June SOTM Blog Hop!

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring June's SOTM, which is Tender Tags, a set of 15 stamps. If you have come here from Tammy's Blog, you are on the right path!

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This month we have 42 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations. After you check out my samples simply click on the link at the end of the post to continue on the journey!

The card above is based on a pattern called Curtain Call which is featured in our new card design book called Wishes.

Next up is a cute little gift bag.

Design Tip: Need a quick bag for a gift? Look around your house for something that's about the right size and then wrap your paper around it to make a gift. I used a VCR tape to create the bag below. I simply wrapped the paper around it, glued down the flaps and then slipped the VCR tape out. Quick, Easy and no measuring required!

Bonus Idea: Check out the binder clip! I decorated it and used it to close the bag. Now you can open and close the bag by removing the binder clip! Plus it was easy to hang the tag from the clip.

I hope you enjoyed this stop on the blog hop!! Next stop is Cibele's Blog. Have fun!

Lost on the Hop? Missing Links or posts? Here's a complete list of all those who are participating.

Jena Devries

Adeline E. Brill

Deb Young

Chris Green

Jennifer Patrick

Chris Shouse

Alanna Moses

Haley Dyer

Jen Rubio

Kami Welter

Caren Goldsein

Laurie R Newton

Reba Poquette

Nona Davenport

Misty Jackson

Julia Menssen

Anne Beck

Jamia Bankhead

Dawn Ross

Sherry Thompson

Laura Dame

Lucia Grabb

Nancy Ball

Shannon Laux

Melissa Laverty

Terrie Dodd

Mindy Eggen

Helen Onulak

Ronnie Crowley

Karen Strous

Jaime Benavides

Kelly Triggs

Lori Miller

Brae Montgomery

Shannon Pelletier

Wendy Kessler

Paige Dolecki

Pamela OConnor

Shari Odut

Tammy Lea Pinchard

Dawn Heuft

Cibele Glazer

Sarita Schraeder

32 days and not even close.....

I'm trying really hard to be positive and to recognize that I have a good solid base of riding 3-4 times a week, but I'm struggling. I'm frustrated. I'm scared and I'm having to figure out how in the world I'm going to get ready for this trip in 32 days.

On the good side, I'm feeling good. My normal commute is getting easier and easier but here's where reality comes into play. I generally ride about 40 miles per week.

First day riding on the trip? 47 miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have never ridden 47 miles in one day and today I had to face the reality that I probably won't do it until we are actually on the ride.... unless I can figure out a way to do it by myself. I'm sure the trip is going to be fun and I'll look back at this and see that it was just a bump in the road...but right now I'm kind of regretting the whole thing.

Hubby is home this week and knows how worried I am. He's offered to check on me and provide ride support so hopefully I can get enough miles in to make me feel more confident and prepared.

June Workshop Project

At our June workshop I'll be featuring "manly" cards for the men in our lives. We'll be making 5 cards using the Back Country paper pack and C1363 Beary Best. I just love this stamp set!!! It gives me an excuse to color!! And that means.... that we'll have a coloring lesson built in to the workshop! I will show you how to shade and blend colors using odorless turpenoid.

So mark your calendars for June 13th and RSVP!!

Long distance? No problem!! Workshop Kits are only $5 plus shipping. I'll send you directions and close-up pictures....plus I'm contemplating shooting a video with the coloring tips! The more that order...the more likely this is!!

Need a Little Art and Soul?

Art and Soul............CTMH TV.....................

Anyone know what I'm talking about? If the answer is "No," you are in for a big treat.

Each month Close To My Heart releases a new episode of CTMH TV. Every episode is full of tips, techniques and projects that are sure to inspire you. After you watch the episode, download the instructions and create your own project! Need the supplies featured? Check out the end of the episodes for specials on some of the supplies featured!!

This month's topic is a little "sneaky".... you might think you're watching an episode filled with "manly ideas"... but there's a special little stop at the Close To My Heart Cupcakery at the end. It's definate a must see!!

While I love all of the episodes, I have to say that my favorite one was Card Crazy....because I truly went "Card Crazy" after I watched it. It inspired me to beef up my card stash. Stay tuned!! Tomorrow I'll show you what I did with those cards.

Your Turn - Leave me a comment and tell me which episode is your favorite and why. On Sunday I'll pick a comment and send them a full-set of the "manly cards" I'm doing at my June workshop!!

Ready to watch some CTMH tv? - Click Here

My Creations 3-Ring Binder Workshop

Our project at this month's workshop was a fun album featuring the My Creations 3-Ring Binder. I made two different kits; Animal Cookies and Moon Doggie. Kits included the binder, pre-cut paper, an assortment of accessories and a color handout with pictures of my sample.

Here are the covers of a couple of the finished albums. They went together so quickly that a couple of people couldn't resist making one of each.

Kits to go - I ended up selling all of my kits, but I would be happy to make more. Please email me if you would like your own kit for $15 plus shipping. (or you can pick it up if you're local)

May SOTM Blog Hop!

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

We will be featuring May's SOTM, which is Be Yourself, a set of 14 stamps. If you have come here from Misty's Blog, you are on the right path! If this is your first stop, you may want to go back to Jena's Blog and start from the beginning!

This month we have 18 Close To My Heart Consultants participating. You can see them all by hopping from one blog to the next. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

Products Used: May Stamp of the Month - D1349 Be Yourself
D1361 Thank You
Tickled Pink
Ink Colors - Twilight and Blush

As an added bonus I asked a couple of friends if I could post the cards they gave me.

The first one was created by Gail Vought.

Patyy Smith gave me this gorgeous card for my birthday.
Sadly my photography skills made it come out blurry.

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month by combining our Stamp of the Month program with the Tickled Pink Promo! Here's how...

Purchase $60 in stamps (1 "D" set and 2 "C" sets is $60.85) and you'll earn Tickled Pink for free...and it also qualifies you to purchase the May stamp of the month - Be Yourself for 1/2 off! Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here)

Now "Hop" on over to Jen's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the May SOTM is only available until May 31st and Tickled Pink is "while supplies last"!

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Get lost on the hop? Here's a list of all of the participants so you can find your way back.

List of ParticipantsJena Devries - http://www.livelovelaughscrapbook.blogspot.com/Sherry Thompson - http://www.picturespatternsandpaper.blogspot.com/Cibele Glazer - http://www.flowerfoot.blogspot.com/Helen Onulak - http://www.hookedonstamping.com/Jaime Benavides - http://www.scrapcrazydiva.blogspot.com/Misty Jackson - http://www.misstscraps.blogspot.com/Dawn Heuft - http://www.stamptildawn.blogspot.com/Jen Rubio - http://www.jenrubio.blogspot.com/Shannon Laux - http://www.rockinstamps.blogspot.com/Ronnie Crowley - http://www.ronniecreates.blogspot.com/Deb Young - http://www.scrapbookczar.blogspot.com/Terrie Dodd - http://www.my-life-in-real-time.blogspot.com/Lucia Grabb - http://www.luciasscrappinandstampin.blogspot.com/Anne Beck - http://www.anniemuses.blogspot.com/Reba Poquette - http://www.thedirtyscramper.blogspot.com/Leisa Hubley - http://bigredscraps.blogspot.com/Caren Goldsein - http://www.scrappycaren.blogspot.com/Jennifer Patrick - http://www.roxybonds-scrappin.blogspot.com/

50 days!?!

Ok, it's starting to feel real. 50 more days until we fly out to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for our bike tour!! That means it's time to stop playing around and get serious about my training!!

I haven't written much about cycling lately because I've just been maintaining my normal routine. I ride 3-4 nights per week; 9-17 miles. Right now I think I'm still recuperating from my cold because I rode 8 miles monday, 10 miles on Tuesday, 6 miles on Wednesday and today I am resting because I am sore and tired. It's really hard for me to take a rest day. I always think I should just power through, but I'm deciding to listen to my body and get to bed early tonight. I might get a little excercise by hooping while I'm watching tv. We shall see...

So here are my plans for the next 50 days...
More water.
More fruits/veggies
Less junk!
Ride 3-4 nights per week and at least one long ride on the weekend.

May 16th we're doing the 26 mile loop from downtown, around to Coronado.
May 23rd - Planning a ride with the girls from work. Possibly down to the beach and back.

I need to find time for some longer rides. The problem is that I don't really want to do a "long" ride by myself. I'm thinking about just doubling some of the rides that I can do that are near the house. That way I get some extra miles in, but I'm still relatively close to ride support! And of course there's the group of girls at work.... they're putting in more miles now so maybe a couple of them will be ready for an adventure!

Scrapbook Expo

I used the Tickled Pink Scrapbook Kit for our recruiting board.

Tickled Pink and Embossing Plates...on my new Hello Kitty Big Shot!

Whew... I feel like I've been in a whirlwind.... I was knocked down by a cold for a couple of days, then worked the San Diego Scrapbook Expo... and then it was time to catch up at work after being off for a few days...

Scrapbook Expo - fun, fun, fun!! Many of my customers stopped by to say "Hi" and I met a ton of wonderful scrapbookers!!