Moonlight Shines!

Welcome to the Paper Trail blog hop! This month we are featuring the Moonlight paper pack from Close to my Heart. If you've arrived here from Vicki's blog, you've already seen Moonlight shining. (If not, don't worry, our hop is circular.)

I created more cards this month using more new products from the Autumn/Winter Idea Book.

The cards are all based on patterns in the new Make it from Your Heart book. That book is quickly becoming a staple in my scrap bag.

I love the colors of this paper pack. The Smokey Plum, black and ivory make for some classic looks.

The rosette on this card is made from Black Tulle Ribbon with a large Shimmer Brad as the center.

**One tip about working with Tulle Ribbon - the easiest way to adhere it is to stitch or attach using a brad. If neither of those is an option, Liquid Glass will work, but may show through the Tulle.

For the rosette on this pennant I created an accordion fold flower with paper and an Opaque center.

All occasion cards are fun, but sometimes a themed card really fits the bill. These cute owls seemed perfect for a Halloween card!

To embellish this one, I folded the Tulle Ribbon in half and the pleated it before I attached it to the card.

I hope you'll continue on to Tracey's blog to see what she's created. I'm sure it will be great! Thanks for stopping by!

When I Grow Up

When do people stop asking what you want to be when you grow up? For me I think it happened not long after college when I was in my first teaching job. The funny thing is, I knew the answer then - I had known it for years. Now I'm not so sure.

Still, if you know me, you know I'm motivated by a challenge and the current challenge at Challenge Me Happy is to create a layout about yourself on the theme "when I grow up". I decided to stay in the present as I approached this challenge. As often happens for me, the design was the easier part. I used some current favorite papers from CTMH's Dotty for You special pack, some bakers twine and a few staples.

Since I wasn't sure what I was going to write I decided to use a tag for hidden journaling. After the layout was just about finished, I sat down with the journaling tag and wrote about what I want "when I grow up."

It was difficult at first since I don't have one clear goal in mind right now. In the end, however, this journaling helped me to bring my goals into focus and to reconsider what it is I really want to be doing - both now and when I grow up.

Thanks for the challenge!

I Remember...

Perhaps you could argue that all of my scrapbook layouts should fit the title "I Remember". After all, recording memories is one of the main reasons I create layouts. Still, when I read the challenge at ScrapFIT to create a layout with the title "I remember" it really got my creative juices flowing. I had some photos of our first trip to our favorite ice cream parlor last spring (this is an event I always photograph.)

I used CTMH's special double stamp set It's Your Day for all of the stamping and most of the embellishment on this layout.

(Contact me to find out how to get yours!)

I stamped the cardstock to create a base for the large photo mat. Created the striped border by stamping on the pink patterned paper. I even stamped and then cut or punched the text based embellishments including this circle and flag:

and this arrow and these flags:

The title, "I remember" led me to journal not just about our annual first trip to the ice cream store (as my kids call it) but also about my father and grandfather's long-time love for ice cream. This story tells more than the photos do, and I'm glad that I have it recorded so that my kids know they are not the first in this family to have a soft spot for ice cream.

Thanks for the challenge!

Darling Boy

I've been inspired by lots of challenges this month. This layout is inspired by a sketch at ScrapFIT:

And here is the layout I created about my boy:

This sketch really worked for me for three reasons: I used multiple small pieces of paper leftover from another project (from CTMH's Dakota paper pack). It focused on smaller photos. A perfect place to crop some 4X6s. Finally, I could easily extend the journaling space to include the whole story I wanted to tell about my darling boy.

Thanks for the challenge!

Challenges, challenges!

I have a confession to make. I take some really flawed photos. Not only do I take them, I often print them and sometimes I even scrapbook them! Since my goal as a scrapbooker is to record stories and memories, I use whatever photos I have if the story is one I want to record.

These photos, however, go beyond even my normal imperfect photos. I have had them printed and in my scrap bag for at least four months. I have been avoiding them. I didn't know what to do with them, how to work with them, but I knew I wanted to record the day. It took two challenges to get my to finally put these photos on paper. The current sketch challenge at Scrapping Everyday Miracles with the twist to include at least one star on your layout

and the color challenge at Heart 2 Heart to use the CTMH colors Lagoon, Pear and Sunset.

This sketch was fun. I appreciated the way it featured the patterned papers. It was no stretch for me to add stars which are one of my favorite embellishments. I cut these with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge by CTMH and then stamped with a coordinating stamp set.

I enjoyed that the sketch had two different journaling spaces. Underneath the photo I wrote the story of the day and the train ride that the kids just had to take at the museum. This was the story I wanted to record. The process of creating the layout, however, led me to the title:

And the other part of the journaling the story of trying (in vain) to get good photos and knowing that the memory is recorded anyway.

Flawed photos scrapped. Memory perfectly recorded in spite of the photos. One happy scrapper.

Thanks for the challenges!

Finding Peace (and scrapbooking it!)

Our summer has been very hectic (this is probably true for everyone). We have been visiting, vacationing, hosting, hiking, healing, cleaning, creating, cooking. One of the current challenge words at Bird is the Word is peace and last week that word really resonated with me. I took some time out of the busy summer activities (and the not quite frenzied fall preparations) to create a layout about this timely word.I used last week's sketch from Let's Get Sketchy:

and created this layout about my own sense of peace.

The process of creating and focusing on peace brought me a surprising sense of peace. I concentrated on my peaceful and calm colors - blue and brown - featured in the Pemberley paper pack from CTMH.

As I worked, I considered the design, but I also considered where I find peace.

At the end of the process, I felt more peaceful than I had in quite a few weeks. Additionally, I had reminded myself that I need to actively seek peace or I won't find it. I had also recollected some of the ways I can seek and practice peace.

These challenges and this layout were just the break I needed!

Project #4 - Card box complete with cards!

My mom was also a recipient of one of my 36 projects.

This project began with the My Creations Card Box, just like my niece's project did. This time I used the Florentine paper pack. My mom loves to send cards so after I finished embellishing this box using some Cricut cut shapes, and bitty pearls, I filled the box with cards! (Of course I forgot to take pictures of the cards. Oops!)

I really enjoy creating these kinds of projects. It is especially nice when I can create gifts I think my family and friends will really appreciate.

Another hand made gift given. Another project completed!

Note to Self: Remember - Challenge Me Happy #27 and DT call

Have you seen the current challenge at Challenge Me Happy? Its a recipe challenge - one of my favorite kinds. It is also a design team call! 

I had fun with this challenge which was to include:

• one or more stamps -  Easy for me. I stamp on most of my layouts.
• two photos - No big deal. I'll make a one page layout.
• ribbon or twine or both - Again, no big deal. I love twine!
• two or more paperclips - Out of the ordinary for me, but I think I have some fun paper clips.
• no card stock - Now this is a challenge!
• three patterned papers or more - Three or more? Yup, another challenge.

Here is the layout I created recording memories of Garden of the Gods - a favorite place to visit in college:

Checking the recipe:

Two photos - check

Three or more patterned papers - check  (All of the papers are CTMH. Most are from retired paper packets). 

No card stock - check

Two or more stamps - check. The title is made up of two different stamps. The chevron pattern is stamped and the sentiments on the top right corner of the plaid paper are stamps.

Twine - check. 

Three paper clips - check. 

I included some hidden journaling behind the photos. I modified the die cut journaling card to make it a perfect fit for this layout. Originally it had plain colored twine but I swapped it out for the same chocolate twine I used in other places on the page. I also added the stamped sentiment that peaks out from behind the photo.

Thanks, Challenge Me Happy for inspiring me to create this layout!

Project #3 - Treasure Box

Another project that was a gift for a darling niece.

The box is the My Creations Card Box from CTMH. I think it will also be a perfect size to keep all the things a girl treasures.

I used the Stella paper pack to coordinate with the bold colors in this little one's room and embellished with the Just Blooms Flutter Paper Shapes and the Opaques Mocha Adhesive Gems (one of my current favorites!)

One hand made gift given. One more project down!

August Events and Specials

Happy August! I love August because it is still summer vacation and because it means there is a new Close to My Heart idea book and catalog. There are some terrific products in the new catalog. Check out some of the ways I'm celebrating these new products:

1. Catalog Open House - Tuesday, August 14, starting at 6
 Come by my friend Kerrie's house to see the new catalog, some of the products and take advantage of some special deals! Celebrate our "out with the old in with the new" theme by bringing old papercrafting supplies you won't use to donate and earning a raffle ticket. One lucky person will win a new prize! 
Interested in attending? Want more information? Let me know!

2. Come and Craft with Connie - Monday, August 20 starting at 7 PM
Bring your current project and take advantage of my supplies! Get an evening of crafting time, table space and access to all of my stamps and inks for just $5.
Contact me to reserve your spot. Seating is limited.

3. Sign up now to host a gathering and earn an additional discount!
The first three people to book gatherings in this catalog season will earn $5 off of any one of my workshops through the end of 2012. This discount is over and above the hostess rewards you will earn at your gathering. In addition, if you book on one of the preferred dates listed below, you will earn a $10 voucher to spend at your gathering!
Preferred dates:
             Wednesday, August 22
             Monday, August 27
             Wednesday, September 12
             Monday, September 17
             Wednesday, September 26
             Monday, October 15
             Wednesday, October 17
             Monday, October 29


4. Rewards Club Members - Double Points Week - August 14 to August 21. 

Any orders you place with me between the above dates will earn you double rewards points. If you can't make it to the open house or the crafting night, please feel free to shop on my website (you can join the New Catalog Specials party on my site)! Remember, you can redeem rewards starting with 50 points! Not a rewards club member? You can sign up now! 

A few summer layouts

Well, summer is in full swing and with it all of the activities that summer brings - including visits and vacations with family. In the midst of all of this, I have been getting some creative time in so I wanted to share a few summer layouts.

I shared a sneak peak at this one earlier this summer in a post about having too many photos. Here is the completed layout that tells the story of our backyard pool last summer.

As I predicted in my earlier post, I did create other layouts using photos from this pile. I planned that I would create personality pages about each of my kids using photos of each one alone.

I shifted gears a bit on the layout about my daughter. Rather than remembering what she was like last summer, I journaled about my hopes for her. I created the background paper using a fun new stamp - the speech bubble. From there, I added words and phrases from other stamp sets that fit with my journaling.

 

I stayed more true to my original thought with the layout about my son. The design was inspired by Shimelle. The hidden journaling talks about his love of the water (even when his teeth are chattering.)

I even created this layout using photos I had thought I would pass up.

I decided it was important to document my feelings about the pool and summer, too.

Sorting through that intimidating pile of photos early in the summer turned out to be a forward thinking move. Since I had already considered each of the stories, the last three layouts came together fairly easily and I could get back to my other summer fun!