Changing it up!

We keep hearing that times are tough, and we need to make every dollar count. How would you like to get double your money on a scrapbooking kit? I challenged myself to re-make each of the Kits of the Month using the same patterns but different papers and want to share the results with you!

I started with this month's Kit of the Month, Bella. (See details on how to order the Kit of the Month by clicking on "Bella Kit of the Month" on June 14 on my calendar.)

The first picture in each set of two photos is the Bella kit of the month; the second set of photos is the same page patterns using the Key To My Heart papers.

These are the same pages with the Key To My Heart papers! (The cute little children in the photos are my brother and me.)

The second set of pages:

Bella:

Key To My Heart - This one needs titles and journaling, but you get the idea:


And the third set of pages with Bella:


And Key To My Heart:


This page shows the opened Flip Flap page. These are new in the Summer 2009 CTMH and is one of the best new products I have seen!


I love that I can use exactly the same pattern with different papers and get an entirely new look! Watch for another set of layouts later in the month.

Thought for the Day - May 27

I love to collect quotes! At work, I receive a daily e-mail that includes a quote. Sometimes they are "keepers" and sometimes not. When one really strikes me, I copy it into a document that I save on my personal drive. I thought it would be fun to share some of the quotes I like best!

"Never stop being creative. The more you practice, the more creative you become. Creativity spells success."

-- Alden James

Happy creating!

Graduation cards

It's the time of year for graduations, so I made some cards to have on hand. This one is quick and easy, the pattern taken from the newest card how-to book from CTMH, "Wishes." The pattern is called "Sunrise." I used bamboo and black cardstock as well as the Silhouette paper pack. The stamp set is from the Summer Idea Book.

Back Country Level 1 Card Workshop

The Level 1 kits from CTMH are great for scrapbooking, but not everybody scrapbooks. I made more than 16 cards from the Back Country Level 1 kit and am offering it as a workshop! These cards are so easy to make and cost less than $1 per card. Details on signing up for the workshop are available on my website: www.lorimiller.myctmh.com.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was a relaxed, fun day. We talked about going out to eat -- why should my mom and I cook on "our" day? -- but it is so expensive for a family to eat out at a nicer restaurant that we decided to buy bacon-wrapped fillets and have the guys do the grilling. It was a perfect day for it -- a little on the cool side but really pleasant.


This is my mama and me. I gave her the Display Album pictured in a previous post featuring pictures of her six grandchildren. My three are the oldest, then my brother has three precious boys ages 12, 7, and 4.


A three-generation picture: my mom, my beautiful daughter Kristin, and me. My son Michael took this picture of us on my front porch.



Aren't these guys handsome? I can hardly believe that Mark and I are the parents of such grown-up children! These are the men in my life: my son Jared (age 15), my sweet husband Mark (married 24 years in September), and my oldest son Michael (age 18).



Jared is my chef-to-be. He cooks a lot and very well!








One of my favorite pictures of two of my favorite people! Kristin adores her grandpa Earl, my stepdad. He is a character and loves to give everyone a hard time. Kristin gives it right back! They went on a missions trip to NYC together several years ago and have had a really close bond ever since.

B Happy 6" x 6" Card

I love CTMH's Alpha Solos! I remember how excited I was when they debuted and still love to use them whenever I can. A few months ago, my unit featured the Solos in a board swap. We each selected a letter and used the "Unforgettable" paper packet.

My card was a 6" x 6" card, one of my favorite sizes to make! I was happy to be able to incorporate a Pretty Pin into the design -- love those little things! The design is from "Originals."

My Creations Display Album - Mother's Day gift

I wanted to make something special for my mom for Mother's Day. She is so proud of her grandkids, so I knew she would enjoy something that would display photos of all six of them.

The CTMH Display Album is one of my favorite new items, so I decided to make a loving photo display for her to have on her desk at work. It was so simple to do, using thew new Bella Level 1 page kit. I simply cut the pre-made layouts into 6" x 6" pieces and decorated as desired. Enjoy some of the pictures of the finished product.

PS. She loved it!

Welcome to my blog!

I decided to take the plunge and joined the wonderful world of blogging! I hope to share creative ideas using Close To My Heart products. Please let me hear from you!