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Saturday, January 22, 2011

Mojo Monday #174

Well, I am actually posting this challenge the week it was posted on the Mojo Monday blog.  Yay for me!!!!

Here is the sketch:

And here's my card:





Recognize the colors?  They are from the H2H Color Challenge from last week: Pear, Sky, Colonial White with a touch of Sorbet.


I had cut the base and a couple of other pieces for the challenge last week and since they were just begging to be used...  All supplies are from CTMH except the Stickles on the flower, and the Smooch on the leaves and stem.  Oh, and the border punch is from SU.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

H2H Challenge: Organization

The H2H Challenge this week is a little different:  Organization!  How do YOU store it all?  Well, as an Army Wife, we move ALOT, so I never know how much room I'm gonna have to devote to crafting.  In Alaska, I had my CTMH rolling carryall and a small closet with lots of shelves.  Believe me when I say it was PACKED!  It worked for me there because I did most of my crafting away from my house, so I would just grab what I needed, put it in the Rolling Carryall Bag, and away I went!


But here in GA, I do all of my creating at home.  Fortunately, we have a ton of space in this house, so I got a craft room (or at least 1/2 a craft room, as it is also our guest room...)  It's a perfect set up because it is located just off the "Man Room" and I can craft while the guys are playing xbox, but still be close.  And I can shut the door and walk away, just leaving a project (or projects...) out in all its' messiness.


I found this big table at the thrift shop and it is the perfect size to create on.  I have a lamp, some sticky notes, pens, most used punches and scissors on the desk, while my paper cutters, ATG gun, and other adhesives are in the baskets attached to the wall.


On the other side of the table is a wall of plastic drawers.  The blue ones on the bottom(under the white drawers) contain all my punches, sizzix big shot dies, adhesives, and embossing materials.  The white ones on the top contain all my embellishments sorted by type (brads, eyelets with Crop-a-dile, flowers, buttons, ribbons, waxy flax, etc.) and tools (scissors, brayer, distressing sponges, Sharpies).  Then on top of that are my distressing toolkit box, corner chomper, re-inkers and Stickles, and Smooch.  Painting supplies, Cuttlebug Alphas, and Sizzix Big Shot are on the top.  A display shelf above holds some "pretties".  There are 2 sets of 12x12 drawers that I store my current projects in.


The butcher block bar is my "stamping station"  where I have my CTMH Inkpad Tower filled with markers and inks.  A basket holds my clear acrylix blocks and cleaner.


Now for the wall of "creating".  I have 2 bookshelves pushed together. On the very top, I have clear boxes filled with materials and alterables and frames I use to create dry erase boards.  The top shelves hold all my CTMH stamps organized by theme, then size/numerically in our stamp organizers.  The E Sized Alphas are in a magazine file and the blue notebook holds an index of all my stamped images.  The basket holds stamps that are being used for current projects.  The 2nd shelf from the top hold all my cardstock organized by color in Cropper Hopper files.  Then I have scraps organized by color in Cropper Hopper Sticker file folders.   Then all of the paper packs I am currently using filed alphabetically.  The magazine files hold stickease, 9x9 pages, chipboard shapes and alphas, chipboard.
The middle shelf holds my organizer cases that go in the rolling carryall.  Embellishments, ribbon, coluzzle, and acrylix blocks.  The baskets are for alterable projects I'm working on.  Then my "library" of CTMH Idea Books, Keynotes, WOTG, and how to books.  The big blue box holds my made cards. Second from the bottom are supplies for alterable items I make.  The bottom shelf holds alterable found items like toilet paper tubes, etc., my CTMH Catalogs, and items for sale like paper packs, stamps, etc.


I have an armoire on the guest room side of the room that holds albums, mailing supplies, gifts inside and display items on top.  So, now that I've talked your ear off... I hope you enjoyed the "tour".  It's not perfect, but it works for me!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Mojo Monday #173 AND H2H Color Challenge: Sky, Pear, Colonial White

I decided to double-up and complete 2 Challenges with one card.  Here is the Mojo Monday #173 sketch:


And here is the H2H Color Challenge:



And here is my version:


I used heavenly blue, sweet leaf, and white daisy with a touch of sorbet.  The most wonderful thing about this color combo is that it is so versatile.  You can use almost ANY color as an accent. AND it is very similar to one of the new {returning...hint, hint} paper packs in the new Spring/Summer 2011 Close to My Heart Idea Book launching on Feb 1st! 

So ladies, use up those scraps from last year, because you are going to FLIP over the new papers!!!!

All supplies used are from CTMH unless otherwise noted:
  • Cardstock used: Heavenly blue, Sweet Leaf, White Daisy
  • Ink, ribbon, and brads: Sorbet, Heavenly Blue, Black
  • Stamp sets: D1424 Something Splendid, C1366 Fringed Phrases
  • Liquid Pearls and Stickles in Baby Blue (0n cloud) from Ranger
Thanks for looking!


Check out Lorrinda's blog HERE for a chance to win blog candy!  It is an awesome package of goodies that will be given away on January 30th!










Thursday, January 13, 2011

Mojo Monday #172 Challenge

I love these Mojo Monday Challenges, they really inspire me to be creative and USE THAT STASH of product!  Here is the Mojo Monday #172 sketch:



And here is my version:


I used CTMH Black Cardstock as the card base, stamped the background image from the "Key To My Heart" promo stamp set on White Daisy cardstock in Black ink.  I used my Sizzix Big Shot to cut out the 2 scalloped squares in Black and Grey Wool cardstock, and the heart in Bubblegum (discontinued) cardstock.  I stamped the key image on black cardstock using Versamark ink and then heat embossed using CTMH Silver Pearl embossing powder to give it a shiny real key look.  I stamped the heart with the same image used on the background, and then went over the details using Stickles glitter glue in black.  I bumped the key and the heart up using one layer of foam tape from CTMH.  The saying "You hold the key" is stamped on white daisy cardstock using black ink.  I cut out this saying and used 2 layers of CTMH foam tape to make it really stand out.  On the inside, the card reads "to my Heart" and there is another smaller version of the Bubblegum cardstock heart covered in Black Stickles.

Enjoy your weekend!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Welcome to my blog and my very first post!

Welcome and thanks for stopping by! I am so excited to share with you some of my creations. Two weeks ago, I participated in my first ever Mojo Monday Challenge. If you've never visited this blog, every Monday they give you a challenge sketch, this one is #171 from December 27th. You make your version of the sketch and then post your picture on their blog and link it to yours. The first Monday of each month they do a contest.

Here is the sketch:




And here are my versions:





I did the square one first, and it was pretty easy, so I got really pumped up and decided to go for the circle card too.  Not as easy...  And yes, I DO realize that the holidays are over, but I was still in a "holiday" mood, so...
So if you have been a collector of supplies (like me), feel free to join me in the challenge of using it up!  

Supply List:  (all supplies are from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted) Feel free to visit my website HERE

    • Mistletoe Workshop on the Go (only available until Jan. 31, 2011)
      • includes  Mistletoe Level 2 paper pack
      • All the Best stamp set
      • Mistletoe Level 2 accessory pack (flower, brad, ornament)
    • MS branch punch
    • SU scalloped circle punch
    • CTMH circle punch
    • CTMH colonial white ric rac ribbon 
I would LOVE for you to become a "follower" of my blog, just click the "follower" tab on the right!  Thanks for looking!