Tis The Season

I recently returned from a wonderful trip to visit my son and his family over Thanksgiving.  Last year he was preparing to leave for Afghanistan and his little girl was very sick.  It was a difficult time. He was called away on Thanksgiving Day and didn't even get to eat this special meal with his family.  He then flew to Afghanistan for his birthday.  Happy Birthday right?  That is the life of a soldier.  It made this Thanksgiving so precious. We had so much to be thankful for.  He returned safely and whole from overseas and my granddaughter is doing so much better. We were also able to celebrate his birthday with him this year as it was on Thanksgiving Day. I haven't been able to do that for years. I am so grateful for every minute I get to spend with my boys and their families as that doesn't happen very often.  We are blessed that we are able to travel to visit them.

Since Thanksgiving was so late in the month, it seems that Christmas is right around the corner.  How many of you are hinting about what you would like for Christmas this year.  You will definitely want to put the Artbooking Cricut cartridge on that list for Santa.  It's the easiest cartridge I have for designing and making layouts.  Here is a video that shows a couple of Christmas layouts.  Enjoy!

Fall Into Artbooking

Every time I watch a video from Close To My Heart, I get more ideas about how to create beautiful pages using the Artbooking Cartridge.  This video has a Fall theme and has lots of information about using real dial size.  I can't wait to go down to my creative corner and make these beautiful pages for the hike we took over Columbus Day weekend.  The colors were just beautiful and we had a wonderful day.  But that is a story for another time.  When I complete the pages, I'll tell you the story.  In the meantime, enjoy the video!

Until next time.

As Promised

Here is a picture of the layout I made for my class at Singing Hills:

I loved working with the Huntington paper pack.  It has such beautiful Autumn colors to complement all your wonderful Thanksgiving and Autumn pictures.  This is the second layout from the Close To My Heart Workshop on the Go.  It was so easy to put together!  My students loved creating with this paper pack!  I still have to make the first layout.  When I do, I'll be sure to take more pictures.

This layout I made when I took a class from one of my friends, Nancy Hay:

This is such a cute layout using the Sparkle and Shine paper pack in our Christmas mini catalog. The picture doesn't do it justice.  I loved it so much, that I ordered the Workshop on the Go so I could get the adorable stamp set.  I can't wait to take pictures for this!  

I have two more layouts that I made while at Singing Hills, but I still have to embellish them before I can show them to you.  

Today I spent time looking for my husband's fishing pictures that we've taken over the years.  I was brought back in time while looking through the photos.  It was so much fun to look at all those precious memories we made over the years.  I realized how much work I have to get all those pictures scrapped.  I'm so glad that Close To My Heart is coming out with it's own Project Life.  It's called Picture Life and I cannot wait until it goes live.  Until then, here are a few peeks at what will be available in February!

Avonlea

Babycakes

Chantilly

Later Sk8r

Laughing Lola

Surf's Up

There's something for every occasion!  Aren't they just the cutest?  I cannot wait to order these.  

Back from Singing Hills

I just spent a wonderful weekend at Singing Hills with a group of scrapbooking ladies.  It was great to see the ladies who regularly make the trip for the weekend and it was wonderful to meet new ladies.  One of those ladies was very special.  Peggy had a wonderful personality and kept us all in stitches for the weekend.  I was so blessed to meet her.  While I was there, I had so much fun creating new layouts.  I didn't get many done, but at least I got a few done.  I meant to get some pictures of them today before the sun went down, but alas, the day got away from me.  For some reason, those pictures just aren't the same without natural light.  So here is a picture of the cards I created for one of my classes.  They were so much fun to make.  

Now it's time to plan my Christmas card class.  I love the new sparkle and shine paper,  but the lovely blues in the frosted paper are beautiful.  I guess I'll just have to use both!   Now that those warm summer days are gone, it's time to create once again. 

I found out some exciting news last week.  Close To My Heart will have a new line of products in the Spring and Summer catalog that is similar to Project Life.  The name of this new product is called Picture My Life and I cannot wait to see what will be available.  I am always amazed at how Close To My Heart stays with the trends.  As soon as I get more information, I'll be letting you know.

Halloween Inspiration

 

What happened to September?  With all the hustle and bustle of the beginning of the school year it seems that September just flies by.  I absolutely love the Fall and Halloween is a fun time for the kids.  They just love getting all dressed up.  I still have to get last year's pictures scrapped and now that I have the new Artbooking cartridge, I can hardly wait to get my pages done.  Here is a video about making those Halloween pages.  I am still in awe with all you can do with this wonderful cartridge.  Enjoy!

 



I Just Love the Artbooking Cartridge

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to a crop where I could just well, crop.  It was a wonderful Friday evening and Saturday where I could just sit and create.  I brought my brand new Artbook Cartridge with me so that I could share it and I have to tell you that I absolutely love love love this new Cricut cartridge that Close To My Heart has designed.  One of the ladies said that she loved the fact that the words are already welded together so you don't have to do anything.  I love the fact that with just one button you can design a whole two-page layout!  Here is another video that shows you some of the wonderful things you can do with this cartridge!

 

 

 

I'm sure you can't wait to try this cartridge out!  I can think of a few cute pictures that I'll be scrapping using the ideas from this video. 



Ahhh What Beauty

One of the things I noticed these past couple of months are the beautiful sunsets.  I don't get to see the sun rise where I live as my view is obstructed by trees, but the sunsets have been spectacular.  I am amazed every time I see the beauty all around me.  Soon I'll be taking out my camera to take pictures of the foliage.  It's almost peak season here. But for now, here are a few pictures I took during the months of August and September.

  

Every time I see these beautiful works of art I am reminded of how our God enjoys beauty and shares it with us.

I have been doing more than taking pictures though.   I have actually been planning my classes for the Singing Hills retreat, Memories that Matter.  Here are the cards I came up with to make with the ladies there this year.



I had a lot of fun creating them.  I hope the ladies enjoy making them as much as I did.  

Tomorrow, I'm off to scrap at my friend's crop to catch up a little and to create my layout and finish my mini scrapbook for Singing Hills.  I can't wait!