April Club Layout featuring Stella Paper

This is the layout we'll be doing in my April workshop clubs.  If you'd like to come to my "Open Club" on Thursday, April 19th, 6 p.m., let me know!  Attendees must place a $20 minimum order--there is no additional fee for materials.  Choose either scrapbooking or card making emphasis.  Scrappers will make the two-page layout shown on the board.  Card makers will make cards similar to those shown on the board (and maybe I'll thrown in an extra fun one)!

Incredibly CUTE Easter baskets using the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge

First of all, let me give credit where credit is due!!  These adorable basket ideas came from Consultants Christine David and Christine Adams.  All of the shapes on these baskets are cut using the Art Philosophy Cartridge.  If you don't have this cartridge, you need it NOW!!  With over 700 images on it, this cartridge may be the only one you ever need!  You can order the Cricut Collection (which includes the cartridge, three stamp sets and three sheets of die cut chipboard shapes) on my website at www.closetomyheart.com/christina

I got the idea for this basket from Christine Adams.  If you'd like to get the measurements for the different bunny pieces, visit Christine's blog at:  www.creatingwithchristine.com

As if the bunny wasn't enough, Christine David came up with an adorable chick basket, again using images cut from the AP cartridge.  I think Christine may have a template on her blog:  you can visit it at www.createwithchristine.blogspot.com, but I just used her photo to come up with my own version (it may be slightly different than hers).  Here are my measurements:

Gift basket:  Buttercup Cardstock -- Fit to Page
Head--Circle1, 3 1/2" (Buttercup)
Wings--Egg, 2 1/2" cut 2 (Buttercup)
Body--Heart, 4 1/2" (Buttercup)
Feet--Eggs, 2 3/4"  cut 2 (Sunset)
Beak--Triangle penant, 1 1/2" (Sunset)
Eyes--Oval2, 1" cut 2 (White)
Pupils--Circle1, 1/2" cut 2 (black)
Comb (or whatever that thing on the top is called) --Corner Bracket (use Font button, Tag4) 1 3/4" (Sunset)

I used scissors to cut zig-zags across the top of the egg shapes to make the feet and the wings.  If this makes you nervous, cut yourself a couple of eggs to practice on and, when you get one like you like it, use that as your template.

Cards from my Birthday Card Marathon

Card marathons are my most popular workshops, and I thought I'd share with you the cards we made at my most recent card marathon.  We made four each of these cards for a total of 20 cards in one night!  Next card marathon class is coming up April 30 or May 1st.  Spots are filling up, so sign up soon!  Cost for the class is a $25 minimum order.

This card features our March Stamp of the Month, Potential.  I used Florentine paper, and stamped the images in Twilight and Garden Green.  "Birthday Greetings" comes from the D1514 Just a Number stamp set (a MUST have if you like to make birthday cards).

One of my favorite new stamp sets is in the Footloose Workshop on the Go Kit (G1036)--I love all of the solid sea creature images--they're perfect for the "rock and roll" stamping technique.  To get the multi-colored look, I inked my turtle stamp in Sweet Leaf ink and then rolled the edges of my turtle in Lagoon ink.  You can use this technique with any colors--just be sure to start with the lighter color first, then roll in the darker color.  Then, be sure you clean your stamp before you go back to the lighter color again.   I love this technique because each turtle is unique.  The sentiment comes from the Just a Number stamp set.

Inside the card

I made this card using the Stella paper pack.  The butterflies were cut using the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge--I cut them at 3/4".  By the way, the scallop is also cut with the AP cartridge--cut it at 1" (you'll have to trim the length down a bit).  Birthday Wishes comes from the "Just a Number" stamp set.

I'm a big fan of the Pemberley paper pack because it makes such classy looking cards.  The flowers and "happy birthday" come out of the Card Word Puzzle stamp set (C1494).  I stamped them in Outdoor Denim and cut them out.  The leaves were cut using the Art Philosophy cartridge.

Okay--this is the cutest puppy dog stamp we've ever had. . .and the stamp set (A1126 A Bowwow) is only $6.95!!!  The argyle paper is from the Cruisin' paper packet.  I paired it with Twilight and black cardstock.  If you look closely, you'll notice that the puppy has an argyle collar. . .just stamp the dog on the argyle paper and cut out only the collar and glue it on top of the dog that you've already stamped. 

Get them before they're gone!

I'm a big fan of our Close to My Heart how-to books.  The scrapbook design books (Reflections, Cherish, Imagine and Magic) have elevated my scrapbooking skills to a whole new level.  I use them for almost every layout I do!!  And, the card design books (Originals and Wishes) have really made me a much more confident card maker. 

Close to My Heart has announced that these books are "retiring" and will no longer be in our catalog this fall.  If you don't yet have some of these books, I HIGHLY recommend that you purchase some of them.  Reflections is already gone, and Originals is almost gone, so place your orders SOON!  These sturdy, spiral bound hardback books are only $21.95 each.  You can order the books directly from my website:  www.closetomyheart.com/christina

Sign up in March and receive the Art Philosophy Collection (or $100 in product credit) FREE!!!

I love the new Sweet Surprises Card Kit!

To order this kit, visit my website at www.closetomyheart.com/christina and shop online!

Pics from the Close to My Heart Hawaiian Cruise

What a treat it was to earn the Close to My Heart 2012 Hawaiian Cruise!  I'm so happy to be part of a company that offers opportunities for me to earn these great incentives. . .these are trips that we'd probably never be able to take otherwise!  I thought I'd share these family pictures we had taken on the cruise.  It was a treat for me to get photos of my kiddos all dressed up!    

 

Close to My Heart Hawaiian Cruise



In Kona, Hawaii, we went to a beach where we got to play with all kinds of toys--kayaks, water bikes, snorkels, etc.

Glamorous, aren't they?

My favorite part of the Kona beach trip--Hawaiian shaved ice!

In Kaua'i, we visited Waimea Canyon, which is kind of like the Grand Canyon of the Hawaiian Islands.  The views were incredible--at least, whenever they weren't covered with rain and clouds!!

Erin at Waimea Canyon, Kaua'i



We ported overnight in Kaua'i, and that night, they had a huge storm.  When we walked into town that morning, there was RED MUD everywhere!  The water at the beach was also a lovely red brown.  But, it didn't bother Andrew.  He's drawn to sand like a magnet to metal.  He could dig in it all day.

Let's see, if you dig a hole straight down in Hawaii, will you come out in China or somewhere else?

So, after we left Kaua'i, we sailed up the Na Pali Coast, which is just incredible.  We had horrible weather, but it cleared up just enough for us to glimpse those gorgeous mountains and see all of the waterfalls cascading down.  

We got our best views of whales while sailing on the Na Pali Coast--they were hard to catch on camera!

We spent the last day of our trip in Honolulu, touring the Battleship Missouri and Pearl Harbor.

One of our favorite hikes on the trip was Kiluaea Iki Trail in Volcanoes National Park (on the island of Hawaii). . .about a four-mile trek around the rim of the crater then out across a bed of lava.  It was so cool to feel the steam coming out of the cracks in the lava bed.

It's a pretty long haul across the Iki crater--tour guide Tim read us all of the highlights as we hiked.



The kids are standing in front of the Thurston Lava Tube (a cave formed by lava) in Volcanoes National Park.

The sulfur fumes coming from of these steam vents were intense!!

This is a phenomenal deal!!!  If you sign up as a Close to My Heart Consultant in the month of March and purchase our Consultant starter kit for $99, you get the complete ART PHILOSOPHY CRICUT COLLECTION FREE!  Seriously. . .I'm not kidding!!  So, not only do you get a starter kit that's full of products (almost $300 retail) for only $99, but you get the Art Philosophy Cricut Collection (which retails for $99) FREE!  And, if you happen to already own the Cricut Collection, you can choose to get $100 in Select Product Credit FREE instead! 

If you'd like to take advantage of this incredible deal and join a fantastic company, sign up today on my website:  www.closetomyheart.com/christina (click on opportunities).  I welcome all Consultants to my team--whether you're signing up to get a great deal on CTMH products or signing up because you want a fun, flexible way to earn extra income.  If you have questions, e-mail me at teisenhour@aol.com.

March Stamp of the Month

This is a great stamp set because it can go with ANY type of project.  The flourishes would be great on formal items--like wedding projects or cards--but their universal enough to add to any card or scrapbook layout.  Remember that you can only purchase this stamp set in March.  With a $50 purchase, you can buy this set for only $5--or purchase it at the regular retail price of $17.95.  Either way, it's gone after March 31st!  To order, visit my website at www.closetomyheart.com/christina