High Adventure

I come to you with a layout to show...and a warning.

But first, the layout! This is the second layout I completed for the Back Country workshop last week. I'm lucky that I just about got the whole trip scrapped with this one workshop...that never happens!

These are pictures from the ranger station atop Monjeau Fire Lookout in Ruidoso, NM. It's quite a climb, but the boys made it...me, well I made it a bit out of breath! We walked around until I got too paranoid about them getting too close to the edge , then we got back in the van and left.


Inks: CTMH Outdoor Denim, New England Ivy
Papers: CTMH Back Country Reflections Kit

I don't normally use the CTMH My Stickease on projects. Not because I don't like it, but because by the time I'm finished with a layout, I've forgotten to use them! But I think I'll have to make it a point to keep them with my papers so I don't forget again.

And now, my warning...

Right now, at this very moment, hundreds of CTMH consultants are sitting in a Long Beach hotel ballroom. Why? Because this weekend is the Leadership meeting. What are they doing there? Well, along with taking creative and business classes, they are getting their hands on some of the new Fall/Winter products available soon to you (September 1).

So your asking yourself, how can this possibly effect me? Some of these more savvy consultants have been twittering all about the new stuff they're seeing and posting messages on the consultants' bulletin boards. Have you not noticed your internet slowing down a bit? No? We'll you may tomorrow morning when the new Idea Book comes online for consultants and all of us are trying to get sneak peaks at the new papers, stamps, and stuff! It's sure to crash something!

But you know what? You still have today to join the CTMH family and get all the fabulous free stuff...then you can join the rest of us in the morning as we sit and oogle our screens at all the new items coming!

How's that for subtle?

A Fishin' Tale

Hold onto your seats, I have an actual layout to show you today! Proof that I do in fact still scrapbook from time to time.

This is one of the 3 layouts I did for the Back Country Kit of the Month...Workshop...get together we had at my home last Friday. Of course, I did my layouts ahead of time so the ladies had something to look at for inspiration...because I'm just such a fabulous scrapbooker... Yeah, that's what I thought, too.


Stamps: CTMH Rustic Alphabet, Tiny Typewriter
Inks: CTMH New England Ivy, Outdoor Denim
Papers: CTMH Back Country Reflections Kit

These pictures were taken during our family trip to the mountains a couple of months ago. We've been going there for years but have never been fishing. I think the only reason we may have gone this year was because Bio-Comp wanted to get some of his Cub Scout requirements signed off. The weather was cloudy and then rainy, but I told him a true fisherman can withstand any weather. Any fishers out there want to verify that statement? Loquacious caught a fish, then my niece. I was worried about Bio-Comp not catching one, it would have been disastrous, believe me. At the eleventh hour, he got a bite and pulled in a 11 inch, excuse me, 11 and 3/4 inch fish...that 3/4 is very important. I may have been more relieved happy about it than he was.


On a side note, I noticed my followers have grown a bit! Wow, it's hard for me to believe.
Thank you guys, you're the best!

Birthday Dream

What have I done this past week with only one child at home?

Just a little bit of this and that, you know this and that

I had a workshop this past Friday so I even got in a bit of as well. I did 3 layouts in just a couple of hours, yeah for me! I'll need to get pictures of them so I can share.

I also made a card for a friend's birthday on Saturday. Some of us were going to surprise her with some breakfast goodies, until she told us she'd be at swim meets for her sons starting at 5:30...in the morning.
So we were thinking we'll do it another day!

But I still wanted to get a card done for her. And since she is one of the funniest people I know, it had to be a funny card. I found this digi stamp at Hambo Stamps a while ago and thought it would be perfect for my friend. Plus, wouldn't that be an awesome birthday dream come true!


Stamps: Hambo Stamps Cupcake Rain
Papers: CTMH Clover Meadow, Heavenly Blue


I sat down with a design in mind, but it quickly left and morphed into something else. I'm not too sure about the layout of the card, but it may grow on me.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

I know, it's five months (good grief, is that all?) until Christmas. So why am I singing carols now? Well, it may not be Christmas but today is one of my favorite days of the year. And for several hours this morning, I could be seen doing this around my house. What would make me this blissful?




The first day of school, of course!

"Ahh, it all makes sense now", you're telling yourself.
I'm sure I'll be missing them in a couple of weeks, but for now...bliss.

And I still have Knock-Out at home, and sometimes he's more of a handful then the other two combined.

So to celebrate the day, I pulled out some oldies. I really like this School Zone paper kit and was sad to see it retire last year. I found this card over at Jen's blog and thought it would serve me well today.


Stamps: CTMH School Zone
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black
Papers: CTMH School Zone Reflections Kit (retired)

I have to be honest about this stamp set though. I have used it in other cards and layouts, but... the only real reason I bought it was because this little boy reminded me so much of my boys on their first day of school.


That felt good to get it out! And as long as I'm admitting things of this nature, I'll also say it's not the first time.

And most likely, not the last

Can You Get A Sunburn From A Card?

Today we have a birthday in the house. Loquacious is now 6 years old. He asked me to make him a card the other day with very specific instructions. He wanted a phoenix bird wearing a birthday hat and steam coming out of the hat. Those that know him can guess why.

Ok, then. The only problem was I had no phoenix stamps. And I looked for some online, but apparently "phoenix" does not translate to "cute, kid friendly" images. So I had to get inventive. I did find a digi stamp of a bird, a parrot, but I thought it would give me something to work with. Yes, I know it's missing the birthday hat and steam. But after the instructions he's given me for his cake...he'll just have to forgive me


Put your sunglasses on...


Stamps: CTMH It's Your Day (August SOTM), Dustin Pike digi stamps
Inks: CTMH Orange, Sunflower
Papers: CTMH Tinkerin' Reflections Kit, Black

It has been so hot around here lately and making this card just seemed to add to the heat. I get hot just looking at it!

I think some Christmas cards are in order pretty soon to offset this heat. At least in my mind.

Chocolate Birthday Card

Did that get your attention?

I can't tell you how much I like chocolate...cause it's a lot.



However, while I was pregnant with each of the boys, I could not eat chocolate at all and missed it terribly. My hips didn't, but I did. And I missed it so much that when I was asked what I wanted for Baby Shower gifts or for Christmas, I said I only wanted chocolate.

Everyone thought I was kidding I guess because I didn't get a single piece.

Ok, back to the card...

I wanted to get this card made for my favorite upline Sue. It was her birthday last week and I never could find time to get it done...good thing she's on vacation, it will still get to her house before she will!


Stamps: CTMH It's Your Day (August SOTM)
Inks: CTMH Chocolate, of course
Papers: CTMH That's Amore Reflections Kit

I used Liquid Applique for the icing on the cake. To make it chocolate, I brushed on some chocolate colored chalk. And voila, a chocolate birthday card!
Now if you'll excuse me, I hear someone calling me...

Unmounting Stamps

Over at the Stamplicious Yahoo group the ladies are discussing how to store stamps. Some of them have large collections of wood stamps and were asking about unmounting them to make room...for more stamps of course.

I wanted to share what I did last year to all my wood stamps and let them know that

• Yes, I was totally apprehensive about doing it to my beloved stamps
• Yes, you can do it
• Yes, it takes a long time to get it all done
• Yes, it will make a mess in your house
• Yes, your thumbs will be dry and sore from peeling all that rubber off
• Yes, it is totally worth it to have them all condensed into one spot

I started by gathering up all my wood stamps and enlisting the help of the boys and Engineer.



I peeled rubber, the boys helped when they could (some of those stamps were tough to remove!) and Engineer stacked the blocks into nice piles.



I had been just throwing the blocks into the empty boxes as I unmounted them and was quickly running out of space. Engineer took up the job of fitting all those blocks "Tetris" style into the boxes. So much better!

After I pulled the stamps off the blocks and passed them to Engineer, I put the stamp sets into empty CD cases. I had gone to all the Targets and Wal-Marts in town to get cases of these things, cleaned out a couple of stores completely.

When all the stamps were unmounted, we boxed up all the blocks, labeled them "Stamp Blocks: Yes, Really" and now they are taking up residency in my garage.

All the CD cases are now on shelves in our office, next to my Closet.




Each shelf holds 42 CD cases. Soooo...you can do the math and be witness to my addiction!

**This does not even begin to cover all the acrylic stamps I own on top of this. But that is another story.**

The bottom shelf is actually all my Spellbinders dies and extra empty cases. Wait, I have empty cases? And it looks like empty shelves too! How long will it take me to fill those up?

PS: If you go visit the Stamplicious group, you'll see that my card was picked to be the Homepage Card for July!

Go Fourth!

The fireworks haven't started yet so I'm still safe in wishing you all a


Have you all had your fill of burgers and lemonade? BBQ and homemade ice cream?

Man, it must be time for dinner soon. We haven't done much around here today. Engineer has to catch up on some school lectures and the boys have to catch up on their movie watching before school starts up again...16 days left, 16 days left.

I did manage to get a card done. I was looking through some of my stamps the other day when I was trying to finish the quilt square and came across a whole bunch of stamps that I had forgotten how much I loved to color. And I really needed to color today. Bio-Comp has a talk in Primary (which I had to write) and I have to get to lead the discussion in Relief Society in church tomorrow and I've been slowly forming ulcers over the whole thing.



So coloring was in order.


Stamps: DOTS Miss July-Betsy
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black

I feel a little calmer now...but I know that's not going to last long. I'll sure be glad when tomorrow is over!