PLANNING AHEAD

Christmas is just 2 weeks away and then New Years is right upon us!  I haven't even started making Christmas cards yet!

I did, however, order what I believe will be the most incredible planner I've ever owned.

For me my planner/calendar is more than just a place to write appointments and schedule things. They've been my lifeline, especially when both of my children were in school. But it's not just the appointments and outings that are part of the planning.  I like to hang onto keepsakes commemorating the days, I like to note what I've thought, or special things that have happened.  Little notes fall out of my planners, or my thoughts are scribbled in the margins of the pages.  So no planner or calendar has been thrown out after the year passes. For years I've done this.

While scrapbooking is my ideal paper craft, I am an all-over the place scrapbooker. Because I didn't start scrapbooking until my kids were older, there are TONS of pictures and school-related items yet to be scrapbooked.  But I haven't started from the birth of my children and moved forward with my projects.  I'll dig through things and work on what hits me at the moment, what moves me, what calls to me.

So this is where those old calendars and planners come in handy! I can reference them for details that I would never have remembered!

And so... the new planner I ordered is from CTMH (of course!) and it is a dream. Not only does it hold a calendar and planner, but I can add scrapbook pages, and even pocket pages to hold memorabilia and those keepsakes I've always tucked into my books.  So the planner is a living real-time scrapbook!!

If you need the most ideal planner ever, head on over to my page at shirleyventresca.ctmh.com and order yours.  The New Year is just a few weeks away!

In the meantime... I'll hopefully be starting on my Christmas cards this weekend! (That's the plan, anyway!)

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!!

WHOA - WHERE DID THE TIME GO???

I have been so busy lately I didn't realize I hadn't posted to the blog in quite some time!

Glad I checked in, though, because I have to share an incredible deal from Close to My Heart that is almost about to go away:

ONLY 7 DAYS TO GET THIS AMAZING DEAL!!

Purchase the My Legacy album bundle by Nov. 30th and you'll get:

-A My Legacy album of your choice (D-ring or Post-bound)

-Paper Fundamentals Enchantment pack

-Fundamental Stickers Enchantment Pack

-Fundamental Assortment Pack in Peacock

-White Daisy Cardstock (3 sheets)

-Memory Protectors™ Value Pack (Side or Top Load)

It's an incredible deal for $71.80 - saving you so much!!

You can get this bundle at shirleyventresca.ctmh.com or contact me!

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!!

Autumn Colors

Autumn is one beautiful season!  The colors are spectacular and decorating in a fall theme is so much fun.  I've slowly started putting up decorations here and there - a fall ribbon attached to Indian corn decorates my aubergine colored rocking chair on my porch.

This is my new Life is Beautiful framed wreath I made with CTMH's Sangria papers and Cricut Artistry cartridge. I like to thrift shop and find frames to display my artwork - this silver & gold toned frame suited my Sangria fall wreath perfectly!

The Sangria paper pack has colors of eggplant, pomegranate, poppy, champagne, cocoa, and desert sand.

Purple and it's many shades are my favorite colors, and I'm in love with these papers!

Please share your fall creations on my blog!  I'd love to see what you make and I'd love to hear what your favortie autumnal color is!

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!!

FUN WITH STATE STAMPS!!

As a part of the preview of new items in the new Annual Inspirations Idea Book, I showed you the Ohio state stamp in one of my August posts.

Very trendy right now are signs made with state silhouettes, especially ones that say "Home" where the "O" is a silhouette of the state.

Here are some of my own 5x7 pieces of artwork featuring my Home of Ohio:

These were simple and fun to make!

The stamp sets are available in all United States and all Canadian provinces and territories. You can see the actual stamp on my Online Business Address at shirleyventresca.ctmh.com.

Order one (or more!) for yourself and share your artwork!

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

EXTENDED

I've extended my Facebook Party order date to Sept. 7th!   Anyone wishing to place an order can do so by going to shirleyventresca.ctmh.com and joining the Facebook Party New Idea Book gathering.

HAPPY NATIONAL STAMPING MONTH!

September is National Stamping Month!  I know I am going to do my best to spend a lot of time celebrating this!

I can't wait to use CTMH's September Stamp of the Month - PAPER GARDEN.  It's a beautiful flower stamp that makes incredible silhouettes and can be used to make awesome layered flowers. I've seen many examples of other stampers work with this stamp and this weekend - thankfully a long one! - I'll be adding my own art to these!  Stay tuned to see!

In celebration of National Stamping Month, CTMH has a great campaign called HELLO LIFE! with 3 special stamp sets available for this month only! Each stamp set is designed to fit with a specific type of papercrafting - traditional scrapbooking, cardmaking, or pocket scrapbooking.  Best of all, the stamp sets coordinate with each other!

How will you be celebrating National Stamping Month?  I'd love to see what you do!!

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

FACEBOOK PARTY!!

Monday, August 31 7:00 PM

https://www.facebook.com/shirleyventresca.CTMH

NEVERMORE

Not only will there be a new CTMH Annual Idea Book coming out Sept. 1st, but there will also be a Holiday Expressions book with special items available for a limited time. One of these is NEVERMORE, a Halloween paper pack. Here's a peek at the papers... and if you join the FB party you'll get to see another cool item from the Holiday Expressions book that I used along with the Nevermore papers. HINT: Think STEAMPUNK!!

LOVE MY STATE!

Even if stamping isn't your prime craft you have to love these new state stamps!! Of course, Ohio is the heart of it all! But CTMH has all 50 states, plus all the Canadian provinces - and they're only $2.95!. You know you want one... but which state has your heart???

FUN FACT

Fun fact: CTMH My Reflections papers all come with a bonus strip that you can use in layouts or on cards! Here's a pic of the 3 bonus strips from the new Zoe papers. How would you use these bonus strips?

FACEBOOK PARTY!!!

Hi everyone!

I am holding a FACEBOOK party on Monday, Aug. 31 starting at 7;00 PM. What does this mean?  It means you don't have to leave your house, can attend in your pajamas if you like, and can still get a look at some of the NEW products Close To My Heart has available starting Sept. 1st!!

If you haven't been invited to this spectacular event, friend me on FB and I will send you an invite!

I'll be posting pics, comments, and maybe even some videos of some of the new products.  You'll also have chances to win PRIZES if you visit during the time the Facebook party is live!

(You'll always have the chance to go back and look at posts after the party is over, and of course, you can always place orders at my Close To My Heart page - shirleyventresca.ctmh.com!

You can order items from the CURRENT Idea Book now through Aug. 31st - just join my Facebook Party: Current Idea Book party on my website.

Once you've seen the new items you will be able to order products starting Sept. 1 by joining my Facebook Party: New Idea Book on my website.  Orders will be taken for this party through Fri., Sept. 4 - AND one special guest will be randomly chosen to be the HOSTESS of this party and eligible for DISCOUNTED and FREE new products based on the sales for the party.  IT COULD BE YOU!!!

I look forward to sharing the new items with you, hearing your comments, and helping you in finding those special papers, embellishments, and other items you've been looking for!

Stay posted on FB for news bits about the party... and of course, Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

WORKSHOPS AND PREVIEWS

I'm so excited to tell you that Close To My Heart's new Annual Inspirations is coming out Sept. 1st, as well as a new Holiday Expressions! (The covers of these amazing new Idea  Books are shown in the sidebar to the right.)

I'm even more excited to tell you that you can get a sneak peek and preview this month!

I've scheduled 2 workshops at my home during August:
Thurs., Aug 13 6:30 PM - Simple Scrapbooking and
Tues., Aug 25 6:30 PM - Simple Cards

At both of these workshops we'll be using a new paper pack called ZOE from the new Annual Inspirations Idea Book.  This paper pack is incredible; here's a peek for now:

You'll just love ZOE's color palette and wonderful patterns!

RSVP by Wed., 8/5 for the Simple Scrapbooking workshop; $15 payable via PayPal to shirleyventresca@ymail.com.

RSVP by Fri., 8/14 for the Simple Cards workshop; $15 payable via PayPal to shirleyventresca@ymail.com.

As always contact me if you'd like to have a workshop in your home! It's always a great time with friends!!

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

The Reasons Why

My Finished Project

I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday!  My 4th was pretty quiet.  But I did get my project finished - just in time for the 4th of July!  I'm very pleased with it!

I used the CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge, cutting 2-1/2" and 2" flowers, which can be found on p. 69 of the Art Philosophy booklet (it's the flower made with the Shift key on that page). I want to thank Angela Jones Garcia for her project, which was my inspiration!

I was so pleased with myself that I thought I'd take this crafting 'high' and keep going with it - I'm already working on my NEXT project! While I like to scrapbook, I also like to make things - home decor or gifts.  I decided I wanted to find something different to work on and hit Pinterest for ideas.  I found some really neat silhouette ideas using scrapbooking paper and the light-bulb in my head went off and away I went working on the idea! It's going to take a bit, but... Stay tuned!

(Plus, I am expecting a box from Close To My Heart coming tomorrow with some really neat paper and other things in it! I found cute pics of Matthew to scrapbook, so I ordered this paper.  Can't wait to show you!)

Besides my crafting 'high' there is another impetus for me to craft - CTMH's annual convention is this week and unfortunately I won't be going.  I'm excited to see new things, but also VERY envious of my CTMH sisters that are attending!

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

I have just tonight and tomorrow to finish the project I've been working on - yes, it's a 4th of July project!  Nothing like waiting until the last minute, right? But that is SO me.

I spent last week at a meeting in Washington DC.  I love the history of our country, learning about the people that shaped it.  I took an afternoon and headed over to the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery and looked at the paintings of all of our presidents.  Each painting had a brief story about the president - very intriguing!  Of course, there were other portraits and sculptures, and even non-portrait paintings.  I'm in awe of the talent of these artists.

A business trip leaves little time for being creative - and getting back home and back into my routine has held me back, too.  But July 3 is a day off, and the holiday is Saturday.  After cooking for a friend's 4th of July party & attending the same party - I plan on scrapbooking.

Oh, really, tell you something you don't know, right?  ;-)

I hope everyone has a really fantastic holiday weekend!  Perhaps the rain will hold off a bit so we can sit in dry lawns and watch fireworks in amazement!

When you have the chance: Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

OITNB, GoT, and CRAFTING

These are sheer indulgences for me! All of which I'm going to give in to tonight.

Orange Is The New Black - my son has binge watched Season 3 and keeps telling me it's soooo good.  If it's anything like Seasons 1 & 2 it has to be great. I'm going to start watching tonight.

Then there's the finale of this season's Game of Thrones. I started reading the books well into Season 2 and then played catch-up with the show. I'm addicted and happy my son watches - it gives me someone to discuss it with! Love it so much I'm planning on reading the books again, even though I haven't yet finished the last one. The last 2 episodes have been so awesome - can't imagine how they're going to get the finale even close! Definitely watching that tonight.

And crafting - I've got that in my plans tonight, too!  I love to craft and watch my shows together.  Keeps my mind and my hands busy (and keeps my hands out of the chip bowl!).

I've got a few more flowers to make for my project. Here's a before quilling and after photo:

I'm also planning on working on a scrapbook page. I've been gathering parts, pieces, & papers as well as ideas on what I'd like to do.  Stay tuned - I'll post the finished product soon!

In the mean time, gotta go get my laptop ready for my shows...  Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

A LITTLE LOOK

A friend of mine from CTMH has a fantastic creative mind.  I love the projects she comes up with. In anticipation of the 4th of July I decided to make one of her pieces.

Here's a peek at what I'm working on:

These are cut from the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge.  I love making them!

I still have more to make, enhancements to add, and the project to build.  Stay tuned and...

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

What I've Been Up To

Wow, does time go by fast!  I kept telling myself I needed to post on here, but every time I thought about it I realized I hadn't been very creative!  Well, I've been creative MENTALLY.


My daughter Melissa had a wedding to go to and asked me to make a wedding card.  The colors were yellow & gray.  I made a very simple card, using embossing for only the 2nd time.  I really love the texture it adds to cards - it can really take plain up a few notches to sophisticated.



After the wedding my daughter brought home one of the programs and I was so pleased to see that my heart embellishment actually matched the hearts used in the program!

Other than that card I've been kind of busy and hadn't had a chance to really sit down and do anything.  But this past Saturday I took care of that!

I started at 9 PM and was really productive! I managed to get 5 pages done in just a few hours.  I finished scrapbook pages for the Justin Timberlake concert that Melissa and I attended.

I found the cutest photo of my son Matthew and my Mom from when Matthew was 1-1/2 years old, so I scrapbooked that page.

I'm planning a more creatively productive June - I already started working on a Red, White, & Blue project.  What are you working on?  Upload pics... and you just might find yourself the lucky winner of a little CTMH gift pack!

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

Hope You Are Celebrating!

The group of ladies I scrapbook with every month held an all day crop on Saturday, May 2nd, which just happened to be National Scrapbooking Day.  I envy them for getting to craft all day! I couldn't be there - I was attending my cousin's fiancee's bridal shower, but I am really happy I went.

Of course, attending an event like a bridal shower means a present or two.  I did get them gifts off their registry, but of course I had to craft!

Clear Scraps had a booth at the recent Memories Expo in Columbus, OH and I found these really cool chipboard books you can put together, customized to your needs and desires.  I bought one, found out the wedding colors, and went crafting away!

 

 

 

 

I'm quite pleased with the result! The cut-outs (frames, embellishments, and tags) are from Close To My Heart's Art Philosopy and Artbooking Cricut cartridges.

What I love about these chipboard books is knowing that I can order the letter pages from www.clearscraps.com anytime!

I also couldn't just buy a card... Those cute little hearts are from CTMH;s Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge, and the sentiment is from one of their stamps (customized a little).

While I was hoping for a good reaction to the book, I certainly didn't expect Jen (the Bride-to-Be) to cry a little, but she did! And she sent me a special thank you text saying that she and Eric (cousin, Groom-to-Be) couldn't stop looking at it! I'm so happy they like it - I really enjoyed making the album!

And... if you didn't get to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day - you still have time to! Because May is actually National Scrapbooking Month!! So get going!  And please, feel free to post a pic to this blog.  You may just get a surprise thank you from me!!

Have a MARVelous time crafting everyone!

HAPPY MAY DAY!

Have a MARVelous time crafting (or May-pole dancing) everyone!

TYPED NOTE

Isn't this the neatest stamp?  I love how detailed it is.  It's the APRIL STAMP OF THE MONTH! It comes with a bunch of different notes you can add on the 'typed' sheet.  I made this for my Mom's birthday using the Blossom papers from the Seasonal Expressions Idea Book.

Love the colors - love the stamp - can't wait to use them both even more!

Have a MARVelous time crafting, everyone!

Jackson and Picture My Life

One of the new paper sets out from Close To My Heart is JACKSON.  The papers in this set are beautiful shades of greens, blues and browns - Juniper, one of the newer shades, Glacier, Cocoa, and Barn Red.  I thought it would make a fantastic packet for pictures from a little weekend getaway my family took to Great Bear Lodge.

The little AMAZING card I used in the first layout for journaling comes from the Jackson Picture My Life set.  These cards are great when using the Picture My Life (think of Project Life) layout system, but I like to scrapbook the old-fashioned way so I use the cards as embellishments and for journaling.
Here are 2 more layout pages using Jackson, with additional Picture My Life cards.

These pictures were taken with my iPhone and don't show the colors as vibrant as they truly are!  To take a better look at Jackson please visit shirleyventresca.ctmh.com and look through the Seasonal Expressions Idea Book.  Jackson papers, embellishments, Picture My Life Cards, and other supplies can be ordered at that website, too - or contact me at shirleyventresca@ymail.com to set up a workshop or Gathering. I think you'll like the colors and producs even more when you see them in person!

Have a MARVelous time crafting, everyone!

SEASONAL EXPRESSIONS

This great little book, Seasonal Expressions, is full of sunshiny ideas!  Items are available April - August 2015.  Take a peek at the Blossom and Jackson papers!  You'll fall in love - I did!

This month, too, is your chance to get the Deal of the Day! Each day during April, while supplies last, you have the opportunity to get a random grab bag filled with current and retired Close To My Heart products available for purchase at a major discount! 

To grab your bag, simply place any current, full-priced item in your online shopping cart at shirleyventresca.ctmh.com and you will be eligible to purchase as many grab bags as you wish (while supplies last)!

Grab bags will be featured at 5 different price points throughout April, ranging from $35 $150. Some grab bags will contain product with more than DOUBLE the retail value of the price you pay!

A SCRAPBOOKING WORKSHOP and CARD MAKING CLASS have been scheduled - please check out the right side-bar for details!  I hope to hear from you!

Have a MARVelous time crafting, everyone!