Gina's Little Corner of StampinHeaven

It is always handy to have a few Thank You cards on hand.   So I made up a few using Close To My Heart's Stamp of the Month - A Little Thanks.   I chose to work with the Cherry-O paper which was introduced in our 2010 Summer Idea Book.   This paper will retire December 31 so if you like it, you need to get it before the end of the year!   (Be sure to check out this month's special on my  Monthly Specials  tab) For this round card I used our 4 1/2" Colonial White Circle Cards (Z1352).   I used the Simple Secure pattern from Wishes .  The pink band with zig-zag stitching is cut from the ribbon paper in Cherry O (so the stitching isn't actual stitching!). The ACTUAL stitching is around the border of the card.  I used Chocolate embroidery floss to stitch around the edge.   It was easy and only took a few minutes.  "Gratitude" is stamped in Chocolate ink. Accents are colonial white and chocolate buttons with a Chocolate Ribbon (it's real). My next card

Today is my dad's birthday.  I once read that a father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us where we want to go, but he is a guiding light whose love shows us the way.  That is my dad.  He shares with us his wisdom to help us achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves.  My dad has great patience, which probably grew over the years from raising four daughters.   How else could one come to this point in his life with any sanity left?!   Sunday evening we went to celebrate my dad's birthday so I spent some time beforehand making him a special card.   One of the stamp sets I used was Captured Moments (C1423).  This was the perfect stamp because as I made my card for my dad, I thought about the 'captured moments' that we spent together over the years as I was growing up, then married and began raising children of my own. I used several techniques on this card.  The blowing tree at the bottom of the card is from the stamp set  Captured Moment

I have been in such a rush lately flying around the country but now I am ready to settle back down!  Two days after returning from my wonderful Close To My Heart Scrapbooking trip, I boarded yet another plane headed to Clearwater, Florida to spend 4 glorious days on the beach with my mom and three sisters.   We began taking an annual MAD (Mother & Daughters) trip about 7 years ago.   We are all so busy these days with jobs, children and everything else that seems to take up most of our time.  Although we do get together other times of the year, mainly holidays, the time seems to fly by so fast. There is always so much going on that we never have time to just sit and talk with each other.   Each year our trip might take us somewhere different but the last two years we have gone to Indian Rocks Beach and just relaxed.   This time it was a much needed trip for me - I was still exhausted from that fabulous scrapbooking trip!  So we did a lot of reading and relaxing on the beach.  And

Who knew back in July when I won this fabulous trip it would make a lasting impression on my life.   I did not know then that I would come away from this trip with 10 very special friends who will always hold a special place in my heart.  I am still amazed at the bonding that took place over just a few days.  We laughed, we talked, we discussed our business, we listened to new ideas and of course we ate.- alot! I learned so much about Close To My Heart - the company and the people there.  Kristine explained why and how they come to many of the business decisions they make.  I am SO PROUD to be a part of this great company.  This is a company that truly does care about their consultants.   Kristine and Monica are such warm, fun, SMART and BEAUTIFUL ladies.   It means so much me (and all of us) that they took precious time away from their families to spend it with 9 ladies that did not know.   They took us in and treated us like family.   It really was special.   I want to share some o

Lori, Shannon and Kristina We have now reached Saturday, our final full day of the Scrapbooking Spa Getaway.   We have a full day ahead us of trying to get all of our layouts finished before packing up.  Someone asked if we were given a full list of everything we needed to bring to complete our pages.  I guess I should have mentioned something VERY important in the beginning.   Kristine informed us before we came out to Utah that we did not have to bring a single thing for scrapbooking.   No scissors, paper trimmer, adhesive - NOTHING!   They provided everything we needed.  Wow Imagine that! - going to a weekend crop and you don't have to pack a rolling tote, a shoulder tote and a carrying tote!  (Yes I pack all of that!).  Everything was provided. Our Supplies - the bag on the right was our keep.  LOTS of STUFF!  Now for some more layouts...... This layout, titled Harmony, is one of my favorites.   It demonstrates what you can do using only cardstock.   The cardstock col

Our first full day of scrappin' fun began with the smell of bacon!  We all know that for most of us (except for Kristine!) that it is very important to begin your day with a good breakfast.  Our Chef, Marci must have known we had lots of layouts to get done so she started us off right.   Check out this plate! Stuffed French toast, fresh fruit & bacon! The french toast had the most delicious mixture of cream cheese and pecans in between.  Top it off with warm buttermilk dressing and you could just about believe you were eating breakfast in heaven!  It was so hard not to go back for 2nds!   I had gotten up early and gone for my daily walk before breakfast but after this meal - maybe I'd better taking up running! I know you all are anxious to see some layouts so I will add a few here now. This layout is called Happy Together .   The word HAPPY was stamped on the buttercup cardstock using the Posterboard Alphabet (E1014) with Creme Brulee ink.  We used the sunburst image f

I'm home!  Am I refreshed?   ha.... I'm exhausted actually..... but it is a good exhaustion from laughing and having a great time with 10 other ladies.   The whole experience was AMAZING!  Our hostess' for the weekend were Kristine Widtfeldt, VP Sales & Marketing and Monica Wihongi, VP Training, Events and Events for Close To My Heart.   We arrived in Salt Lake City in the afternoon and a shuttle whisked us away to this beautiful scrapbooking retreat in Heber City, Utah.   We settled into our rooms where we found these gift bags on each of our beds waiting for us!  It's a tote that contained these fuzzy pink slippers (so cozy!), my favorite snacks and a Diet Coke to wash them down, a monogramed coffee cup, 4 CD's of fun scrappin' music, a mani/pedi kit and an adorable door hanger!   (see close up below)  What a way to start the weekend!  We also each got a new Faux Leather Album! Door Hanger   Marci, our weekend chef, had a wonderful meal waiting fo

Sorry I have no pictures to post as of yet.   As of today, I'm probably all nestled in at a cozy cabin in the mountains of Utah!   I'm actually typing this late Wednesday night.   There is no internet at the cabin so all my exciting news and pictures will have to wait until I return!   In case you haven't heard I'm off to my Scrapbooking Retreat that I won!  (and if you didn't hear.... where were you when I was shouting the news all the way from the CTMH convention in Washington D.C.??) I won this back in July and at the time it seemed so far in future.   But as the time has neared I've gotten so excited!  I'll be scrapbooking with 8 other CTMH consultants.  I have not met any of them yet but I'm sure we'll all be great friends by the time we leave.   There is something about CTMH consultants....  I've never met a one that I didn't hit it off with!   Must be the Bonding Memories Glue that 'bonds' us all together.... that and this wo

Close To My Heart's October Stamp of the Month adorable!  The stamp - Share the Magic has 12 stamps!   I just love the little light bulb stamp.  I used Cranberry and New England Ivy markers to give the bulbs their Christmas Color.   For the Santa and his bag, I used the masking technqiue with B&T paper from the My Reflections Mistletoe paper.  For the fur and Santa's beard I used the Fun Flock for added dimension.   On this circle card I used the tree image and then 'trimmed' it with sparkles from the Red, Pink & Purple Sparkle Assortment (Z1326).  The tinsel is gold embossed.    These circle cards can be purchased in White (Z1353) or Colonial White (Z1352) and come with 12 cards and 12 envelopes. This clear card was fun to create!  This snowman is covered in Prisma Glitter to make him glisten in the snow!  His scarf is from B&T paper from Magnifique (again using the masking technique).   The inside of the card is covered with Pacifica cardstock and stamp