a gate. Be careful! It was at this point that I turned my card over onto a bit of glue. Clean work surface is nice.



Step 19: I created a similar design for the inside of my card using the same technique as I did for the front, limiting it to just a small accent area. I used the Desert Sand ink on the bottom and Indian Corn Blue on the top and ink Gray Wool for the milk container thingy then stamping the image with Cocoa. Again ink the edges and voila.



At this point I seriously considered waking my husband to admire the card with me. But it was midnight... and he's a grump when I wake him at that time for something he doesn't consider an emergency.

Hmmmm. Would this qualify as an emergency?

Cherry-O Workshop - May

Yeah!!! an other successful workshop. I get so excited the day of the workshop. Its my way of guaranteeing that I can fit in some scrapbook time.

This month the paper pack was beautiful. I love cherry decorated stuff it's such a happy paper. For those of you who don't know I'm a little bit of a paperolic. But hey admitting it is the first step right? Although this is one addiction I have no intention of getting rid of.

Here is the Sample of the workshop.

Although they didn't in this sample inking the edges in chocolate ink really makes the layout pop. Trust me it is worth the effort. To ink the edges (in case you don't know what I mean) you daub a sponge on the ink pad of choice then rub/flick the sponge on the edge of the paper you are inking.

The main featured technique showcased in this month's workshop was the rock-n-roll technique. To complete the cherries first ink your stamp in Tulip ink pad and stamping down on a scrap paper leaving a faint layer of ink on the stamp. Then without cleaning your stamp roll the edge of your stamp into the Tulip ink pad again. Now stamp on your project. This will create the two tone cherry. Really nice. For the leaves, ink your stamp in Sweet Leaf ink pad and then without stamping in between roll edge of stamp in the Chocolate ink pad.

Here is a hint for you. It is easier to accomplish this technique with a smaller block that just fit your stamp.

Well all in all we had a great time. It's so neat to see how everyone pages end up a little different, and some a lot different.