Happy Forever Blog Hop....

I cannot believe it's already July 1st!!!  Summer has just begun and it's already SUPER BUSY!

This month's SOTM Blog Hop has almost 70 participating consultants and features the July SOTM, Happy Forever...

If you've come from the very talented, Shannon Buck's Blog, then you're on the right track!  If you get lost, you can always go to Helen's Blog and she'll have a complete list of participants.

Here's what I did with the SOTM....

I used Twitterpated Paper Packet (Chocolate plaid paper), Grace Paper Packet (Bamboo B&T), Clear Craft Buttons, Magic Moments Paper Packet (Dutch Blue Balloon), Splendor Paper Packet (Topiary Balloon), Edge Anchors, Chocolate Ribbon (shredded for his fur), Embroidery Floss (balloon strings)

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To make his "fur", I shredded some Chocolate Grosgrain Ribbon using my fingernails and attached it using Liquid Glass

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I made a window card using Wishes...this is a side view of the little hedgehog in the inside

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Awwww...there he is!  I paper pieced the ballons with the same paper I used for the Clear Craft Button balloons on the front and then I paper-pieced him using Grace Paper Packet. I used a Chocolate Marker to darken his fur.

Don't forget to hop on over to Shirley's Blog and see what she's come up with!!!

H2H Challenge....GOD Bless America

This week's H2H challenge is to do something using either stars and/or stripes to show your patriotic side. 

This challenge immediately screamed HOME DECOR to me....

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I also used some Dimensional Elements Hearts that came with a promotional item CTMH did a couple of years ago.....remember these?

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Here's what I did with it....

All items are CTMH unless otherwise noted:

Paper: Caprice Paper Packet (retired)

Card Stock: Barn Red and Bamboo

Ink: Cocoa, Crystal Blue and Bamboo

Stamp Sets: Just the Ticket and Noted Backgrounds

Dimensional Elements: Hearts (promotional item) and Stars

Clear Craft Buttons

 Color-Ready Alphabets Oxford

Natural Hemp

Pewter Designer Brads (temporarily unavailable)

Prisma Glitter

Liquid Glass

Don't forget to play along and link your project back to the main H2H Blog using Mr. Linky (we've had a couple of participants who have linked us to member-only groups and such - this, unfortunately, disqualifies you since we're not able to see your wonderful artwork).

Also...stop by the other wonderful design team members' blogs and see what wonderful creations they've made this week!!!

Angela

Carol

Helen

Jayma

Mary

Tracey

Only.....

12 days, 21 hours, 22 minutes and 58 seconds...no 57...no 56...no 55...well you get the picture!!!

In 12 SHORT days, I'll be in our Nation's Capitol to attend 3 days jam-packed FULL of business classes and creative workshops to jump-start my "juices"...and the best part is that it will be ALL CTMH PRODUCT!!!!  I haven't missed a Convention yet in all my 8 years as a consultant and I'm SUPER EXCITED to attend this one! 

We will be going up on July 5th (very emotional about being in DC the day after we celebrate the birth of our wonderful Country) and will take a couple of days to sight-see and take pictures of course.  I'm sure there will be TONS of photos taken to commemorate our trip!

I'm also excited because the one and only time I've visited DC before was the Summer before my Senior Year in High School and I didn't really appreciate everything DC has to offer...especially the National Mall.  We went and spent all day there but I didn't step foot in the Smithsonian (which I regret to this day)....we took pictures outside the Lincoln Memorial (have no idea where those pictures are)...rubbed some names of my dad's friends that perished in the Vietnam War and ate at The Hard Rock Cafe!

This year we plan on touring the Capitol...DEFINITELY will be going into the Smithsonian and who knows what else we'll find to do.

If you live in the DC area, I'm sure you're used to all the tourists, but you might want to prepare yourself for thousands of SCRAPBOOKERS who love CLOSE TO MY HEART!!!  We'll be taking over DC in 12 days...21 hours....8 minutes and 45 seconds...no 44...no 43...no 42....well you get the picture!!!

Father's Day on the Ranch...

My dad's girlfriend owns a ranch about an hour's drive from my house and we usually find ourselves out there each year for Father's Day.  My brother was born on Father's Day 28 years ago and this year it happened to fall on the "day" so we also celebrated his milestone!

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This year was especially FUN because my dad has 5 baby goats and 3 fawn that he's bottle feeding.  So...the kids fed the adult sheep and goats from the tailgate of the truck and then we headed in the house to prepare the bottles.

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Below are some of the pictures from this weekend...

This is Edna and she will snake around your feet just like a cat....

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These are the baby goats which don't have names (or at least ones I can't repeat....I hate when my dad does that...lol)

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This is my dad putting one of the baby goats back over the fence....

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Hummingbirds on the front porch....

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And my brother with TK and CJW (they're almost 3 years old and they LOVE their Uncle 'Mas).  Mas just woke up from a nap....

H2H12 - Color Challenge

This week's challenge is to use Buttercup, Tulip and Black together on any crafty creation you can come up with.  I decided to keep it simple and make a standard-size card and I left a lot of white space which is very rare for me...lol

Here's what the colors look like....

Here's what I did with them...

Don't forget to play along by linking your project back to the main H2H Blog using Mr. Linky.  A complete set of rules can be found on the main blog or on my sidebar.

Go check out what the other Design Team Members did with the challenge:

Angela

Carol

Helen

Jayma

Mary

Tracey

Supplies used are all CTMH:

Cardstock: White Daisy, Black, Tulip & Buttercup

Stamp Set: Thank You - English

Ink: Tulip

Ribbon: Black Ribbon Rounds (5/8" flower - backside)

CTMH 1-1/4" Circle Punch

Not so "shtylish"....

There is a site....shytyle.fm....that is sending out friend requests to the ENTIRE e-mail list (contacts as well as anyone who has e-mailed you in the past) of anyone who "registers". 

How it works: You will get a friend request from someone you know (mine was a very popular blogger whom I just ADORE and I was very flattered to say the least that she would request that I become associated with her)....you accept by clicking the "accept" button and create an account...at NO POINT does it ask you to enter e-mails of people you'd like to invite, etc...it just TAKES YOUR ENTIRE E-MAIL HISTORY and sends the same e-mail you just received (this time from YOU) to your friends, customers, and family.  They "accept" and create an account and it happens all over again!!!

Please DELETE any profile, if you've created one already, or simply don't register!!!

Technology is a wonderful thing but not when it is misused....

I apologize if you've been contacted by this site on my behalf!!!  I would NEVER knowingly share any e-mail addresses or misuse any information I obtain from any of my readers, my customers, my family and my friends!!!

Wordless Wednesday...Power Wash

All about DAD...

This week's H2H challenge is all about DAD again...this time using scraps of paper and/or recycled items!

My house has been plagued with a stomach virus and I had Kidney Stones for the first (and hopefully LAST) time this week...not to mention all the stuff I've been doing to try to get ready for CTMH's Convention in DC in a few short weeks! So my dear friend and sideline, Sylvia, stepped in and helped me out.  She graciously created this card for you guys this week and I think she did an EXCELLENT job!!! Thanks, Sylvia!!

It's a 5"x5" and it's using Passages Paper Packet...

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And Sylvia knows how I love to decorate the inside so she even did this for me!!!!

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Don't forget to play along and check out the other DT members and see what they did. 

Sketchy Friday Five

Let me tell you - you guys really knocked last week's sketch out of the park! What inspiration! I don't think there will ever be a week that we don't have a hard time picking our five favorites! You all deserve a round of applause. But after much looking and re-looking, we have narrowed down our choices to this week's Friday Five - check out these talented creators: Tammy, Emily, Leslie, Jody and Angie

As always, there is still time to play along with this week's challenge so get scrappin'!

See you all on Monday with another fun challenge!!

H2H10 Challenge - Scrapbook Layout

Today's challenge is to create a scrapbook page or card with a picture on it...any size, any color, any shape!

We also have a sponsor this week...Heather Hunt...she's going to have some goodies for a random "play-alonger"!!!

Also...we have our guest Design Team member, Dawn, playing along this week!

Ok, let's get on to what I did for the challenge...this is a layout I did LONG AGO...I know, I know...I'm slackin' but I've had some deadlines and all my creativity is going towards that so I decided to show you a layout that has never been posted before...here is is!!!

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I had the older boys write "i love you" so I would have a snippet of their handwriting...

Journalling reads: "Being a mother is one of the hardest jobs I've ever done...yet it's the highest paid.  Each day I'm given hugs, kisses & smiles and the purest love that will ever exist.  My timeclock is their childhood and my check stubs are their report cards...I LOVE MY JOB!!!"

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Don't forget to play along by creating a card or layout that features a picture and post back to the main H2H Blog using Mr. Linky.

Don't forget to check out the other Design Team Members and our Guest DT Member, Dawn, to see what super cute stuff they've made for the challenge!!!

H2H Friday Five - Background Beauties

Our stamped background challenge really brought US a challenge - how to pick our favorite five! This is definitely a technique that everyone loves and that really shows in your artwork. Great projects everyone! So without further delay, here are our picks for this week's top five: Amy, Dawn, Emily, Jen & Vicki

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Fabulous work ladies - congratulations...you are now eligible to be chosen for Guest DT next month! 

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There is still time to enter this week's challenge! Be sure to spread the word about our challenge blog to friends, neighbors, customers - everyone who love CTMH! The more the merrier (and think of all the inspiration - swoon!)

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See you Monday with another challenge!