Awesome Rising Hearts Team!

The Rising Hearts Team is such an awesome group of CTMH consultants! I want to take this opportunity to thank them in this forum for all of their dedication and hard work this year. This picture shows all of the boxes containing fun goodies that were sent out during convention to all of the team's annual award recipients. I felt so proud as I packed them up and you all deserve a huge pat on the back! Enjoy!

For My Team...

There is something incredibly satisfying about surrounding yourself with papers, inks, and an assortment of bling as you set out to create for someone special. That's precisely how I felt prior to convention when I began to craft a little something for my "first string" team members who were in Anaheim with me!
Our journal is so simple and fun to create as it features a clear pocket on the front that holds a 5"x7" piece of artwork. With that size canvas, you can create to your heart's content! I even used a pattern from our Wishes card book for inspiration!
Papers from the Sophia collection provide sweet, summer colors and before I could say "bibbidi-bobbidi-boo", I had completed the journal covers!
Note that the background has added texture with dry-embossed lines that have been sanded and many of the papers have added depth with sponged edges.
With an accordion-folded flower, a little button, and a few stamped images, the piece came to life just like magic! Check out the quote, a saying that was woven throughout our convention experience... "A dream is a wish your heart makes..."  Enjoy!

Matterhorn Madness!

Ready to roll!!!
Thought I would share some of the fun and excitement that we enjoyed at Disneyland prior to the fun and excitement of convention!!!
Here we are, my daughter and I, strapped in and ready to roll on the Matterhorn ride. This ride is one of her top favorites and it was only going to be open the first day we were there before being closed for renovation! We just HAD to make sure that we made time for the thrill of tearing through the mountain and being surprised by the abominable snowman!!!
It was awesome! In fact, with that day being early admission for resort guests, we rode the Matterhorn TWICE before you could blink an eye! Disneyland is simply on of our favorite places to be... the happiest place on earth!

Treat Yourself!

Treat Tents using Fanfare Papers

You've seen them and now it's time to add them to your papercrafting repertoire! They're called treat tents and they can be made any size at all. This little trio is ready to march into a birthday party or even a picnic on the 4th of July. Use a bit of adhesive or a glue dot to adhere a little bag of special treats inside the tent and you'll be all ready to make your guests smile. 

Are you ready to make your own? Start with a piece of cardstock cut 3" x 9". Beginning at one short end, score the piece at 3-1/2", 5", and 8-1/2". This will give you a substantial base on which to rest the tent along with a 1/2" flap to fold over the top of the tent. This gives your project a cute finished look. I rounded the corners of the flap and sponged with a bit of coordinating ink to complete the look. 

The front of the tent is based on a 3" x 3" card pattern from the awesome pattern book entitled Wishes. Papers featured here are from the Fanfare collection. Enjoy!

A Sip of Simplicity

More than likely, you have seen these little water bottle tags many times. Consider this a reminder of how cute and simple such a project can be as it elevates the lowly water bottle to a thirst-quenching gift or decoration. Try them for birthday parties, pool soirees, bridal showers, and much more. Easily coordinated with a bit of ink and paper, these will fit into any theme or decor.
My version begins with a piece of cardstock cut at 3" x 10" and scored 3" from one end and 2-1/2" from the other end. The 3" section is folded up and decorated as desired while the 2-1/2" section is punched with a 1-1/4" punch to accommodate the bottle top.
Do you want to duplicate the lattice print background? Grab your rubber brayer, add some dimensional foam tape around the cylinder, ink it up and you're on a roll! I used one color in each direction for a fun garden-y look! Enjoy!

The Language of Flowers

As a young girl, my daughter delighted in being able to celebrate the end of the year with a little something for her classroom teacher, piano instructor, and even the director of her dance studio. She liked for it to be unique and always wanted a hand in creating it from the heart. With Mom's buffet of papercrafting ingredients available, it was only a matter of time before the perfect little gift came to life.


This seed packet pocket would fit any number of occasions and is so very simple to create. I can even see my daughter presenting a little basket of assorted packets, a bit of a bouquet in the making, to a special mentor. As favors for a party, shower, or even a wedding, they would add that special touch. 


To make these even more unique, consider choosing the seeds based on their meaning! It is interesting to note that many flowers have a special meaning and it is with this information that bouquets can be tailored to an occasion. As head of a local woman's group, I recently recognized each member with one of these pockets filled with seeds that spoke to the characteristic she most contributed to the club.

Here are the results:

Baby's Breath-Happiness

Celosia-Sense of Humor

Convolvulus-Perseverance

Coreopsis-Cheerfulness

Dianthus-Dignity

Hollyhock-Ambition

Nasturtium-Patriotism

Poppy-Imagination

Zinnia-Friendship

My pocket began as a piece of cardstock cut 4"x8" and scored at 3" from one of the short sides to create the pocket. With a little random stamping, sponging, and the addition of a variety of embellishments, my pocket came to life. In this case, I adhered the pocket only at the upper corners with mini glue dots so that my pocket had a bit of expansion room for chubbier seed packets. Enjoy!

Memorial Day and Rolling Thunder

While this card features images from a future stamp set (the July Stamp of the Month), it is just what I wanted for a Memorial Day weekend note...

As a child, I often marched in my hometown's Memorial Day parade. Whether walking with my Girl Scout troop or riding my bicycle festooned with red, white, and blue crepe paper, I felt the pride of remembering those in our military who served and sacrificed. In the center of town, sits a bridge over the river. The parade would split down the middle so that we could utilize the sidewalks on either side and toss bunches of flowers over the railing into the water below. It was a simple act of remembrance. The parade ended at the local cemetery where, with a backdrop of lovingly decorated gravesites, we witnessed a brief ceremony that spoke of the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Now, living in the vicinity of Washington, D.C. we have the opportunity to witness another powerful display of remembrance...Rolling Thunder. Each year, over 250,000 motorcycles ride during the Rolling Thunder Memorial Day weekend observance that is held each year in our nation's capital. The event has evolved to be a exhibition of patriotism and respect for soldiers and veterans from all wars. This morning, we saw throngs of people gathering along the roads and overpasses of the main route to D.C. They were all there to wave, salute, or simply catch a glimpse of the thousands of motorcyclists heading thru our area. Even from my home, a distance from the route, I could hear the rumbling of the cycle engines as they prepared for the trip.

As you enjoy your festivities this holiday weekend, remember the true meaning of Memorial Day and take a moment to thank those who have sacrificed to Let Freedom Ring.