Best Wishes!

I would like to wish everyone a wonderful New Year. May God's blessings be so rich in your lives this upcoming year and always.

Happy New Year

This mini album was made by binding 3 6x12 sheets of folded cardstock. Add photo hangers and ribbon to create a closure and keep it simple on the inside so that it can be easily carried in a purse or tote for use as a brag book. All products Close to My Heart.

12th Day of Christmas

On the 12th Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me one last Christmas card made especially for me.

I hope you have enjoyed the 12 days of Christmas and would like to wish each of you a very blessed Christmas.

11th Day of Christmas

On the 11th Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me a wall hanging colored with garden green and cranberry.

Taking Close to My Heart's garden green cardstock, I cut out 4 large circles and then cut 4 smaller circles with patterned paper and 4 slightly smaller circles with bamboo cardstock. I then stamped flowers and flourishes on the Bamboo cardstock with "Blooming Flourishes" stamp set. Layer the circles from largest to smallest. I simply cut out "N-O-E-L" with cranberry cardstock and attached one to each circle. I connected the circles with pewter finished hinges sold by Close to My Heart. I tied a ribbon at the top with a photo hanger. I added a couple of flowers cut from Cranberry Cardstock with a pewter finished brad or concho in the center.

This can be done for everyday and doesn't have to be just for Christmas. You can do such words as "Joy," "Love," "Family," etc. Change the colors to match the decor in any room.

10th Day of Christmas

On the 10th Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me another ornament for my Christmas tree.

I simply covered one of Close to My Heart's dimensional elements chipboard shapes with paper and added string and an embellishment.

9th Day of Christmas

On the 9th Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me a Christmas Card that was so lovely.

This card was started with a lilac mist cardstock base, then snowflakes were random stamped on white cardstock with grey flannel and crystal blue ink. Merry Christmas and the snowman were stamped with grey flannel ink and mounted on lilac mist cardstock. The snowman's hat and scarf were colored with colored pencils and a small miniature tag was added with some silver brads. I then finished the card off with organdy ribbon.

8th Day of Christmas

On the 8th Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me some gift tags for the gifts underneath my tree.

Don't throw away your scraps of paper! Make gift tags out of them instead. The first tag is one like we made in our November Cardmaking/Tag You're It Workshop, except I colored in the image with CTMH Markers. The second tag is simply designed with some circle and scallop circle punches from scraps of paper and then stamped some images in the center. The third tag is using the random stamping technique from the set called "Holiday Jubilee" from Close to My Heart. (The images on the 2nd tag are from "Holiday Jubilee as well.) This would also make a nice Background paper for your layouts. Random Stamping is done by simply stamping the images in a triangular pattern on solid colored paper. Works well using a couple of different stamps with a couple of different colors.

8th Day of Christmas

On the 8th Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me a gingerbread birdhouse ornament stamped with shapes of candy.

This gingerbread birdhouse is made entirely of paper. I then stamped candy shapes and cut them out and attached with foam dots. The tree is 3-d by cutting 3 trees, scoring in center and gluing back to back. I then made "snow" by adding liquid applique' and fun flock and then heating with craft heater. A little prisma glitter is added to the "snow" and roof top and a side walk is simply drawn on bamboo cardstock with a grey flannel marker.

7th Day of Christmas

On the 7th Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me an ornament for my Christmas tree!

Simply cut out a star from cardstock. Score from point to point across star. Cut out 3 more stars from patterned or other paper (vary your sizes if you wish). Score these the same. Begin folding along score lines and the creases will begin going up & down creating a barn star design. Layer the stars from largest to biggest adhering with pop-dots or foam tape to create dimension between layers. Punch a small hole at top and add a string.

6th Day of Christmas

On the 6th Day of Christmas, my true love sent to me two frames that are so lovely.

You can take pre-cut frames (or cut your own if you wish) and cover them with a lovely paper. Add a small embellishment as I did on the bottom right of these. Add a cardstock back (glue only sides and bottom in order to be able to slip a photo down in the top). Add a magnet to the back from your local craft store and you have a 10-minute project that will look great on your refrigerator or office file cabinet.

5th Day of Christmas

On the 5th day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, a project that can be completed quickly.

Stamping on candles is quick and easy! Just simply stamp your image on one layer of tissue paper, trim around image as closely as possible with scissors. Lay image on side of candle, wrap wax paper around candle and hold candle by excess wax paper in the back. Heat quickly with craft heater and gently remove wax paper. Lightly go over image again with craft heater to smooth wax. No evidence of tissue paper should remain. This is a 10-minute project, that makes a wonderful gift or home decor!

4th Day of Christmas

On the 4th Day of Christmas my true love sent to me a holder for my post-it stickies.

Take a simple acrylic frame, fill it with paper or stamped image of your choice (upside down so as the frame will be slightly angled to write easily), tie the outside with ribbon, add a charm and stick a post-it to the outside and give to someone as a gift for their desk.

3rd Day of Christmas

On the 3rd Day of Christmas my true love sent to me, a My Creations Display Album for all to see!

Close to My Heart has this nice Display Album called My Creations Memory Showcase. It comes in 6" x 6" and 9" x 9" size and is accordion folded, in which it will fold up flat or can be stood up as shown here to display family photos. It comes undecorated in white and you just simply cover it on each side with the paper packs of your choice. Embellish as desired and you have a beautiful gift, memory album, or home decor.

2nd Day of Christmas

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a men's pencil caddy.

You can cover chipboard coasters or sometimes find some already precovered (these were) and punch holes down the sides, tie with ribbon, add a pen or pencil and you have a pen or pencil caddy.

1st Day of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a journal that was so pretty!

You can cover any average notebook with pretty paper, add some bling, stamp "journal" or maybe the recepient's name and have a wonderful gift. Throw some matching paper in the barrel of a pen and give both as a set.

12 Days of Christmas

It's hard to believe that Christmas is almost here! I will be adding something for you each day right up until Christmas that will hopefully inspire you with your papercrafting. Whether it is a gift tag, paper ornament, Christmas Card or handmade gift, just check back daily to see what's new. I hope you enjoy the 12 days of Christmas.

Christmas Gift Tags

These gift tags were also done in our recent Christmas workshop. The cardinal is stamped in black ink and heat embossed for a very elegant effect.

Christmas Card Workshop

This is some Christmas Cards we made in a recent workshop.

Summer Layout

This 2-page layout would be great for those summer pages you may be working on.

Card Set with Purse Holder

You can make a set of cards for someone and give them in this lovely handmade gift bag/purse. This artwork was inspired by my fellow consultants also.

Desk Caddy/Stationary Set