Close To My Heart Roxie Washer Necklage

Hello Everyone,
Welcome to our new home. Be the first to post a comment about this necklace and receive it for FREE as my gift to you, for being part of this community.
Tomorrow, I will post the video tutorial for the necklace and the matching ring.

Close To My Heart: Typeset Layouts

This is a very special layout for me, as some of you may know, my mom is 81 years young and I am the baby of the family.  My siblings all had boys so my mom did not have a grand daughter, that is until my little Victoria was born.  Of course I had to have a generation portrait taken of the three of us.  This picture was taken right after my son Hunter was born five years ago.  Finally my pictures are slowly but sure making it onto layouts, so they can be preserved and shared appropriately. 

Can you believe this is the Typeset paper packet?  LOL!!!

Close To My Heart: Typeset Layouts

For this month (August) we used the Typeset paper packet to create the three sets of 2 - 12 x 12 layouts.

Items used in this kit:
X7139B Typeset Level 2 Paper Packet
X7139C Typeset Complement Canvas Shapes
Z1410    Antiqued Copper Designer Brads
Z1464    Milepost Shapes
Z1088   Chocolate Waxy Flax
Z1450   Color-Ready Alphabets Cork
Z1333   Mocha-Opaques Adhesive Gems
C1464   Blue Ribbon Stamp Set
Z1686   Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge

Close To My Heart: Typeset Layouts & H2H Back To School

I was very happy to see that this month's challenge on H2H was "Back To School".  Mary also posted a new layout design, so this month I decided to do both, the layouts with Back To School themed pictures.

For these layouts, the distressing on the edges was made using desert sand ink pad.  Hold the ink pad at an angle and swipe along the edges of the card stock.

For the stars, I used the Vineyard Berry marker's brush tip.  Simply run the brush tip along all the edges of the stars.

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Close To My Heart changed their Mission Statement this year to a more updated version.  From, "We show you how to celebrate relationships through the art of scrapbooking and stamping.  Faster. Simpler.  Easier".  To, "We show you how to celebrate relationships through discovering your creativity, to preserve and share the moments that matter most.  It really speaks to the changing times in the Crafting Industry.  With digital scrapbooking and many people taking crafting to a whole "new" and "higher" artistic level, it is no wonder, Close To My Heart decided to move forward with the changing trends.


So with that in mind, I also have decided to change the name of my blog, it is no longer Scrapbooking Ink, it is now "My Creative Ink".  It is not about making layouts to save in albums... No, it's about tapping into the creativity you did NOT know you have in YOU!  Many people say... "I'm just NOT that creative".  Who the heck cares if you are creative or NOT.  If you enjoy creating with your hands and if YOU like what you make, then, you are making yourself and your spirit happy. 


It's just like the rainbow painted macaroni bracelet your kid makes for you at kindergarten.  When you see the big smile they have when they show it to you... WELL, then you know that you will cherish it for the rest of your life, because they made it especially for you and with tons of love!  Many times, I have opted to wear the jewelry that my kids have made for me, rather than my Tiffany diamonds.  Because their creations mean so much more than a silly old diamond.  Love has a silly way of making you change your mind on what is or is not "Creative", and I am willing to explore it some more. 


I hope you join me and maybe start throwing some of the old rules out the window, because ART is what YOU think art is.

Close To My Heart: Lucky Layouts

Hi Everyone!

So here is the last of the three layout sets from the "Lucky" paper packet.  Like I said yesterday, my little Mia dropped a doggie treat on the layouts while I was swooshing her away from my little picture set up.  So in the middle of the night when I was editing my pictures, I realized that there was a doggie treat on the right layout.  I didn't notice it because it seems to be a natural color, matching with the layouts!  LOL!!!!

The 5" x 7" frame, the "Time To..." tag and, the journaling tag are lifted on a 3D foam tape.  The "Lucky" Journal Spots are turned over and stamped with the "You & Me" stamp set.

Glad it's over... but Ouch!

Hello Friends!
Just wanted to let you all know that my biopsy came out clean (Thank You Jesus!) but I my doctor have to recommend to have the little darn black spot removed.  When my doctor said removed, "HE MEANT, REMOVED".  I saw the little piece of my lip in his little jar, after the surgery and I almost yelled at him.  He really dug in there to take A LOT of my lip.  But I am recovering well and I look like I got into a bar fight.  My 5 year old Hunter said, "Don't kiss me Mama, because your lip looks yucky".  So I blow kisses to him now and he catches them from far away.  Oh Well... I guess it was going to happen soon enough, right?

Thank you to all my friends for all the well wishes and the super awesome emails I received.  I will hold them in my heart forever.

BIG Hugs!

Close To My Heart: On-Line Order Forms

In an effort to go "Green" and save Mother Earth, I have been asking my customers to consider reusing their 13 x 13" plastic bags that they get their kits in every month, either by bringing them back for future kits or to cash them in for tickets for a workshop drawing. Well, with that in mind, I'm also starting to use orders forms on an excel format. This allows me to input my customers order on line, the excel sheet is properly formated to fit Close To My Heart order information, so it does all the calculating for me in a split second and VOILA! I just print ONE sheet, one for my customer and my copy is stored in my computer.




I am sharing the Customer Order Form and the Hostess Order Form with all of you my blog friends. If you are a consultant, you can downloaded from Google docs directly for your business use. Tech savvy consultants can now simply use a smart phone or iPad at gatherings, Expos, Workshops and other events, to calculate customers orders and email the customer their copy. "Hey... Nordstroms, Best Buy and many retail companies are doing this, so I figured it could help our customers too."



I have added a "Tab" on the top of my blog so it's easy to find. For my customers,who want to get an idea of what your total will be on your purchases with tax and shipping, before actually order, simply scan the QR Code (labeled ORDER FORM) on the Idea Book you received from me, it will take you directly to the order form. Then when you are ready to place your order, you may email it to me or scan the QR Code (labeled Website) to place your order.


I hope this helps you!

Close To My Heart: Lucky Layouts

I took the liberty of adding titles to this layout because I knew exactly which pictures were going to go on these two layouts. From the titles, I'm sure you can see that it's all about "Back to School" and since I have three adorable kids going to school now, the titles have their names and the school year they are starting.

Of course, after I add the actual pictures of the kids on the layouts, I will also add additional embellishments and journaling, to finish off the fine details.

On the 1/2" strip, I simply stamped their school grades "Kindergarten, Third and Fifth" all across. It makes it more interesting that just the plain strip. I recommended during the workshop, that you can add any type of verbiage on the strip, names, dates, phrases to coordinate with the pictures that they will be using on this layout.

Close To My Heart: Lucky Layouts

Close To My Heart "Besties"

I just realized that I had not posted some of my favorite pictures from convention.  So here are some of my favorite pictures of my favorite gals!

Bren Yule... really, what can I say about Bren, that you already don't know.  Talented, funny, artistic, gorgeous, big heart, encouraging, amazing leader and so so much more.

Gail Vought, my super up-line.  I am so blessed to have her in my life, she has been there for me in so many ways and I thank God for bringing her into my life. 

Yorline Warren, my down-line and my friend.

Luisa Morgan, my Tweedledee.

Roomies from left to right: Sandra Gomes, Alisse Stephens, Yorline Warren, ME and Luisa Morgan.

Jennifer Healy is beautiful and a cRaCk uP! 

Antoinette Perez and Melissa Sandidge are two classy ladies and I love being part of their team.

Sandra Gomes always wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Nancy Driscoll and Aisha Davidson, I'm just lucky to get a picture with these girls. 

Dana Simone-Kurtz is super talented and I was lucky enough this year to be in the Extravaganza team with her.  Heather Plotzke  is an amazingly driven woman and I want to be like her when I grow up.   

I love Bonita Bryant, because you can always count on her being herself!!!!

Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog: August Birthdays

Okay...

I'm finishing up with my prepping for tomorrows workshop with my girlfriends and as I am turning off my laptop, I see that I have an email from Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog and the title is August Birthdays.  Well.... then I see Melinda's prize pack and I had to pick my jaw from the ground, "I WANT IT!!!"

So close your eyes for this post or simply skip it if you have seen the pictures before, but I simply can't resist using my "Party Theme" Artwork from Extravaganza at this years Close To My Heart's convention.  So here it goes... sorry if you have seen these before, but I really hope I win.  hee-hee!  :)