I love crafting, and I love helping people learn how to craft. Here, you will find easy tutorials for all manner of paper crafting projects, monthly specials from Close To My Heart, and the occasional non-paper craft for fun. Be Crafty!
September is National Stamping Month. So of course there are specials! Starting now, through the end of September, with any $35 order, you will receive this amazing double stamp set containing almost 50 different images! This is an amazing value, and this stamp set is so adorable! I can't wait to play with it. I am already envisioning so many different uses for it.
Close to My Heart has an introductory video with a bunch of fun artwork and more information on the set. I invite you to take a look and see what you think. If you like what you see, and want to order this amazing set, remember that part of that $35 can be signing up for one of the classes. Also, keep in mind that the stamp of the month can be yours for $5 with a $50 dollar order, so for $60, you would be getting over a hundred dollars of product! To place an order, check out my website! Happy Stamping!
August is here and I'm so excited about the first project we are doing. We did this project at CTMH'S Convention last month in Dallas and I absolutely love it. It's an adorable Mini Album with a 'Me' theme. This would be great to feature a child's special achievements, chronicle a baby's first year, give to a graduate or a grandparent, or make for yourself. Purchase of this kit will include the chipboard shapes, paper required to assemble the album, a spool of Satin Polka dot ribbon, a spool of the Silver Shimmer Trim, and sufficient Bakers Twine to bind the album together. We will be doing this class on August 30th, at 7pm. To purchase your kit for this class, please click the button below to pay with Paypal or send me an email letting me know you want to register and we will go from there. This class will cost $15 plus tax. You must register for this class by August 24th in order to ensure your supplies have arrived. NOTE: this is a date change. If you've already registered for this class, just let me know you are still coming. If not, I'll get your supplies to you. If you haven't registered, feel free to do so now and we will see you on the 30th.
In September, we are making two projects I'm really in love with. On September 3, we will be making two 2-page layouts using the Flirty paper pack. I absolutely adore the colors in this paper pack and I think they will be great for fall. This class will be 29.95 plus tax and that will include paper, an exclusive My Acrylix stamp set, all the necessary embellishments, and you will even have enough leftovers to make an additional project at home! You must register for this class by August 27th.
September 13 we will be making a brand new project. Close To My Heart has developed a new line of home decor items and we will be making the Scroll Album from that line! We saw this project first at Convention and it's a very cool idea. The scroll fits about 7 pictures, although you can of course customize it to add more if you'd like. This class is 35.95, which includes the scroll, an exclusive stamp set, 10 buttons, Chocolate ribbon, Canvas Stickers, and an instruction booklet. Please register for this class by September 3.
That's all for now! I can't wait to craft with you!
Hello and welcome to August. There's a lot of fun things going on this month. I can't wait to tell you all about them! On Thursday, I got the opportunity to teach a craft class to 30 Japanese exchange students. It was a lot of fun. They had a great time and so did I.
They were all at one long table which
was an interesting way to teach.
We made three 3x3 cards which they could stamp with any of the stamps I had there and then color with colored pencils. I was amazed at their creativity and the ways they were using stamps or combining images that I never would have thought of. After they were done with the cards, we made small bags, cut out with my Cricut and the amazing Art Philosophy Cartridge from Close To My Heart. We then decorated the bags with small rolled flowers which were also cut with the AP Cartridge. It was such a great day!
Some of the finished bags. Aren't they cute?!?
Speaking of the Art Philosophy Cartridge, Close To My Heart just announced this month at Convention that they will be releasing a BRAND NEW Cricut Cartridge called the Artiste Cartridge. I'm so excited about this cartridge! It is definitely a MUST HAVE for scrapbookers, card-makers, any one who works with paper. It has more rolled flower designs (similar to what I used in my class last week), die-cut cards, TONS of 3-D objects, shapes that coordinate so well with our stamps and more. I use my AP cartridge constantly and I'm so excited to get my Artiste collection in the mail so I can explore all the different options!
Right now, through the end of August, if you purchase the Artiste Collection through me, you will get FREE SHIPPING and a FREE coordinating stamp set of your choice! You must contact me by email to take advantage of this special offer. Close To My Heart has made it even easier to use their Cricut cartridges and coordinating stamp sets! On each page of the current Idea Book, if the stamp set coordinates with one of the cartridges, it will say which one. On the stamp sets themselves, each coordinating image will have a size measurement next to it to let you know which size to cut the shape at. It will also tell you which page of the corresponding booklet you can find that shape on to keep you from having to flip through the whole booklet trying to find 'that one shape that you just KNOW is there somewhere'. This is a new feature with this Idea book and honestly, it's the one I'm most excited about. The time I've spent, flipping through, trying to find the exact right image...
When you purchase the Close To My Heart Artiste Collection, you get:
Artiste Cricut Cartridge (featuring 700 images including shapes, 3D images, flowers, fonts, etc)
Three Exclusive My Acrylix Size D stamp sets that were designed specifically to coordinate with the images on the new Artiste Cartridge
Three sets of 9"x12" Chipboard Dimensional elements that also go with the cartridge.
Here is a video from fellow Consultant Mandy Leahy about the new Cartridge.
Also in August! Join my team and receive this adorable bag FREE! This bag was given to all consultants who attended Convention and I LOVE it! It's big enough to hold a 12x12 album or a project you are working on, has straps for carrying as a backpack or messenger bag, has decent pockets so you can always find what you need and is just lovely.
But Meredith, you say. I don't want to sell things. I just like to scrapbook. No problem. Join my scrapbooking club, for $49, receive the bag free, then place an order of 35 or more per month and receive a 10% discount on ALL your supplies. Also if you sign up, you will receive exclusive access to products before they are available to the general public and you will be eligible to go to training events and conferences as well! It's a great value. For more information, feel free to contact me!
Thats all for today! Check back soon for a schedule of classes in August and September complete with photos!
Recently, a friend asked me if I would be interested in making invitations for her wedding. I was very interested, but told her that although I would love to, I'd never done a project this big before. She said she was fine with that, so off we went. Her colors are dusty rose, ivory, and champagne, and she wanted a sort of vintage, shabby chic look for the event. Our first stop, of course, was the internet, where we found some designs we liked and decided to combine them.
The invitation is 6x6. We decided to leave the outside plain, but it would also look great with a ribbon or smaller paper with the couple's initials on it.
Inside, on the left, is a pocket holding the RSVP card, a card about lodgings and accommodations in the area, and an information card. It will also hold an addressed envelope for the response card to go in. On the right is a petal box. This was made by random stamping a 12x12 sheet of paper, and then cutting out 4 5.75in circles. The circles were then folded in half and glued around a brown piece of 5.75x5.75in paper to which the invitation itself was attached. I'm sure there is an easier way to have done this, but I couldn't figure one out. If you can think of one, let me know!
All materials used are from Close To My Heart. Colors are Blush and Chocolate. Ivory paper is standard card stock weight paper from Staples, where the printing was done. Font is Copperplate. Stamp is from 'Word Puzzle' stamp set. To purchase any of these materials, or to see a current catalogue, or to order your own invitations, please contact me!
I was crafting with a friend tonight and I wanted to find something to do with a new stamp set. When I started playing with this particular set, I didn't really like what was happening. But I persevered, and ended up LOVING the result. This is possibly one of my favorite cards I've ever made.
Colors are Chocolate, Sunset, Olive, and Autumn Terracotta. The stamp set used is Just For You. Unless otherwise mentioned, all products are from Close to My Heart.
My husband is in the Navy. He left yesterday for a six month underway, so understandably not a whole lot of blogging happened in the last week or so. I also didn't do very much crafting (although I have a big project I'm working on that I can't talk about yet), but I did work on a project. I made my husband a book. What kind of book, you ask? Well, I'll tell you.
In progress shot
I dated each page for each day he would be gone. On each page, there is either a) a little note from me telling him how much I love him or something I'm looking forward to for when he gets back or something of a similarly mushy nature, b) a really stupid joke (ex. What's brown and sticky? A stick), c) a fun fact, a question for him (what did you eat for breakfast today, what food would you have if you could have anything right now, what is the first thing y want to do on your first day off, etc), d) an "inspirational" quote (eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines), e) a photo, or f) it will say open envelope #X. Then, I compiled envelopes. They are 5x8 envelopes with different types of candy, gum, Chapstick, toys (like a deck of cards or a yoyo), a card, some pictures. They are all different. And clearly numbered. He will be missing his birthday and our anniversary, so there are special cards and favorite candies for those days. Basically, he has something to look forward to every day and occasionally will have a little present to make his monotonous deployment a little less bleak.
That's all I've got for today. I have a mountain of laundry to do, unpacking, grocery shopping, and all those other delightful tasks that await when you get home from a trip. Let me know what you think, or how you would have done it differently. I'd love to make this even better for next time!
I was in the mood for muffins this evening. Warm, blueberry muffins right out of the oven. Mmm. But I also wanted something that I could grab in the morning along with a piece of fruit that would keep me going. I think I came up with a good combo, and boy do they taste good. They look pretty too.
Aren't they pretty? I promise they taste even better than they look. So without further ado, the recipe, which I adapted from cooks.com.
1 egg 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 1/4 cup coconut oil (or any other type of oil) 1 1/2 cups flour mixture (I used wheat, white, and oat in equal part) 1/4 cup (about) wheat germ 1/2 cup honey 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup blueberries
Heat oven to 400F
Grease muffin tins well (this recipe made 9 for me)
Beat egg. Add yogurt and stir to combine. Add oil. (Note: if using coconut oil, and it's solid, melt it first before adding.) Add the rest of the ingredients, except blueberries and stir until just combined. Add blueberries. If frozen, do not thaw first. Divide mixture between muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until done. Enjoy!
So, in the last month and a half, I've been to San Diego to visit my husband, painted my living room, co-directed a play, and got a new job. It's been very busy. But I'm back and have a ton of new projects to show you. Today, a thank you card I created to give to everyone who helped with the aforementioned play. I needed something that looked nice, but was still easy to assemble as I had to make 20 of them, and I'm pretty pleased with what I came up with. (I use mainly Close To My Heart supplies. If you like what you see, feel free to check out my friend Elizabeth's blog where you can order anything you like.)
Here is (mostly) what you will need:
3 colors of card stock (I used Colonial White, Bamboo, and Desert Sand)
Ink: I used Desert Sand and Outdoor Denim (not pictured)
Adhesive
Sponge
Stamps (flower for background and sentiment)
Bone folder
Paper Cutter (not pictured)
Cut paper:
White cards, cut to 4"x12", scored down the middle to create a finished card of 4"x6"
Bamboo cut into two sizes, 2"x4" and 3/4"x2.5"
Desert sand cut to 1"x2.75"
Ink all edges with Desert Sand ink if desired. I prefer inking edges as I think it adds more depth and visual interest, but if you prefer not to, or if it's way too tedious, then feel free to skip that part. Stamp your chosen sentiment (here I used the Thank You from CTMH's 'Say It In Style' Stamp Set) on the smaller of the two Bamboo pieces in Outdoor Denim. I apologize for the bad picture quality.
Randomly stamp the flower (I used the flower from the stamp set that comes with the Dreamin' Workshop On The Go, now retired unfortunately) in Outdoor Denim on about 2/3 of the card.
Assemble pieces. Adhere the larger piece of Bamboo paper to the left-hand side of the card. Adhere the smaller piece of Bamboo paper with the sentiment on it to the piece of Desert sand paper. Adhere the layered sentiment to the card where it looks pleasing to your eye.
And there you have it! A simple, attractive card for any occasion. Let me know what you think, and if you make this, link a picture!
