Convention 2008, Orlando, FL

We made it! Three of my downline and I arrived last night after two days of driving cross country. I can already tell you it is so worth! I attended Leadership Day today and made some super cute artwork samples and even got a sneak peek at some new products. :O) Here are a few fun pics to share with you...

That's just a few moments from my day. Time to get some rest for some busy days ahead.

Have a blessed day! Pamela

Did you say chocolate???

Oh yeah! How about these darling goodies? A decorated nugget tin filled with decorated Hershey's Nuggets and two decorated Hershey's Chocolate bars. Everyone always loves these and they make fast and easy gifts.

Recipe: All Supplies are CTMH unless noted

Stamps: Let Me Show You How (consultant set)

Paper: Boom-Di-Ada Creative Basics paper packet, Olive CS, Buttercup CS, Hollyhock CS, Colonial White CS

Inks: Hollyhock

Accessories: White Daisy Ribbon Rounds, Marvy Scalloped Circle  Punch, Nugget Tin from www.papertreyink.com

Have blessed day, Pamela

One Word Answers

YOU CAN ONLY TYPE ONE WORD!
Not as easy as you might think.  Change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers. 
 
1. Where is your cell phone? Kitchen

2. Your significant other? Mike

3. Your hair? Thick

4. Your mother? Linda

5. Your father? Frank

6. Your favorite thing? God

7. Your dream last night?  Forgettable

8. Your favorite drink? Coffee

9. Your dream/goal? Australia

10. The room you're in? Peaceful

11. Your hobby?  Scrapbooking

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Christoval

13. Where were you last night? Walking

14. What you're not? Old

15. Muffins? Blueberry

16. One of your wish list items? Vacuum

17. Where you grew up? Angelo

18. The last thing you did? Party

19. What are you wearing? Necklace

20. Your TV? Mitsubishi

21. Your pets? Dogs

22. Your computer? Dell

23. Your life? Blessed

24. Your mood? Tired

25. Missing someone? Yes

26. Your car? Suburban

27. Something you're not wearing? Shoes

28. Favorite store? Target

29. Your summer? Long

30. Do you love someone? Yes

31. Your favorite color? Black

32. When is the last time you laughed? Tonight

33. Last time you cried? Yesterday

A Sweet Thank You

Here is the thank you card we are sending to Mike's co-worker's wife for letting us stay at their condo over the weekend. It was a must to use blue...LOL! Betty is known for decorating with lots of blues, silver and white and the condo was no exception. :O) I hope she likes yellow too...

 

Recipe: All products are Close To My Heart

Papers: Colonial White & Buttercup Cardstock, My Reflections Kit - Free Spirit paper packet

Stamps: Friendship Blessings, Legendary Moments

Inks: Buttercup, Honey

Accessories: Silver Brads, Buttercup Organdy Ribbon, CC Metal Charms

TLF, Pamela

Takin' a Break from the Scrappin' Challenge

but only for a bit! I've got to get it in gear to get 8 more layouts done before I leave for the Close To My Heart Annual Convention in Orlando, FL!

This past weekend we went to Austin and spent Saturday and Sunday at Lake Travis on...

My husband has a co-worker that has a condo there and he let us use it for the weekend! How cool is that!?! It was beautiful and we will definitely be going back someday. Here are a few pictures of this amazing place...

My son actually took the above photos. He told me during our walk of the property that he prefers to take pictures without people in it. He did a fantastic job!

Pool fun!

These are the greatest kids! God has blessed me beyond measure. :O)

Pamela

Another Layout to Add to the Challenge!

I was able to fit 14 photos onto this layout using Close To My Heart's Imagine Scrapbook Program, Supporting Cast concept found on pages 98-99. So cool! I also used the new CTMH Photo Marker for my journaling and to put the girl's names on their individual focal point photos. Love it!

'nough said!

I really like this new technique I learned of lightly inking your stamp and then rolling it on the ink pad to get ink around the edges of the stamp. To create a more subtle look, I stamped off once on scratch paper and then stamped onto White Daisy cardstock...that's called 2nd generation stamping.

Thanks for looking and I wish you a blessed day! Pamela

Recipe: All products Close To My Heart

Paper: My Reflections Whoops-A-Daisy Paper Packet

Stamps: Rustic Alphabet; June Stamp of the Month, With Love

Inks: Hydrangea, Watermelon

Accents: Clear Buttons, Texture Tools, White Daisy Bigger Brads,  Imagine Scrapbook Program - Supporting Cast concept

Scrappin' Challenge is On!

Alright...it's official! My bff, Cindy, has challenged me to a Scrappin' Challenge through the end of the year. We all have the best of intentions to get lots of scrappin' done, especially during the summer. However, I think we all find some excuse...usually "I just can't find the time". Well, you won't find the time unless you schedule it in! So grab your day planner/calendar and schedule some personal scrappin' time in!!! Come on...I want you to join us in this challenge. You can do it!

Here are the details...

*Complete 10 two-page layouts each month through December 31, 2008...that's a total of 60 two-page layouts...12o total pages!

That's about 2-3 two-page layouts each week...very doable...especially if you make your pages faster, simpler, easier with CTMH products like Level 1 Kits, Level 2 Paper Packets and My Stickease, just to mention a few. One of my goals is to use more of these fabulous products mentioned to get more of my pictures into scrapbooks!

Here is my 1st two-page layout for July...

I created these layouts by following CTMH's June Workshop on the Go (Whoops-A-Daisy Layouts Workshop). The layout concept comes from CTMH's Imagine Scrapbook Program and it's called, Stars Above, featured on pages 92-93. Email me if you'd like more information about this awesome scrapbook program and the other two programs also available...Cherish and Reflections. They are a must have to make your scrappin' time faster, simpler, easier!

The title was a lot of fun to create using my E size stamps, Rustic (my favorite stamp set) and Creative Clips for the 'I'.

A scrapbook layout isn't complete until you do your journaling. :O) Now that wasn't so hard!

Another creative clip used to accent this 'happy' photo of Caitlyn. Aren't the colors of these papers just perfect for your pool/beach pictures! I'll share another layout shortly using the same papers but with a totally different theme.

Something Stacey Julian has taught me...don't fret over using pictures during different times of the year or even over several years. I actually included pictures from Easter and Memorial Day weekend on this layout. I didn't worry about including an exact date. I mentioned it was summer in my journaling and only included the year on the layout. From this info, I know about how old the kids are...that was 5 years ago! Wow! My now 13 year old and 10 year old were 8 and 5....goodness...how time flies.

Have a blessed day and until my next scrappin' challenge post...

Pamela

Recipe: All products Close To My Heart

Paper: My Reflections Whoops-A-Daisy Paper Packet

Stamps: Rustic Alphabet; June Stamp of the Month, With Love

Inks: Hydrangea, Watermelon

Accents: Creative Clips, Clear Buttons, Colonial White Waxy Flax, Texture Tools, White Daisy Bigger Brads, Dimensional Elements Fresh Shapes

Where I'd Like to be...

Technology is so cool! I'm chatting online with my brother, who is in Lake City, Colorado right now with our parents. He just sent me the coolest picture...

My brother says, "This photo is a panoramic that I made from 4 separate pictures coming down from Big Blue yesterday."

It's been several years since we've been and we are itching to go back, but it will have to be next summer I guess.

Hmmmm...my bff just challenged me to a Scrappin' Challenge so we could get some pages done by year's end. I think I'll have to pull some pics from our last trip to Lake City and get started! :O)

I'll be creating a sidebar tracker of our progress, so check back to see how we are doing!

Sweet blessings, Pamela

My Library of Memories in Progress

Ok, I was one of the first to participate in Stacey Julian's Big Picture Scrapbooking Online Class, Library of Memories back in 2006. I really enjoyed the class, but didn't follow through with all the assignments. :O( Stacey is so awesome though, that she created an Alumni for those that did her first class and now when she does the class each year, I have the opportunity to join in at no cost. So cool!

So, I checked out the latest class and all her cool updates, downloaded all the handouts and even bought her new book, Photo Freedom.

I finally figured out what I wanted to use for my Photo Storage Binders...I am using 12" x 12" 3-Ring Binders from Hobby Lobby (store brand) in Black and Photo Storage Pages from Close To My Heart. So far I've filed all my 2003 photos into a binder. I won't go back any farther than that at the moment. Stacey suggests only doing 5 years at a time. I only have 4 3-Ring Binders now, so I'm doing 2003-2006.

Here are my labeled binders...

I used CTMH Silhouette Creative Basics Paper with a past stamp of the month, Doodle Alphabet stamped in Black.

Now I need to label my Category File Boxes...will share more as I get them done.

Hope you are having a fun 4th of July weekend! Stay safe!

Pamela

Happy 4th of July!!!

It's pretty quite around here today. Mike is at work until 6p, so we are cleaning house, doing laundry, and baking and cooking for tonight. We are going to the church's ice cream social and then to the river to watch the fireworks...1st time since we've lived here! Once that is over, we will head home to do our own fireworks.

I thought I'd share a red, white & blue project I created over this past weekend while at the scrapbook retreat. I basically copied the layout idea from the Close To My Heart 2008 Summer Idea Book and did just a little tweaking...different title...accents, etc.

I love this My Reflections Kit, Blue Ribbon...especially that Cranberry Butterfly B&T! It works for so many themes...4th of July, BBQs, Picnics, Bluebonnets, Family Reunions, Summer Fun, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and so much more!

I made my bluebonnets out of White Daisy Just Bloom Paper Flowers. I cut the petals off and then sponged them with Indian Corn Blue ink. The stems are made using CTMH's new RicRac Designer Ribbon.

I love my Alphabet Solo stamps! I never have to worry about running out of a sticker or chipboard letter.  Gotta love that! I inked the edges of the stamps with Chocolate distressing inks then stamped them onto Colonial White cardstock and cut them out.

Thanks for looking and I hope your 4th is spectacular!

Pamela

Recipe: All products Close To My Heart

Paper: My Reflections Blue Ribbon Paper Packet, Vellum (for journaling)

Stamps: Whimsical Wings, Solos B, E, L, N, O, S, T, U

Inks: Cranberry, Honey, Indian Corn Blue, Chocolate

Accents: Twill, RicRac Designer Ribbon, Photo Hangers, Pewter Brads, Expressions Font CD Volume I (Delightful)

Thomas Jefferson was a Scrapbooker

by Mary Gunn

Thomas Jefferson, our 3rd President, author of the Declaration of Independence, among other incredible things such as being one of my most favorite Founding Fathers, may have been a scrapbooker - at least of sorts.

Here are some of my reasons...
- He organized his writings and books, isn't that what we do? Yes, we organize our writings and scrapbooks!
- He was a prolific writer with 20,000 letters in his lifetime. Just imagine what he would have done with emailing and texting!
- He doubled the size of the United States! Isn't that what we do? We start with just a small box of craft products and then double and double and double!?!
- He wrote down every little detail, "I'm making the world a better place by doing this."
- He kept detailed records of his trips such as to France and Italy and shared with others in Philadelphia when he returned.
- He enjoyed the arts.
- He was a designer. OK, so he designed larger items than scrapbooks such as the Virginia Capitol, the University of Virginia, and his home Monticello (which is worth learning about on its own)
- He even invented a lap desk. Wow, we are still trying to invent the perfect lap scrapbook desk! He invented the coolest bookshelf that swiveled, so he could turn to the book he wanted to - I assume he would turn it toward the light source. See a photo in the link below.
- Every generation since has relied on his wisdom and every American has enjoyed his "journaling" (and I mean not to trivialize) of the Declaration of Independence.

Some habits I want to adopt that were Thomas Jefferson's include:
Working in long stretches of time without interruption.
Mix my day with mental exercise, physical exercise, recreation, family and social activities.
I want to live to improve myself and so that my life will help others, as well.
I want my scrapbooks to be more than records of events (even though that is fine), I want my scrapbooks to be records of discoveries all done up in a pretty package.

So I'm pretty sure Thomas Jefferson was a scrapbooker in his own wonderful way.

http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/TJ.html
http://www.monticello.org/gallery/innovations/revolvingbookstand.html
http://www.monticello.org/
http://libertyonline.hypermall.com/declaration.html

Have a safe and meaningful Independence Day - Happy 4th!!!

God Bless America! Pamela

Surviving a Scrapbooking Retreat

 

LOL! This is too funny...guess where I was this weekend?

BBC - h2g2 - Surviving a Scrapbooking Retreat

Have a wonderful and blessed day! Pamela