Holiday Extravaganza!

Annual Holiday Extravaganza!

Get into the holiday spirit as we tackle Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas all in one day!  Come and enjoy creating an assortment of at least a dozen projects ranging from cards, tags, gifts and more!

Date: Saturday, October 10

Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Cost: $45 (bring favorite adhesive(s) & scissors; all other supplies + lunch included)

RSVP by: September 25

Location: Adobe Wells Clubhouse #1: 1220 Tasman Drive, Sunnyvale

Questions?: Call Cathryn (Close To My Heart Independent Consultant) at 510-207-2976 or email at Cathryno@gmail.com. Shop online at Cathryn.ctmh.com.

__________________________________________________________________________

Registration Form

Name: _______________________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________Phone Number: ________________________

# of Participants Registering: ______  First Names for Badges: _________________________________________

Any food allergies/restrictions? ___________________________________________________

**Cancellation Policy—you have 48 hours after payment for a full refund up until RSVP deadline; after this time, you have the option of a kit OR to sell your spot to a friend.**

PAYMENT METHOD Check (made payable to Cathryn Oliver) OR Credit Card is accepted.  Registration confirmation/receipt and further information will be emailed.

Please check appropriate box:

q  Check                      

q  VISA                                         Expiration Date: _____________

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Mail to: Cathryn Oliver, 2047 Country Dr, Fremont, CA 94536

Capture Life

I was struck by a recent blog post by Heidi Swapp.  Heidi recently lost her son. In her post, she explains the importance of documenting the lives of our loved ones.

I have pictures everywhere-- on my phone, on my computer, printed in bins. I have notes, ticket stubs, brochures, and more. I have memorabilia everywhere! I do admit that I am ahead of most people. I relax by scrapbooking. But like most people, I make up excuses about not getting it done. There is always something else to do. I need to get organized first. I am so far behind how can I possibly start.

But this post hit me hard. What if something happened to one of my kids? How will I remember the day to day events? Everything gets blurred together. Will I remember how high my pole vaulter jumped at championships? Will I remember the laughter around the dinner table? Will I remember the craziness of our lives?

Heidi Swapp wrote: YOU MATTER. YOUR FAMILY MATTERS. Your story... MATTERS!

She is so right. We need to tell our story. We need to remember.

So, I am joining Heidi's challenge. I will capture my family's life.

Start with the photo prompt. Day 1- Ready Set Go.

Make a quick note about your day and about the photo.

Print the photo. Yes, we need to print. You can use a blog to keep track of your picture and journaling. Make sure you save the blog and not just keep it on the cloud.

Scrap it! There are plenty of ways to do this. Use a My Crush Book. Use Picture My Life. Use a traditional scrapbook.

Remember, you don't have to be fancy or creative. You just need to do it. A simple page with a picture and  some writing is all you need.

I did a quick album last Christmas documenting our different family traditions. I used Close To My Heart's Christmas My Crush book.

It turned out great. Now it is time to continue. I haven't decided if I am going to use a My Crush book again or not. Maybe I will use one of the new Picture My Life sets. I am thinking about the Through the Years set which is is available September 1.

Now, it is time to get started. Go out and take your picture. 

Jump Into July!

Are you ready for a deal?! July is the time. Hop on over to my site and check out all the great stamp sets. Many are on the list to be retired soon. Many are while supplies last. So don't wait. 

During the month of July, when you purchase $25  in current, retail priced stamps, you qualify to receive either the July Stamp of the Month, My Acrylix^® Life Is Wonderful, FREE or any one of the Hostess Rewards stamp sets featured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015 or Seasonal Expressions 2 for only $5! That is a savings of up to $17.95! The July Stamp of the Month is a lovely, versatile stamp set that is a great match for your cards and layouts that celebrate all the wonderful things—big and small—that life has to offer. Additionally, the Hostess Rewards stamp sets have previously only been available as part of the Hostess Rewards program, which means now is the perfect opportunity to get those special stamp sets you’ve had your eye on! To get your FREE stamp set or your $5  Hostess Rewards stamp set, simply place an order for $25 of any current, retail priced stamps. This offer is available only during the month of July and applies only to the July Stamp of the Month and current Hostess rewards stamp sets, so spring into action and jump on this deal before it’s gone!

July Stamp of the Month

Paper Bird Stamp Set

 

Sweet As Sugar Stamp Set

Bokeh Technique

Well, it has been quite a while since I posted. I am still very active in Close To My Heart. But mostly I am posting daily on my Facebook page. Have you checked out my Facebook page yet? Go to www.facebook.com/cathrynCTMH and be sure to like my page.  Here's one of the techniques I have been playing with lately.

The Bokeh technique is a lot of fun.

I used Pacifica, Lagoon, and Saddle ink using a sponge to ink up the colonial white paper. Some people like to use a dauber instead of a sponge. When I use a dauber, it tends to look more like a dot of the ink instead of the blended inks.

When sponging, keep the sponge moving in a circular pattern. You don't want it to look like a sponge mark. It takes a bit of patience. I put the three colors on lightly then add more color where I want it darker or where I want it blended more.

Once your background colors are ready, add the white circles.

I simply punched a few sizes of circles from a piece of scrap paper to use as a template. Then I sponge colonial white pigment ink to form the circles.

The circles need to be  a pigment ink so that they don't blend with the other inks. Pigment inks sit on top of the paper. The pigment ink takes a few minutes to dry before stamping your image on top.

I used the Seaside Greetings stamp set and mounted it on Saddle paper. I used CTMH's value pack card in Colonial White as the card base.

Here's another card using the same technique:

I used Gypsy, Sky, and Pixie inks for this card. The dots are in Daisy White pigment ink. The sentiment is stamped in black archival ink using the Happy To Be Friends stamp set.

Give this technique a try. You do end up with inky fingers but that is part of the fun. 

Join Close To My Heart

Thinking about joining Close To My Heart? March is the month to do it! During the month of March*, new Consultants who enroll will receive a FREE shoulder tote (a retail value of over $26 USD / $29 CAD with their New Consultant Kit. Our New Consultant Kit is just $99 USD / $109 CAD and includes nearly triple the retail value in products and supplies. Including your FREE shoulder tote, that is a savings of over $290 USD / $320 CAD! Additionally, new Consultants who remit $300 (USD & CAD) worth of commissionable sales in their first 40 days after their New Consultant Kit ships will receive the rolling tote (a retail value of $149.95 USD / $164.95 CAD) as a FREE bonus (not including shipping/handling)! These organization pieces are designed to help you get your business rolling, but they are only available while supplies last, so hurry on over and join today!

Contact me for more details.

*Offer valid while supplies last March 1–31, 2015. No tax will be charged on the free item. The shoulder tote will ship with the New Consultant Kit. For more information on shipping/handling options for the New Consultant Kit, please contact your Independent Consultant. Shipping will not be charged if a shoulder tote is shipped separately from a kit checked out from a sponsoring Director. Shipping will be charged on the bonus free rolling tote if earned based upon normal shipping rates.

Thank You Card Featuring Hopscotch

I really love the Hopscotch paper pack. I made a few cards with them last week and had a great time doing it.  Here's one:

This card is on a white value pack card. The blue piece is not part of the Hopscotch paper pack. It is part of the whimsy fundamentals pack.

I love these fundamentals. Look at the texture on that paper. Lovely!

Supplies:

Hopscotch Paper Pack    

Paper Fundamentals Whimsy Assortment    

You Mean The World To Me stamp set

Flaxen Extra Thick Twine

Value pack cards

3-D Foam Tape

Outdoor Denim Ink

My Crush Albums

Yesterday, my girls and I spent the afternoon working on our albums. It was a great afternoon! We each are using a My Crush album which makes scrapbooking really easy.

Cait is working on an album documenting her first year of college. She is using the My Crush Wildwood Book .

As in all the My Crush books, the pages are set and printed. You just add your pictures, notes, and any embellishments. Cait finished quite a few pages but she hasn't written about the pictures yet. She does have journalling blocks on her pages ready. Plus she added sticky notes to remind her about what she wants to write. 

Elyse is working with the My Crush Bluebird Book to put all her concert tickets in one spot. Elyse loves seeing bands live and has quite a big stack of tickets starting from when she was a pre-teen! She is putting them all together in one album with a few pictures. 

One concert, one page is her album plan. It is coming together very nicely!

I was working on my December Daily album with the My Crush Holiday Happenings Book. Well, it started as a December Daily but it ended up just a December album. I ended up pretty sick for most of December. Pictures did not get taken. But I did document my illness and trip to the ER. Christmas Week is very full and will take up most of the album.  

Sometimes I add more paper. Sometimes I just write right over the printed paper.

One thing I like about the My Crush Books is that it is more of a journal than a traditional scrapbook. I don't have to follow the usual rules. I tend to put the pictures in any old way I want. Sometimes I leave a border. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I mat them. I can do what ever I want. It's my book.

I added a piece of the program from a church service. The song really inspired me that night so I added it to the book. 

I think how funny it is that we all decided to work on a My Crush Book at the same time. It worked out perfectly. I am looking forward to another day of cropping with my girls soon. 

December Daily Album-- The Beginning

I have a new goal! This month, I will be documenting our lives daily. I want to show our Advent preparations and our daily lives.

So... to begin I need an album.

I have chosen the My Crush Holiday Happenings Book.

There are 30 pages in this book which isn't enough for a page a day. I am starting on November 30, the first Sunday of Advent, which is when our celebrations begin, and I plan on ending on January 1, when our family celebrates new beginnings with a New Year's Adventure. Some days might need more than one page. Some days will need a half of a page. I will supplement this book with flip flaps and adding fold out pages made of card stock. I have high hopes for this album.

Now to begin!

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent. I took many pictures yesterday and have a couple ready to be printed as wallet sizes. Here are a few that I am printing. Not all can make it to the December Daily Album but I do want to have my options ready.

The Advent candles I think are a must to be in the album.

My daughter's dorm room window. She hung her lights before she came home for Thanksgiving so they would be ready. When I dropped her off Sunday night, she turned them on so I could see. Love it!

Then I have a couple pictures of the kids hanging up the lights around our house. Not great pictures. I might skip these pictures and just describe it in words. 

           

Lastly, I have a several pictures of my monsters. I was trying to get a good shot of the three of them together for our Christmas card. I think they are getting too old for me to have a formal shot. This casual shot shows them as the happy teens they are. But the messy hair and sweatshirts are driving me crazy. This is them though. It is best to show who they are and not a staged shot. I'm still thinking about it.

I will have the pictures printed today and pick them up while I am out running errands. Then I will be ready to start with Day 1!

A Thankful Heart Mini Album

In September, I decided I wanted to make a Thanksgiving album that my whole family would contribute to at Thanksgiving dinner. I worked up a few ideas and ended up teaching a class at our annual Holiday Extravaganza on this album.

I cut out 6 4 inch tags for each person and had a bunch of embellishments on the table. Everyone had a great time putting it together and creating the base of the album in a way they liked. I loved how it came out!

Now, to try this on a larger scale!

I decided that I wanted a picture on each tag as well as my family writing. I thought about using the printer but decided that would be too time consuming.  A dear friend has an instant camera so I decided to try that out.

 I always loved the old Polaroids even though the quality was so poor. Sometimes they were great for quick projects. This new instant camera by Fuji worked great. Again, the quality is not as good as a digital camera. But it was quick and easy (and a bit pricey- don't waste these shots!).

My craft room was cleared out to make a large dining area so I had to set up a crafting area in my bedroom. My daughter and I set up the tags (cut from the Art Philosophy cricut cartridge at 6 inches), paper, ink, and embellishments on my dresser ready to go. As people arrived, one of us would take a quick picture then go into the bedroom and put it on the tag.  We embellished the tag quickly, leaving a space at the bottom to write. Just before we served dinner, Cait and I handed out the tags and asked each person to write what they are thankful for.

My daughter, Elyse, writing her tag

My daughter, Cait, handing out the tags.

I was surprised that I only had a few grumbles (from my brothers, of course!) but everyone wrote on their tag. My big mistake was not having enough quality pens. I didn't think about gathering them up beforehand. I found 2 archival quality black pens right when we started the writing portion of the project. I must have a dozen in various bags and places around the house. I should have grabbed them before guests came.

I put each card on a binder clip and ended up with a completed album before our celebration was over. 23 tags in all.

I will switch my binder clip to a larger size and add some ribbon on the clip. But other than that, it is perfect!

Items used:

Thankful Heart stamp set

Pathfinding Paper Pack

Gold Sequins

Gold Shimmer Trim

Chocolate Ink

Art Philosophy Cricut Collection

Flip Flaps

Have you used Flip Flaps? They are wonderful! Really. Everyone should have a set. Add extra pictures or memorabilia to any page.  I love the 4x6 size. They are perfect for pictures or postcards. But all the sizes have their uses. Pick up a pack and give it a try. You'll be hooked.

Fall Cards

Since I am in California, I never really see the seasons. I have never been too interested in the snow but I love the fall colors. One day I hope to spend a few weeks in New England during fall to see all the colors. Because of my love for this season, I tend to do a lot of cards and layouts in this color scheme. Here are a couple of cards that I worked on this past week;

The leaves on this card are made by mixing inks. The leaves were cut out on the cricut from Colonial White paper. I wiped ink pads (barn red, honey, and goldrush) on the All Purpose Mat and used a spray pen to spray water on the inks. I then wiped the leaves in the inks to create a new look. It is very easy and a lot of fun. 

Other products used on this card were Pathfinding paper, Metallic Bakers Twine, Happy Autumn stamp set, Colonial White ink, 3-D foam tape, and colonial white value pack cards.        . 

The Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge is always fun to play with. This card was cut from Barn Red paper. I set the Cricut at 4.25 inches. It will create an entire card measuring 4.25 by 5.5 when folded over. In the Artfully Sent booklet, go to page 42. I set the Cricut on Sentiment and pressed shift and cut. I do keep the cricut on the slow speed setting when making these intricate cuts. There is less change of ripping when it is slow. 

The Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge makes card making easy and quick.

Other products used on this card were Pathfinding paper, bronze shimmer trim, barn red ink and Happy Autumn stamp set.

Hope you are enjoying the season as well. Make a few Fall cards and have some fun with paper!