Christmas memories

Although the Christmas 2014 holidays are “officially” over, now is the perfect time to scrapbook your memories of them. This year I decided to use the Holiday Happenings MyCrush book and embellishments as my holiday album. With 15 double-sided pages, it is just big enough to have room for my favorite memories and events of last December, without being so big that it is overwhelming to me.

At last Saturday’s Second Saturday Scrap, I got started by saving my card from Kay at Kay Gets Crafty. The envelope with its UK postmark was worth keeping, as well.

Kay’s card and envelope…definitely worth saving!

I also kept my own Christmas card. I love both the pictures of Lily and Olivia, as well as our tradition of using a picture of the three of us as my Christmas card (this is our third year).

“May your Christmas be filled with love and your New Year with many blessings.”

While I was at it, I wrote a (bit belated) Christmas letter to Santa, claiming to have been “mostly good”, and listing the things I was wishing for. I need to gather pictures from my phone, Georgia’s phone, and her camera, and get them printed so that I can finish this MyCrush Book. But I am off to a great start! To get one for yourself, go to my Online Business Address. Happy scrapping!

Second Saturday again

I’m all packed, ready to load the car in the morning for our Second Saturday Scrap. I look forward to working on Christmas cards with my gals, both within the Yuletide Carol workshop and some spontaneous ones. This will be our last gathering before Christmas, so I’m sure there will be both giggles and tales of woe about shopping successes or challenges. That is one of the joys of scrapbooking with friends: Time to be creative, but also plenty of time to unwind and de-stress among friends.

My plan had been to bake tonight for tomorrow, but we took my granddaughters to visit friends and make gingerbread houses, which always takes longer than planned. So I’ll get up bright and early and bake the cinnamon apple bread that will start our day together.

Our gingerbread adventure will become a lovely album layout!

Mom giving Olivia some expert assistance with her house

Lily planning the decor.

If you have unfinished Christmas projects, your albums are calling to you, or you simply need some “Me Time”, join us at The Little House, 939 S. Chinowth Street, Visalia CA tomorrow between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. We will make room for you!

There is still time to order Christmas gifts from Close To My Heart. Shop here.

The new totes are here!

The gorgeous new Rolling Totes and Shoulder Totes have finally made it through customs and the dock workers’ strike and are ready for delivery to a scrapper near you. Slate gray accented with Lagoon and white chevrons, they will help you look and feel organized.

The new Rolling Tote was custom fit to our Large, Medium, and Small Organizers.

As you can see, the totes are beautiful, inside and out. (Organizers in the photograph are not included with the tote.) And as a bonus, they fold up for storage.

The stylish Rolling Tote has three outside zipper pockets with room for tools, paper, and supplies.

And for shorter trips or individual projects, the Shoulder Tote will be a perfect fit!

The Shoulder Tote is also lined in polka-dots, this time on slate fabric.

To order your very own Rolling Tote (Z3032, $149.95) or Shoulder Tote (Z3031, $26.95), visit my Online Business Address. Or email me at fcarriker@gmail.com to find out how to receive it for half price.

Happy (organized) scrapping!

Cyber Monday Specials from Close To My Heart

To add to the goodies I told you about on Saturday, Close To My Heart has announced its first time ever Cyber Monday Sale. From Midnight (MST) on December 1 to 11:59 pm (MST), which is 10:59 (PST), all four of our exclusive Cricut bundles will be 20% off the retail price. Whether you love scrapbooking, cardmaking, or creating 3-D projects, our four exclusive Cricut collections make the perfect addition to any craft room.

To purchase any one or all four exclusive Cricut collections at 20% off the retail price, visit my Online Business Address. And your qualifying purchase of $50 or more entitles you to our Deal of the Decade special and the December Stamp of the Month, “Cutie Pie”.

Yuletide Carol #2

Here is another one of my favorite Christmas cards made from Jen Patrick’s Yuletide Carol workshop. It was made from the Yuletide Carol paper packet and Compliments (click here for my Online Business Address).

Our workshop will be held in conjunction with December 13’s Second Saturday Scrapping. (See Yuletide Carol for details.)

Another beautiful Christmas card from our Yuletide Carol workshop.

Yuletide carol

Today was our Second Saturday Scrapbooking for November, and Sherri and I had a lovely, laid-back day together. My major accomplishment (besides teaching Sherri how to make Base & Bling pendants) was to assemble a full set of Christmas cards as samples for our Yuletide Carol workshop in December.

The set of twelve Christmas cards was designed by Jen Patrick of Roxybonds Scrappin’, using the Yuletide Carol paper packet and Complements (X7187B and X7187C). Here is one of my absolute favorites:

I love the Asian feel of this lovely winter bird.

Our card making workshop will be held in conjunction with December’s Second Saturday Scrap, on Saturday, December 13. The workshop fee includes all materials except adhesive; to RSVP, comment here before November 24 (workshop fee due at registration).

To shop our other wonderful Close To My Heart products, visit my Online Business Address.

Know Thyself

I have been putting together some Base and Bling necklaces in anticipation of my booth at the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin’s Convention this weekend, and wanted to share them with you.

Base and Bling Necklaces: “Know Thyself” and “Faith”

The top one is a Faux Antiqued Silver Square Pendant (Z1962) with “Know Thyself” from the Journey Style Sheet (Z2054) and the Owl charm from the Free Thinker charm set (Z1957). The bottom necklace is a Faux Antiqued Gold Oval Pendant (Z2007) with “Faith” from the same style sheet and the Key from the Free Thinker charm set.

With the addition of a chain and glass cover for each, and some Liquid Glass to adhere them together, each necklace only takes about ten minutes to make. To order the components for yours (they make wonderful gifts), visit my Online Business Address.

Really Big Thanks

“Really Big Thanks” is the third card in the Pathfinding Workshop On The Go Cardmaking Kit. I made all three of them between late last night and this morning…this is the first time I have gotten all the papers cut and pieces stamped and put them together assembly-line style. It wasn’t as much fun as designing one at a time, but it was certainly more efficient!

“Really Big Thanks” is Card #3 in the Pathfinding Workshop on the Go Cardmaking Kit.

To order this or any other Close To My Heart products, visit my Online Business Address.

Pathfinding Card #2

The Workshops on the Go Pathfinding Card Kit makes five each of three different cards. Here is the second card in the series, straight from the Workshop. See the first card in the series and a full supply list here.

Pathfinding card #2, “Thankful for you”

And here is a variation on Card #1, using a verse from the “Look to the Light” MyAcrylix Stamp Set.

Variation on Pathfinding Card #1, “God is our refuge”

To order your kit and stamps now in time for Thanksgiving, visit my Online Business Address.

Full of thanks

My new job at Olive Garden has taken a lot of energy these first couple of weeks, but I got back on track with card making this evening. Here is Card #1 of the three-card set included in the Workshops on the Go Pathfinding Cardmaking Kit. The kit includes the supplies necessary to create 15 beautiful cards (5 each of 3 designs).

“Full of Thanks” card from the Pathfinding Cardmaking Kit (G1083).

The kit includes:
1 – My Acrylix Pathfinding Workshop Stamp Set (D-size)
1 – Pathfinding B&T Duos Paper
4 – Cardstock Sheets (1 Colonial White, 1 Glacier, 1 Kraft, 1 Olive)
15 – Colonial White Cards & Envelopes
1 Sequins Gold Assortment
1 Bronze Shimmer Trim
1 Instructional Brochure

Exclusive Inks Pads in Chocolate (Z2111), Desert Sand (Z2118), Glacier (Z2641), and Goldrush (Z213) plus basic supplies are needed.

Ready to shop? Visit my Online Business Address and have your kit shipped directly to your door.