CTMH's Latest Cartridge - Cricut® Artiste

For those of you who haven't seen the new CTMH Cricut cartridge yet, here's a very small idea of what it can do!  I have it, so if you need some more info before deciding to order one, just ask!

There is a typo in the Artiste booklet for one of the projects. On page 49 of the booklet, the slide box is unable to be cut at the 6.5" suggestion. The largest that it can be cut at is 5 ¾" using the Fit to Page function. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Layout & card updates coming soon - still have my loot paked up.  Office should be back together in a few weeks!  (I hope!!)

I realize this posting is a day ahead of the usual weekly posting, but I didn't feel right updating something fun on Sept. 11th. Please keep the men and women who died, and their families & friends, in your thoughts today.  As always, thanks for looking.

Custom Color Ribbon: Color Ready Seam Binding Ribbon

Ever run out of the color ribbon you need?  Not anymore!  CTMH's color ready seam binding ribbon transforms to what ever color you want.  All you need is some ink & a dauber - or better yet, a reinker & spray bottle!  Take a look to see how it's done!

Up & running!

No, not me. I'm busy battening down the hatches waiting for Irene, and hoping my basement (aka office, scrap area, scrap storage area) doesn't flood. Again. Any fast, hard, tropical rain means at least a wet rug...and this sounds like it could lead more to Lake Ramo than a wet rug. I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, our new Meetup group has launched! If you live on Long Island and want to meet up with a bunch of fun, somewhat crazy girls who like to scrap, stamp, make cards, laugh, and snack...we're the group for you! Here's the address:

http://www.meetup.com/Layouts-Cards-Crops-Oh-My/



Unfortunately, it's really only for people from Long Island. The goal is to actually meet people, which is difficult if you aren't local!

So, if western Suffolk isn't "way out east" or "too far west" for you, join us! There's no membership fee!

More soon on those layouts from the weekend crop.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Layouts galore...if all goes according to plan.

"Summer vacation" always seems so long to my parent-friends. I don't know why. July flys by, before you know it a week of August is also gone, and in just a few short weeks school starts again. I can't imagine where my July went, and now I need to start thinking about finding my school notes and lessons.

But not just yet.

I'm attending a weekend crop before school starts up, so I have been kitting layouts and printing pictures the last 2 days, getting ready for my marathon. I'm going to try to make up for the layouts for classes lost in the now-infamous kitchen & basement flood we had a few months back. I'm going to start regular layout classes again in the Fall and would like to get all of the samples done before school starts. OK, maybe not all...but a really solid dent will be helpful. That's my goal.

Of course, I'm cheating. I'm recreating layouts in past CTMH Idea Books, WOTG kits (which I never actually do, I just order them for the exclusive stamp sets!), and layouts from other books my scrap-pal and enabler friend Debbie told me about. Thanks Debbie - let's hope they help us get some layouts done!

I have made a few cards in the interim after totally misunderstanding - twice - what a friend asked about. I'll get photos and post those as well.

I hope you have spent some summer hours crafting! Until next time, thanks for looking!

No one CASEs better than me!

Last year some of the girls & I decided we would do 5 Christmas cards per month and get a jump start things. We were good, too - we did it every month, and when we had to skip a month we did 2 sets of 5 the next month (2 different cards.) This year time got away from me & life got in the way - so I decided to do a Christmas in July. 5 different cards, 5 of each card. I went online to see what others had done with the holiday sets I have, and CASEd 4 of them ranging from 90% to 25%. The 5th card - that one is all mine. Well, all mine based on a sketch in a CTMH card sketch book...but still. :) The sneak peak is above - thank you to the very talented people I was led to by Google image search for the stamps sets I used. Your work is amazing!

If you're local (I'm in Suffolk COunty, Long Island) and interested in joining us, the cost is $25, and you go home with 25 cards. Daytime class is 7/14 at 10:30 am; evening class is 7/15 at 7 pm. Alternate dates and times may be available, but payment is due by 6/14 vi Paypal. Interested? Email me!

My First Time

No, not that. This is a crafting blog people!! :) "Layering items cut on the Cricut Expresion Mike got me for Christmas" is the correct answer.

Yes, after more than a year of saying I didn't need or want it...I caved. Mike also thought the Expression was a good idea since I could to more with it than the original I had and barely used unless the girls were over - I know, I am a very spoiled and lucky girl!!

I cut out letters for a welcome back sign last week, but you-know-who wasn't all that impressed with that. Last night, my pal Debbie graciously let me borrow her Disney cartridge and - wait for it - I made several Mickey's. I think it might have gone faster and more smoothly if my Diet Coke had a little something added to it, but I finally caught on after the first 3 attempts.

Now, if you know me you know I can't stand Disney and find it to be my own personal hell, not the "happiest place on earth." However, a colleague's family is taking a very special trip to Disney next week and I wanted to do something a little extra for the trip. After some thought and input from other fantastic colleagues (thanks Marilyn!) I decided to make autograph books. Here's the first one I did:

I used 5.5 x 8.5 chipboard, card bases pre-cut to that exact size (go figure!), bought some official Disney paper, cut Mickey on the Cricut and layered, layered, layered using CTMH paper. The words were cut out on my Wishblade using a Walt Disney font I downloaded, and used the Bind It All to finish it off. I'll be heading out today to get some red, black, and white ribbon to finish off those coils. I have a second book I'm getting together right now, the cover paper is the only difference, done on purpose so the girls know which book belongs to whom by sight. I also precut their names in the Disney font for the first page. There are black mats on each left page for photos of the girls with the respective autographs. I hope they like it.

How's my Mickey, Disney people? If it isn't quite right, please lie to me. I'm bringing the books to work Monday and have taken it apart 17 times already to get it "just right." I think I'm there (in my own mind, anyway!)

As always, thanks for looking!


PS - Since my computer fizzled I no longer have any blog addys...if you can leave yours with your comment so I can visit you and return the love I'd appreciate it!!

Still not dry...

You probably have a group of scrap friends just like mine. One of us sees seomthing new, she tell us about it (posting on FB, our Group site, etc.)...and the rest of us squeal with delight and pledge to buy it RIGHT NOW off the Internet. I will be the first to admit, I generally lead the charge and am never the voice of reason. Never.

A friend posted a new punch item many weeks ago now, and the ooooo's and ahhhhh's started up right away. Clearly I was coming down with something even then, because I found myself posting "you really don't need that, you can do the same thing with Nesties." I could hardly believe my own eyes. Was that my name next to that post? Had I actually said I didn't need something new? That's just crazy talk.

But alas, 'twas me. And to prove my point, I actually broke out some Nesties and made a card. But then I took it a step further, and then one more. I stamped on acetate, colored with Sharpies, used my Liquid Glass, embossed with a Cutttlebug folder, and even colored over those embossed flakes with a glitter pen. But it still didn't look right...and then I remembered...white craft ink. So I colored this little guy on the back with the ink, and voila:

So here's the catch. I made this card on October 13th. The craft ink is still tacky. I tried a heat gun (but it didn't agree with the acetate.) Seriously...I could still grab some embossing powders and they would work just fine. I literally just touched it again and, yep, still not dry...

As always, thanks for stopping by! Please be sure to leave your blog address for me so I can check out your work as I find time to troll the blog scene!

Always the rule-breaker ;)

I went to my pal & SU! Demo (excuse me, Supervisor) extraordinaire Judy's house to get inky on World Card Making Day. Of course, I had a hefty bag of tools and basics and card bases...but no paper. I had my CTMH How-To books with me and created this card using SU! products. Yes, I know...so much for a CTMH posting. Those How-To books work with ALL products, not just CTMH's. They're great for using up your stash. Or in this case, Judy's stash.

I did manage to make a couple of cards that night, which is a real feat for me. I have no creativity, I'm a CASEr for sure. Good thing I have those books...

As always, thanks for looking! (Please leave me your blog address so I can check out your work, too!!)

Christmas already?

Tomorrow evening I have a few friends coming over for my last Monthly Holiday Card Workshop of 2010. While I was unable to keep up with my 5 cards at each workshop, I do have way more now than I did this time last year...and the pieces ready to go of all those I didn't get to do. A request was made for 2 cards this month to cover November as well (we make 5 identical cards, so this would be 5 cards of 2 different designs.) I am half way done with the second card, but here is the first:

Here is a better view of the insert:

Supplies: CTMH Mistletoe Creative Basics kit, St. Nick stamp set, Colonial White ribbon, New England Ivy cardstock, New England Ivy ink, Cranberry Marker, Liquid Glass, Texture Tools, Edge Distresser; circle punch, Sizzix Big Shot, SU! Top Note die.

I used Liquid Glass on the berries both on the outisde of the card and on the insert. I'm not very good at getting it perfect, but I thought it needed a little something and this is what I came up with.

I'm considering changing that circle to Cranberry CS...what do you think?

As always, thanks for looking!

As promised...

...here is the folder I made for the cards I posted last week. My SCS Misfit pal Nikki gets the credit for this inspiration - and huge thanks for the directions!

Here it is closed:

and opened:

Supplies: CTMH: Colonial White CS, Whisper White CS, Tulip CS, Liquid Glass, Tulip marker, Creme Brulee marker, Staz-On Jet Black ink pad; Velcro, Sizzix embossing folder, SU! corner punch, pop dot.

I liked the Velcro better than ribbon because the folders stayed shut. No ribbon to come untied or get all wrinkled. Everyone seemed to like them (or at least told me they did, lol!), so I was glad I spent the time & effort making them.

In case you were wondering, I am happy to report everyone in my new building has been really great - helpful, nice, supportive...and it is my pleasure to be with them.

What do you think?

As always, thanks for looking!

Being the "new girl" again

I unexpectedly started this school year in "the other building." The HS I teach in is one "complex" but really is two high schools connected by a central lobby area. For most teachers, there is little interaction with those on the other side during the day. That meant I was leaving behind the building in which I started my teaching career more than a decade ago and not seeing old friends daily. Literally, I could take nothing with me unless I personally owned & paid for 100% of the item. It also meant making friends all over again, getting to know where eveything is, and getting comfortable in my new surroundings. While not new to the HS, I was the new girl in this building all over again.

I set my mind on making a small token gesture for each of the secretaries and a few others. I decided on a few cards (because who doesn't need an "any occassion" card at work from time to time?), and put them in a folder inspired by a gift from my SCS pal Nikki last year.

Here are the cards:

Supplies: CTMH: Perfect Day Level 2 Kit, From Me To You stamp set, Authentic stamp set, Tulip ink, Tulip & Creme Brulee markers, Tulip cardstock, sanding block, Liquid Glass, Staz-On Jet Black; Other: stitches stamp, pop dots, Sizzix embossing folder.

I stamped the flowers on White Daisy with Staz-On, colored the center "dots" with Creme Brulee, the petals in Tulip, and cut out with microtip scissors. Once cut, I covered the centers with a thick layer of Liquid Glass and let it set for many hours. Once dry, I lightly bent the petals up & pop-dotted it onto the card. One the right, I ran Tulip CS through a Sizzix folder (similar to but larger than CB Swiss Dots) and lightly gave it a swipe with my sanding block. I could fit 4 cards with envelopes into the folders I made.

"Where are the folders?" you ask? Ahhh...tune in next week to see them!! Mean, I know. But I need to pace my posts since I'm not getting too much "me" time to create something to post so need to be a little miserly with what I've got! Next Thursday...promise!

As always, thanks for looking!

Christmas Card Holder

This was one of the first CTMH projects I attempted after beoming a Consultant. It's hte CTMH Memory Keeper. I wanted a box to store my finished Christmas cards in each month, determined that this box would keep me on track with the 5 per month (it has.) It wasn't by greatest achievement but it didn't turn out too badly...did it?

Here's a little tip if you ever order the Memory Keeper. It's apparently a big fat secret, so lean in closer. I have to whisper it. The corners have adhesive under the wax paper. Pry the paper off to reveal, then stick the box together, literally. This would have been wonderful and useful information when I constructed the above masterpiece. There are no directions, I looked online to see how others glued the back panel to the flaps - there was nothing. For the record, I did try peeling off what I thought might be paper, but it wouldn't budge and I didn't want to ruin the box before getting started. I took out some CTMH bonding glue, added some Club Scrap glue, glued the &*^% out of it, and put it in a makeshift vice for a couple of hours. Since it worked, I repeated it on the other side. I mentioned it in passing to my upline, which is when I found out that paper did, indeed, come off and there was adhesive under there to keep the box together.

I may not be creative, but I do tend to be resourceful. Mike would say it comes from being devious. He could be right . ; )

As always, thanks for looking!

A little overdue

The garage sale was a HUGE success, thank you to everyone who showed up and gave my neglected stuff a new & (hopefully) loving home!

I made this card as a "Bonus card" for my monthly Christmas Card workshop. I try have one of these per workshop, not Christmas related, but I have noticed that unless I can copy something I just can't make it. No creativity. Not good when you're a crafter. Thank God for those CTMH books!! Here was the bonus card for August:



Supplies: CTMH products - Twilight CS, Whispter White CS, Cocoa CS, Enjoy Every Moment stamp set, Twilight ink, watercolor pencils, blender pen, stipple brush.

What do you think?

School has started so I'll be busy getting lessons together for the class I haven't taught in 9 years. I did make some little gifts for the secretaries in my new building (I was moved out of my classroom and original building as of this year) - I'll post those creations soon! I'm half way there since I already took photos!

As always, thanks for looking!

Scrap & Stamp Yard Sale!

No joke people - I have to move stuff out of my busting office. Every year, right around this time, that back-to-school bug bites me and it fuels a massive office clean out. It amazes me that for the 3rd year I still have bin upon bin of stuff I don't use. Since becoming a CTMH Consultant I tend to use mainly their products. I'm not giving up my SU! stuff, but did I really need to buy every Studio G release? No, it turns out, I did not.

Like a good sale? Enjoy the thrill of the hunt? Want to see if Mike really did call the Intervention AND Hoarder show people he continues to threaten me with or...much worse...Clean Sweep? Come by my place on Saturday, 8/28, from 10 am - 4 pm to find out. If it rains we'll be in the basement. (There are 2-3 of us total doing this together.)

Leave me a comment with your email if you need my address (or email me directly.) FYI - I'm on Long Island.

Products for sale include: paper, embossing plates, totes, stickers, hundreds of stamps, ink pads, glitter, Glimmer Mist, I could go on and on. Companies include SU!, CTMH, MM, CM, DCWV, Basic Grey...you get the point I think.

Here's a little sneak peak...

of CTMH's new Mistletoe papers. I am behind on my goal of 5 Christmas cards per month despite actually holding these workshops. I need to focus on getting my own cards finished from each of them before the school year starts again (and who can believe tha's in less than a mnth now??) But I digress...

Here is the July card, modified from a template out of Wishes or Original:

Recipe: CTMH Papers: Garden Green, CTMH Mistletoe (Autumn 2010 Idea Book); Inks: CTMG Garden Green, Cranberry, Sunflower marker; CTMH Stamp: Holiday Jingle; Generic: White papr, card base, pop dots.

Simple to do. We did make 5 of a different ard to make up for missing a month during the summer, and 1 bonus card was also made. I'm spacing them out to post them since I'll be very busy for the next few weeks. In fact, I'm am waaaay behind on cleaning out & up my craft space & office, so I need to get moving.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

(P.S. If you live in the area and want a fun group to scrap, stamp, or take classes with, check out my CTMH website for what's going on!)

H-U-G-E CTMH "Clearance Sale"...

is going on right now. My Stickease are $2 (regularly $4.95, some were even $8.95!), Level 1 packs are just $4 (reg. price $10.95), and Level 2 packs are only $6 (normally $12.95.) The sites were all very slow this morning but the issue seems to have been fixed (have patience if you run into this situation...these prices are worth it!!) The sale goes through 8/11 but all items are "while supplies last." A decent 1/3 of the items are already sold out. Those still available are the only ones listed under the promotion. Want to see if your fave is more than 50% off? Click on that photo of the Idea Book to your right - the one woith the adorable red head on the cover! Once on my site, click Shop Online (left menu), then the "$2, 4, 6, 8" area underneath it.

Between the retiring list and this sale I am glad I was able to snatch up some of my favorite paper packs this morning. Unless there is some repackaging going on, we're in for a lot fewer choices until February rolls around...but wait until you see how great the Fall IB chocies are!! Don't have a Consultant and need a new Idea Book? Leave me a comment with your email address or email me directly!

As always, thanks for looking!

Retiring

No, not me. I wish. Not Mike either. He wishes. Eight of CTMH's current colors are being retired, so if any of them are your favorites or "go to's" you'll want to start ordering your paper, etc. (You can do this via the link to my website if you choose.) Once a color is retired, it is "while supplies last." I always recommend purchasing a reinker if you already have the stamp pad, that way you can continue to use the color for quite some time for stamping, coloring images, etc..

The retirees are: Ocean, Watermelon, Clover Meadow, Hydrangea, Orange, Star Spangled Blue, Citrus Leaf, and Bubblegum.

The new colors are FANTASTIC! I have to say, I love them! Sneak peaks coming as soon as I make something. (We all know what that means..."don't hold your breath," lol!!)

As always, thanks for looking!

Drum roll please.....

I did it! I finally finished all 80 of my swap cards. I am now thinking I don't have enough, but I am out of the photo corners and, more importantly, time. I was told that the cards "should" have layers, an embellishment, use new(er) products, should not contain anything already retired, and shows at least one technique. Then there was straight cuts, straight stamping, neither of which I do well. And so, I present to you my very first CTMH Convention 2010 Swap Card:

Recipe: CTMH - Passages B&T; Desert Sand & Barn Red CS; Cocoa, Barn Red, & Versamark Inks; Antique Copper Brads & Mini Medley corners; Live Inspired (I think) stamp set; Originals template, adapted; Clear Detail Embossing Powder; EK Success border punch. I used heat embossing and the "ghosting" technique from the Wishes book as my technique(s.) This sample used UTEE, the detail worked much better!

So...what do you think? Bad photo, I know, but do you think it will get a decent review from the swap snobs? Mind you, this is also my first "real" swap. Tell me...I can take it!!

Thanks to the stifling heat I will be heading to Lancaster, PA for a little supply shopping at some of my favorite Amish & Mennonite stores there, then head down to DC. Keeps me out of the sun, frees up some time on the way back for stops elsewhere.

I'll report back the week after Convention. Hope to learn new things to share!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Quick, simple, and a little bling!

I also do one "bonus card" at my monthly Christmas card class. I have been trying to use the scraps from the CTMH Level 2 kits I used for albums, layouts, etc. The original card I CASEd is in Wishes or Originals, I forget which. I tweaked it a little to meet my needs, added a little bling, and voila!



I actually like it (this is rare for me!) In fact, I liked it so much I pulled out a few other "scrap packs" and made several more. I needed a few birthday cards anyway and I thought they were nice enough to send out. Simple, but nice.

What do you think?

As always, thanks for looking!

~ Denise

Christmas in April...

Some SCS friends (Hi Girls!!) have a monthly challenge to complete 5 Christmas cards per month so we're in decent shape come December. They can be the same or not. Let's face it, the assembly line method is my friend. I try for a different card each month, but I do 5 or more of them. I completed these tonight, just under the wire for April's "deadline."

CTMH products: Jingle B&T papers, Tulip ink, Tulip chalk, Creme Brulee CS, Juniper CS.
Sentiment: Unknown.

What do you think?

As always, thanks for looking!

~ Denise