Bash My Stash: O'Keefe Historical Ranch Clean & Simple Layouts

Getting close to the end of this album, I only have a few more layouts to do of our tour of the Historic O'Keefe Ranch in Vernon, BC.

For this set of pages, I wanted to highlight the heritage features of the buildings so I kept my layouts simple by matting my photos on black cardstock and using the same woodgrain chevron pattern cardstock on all three.  My only embellishment is a strip of Shimmer Trim that I cut in half lengthwise and used as a border along the edge of the cardstock.

Schubert House - this house was smaller, but the trim work inside the house reminded me of the heritage house that my family had owned.

These are my favourite pictures from this tour and the reason that I decided to stick with very simple layouts.  I really wanted the pictures to stand out on these pages.  

I love all the old products in the General Store.  I was a Watkins Consultant for many years and spotted a few Watkins products on the bottom shelf.

I found a map online and printed it out and added to one of the layouts.   So glad that everything is online to reference since these photos are from 2002 and I couldn't remember the names of all the buildings. 

These layouts were so easy to put together - unlike the rest of my album where I used sketches, for these layouts I was inspired by the Power Layouts method.  I laid my pictures out on each sheet of cardstock and set aside.  When it came time to adhere I just quickly matted all the pictures at once, cut the two sheets of wood grain cardstock and the embellishment strips, adhered everything, journaled and just like that I was done.  

So fast and easy!  I love decorative scrapbooking but I have quite a few albums to do so I am trying to keep it as simple as possible. After I do the last three layouts from this trip I will have completed three albums this year.  The first album took the longest (started a couple years ago) because it is all decorative layouts.  The last two are fairly decorative but I planned differently and they went a little quicker - better use of my time and supplies.   I will be ordering one (or two) of the re-released Power Layout kits from Creative Memories and pre-sorting my layouts so the box is ready to grab and go when I find I have an extra few minutes. I will still do some decorative layouts - I'll just add a post-it note to the guide to reference which sketch I want to use for that page.  

If you aren't familiar with this sorting method check out this YouTube video - it's from 2010 but

explains very well how this method works. 

I wish this method had been around back when I first started using CM products in the mid-90's.  I probably would have completed more albums.  I really like that you know what will be on the back of the right-hand page.  I love the quality of the CM pages with the jeeping but was always concerned that I would mess up and put the wrong pictures on the back.   By using the guide to represent the back of a page I can rearrange and have everything exactly as I want it before adhering.  

You can find the Power Layout Kit under the Tools section of my Creative Memories website. 

Supplies used in these layouts:

• CTMH White Daisy cardstock
• Recollections Black cardstock
• CTMH Fundamentals Wood-grain cardstock (retired)
• CTMH Bronze Shimmer Trim

Bash My Stash: 50th Birthday Layout

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Here is one of the last layouts that I needed to do to finish my 2001 Album.

I've been using a lot of scraps on my layouts, so everything except for the floral strip had already been cut and stored in a bag with my CTMH Happy Times paper pack.

I cut a 12" strip of Gold Shimmer Trim in half then adhered the zip strip that went with the wood-grain print underneath it.

The title was stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder.  I did all the stamping after I had adhered my patterned pieces to the background page.  The We R Memory Keepers Precision Press allowed me to line my stamps up right where I wanted them on the 12x12 page.

The flowers are from the CTMH Happy Times stamp set,  I stamped them with Blossom and Pomegranate ink and the leaves are stamped with Fern ink.  I used my Silhouette Portrait with the PixScan mat to cut all the stamped images out.  No more fussy cutting!   And no tendinitis flare up from overusing my hands.   I added some CTMH Gold Bling Gems to the centre of my flowers and added a chipboard piece from a Heidi Swap Project Life kit.

Bash My Stash: Title page for 2001 Album

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I've been doing a lot of scrapbooking lately and so I haven't been posting much.  I've managed to almost complete my album for 2001 that I started mid-February.

I've done over 30 pages so far, just a few more to go.  I have been doing the layouts and then going back and adding my journaling and cutting all my titles with the Cricut all at once.  It seems to work best for me that way, I've been getting way more done since changing to that system.

I joined the Bash Your Scrapbook Stash Facebook Group and that has also really motivated me. Since going through my craft room and doing some reorganizing for better flow I've been able to go to my older papers and embellishments and have been using up quite a bit of my stash.

I've been saving this Stampin' Up Razzleberry Lemonade paper for years, I love the colors but for some reason never cut into it except to make one card.

I found this photo of a sunrise that I had taken after we had moved and the Razzleberry Lemonade paper seemed a perfect match. I paired it with another photo that I had taken of the view off of our back deck from the townhouse that we had been renting before we bought.   I decided that this would be the title page for my 2001 album and since we moved in February of that year I figured that the "out with the old" title was a fitting theme for the book.

My journaling came out crooked but my hands have been really sore lately and so I was having a bit of trouble with the writing.  I could use the printer but I really do prefer to have the journaling done in my own writing, good or bad.

All the Cricut cuts were done using the iPad app and my Cricut Explore.   The title is cut using the Augenblick font. The doily is from the Edge to Edge cartridge and the tab is from the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge .


Here is the sketch that I used for inspiration:

Card for CAS(E) this Sketch 206

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I had been working on some fall layouts earlier this month and had a bunch of scraps from the Jen Hadfield Warm and Cozy line sitting beside my craft mat when I saw the latest sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch!   

Perfect excuse to take a break from doing layouts and finally use the Lawn Fawn Jump for Joy Stamp Set and matching Dies that I bought a few months ago.

Stamping is so easy with my new Hampton Art Stamp Perfect Tool.  

I was able to stamp the sentiment after adhering my patterned cardstock to the base and get it lined up just the way I wanted it.  No more dropping acrylic blocks or misaligning my stamped images because my hands are sore. 

Supplies Used:

• Recollections Solid cardstock
• Jen Hadfield Warm and Cozy patterned cardstock
• CTMH White Daisy cardstock
• Black Memento™ Ink Pad
• Lawn Fawn Jump for Joy Stamps
• Lawn Cuts - Dies - Jump for Joy
• ShinHan™ Touch Twin Markers
• Glacier Extra Thick Twine

CTMH Sugar Rush Featured Project: Sprinkled with Love Page

Each month Close To My Heart highlights a paper pack from one of the current Idea Books.

Today's Artwork uses the Sugar Rush paper pack and coordinating embellishments and can be found on page 17 of the new Seasonal Expressions Idea Book.

Supplies:

• Sugar Rush Paper Packet
• Sugar Rush Complements
• Sugar Rush Dots
• Sugar Rush Washi Pack
• Marvy® Uchida® LePen™ Journaling Pen

Fall Memories Scrapbook Layout with Simple Stories Hello Fall

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I love this pattern from the CTMH Cherish How-to Book (page 41) so much that I have used it twice in my album from 2000. 

Just by changing up the cardstock and adding some large Flip Flaps on my other layout I get a completely different look to my pages.

I found the SVG for my page title on the Miss Kate Cuttables website and cut it with my Cricut Explore.  

I've used an assortment of solid cardstock on this layout, mostly trying to use up what I have in my stash and coordinating as well as I could with the Simple Stories - Hello Fall patterned papers.

I used hemp twine for embellishment on each page and added in some mini staples.  I really wanted just to keep it simple and masculine.

Card for CAS(E) this Sketch 203

When I saw sketch 203 over at CAS(E) this Sketch it reminded me right away of the Adorning Accents edgelit die and embossing folder set that I bought years ago from SU.

I made my card using the new CTMH Sugar Rush cardstock.  The stamped images are from the new Sugar Rush - Cardmaking stamp set and the Thanks sentiment is from the Thin Cuts—Hello & Thanks set that came out in the latest Annual Inspirations Idea Book.  

I added a touch of glitter to the Thanks sentiment with my CTMH Clear Shimmer Brush and the You're the Sweetest was heat embossed with Ranger™ White Super Fine Embossing Powder on Pomegranate cardstock.  The donut is stamped with Champagne, Sea Glass and Pomegranate Exclusive Inks™ and popped up with foam tape.

I'm sure I'll be making more cards with this sketch - great way to get more use out of those tools that have been sitting on the shelf.  

Sprinkled with Love Card using CTMH Sugar Rush

I made this card using products from the new CTMH Workshops Your Way® Sugar Rush Scrapbooking Kit and the coordinating Sugar Rush—Cardmaking Stamp Set and Thin Cuts.

This kit comes with a great selection of cardstock featuring tasty treats along with 3 rolls of Washi Tape, a package of Complements and the Sugar Rush Dots.  

The Workshop Guide with Scrapbook and Card Layouts and Cutting Guides is available for free download on my website.

I love the layered stamps for the icing, there is also another one with sprinkles so you can mix and match them.  

I went for a more realistic looking donut using Champagne Ink but the Workshop Guide uses different colours like Blossom or Sea Glass and they look great.   

It was so easy to stamp with my new We R Memory Keepers Precision Press,  no problem stamping the two icing layers along with the added bonus of not hurting my hands holding the acrylic blocks.  

Close To My Heart Products Used:

• Blossom Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad
• Champagne Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad
• Pomegranate Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad
• Workshops Your Way® Sugar Rush Scrapbooking Kit
• Sugar Rush Cardmaking Thin Cuts Bundle  (includes stamps and dies)
• White Daisy Cardstock
• White Shimmer Trim
• Thin 3-D Foam Tape

CTMH Featured Paper Pack: Sugar Rush Card Set

Each month CTMH highlights a paper pack from the current Idea Book.  

This month the featured pack is Sugar Rush, an adorable paper pack full of sugary goodness.   

Today's Artwork can be found on page 14 of the new Seasonal Expressions Idea Book

Supplies:

4¼" × 5½" Happy Birthday Card (Horizontal)

•  C1671 My Acrylix® Sugar Rush—Cardmaking Stamp Set 
• X7215B Sugar Rush Paper Packet 
• 1385 White Daisy Cardstock 
• Z2872 Whisper Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad 
• X7215C Sugar Rush Complements 
• Z3310 Sugar Rush Dots 
• Z3311 Sugar Rush Washi Pack

4¼" × 5½" Sweet Life Card (Vertical)

• X7215B Sugar Rush Paper Packet
• 1385 White Daisy Cardstock
• X7215C Sugar Rush Complements
• Z3310 Sugar Rush Dots
• Z3311 Sugar Rush Washi Pack

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Today is the start of the new Seasonal Expressions Idea Book from Close To My Heart featuring some gorgeous Spring paper packs and stamp sets, available now through to the end of April 2017.

Each month CTMH highlights a different paper pack from the Seasonal Idea Book - the featured pack for January is Sugar Rush.   I will be sharing artwork on the blog this month using the Sugar Rush WYW and Sugar Rush - Cardmaking Stamp Set.

The January Stamp of the Month is Adore You, a very pretty set featuring hearts and flowers, perfect for your Valentine's Day projects and layouts.

Available for one month only, for just $6 - when you place an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products.  Or purchase it for the regular price of $23.

All this month, we are celebrating National Papercrafting Month with the beautiful Welcome Home wreath kit.

This kit comes with pre-cut pieces you can simply pop out and attach to the sturdy chipboard wreath base, making a welcoming décor piece for your home.

There are four ways you can get the wreath kit:

Buy it for $24.25—no qualifying purchase required!
Get it for free with a qualifying $60 purchase!
Get it for free by hosting a party that reaches the second level of Hostess Rewards.
Get it for free when you sign up to be a Consultant!

No matter how you get your Welcome Home wreath kit—or how many you get—you are going to love how easy this kit makes it to add a little more papercrafted beauty to your life.

CTMH Cyber Monday Cricut Craze

If you love Close To My Heart's Cricut® Collections, you are going to want to check out today's Cyber Monday Special!

When you spend $40 on retail-priced product*, you can buy one of CTMH Cricut® Collections at 30%-off—that’s a savings of up to $37.80 per Cricut® collection! There’s no limit to the number of collections you can get at a discount—you can get one for every $40 you spend! Offer only valid today, so get shopping!  See all the Cricut Collections here



*Discounted and clearance items do not count toward purchase requirement. Offer valid Monday, November 28, 2016 while supplies last. Shipping is assessed on the full retail value of products.

Redesigned Close To My Heart Ink Pads Now Available

I'm happy to announce that the redesigned Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads are now available in the new colours that were introduced with the Annual Inspirations Idea Book at the beginning of this month:

• Raspberry
• Blossom
• Tangerine
• Lemon
• Willow
• Emerald
• Pansy
• plus Colour of the Year, Sea Glass

I'm so happy that these have been redesigned - I have issues with the tendons in my thumb and have had problems opening a few different types of ink pads.  These are easy to open, and have a convenient magnetic closure - so they will stay shut when not in use.  The lid also acts a palette for picking up ink with a water brush or blender pen.  

I will definitely be replacing my current stock with this new design as soon as the rest of the colours become available.

The new Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads are $10.25 CAD or free with Hostess Rewards.  

Mojo Monday 456 with CTMH Tickled Pink

I absolutely adore these Flamingos from the Tickled Pink Stamp & Thin Cuts dies sets by Close To My Heart.  

I had so much fun creating this card for Mojo Monday 456 using this set and the coordinating cardstock from the CTMH Calypso Workshops Your Way Kit.   

Close To My Heart Products Used:

 Tickled Pink Stamp Set*

 Tickled Pink Thin Cuts*

 Calypso Workshops Your Way Kit (Cardstock and Sequins)*

*available until August 31, 2016 - while supplies last

 Black Cardstock

 Pixie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

 Cotton Candy Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

 Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

CTMH Blossom Scrapbook Layout with Springtime Wishes Thincut Dies

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.


Working on layouts right now using up retired CTMH cardstock from 2015.

This layout uses the Blossom paper pack from last year's Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book and I got my inspiration from the cover of the 2016 Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book.   I love the new Thin Cuts metal dies that CTMH introduced in this Idea Book back in January.  

I also used a pattern from the Regatta Workshops Your Way Guide.  The Workshops Your Way program was also introduced in the SE1 Idea Book - the layouts for these workshop kits are available to download for free right off my CTMH website.   Each guide is only available until that Idea Book retires so make sure you download the current layouts and then check back in September for the Holiday WYW layouts - each guide features card and scrapbooking layouts.  

My son, the clown...

Springtime Wishes Flower on Blossom patterned cardstock with Lagoon and Pear die cut accents.  Embellished with Coral Reef Sequins and Bitty Sparkles.

Large cluster of Springtime Wishes Flowers using the cover of the SE1 as inspiration.   Embellished with Bitty Sparkles.  I cut the title and date pieces with my Cricut and sponged the edges of the Sunset and Glacier Cardstock with the coordinating inks.  

 I used a Ranger Clear Embossing Pen in my Cricut Explore to write the words out, then heat embossed with Ranger Super Fine While Embossing Powder.  

CTMH Products Used In This Project:

Springtime Wishes Stamp Set (retired)

Springtime Wishes Thin Cut Dies (retired)

Blossom Paper Pack (retired)

Sunset Cardstock

Pear Cardstock

Sweet Leaf Cardstock

Lagoon Cardstock

Glacier Cardstock

Sorbet Cardstock

Coral Reef Sequins

Bitty Sparkles

Glacier Extra Thick Twine

Mini Staples

Mini Stapler

Ranger™ White Super Fine Embossing Powder

Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

Sunset Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

Cricut Cartridges Used:

CTMH Art Philosophy - Frame 

Days and Dates - Oval

Haley Font from Cricut Access

Other Products Used:

Ranger Clear Embossing Pen

Sizzix Big Shot Machine

Sizzix Magnetic Platform for Wafer Thin Dies

Birthday Layout Using CTMH Chalk It Up Scraps

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.


I've been working on my album from 2000 and was able to use up some of my Chalk It Up Scraps on a couple of layouts from my kids birthday party.

Since their birthdays are a day apart (2 years, less a day), we sometimes would combine their parties and take all the kids somewhere fun.  This time was at the local Bowling Alley.

This layout is the 2nd from that day.   I had about a third of the star patterned cardstock leftover from the first layout (still need to add some Cricut cuts - will post soon), so I just divided it up so I could use some on both pages.  I added some Teal Shimmer Trim and some Whisper Twine for accent, with some mini-staples on the ends of the Twine.    I matted all the photos on the coordinating solids and also used up another scrap of patterned Chalk It Up.

I don't usually use lot of Black Cardstock for kids pictures but I found that the mats really popped with the Black background more than white or any of the solids that I had.

I added a couple of Cricut cuts popped up with foam tape and some journaling on White Daisy Cardstock sponged around the edges with Ink.

Cricut Cuts:

Birthday Boy - Photo Booth Props Cricut Cartridge

Birthday Girl - Once Upon A Princess Cricut Cartridge

Close To My Heart Products Used:

CTMH Chalk It Up Patterned Cardstock (retired)

CTMH Black Cardstock

CTMH Flaxen Cardstock

CTMH Lagoon Cardstock

CTMH Sorbet Cardstock

CTMH White Daisy Cardstock

CTMH Glacier Cardstock

CTMH Teal Shimmer Trim

CTMH Whisper Thick Twine

CTMH Mini-Staples

CTMH Mini-Stapler

July 2016 Specials and Retiring Items from Close To My Heart

July Stamp of the Month:  From the Notebook

BEAUTIFUL STAMPS, AMAZING DISCOUNTS

Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set, available for one month only, for just $6. When you place an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products, you qualify for this special Stamp of the Month pricing.

Or get it at the regular price of $21.25 - available until July 31, 2016

Early Bird Sign-Up Special

July Constant Campaign

New Consultants who sign up during July will receive their choice of a new Fundamental paper packet* bundled together with its coordinating Complements FREE—and that’s in addition to the $60 CAD in Select Product Credit they get for signing up! 

This Early Bird Special is an excellent opportunity for those that simply can’t wait to get their hands on the exciting new products coming in Annual Inspirations 2016–2017 idea book.

*Choose from Whimsy, Adventure, and Enchantment Fundamentals. No tax is charged for free items. Standard New Consultant Kit shipping rates will apply. No additional shipping/handling will be charged for this promotion.

Dates: Offer valid July 1, 2016 (9:00 am MDT) – July 31, 2016 (11:59 pm MDT).

Going, Going, Gone!

Last month to order from the current Annual Inspirations Idea Book!   There are many items retiring at the end of this month, including:

• CTMH Cricut Collections:  Art Philosophy, Artiste and Artfully Sent and coordinating stamp sets.
• All current Paper Packs and coordinating Complements and Workshop Kits
• CTMH Rolling Tote

Retiring Items Lists:

• Stamp Sets
• Retiring Products

In Canada? You can purchase CTMH products on my website:

http://nancyhelmer.ctmh.com

Or start your own CTMH business for just $95. 

 Receive regular updates of upcoming Classes & Workshops 

by signing up for my Monthly Newsletter.  Link in right-hand column.

Layout with CTMH Happy Times Paper Pack and Stamp Set

Have you seen the gorgeous new paper pack and matching stamp set that Close To My Heart has made available this month only for National Scrapbook Month?

It's called Happy Times and has beautiful papers with gold foil accents and pretty floral prints.

One of our talented Consultants created a special workshop just for this exclusive set of papers.  You can see all the layouts included in the workshop here

This is the photo from the original workshop, I made a few changes using supplies that I had on hand.   

I followed the cutting guide and instructions but changed it just a little by heat embossing the sentiments from the matching stamp set instead of using the gold foil Picture My Life cards.

I love Shimmer Trim -  I decided to cut it half lengthwise and use thinner strips on the pieces of White Daisy that have the heat embossed sentiments.   

I used Gold Bling Gems for the centre of the flowers, I love the extra bit of sparkle in them. 

Close To My Heart Products used in this layout:

CTMH Happy Times Paper Pack  (free with a $70 purchase)

CTMH Happy Times Stamp Set

(only available May 2016)

CTMH White Daisy Cardstock

CTMH Pomegranate Cardstock

CTMH Gold Shimmer Trim

CTMH Gold Bling Gems

CTMH Gold Sequins

Ranger™ Princess Gold Embossing Powder

Pomegranate Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

Fern Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

In Canada? You can purchase CTMH products on my website:

http://nancyhelmer.ctmh.com

Or start your own CTMH business for just $95. 

 Receive regular updates of upcoming Classes & Workshops 

by signing up for my Monthly Newsletter.  Link in right-hand column.

CTMH Seasonal Expressions 2 2016 Catalogue Now Available!

It's here! The new Close To My Heart Seasonal Expressions 2 Catalogue for 2016 is now available!

It's full of great new products! I love the new paper packs, and the Calypso Workshops Your Way Kit is one of my all-time favourite CTMH products!  

I absolutely love the Flamingo cardstock and washi and there is a fun stamp set and matching thin cut dies, too!  

And for those of you who love Disney as much as I do, you will be excited to learn that we have a new Workshops Your Way Kit called Magical and fun theme park stamp sets, too. 

These are great kits for hostessing a CTMH Gathering:  

Simply select a date for your Gathering & you and 5 friends purchase this kit to assemble at your Gathering.  A fun night out with friends and you also earn FREE product with 

CTMH Hostess Rewards. 

 Contact me for more information & available dates.  

Online Gathering option also available.

Visit my CTMH website today to see all the new products in the Seasonal Expressions 2!

Happy Times Card for May Gathering

One of the card projects I'm putting together for a Gathering next week, using the Happy Times paper pack and stamp set available this month only for National Scrapbook Month. 

Card pattern is from CTMH Wishes How-to Book, Page 40.   I used CTMH Pomegranate Exclusive Ink on the flowers,  full colour on the outer flower and I used the second generation technique to get the lighter flower in the background.  I just stamped it on a scrap piece of paper to get off most of the ink then stamped onto my cardstock leaving a very soft, pretty colour for my card.  I stamped the White Daisy cardstock with a small flower and stem using Canary and Fern Inks, then used second generation stamping for a couple of leaves on the background piece.  I also used Fern Ink to stamp the fussy cut leaves for my larger flower.  I stamped the sentiment and then lightly sponged the edge of the cardstock with Pomegranate Ink.   I cut two small pieces of ribbon and knotted them before attaching to the corner of the White Daisy cardstock.  

Close To My Heart Products Used:

Happy Times Paper Packet

Happy Times Stamp Set

White Daisy Cardstock

Pomegranate Cardstock

Pomegranate Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

Fern Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad

White & Gold Ribbon

Gold Sequins

Gold Bling Gems

Sponge

Wishes™ Card Pattern How-To Book

In Canada? You can purchase CTMH products on my website:

http://nancyhelmer.ctmh.com

Or start your own CTMH business for just $95. 

 Receive regular updates of upcoming Classes & Workshops 

by signing up for my Monthly Newsletter.  Link in right-hand column.