Meet my PRIZE box!! It's currently sitting on top of my carry-all STUFFED with prizes, ready to accompany me to a gathering near you!! (OR at your HOUSE - you KNOW you want to have a super-fun party and earn free stuff!! Don't you?? DON'T you?! hahaha)
Want a chance to win something?? Come to or have a gathering to find out! ;) muahaha!!
One of my MOST favourite things about Close To My Heart is the how-to programs. There are now FIVE books - three scrapbooking (Reflections, Imagine, and Cherish) and TWO fantastic card-making books (Originals, and WISHES). I love it because I, personally, DON'T want to take forever and a day deciding on a layout or pattern for my pages or cards - I just want to get it done! I enjoy doing it, but I don't have all day!! With the how-to you literally take the step-by-step directions coupled with your own creativity and paper/embellishment choices, and VOILA!! It's SO SO SO SO easy that people actually think I'M good at this stuff. HA! ;)
WISHES is the latest - it JUST came out, and I JUST got it, and I used it for the first time at Stamp Camp. Wishes is unique from Originals in that it includes a few "workshops" - I thought this was a cool idea when I heard of it, but I had NO idea!!
So at Stamp Camp I was feeling a little over-ambitious - my mom was there, I had a new downline to train, business classes, etc. etc., and I busted out my brand-new Wishes book and decided, HEY! I want the most bang for my buck, I'll do this 20-card workshop. (That's right - TWENTY cards. Sit down once, make TWENTY cards. You don't have to be as silly the first time you try it - there's smaller workshops in the book, like six cards, for example. I'm just an idiot! hahaha)
You pick your papers, follow the cutting instructions, label your pieces, and then follow the put-it-all-together instructions in the following pages.
So you pick your papers (coordinating with each other) and then cut it, and then put it together. You don't pick your paper and say, oh, I think I'd like this part to be black on this card and this part to be red and this to be blue....you pick your papers, cut it, and then just HOPE that what you cut will look good on your cards because....you spent A LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG TIME (with interruptions etc.) doing all the cutting. A LONG time.
Then you piece together your first card and you HATE it. But then you look at it for a second. And the wheels get turning. And you think, gosh, how can I salvage this?? And you do some distressing, some embellishing, and in five minutes you LOVE it!!
Then you piece together your second card - it's not so bad to work with as the first one. You play with that for a bit, and then think OHMIGOSH THIS IS FLIPPIN' AMAZING.
I was so busy with other things during stamp camp that I didn't get all 20 cards done, which was a bit of a bummer, but I DID get 12 done, which is WAY more than I would have if I'd approached the project one card at a time, so I'm THRILLED! And I have all my other pre-cut bits put aside in a baggie for the next time I have a few minutes and can bust out my new most favourite book ever. (The cards are all done using "Game On" paper - one of my favourites!)
OHmigosh, SO much fun. We had a BLAST!! AND got lots done, too!!
I've been waiting to announce that I recently acquired a brand-spankin' new downline, and she immediately jumped on board and came to stamp camp with us. We had way too much fun breaking her in - hahaha Poor girl.
So, my darling dearest Spo (who I first met when she arrived at my house for a launch party after seeing my event on Facebook AND brought a friend! She came to a few gatherings, then had her own, then announced she wanted to be a consultant - we have TOO much fun together) picked me up after goodbyes to her kiddos and hubby, and off we went to pick up our newest team member, Princess Pink. ;) (I hope you love your new name, darling - you earned it! hahaha)
Kudos, seriously, to Princess Pink - she has a 21-month-old and a 3-month-old and though she was absolutely crushed to leave them for an overnighter she was SO enthusiastic and too fun to have along. (She definitely wins the prize for being on the phone to the fam the most often).
Anyway, we arrived at Wildfire Outdoor Education Centre in Wyevale at 4:58pm Friday, and quickly set up. We stole the room closest to the bathroom (for my MOM! WE'RE not greedy! .....or at least that's the story....) and an extra table for our foursome to work at (Spo, Princess Pink, Me, and Mom when she arrived) and got set up!!
I handed in my contest entries, as did Spo (who had some GORGEOUS CARDS), and we quickly buckled down to help Princess Pink finish her layout entry.
Spo's two card entries (left & middle) alongside my suddenly not-so-good card:
My page entry "Sweet Dreams" (left) beside Princess Pink's "Our Paradise" - a little friendly competition never hurt anyone, eh?
We were STARVING and called Mom, who was on her way, and arrive shortly thereafter bearing McDonald's - mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........
Then we all got to work!
Spo working on her second layout at the event with Bella paper and one of last Idea Book's stamps of the month - turned out SO well!
Mom finishing her Emporium Workshop projects from our workshop back in March!
Princess Pink, being adorable, as always.
Which picture should go where...???
Princess Pink had a little trouble with keeping track of her (and MY) stuff while she worked - she LOST one of my stamps and quickly thereafter it seemed everything she touched went missing for a few minutes! TOO funny!! She lost her double scrubber to the floor, a stamp, ink pads, stamp sets.... we were DYING. Spo dubbed Princess Pink's workspace The Black Hole:
Mom entered "Little Miss Noodle" into a layouts-completed-at-Stamp-Camp contest:
Spo, lookin' good, takin' pics!
SO, there were some cute, kind of 'gimmicky' cards in the card contest that beat out Spo's gorgeous artwork, BUT everyone was so impressed with her 'World's Best Dad' card (see the picture above - it's the one in the middle) she got like, honourable mention.
Mom's "Little Miss Noodle" lost out to a number that was admittedly very creative - the left side "The boys went fishin'" right side, "the girls went shopping!" with this "fishing line" tying the two sides together, BUT Mom got the honourable mention in THAT category for Little Miss Noodle's incredibleness.
AND.... Princess Pink BEAT ME! hahaha The week-old consultant WON for her "Paradise" layout using only "Back Country" paper and some accessories, all available in the current summer Idea Book. She was the 'youngest' consultant there and won in a landslide, according to the judges' report from the ballot boxes. (I'm trying not to take it too personally - hahaha!) We couldn't be more excited for and proud of our newest addition AND she won a GREAT prize - the distressing kit, worth $44.50! WOW! Congrats, darlin'!
Stamp Camp as an event was meant not only for some consultant training, but also to raise money for Operation Smile - take a minute to click on that link and check it out or watch the video below (grab tissue). ALL contest entry fees went to Operation Smile, part of our registration fees, ticket purchases for a draw for fantastic prizes, auction of an hour-long massage, 10-minute massages by a RMT were $15 all to Operation Smile, and there was one very generous donation of a complete smile to the camp's total. The organizers were hoping to raise enough money for 4 smiles (one smile is $240) and we ended up raising about $1600, more than enough for 6 smiles. What a fantastic success!!
To get involved with Operation Smile is EASY with Close To My Heart - proceeds from the purchase of every Close To My Heart My Acrylix Stamp Sets are given to Operation Smile; you can round up your order totals at any time to include a donation of any size, small or large; OR keep watch - Spo and I are REALLY REALLY hoping to get some great events up and going to help raise money for this fantastic cause. We only need $240 to change a child's life FOREVER - it's mind-blowing and awe-inspiring.
Okay, that's that!! We had a blast! Thanks for checking up on us, and I'll be back soon with some GREAT information about what's coming up in June, and my newfound LOVE of Jeanette Lynton's newest how-to book for cards, "Wishes" both the bane and joy of my Stamp Camping!
Okay okay. So my LAST post was my pretty card for the contest for stamp camp. I haven't written about anything SINCE because I've been planning and working on my OTHER contest entry for stamp camp.
This was HARD because the paper packet (Back Country) was selected AND we were limited to ONLY items that appear in the current idea book - I have some GREAT stamps I would usually embellish my flowers with, but they're in the SPRING book and not the summer book, soooo out of luck!! And as much as I really really like the Back Country paper I don't think it's a packet I would have selected to work with on my own. = CHALLENGE!!
I'm quite happy with how they turned out, though I don't know if they'll win any prizes....cross your fingers for me!!
(By the way...I got my "Wishes" yesterday and OHmigoodness it is AMAZING - can't WAIT to tell you about it!! Start drooling now - it's THAT good)
I'm going to "Stamp Camp" up North in goodness-only-knows-where this weekend for an overnighter. It's a function run by some of my team members who live in Barrie and the surrounding areas but for us southerners, it's going to be a bit of a drive. hahaha
Good thing we like each other or the car ride up could be a little dicey... ;)
ANYWAY: at Stamp Camp this time around there are some contests, $2 entry fee (proceeds to Operation Smile). One is a card contest using at least one colour of sorbet, tulip, or creme brulee.
SO I did THIS today Chocolate and sorbet cardstock on colonial white cardstock with a dimensional element sponged with creme brulee ink and then toss in some autumn harvest buttons for kicks & giggles. Mr. Man picked the sentiment "Just Because" for me...because I couldn't decide. hahaha
This is a CUTE, fun little 3x3 card (from Originals using "Top it Off" layout) that we'll be making at our gatherings in May - be excited!
Gathering dates: May 26th, hosted by The Queen Mommy in Welland May 29th (my LAST FRIDAY gathering for the summer!! COME!), hosted by MrsSuzyQ in Brampton
There IS still time to book a gathering for that last week in May if you can't make either of the above gatherings and want to make this project with your friends! Just contact me to pick a day!
Here's this month's workshop, happening (in St. Catharines) on May 30th.
I need RSVPs by May...yikes, 15th!! That's SOON! (SO sorry for the late posting - that wasn't on purpose!) So take a look-see and let me know if you're coming so I can order our stuff!!
This month's cool-new-technique: CHALKING! Woohoo! Workshop supply fee BASIC: $28.85 (level 2 paper + stickease, guide, and some fancy extras like ribbon!) BETTER: $57.35 (you get the "Wishing Star" stamp set to take home - see pg. 44 of the current idea book) BEST: $70.35 (includes full packs of white-daisy brads and summer celebration sassy strands)
Workshop guides are also available for purchase on their own for $1.25 for anytime, at-home completion of your projects!
WOOHOO! Today is a good day! We have our first FOLLOWER, AND I've MASTERED the origami box! YAY!
Are you READY??
WHAT YOU NEED: - one 12X12 piece of paper (I do NOT recommend cardstock, at least at first - it's a bit tricky and you fold over and over and over... try with B&T papers first) - some PATIENCE as you look at the pictures and try to decipher my instructions (I'm going to do the best I can here...but it's pretty logical once you get going, PROMISE!)
OH and FYI - you can click on the images to make them bigger.
STEP ONE: Lay your paper out flat. (Mine's lumpy-looking 'cause it's an un-origamied-box I JUST made!)
STEP TWO: FOLD the four corners of your paper into the middle and make a new, smaller square! (It's a bit tricky to get them all lined up perfectly - do yourself a favour and don't stress about it!)
STEP THREE: Fold the right and left edges of your box over so they meet in the middle and you have a long skinny rectangle.
STEP FOUR: Fold AGAIN, this time grab the short edges and fold the long way 'till the middle. Same move as last time, but the LENGTH of the rectangle. Should land you approximately square, again. Or lopsided-like squareish... folding should be a little tricky, but you can do it.
STEP FIVE: Okay, don't go berserk on me here, but UNFOLD the whole thing EXCEPT for two of your FIRST folds, so your paper should be nice and lumpy with folds like mine and look like this: Got it? Okay, good.
STEP SIX: THIS is where it gets tricky. See this part of your 'box' I'm pointing at?? Okay, good. (I know, I could take Vanna's Job - I mean, just LOOK at these perfect-for-pointing hands!) GRAB that part, and FOLD the pointy-bit over to HERE: That's right, right in the middle. Good job. Okay, NOW you can EITHER do the same thing on the other side and THEN move on or move on and then do the same thing on the other side. I moved on 'cause I was still mastering my technique...
You gotta' FOLD back over where you just folded, making the wall of the box. So, keeping the pointy-bit where it is after you fold, fold the rest of the paper back over. I know it's a bit confusing and I'm a bit of an idiot so that may be making it worse BUT just look at it and you should be able to figure it out. It makes SENSE to do it to make a 'wall'.
Okay, when BOTH sides are done it should look like this:
STEP SEVEN: Fold that LAST corner that sticking out of your wall OVER the wall and down into the floor of the box. (Are there actual technical terms for these parts of the box?? Anyone?)
STEP EIGHT: REPEAT steps six and seven on the other side.
VOILA your box!
Make a second box for a top and tie on a piece of ribbon and you'll feel oh-so-very finished and accomplished for the day! YAY! Especially useful for last-minute gift-wrapping, oy!
Okay, happy crafting! Let me know if that's as clear as mud and/or you need any help! :D Cheers.
PHEW! The trouble with having so much fun at our launch parties is that there's often a lot of administrative-type work to do afterwads!! YIKES! BUT we're almost all sorted out now, so very soon will be back to the FUN stuff in this corner!!
KEEP WATCH for upcoming gatherings and workshops including schedules and some hopefully cool paper-crafting ideas including an origami box! (Now let's just cross our fingers the instructions make sense when I actually go to MAKE the thing....) hahaha
Well, they're OVER! WOW did we ever have fun, eh ladies?? (Feel free to correct me if you were bored out of your skull but I know that I had a blast at our parties!!
Thanks all for coming out - and putting up with some of the kinks in our operations - missing and not-working game components in St. Catharines, and non-functional credit-card sites in Georgetown; oy! - but I think thanks to 'signs' and great company we all had some laughs!
AND congratulations to our two big winners!! RaeDawn in St. Catharines won $30 FREE PRODUCT (HOORAY!!) and MrsSuzyQ won $100 free AND 50% off one item. WOOHOO!! What a great two evenings!!
Thanks to all who attended and for help with inviting - you ladies are a force to be reckoned with, for sure!
Soon to be firmed up some gatherings! HOORAY!! Check for upcoming shin-digs in Welland, Brampton, and St. Catharines! Thanks, in advance, my hostesses!!
