Candy Bar Pockets

Well I am in the process of going through so much of my stuff and I came across these stickers. I decided I won't use them in a scrapbook so I would use them on this project :) 

I am gearing up for a fundraiser crop and thought these would be nice to sell for Easter gifts.

7"x7" cut paper

Score at 2.75", 5.5" so that 2 sections are 2.75", the smaller end will fold to the inside about 1/2 way

I ran the glue gun (ATG) along bottom and the far end of the first 2.75" section

Fold the smaller side in first careful to line up the bottom edge square, then run glue down the back side of smaller flap, it will be right down the middle, then fold the larger side over this and press the middle and far end down. If you have a crimper, go ahead and crimp the bottom .5" of package. 

A cute idea for a simple Easter treat, or any holiday or occasion :)

Enjoy!!

Stamp Organization

I wanted to share my journey of stamp storage. I call it a journey because it was a looonggg trip!! I tried several ways to do this in previous years. I had put all my stamps in checkbook type holders, but of course ran out of wallets and then had to abandon that option. I threw them all in a box and never knew exactly what I had, and found it easier to just buy a card then make one with the tools I owned. It wasn't until I joined Tiffany's group about organization into the Scraprack that it clicked for me. 

It was all about cataloging when you had so many to keep up with. They didn't all have to fit in the same box but it was important to know what you have. That's began my journey:)

I started with white cardstock, some black ink, and cleaning supplies. I used an old album I wasn't crazy about to make my catalog (thus actually using it and not sitting on a shelf). 

I stamped each image on the cardstock and assigned a number:

Then I put the cling stamps on a cut down sheet of table cloth vinyl, it has a pretty good thickness and yet some movement for the cling to be peeled off easily:

Into a binder they go, I labelled each sheet, which was the reference number I gave it on the stamped image (cc=clear cling, rrs=red rubber stamp, gc=grey cling, w=wood, dccc=die cut clear cling):

Labeled the binders with the sheets included:

Find the right one, pull it out of the page protector:

Finding the stamp you want! Then putting back into the right binder and away. I think that was the biggest challenge before, keeping them all straight and putting them back. 

The same goes for wood block stamps:

I have plenty of room in this 12x12 slim iris paper holder for more blocks and since I don't need a bin for each subject, I just get a new one when this is full. I still label each stamp so it finds it's way back to the right bin once finished. 

I know this is a lot of work on the front end but so rewarding in the end. As time goes on I may seperate groups more and duplicate some into my scraprack but for now I can make a card and be on my way, saving time and money :) A win win for crafty girls!!!

Until next time, stay crafty!!

Thank You Gift

I was inspired by a member of my CTMH team, they made a cute pad of paper holder for a recent team meeting project. I decided to send to a customer something similar as a thank you for an order. I love that this kit was able to make 10 cards and still have leftovers for other projects. My eyes are opening to a whole new world of thinking and using up my scraps for little creations. This is very simple and holds a standard post it note pad. Enjoy making your own!

 I used the basics:

Score tool for fold

Card stock

Embellishment

Adhesive

Paper trimmer

Post it note pad

Stamp and ink

Scissors

(This was the Cloud 9 kit from CTMH, Jan 2014)

Off the radar

Well I wanted to get back to the blog and I think today is a good day to do it. I haven't posted much in the past couple months, nothing really personal anyhow as it has been a couple months of thinking. I lost my father 10/30/13 to a form of Leukemia and I pretty much wanted to avoid talking about it. I am dealing with my loss and I have stopped the guilty feelings from that week and the healing has begun. I have always found healing in my crafts and I think that is one reason I signed up with CTMH when I did. I was searching for a way to distract my life with the art of scrapbooking once again. About 11 years ago I dove into a friendship scrapbook in the waiting room of the hospital while my friend was in ICU, trying to battle her cancer. My faithful CM consultant delivered materials to the hospital for me to continue. I worked on it day and night and when the doctor came in he asked to see it. It was then when he told us she was passing from this world. I needed that book to distract me and help me see our happy days together. I realize I did that again to a certain point with CTMH and also this blog, when I learned of my fathers illness.  I tried to spent as much time with my father, snapping pictures and saving those moments even though they weren't always what I wanted to remember. What I will remember and share in a scrapbook someday of our hospital photo shoots will be the fight he gave to live, the desire to go home, and there is nothing like a home cooked meal and a movie with family even if we have to do them at the hospital.  When I look back at my scrapbooks I know it isn't just the who what where and when, it is the emotions, feeling love, remembering the happy, and healing my heart.  I am still very happy with the choice I made to join CTMH and now I am looking forward to building a business and taking it to the next level with a clear mind and a thankful spirit.

I did manage to get some crafts done that I have not shared but I will post them here now. Take a moment to think about your crafts and why you love them. Scrapbooking for me truly is therapy, it brings back my happy places that only exist in memories. 

Birthday card for my brother

Daycare teacher treat bags

Shadow box for funeral

Donations for NICU families at Christnas time

Homemade blankets for teachers 

Having fun making cards at a crop!

Until next time, craft until your heart sings and remember to take pictures of everything good or bad, happy or sad, this is your life, record it.

A cool site I love this holiday season!! Saving money while shopping!

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=vO9ELze4BPt%2BH3TK6KOxWA%3D%3D

Update on the cabinet and room

I have been very busy lately with life but was able to manage getting the cabinet together and in use. I have also started to work my way through my messy room and get some things in order and able to get into the scraprack. 

It is the perfect width for the scraprack with 2 bases, my extra spinders will be held below as well as mat stacks and my slim art bins. I have a couple more shelves to put in here. It is nice having a place to put some of these things that have been shuffled from one side of my room to the other. 

I also worked on chipboard, I love to use it here and there but storing it and using it are two different things. I saw someone that put a little adhesive to adhere to 12x12 paper and then slide into scraprack. I plan to do this for all my chipboard so I use it up. I now like buying the craft color so I can make it any color I want. I also created a benefit and reward board, along with hanging a perpetual calendar :)

Until next time happy scrapping :) also anyone reading this (incentive to follow my blog- 10% discount on ctmh order through 10/31/13- my Halloween special :) have a bless day!!!

Reuse, recycle, reward!!

Well this last Subday I was inspired to build a cabinet using some item left over from other cabinets. I could have tried to find and purchase more cubes for these inserts, but I think this is the most bang for my buck! I saved over $100 doing this instead. I also wanted to give a shout to the Lowe's gents that did some cutting for me :) Do you have things lying around that you can repurpose, reuse, recycle to reward your space?

Thanks sir!! 

Here are my plans :)

Here are the inserts that will be used as my shelf cubbies

Here is my drilled holes and now painting... Keep posted for progress and results!!

Scrapping!!

Wow it sure does feel good to be here. Visiting with friends and looking at the memories. I am working on my son's book (dob 6-15-06) better late than never I always say (about everything lol). It's been an emotional week for me with life's worries and this is bringing me back to center. Writing about my pregnancy and my son having hiccups in my belly makes me smile and think of a new life and all its wonders. On the flip side as we age it's a different love that centers us. A calm we've known for years of voices known to us and the memories that are known and not forgotten. Both stages of life make me smile and both stages make me cry, but love is present. Enjoy the laughter and the tears, the good times and the bad, life IS a journey, let's all take one heck of a ride!!

What our children teach us......

A situation happen yesterday that got me thinking how much we learn from our children. A mom of my daughter's friend called me asking questions about something that came up. Something happened at recess that left her daughter sad thinking she was being left out.  My daughter commented something to her that she needed to go since what they were going to talk about would hurt her feelings.  Well my first thought was, WHAT!!  Thinking my daughter was being "one of those girls" and then I thought, that just doesn't sound right.  As we talked it came up who was all in the group and I remembered one of the girls was having a birthday and I bet they were planning it and talking about it.  Since this friend didn't run with the group of friends for as long, she wasn't on this invite list to the overnight birthday party.  My daughter although being thoughtful, wasn't thinking about how this would be taken, because now this friend assumed they were talking "ABOUT" her :(  Well I'm glad we got down to it and when I asked her in the morning if she recalled saying that to anyone she started talking about how she didn't want her friend to be upset not going to the party.  I told her a better way to handle it the next time and how she needs to trust this friend can handle knowing others have a life that may not include her sometimes.  I have tried to let my daughter know she won't always be invited to everything and it's OK.  She has friends from her first daycare and they are still friends, and I think always will be. They all met in the infant room and have been BFFs since. They all go to different schools now, but pick up right where they left off.  She said she would talk to the friend and let her know she didn't want to hurt her feelings because she "IS" a good friend.

As I talked with her about this and how she "should" have handled it, it makes me as the mom start to think.....do I walk the same as I talk?  Do I feel OK when I'm not invited?  I think it is human nature to feel left out of the crowd at times.  I have many friends, yes some are closer to me than others but my heart holds a special place with each of them.  I may spend more time with some, but others we pick up where we leave off.  Some are friends I have made through my children, others through work, and some I have found along my way.  I think I can honestly say sometimes I have done what my daughter did and left some out of my life for some reason.  I think my church family was overlooked for years since I was worried people might think I would preach to them and make them come to church.  I am sure also I don't talk to my church friends about some of my "other" friends, lol......I won't name any names ladies :)  I think this is life and I know I would like to do as I say to my daughter as well.  It always comes round circle, as we teach our children it confirms your beliefs and makes you stronger in this life.  It makes me think of my parents and I do hope they feel they too have learned from their children since they are the strongest people I know.

Here are a couple things that came to mind thinking on this topic of friends, ENJOY!!

This is the song from one of my daughter's daycare songs she performed with her friends in PreK:

Make new friends, but keep the old.
One is silver, the other is gold.
A circle is round, it has no end.
That's how long, I will be your friend.

I do hope as the years go, she remembers this little song.  

I had a similar one that I bought from Home Interiors many many moons ago for my BFF, it said:

Whether by
strange coincidence
or divine guidance
in the course of our life
we cross paths with
many people.

Some move towards us,
others move away.
Some we choose to remember,
others to forget.

But with a special few
we seem to have no choice,
for each has made an impact
on the other, and their
memory will live on forever.

These people we call friends.
You, to me, are such a one.

– Dick Innes

Wow this one hits home every time I see it, since I now have it hanging in my house and the memory of my friend Becky will live on forever in my heart <3   1974-2003  

These friendships they make today can last a lifetime, it did for me......

Where's Mom?

Today's post won't be 100% my thoughts since I know I read somewhere about this, but can't be sure where, magazine or blog....so I am giving credit somewhere!!

We went to the apple orchard this weekend and as always I got some wonderful pictures of the kids picking away. Then I thought... for the past couple years I have not been in any apple picking pictures :( this lead me to think about the article I once read about Mom always being behind the camera or, "don't take my pic, my hair/makeup isn't done" or my thoughts lately "wonder how fat that pic will make me look!", etc. I read this and thought WOW did that hit home! It went on to talk about how this person didn't have many pics of her mom and due to illness won't have a chance to. 

I now try to make an effort to take pics of myself here and there, even if only goofy pics,in my lazy clothes or when dressed up for a special occasion. Kids don't care if you are perfectly put together and nor should you. I read your children will probably remember you best in your worst pics (because that is life)!! Imagine this..ponytail and sweats with a baggy sweatshirt or oversized tee, now that is the real me.  I should have the kids take a picture of me doing dishes and cleaning toilets, since that is also REAL life documenting :) I'm a pretty simple gal, but why is it that I am still not in many photos? So with that said I am trying to make more of an effort to do so. 

This weekend I used the wonderful little flip around camera on the phone and staged this photo. I don't care if it isn't "action" but it is me smiling and I hope the kids remember me doing that often, smiling at them as they do for me  in so many pictures :) Nope it's not perfect, but nor am I.

Scrap or not to scrap, that is the question..

Well I wanted to get something done and here is the progress. I started with the 6 drawer unit and emptied 3 of them. I have been working with the scraprack system so I am sorting by color, the strips are in the triple play pages, and anything 3x4 or 4x6 will be used in the project life album. The little green container is full of stuff that will be passed on to bless someone else. The other stuff was found in my scraps but will be put in my scraprack also.  Well I do hope I can get to doing a little more, but I am very happy in my heart with the progress I made :) night night!!

~Crystal

A weekend to look forward to

I have been trying to get my scrapbooking stuff organized for quite some time and I am hoping to get some of it done this weekend.  It seems to be the story of my life, a day late and a dollar short, but right now it's more about time.  I feel that I am always out of time each day and I run around doing what needs to be done and at the end of the day I'm just tired!!  I am not sure if it is the cold that I caught or just too much going on.  I think it could be both and probably is.  I wish we had the summer months back for a redo which would allow me to get caught up more before the homework each night and the demands of dinner, baths and bedtimes.  I will post on Monday how all that went and if I am brave maybe I'll post a status picture ....we'll see :)  Signing off for now, have a safe fun filled weekend and make sure you count each blessing along the way.

Yay me!

Happy 1st blog day to me!! This has been something I have been wanting to do and I finally decided to get it started. Actually I couldn't think of a blog name that fit what I wanted, but since I was looking at blank paper trying to decide, it kind of hit me like a bug to the windshield. DUH!! I can now check the box on this bucket list line item :) Hope you will join me as I progress in the bloggers life.