Well it's September and that means back to school.  In honor of  Marching Band and Football season, I took the new magnetic chalkboard by Close To My Heart and "sent it to college".  I live in Ohio and that means Ohio State is part of everyone's life.

(Pay no attention to my freehand football ;) it goes to show my chalk abilities.) It is chalk so it erases and becomes whatever message you choose.  Maybe you want a tailgating menu, daily reminder...  The other cool feature is magnetic.  The 3 OSU squares and 3 buckeye O's are magnets.  You can hold your tickets, picnic napkins, fight songs...  the frame can either be vertical, as shown, or turned horizontal.  Here's what I used:
Close To My Heart:  Designed Decor Red Magnetic Chalkboard Z2006
                                  Slate Diagonal Stripped Ribbon  Z1989
                                  Base and Bling Square Glass Covers  Z1967
                                  Base and Bling Circle Covers  Z1966
                                  Color Ready Canvas Alphabet Z1777 (retired)
                                  ShinHan Touch Twin Marker  Z2447  (Bronze)
                                  Liquid Glass  Z679
                                 White Daisy Cardstock  1385
                                  White Daisy Exclusive Ink Z2143
non-CTMH items used:  Square1 vinyl alternative, various buttons, and chalk
Hope you have a great fall!

Brand new Annual Inspirations has arrived!

Here is the cover of the newest catalog from Close To My Heart! So many fun new things inside! The catalog has been redesigned for easier use and will last for a whole year.  In super quick summary, there are 5 new colors (Pixie,Canary, Flaxen, Glacier, and Thistle), 85 new stamp sets, 9 new paper packs, 4 new Picture My Life packs, 1 new Cricut cartridge (Artfully Sent--is a card making cartridge with over 400 ideas.  It's due out around the first of Sept.); then there's some new tools, treat bag kits.....I could go on and on. 

I am still waiting for some of my new things to arrive.  I did however, make this little mini card gift set.

These are 3x3 mini gift cards.  There are 8 cards with matching envelopes and a muslin gift bag to hold them.

The products I used for this are:
Brushed Paper Pack, Wanderful paper pack, Your Own Kind of Wonderful Stamp set, Black paper, Crystal Blue, Cotton Candy, Buttercup (which I realized afterwards is retired), Pear, and Black exclusive inks.  You can see all of these products at sralmark.ctmh.com

Cricut® Artfully Sent

Summer Hip Pic Album

I don't think I ever put the completed album.  Anyway, this is from the CTMH Rediscover event.  It uses a Hip Pics Album, Best Day Ever Assortment, Flamingo Dots, and Gold washi tape.  Super cute, super easy. Can be made for any event.  The pockets hold 4x6 pictures.  (could use smaller pictures if you put pictures on top of journaling or embellishments as in the pictured album

Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone had a nice, extended weekend.  We did some projects around the house since everyone was home.  The biggest...a studio; as in music studio.  We have been building a studio in our basement.  Like most projects, it has been pushed aside as other priorities took over. My older son is a Music-Business-Guitar major.  He is all things music.  He has some recording projects on his own, but also group projects.  My husband plays drums and my younger son plays bass.  Then our friend DR, plays lots of things.  They all form combinations of various bands/groups.  I am pleased to announce that the studio (building) is finally done.  Lights are up, guitars are hung, amps are plugged in! Eventually, Steph is going to put some Star Trek murals on the walls.  (All the guys are trekkies, lol)

That's what's been happening here.  That and graduations.  Older son graduated from college last week, and younger son graduates from high school next weekend.  Oh, the places they'll go!
Enjoy your day!

Wishing all the moms a very Happy Mother's Day! Hope the day is spent with family and enjoyable.  Love, Kelley

Greetings all! My apologies for being slow to post.  Both of my boys graduate this year.  One from college and the other from high school.  There are so many activities that go along with seniors.  That being said, I did get enjoy a nice day at a recent Rediscover CTMH event.  At the event we made 2 hands on projects; a cute Hip Pics album for summer and a new Base and Bling necklace.  Both are so cute and fun, and easy to do for any group.

Here are a couple pictures from my album.  I think it's a cute album with lots of possibilities. Small enough to fit into a purse or briefcase.  Fully customizable to suit your pictures, but easy enough to have a cute gift in no time.

And this is my necklace.  This one uses the silver square pendant and cover, Storyteller Style Sheet, and a Free Thinker charm.  (the green charm is my own).  The thing about these is they are very easy to make, affordable, and customizable.
    That's really one of the great things about CTMH, it's so easy to tailor a project for you, for a gift...It allows YOU to shine through.
     Happy Friday! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

So...it's a pretty crummy day here.  Grey, raining, muddy.  Great crafting day.  I just recently received my brand new Cricut Explore! I really like the way it cuts! I have only made one project, but still.  This is a 3d guitar.  My son has his senior recital coming up in just a couple weeks.  I want to put this on the table at the reception.

Not too bad for my 1st attempt.  There were some "user errors" during assembly and distressing.  I think with a little tweeking, it will be a pretty cool piece.  I used CTMH create a shade on the face and added in chocolate reinker. 
I hope you are enjoying your weekend, wherever you are.  <3 Kelley