A weekend for some "me" time
It's funny how many times I've heard the comparison of taking care of yourself to the airplane oxygen mask procedures. You put your air mask on first and then the mask for those you are taking care of. Okay, I get the message. I have to take care of myself.

I'm not sure that I've really figured out how to take care of myself, but one thing I know is I love being creative. To feel my soul, I'm hoping to make some time over the chocolate long weekend (aka Easter weekend) and dive into Project Life. I ordered the turquoise Project Life last week, only days before Becky Higgins announced it was sold out! I consider myself very lucky!

I've also ordered photos from the last couple of months so it does feel like I have some catching up to do but I'm not going to let that stress me out. I'm going to dive in and have fun. Good quality "me" time, here I come.

Picture of the Day themes

I've been reading Becky Higgins tweets about Picture of the Day ideas (posted as {POTD Idea} if you want to search for it). I love that she is sharing ideas of her own and from other people. I have been frequenting in the hospital lately and have noticed there are an incredible amount of signs around everywhere. I thought that signs would make a great theme as part of a POTD idea. Here are a few signs for your enjoyment (they are not all from the hospital).

A time to reflect, as one year ends and another begins
I've been spending some of my holiday season scrapbooking and it's been so good to get back into the creative mode. The fun thing I tried out recently was listening to podcasts from paperclipping.com, specifically one with Stacy Julian and Becky Higgins (http://www.paperclipping.com/2010/12/15/prt049-all-twelve-months/). It was really inspirational and kept me motivated as I worked.

Along with listening to the podcast, I have been thinking about my processes with scrapbooking. I'm not sure my "system" (if I could call it that) is working for me so I'm taking this time to re-evaluate to make sure I'm doing something that works for me.

I revisited the book "The Big Picture" by Stacy Julian. I came across a picture of her "highlights" page that she puts in her Christmas Exchange album (pg 12). It looks like a two page layout of 12" by 12" pages with a variety of pictures and small tags titling each picture as a summary of the year. I wondered if I could do that too.

What would I choose to highlight for 2010?

I looked back through my 2010 photos and started writing some notes of the major things that happened for me this year. I realized that since I started Project 365, I have photos to go along with those events I would want to document for this year. There are things like WeightWatchers training, brunches with my girlfriend, Sunday dinners with my family, my first year as a Board Member of a group in Vancouver. Each of these events are times when I would not normally take pictures but because of my picture of the day project, I pushed myself to take a picture. When I look back to the time before I started Project 365 it seems so much is missing. I am so thankful for doing Project 365. At least I know this part of my "system" is working for me.

Mistletoe Christmas cards

I want to show you the first design of my Christmas cards this year. I love the packages from Close To My Heart that come with 4 different paper designs for a total of 12 sheets (12" by 12") and matching ribbon. It makes it so easy to do bulk cards which is incredibly handy at this time of the year. Plus, what I love about it is that the package only costs $9.25 and I can make 30-40 cards including ribbon! For those math wiz-kids out there, that's about $0.23-$0.30 per card! Great deal, right?

Plus what I did to spice up this card a bit is use 3-D dots for the green ornament on the right side of the card. I also added pearls to the card for extra bling!

Want to check out this paper and ribbon package? It's on page 88 of the Winter Idea Book. It's call the Creative Basics Mistletoe Collection. The stamp set I used is on page 47 and is called Holiday Trinkets.

Want to know a little secret? I used this same stamp set last year. Shhh! Don't tell anyone my secret, ok? It's how I have learned to stretch my dollar! But I'm guessing anyone of my friends who got a card last year won't guess it's the same stamp set because I used a totally different set of colours and patterned paper. That's how Close To My Heart helps keeps things fresh! Love it!

Expect the unexpected, how Project 365 became Project 352
I've been very unlucky with technology lately. First my iPhone died then my computer crashed and I lost all data on my hard drive. Gone! Vamoosh! Just like that. So, I'm sure you can see where this is heading... I lost photos from my Project 365. I'm so disappointed but I also know it could have been so much worse. I only lost about two weeks of photos. Not bad at all, right?

I guess that I can't really complete Project 365 in 365 days so maybe my project will now be named Project 352 since I lost 12 days.

It's interesting how lost I feel without those 12 days of photos. It was only two weeks but I have recognized and realized that everyday there is something worth capturing with my camera. Now that I've lost those two weeks I feel I'm missing some important stuff. But, of course this is all with a fresh mind and I'm sure in a few years from now it won't matter as much...I hope.

Moral of the story? Do you know what your back-up plan is? What are the things that are most important to you? What are you doing to protect them? At the moment I store my photos on an external hard drive and on two separate DVDs and on snapfish.com. That may seem like a bit much to some people but it's because of this system that I didn't lose more than two weeks. However, currently I'm re-assessing my frequency of back up and I'm thinking that each time I download my photos to my computer from my camera, I should have a copy in at least one of my back up locations.

Oh technology gods, I've meant you no harm but if there's something I've done to upset you, please let me know.

My latest creation - less paper and more light

So I'm stretching the term "creations" out of the "Caroline's Creations" title of this blog. This weekend I created something that I've been dying to do for ages, maybe at least a year! I finally got around to making my own light box. What? A light box? Yes. It's the most awesome, inexpensive toy...okay, well maybe not for everyone, but it's awesome for me and you! (How do you fit in? Keep reading!)

I have been wanting a light box for ages so I could take better pictures of the cards I create so I can have a better sample to show you on this blog. See...that's where you fit in! So this weekend I did some reading online and found a great website that described how to make a cheap light box. The price was right so I was ready to give it a try! I got a box I had around the house (well, okay, I had to reorganize another section of my closet but I got the box out of it!), some tissue wrapping paper, masking tape, white poster board and an exacto knife. Ta da! That's all I needed.

Here is the before and after shot of my light box.

BEFORE

(Yes, shameless advertising for Close To My Heart scrapbooking supplies)

AFTER

A special thank you to Stobist website for the instructions! http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html

Oh and P.S. This is also my Picture of the Day for my Project 365 post. Another two-for-one.

Flare your peacock colours!

Peacocks are trendy right now so I decided it would be a perfect theme for our Crafty Club this month. Together we made a multi-coloured peacock tail. It was easy-peasy and everyone was really happy with how it turned out. It's such a simple and impressive technique! Plus, this post is a two-for-one, it's my post on this month's Crafty Club and my picture of the day!

The supplies to make this card are:

Magnifique paper pack - level 2 (X7127B)

My Acrylix Circle of Love stamp set (D1438)

My Acrylix Say it in style stamp set (D1283)

Garden Green stamp pad (Z2120)

Juniper stamp pad (Z2165)

Moonstruck stamp pad (Z2134)

Sponge Daubers (Z726)

and don't forget the bling! Sparkles blue and green (Z1327)

Maybe it's time for a "Creativity Bootcamp"

I went to a crop this past weekend and was feeling so blocked creatively. It was unbelievable how long it took me to finish anything. Instead of being sucked into this sense of being overwhelmed and creatively stuck, I took a few small projects and didn't let myself get caught up in how much I accomplished in the day. I thought whatever I can do, I will do and I will be happy with that.

Knowing how tough it was for me to feel creative this weekend, my wonderful husband sent me a link from the woman who wrote the book The Happiness Project. The link he sent me is all about putting yourself in a creativity bootcamp and doing your "craft" (whether it's writing, or knitting or scrapbooking) everyday for a full 30 days. I thought it was very inspiring and what a great idea! You can read more about it here: http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2010/10/put-yourself-in-creativity-boot-camp.html

Have you ever done a creativity bootcamp? Let me know if you have or if you're interested in doing one!

The magic of gift tags

Do you realize the magic of gift tags? I make them to attach them to gifts of course but I also make them a little extra special when I don't have time to make a greeting card. Great time-saver, right? I have found that if you add a little sparkle or bling to a gift tag, the recipient of the gift will hardly notice there is no card attached. And with Christmas just around the corner (I know hard to believe, right?) I need all the time saving magic I can get!

October's stamp of the month, "Share the magic" is a great set for making gift tags. It has a "to" and "from" stamp which is just perfect for tags for any occasion. Plus, with this set you're ready for Christmas stamping for cards, gift wrapping paper or decorations.

You can buy this stamp set for only $26.95 or you can earn it for free (for Close To My Heart sales of $117.50 or more). Take a look at some of the beautiful pieces you can make with it. Remember, this set is only available until October 31, 2010. Email me by October 28 to place your order.

Have you seen this? The new Close To My Heart Idea Book is here!

I've been away on my honeymoon which is very exciting but this is also an exciting time of year for YOU! It's exciting because the new Idea Book is out! What does that mean for you? Lots of new products to get excited about. There are fun papers and stamps to help you can plan projects around Halloween and Christmas (I know, Christmas already?).

There are some wonderful tips and techniques shown in this book too. Stay tuned for news about my craft clubs coming up where we will try some of them out.

You can view this Idea Book online by clicking here. If you would like to order an Idea Book and get it shipped to you, send me an email.

Hey Sis! This one's for you.

It's still strange for me to get used to the idea that I have a sister (in-law), but I do and I'm grateful for that. She emailed me today and said that she loves this idea of the Project 365 but feels that her life is pretty routine so there isn't much that's new in her life to take photos of every day.

Say whaaaat?

Yeah, that was my reaction too! I would be willing to bet dollars to donuts that there is something different about each day, even those days of routine, that is worth taking a picture of.

Here are a few ideas to think about:

• What you ate for dinner
• Filling up for gas (don't you think a picture of the price of gas would be fun to see in 5, 10, 20 years?)
• The shoes you wore
• The bottle of shampoo (toothpaste, deodorant) you used
• The sunset
• The phone/computer you used
• The coffee cup you use every morning
• Who you ate with at lunch/dinner
• Your debit card/credit card

Going to the bank and withdrawing money, brushing your teeth, filling up the car with gas may all seem to be "routine" but don't you think they tell the story of you? In a few months, years, decades, they will have changed and while they may seem routine now, you might get a kick out of seeing them at a later time.

I challenge you (yes, you Sis, and all my other readers) to think outside the box if you're taking on Project 365. If you feel life is routine, use that to your advantage to take photos of the every day objects you use and let that tell the story of you.

Project 365, and counting...

Dear readers, I've missed you! I know I've been away for a while but I'm back and I can't wait to share lots of exciting projects and ideas that I've been doing lately!

What I want to tell you about today is Project 365. Have you heard about it? The concept is simple, you take one photo every day for a year. I've realized as a scrapbooker that I often record/document the milestone events. I'm glad I have a way of looking back through my albums and remembering those special times, but I realized that there are things that happen every day that I am missing in those albums. And yet, I believe our memory is filled with those little moments.

When Taylor McKnight started taking a photo a day on January 1st, 2004, he never imagined the project would not only serve as a way to remember a year, but also help him understand what was important to him in his life. Whether it was his relationships, his career, or his fashion sense, recording a photo a day for a whole year left him with a rich visual history of his life.

From http://content.photojojo.com/tutorials/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day/

I figured a good time to start was when I got married, which was this past July so I've started the project. I don't plan to post every photo on this blog but I will keep you up to date on my journey through this project. If you want to join me in doing Project 365, I'd love to hear from you!

Cherish the Moment - Stamp of the month!
This month's stamp is such a versatile stamp set, it's great for making card invitations, birthday cards, thank you cards...the list goes on! Plus it's interactive because you can use a marker (a Close To My Heart marker, of course!) to check off the occasion that suits your purpose.

See the stamp that has "happy" at the top? You can check off "birthday" or "anniversary" or "day" and make it applicable to your purpose for stamping!

You can also use this stamp set for scrapbooking...want a few more ideas? Check out this artwork from Close To My Heart!

One of my favourite Close To My Heart bloggers (and consultants) created some artwork using our clear cards. See her artwork here.

If you love this stamp set, remember you can get it at a great discount or even earn it for free! Contact me to find out how! It's only available until May 31st.

When life is a bowl of cherries, scrapbook it! (Sneak peak)
If you're like me, new papers and new products make you giddy. Well, just wait until you get a load of the new Close To My Heart idea book!! It comes out May 1st and it is filled with delicious cherry-themed papers, stamps and accessories. Everything is coordinated, as usual, making it super easy to "slap" your pages together (sorry, inside joke from my last Crafty Club). May 1st is when the Summer Idea Book goes live and you will be able to view it right here on my blog.

In the meantime, just to wet your whistle, I thought I'd share a photo of some of the Cherry-O products. Cherry-O uses the CTMH color mix of Tulip, Blush, Chocolate, Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue and Colonial White. Yummy!


In the meantime, there are so many wonderful products available RIGHT NOW through CTMH. You can view the current Idea Book (Spring 2010) by clicking here.

YOU ROCK!

You do, you really do. You know what else rocks? This month's workshop kit. The paper pack is called "You Rock" and I posted about it a few posts back.

I wanted to finish my sample before the workshop this month and I was amazed how quickly I got it done! Honestly, I probably spent roughly an hour putting it together. That's super fast. Plus, I feel like I hardly used much of the paper pack. There is so much left over and I have a new stamp set from the kit too! The only thing I have left to do with the layout is the journalling. I'm so thrilled with how it turned out, I wanted to share with you. Check it out!

Also, keep in mind, I only used the "basic" kit option so I could add even more embellishments with the "best" kit option but the nice thing is that it is optional.

Interested in doing this workshop with me? Email me to set a date and time.

Hello spring!

Spring is here and with spring comes flowers. That's the theme of April's stamp of the month.
Mother's Day is around the corner and you could use these stamps to make a terrific card for a special mom in your life.

The fun things about these stamps too is that you can colour them in which opens up the possibilities of projects you could make!

Email me to order this stamp! It's only around until the end of the month.

Crafty Club
Last month I had a great time with a few gals who participated in my Crafty Club. I've decided to take one evening a month and offer a "make and take" (a small project). I'll provide the supplies and it only takes about 30-45 minutes. The cost for the make and take is $5 or free with an order of $30 of Close To My Heart products. Then you can stay after the 'make and take' and chat. We enjoyed a glass of wine last time which was a great way to spend a Friday evening.

Here's our project. To make the monkey we used a special technique called "resist embossing." We used the stamp set "Life's A Jungle."

Do you like this monkey card? Would you like me to show you and your friends how to make it? Contact me to schedule your own Home Gathering.

Get started in scrapbooking!
Have you thought about scrapbooking but just didn't know where to start? Trust me, I know the feeling. Don't be overwhelmed. It's just like anything, take it in baby steps.

Step 1: Think about a recent event or special person you would like to scrapbook. Pick just one!
Step 2: Print 4-6 photos of your chosen topic.
Step 3: Email me to book a workshop.
Step 4: Attend workshop (bring your photos) and let me guide you through your first scrapbook.
Step 5: Brag to your friends about finishing your first scrapbook in a few hours! Even your scrapbooking friends will be jealous!

For all the beginners reading this, I'll let you in on a little secret, even "experienced" scrapbookers like this type of workshop because you can finish a layout in no time at all!

Here's this month's workshop. It's called You Rock!
If scrapbooking isn't your thing, you can use the same paper for cards!

Workshop prices range from $35.50 to $46.50. Email me to find out the dates available for this workshop. Workshop prices range from $35.50 to $46.50 CAD.

Can you ever have too many word stamps?
I know a scrapbooker who loves word stamps. I'll be honest, I share that affinity. March's stamp of the month is a perfect design for people like us! It's a great stamp set that pleases both the scrapbookers and the card makers. It's called "A Little Everything," check it out.


There are 26 stamps included in this set and it's great all year long! Order now because it's only available until the end of March! Email me to order!


Stay tuned for my next post about my March crafty club! There's a fun new technique I can't wait to share! Want to attend? Check out the details on Facebook.

Sneak peek at the next 4 stamps of the month!
The March campaign from Close To My Heart is a special for new consultants. If you sign up to be a consultant you will get four stamp sets for free! Sign up as a member of my team in the month of March and you can "dare to dream!"

When you join Close To My Heart as a new Consultant this March, you will receive four new stamp sets free! The retail value of the free stamp sets total $107.80, which nearly covers the price of your New Consultant Kit*. When all is said and done, you will receive more than $460 in fabulous new products to get your dream business started. Ask me about joining today!

See flyer here.

To all my customers: If you're more interested in peeking at what the stamp sets are going to be (hey, I'll admit, I've planned my bigger orders for months when I like the stamp of the months), take a look at the flyer for the March promotion.

*The fine print: Purchase of the $115 New Consultant Kit is required. Tax and shipping/handling are required on the New Consultant Kit. There is no additional tax, shipping/handling for the free items. Free items are the May-August 2010 Stamp of the Month sets. Offer valid March 1-31, 2010.