10 Things Tabs

Well, I haven't posted anything in awhile...again...here is another photo of my "10 Things" box that I created using CTMH "10 Things" tabs and sparkles and a lot of other miscellaneous papers I had around the house. This was a really fun project to do! I'd seen a similar project using a "Maya Road" chipboard box, but this was easily made using a CTMH block, cut open on one side, masked and painted. Works just the same way and cost about 1/2 as much! I'll be giving you some "teaser posts" later this week about some of the new CTMH products! I will have some of the new items delivered to me this week, so I'll take some photos and post them! Until then, Happy Crafting and have a wonderful week!

And one last comment for the day before I try and get some much-needed sleep!
Just a general sort of FYI - I absolutely love making cards and paper crafts of all sorts, but I also sell them. If you happen to need something for a special occasion or a whole set of note cards or invitations or "whatevers" - drop me an e-mail (marettanearing@comcast.net)...I'm always looking for some fun work! Good night everyone and I promise not to stay away so long next time. I have nearly completed samples for the next few workshops - a heritage album, a "milk carton" house project and I'm loving learning how to do heat embossing with new embossing toys! (I love yard sale and thrift store finds - heat embossing gun and an embossing pen set.)

Last of all, but not least, this is what I did when nobody came today - I made some of the thank you cards for my girls that I hadn't made yet...a couple more to go yet!

These two got mailed to Texas and Oregon today.

Now...these are the projects you would have been able to make today if you'd attended my "open house"! I was a little bummed out this morning when absolutely NOBODY came...Of course, I still have "kits" available if you are interested in purchasing one. Your choice of Aberdeen or Hoquiam colors on the graduation swing card (cut from the Artiste cartridge!). I will even pre-stamp the images for you since you probably don't have this stamp set from the new Idea Book...edge inking included as well. The little "house" is actually a gift box made from one sheet of cardstock. Cost for a packet is $5 or $6 if you'd like one of each card instead of choosing one. This covers cost of the supplies as well as a donation to "Operation Smile" the CTMH dental help for children program.

Now this is a sample of the Memory Box that we are making at our workshop this coming Wednesday...with the subject of my box (Icabod) making himself available for the photo shoot!

This is going to be such a fun project! I haven't completely finished my sample yet...time consuming, but really lots of fun!

 These next two are a couple cards that I recently made for friends who have been ill.

The first (the pink one) was made for Jeannie who plays in the Grays Harbor Banjo Band and was in the hospital at the time I made this. She is home, but still recovering as I write this. She is a pianist and her husband, Mike, plays the accordion as well as electronic drums in the band.

The second card (green) was made for Bob who has been a friend of ours for quite some time. He's also in the GHBB, playing banjo. He's also in the Grays Harbor Amateur Radio Club (I designed their newest logo) with hubby. He also gave me the beautiful theatre organ that sits in my living room where the TV used to be!

Yes, I made a Mother's Day card...for a dear, sweet sister in our ward at Church who is one of the sweetest little ladies I've ever known....and her first name is Mildred, just like my mother's name. I miss Mom every year, so it's sorta nice having a "substitute" mom every now and again.

For National Scrapbooking Month (the month of May) our workshop focused on how to make a two page layout - which could be done either 12" x 12" or 8 1/2" x 11" - around a central theme. I haven't completed the journaling work on these pages yet, but at least I've finally completed another few...four to be exact! That's more in one week than I'd done all year, so I feel like I've accomplished something....finally.

This is a close-up of the right-hand 

page with the 3-D flowers and bird

on the branch.

Just a few of "the regulars" having fun at one of our Workshops! I think this was taken at our Birthday Card workshop if I'm remembering correctly!

NOTE: The first person who is in this photo and leaves me a comment about it will win a
free gift from me! (Now who said reading blogs isn't any fun???)

Some of the sample of projects we made recently in a "Birthday Card" workshop. We did a cute little birthday gift box using CTMH papers and cut from the Cricut Artiste cartridge as well as a "paint chip" card (using real paint chips!). The Triple-Time stamping cards were also a hit! Now if I'd just remembered to take the base box with me to the workshop....we ended up finishing those up at the next workshop! I just KNEW I was forgetting something that morning...

This is a "menu" that I designed for the St. Mary School auction. Several families got together to offer a complete Mexican dinner and they wanted something that showed a little pizazz....here is what they got and they loved it!

I know...I know...I haven't been here 'forever' again, but at least it gives me a really good reason for posting a lot of things all at once! And golly, it's been a busy, busy month!

This is a little mini-album that we made in one of our workshops recently. I made this one about my older brothers since I had a bunch of things sitting around and thought it would be fun.  They are 12 years my senior and identical twins - except for birthdays since one was born before midnight and one after!  The 'younger' brother's photo was recently on the front page of "The Daily World" (unidentified) but I know the photographer and he sent me a bunch of photos he'd taken, so they became a natural subject for this project and workshop!

These photos are from a project that I did quite awhile ago, but have never posted, and since I'm including them in my selections I'm showing tomorrow evening, I thought I'd include them here in this final post of today. These are from an "altered" memory book I made when my Dad passed away in 2005. Nothing special...lots of little nooks and crannies and windows and such, but it was fun to make and even more fun to look at now. Need to make one for Mom sometime, too. And have one in the works for each of my brothers as well...ongoing projects never end! Happy rainy, Thursday!

Again, getting a little crafty with a few more projects to show at the ward "Talent Show" tomorrow evening...trying to show that I know how to do a lot of things, not just playing the organ or piano! : )

Another card I recently made....
The Santos family has always had a special place in my heart. Brandy took piano lessons from me for years and her little sister, LeeAnn took lessons about a year or so. They stopped taking lessons about a year ago because of transportation and sport conflict issues. I'd given them my little organ when I got my nice console for my birthday. They lost their dad, Gonzalo, in a tragic accident a couple weeks ago. His truck slid out of control on an icy road on his way to work and he was killed (37 years old). I played piano for his services this past Monday. I'm going to go visit them tomorrow morning. Yolanda, their mom, is a sweetheart, too. I love this little family and I pray that God will watch over them and protect them and give them peace. I can't imagine what they are feeling right now...probably numb.

Another card I recently made as a "thank you" for Linda and Andy - our friends from the Grays Harbor Banjo Band. We were having an ice cream social a few weeks ago and invited the GH Banjo Band members to come by for ice cream and a sing-along.
Well...Beverly, Linda and Andy were the only GHBB members that came, but we had a good time anyway! Andy had been working on a plumbing problem at their house all day...and they still got all cleaned up and came to play with us! Andy played the piano and the soprano sax and Linda and Beverly played banjos, Jim played his electric guitar instead of the 12-string he plays in the GHBB and they were also joined by guitarists Dawn and Glen. All in all we had a
lot of fun (and ate a lot of ice cream sundaes, rootbeer floats, cake, banana splits and pie.

I also couldn't remember if I'd posted photos of the little "Artiste" strawberry basket (with my variation on making the berries and stems) so thought I would post that here, too.

As you can see....I had some help with the photography...Icabod was watching a bird out the window and nearly fell off the chair!

Well, amazing...more than one post in recent times! Hope nobody faints from the shock!

This is my most recent project...a family tree using some of the Close to My Heart stamps and inks as well as some hand calligraphy and a few other techniques.

I wanted to finish this up to show at the "Talent Show" on Friday night in our ward.

And just so I don't forget to tell you...this photo that you're looking at is the awesome, amazing, absolutely fantastic kit that you will receive if you sign up to be a consultant with Close to My Heart during the month of April. In addition to receiving this kit, you will also receive ALL FOUR of the next stamps of the month (April, May, June and July). In all, it's about a $250 value for only $49.

So, whether you want to just feed your hobby,  sell supplies and do workshops as a part-time or full-time adventure, I hope you will take a moment and sign up to be a member of my team, the Bloomin' Crafty Divas! 

If you do, then I will also have an additional gift or two for you as well.

Hope you'll join me soon.

One last card posting today...and Easter Card created using the CTMH "Be Still and Know that I am God" stamp and Artiste and Art Philosophy cartridges from Cricut.

Love making these flowers! (and there are so many to choose from, too!)

I hope you all had a blessed Easter. We had a wonderful, sunshiny day (for a change) and it really felt like spring.

 So, as much as I enjoy making cards, it seems like there has been a need to make a lot of "sympathy" cards of late.

These are just a few...I just played piano for the service of a friend today. Just a brief reminder of how fragile this life may be. We don't know when our time will come, but we need to be prepared. We need to let those we love know it. We need to be there for those in need and we need to be a lot more kind and a lot more gentle than we usually tend to be.

Thank you, my family and friends, for being a part of my life. You are appreciated more than you'll ever know.

On the other hand, I met an old friend today...and that was a lot of fun. Lots of good memories...

A "surprise" card for Jeanette, owner of Close to My Heart...all of the consultants got together (if they wanted to) and made a card for her for her birthday...not a card directly FOR her, but a card she would have on hand to send when she needs to send a card! This was my contribution.

I realize that my blog posts are sometimes few and far between. I have to tell you it's not that I just sit around and do nothing! Life has a way of getting in the way at times. But I will try and catch up with a few photos today of what's been going on the past few weeks.

This is (of course!) a pie for Pi day!

So...this is our Workshop Wednesday for February...something a little different from the norm!

The Positive Thoughts jar is something I originally saw as a posting on Pinterest...but I adapted it some and turned it into a "Be Positive" jar...just little messages, quotes, ideas that are all positive that one can look back on when needed. I guess the idea is to add a thought every day and then look at them at the end of the year, but I like this idea a little better for me.

We will also make a "strawberry basket" with strawberries included (Cricut/Close to My Heart "Artiste" cartridge), but again, I've adapted them a little with buttons and wire stems.

I always try and have an "extra" project and this time we're making a simple card using the "teabag folding" technique. Should be a lot of fun!

Of course, I'll share the new Idea Book from CTMH and I'm also wondering if there's anyone interested in a Heritage album class. I think that's something I could offer as a kit also, so let me know if you're interested in attending a class locally here or would be interested in a kit. 

Get Well card I made for a friend.

Our January Wednesday Workshop

A Thank You for friends...

Another view of the Wednesday Workshop Valentine!

A belated card I made around Christmastime.

OK, OK...I know...I am a very poor blogger. I made some Valentine's for grandchildren and this is the first I've taken time to post absolutely anything for months. So bad...

I'm still struggling with being a part-time music teacher/independent consultant for Close to My Heart. With the economy in such horrible condition, I'm not gaining many students nor am I getting any appointments for gatherings. I have a few faithful (and very dear!) customers who order nearly every month and keep coming to my workshops.  I am so thankful for them...they help me retain a small percentage of my sanity!

Anyway, Valentines and other various projects that I haven't posted before. Enjoy...