Congratulations, Sarah!

Today our family helped my nephew's daughter Sarah celebrate her high school graduation. The weather was a bit "iffy" as we drove from my sister Karmen's - we were in and out of rain numerous times, but it was dry by the time we arrived. As is pretty traditional for MN summer parties, the celebration started in the garage. This party provided me with an opportunity to get a photo of my sister, Karmen, with all six of her grandchildren. Sarah is the far left of the picture. I think that may have not needed any pointing out as I look at the composition of this picture - there really isn't another option. Aren't they a good looking group?

Completed cards

Here are the six card bases I posted yesterday with some finishing steps added. As I said yesterday, all but the Christmas cards have an intended home and will be used this weekend. I figured I'd better capture them quick in a photo before I started using them.

This weekend Zumbrota is having it's summer celebration the Covered Bridge Festival, so there will be a lot of activity and events going on today and tomorrow. This year I am going to miss most of it since I will be heading out of town later today. I am hoping to swing by some of the events this morning. There will be a flea market in front of the Congregational Church. East Park - only a couple of blocks from my house - will be the site of a crafts festival, music and food vendors. I never make it as far as the actual Covered Bridge Park for the events happening there. The weather seems to be holding and no rain so far. Birds are chirpping and its time to get the day started, so I'd better close and post this.

Cards for July 11 Workshop (Card Camp)

Here are the three paper combinations I have selected to work with for the Just Because Card Workshop being offered at my place on July 11th. The back paper pack is Evensong (a good Christmas mixture), Silhouette, and then one of our new paper packs Bella. I have cut each of these workshops as described in the new Wishes book and now have the makings for 60 cards. This comparison without stamping or embellishing gives you an idea how different the same card "recipe" can look with the different papers. I am just showing 2 of the 10 recipes included in this workshop.

Tonight after work I will begin personalizing these cards for some of the events I have coming up soon. Just this weekend I have a 50 year wedding anniversary and 2 high school graduations to get the cards out for. In the near future I have a bridal shower and a wedding. Then a wedding reception for a destination wedding that took place this winter will also happen this summer. Now throw in a few summer birthdays and I don't know how many of my 60 cards will even be here to share by July11th! Let me know by July 1 if you intend to attend this workshop or the whole 12 hour crop being held that day. See the calendar listing on my web site for more details.

For most people, the Christmas cards can probably wait a while. Although, one year I did receive a Christmas card in the summer. It occurred when a friend had been working and attending school. No Christmas cards had gone out from her the previous Christmas and as she said in her letter included with the card it probably wouldn't happen the following Christmas either. We could consider that card as late or early because it would probably have to cover both! That card did take me by surprise!

Have you been to my web site yet today? If not wander over there (just click on link in upper right corner of this site) or enter jeanie.myctmh.com. The Deal-A-Day offer for today is a $60.00 goodie box (this will be available for purchase only on the web site until 9am tomorrow morning). It will contain about $120.00 worth of CTMH products. Check back a few days to see the photo of what I got in my $40.00 box.

Haave a good weekend. It sounds like the weather is supposed to be about mid 80's here in Minnesota - finally some warm weather - along with it comes the humidity! More from me next week.

Happy Birthday, Marion

Yesterday was my sister Marion's birthday, so, of course, I am getting the card in the mail today! She is a blue lover. Anything you give her in blue she will like better than another color. I wonder if' she's caught on that I always make her birthday card with blue paper? Here I am using our new Moon Doggie packet. The little strip of multiple colors is really part of the surfboard paper! Then the solid blue strip I cut a little extra long, ran it through my corregator and cut to the correct length for the width. Add a little random stamping (stamp set C1257 $18.95) and a little bling (Clear Sparkles Z1104 $2.95). The card layout is from the new Wishes book pg. 27 Lucky Layers. This layout was randomly picked. Yes, I literally just opened the book to a page and picked a card on that page. There are so many ideas in this book. Consider ordering your copy today (9033 $29.95).

We had some bad weather around here last night, luckily not close enough for me to head to the basement, but a tornado did touch down in Austin MN, with extensive property damage being done. Sounds like we may be in for some more stormy weather today. I still have plants that I haven't planted. Seems like I run out of day before that comes up on my list.

I had a discussion with my neighbor Rozie last night - about garbage! Our garbage pickup is on Tuesday. Every other week we have recycling pickup along with garbage. Rozie puts her garbage bins out on Monday night. I do mine on Tuesday morning, and I've gotten into the habit of following Rozie's lead. Well, she was out of sync this week! Pickup isn't until next week for recycling, but we both had our bins out there and the garbage men just left them. Looked like Rozie was going to leave her recycling sit there for the week, so I was going to too. She hauled her's back in last night, so I did too. Rozie's daughter thought she should appologize for leading me astray!

Hope your Thursday is a great one. Today's Deal-A-Day is our 6" x 6" accordion album called Memory Showcase. Check it out (and order it, along with a stamp set, on my web page jeanie.myctmh.com). Keep your eyes open for more goodie boxes to be offered yet this month. Take a chance, you can always see about trading for something else if you get something you know you won't use. Remember my Crop and Swap day July 18 fro 10 til noon.

Weekend Recap

It is almost the end of Tuesday and I haven't updated this site with my weekend adventure. I did go to northern MN to see if I could locate my Grandfather's grave. My dad's father died when my dad was young. There was some mystery about his death and some misinformation about where he was buried. About 2 years ago I did search and was given some information for where he was buried. It proved to be true and I did locate his grave on Sunday. I spent some time at his grave, took some photos, left a little marker indicating I had been there (see stone in upper right corner of photo) and started for home. This trip added another nugget to my Wilcox family history. My next trip will probably be to the Children's Home School over at Owatonna MN. My father and my aunt spent part of their childhood at the orphanage in Duluth MN and then the one at Owatonna. Owatonna has recently turned part of the original buildings into a memorial to the children who were at the Home in Owatonna. My dad and aunt were then placed in homes as foster children and were wards of the state until they turned 18 years old. I will start scrapping the Wilcox/Richards history of my family. I am going to scrap in 9" x 9" format and will probably use a variety of papers since I do have pictures from different events and eras. I will need to journal quite a bit too to tell the stories I know.

Saturday is just about over and I am just getting around to posting! Here are some unstamped, non-embellished sample cards using the new Bella paper pack and the new card book Wishes Just Because workshop. These are just the first 5 card layouts. The workshop has a total of 10 different layouts and from the cutting you do you get two of each layout - for a total of 20 cards! I am now in the process of cutting and assembling these first 5 cards from the Silhouette paperpack and then still want to try them in Evensong. I will post these as soon as possible. If this July 11 workshop is something you would like to attend, let me know! An e-mail notification will be going out to my mailing list next week. Not on my list? Well, let me know you want to be added by leaving a comment here or contacting me at basket55992@yahoo.com.

My goodie box from the first offer from CTMH arrived yesterday! Now, as I review the photo I so excitedly took of all my goodies, I see the glare from the packaging and that I should have removed the stamp sets from their cases so you could see them better, but just let me tell you - this is a great package. Here's what I got: 3 stamp sets - all new to me (no duplictes with stamps I already own, Yeah!)
B1208 Birthday Scrip: $13.95
C1224 Fluttering Frames: $18.95
D1196 Floral elements: $22.95
X143 Doorhanger Pouch: $?
Z1044 Dimensional Elements basic shapes (circles and squares): $5.95
CON027 Twilight ribbon (brown with blue & cream squares):$12.95
X7076B Sonata Paper Pkt Level 2: $12.95
W619 Clear shapes (Connection Club reward):$?
Z9071 Magic Moments: $34.95
I just did some quick math to figure out what kind of value this had and I got $122.65 without including prices for two items. The price I paid was $60.00 and then a reduced shipping cost with the special also!

This was the first goodie box special for the month of June. A second one was posted this week. There are still four more opportunities to order one of these surprize boxes Keep checking my web site every day). Remember that if you order a box and get items you don't want I will be hosting a Crop and Swap event on Saturday morning July 18 from 10am until noon. Bring those items and see what trades you can make!

It's Friday and I am looking forward to a good weekend. I may go searching for some more information on my family history, so a road trip to northern MN may be in the works. I'll provide updates on that next week.

LO with CTMH Stardust paper pack

I find it hard to believe that this is my nephew Cary with his two GRANDDAUGHTERS! Well, Cary is only 8 years younger than me, so I guess I should get used to the idea that everyone is growing up. He has his hands full with these two (at least in this photo).

The lettering on this layout was from a Cricut cartridge, the circles were made using the Coluzzle Big Circle template and I think the star was stamped on the reverse side of the paper with a star from the stamp set D1237 Star Struck. Sometimes I find it fun to introduce these shapes into my scrapbooking. If I'm not thinking about it I tend to be more of a square and rectangle type scrapper (which works well). This one took me out of the box a little!

Yesterday I hated to go to work on a sunny day. ends up it wasn't a sunny day - just a day without rain. Looks like we are in for a few more cloudy or overcast days. so might as well be at work!

Deal-A-Day on my website is the craft tray today. This will help you contain either glitter or emossing powder. Regular price is $7.95. Qualify for this fabulous FREE product by adding one My Acrylix stamp set size A, B, C , D or E to your order. go to my website by clicking on Deal-A-Day logo on the right of this blog.

Wishes is here!

The source of the card ideas for the July 11 CARD CAMP will be CTMH's new book Wishes. Card-making inspiration for single cards or many cards made all at once! Wishes delivers a collection of all new tips, artwork, plus card patterns in a variety of sizes and shapes, including circles! Also features standalone workshops designed to help you create many cards made from a single pattern and cutting guide in a very short time. Envelope template CD included.

I have started making the sample cards for this workshop and hope to have them finished to post within the next few days. If you like making and giving cards this workshop is a way to get a good supply on hand. Paper choices will provide many different looks to the cards. I will show some options for paper choices in my samples. This will be such fun!

Minnesota is having it's first sunny day in a while and now, unfortunately, it's time to head off to work for the day. I just need to spend some time outdoors planting - doesn't look like it will happen today.

June 9, 2009 - First day of my blog

Well, I have decided to jump into blogging. I am excited to share this space with you and to be able to let you know about what I have been doing with the remarkable Close To My Heart products that are currently available. (Have you been to my web site at http://jeanie.myctmh.com/?) Now is the time to mark July 11th on your calendar to attend CARD CAMP 2009 at my place. It is being held in conjunction with the 12 hour crop I and my team mate Barb will be holding that day. The crop will run from 9am until 9pm. The CARD CAMP will begin at 1pm that day and is scheduled to run for 2 and a half hours. Check the calendar on my web site for more details - or contact me if you still need more info.