January Play Group Layouts (Magnifique)

Above: Layout #1: Winter Wonderland (featuring photos of my daughter, Kori and her hubby, Rick and their darling baby, Daci)
--------------------------

Above: Layout #2 - "Brrr" (featuring photos of Rick, Kori and Daci again)
----------------------

Above: Layout #3 - "Dance" (featuring beautiful photos of our soon-to-be-daughter-in-law, Daysha {on December 17!}. Photos by Megan Heaps.)
---------------------

It's time to sign up for my January Play Group classes. The three layouts you see here are what we'll be making (feel free to click on any layout to see it larger and in more detail). Don't you just love them? I do! Thanks to my friend, the ultra-talented Kelly English-Triggs for designing Layout #1 and allowing me to use it for my class. You rock, Kelly!

We will be making three 2-page 12" x 12" layouts using the gorgeous Magnifique Paper Pack from Close To My Heart.

Class Dates and Times to choose from in January (held at my home in Highland, UT):

• Tuesday, January 4, 10 am - 1 pm
• Tuesday, January 4, 7-10 pm
• Wednesday, January 5, 10 am - 1 pm
• Wednesday, January 5, 7-10 pm

In order to attend, you need to do the following:

1. Call or email me to reserve a date and time (801.360.9896, pedermom@aol.com) no later than Wednesday, December 22.
   
2. Choose what you'd like to purchase (see below). You are required to purchase the 'Basic Kit' in order to attend. Anything after that is up to you. You can purchase the 'Better Kit' or 'Best Kit' or pick and choose items from them to add to your 'Basic Kit' order.
3. Mark your Calendar so you don't forget!
4. Pack your scrappin' bag with the items you need to bring to class: adhesive, glue dots, 3D foam squares or tape, paper trimmer, a covered drink if you want one, a treat to snack on if you want one.

Basic Kit:
Magnifique Level 2 Paper Pack - $12.95
Flurry Dimensional Elements - $4.95
Liquid Applique - $3.95
Prisma Glitter - $4.25
Shimmer Brads - $4.95
1 extra sheet of Colonial White Cardstock - $.50
Subtotal: $31.55....Merry Christmas from Karen: ONLY $30
Total with shipping and Tax: $34.64

Better Kit = Basic Kit + the following products:
Copper Foundry Medley - $4.95
Oxford Letters Color-Ready Alphabet - $3.95
Pacifica Stamp Pad - $5.25
Pacifica Re-inker - $4.25
Chocolate Marker - $2.95
Pearl Paint - $2.95
Round Sponge - $1.25
Subtotal: $57.10....Merry Christmas from Karen: ONLY $55.55
Total with Shipping and Tax: $63.95

Best Kit = Basic and Better Kits + the following products:
Circle Around Stamp Set - $22.95
Holiday Commentary Stamp Set - $18.95
Sanding Kit - $3.50
Texture Tools - $9.95
Subtotal: $112.45....Merry Christmas from Karen: ONLY $110.00
Total with Shipping and Tax: $126.37

If you are unable to attend my class, but want to re-create the look of these layouts on your own, you can purchase any of the products listed above, or many more for that matter on my website, 24/7...even at Christmas-time!

Don't forget that I am offering 3 FREE THINGS to you this month (if purchased by December 16) that total over $75 in value!

5 Easy Steps to a GREAT Holiday Gift

Want a quick and easy holiday gift (perfect stocking stuffer) in 5 easy steps? Well then, this is the post for YOU! Keep in mind that you can click on any photo in this post to see it larger and in more detail. Excuse the glare on the photos. I did my best to get rid of it but it was hard with the plastic cover, pages, etc. You get the idea anyway, right?

As you know, my son, Tannon is on a LDS Church mission to Malaga, Spain and we won't be seeing him for 2 years (and vice-versa. ha. ha.). I was trying to think of fun things I could put in a stocking to send him that would be meaningful and came up with this VERY easy and fun idea.

Here are the 5 steps:

1. Go to your local Walmart, Target or similar store and find one of their uber-cheap-o photo albums. You know which ones I mean, the ones that hold about twenty-five 4" x 6" photos and have the ugliest cardstock fronts and backs ever that slide in and out. They are usually about $1.97. Buy one (or two, or three).

2. Go home and slide out the front and back 'ugly covers' that are provided by the manufacturer and make covers of your own to replace them. Slide in your beautiful covers in their place.

3. Print out whatever photos you want to include. For Tannon's mini-album I wanted to include photos of him with his family; photos that would make him laugh and bring back wonderful memories of home whenever he needed a pick-me-up or wanted to show photos of his family to someone on his mission. Print them 4" x 6" size, but if you want to make the book a little bit more special, crop them to 3 3/4" x 5 3/4". Then go to step 4. If you want to be even more simple, you can leave your photos 4" x 6" and skip step 4.

Below: the inside front cover and the first photo in the little book:

Below: the top photo is one of my 3 boys about 10 years ago. They used to stuff themselves with pillows and then play football in the yard. It was the only way we could think of to keep them from killing each other. We called it "Sumo Football." The bottom photo is a photo of Easton, Tannon and their friend, Trevor at a Southern Utah University football game this year. Easton was injured, Tannon was there watching as a recruit, and Trevor was also injured. So, the three of them watched from the sidelines. How cool is it that after his mission, Tannon will be playing college football with his brother, Easton at SUU?
Below: Both photos are of my 3 boys last May. We were getting family photos taken and while we were waiting for the photographer to take some photos of my sister's family, I started snapping some photos of my boys goofing off. I might like these better than the professional ones!

4. Cut photo mats out of cardstock in 4" x 6" size to match whatever colors you used on your covers. I cut mats in Colonial White, Pacifica, Chocolate, Sky, and Lagoon (all Close To My Heart colors). These are the colors in the covers that I made using the papers from the oh-so-gorgeous Magnifique kit. Mat all of your photos. Embellish if you'd like. I just left them plain.

5. Slide your photos in the sleeves in whatever order you would like, add a personal message in the inside cover, and maybe a poem or something fun in the inside back cover (The poem I put in the inside back cover is below. I got this great poem from a book that the Close To My Heart art department made my friend, Linda once.). And VOILA! It's a quick and very easy scrapbook that says , "I Love You" with hardly any time and expense. I made Tannon's little album, including printing my photos (I have my own photo printer) in less than 2 hours.

A Family of Friends

You'll find there's a family of friends living here
a small group of minds, and hearts;
With some of us clever and some of us not
At times you can't tell us apart.

There's one who is cranky, and one who is shy
and one who is really uncouth;
And just when you think you have discovered who's who,
You'll really uncover the truth.

The truth that we're all just a little of each,
A group of imperfects are we
And sometimes I might criticize them to you,
But don't ever knock them to me.

'Cause the one thing that ties us together for life--
No matter how far we're apart,
Is love for each other, a family of friends,
A small group of minds, and of hearts.

Close To My Heart products used: Magnifique Level 2 Paper Pack (X7127B), Sky Cardstock (X5761...all other cardstocks I used came in the Magnifique kit), Designer Ribbon Rounds-Chocolate Collection (Z1127). Remember, you can shop on my website for these and other items, 24/7. Click here to see this month's specials.

Thank You, Marian!

My sweet friend and downline, Marian Q. surprised me with this card in the mail last week. I was so happy when I opened it and saw that Marian is loving the new Close To My Heart Clear Cards as much as I am and that she made one to send to little ol' me. How beautiful is this card, anyway?!!! Oh, how I love my Marian, and happy mail!

One of my favorite things about the clear cards is how incredibly creative you can get with putting papers on the front cover, the back front cover, the inside back cover, and the outside back cover. The way you layer and glue makes it so much fun to see how it looks all together and how each layer looks separately. As you can see in the photo of the open view of the card, all the different layers work together to create the finished look you see when the card is closed.

CTMH Products Marian used so brilliantly!: Nature's Gift Stamp Set (C1424), Magnifique Level 2 Paper Pack (X7127B), Cocoa Stamp Pad (Z2114), Cocoa Embossing Powder (Z1246), Sanding Kit (Z1294), 4 1/2" Clear Cards-Round (Z1309).

You may have noticed that Marian didn't add any 'bling' to this card...no brads, sparkles, ribbons, chipboard, etc. It's just SIMPLY beautiful without any of those things. Marian's design was stand alone beautiful.

Oh, and I have one little disclaimer to add. If you happen to notice my dirty fingernails in the 2nd photo, ignore them. I've been distressing with black ink today and my fingers show it!

Click here to shop for these, or any other wonderful CTMH products on my website 24/7...especially when you want to brighten someone's day by making them some happy mail!

Thank You Card, and Many More Thank You's

Today I thought I'd share a simple thank you card. I was inspired by a card I saw in "PaperCrafts" magazine this month and just kind of used that as a starting point that led to this. Simple, but I think bold and masculine. I wanted to make several thank you cards for Tannon before he leaves on his mission on Wednesday because there are so many people who have supported him in his quest to serve a mission, financially and otherwise. T wanted to write thank you notes to them before he leaves. This is one of the cards I came up with.

Close To My Heart products used: Magnifique Level 2 Paper Pack (X7127B), Connections Stamp Set (D1330), Say it in Style Stamp Set (D1283), Chocolate Stamp Pad (Z2114), Pacifica Stamp Pad (Z2192), Basic Brads Assortment (Z1218), Corner Rounder (Z578), 3D Foam Tape (Z1151)

Non-CTMH products used: Stampin' Up scallop circle punch

I also am filled with gratitude this week; gratitude to those who have impacted Tannon's life in positive ways, gratitude that he has chosen to dedicate the next two years to service for his Father in Heaven, gratitude for all the people who helped me get ready to feed an army on Sunday, gratitude for my wonderful family, gratitude for a husband who loves and supports me, gratitude for my business and Dan's job, gratitude for so many things.

So, in addition to the card that I pictured at the top of this message, I thought I'd share a few photos of the past week in the Pedersen home. Enjoy!

Tannon and Dawson after Dawson's football game this week...the last one Tannon will see him play for 2 more years!
Thanks to my mom, dad and sister for all their help this week. Love you guys! Mom and Dad, I couldn't have done it without you!
Easton got to come home for the weekend. Thanks to his beautfiul fiance, Daysha.
She sang a beautiful rendition of "I Stand All Amazed".
Some of the crowd that came by for lunch after Tannon's farewell talk. We figure we fed around 200.
Whew! Thanks to EVERYONE who helped with food and everything else!
My SIL, Cindy (center) and her two girls, Paige and Katie. Many thanks to these ladies for their help with food and serving and cleaning up. LOVE them so much!

4 New Close To My Heart Scrapbooking Kits

It's here, and by "it" I mean the Autumn/Winter Close To My Heart Idea Book. Woo hoo! You can view it page-by-page on the left side of my blog, of if you would like your very own hard copy, just email me and let me know (pedermom@aol.com).

In this new book, among other exciting products, are four brand spankin' new scrapbook kits. They are all mouth-wateringly delicious in their own ways. From the fun and cuteness of the Hooligans kit, the elegance of the Mistletoe kit, the soft and warm tones of the Olivia kit, or the blues and browns and homey feel of the Magnifique kit, I love them all!Enjoy some amazing artwork in this post using each of these kits made by the talented CTMH Art Department. I have also created links above that will take you directly to the order page for each of these kits on my website.If you see a kit you just LOVE and want to create some BEAUTIFUL projects with, then shoot me an email and sign up for that month's Play Group class. The months that we will be making each kit are...
October: Hooligans
November: Olivia
December: Mistletoe
January: Magnifique

6" x 6" Card using Magnifique Scrapbook Kit from Close To My Heart

Hello, hello!

As you may have noticed, my past several posts have been sneak peeks at some of the new products that are debuting in Close To My Heart's Autumn/Winter Idea Book. That will be available to view page-by-page right here on my website on September 1. Be sure to check back then.

Today's post is following that theme. The 6" x 6" card you see here uses the gorgeous new Magnifique paper kit. This kit features 3 (Lagoon, Pacifica, Sky) of the 8 new colors CTMH is coming out with in the new Idea Book.

Although the papers and stamps are not available until 9/1 (6 more days!), the supplies I used to color the peacock and to make him shimmer are available RIGHT NOW on my website. CTMH products used that you can purchase NOW: Cocoa Stamp Pad (Z2214), Watercolor Pencils (3505), Waterbrush (1771), Glitz Glitter Gel (Z1313), Corner Rounder (Z578), 3D Foam Tape (Z1151).

Want to know how to make the peacock look like mine? Here's how:

1. Stamp peacock in Cocoa ink on Colonial White cardstock.
2. Color in peacock lightly with Watercolor Pencils (I used a little bit of the turquoise, purple and bright green colors in the 'basic colors' grouping of the Watercolor Pencils).
3. Blend lightly using your Waterbrush.
4. Let dry (if you are in a hurry, use your heat gun to help it dry faster)
5. Add a little glitz glimmer gel to the peacock and using a paint brush, spread it out and 'paint' it where you want it. (P.S.: you'll notice on my card the glitz is smeared a bit at the bottom. That is because my cat decided to walk on it before it was done drying {naughty Tarje'}. Tip for the day: keep your cat OFF the card!)
   
6. On the peacock's 'head dress' put a dot of glitz glimmer gel on each of the dots.
7. Let dry.
   

CTMH products used that will be available on my website September 1 (add them to your wish list!): Magnifique Level 2 Scrapbook Kit (X7127B), Circle of Love (D1438), Shimmer Designer Brads (Z1349), Pacifica Stamp Pad (Z2192), Lagoon Stamp Pad (Z2195).

Have a great day! I am off to Logan to watch my son, Dawson's first football game of the season. GO KNIGHTS!