Sheila's Scrappin' & Stampin' Blog

Madrid, Spain!

2009-09-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

We had a long day of traveling to Madrid so we were exhausted when we arrived. Our train ride to Geneva was beautiful and we had a nice flight to Paris but our flight to Madrid was delayed once because they had to change the tires on the plane and a second time because of weather so I was pretty cranky when we arrived late in Madrid.

Mt first impression was that it was very modern although there was some beautiful architecture. Madrid is currently bidding for the 2016 Olympic games so there was a lot of construction and refurbishing going on while we were there.

We took an open air bus ride, Madrid Vision, with some friends and were able to see a lot of the city that way. This picture was taken in front of the royal palace, Palacio Real. It had just started to rain a little so we had to duck into a little place for Tapas. They eat their meals from 11-4pm and then everything shuts down from 4-8pm for Siesta. We had some amazing white wine and tapas (appetizers) while we were waiting for the rain to pass.

After that we walked past the Cathedral which was right next door to the Palace. It was raining pretty hard so we just hopped on the bus to see the next stop which was the Prado Museum. We weren’t able to take pictures inside but we saw some beautiful works by Raphael, Goya, El Greco, and Rembrandt.

These are some more pictures taken from the bus before it started to rain. There were lots of circles with fountains and statues in the middle so it was really beautiful. For dinner that night we went out with friends and had the most amazing Paella. Restaurants didn’t open until 9 or 10 at night so we had some really late nights in Spain.

This was one of the churches that we passed on the tour. The stone work was so beautiful.

Switzerland!

2009-09-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in front of their historical clock tower in downtown Bern. We arrived just before 6 and were able to see the little man on the top hit the gong with all the bears dancing in a circle. I loved Switzerland – especially Bern! Everything was within walking distance. There was a wonderful department store next door and we had so much fun shopping there. There were also lots of quaint little shops along the way and of course tons of chocolate! I’ve never tasted such wonderful chocolate!

Bern is the capital of Switzerland so this was one of the government buildings. I think it was actually their capital building. The architecture was so beautiful. The food and wine was also surprisingly good. We had one of our best meals in Bern. Mine was some sort f goulash which I thought was Hungarian but the pasta was freshly made, the meat was so tender and the sauce was amazing. Paul had some incredible Pork with a type of potato pancake. We usually eat half of our dishes and then share with the other person so we get to eat both but these were so good we didn’t want to share!

Bern is surrounded by a river so this was taken on the edge of town. To the left is the city and the right is the river. Even though it was cooler and definitely the Fall, they had beautiful gardens everywhere. All of the homes had beautiful red geraniums from their window boxes.

This was a home that was on the other side of the river. It was so beautiful I just had to take a picture. You can see the leaves were already starting to turn colors.

This is a picture of Lake Geneva taken from the train. It was so beautiful. There were vineyards everywhere which surprised me since Switzerland isn’t known for their wine. Our trip from Bern to Geneva was very beautiful and filled with quaint little villages and lots of farms.

More vehicles

2009-09-11T11:56:00.001-07:00

We had lots of traveling on our last day in Paris. This is the RER train which is a double decker and much nicer than the metro although we took the metro a lot too. We took this to and from Notre Dame and then grabbed a cab to the train station for our train to Switzerland.

This is the Paris train station. We took train G to Switzerland. You can see Paul in the bottom right side of the picture with the red shirt on waiting for the train. We had first class tickets so our seats reclined and were really comfy. Our seats faced each other and we had a table between us so Paul could work a little. The train ride was really scenic and took only 5 hours. We arrived in Bern a little after 10pm and had a short walk to the hotel.

Notre Dame

2009-09-11T11:46:00.000-07:00

Thursday was our last day in Paris. Since our train to Switzerland didn’t leave until 5pm we decided to spend the afternoon at Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter.

We timed it perfectly and were able to attend the noon mass. It was totally in French but we were able to follow along. After that we toured the church and spent some time in front of the Blessed Sacrament saying some prayers and lighting a candle for a friend.

This was Mary’s chapel and was probably my favorite. We stopped at the little gift shop on the way out and got a couple gifts for the kids.

This was my favorite picture of Notre Dame taken from the bridge. It was another gorgeous day in Paris. We were so blessed to have such beautiful weather the entire time. As were we crossing the bridge and holding hands one of the street vendors asked if we were on our honeymoon.

The Latin Quarter was a short walk from Notre Dame so we walked around a little. We ate lunch at an outside café and then picked up an amazing pistachio desert. There were some great souvenir stores so we picked out some cute things for the kids and I got an apron for myself.

Louvre Museum

2009-09-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

We went to the Louvre on our last night in Paris. Since we wanted to see as much as possible we took the Masters tour and then went wandering around on our own. We went on a Wednesday night after Paul’s meetings so it wasn’t that crowded.

The Venus de Milo was beautiful, of course, and was really large. On the audio tour they had us view it from all different angels and distances which was really interesting. We also saw the Mona Lisa and some of the other more famous pieces. The museum was so enormous that you could have taken a week to go through and truly appreciate everything there was.

After the Master’s Tour we visited Napoleon’s apartment. To say it is opulent is an understatement. It would have been amazing to see the whole palace decorated like this. And these were only his private quarters.

It was dark when we left and this was one of my favorite pictures in Paris. I love how you can see the clouds passing by in the sky. I had always thought the pyramid was lit at night but we didn’t see that while we were there.

We went to a nice dinner at a little restaurant near the Louvre and then headed back to our hotel. We got a drink at the panoramic bar on the 33rd floor of the hotel and the views were spectacular. It was a fun way to spend our last night in Paris.

Dinner Cruise on the Seine

2009-09-09T01:37:00.000-07:00

One of Paul's customers took us out for a dinner cruise on the Seine on Tuesday night. There were 3 couples who went and we had the best time. The company was wonderful - I haven't laughed that hard in ages - and the views were amazing.

The Eiffel Tower strobes on the hour for about 10 minutes and our boat was passing right in front of it as it lit up. It was breathtaking.

This is from the upper deck in front of the Eiffel tower. It was such a beautiful night and it was so warm outside.

The cruise lasted a little over 2 hours and went past some amazing sights. Notre Dame was beautiful at night as was the Statue of Liberty. There were lots of people on the river walk partying and dancing as we rode by. Paris is such a party city! We were amazed at how many people were out so late on a Tuesday night. There were lots of students but there were also some dance parties with people our age. It looked like so much fun.

Here's a picture of the Statue of Liberty. The boat was turning around at this point so it came out a little blurry.

Paul bought me some roses as we walked off the boat. We arrived a couple minutes before 10pm and stayed until we all got to see the lights strobe one last time.

It was by far our best night in Paris. The meal was amazing, the view was incredible, and the other couples were so much fun. It made all those sleepless nights that Paul was helping this customer last year worth it.

Orsay Museum

2009-09-09T00:58:00.001-07:00

I went to the Musee d' Orsay (Orsay Museum) yesterday with Melba, one of the wives of Paul's coworkers. We had such a wonderful time. There were so many gorgeous paintings and sculptures that we spent 6 hours going through the collection. There was a huge line to get in since the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays but it moved quickly and we were inside in no time at all.

I have always loved Monet so it was a thrill to see Waterlilies up close. We also saw a lot of Cezanne, Degas, Manet, Matisse, Renoir, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec. There were also a couple paintings by Mary Cassatt who is one of my favorites. We had an audio guide in English so it was interesting to hear all the back stories of the different paintings.

This was by far my favorite sculpture by Rodin called The Gates of Hell. It's actually the plaster original for the bronze cast. It depicts a scene from Dante's Inferno and has over 180 figures. It was meant to be the doorway for the museum so it was enormous. I thought it was fascinating to find so many famous sculptures in the door itself including The Thinker and The Kiss. I could have looked at this sculpture for hours.

Vehicles in Paris!

2009-09-08T15:35:00.003-07:00

John Paul - this post is for you. We've seen some really interesting vehicles so here's a couple pictures we thought you might enjoy.

There are motorcycles everywhere. Some of them even have tops on them like this one.

These were some cool cars that we saw in a showroom. This last one is what most of the cars look like. They're TINY! You don't see many mini vans and no SUV's here. Definitely no Hummers. Check out their cool licence plates too!

Shopping in Paris

2009-09-07T22:21:00.001-07:00

Paul had his big presentation yesterday afternoon and it went great! Afterwards we decided to hit the metro to do some shopping. The metro was crazy busy at 7pm. It was more congested than the DC metro at rush hour. There was a wonderful violinist in the tunnels though.

The first place we went was Printemps, one of the largest department stores in Paris. The window displays were so artistic! We got there a little late with most of the street vendors closing and so we just walked around a little.

I think this is the Opera house. After our brief shopping spree we decided to hop back on the metro to head closer to the hotel. We walked most of the Champs-Elysees which is the grand boulevard in Paris. It was beautiful at night. We found some great places to shop and some nice restaurants. We got some cute little gifts for the kids and a souvenir Christmas ornament for me. This was one of my favorite photos of the Arc de Triomphe from the middle of the street.

It was completely dark by the time we made it to the Arc de Triomphe and I was so excited that I figured out how to use my dark settings on my camera.

We ate 4 cheese pizza for dinner at a little cafe and it was very French. The 4 cheeses were mozzarella, Parmesan, Brie, and Gorgonzola. Very interesting. We were so hungry after all that walking that we ate the whole thing.

Eiffel Tower

2009-09-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

It took us awhile to find another couple who could speak English to take this picture for us. We found an Australian couple who also wanted their picture taken so it worked out perfectly.

The Eiffel tower was within walking distance of our hotel so we visited there right after the Arc de Triomph. We walked through some beautiful neighborhoods along the way. Again I was impressed with the massive size. C'etait magnifique!

This was one of the pictures close up. It was so huge that Paul and I got a little vertigo just from looking up. With the passing clouds it looked like the Eiffer tower was moving.

This was taken from the middle looking up. It was so congested underneath the tower. There were tons of people congregating. Maybe it was because it was a Saturday afternoon and the weather was gorgeous. There were lots of street vendors and Paul got 3 Eiffel tower keychains for 1 Euro. We decided not to go up the tower but it was fun watching the little yellow and red inclines climb the sides.

We walked most of the way back to the hotel and then decided to take the Metro the rest of the way. Neither of us know a lick of French so getting tickets was a little tricky. Paul asked the ticket agent Parlez vous anglais? He smiled and said no, Parlez vous Francais? We smiled and said No. Then we held up 2 fingers and said the name of the station we wanted to go to. I was very impressed with Paul's navigation of the Metro considering we had to transfer to a different line. We ended up in the station right underneath our hotel!

We were exhausted after all our walking so we had a relxing dinner at an Italian restaurant. The wine was incredible, of course, as was the bread. The pasta was very French. Paul had coffee after dinner and was served the most delicious chocolate coffee beans to go with it.

Arc de Triomphe

2009-09-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

The Arc de Triompe is a short walk from our hotel so that was our first stop.

It was so beautiful and much larger than I had imagined. I was so surprised at how much traffic there was driving around the Arc. We arrived around 3 in the afternoon and it was packed. We even saw a wedding party drive by with cars decorated and horns honking. Thank goodness there's a tunnel going under the road.

Paris!

2009-09-05T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is the view from our hotel room. There are lots of great restaurants and shops nearby. There's also a wonderful shopping mall underneath the hotel. We had a blast going grocery shopping when we first got here.

Our first day in Paris! This was our first meal after we arrived at 7am. The restaurant was called Brasserie Des Terres and was right across from our hotel. Paul had an omelette and I had Croque Provencal which was basically a ham & cheese with tomato. Yum!

Charlotte

2009-09-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

Our flight from Wilmington to Charlotte was short and uneventful. The perfect kind! We're waiting in Charlotte now for our flight to Paris which has been delayed.

I hope John Paul and Susie had a great day at school today. Mommy and Daddy love and miss you very much!!!! We're sending hugs and kisses.

Holiday Card Class

2009-09-02T06:38:00.001-07:00

This card class is a great deal because you'll leave the class with 50 gorgeous handmade cards AND the stamp set and ink pads for all your holiday projects. Plus, I'll precut all the paper for you saving you tons of time!

Friday, October 16th 10 am *OR* 7 pm
at my house in Ogden
$55 for 50 cards

With your card kit you will receive:
* 50 cards (10 each of 5 designs) & 50 envelopes
* Pre-cut paper
* Juniper grosgrain Ribbon (4 yards)
* Tulip Ink Pad
* Juniper Ink Pad
* 144 Adhesive-backed pearls
* Holiday Warmth Stamp Set

RSVP and payment by October 1st.

You'll need your favorite adhesive & scissors. Shipping and Tax not included and will be an additional $8.69. I will also be offering this class at the October 24th Chocolate Crop.

This is my most popular class and it fills up quickly so email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com to sign up today.

FREE gift

2009-09-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

As my special gift to you, I am making everyone who orders one of the Everyday Delights card kit, one of these matching card holders. Untie the ribbon and you have 2 pockets to store all your cards in. So cute! Keep it for yourself or give it as a gift. It's the perfect way to keep all your new cards beautifully organized.

Order the Everyday Delights card kit online

Skirt cards

2009-08-29T04:59:00.001-07:00

I just love making these skirt cards! These are some new ones I made for a card class that I'm doing at an upcoming crop. You can come to make the cards even if you aren't able to attend the crop all day. The cards are $1 each and you can make as many as you'd like. Here's all the information for the crop.

Techniques in Motion All-Day Crop to benefit our Dance Teams
September 26th, 2009 9 am – 9 pm
5202 Carolina Beach Road
(across from Wal*Mart in the back Austin Commons)
$40 fee – due by Saturday, September 19th

Please join us for a day of scrapbooking, card making and fun. Lunch and dinner will be provided along with free Make-n-Takes and scrapbook instruction, along with additional card and scrapbook classes. Space is limited so please sign up early.

Sheila Cantonwine, Close to My Heart consultant and Judy McGuire, CM representative will join us with product support and instruction throughout the day.

For more information or to sign up call or email Gina Baran at 792-6035 and ggbaran@earthlink.net or Sheila Cantonwine at cantonwines@yahoo.com.

August Card Cub

2009-08-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

The BRAND NEW card club met today at my home in Ogden. We're ordering materials for the new Twitterpated cards shown above. These are so adorable and so easy to create. You can make 6 or 12 cards, whichever you prefer and you will have tons of leftover paper and embellishments for more projects.

The new card club will be similar to the scrapbooking club with rotating hostesses. Members will receive a FREE stamp of the month AND $20 in select FREE product every 2-3 months. You can join the club at any time and there's no contract or obligation.

Plus, you'll also have access to members only specials like 22% off all pattern books, 10% off all ink pads, and 10% off blocks. You can even join if you live out of town with everything delivered directly to your door. Email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com if you'd like more information. We welcome new members every month. Close to My Heart clubs definitely make cardmaking faster, simpler, and easier!

Twitterpated card kit

August Scrapbooking Club

2009-08-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

The scrapbooking club met this past Wednesday at my home in Ogden. We ordered materials for the new Twitterpated project shown above. Too cute! I just love the porcupine in the new stamp set.

The new kits will have more product for less money and a lot more flexibility.With the rotating hostesses, members receive a FREE stamp of the month AND $20 in select FREE product every 2-3 months. You can join the club at any time and there's no contract or obligation.

Email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com if you'd like more information. We welcome new members every month. Close to My Heart clubs definitely make scrapbooking faster, simpler, and easier!

Twitterpated scrapbooking kit

Delight in the Everyday

2009-08-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

To celebrate National Stamping Month in September we are giving you 3 ways to get a FREE Everyday Celebration card kit for making 16 beautiful cards!

• Purchase a minimum of $60 in stamp sets between August 18–September 30

• Host a Party (your home or mine) with minimum sales of $400 in September

• Sign up as a new Consultant in September

You can also buy as many card kits as you’d like for $39.95 per kit. And there’s more fun! Place any order between September 1–30 and you’ll be automatically entered in our daily drawing for a FREE card kit! Winners will be announced on my website. Express your passion for stamping with this pretty new card kit today!

Check out everything in the kit!

New Art & Soul Episode: Card Cache

2009-08-11T16:36:00.000-07:00

It’s amazing what you can do with a handful of products when you get creative. In this episode of Art & Soul, versatility is the key. We show you how to use the same B&T Duos® paper and achieve completely different looks. We highlight fun features of masculine cards and layouts, showcase innovative ways to use My Stickease®, as well as turn the spotlight on the multi-card workshops in the Wishes Card Confidence Program™. Finally, Jeanette Lynton shares a special themed album she made to capture some of the priceless memories she recorded on her blog: now that’s versatility!

Featured Technique: B&T Duos® Paper Versatility

AS1016 *My Acrylix® Buttoned Together*
This stamp set is specially discounted until September 30, 2009. Use item AS1016 to receive the discount.

Materials:
X7114B Bella Level 2 Paper Packet
Z2118 Desert Sand Exclusive Inks® Pad
Z2128 Hollyhock Exclusive Inks® Pad
Z2147 Smokey Plum Exclusive Inks® Pad
Z1162 Heartfelt Whimsy Die-Cuts
Z1131 Crème Brulee Designer Ribbon Rounds
Z280 Natural Hemp
Z679 Liquid Glass
Z1114 Piercing Tool Kit
Z1294 Sanding Kit
Z697 Sponge

Click here to see how to to make this beautiful card.

Spring Soccer 2009

2009-08-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

Although I’m trying to get caught up on my older photos from 2005 and 2006, I really wanted to scrapbook these pictures from Spring soccer. I used the Game On paper packet which was perfect for these pictures.

I love this picture of Susie in the bottom right hand corner. She looks like she’s flying with both of her feet off the ground. She loves playing soccer and loves scoring goals. Her record was 5 goals in one game.

This was John Paul’s first soccer tournament on the Port City Storm team. The team traveled to Charlotte, NC and placed second in their division.

I used one of the Level 1 pages from the Game On kit. I also used the Best Shot stamp set. One of the great things I love about CTMH’s acrylic stamps is that you’re able to change the shape of the stamp. Check out how I angled the phrase “take your best shot” around the curve of the paper. So cool.

It's a Thanks a Bration!

2009-08-04T04:08:00.000-07:00

You do so much for everyone else. Let Close to My Heart do something for you!

From August 3–17, place a minimum order of $100 and you not only get the August Stamp of the Month for FREE but we’ll also throw in a Level 2 paper packet as well (a total retail value of $39.90)!

How about even more thanks? We’ll also cover the tax and shipping/handling on the free products! That's an additional $6 that you won't have to pay. Now is the perfect time to order some of those items on your wish list!

Your free paper packet will be hand-selected for you by Close To My Heart from the popular and currently-available paper packets.

Act fast, time is already running out. This Thanks-a-bration only lasts until August 17!

Place your order online

Autumn/Winter New Consultant Kit

2009-08-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

I know you've all been waiting to see the new consultant kit and here it is! It has over $300 in new products from the Autumn/Winter Idea Book, plus everything you need to start your own business. All for only $99!!

When you sign up as a new consultant you can also purchase this fabulous scrapbooking bonus pack. It's only $60 - over 65% off! It features over $180 in fabulous scrapbooking supplies including:
* Brand new Twitterpated Paper Packets & Accessories
* 3 Brand new stamp sets to match the paper
* Acylix Block
* 2 ink pads
* tons of matching embellishments
* piercing tool kit

This scrapbooking bonus pack is a special offer only available to new consultants when you order your new consultant kit.

When you sign up as a new consultant you can also purchase this fabulous cardmaking bonus pack. It's only $50 -over 65% off! It features over $150 in fabulous scrapbooking supplies including:
* Wishes card pattern book
* Creative Basics Jingle Collection (perfect for your holiday cards)
* Brand new Grace Paper Packet
* 3 Brand new stamp sets to match the papers
* Acylix Block
* 3 ink pads

This cardmaking bonus pack is a special offer only available to new consultants when you order your new consultant kit.

E-mail me at cantonwines@yahoo.com or call me at 910-796-0395 if you'd like more information. You can sign up as a hobbyist, part-time or full time - whichever works best for you. At the least, you can receive your scrapbooking & stamping supplies at a discount or for FREE. You could also earn a couple hundred dollars extra spending money each month. If you're really ambitious, you could even earn a free cruise.

Order the CTMH new consultant kit

Congratulations!

2009-07-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Michelle for joining my team as a new consultant! Her New Consultant Kit has over $300 in fabulous CTMH product from the Summer Idea Book all for only $99. Plus she had the option of ordering 2 bonus kits at 65% off. She also received 5 bonus products valued at over $98 with the Fabulous Five promotion.

Email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com if you’re interested in joining my team. You’ll receive a great discount on all your CTMH stamping and scrapbooking supplies and you can earn some extra money too! It only takes a couple minutes to sign up on my website. I love what I do and you can too!

6x6 card class

2009-07-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

Featuring the Bella Paper Packet

Tuesday, September 1st at 10 am OR 7:00 pm
My home in Ogden

These kits have everything you need to make 12 gorgeous 6x6 cards. Plus, you'll have tons of paper and embellishments left over for more cards or other projects. I'll cut all the paper for you to make it even easier to make your cards.

If you can’t make it that day or live out of town, kits are available for purchase. Space is limited so prepay by August 19th to reserve your spot

Basic Kit: $25.61
X7114B Bella Level 2 Paper Packet $12.95
BULK130 50" Hollyhock Stitched Ribbon $0.72
Z1155 Clear Craft Buttons (50) $3.25
Z1300 Just Blooms White Daisy (37) $3.98
X278 6x6 Envelopes (12) $4.74

Better Kit = Basic Package + this product: $46.85
D1354 Endless Friendship $22.95

Best Kit = Better Package + this product: $65.80
C1350 Dainty Thoughts $18.95

Tools (will be provided for you to use at the class)
9033 Wishes Card Confidence Program $29.95
Z2128 Hollyhock Exclusive Inks™ Pad $5.25
Z2137 Olive Exclusive Inks™ Pad $5.25
Z2147 Smokey Plum Exclusive Inks™ Pad $5.25
Z2167 Crème Brule Exclusive Inks™ Pad $5.25

Email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com or call me at 910-796-0395 to sign up for this class today. It will be tons of fun and you'll walk away with 12 gorgeous cards!

Easter 2006 Layout

2009-07-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here’s another layout from Easter 2006. I used a preprinted page from the Paper Garden Level 1 Paper Packet and that made the layout much easier. For embellishments I used a few matching buttons, some twill ribbon, and some matching brads.

This page has one of my favorite pictures ever. Paul’s Dad (John Paul’s Grandpa) is teaching him to fix his tie for church. Precious!

Easter 2006 Layout

2009-07-18T04:58:00.000-07:00

When I look at these pictures now I can’t believe how fast the time flies. These pictures were when we still lived in Pittsburgh so it was cold and gloomy for Easter. I loved the Paper Garden paper for this layout since it really brightened up the pictures.

New Art & Soul Episode - Sensational Simplicity

2009-07-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

It’s been said there’s great beauty in simplicity, and it’s so true in artwork. In this episode of Art & Soul, you’ll learn how to create simple yet gorgeous layouts and cards using basic techniques and tools that everyone can enjoy! From designing handmade B&T papers, selecting the right adhesive, and choosing perfect color combinations to make your photos pop, your crafting hours will be simple and oh-so pleasurable! You’ll also discover what’s most important to Jeanette and drives her love of stamping and scrapbooking.

Art & Soul programs have detailed instructions on the website (in print and video) making it faster, simpler, and easier. Plus, you can also purchase items used in the project at 20% off.

Check out the latest episode of Art & Soul.

Spring 2006 in Pawley’s Island

2009-07-14T13:19:00.000-07:00

I’ve made it up to 2006 with my layouts! It feels so good to be catching up.

This is a page from the March club where we worked on pages with the Unforgettable paper packet. This was my favorite page of the 6 and it’s one of my favorite pictures of Susie at the beach. I just used paper and my stickease with the pattern from the Imagine pattern book.

Summer 2005

2009-07-13T05:20:00.001-07:00

Here’s another layout from our trip to Pawley’s Island. The kids loved playing on the beach and made some really great castles in the sand. I think Grandpa had fun too!

This was one of the layouts from the monthly club. It was from February 2009 when we finished 6 Emporium pages. I love having these pages already done. I just add the pictures and the journaling and I’m all set.

Summer 2005

2009-07-10T04:54:00.000-07:00

I’m making good progress on catching up on my albums. I’m on a mission to get caught up before the end of the year!

This page is from our visit to my Dad’s in the summer of 2005. I thought the blues in greens in the Emporium paper packet worked perfectly with these pictures. This picture of Susie on the Carousel is one of my favorites.

Bella Cards

2009-07-09T04:14:00.001-07:00

These are some of the cards I made with the new Wishes Book. They are actually part of a 12 card workshop class so they were really easy. You make 2 each of 6 different cards.

I love the Bella paper packet for these cards. I used some clear buttons for the center of the flowers and I used some matching hollyhock ribbon. So cute and so easy!

I don’t usually make 6x6 cards but I think they’re perfect for a special occasion. These are actually the cards that we’re going to make for an upcoming card class and the August club. I’ll post more info about the date, time, and prices in my August newsletter.

Wishes book

2009-07-08T06:12:00.001-07:00

Have you seen the new Wishes Card Confidence Program Book? It’s amazing! This is the newest card pattern book from Close to My Heart featuring circle cards, bulk cardmaking, and all new patterns. This hardbound, how-to cardmaking book is a must-have for your creative library.

The three bulk card "workshops" help you make 8, 12, or 16 cards in a jiffy while getting the most out of your papers and your time. I'm working on the 12 card workshop now and will post some pictures soon.

The beautiful full-color artwork and creative tips and techniques offer hours of inspiration and fresh ideas. I just got my new book this past week and I can’t put it down. Look for some upcoming card classes featuring the card templates in this fabulous new book.

My Favorite Five

2009-07-01T04:54:00.000-07:00

My Favorite Five Makes Signing Up as a new consultant Sweeter than Ever. When you sign up between July 1–31 you will receive your choice of five products for FREE from the My Favorite Five product list, with no additional shipping/handling or tax!

Choose your “favorite five” from this list of products:
My Acrylix® Thank You Stamp Set (retail value $22.95)
Magic Moments Scrapbook Kit (retail value $34.95)
Basic Textured Cardstock Combo Pack (retail value $14.95)
Life Delights Memory Showcase (retail value $12.95)
My Originals® Hello Birdie Card Kit (retail value $12.95)
Creative Basics™ Silhouette Collection (retail value $8.95)
HeartFelt™ Whimsy Die-Cuts (retail value $9.95)
All-Out Adventure Rub-Ons (retail value $9.95)
Window Charms™ Squares (retail value $9.95)

There is a limit of one item each from the My Favorite Five list, up to five items total, while supplies last. Standard shipping/handling and tax will be charged on the New Consultant Kit but NOT on the My Favorite Five products selected.

When you sign up, you'll receive my generous discount as well as unlimited earning potential. You can be a hobbyist, work part time, or full time. Being a consultant is totally flexible and works around your personal schedule.

You can sign up on my website in a matter of minutes.

I love what I do and you can too!

BIG Great Goodies Box today!

2009-06-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

Great news! Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for!!! It’s the BIG ONE! For only $125 you get approximately $300 worth of popular CTMH product! You’ll also receive discounted shipping of only $10!

If you were to pay retail for this goody box it would cost $345.71 with tax and shipping so that’s a savings of $201.60 which is 60% off!!!

These goody boxes have been amazing so I can’t wait to see what’s in this one! Every goody box is filled with fabulous CTMH products including stamp sets, paper packets, embellishments, and other great products.

I think this box will sell out before the end of the day so don't miss your chance to order this great goody box!

A Sparkling Summer

2009-06-29T17:28:00.001-07:00

If you haven’t had the chance to check out the latest Art & Soul episode, take a few minutes to watch it. There are some really cool new techniques and Jeanette has some interesting comparisons of her older scrapbook pages and new ones.

Add a splash of ink, a dash of glitter, and a touch of creativity and you’ve got all the makings for a sparkling summer! In this episode of Art & Soul you’ll learn a faux tearing technique, tips to adding white details that pop, and glitter ideas that will make your pages gleam. You’ll even get a chance to take a walk down memory lane with Jeanette and compare her scrapbooking pages from “then” and “now.”

Plus, you can purchase the items featured in Art & Soul at 20% off!

Great Goodies Box Today!

2009-06-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

There are only 2 goody boxes left for June and today is one of them. What a deal!! For just $25 you get approximately $50 in fabulous CTMH product. Plus, there's discounted shipping of only $6. Check out my other blog posts to see how great these goody boxes are.

Congratulations!!!

2009-06-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Cris for joining my team as a new consultant. Her new consultant kit has over $300 in Close to My Heart product all for only $99. Plus, she had the option of purchasing 2 additional bonus kits at 65% off.

Email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com if you're interested in joining my team. You'll receive a great discount on all your CTMH stamping and scrapbooking supplies and you can earn some extra money too. It only takes a couple minutes to sign up on my website. I love what I do and you can too!

3 great things I love about these Goody Boxes.

2009-06-23T06:35:00.000-07:00

1. They are of greater value than I expected. This last one was supposed to have $220 in product and it was actually over $284. What a deal for only $100. That's over 65% off!!! The other 2 boxes had more than they advertised also. It's always such a nice surprise to get more value for your money!

2. Everything seems to match. It's not like they're just throwing things into boxes but they're really thoughtful about the collections. The ribbons all match the paper packets or kits and the stamp sets are ones that you could use with the papers. It's like they almost have multiple "themes". This is some of the product from the second goody box and you can see that the papers, stickease, ribbon, brads, and ribbon slides all match.

3. The products are top notch - not the leftovers. I love the Magic Moments kit I got in the first one and the More to Adore Paper Packet that I got in the third one is one of my favorites. And the stamp sets are gorgeous. Few of the items are repeats and if they are, they’re products that I use over and over again like ribbon.

There are 2 more goody boxes on the way! Don't forget to check my website daily for the other Deals of the Day!

2009-06-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

Goody Box #3!!!!

Goody Box #3 was only $100 and $8 in shipping. I was SO excited to see this on my doorstep a day early. I couldn’t wait to rip into it! Here is everything that I got:

Stamp sets: $92.75
B1193 Classic Numbers $13.95
B1174 Flower Fairies $13.95
C1037 The Best Way $18.95
D1148 Grill it Up $22.95
D1138 Paradise $22.95

Embellishments: $81.80
Z1305 Designer Ribbon Rounds Holiday Collection - $9.95
Z812 Designer Ribbon Rounds Hollyhock Collection - $9.95
CON 066 Bulk Black Floral Grosgrain Ribbon (12 yards) - $12.95
CON 045 Bulk Outdoor Denim Grosgrain Ribbon (12 yards) - $12.95
Z290 My Accents Tube Autumn Terracotta (love these!) - $12.95
Z140 Star Spangled Blue Eyelets (Jar of 100) -$3.95
Z1043 Bookplates Dimensional Elements - $4.95
Z1300 Just Blooms Paper Flowers $7.95
W614 Rhinestone Flowers .95
Z2156 Vanilla Cream Ink Pad $5.25

Album $26.45
1077 6x6 Hunter Green Album (perfect for my upcoming technique Tuesdays)- $22.95
4109 6x6 Matte Album Page Protectors - $3.50

Card Kits $12.95
Whimsical Holiday Card Kit $12.95

Paper Packets: $70.70
Just Chillin' Level 1 - $10.95
Laid Back Level 2 (this is perfect for summertime!) - $12.95
Key to my Heart Level 2 - $12.95
School Zone Level 2 - $12.95
CON 040 More to Adore Layout Bulk (love this paper!) $10.95
X5719 Black Base Pages $9.95

Grand Total Retail Value: $284.65!
Shipping at 7.95%: $22.63
Tax at my 6.75% rate: $20.74
Total I would have to spend to get it at retail: $328.02

What I spent: $100
Total with tax and shipping: $115.29

HOW MUCH I SAVED WITH DEAL A DAY: $212.73!!!

There are 2 more goody boxes before the end of the month so I’ll keep everyone posted!

Sheila’s Mystery Goodies Box #2

2009-06-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just LOVE these Mystery Goodie Boxes from Close to my Heart! They are packed with wonderful CTMH products that are worth EVEN MORE than they say! Check out what I got in my latest Goody Box!

Sheila’s Mystery Goodies Box #2

- Life Delights Mini Album Kit (9x9 chipboard album with paper, stickease, ribbon and accessories to make a beautiful gift album) Retail Value $12.95 (just reduced from $17.95)
- Dimensional Elements Numbers: Retail Value $4.95
- Heartfelt Ribbon Collection: $9.95 (4 feet of ribbon on each of the 5 spools)
- Booking Set with 1x1 Block: Retail Value $15
- Clear Inspirations Ribbon Slides Precious: Retail Value $3.95
- Clear Inspirations Ribbon Slides Thank you: Retail Value $3.95
- D Size Stamp Set (Because of You): $22.95
- Jar of Chocolate and Bamboo Brads (both regular and bigger size): Retail Value $4.50
- Abundance Level 2 Paper Pack: $12.95
- Abundance My Stickease: 8.95

Retail Value: $100.10
Shipping at 7.95%: $7.96
Tax (mine is 6.75%): $7.30
Grand Total to purchase these separately: $115.36

What I Paid: $40.00
Shipping: $6.00
Tax: $3.11
Grand Total: $49.11
Total Savings: $66.25!

Don’t worry if you missed out on Mystery Goodie Box #1 or Mystery Goodie Box #2, you still have the opportunity to get one or more of the 2 remaining Mystery Goodie Boxes!

I'm SO impressed with the broad selection of items in these boxes - each box so far has been filled with a project, accessories, papers, stamps and even some tools in this one! Close to my Heart has made each one a terrific value with something for everyone! I can't wait to do a GRAND TOTAL OF SAVINGS at the end of this promotion to see how much I saved by getting these goodie boxes!

Goody Box Number 1 arrived today!

2009-06-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! My first CTMH Mystery Goodie Box arrived today! This is the $60 Great Goodies box that sold out on June 6th. This is what I got in my box BUT every box is different!

Two people ordering on the same day aren't going to get the same box which makes ordering these and swapping with friends even more fun!

Here’s what I got:Magic Moments Scrapbook Kit - a whole year of Level 1 layouts with stickease, ribbon, brads and page protectors – originally $49.95

Consultant Twilight Ribbon with Colonial White & Cocoa Squares 12 yards - $12.95
My Accents in Cranberry: $12.95
B Size Birthday Scripts Stamp Set: $13.95

C Size Fluttering Frames Stamp Set: $18.95

D Size Floral Elements Stamp Set: $22.95

Clear Shapes Variety Pack: $1.95

Total Retail Price: $133.65
Adding in tax and shipping to buy all this: $154.01
What I Paid with Reduced shipping and Tax: $72.59
Total Savings: $81.42

$40 Great Goodies box today only!

2009-06-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

The website special for today is a Great Goodies Box! What a deal! For just $40 you get $80 worth of CTMH stamping & scrapbooking supplies. You also get discounted shipping of just $6. Contents will vary by box and include current and retired favorite stamp sets, paper packets, embellishments, and other great products. The contents are a surprise! The last Great Goodies box sold out in a matter of hours so don't miss out on the great savings!
Order the Great Goodies Box

Father's Day & Thank You Cards

2009-06-10T07:45:00.001-07:00

These are some cute cards I made had as a Make & Take for Crop a Doodle Do this past weekend. I used the Tinkerin’ Paper Packet and the Just Like You stamp set. I also offered some Thank you Cards with the Thank You stamp set.

We used some liquid glass and some prisma glitter to add the dots on the Father’s day card. If you’ve never used liquid glass you should try it. It makes anything dry as a clear acrylic and it dries in under an hour. It’s also the strongest adhesive I’ve ever used. For the Thank you card I used it in the middle of the flowers but it’s hard to see in this picture. I just love, love, love using liquid glass.

FREE Pattern Book

2009-05-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

In addition to the Deal of the Day, I'm also having another special. I'm giving away a FREE pattern book to one lucky website customer. Place a website order for the Deal of the Day during the month of June and you name will automatically be entered to win one of 5 different pattern books; Imagine, Cherish, Wishes, Reflections, or Card Confidence.

Place multiple orders on my website to enter your name multiple times and you might be the lucky winner.

Check out the 5 pattern books

CTMH Deal a Day in June!

2009-05-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

I just heard about the June CTMH special and it’s a doozey!

Love a great deal? How about 30 great deals? During the month of June you’ll find a different deal each day on my website cantonwine.myctmh.com. Watch for popular products offered FREE with a stamp set purchase and all-the-rage goodie boxed filled with fabulous items priced well below retail. Irresistible shipping discounts are also included!

Remember, each special is good only for that day, only while supplies last and only on my website cantonwine.myctmh.com. Visit often and save!

Deals are available for 23 hours beginning on the day announced and while supplies last. New deals are posted at 11am each day of June.

I’ll send more reminders in June so you can make sure you get in on some of the great deals!

First Day of Kindergarten

2009-05-20T03:20:00.000-07:00

Here’s a layout I just finished from John Paul’s first day of kindergarten. He looks so little. I used some white daisy ribbon on the second page and decided to spruce it up with some stamping. I also used the clear buttons to make some custom buttons on the first page. This is the new Animal Cookies Creative Basics paper packet and I just love the primary colors.

For those of you going to the chocolate crop, this is going to be the layout contest. I’ll provide all the papers, embellishments, and pattern and you get to create your own pages. The winner receives a FREE Tickled Pink kit. I can’t wait to see everyone’s layouts!

I’m caught up to September 2005 now – almost on my way to 2006!

Tinkerin' Cards

2009-05-17T06:47:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun making these cards!

It's a super easy pattern to follow and the cards are actually all the same design but the different papers and embellishments make them all look different.

It's hard to tell from the pictures but I use the Tinkerin' Buttons so those added great dimension to these cards.

I'm offering this as a class in June so check out my website and email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com if you'd like to sign up for the class or order the kit.

Congratulations!

2009-05-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Kathleen, Nancy, and Ashley for joining my team as new consultants! Their New Consultant Kit has over $300 in fabulous CTMH products from the Summer Idea Book all for only $99. Plus, they each received the Tickled Pink kit for FREE just for signing up.

Email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com if you’re interested in joining my team. You’ll receive a great discount on all your CTMH stamping and scrapbooking supplies and you can earn some extra money too! It only takes a couple minutes to sign up on my website. I love what I do and you can too!

Great Father's Day gift idea!

2009-05-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

New Art & Soul FREE Online class - Mementos for the Man in Your Life
Get ready to celebrate the special man in your life by creating a fast, fun, and manly gift to help him remember just how much he’s loved and appreciated. I love this adorable little wallet - it's perfect for a Father's Day gift! In this new Art & Soul class you’ll learn fabulous techniques like generation and rock ‘n’ roll stamping, using a corner rounder to create fun and unique shapes, working macho magic with a pivot point stapler, and much more.

Remember, Art & Soul programs have detailed instructions on the website (in print and video) making it faster, simpler, and easier. Plus, you can also purchase items used in the project at 20% off.

Check out the latest Art & Soul

Soccer card

2009-05-06T17:12:00.000-07:00

Take your best shot!

I loved making this card. I used some white daisy ink on black cardstock for the goal and “soccer” and I even stamped on the black ribbon. I made this card for a friend who needed a thank you card for her daughter’s soccer coaches but I had so much fun that I made some more for my kids’ soccer coaches too!

This card features the Close to My Heart “Best Shot” stamp set D1278.

National Scrapbooking Month contests!

2009-05-06T16:26:00.000-07:00

National Scrapbooking Month is all about you!

Close to My Heart wants you to share your story so put together your best two-page layout featuring…you! Send a JPEG photo of your layout and a description of how it is highlighting you, your life, your passions, your hobbies—whatever is the best way to tell your story.

Send your photo and description to scrapbookandshare@closetomyheart.com and you will be automatically entered into the contest to win $150 in Close To My Heart product! Who doesn’t love FREE product and I know you ladies have some FABULOUS layouts out there. I’ve seen so many fabulous pages at the crops so take a chance and enter your layout to win.

Check out all the entries at http://www.scrapbookandshare.com/

Treat Basket

2009-05-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

I made a few of these treat baskets for the upcoming chocolate crop. They're so cute and so easy to make. Throw a couple chocolate kisses inside and you have the cutest little gift. I used the Unforgettable Paper Packet but you can use any paper you like.

These are really small so I used a 6x6 piece of cardstock. Here's the instructions:

Supplies Needed:

1 piece of cardstock

1 piece coordinating B&T (Background & Texture Paper)

18"matching ribbon

Directions:

Step 1: Cut a 6x6 piece of cardstock. Score Cardstock at 2”and 4” inches, rotate paper 90 degrees and score again at 2” and 4” inches ( this creates a grid on your paper. All scores should fold inward

Step 2: Score and fold corners at 45 degrees to create triangles. Fold inwards.

Step 3: Cut B & T into 9 squares 1 ¾ x 1 ¾ inches each. 4 of these squares are cut diagonally in half. Glue to fit in triangle areas on scored cardstock. The next 4 squares fit on the scored squares of cardstock. The last square is glued to the "bottom" of the basket

Step 4: Use hole punch to punch one hole at each corner. Pull corners together and secure with ribbon.

Email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

Summer 2009 Idea Book is all new!

2009-05-01T04:26:00.000-07:00

The Idea Book is all new for Summer 2009! Wait ‘til you see all the exciting new products. Some of my favorites include:
** Animal Cookies paper packet & embellishments – pg 24-27
** Bella paper packet & embellishments – pg 32-35
** Botanical Borders stamp set – pg 34
** Ocean treasures stamp set – pg 63
** Makin’ waves stamp set – pg 63
** Fringed phrases – pg 78
** Clear buttons – pg 92

You can view the new Idea Book online. I can also mail you a copy, right to your door, for $5. Just email me at cantonwines@yahoo.com and I’ll drop one in the mail for you today!

What’s your favorite paper packet from the new Summer Idea Book? Back Country? Moon Doggie? Animal Cookies? Tinkerin’? Bella? Submit your entry anytime in May on my blog.

While you're voting, sign up to be one of my blog followers. At the end of May, I'll draw a name and the lucky person will win their favorite new paper packet.

Animal Cookies

2009-04-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

I just love this new Animal Cookies paper packet. I love the bright colors and I thought it was perfect for the kids first trip to an amusement park. For embellishments, I just used some white daisy ricrac ribbon and some clear buttons. These bottons are great because you can put any paper underneath them, basically making them custom buttons. I love that they come in all different sizes too. So much fun!

My Favorite Tickled Pink Card

2009-04-29T03:18:00.000-07:00

This was my favorite card. First of all, I just love, love, love this quote from Helen Keller. I am so thrilled that I now have a stamp for it now that I have the Tickled Pink kit.

I also had fun with this new twist on the flower. I a lot of paper left over that I just cut this flower from leftover paper and put one of the cute flower brads in the middle. So simple and so cute!

Tickled Pink Cards

2009-04-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

I had so much paper and so many embellishments left over from the Tickled Pink kit so I decided to make some cards. I loved the way they turned out and you can never have enough cards. I love bundling a bunch of them with a ribbon for a small gift. My kids’ teachers love it when I give them handmade cards and I love being able to use my scraps.

I got the patters for all these cards from the new Originals book so I was able to make these cards in about an hour. I love being able to use my scraps.

Tickled Pink Second Layout

2009-04-24T08:55:00.000-07:00

These are the next 2 pages of the tickled pink kit. There was a lot of white cardstock so I decided to random stamp “so happy” on the left page and flowers on the right page. I love being able to make my own scrapbook paper with random stamping. I need to finish the journaling for all 4 pages and I’ll be all set! I just love this paper packet. For more about the Tickled Pink promotion check out my website cantonwine.myctmh.com.

Tickled Pink

2009-04-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

Check out this gorgeous layout with the new CTMH Tickled Pink kit! I just love the colors in the pages and I love that the kit came with everything I needed. These are the first 2 pages and I'm working on the next 2. I have a ton of leftovers so I think I'll turn those into some cute cards. You can never have enough cute cards.

I am so proud that these are actually recent pictures. In fact, they were from 2 weeks ago. That must be a record for me!

My goal for 2009 is to get totally caught up on my albums so this is a great start! These are pictures from Easter this year so I'm starting with the most recent and working my way back. I think it's so much easier that way since all the memories are still so fresh.

I just loved making all these fun flowers. The flowers, petals, and stems were all die cuts that I punched out so I only had to stamp and layer them. I used a pop dot to give it some extra dimension. So simple and so much fun! I also loved using all the embellishments that came with the kit. I love the little buckle shown here.

Welcome

2009-04-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! I'm so excited to have my own space to share all my scrapbooking and stamping layouts!

Sheila's Scrappin' & Stampin' Blog

Madrid, Spain!

Switzerland!

More vehicles

Notre Dame

Louvre Museum

Dinner Cruise on the Seine

Orsay Museum

Vehicles in Paris!

Shopping in Paris

Eiffel Tower

Arc de Triomphe

Paris!

Charlotte

Holiday Card Class

** FREE gift **

Skirt cards

August Card Cub

August Scrapbooking Club

Delight in the Everyday

New Art & Soul Episode: Card Cache

Spring Soccer 2009

It's a Thanks a Bration!

Autumn/Winter New Consultant Kit

Congratulations!

6x6 card class

Easter 2006 Layout

Easter 2006 Layout

New Art & Soul Episode - Sensational Simplicity

Spring 2006 in Pawley’s Island

Summer 2005

Summer 2005

Bella Cards

Wishes book

My Favorite Five

BIG Great Goodies Box today!

A Sparkling Summer

Great Goodies Box Today!

Congratulations!!!

3 great things I love about these Goody Boxes.

Sheila’s Mystery Goodies Box #2

Goody Box Number 1 arrived today!

$40 Great Goodies box today only!

Father's Day & Thank You Cards

FREE Pattern Book

CTMH Deal a Day in June!

First Day of Kindergarten

Tinkerin' Cards

Congratulations!

Great Father's Day gift idea!

Soccer card

National Scrapbooking Month contests!

Treat Basket

Summer 2009 Idea Book is all new!

Animal Cookies

My Favorite Tickled Pink Card

Tickled Pink Cards

Tickled Pink Second Layout

Tickled Pink

Welcome

FREE gift