April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Hello! Aren't these blog hops exciting? What could be better than tons of ideas for the same stamp set? You'll never run out of ideas with so many pieces of art to see on this hop. If you've arrived from seeing the fabulous art on Nancy's blog, you're on the right track.

Today I'm showing off the Flower Pot stamp of the month with some pretty Veranda paper. You'll need to cut your pieces as follows (all in inches):

Card base made out of vanilla cream cardstock, 8 1/2 by 5 1/2, folded in half
Card front made out of vanilla cream cardstock, 5 1/2 by 4 1/4
Floral pattern paper, 5 1/4 by 4
Striped pattern paper, 1 by 5 1/2
Vanilla cream cardstock, 1 1/4 by 5 1/2
Juniper cardstock, 1 1/2 by 5 1/2
Vanilla cream cardstock, 2 1/2 by 2
Garden green cardstock 2 3/4 by 2 1/4
Juniper cardstock 3 by 2 1/2
Vanilla cream cardstock, 2 3/4 by 1/2
Scrap piece of garden green paper

Glue your floral pattern paper to the card front, centered.

Glue striped paper to vanilla cream and juniper strips.

Attach that piece to the card in the center.

Stamp the three flowers from the stamp set in juniper ink on the vanilla cream rectangle. Make sure to leave room for stamped flower box.

Stamp the flower box on garden green scrap and cut out.

Attach to flower piece making it look like flowers are inside the box. Use a juniper marker to dot the center of each flower. Color flowers in with creme brulee and garden green ink using a blending pen.

Stamp Happy Mother's Day from the Say it in Style set (have you nearly worn this set out like I have) in juniper ink.

Glue flower piece to garden green and juniper rectangles and attach to the card about 1/2 inch from left hand side of the card, 1/4 inch down from top. Glue Happy Mother's Day below it.

Cut a piece of creme brulee ribbon about 6 inches long. Glue down to front right of card as shown wrapping and gluing it down and around the back. Take another small piece of ribbon, tie it in a knot and glue down centered on flat ribbon. Glue entire card front onto card base lining it up against the fold first (you can always trim edges but not fold).

Now you're off to my good friend, Melissa's excellent blog. Have fun!!

Blog Hop Participant List
Helen Onulak http://hookedonstamping.com/
Latisha Haag http://domestichomefrontcoordinator.blogspot.com/
Jill Lucas http://scrapwench.blogspot.com/
Kami Welter http://scrappin4memories.blogspot.com/
Jen Rubio http://jenrubio.blogspot.com/
Jody Gustafson http://cre8nmemories.blogspot.com/
Laurie Levnik http://creationsbylaurie.blogspot.com/
Kim O'Rear http://kimorear.blogspot.com/
Jen Patrick http://roxybonds-scrappin.blogspot.com/
Misty Jackson http://misstscraps.blogspot.com/
Mary Eisen http://mestamp2.blogspot.com/
Shannon Pelletier http://mycolorfulworldinvt.blogspot.com/
Tanya David http://scramperscorner.blogspot.com/
Lori Miller http://clearlyfromtheheart.blogspot.com/
Pamela O'Connor http://cherishyourmemories.blogspot.com/
Kathleen Androlewicz http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/Sarita Schraeder http://blessedscrapper.blogspot.com/
Antoinette Herrin http://godblessyourart.blogspot.com/
Michelle Nist http://michellenist.blogspot.com/
Amy Edwards http://paisleysplayhouse.blogspot.com/
Carol Horton http://carol-scrappininparadise.blogspot.com/
Dawn Heuft http://stamptildawn.blogspot.com/
Wanda Riley http://creatingwithwanda.blogspot.com/
Susan Brooks http://stampingintheopen.blogspot.com/
Lori Leng http://pinkcloudscrappers.blogspot.com/
Sheila Bennett http://sheila-bennett.blogspot.com/
Angela Tutton http://tuttonstreasures.blogspot.com/
Dawn Ross http://iamahappystamper.blogspot.com/
Kristie Herdener http://goofyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Shannon Buck http://stampinbuds.blogspot.com/
Carla Ironside http://carlacreates.blogspot.com/
Debra Van Patten http://memoriesoftheheartbydeb.blogspot.com/
Georgia Hauglid http://inkygeorgia.blogspot.com/
Tammy Lea Pinchard http://mycreativeclubhouse.blogspot.com/
Cindy Leek http://paperspadsandpictures.blogspot.com/
Shirley Ross http://momnmescrap.blogspot.com/
Carol Loftus http://carolloftus.blogspot.com/
Sylvia Jacquot http://stampinsylvia.blogspot.com/
Jessica Booth http://jessicabooth.blogspot.com/
Beth Naumann http://bethscreativeblock.blogspot.com/
Jenifer Benner http://jensmessystudio.com/
Karen Norman http://gettinscrappywithit.blogspot.com/
Caren Goldsein http://scrappycaren.blogspot.com/
Terrie Dodd http://my-life-in-real-time.blogspot.com/
Judy Burger http://makingtimeformemories.blogspot.com/
Jamia Bankhead http://papermadnessinc.blogspot.com/
Adeline E. Brill http://adeline-brill.blogspot.com/
Nancy Brown http://creativelyartsygallery.blogspot.com/
Barbra Otten http://barbraotten.blogspot.com/
Melissa Burch http://melissaburch.blogspot.com/
Cibele Glazer http://flowerfoot.blogspot.com/
Chris Shouse http://houseostamps.wordpress.com/
Traci Godbee http://createwithtraci.blogspot.com/
Laurie Newton http://scrapsfromthebeach.blogspot.com/
Brae Montgomery http://thebrae-er.blogspot.com/
Haley Dyer http://inkyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Alison Mullen http://stickygirlstamps.com/
Brenda Harmless http://keepsakeswithheart.blogspot.com/
Kimberly Smith http://verykimberry.blogspot.com/
Lori Brown http://savingmine.blogspot.com/
Deb Young http://scrapbookczar.blogspot.com/
Katy Donaldson http://scrappinkaty.blogspot.com/
Annette Green http://annettescreativejourney.blogspot.com/
Danielle Chapman http://cupcake-stamper.blogspot.com/
Michelle Loncar http://michelleloncar.blogspot.com/
Krista Ritskes http://kristaritskes-simplycreating.blogspot.com/
Jenna Chere http://jennachere.blogspot.com/

Sketch for online crop

Sketch for online crop

One day left!

It's not too late to take advantage of the Close to my Heart new consultant special. I truly can't understand why every scrapbooker doesn't jump on this special like my 12 new consultants did this month. Where else are you going to get $400 of new products for $99 plus shipping? These are not clearance items, they are wonderful current Close to my Heart products and along with those you get free training, my support in helping you tailor consulting to your needs, brand new friends (some of the most wonderful people in the world), free products, creative ideas galore, time away from home, and extra money!! What's not to love! The time is almost gone for those four extra brand new stamp of the month stamp sets though. (not shown above) April 1st, they are no longer part of the new consultant kit. Are you going to let this bargain get away? Click here to sign up, make sure to add my consultant number and click the box next to my name. 9324432

It's A Miracle!

The special for National Scrapbooking Month is beautiful. Starting April 15 through May 31 (while supplies last) you can get this kit in several ways:

Purchase the kit outright for $19.95.

Place a minimum order of $40 and purchase the kit for only $10.

Place a minimum order of $60 and get the kit for only $5.

Sign up as a new consultant between May 1-31 and receive a kit for FREE.

Host a home gathering between April 15-May 31 with minimum sales of $300 and receive the kit for FREE!

I already own the kit (a benefit of working for this wonderful company) as you can see below and the BEST part was the Irresistibles Chipboard Die Cuts. Check out this video to see the magic that happens when you ink up this cool embellishment.



Now here's how the chipboard buttons look once you're finished!

The kit has enough papers and embellishments to make these two 2-page layouts. Along with the paper and Irresistibles you receive a package of embellishments, Flip Flaps, and a sheet of Stickease.

Here are the Flip Flaps at work. You can attach them to the outside of your page protector and just flip through the pictures.

This is the second layout, complete instructions are given in the kit to make it extra easy! You're going to want to be first in line to buy one of these!

Kids Happy Birthday card

I'm preparing for a card workshop this weekend and my hostess wanted a kid's birthday card. I pulled out one of the card patterns that never lets me down (so it might seem familiar), and some Boom-di-ada paper and my blending pens. To make this card cut paper as follows:

8 1/2 by 11 colonial white cardstock, fold in half for card base
5 1/2 by 4 1/4 autumn terracotta cardstock, cut off the two right edges with a corner rounder
2 by 4 1/4 piece of pattern paper
1 by 4 1/4 piece of autumn terracotta cardstock
2 by 2 colonial white cardstock
2 1/4 by 2 1/4 sweet leaf cardstock

Distress everything with cocoa ink.

Using your dry embossing tool and your trimmer's groove, draw two lines 1/2 and 1 inch in from each side of the autumn terracotta card front piece. With raised edges showing, sand with sanding block to expose white core.

Apply pattern paper and autumn terracotta strip to card under the second embossed line. The embossed lines make it easy to line up straight.

Stamp two of the kids on the card (or just one if it's for a particular boy or girl) in cocoa ink.

Use a blending pen to color these in. Squeeze your ink pad together before opening and use the ink that has spread to the lid to color in the kids. It will make for a lighter application.

Remember when using blending pens that you don't go over and over the paper or it will get wet and tear. I used autumn terracotta, barn red, sweet leaf, sunkiss yellow, cocoa, and hollyhock to color these kids in.

Once finished, attach the piece to the sweet leaf square to frame it. Glue to card using embossed lines as a guide, I put mine just under the green pattern strip.

From the Everyday Celebration set I pulled off the Happy Birthday stamp. Add that in cocoa ink just above the second embossed line up from the bottom.

Add two bronze colored brads up in the top embossed "square" to balance the card out and you're done!

Eight is not enough!

I now have eight new team members who signed up this month. Why? Because the special deal that Close to my Heart has for this month is soooooo awesome that it's irresistible. What are you waiting for? Join my team today and start your new adventure!! March 31st is the last day of the special so don't delay! Click here to sign up. Don't forget to put my name in the sponsor box, I'd love to have you on my team!

Live in the Moment

I am teaching a card workshop this week and I love preparing for it. Here's a card with the You Rock paper and the special stamp set that only comes with the Gatherings on the Go kit. Cut your paper as follows:

8 1/2 by 5 1/2 white daisy paper folded in half
5 1/2 by 4 1/4 goldrush cardstock
3 1/4 by 5 1/2 outdoor denim cardstock
3 by 5 1/4 pattern paper
1 1/4 by 4 1/4 white daisy cardstock
1 by 4 1/4 outdoor denim cardstock
1 1/2 white daisy cardstock circle
Distress everything with outdoor denim ink.

Use your dry embossing tool and the groove in your trimmer to draw down some dry embossed lines on the left hand side of your goldrush cardstock, sand to reveal the white core.

Glue the pattern paper to the outdoor denim cardstock. Attach both to card about a 1/4 inch from the right side of the card.

Add white strip one inch from the bottom of the card as shown.

Glue outdoor denim strip across white strip.

Stamp "spirograph" stamp in goldrush in the middle of the circle.

Stamp Live in the Moment sentiment right in the center of the circle in outdoor denim.

Add the circle to the left hand side of the paper strips and put in two goldrush brads on the right hand side of the strips and you're finished. See how easy card making can be!

Sign up for my newsletter!

If you haven't signed up for my newsletter, this is a good time to do it as I have a great special going on for the next 10 days! My personal Close to my Heart specials can only be found in my newsletter. Click here!

Also, remember that there are only a few days left to sign up as a Close to my Heart consultant and received four extra stamp sets in your new kit! Isn't it time to change your life and start your new adventure! Sign up now and I will be there for you every step of the way as you start up your new business! It will make such a difference in your life like it has in mine! Don't let another day go by before you start on your dream!

I will be posting some new tutorials this week. Be sure to stay tuned!!

You did it!

My daughter is graduating from high school in a few months. She's the first of my children to graduate and I'm very excited about her starting a new adventure in college. I'm not nervous at all about her leaving home but I sure am nervous about throwing an open house for graduation! Since it is that time of year I'm making a few graduation cards. This is the first one. To make this card you need the You Did It stamp set and Caprice paper. The colors for Caprice are bamboo, chocolate, crystal blue and honey.

Cut your card base out of colonial white cardstock 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 and fold in half.
Cut a card front out of bamboo cardstock 5 1/2 by 4 1/4.
You'll need 2 circles, one in colonial white 2 inches in diameter (not shown) and the other in chocolate 2 1/4 inches in diameter.
Cut two strips of pattern paper, one 4 1/4 by 1/2 inch and the other 4 1/4 by 3/4 inch.
Lastly cut a piece of colonial white cardstock 1 by 2 inches. Distress everything with chocolate ink and a sponge tool.

Sorry about the blurry photo, dry emboss two lines on each side of card 1/4 and 1/2 inches in and sand the paper to expose the white core. Glue the skinnier strip between the two embossed lines on to about 1/2 inch down. Glue the second line just up from the bottom embossed line.

Stamp Top of the Class on the smaller circle in honey ink. Glue to chocolate circle.

Attach the circles to the lower left of card. If I was to do this over, I think I would have used crystal blue ink on the circle instead because the honey didn't show up anywhere else on the card. You want to make sure that there is a lot of repetition in your card to provide interest.

Stamp You did it! in chocolate ink on the smallest colonial white cardstock.

Attach that piece to the upper right of the card as shown. It's so easy but will mean much more than a store bought card!

Party!

I was excited when I saw this card idea. I love the idea of it being lots of layers and matting. I used Good Times paper and the It's Your Day stamp set. Hope the colors look right to you all, my computer monitor broke and I'm using one that seems to have a yellow tint to it, yikes! This is a 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 card and you'll need to cut as follows:

8 1/2 by 5 1/2 white daisy card base folded in half
5 1/4 by 4 pattern paper
1 by 4 1/4 pattern paper strip
1 1/4 by 4 1/4 buttercup card stock strip
1 1/2 by 4 1/4 sweet leaf card stock strip
2 by 2 white daisy card stock square
2 1/4 by 2 1/4 buttercup card stock square
2 1/2 by 2 1/2 twilight card stock square
2 buttons that match
Distress all with twilight ink.

Glue large pattern paper to card base.

Glue the three strips together small to large and attach to center of the card.

Glue the buttercup square to the twilight square and attach to center of card.

Stamp the present on your small white square in sweet leaf and the ribbon in buttercup.

Stamp the party word in twilight on the present.

Glue stamp image square in the middle of your card.

Attach two buttons with glue dots, one on each side of the square and you're done!

When did life get so busy?

I have had quite a week and it's affecting my blog posting. Last Saturday six, yes, count them, six sweet ladies joined my team! They couldn't resist the new special that Close to my Heart has this month. See the post below for your opportunity to take advantage of the same deal. I had a team meeting, a 2 day crop and a party all this week, lots of fun but it definitely took up my creative time. I will get back on the stick on Monday and show off the goodies I've been preparing for my parties this month. Have patience with me, dear blog readers!

Too good to pass up

For the month of March only Close to my Heart is adding four stamp sets to the new consultant kit. The retail cost of those is $91.80. That's a wonderful deal that I had six people take advantage of on Saturday by signing up to be Close to my Heart consultants on my team. They knew it was a deal too good to pass up. To see all that you receive by signing up with Close to my Heart, look below. For more information, contact me at caldreamin05@comcast.net or 9899066420.

New Consultant Kit Contents

Business Training & Marketing Supplies

Open Me First Brochure
Current Keynotes Consultant Magazine
Color Swatches 4.00
Connections Club Rewards 0.85
B&T Duos Sampler 1.95
Idea Books (10) 40.00
Current Petite Perks 1.35
Current Incentive Set 12.00
Connections Club Cards (25) 1.50
Current Product Review 1.75
Workshops on the Go Guide 1.00

Hostess Supplies

Hostess Packet s (5) which includes the following: 15.95

Home Gathering Postcard Invitations (25 )
Customer Register Envelopes ( 5)
Hostess Rewards Forms
Customer Order Forms (5)

Products

My Reflections™ Veranda Level 1 Kit 9.95
My Reflections™ Veranda Level 2 Paper Packet 12.95
My Reflections™ Veranda Level 2 My Stickease 4.95
My Acrylix™ Block - 2" x 3 ½" 7.50
My Acrylix™ Block – 4" x 4 " 10.50
Bonding Memories Glue (1.7oz) 6.50
Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad Barn Red 5.25
Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad Cocoa 5.25
Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad Juniper 5.25
Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad Garden Green 5.25
My Acrylix™ Follow Your Heart Stamp Set (WOTG) 13.95
My Acrylix™ Authentic Stamp Set 22.95
My Acrylix™ One of a Kind Stamp Set 22.95
My Acrylix™ Cherished Flourishes Stamp Set 22.95
Cardstock 12” X 12”, White Daisy 9.50
My Acrylix™ Spritz Cleaner 2oz. 4.25
Double Scrubber 10.95
Filigree Charms 3.95
Just Blooms Spring Blossom 7.95
Brown StazOn Ink Pad 9.95
Mini-Medley Accents Antique Copper 4.95
Sponge 1.25

For the month of March only you also receive:
CHERISH THE MOMENT - MAY STAMP OF THE MONTH 22.95
WONDERFUL FRIEND- JUNE STAMP OF THE MONTH 22.95
HAPPY FOREVER - JULY STAMP OF THE MONTH 22.95
SOMETHING SPLENDID - AUGUST STAMP OF THE MONTH 22.95

Total Value $381.05
Consultant Cost $99.00 plus shipping/tax

FOR ADDED VALUE YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO ADD ONE OR BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING KITS (NOT MANDATORY):

Scrapbooking Bonus Pack

Imagine Scrapbook Program 21.95
My Reflections™ You Rock Level 1 Kit 9.95
My Reflections™ You Rock Level 2 Paper Packet 12.95
My Reflections™ You Rock Level 2 My Stickease 4.95
My Acrylix™ Cocktail Alphabet Stam p Set 34.95
My Acrylix™ Star Power Stamp Set 22.95
My Acrylix™ On the Edge Stamp Set 18.95
Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad Goldrush 5.25
Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad Outdoor Denim 5.25
Mini-Medley Accents Antique Copper 4.95
Mini-Medley Accents Outdoor Denim 4.95
Mini-Medley Accents Colonial White 4.95
Glitter Rubons Remarks 13.95
Top Coats Rockin' 4.95
My Acrylix™ Block - 2.5x6.5 9.95

Total Value $180.85
Consultant Cost $60.00 plus shipping/tax

Cardmaking Bonus Pack

Wishes Card Confidence Program 29.95
My Acrylix™ So Lucky Stamp Set 18.95
My Acrylix™ Togetherness Stamp Set 22.95
My Acrylix™ Paisley Praise Stamp Set 22.95
My Reflections™ Topstitch Level 2 Paper Packet 12.95
Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad Baby Pink 5.25
Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad Chocolate 5.25
Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad Heavenly Blue 5.25
Mini-Medley Accents Colonial White 4.95
Soft Suede Pinwheels 5.95
My Acrylix™ Block - 3" x 3" 8.50
Designer Ribbon Rounds Colonial White 7.95

Total Value $142.85
Consultant Cost $50.00 plus shipping/tax

Total Value All Kits $704.75
New Consultant Cost 209.00 plus shipping and handling

Caboodle card box

I made a cute card box for the hostess of a party I'm teaching at tomorrow. I hope she loves it! I do appreciate my hostesses!