Another summer month, another Great Stamp of the Month!

So another month has gone by and I still have yet to unpack all my scrapbooking supplies!! Although my very sweet boyfriend surprised my last night when I got home with my scrapbooking shelf! I have a large EXPEDIT shelf from IKEA that holds all my scrapbooking supplies and now that it is up I can start unpacking my boxes and start scrapping again :)

But until then I am going introduce you to this month's Stamp of the Month and put some links to some great and creative CTMH consultants who have done some great artwork with this new stamp.


Enjoy!!

Nona - Great Flower pot card
Jena - Card with embossing
Wendy - Great Layout!
Melissa - Another Great Card!
Paige - Great technique with white embossing powder!
Jamia - Matched the stamp with a cuttle bug embossing floder!
Heather - Super cute tag!

My First Blog award and the SOTM Winner!

Hello All!!

First off I would like to apologize for being absent for so long. With moving this month and starting night school I am finding it hard to find the time to get on this blog and/or even scrapbook. I am sad to say all my scrapbook supplies are still in boxes since the moved so I have not scrapbooked in sometime. Although the good news it I will need to get some scrapbooking supplies together for this weekend since I am heading to Smith Falls to the LSS Tomorrow's Treasures. I will be attending Vicki Boutin's weekend class that will focus on 7 Gypsies and her personal vintage style. It is a pleasure taking her classes and I can't wait to get my hand on some of these great products. If you ever get the opportunity to have Vicki come to your LSS take her class, you won't regret it. This will be my third time driving from Toronto to Smith Falls to take her classes. I have also taken classes at my LSS Bizzy B's Scrapbooking and at Scrapping Turtle in St. Jacob's.

Here s sneak peak of the project we are working on this weekend! I can't wait!!



Well let's get down to business!

So I have been given my first blog award from Karen Wilson! I am so excited and honored!
Karen thank you so much for the recognition, I truly appreciate it. It's so nice to get props from a fellow Close to my Heart Consultant and fellow Ontarian!The rules for the lemonade stand awards are:

• Comment on this blog
• Nominate 5 to 10 blogs you feel show great attitude and gratitude
• Link to your nominees within your blog post
• Comment on their blogs to let them know they received the award
• Link back to the person who gave you the award to show your appreciation

So now I will pass it on to the following great bloggers who I find always inspire me and I look forward to seeing the work that they do! I wish I could list every one of the blogs I visit, but here's just a few!

1. Lisa
2. Laurie
3. Katie
4. Stephanie
5. Kelly Jo
6. Melissa
7. Jena
8. Nona
9. Tracey
10. Ruth

Well thank you ladies for all your inspiration! It has been a pleasure being a follower of all your blogs :)

Also I have drawn a winner for the May SOTM blog candy!! and the winner is ............

sandyh50 said...I love these silhouette stamps!
They remind me of the song I am Woman, hear me roar! LOL

Congrats Sandy! I will be sending you an email to get your address and I will send you the May SOTM shortly, you are going to love it! I was so excited to get my hands on this one I can't wait to make birthday cards, thank you cads and bachlorette invites with these super trendy ladies! Keep posted on my blog for monthly draws for each SOTM from Close to my Heart.

"Everyone can write a Little"

I know with life getting in the way I have found it hard to get out to my local scrapbooking store and for classes and crops. I really miss going to classes and learning something new from the teacher or my fellow classmates. So for now I think I have found an alternative...

Online Classes!!

I found myself on the Big Picture Scrapbook website going through the workshops and found few I was really interested in and I have already sign up for Cathy Zielske's class "Everyone can write a little". This course focusing on integrated micro-blogging (Twitter or Facebook) as a tool to enhance your journaling. I think it will be a very interesting creative journey and with it being an online class it allows me to schedule the task into my busy life.

Have you taken an online class before? Where did you take the class? How did you like the class compared to the Local Scrapbooking store experience? Love to hear what you all think!

Check out this great Facebook inspried layout "25 Random things" by Christine Drumheller

I was hoping to have sometime to do up a layout myself but with the move into the new apartment, starting night school and being in a wedding this month things have gotten in the way. Looking forward to a happy scrapping June once I unpack all my scrapbooking tools! I won't have a free weekend to do that until June 13th!!

Idea Book 2009 Giveaway Winner!!

So I used my trusty random number generator at RANDOM.ORG and the winning number was 7!!!

So this is who won

Erin A said...

I would love this book! Thanks for the giveaway!

Erin, I will be getting in contact with you today to get your address so I can send out the book your way!

Thank you for all who participated. Don't forget to check out the May Stamp of the Month Giveaway at this link.

You can win a stamp set for FREE!

Congrats,

May Stamp of the Month - "Be Yourself" Giveaway

Check out this month's stamp of the month that is offered by Close to my Heart for April! A fun new My Acrylix stamp set is introduced and featured each month and is offered for that month only. Make a qualifying minimum purchase, and it's yours at a special price or even free!

I am in love with this stamp set, I can't wait to make gift card set for my friends! Great for little hostess gifts or birthday gifts. Everyone should have fun little cards on hand just in case they need to write a Thank you to someone!!

If you are interested in purchasing this stamp contact me, you may even qualify to earn one for free!

Just like last month I am giving one of these stamp sets away for free!! Just leave a comment on this post with your name and email address. I will pick a random posting on May 31th 2009 and contact the winner and send out the stamp set.

Earn an extra entry for posting this blog candy on your website, leave a comment with the link to your posting and I will add another entry for you!

Stay tune for next month's giveaway!! Also I am giveaway the new Summer 2009 Idea Book, check out this post for details.

Close to my Heart Summer 2009 Idea Book Giveaway

Okay it is finally here, Close to my Heart has released their Summer 2009 Idea Book and there are lots of great new papers and stamps to get excited about.
If you would like a catalog reserve yours today by sending me and email (I sell them for $2 each or you get one free with any order or hosting a gathering!) Email me soon, since I only have a limited supply!!

OR WIN ONE FOR FREE!!

...for being such loyal bloggers I am also going to give one away for free! Just post a comment and include your name and contact information before 12pm on May 8th 2009 and I will pick a winner and send you the Idea Book in the mail.

Here are the new papers that have been released
- "Back Country" perfect for your cottage pictures or masculine cards
- "Bella" perfect for daughter dance pictures or set of thank you cards to a friend
- "Moon Doggie" perfect for beach photos or "Wish you were here" cards
- "Tinkerin" perfect for for picture of your little one who loves lego or youth cards
- "Animal Cookies" perfect for all your toddler layouts or birthday cards

Here is the picture of Animal cookies, this paper pack is just too cute!


Also they have added, foam letters that go perfect with "Baby Cookies" and another set of journaling tags that match the "Bella" paper pack. I can't wait to use these and all the other new embellishments on my layouts and cards.

Check back soon for my own artwork that featured these new paper packs.

Summer 2009 Idea Book Sneak Peek #4

So here is your Fourth edition of the Summer 2009 Idea Book sneak peeks.....

New paper pack - Tinkerin!!!


What do you think of this paper pack? What LO's would you use it for! I thought it would be great for toddler pictures or birthday cards.

Don't forget to enter my Stamp of the Month giveaway for this month! Check out the details here. Time is running out to win!!

And tomorrow will be the official release of the new Idea Book! I only have a limited quanity so email me if you want one and I can reserve one for you.

Summer 2009 Idea Book Sneak Peek #3

So here is your third edition of the Summer 2009 Idea Book sneak peeks.....

New paper pack - Bella!!!


What do you think of this paper pack? What LO's would you use it for! I thought it would be great for sympathy cards or pretty summer wedding pictures.

Don't forget to enter my Stamp of the Month giveaway for this month! Check out the details here. Time is running out to win!!

Summer 2009 Idea Book Sneak Peek #2

So here is your second edition of the Summer 2009 Idea Book sneak peeks.....

New paper pack - Moon Doggie!!!



What do you think of this paper pack? What LO's would you use it for! I thought it would be great for all my travel pictures.

Don't forget to enter my Stamp of the Month giveaway for this month! Check out the details here. Time is running out to win!!

Summer 2009 Idea Book Sneak Peek #1

On May 1st Close to my Heart will be releasing it's new Summer 2009 Idea book and it is fantastic!! I ave one and taken a look though it and I have fallen in love with some of the new stamps and happy to see they have made some of the Stamps of the Month from last year a permanent stamp in the idea book.

Over the next week leading up to the idea book release I will be posting sneak peaks of upcoming products for your viewing pleasure.

So here is your first edition of the Summer 2009 Idea Book sneak peeks.....

New paper pack - Back Country!!!


What do you think of this paper pack? What LO's would you use it for! I thought it would be great for male cards.

Don't forget to enter my Stamp of the Month giveaway for this month! Check out the details here. Time is running out to win!!

Tip Tuesday #4 - Chipboard

Okay so today's tip is going to be brief since my life has been crazy this past week and I haven't even had the time to scrapbook anything!

Since my boyfriend and I are moving into new place at the end of the month I have about a week and a bit to get everything packed and also keep the place clean to show prospective tenants... I am going crazy. Above that I am also getting ready to take a night course for the next 4 months... I don't know what I am thinking.

Anyways, here is this weeks tip.;

Check out Scrapbook Etc. website to see 26 ways to dress up your chipboard. I knwo sometimes I get stubbed as to what to do with all my chipboard letters other then glue it on the page as is!

Enjoy! Leave a comment on your favourtie way to dress up chip board :)

Don't forget to enter my Stamp of the Month giveaway for this month! Check out the details here.

BPS Online Book Club

In an efforts to expand my reading scope and engage in different styles of non fiction I have joined the Big Picture Scrapbooking online book club.

This is a full year book club, with a new book each month and it is free to join! Which was a big plus for me.

The book for April "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" and so far I have enjoyed it. It would have never been a book I would of picked up and read on my own and I am glad this book club has pushed me to do so! This book is much more serious then I am used to. I usually read mysterious, science fiction and a lot click lits book. So reading this has been a chance of pace and quite an eye opener.

So if you have an interest in reading or just want to connect with fellow book worm scrapbookers, come join me at the BPS online book club!

If you have read this book, leave a comment and tell me what you thought of it.

National Scrapbooking Month Campaign - "Tickled Pink"

Close to My Heart is releasing a fantastic deal in celebration of the National Scrapbooking Month. The kit is to die... Look at all the goodies you get!!

The Tickled Pink scrapbooking kit includes:

• 1 – My Acrylix® I Am Stamp Set (D-size)
  
• 2 – 12” x 12” Floral B&T Duos™ Paper (1 with glitter)
  
• 2 – 12” x 12” Stripe B&T Duos™ Paper (1 with glitter)
  
• 1 – 12” x 12” Blush Textured Cardstock
  
• 1 – 12” x 12” Crystal Blue Textured Cardstock
  
• 5 – 12” x 12” White Daisy Textured Cardstock (1 sheet with die-cut shapes)
  
• 1 –Mini-Medley Accents White Daisy Collection
  
• 1– Foam Texture Tool
• 1– Brochure (instructions for 2 two-page layouts from brand-new patterns)
  Featured Colors: Blush, Crystal Blue, Twilight, Hollyhock, Sweet Leaf

Dates: April 15–May 31, 2009
Customers can get the Tickled Pink kit in one of following ways:

1. Purchase the kit outright for the price of $43.50 CAN (The kit has a retail value of $49.95 but CTMH is offering it to you $6.45 savings.).
   
2. Earn the Tickled Pink kit for FREE with a purchase that includes a minimum of $75 in stamp sets (excluding K-size/customized and Stamp of the Month).

For Hostesses:
Dates: April 15–May 31, 2009
Hostesses who hold a qualifying Home Gathering with minimum sales of $400 US / $500 CAN will receive the Tickled Pink scrapbooking kit for FREE .

For New Consultants:
Dates: May 1–May 31, 2009
New Consultants who enroll during the month of May will receive the Tickled Pink scrapbooking kit for free as part of their New Consultant Kit.

So if you are interested in this great kit feel free to contact me for an order or book a gathering and earn it for free!

Here is a card that was inspired by a fellow CTMH Consultant, Lisa. Check out her blog here! made with the stamp set that is included with the Tickled Pink kit. How cute and easy is this card!!
Don't forget to enter my Stamp of the Month giveaway for this month! Check out the details here.

Tip Tuesday #3 - Ribbon

While checking out the Two Peas education centre I came a cross a great video that shows different techniques for adding ribbon to your cards. It's a nice twist from just wrapping the cards and tying a bow at the front.

My favourite technique has to be adhering the ribbon with a staplers and creating a gathering affect on the front of the card.

Check out the video tutorial here.

Don't forget to enter my Stamp of the Month giveaway for this month! Check out the details here.

Happy Easter Everyone!!

Well I am off to enjoy my 3 day weekend at my Parent's place in Creemore, Ontario. I am bringing some of my scrapbooking supplies to do some crafting with my Mom. Maybe I will get caught up with some online challenges they are I be wanting to do for while! I can only dream right? :)

Most important thing about this weekend though is rest and relaxation. I have been in such a tizzy lately and truly need to get some time to regroup and find my centre again.

Hope you all enjoy the weekend and I will hopefully have some artwork to post on Monday!

For now take a look at the little easter giftie I made for my sister in law. Inside is a LUSH bathbomb that is shaped like a rabbit. Her and I have always shared a love of bath products and being a Mom I think she fully deserves a nice relaxing bath for Easter, kid free!!

Also don't forget to enter my April Stamp of the month giveaway. The details are all on this post.

{Supplies}
Paper - White Daisy (CTMH), Magic Moments Patterned Paper (CTMH)
Ink - Versamark
Stamps - Say in Style (CTMH), Today's Date (CTMH)
Misc - Cello envelope, pink ribbon (Unknown), Black Embossing powder (CTMH), border punch (Fiskars)

Fitness and Wellness Commitment

Okay so the sun is back out and the weather is getting warmer. Like most I start to think shorts and bathing suits and don't want to even imagine trying to fit into one since I have let myself go over the winter... Need to shed that winter coat and get ready for the summer!!

To do that I am thinking of dusting off my ipod NIKE+ and running shoes and hitting the pavement. I started running in 2007 and I did really enjoy it but like always life can get in the way and the running fade into the background. I am ready to to get back out there and give it another try and push myself further, and hit that 10k.

Seeing Donna Downey's widget on her blog it has really inspired me to get my butt in gear! Thank's for that Donna, you are an inspiration. Both both for health and creativity.

In the next week I will be adding my Ipod NIKE+ widget to my blog to track my progress and keep me in line. So feel free to watch it and kick my butt if I am falling behind!!

So who else out there is up for the challenge? What are your fitness tricks to keep motivated and on track? Do you work out in the morning or in the evening after work?

To get this fitness journey kicked off I scrapbooked a photo I have of myself from a past run I did in 2007. The sketch credit goes to Gretchen McElveen from Memory Makers blog. Her running layouts were just too cute and simple I had to take the inspiration and make my own running layouts to remember my past achievements in fitness.

Enjoy the layout and get out and get active!
{Supplies}
Paper - White Daisy, Indian Corn Blue, Magic Moments patterned paper for scalloped edges (All Close to my heart)
Misc - Dimensional Elements (CTMH), blank writer pen, staples, Color Ready Alphabet Bold (CTMH)

Tip Tuesday #2 - Shadow Stamping

This is a nifty little trick I use to create depth on my stamped images without too much trouble.

What I did was ink up the sentiment with black ink and stamp it on the card stock and without re-inking I shift the stamp just slightly and re-stamp. The second generation stamp leave the perfect shadow!! I just love this affect, its so simple and you don't waste any ink!!!

Here is a little Thank You Card I made and did the "Thank You" using the Shadow Stamping technique.

Enjoy!


Don't forget to enter my Stamp of the Month giveaway for this month! Check out the details here.

{Supplies}
Paper - Unknown
Ink - Tim Holtz's Weathered Word Distress Ink, Black (CTMH)
Stamps - Flourishes (Basic Grey), Sentiment (CTMH)
Misc - Ribbon, Brads (Joann's)

I am #1 on Google!!

I googled myself for fun with my boyfriend tonight and found out I am number one on the list when you google "Katie Paterson scrapbooking". It's hard for me to be high on the list with a well known author named Katherine Paterson and a very popular European photographer also named Katie Paterson. But I keep on trying!!!

Come back tomorrow for Tip Tuesday #2!!

April Stamp of the Month - "World's Best Dad"

Check out this month's stamp of the month that is offered by Close to my Heart for April! A fun new My Acrylix stamp set is introduced and featured each month and is offered for that month only. Make a qualifying minimum purchase, and it's yours at a special price or even free!

This stamp has come just in time to make all your Father's Day cards! I am sure all Dad's would enjoy a hand made card to add a special touch to any gift.

If you are interested in purchasing this stamp contact me, you may even qualify to earn one for free!

Also starting this month, you can win the SOTM. Just leave a comment with your name and email address. I will pick a random posting on April 30th 2009 and contact the winner.

Earn an extra entry for posting this blog candy on your website, leave a comment with the link to your posting.

Stay tune for next month's giveaway!!

Tip Tuesday #1

So I want to start at least one weekly post that has a reoccurring theme of some sort (I would love to have one each day of the week but I don't think I can keep that up!) So for now I am going to start with "Tip Tuesday". These posts will feature original tips from me or tips I find from other bloggers out there. Tips can range from scrap room organization, card making, scrapbooking, techniques, thrifty hand made gift ideas, the possibilities are endless!

So here is the first edition of Tip Tuesday!

This week I would like to feature the tip that inspired this whole idea of the Tip Tuesday weekly post. It is from a fellow Close to my heart consultant Tammy.

She had a tip to sort her distressing sponges in a tackle box and have them labeled by colour. I really love this idea since I cannot stand mixing colours when I want a nice crisp colour accent on the edge of my papers for cards or scrapbooking layouts. Currently I was just dropping them into an old baby wipe container but I had to fish through them to find the colour I was currently using so I did not mix a black with yellow or green with orange! I am going to get me a tackle box or bead box from Walmart and get my sponges organized!!

Here is the Tammy distress sponge organization solution!

How do you keep your sponges? I would love to hear from you!

Created this card using the resist technique with white embossing powder on white daisy card stock.

*Edited to add sponge technique artwork*


{Supplies}
Paper - Hollyhock, Black and Daisy White (CTMH)
Ink - Blush (CTMH)
Stamps - Priceless Love and February Word Puzzle (Both CTMH)

Happy Birthday Hero Arts!

Hero Arts Blog is celebrating it's one year birthday today! Check out the blog, they have lots of giveaways today and surprises for the rest of the week.

Hope you all are having a great Monday! Check back tomorrow for the first edition of Tip Tuesday!!

Cuttle Bug Giveaway!

Happy Friday Bloggers! Hope you all enjoyed your first full week of Spring (I think this is the first full week??)

Well just wanted to share the love and let you all know the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog is giveaway a lot of great stuff today and over the weekend and you should go check it out.

I love me little bug! Its just the right size to bring to a crop and add a little flair to your cards or scrapbook layouts.

Here's a list of all the great things you can do with a Cuttlebug:
- Cut with Cuttlebug dies
- Cut with Quickuts dies
- Cut with Spellbinders dies
- Cut with Boss Kuts dies
- Emboss card stock
- Emboss patterned paper
- Emboss chipboard!! (I love this look and its so easy)
- Emboss vellum
- Emboss and ink card stock in one shot
- Emboss you acrylic shapes and add ink to raise sections
- Emboss acrylic shapes and colour in negative space with gel pen
- Emboss card stock and add chalk to raised sections

And there are so much more, hopefully in the future I will be able to post some of these tutorials so you can see how they are done!

Go check out the Cuttlebug Challenge blog!

Wedding Season is Approaching

So with the warmer weather comes Wedding season, being in my mid-twenties I feel like everyone I know and her Sister is getting married!! Last year I was a bride's maid and went to three other weddings and this year I am a bride's maid for a wedding in May and have a wedding in August. If I am not attending weddings it is bridal showers, Jack & Jills, Baby Showers and Bachlorette parties... the list goes on. I guess this is what happens when you get older??

Although I love weddings sometimes too many can get over whelming (...and pricey). This year for wedding gifts I am hoping to make an 8x8 albums the bride and groom can add there own 4x6 photos and journaling. I started working on one last night but I will post pictures once the bride has received it (I don't want to give away the surprise!!)

So for now in terms of artwork you will have to settle on a card I made as a card gift set for a bridal shower I attended last year. I gave the bride enough cards so she could use them as her Thank you cards for all the gifts she received at the shower.


{Supplies}
Paper - Leaf Green Bazzil card stock, White card stock
Stamps - sposabella (Stamping Bella)
Ink - Rangers Archival Ink Black, Sakura Pink gel pen, Copic markers
Misc - ribbon (Micheal's), brads (dollar store), cuttlebug embossing folder (Divine Swirls)

Blog Format Change

Some of my past visitors might have noticed that my blog template changed slightly. I have changed my 2 column template to a 3 column template which allows me to add more fun stuff on my sidebars without having to scroll and scroll and scroll...

Thanks to this wonderful tutorial blog - http://www.threecolumnblogger.com

I managed to change all the HTML code myself and make three columns! I am really getting the hang of this blogger HTML thing, oh the possibilities!!

Well I hope all you bloggers out there wanting to have three columns benefit from this great tutorial blog.

Page Challenge - Lara Brooks

I love to read blogs written by fellow canadian scrapbookers, and yesterday I found the blog of Lara Brooks. She is in the Toronto area (just like me) and contributes to the Canadian Scrapbooker magazine and is also on the design team for myStamp Box. She is a wonderful talented scrapbooker!!

In her most recent post she has posted a layout challenge and is offering some great blog candy so I thought I would join in! and I encourage you all to do the same :)

Check her blog each Sunday for 2 or 3 Themes, post a comment with a link to your layout on her comments, and you'll be entered to win a prize! She has stamp sets, paper packs and lots more to choose from.

Here is my layout for the Theme - Home Sweet Home
EDITED - Adding better photo of layout

{Supplies}
Paper - Scraptivity September 2007 Kit
Stamps - Technique Tuesday Journaling Stamp
Misc - Big & Easy Stickers for title

Florida Mini Album

This weekend I had a girlfriend come over for a little scrapping at my house and I finally got my Florida mini album completed. I bought the K&Company Sea Glass travel book prior to my trip and brought it with me to journal each day. The journaling lasted about 3 out of the 7 days I was in Florida so I had to really sit down and look over the photos so I could get the rest of the journaling done, I think that was the hardest part but having all the memories down was worth it! But I really like the idea of doing the journaling each day when you are on a vacation/trip. In the end you really get to look back on the trip and have a lot of the little details recorded. Although like most I do have a hard time sitting down at the end of a long day sightseeing and write in a journal, but I think journaling like this is something that takes practice! What journaling tricks do you have?

During my trip to Florida my Family and I ran the 5k Family run together. It was so much fun and something I would love to do again. Maybe one year I will run the 1/2 marathon?? Gotta have goals right? :) So glad I have this album to hold all these great memories.

{Supplies}
Album - K&Company SeaGlass Travel Mini
Paper - K&Company SeaGlass 4x6 Die Cut Mats
Misc - K&Company SeaGlass album, rub ons, chipboard, die cut journal tags and title stickers

Happy Spring... Happy Everything!!

Happy Spring Everyone! I hope wherever you are reading this post from you have at least a little bit of sunshine. It may not be very warm outside today but at least the sky is clear, I am loving it and this weather is putting me in a perfect mood for the start of the weekend.

Check out this card I made a while back, it just speaks spring to me! Enjoy!

{Supplies}
Paper - Purple and Lime Greenscraps from my stash
Stamps - Love of Life (CTMH)
Ink - Purple & Green (unknown manufacturer)
Other - Foam pop dots

Back to the Blog... With a different focus

Okay so I am going to start up this blog for the third...fourth time! It has been a long time since I have been on this blog and so much has changed, I went from a university student to living single in the city to living in the city with the man of my dreams.

I want to start this blog up again to track my scrapbooking adventures and creative journey in life. I hope to post any new classes I am taking, layouts I have done and any other random facts I may find interesting. This blog will be a blank canvas for now and I will add more to it as time goes on. This will be a learning experience for me and you are all welcome to jump on board or lend a hand with technical or creative advice.

Other places you can find me at are
www.twitter.com/katiepaterson
www.hungarytrip.blogspot.com

So leave a comment and say hello! I will be back soon I promise :)