Beautiful Bella!

Last Friday I had my monthly workshop where we all created 3 double-page layouts in 4 hours. I love CTMH's papers from this paper pack. They are gorgeous and so feminine but can be used for any age. Also, don't think that because I do so many workshops and crops that I am caught up on my scrapbooking. Here is a layout we created where my pictures are from Father's Day 2007. Sweet TinkerBell is so young and still innocent in these pictures :). Was she really ever innocent? As much as I love to be caught up on my scrapbooks, sometimes it works out really well when I'm not. I usually have a great assortment of pictures to choose from for my layouts and I love how the pictures and the papers come together.

Here's another layout that you can definitely tell are a little old. This layout is a special day with Princess during her Muffins with Mom day at her Mother's Day Out class. These pictures are from May 2006. If you look really closely, you can see Tinkerbell in the background of the 3rd picture in her baby carrier. Princess was about to turn 5 here. Doing these layouts was so much fun because it let me relive these memories. It is hard to believe how quickly they grow up but these layouts prove that time flies!

The last layout here using the Bella papers was actually the first layout we did at the workshop. My sweet friend, Barb Carrico, created this layout and did such a great job. It shows off many of the other colors and papers of Bella. Here you can see just how much Princess has grown up. This layout displays her pictures from her 7th birthday party from earlier this year. She is getting so big so quickly!

Finally, I wanted to show off a cute card that I received this week from a customer of mine, Pat Norman. Isn't this such a cute and lively card!?! I love the warm colors and fun feeling to it. Thanks Pat! This card definitely brightened my day!

Can you hear the cow bell ringing?

Well, Soccer season has started and the cow bells are a ringin'- can you hear them? The kids have started playing and our Saturday's are now fully devoted to the love of the game. We spent all day last Saturday at the fields and left with a little tan when it was all said and done. My sweet hubby's family tradition was always to ring a cow bell when ever he scored a touchdown in football, so.... we of course had to carry that tradition over to all our sports. My wonderful grandfather heard about this tradition and went out to the barn and got an old cow bell that he had used over 50 years ago on his farm. Theirs no better cow bell out there!!!

Princess and Bruiser are having so much fun in soccer. Bruiser is a natural player for sure. He has sooooo much energy and loves the game! He takes the ball and out runs all the other players. The picture above shows him about to score his 5th goal of the day. He was so excited and proud -can you tell?

Princess has been chosen to play goalie during almost every game. She is a little timid, as she doesn't like the possibility of getting her fingers stepped on, but she's doing great! Her team name is the Roosters so our bell is fitting right in!

Needless to say, both teams won their games and the cow bell hasn't stopped ringing. The funny part is when any of our old team mates from previous years are at the field, they hear the bell and know we are there. We have seen so many of our old friends - it's great! See, now don't you feel like you need a cow bell too!?!

Whiz kid had his first football game this Saturday too! Their team name is the NY Giants which is hilarious if you know anything about me! Got to love it! He's playing flag football this year because that is all that mommy could handle. Daddy is an assistant coach and re-living his younger days. It is so neat to watch "all 5" of my kids having so much fun. Actually, poor little Tinker Bell isn't having as much fun as the everyone else but she enjoys all the drinks Papa G brings :).

So, on Saturday, if you hear the cow bells a ringin' come on down and join the fun!

The New Idea Book is Here!

Close to My Heart has just released their newest idea book and catalog on September 1st and I am having so much fun playing with all their new products.

I am in an amazing swap with four other women where we each create a layout and cards with one of the new paper packs and swap with each other.

I got to work with our new Jingle papers and had so much fun creating the layout above and a few cards. This paper has such fun colors and twinkling patterns that the ideas are endless.

Both of these cards were created using our new Wishes Card book. I always struggle making cards - I guess I am just use to working with a bigger canvas but working with the Originals and Wishes Card Books has made creating cards so much easier! The Wishes card above has the wishes part slide off where you can create another title underneath and then add your message inside the card. Hope you like!

Want to get your hands on the newest idea book or one of the Card books I mentioned before- e-mail me at HeatherHicks@MyCTMH.com. Check back for more layouts and cards using the other new paper packs in the next few days!