Thanks, Brandie!

I opened my blog this afternoon to a very sweet and fun award from my friend and one of my team members, Brandie. Thanks, Brandie!

Here are the rules of this award.
*pass this on to 7 bloggers who you feel are honest in their blogging
*list 10 honest things about yourself

The 7 bloggers I am passing this award on to are:
Roxanne (who is an honest blogger with opinions and thoughts I so enjoy reading)
Nona (who shares her triumphs and tragedies and lets me laugh and cry with her)
Brenda (who has an amazing attitude of gratitude, even during the tough times)
Melissa (who does a great job bloggin' about her business and making me laugh at the same time)
Tina (whose Florida adventures always make me wish I'm on the beach)
Kelli (who I miss having here in Utah. She was a customer who became a friend. I love reading about her life in AZ to keep up)
Laurie (who made me laugh this week with her adventures)

10 Honest Things about Me:
1. My birthday is this week and I don't feel like celebrating.
2. I have not weighed myself in over a year and don't plan to.
3. I think my husband is hot with his silver hair and tan.
4. I'd rather eat chocolate than almost anything else in the world.
5. I am not a lover of camping or fishing, but I will hunt now and then.
6. I cut 2 of my toes off in the lawn mower when I was 16 and I still miss them (not a pretty sight).
7. I am not a good loser.
8. I am a football fanatic, especially when a Pedersen (namely Easton, Tannon and Dawson) is playing.
9. I wish I had had about 2-3 more children.
10. The Harry Potter, Fablehaven and Twilight book series are some of my best guilty pleasures.

Have a great day!

Daci's First Football Game

I just heard this week about The Scrappiest, another sketch and challenge blog. CUTE sketch, right? Here's what I made using it as my guide. Have I mentioned how much I love being a grandma? Oh, yeah! I think I have! Rick and Kori decided to bring Daci to the pre-season scrimmage that both Tannon and Dawson were playing in on Aug. 15. Daci decided she likes football. It's a good thing. If she didn't I would be afraid she didn't really have Pedersen genes!

Close To My Heart products used: Black Cardstock (1388), White Daisy Cardstock (1385), Silhouette Level 2 Paper Pack (X7090B), Whoops-a-Daisy Level 2 Paper Pack (X7099B), Corner Rounder (Z578), Designer Ribbon Rounds Black Collection (Z1034), Bubblegum Gingham Ribbon (retired)

Non-CTMH products used: Martha Stewart Daisies, Making Memories Mini-Shimmer Alpha, Large Scallop Scissors (manufacturer unknown).

Click here to order from my website 24/7, even when you're at a football game if you have your laptop!

I'm getting ahead of myself

I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I always seem to get excited about the next season before it even arrives. Why do we do that? Wish away what is? I don't know, but I did it again this morning. When I saw the Mojo Monday sketch (#101) I thought of a gorgeous new stamp set from Close To My Heart on September 1 called Many Thanks (D1371). Here it is 90 degrees outside in the middle of August and I have already moved on to Fall. Silly me!

Close To My Heart products used: Many Thanks Stamp Set (avail. 9/1, D1137), Back Country Level 2 Paper Pack (X7110B), Boom-Di-Ada Level 2 Paper Pack (X7095B), Goldrush Cardstock, Autumn Terracotta Cardstock, Chocolate Stamp Pad, Goldrush Stamp Pad, Autumn Terracotta Stamp Pad, Barn Red Stamp Pad,Watercolor Pencils (3505), 3D Foam Tape (Z1151), Black Legacy Writers (4275), Designer Ribbon Rounds Autumn Terracotta Collection (retired), Designer Ribbon Rounds Heartfelt Collection (retired), Rustic Edge Anchors (Z1287).

Click here to order from my website 24/7...even if it's Summer and you are wishing for Fall.

Jean, You're a Queen!

Thanks to my friend and customer, Jean B. for being so special! When she came to Play Group (my scrapbook classes) in August, she came bearing gifts. What a fun surprise! She brought me this gorgeous stamped tile and this very cute and functional little notepad. Jean, you're a queen! Thanks for making my day!

Faster, Simpler, Easier

This is my 2nd post today of a football layout. This one is of my Tannon in his varsity pre-season scrimmage. I am feelin' the football!

This is a shaped layout. The grey you see behind the shape is the sidewalk I took the picture on. After I took the photo, I realized it could look like I matted the layout on a sheet of grey cardstock. Sorry! I should have photographed it on white.

Anyhoo, I used the Pencil Lines Sketch (#149). I also used the Game On collection from Close To My Heart. I love this kit...neutral color scheme goes with any team's colors. The patterns of stars, stripes, newpaper prints, and a very subtle tone on tone net print all work with just about any sport, and so do the matching MyStickease. It's a MUST for anyone with kids who play ball [Paper pack is X7097B, $12.95 for 12 sheets of two sided patterned paper (B&T duos) and 10 sheets of coordinating cardstock--22 sheets of 12 x 12 paper in all. My Stickease is X7097C, $8.95 for four 6" x 12" sheets of stickease]. Having a house full of boys who play both basketball and football, and who played baseball through Jr. High, I am a mom with TONS of sports pictures...and this kit was just the ticket. I can create many different looks with this one kit, add in a little color here or there to bring out their team colors, and let the neutral colors of this kit compliment the photos without overpowering them. Sport photos often have lots going on in them and so many of the athletic papers I see in the stores are just too busy and take away from the action in the photos.

This was a very fast layout that worked up in about 30 minutes. I LOVE the artistic release of being really creative, but every once in a while it feels good just to whip a layout up in minutes. This was one of those times. The only products used on this layout were paper, stickers and a little bit of black ink to distress with. No stamping, no metal, no sewing, no coloring. Just plain paper and stickers. One of Close To My Heart's taglines is "Faster, Simpler, Easier." This sure fit the bill!

Close To My Heart products used: Game On Level 2 Paper Packet (X7097B-GREAT kit for almost any sport!), Game On MyStickease (X7097C), Black Stamp Pad (Z2105), Black Textured Cardstock (X5747)

Non-CTMH products used: Creative Imaginations Football Stickers

Click here to order from my website 24/7...just in time for football season!

Football is Life

I decided to sit down on a quiet Sunday afternoon and scrapbook some photos I took of Dawson a little over a week ago in the Lone Peak Freshman Pre-Season Scrimmage. I was inspired by 2 sketches I saw this week and decided to use them both and do a 2 page layout.


The left page (pg 1) is done using sketch #28 from Inspired Blueprints (released on their blog on 8-16-09).






The right page (pg 2) is based on the Creative Scrappers sketch #66. You can click on any of the photos to see them larger.

Close To My Heart products used: Black Cardstock (1388), Colonial White Cardstock (1386), Bamboo Stamp Pad (Z2103), Dimensional Elements On Target (avail. 9/1, Z1226)

Non-CTMH products used: Patterned paper from Paper Loft, Basic Grey Adhesive Ribbon, Creative Imaginations Football Stickers.

Click here to order from my website 24/7, but maybe not while you're playing football!

Home Is Where The Heart Is

One of the very cool things about being a Close To My Heart consultant is having access to the Stamp of the Month sets and some of the new papers and accessories earlier than the rest of the world at each new Idea Book release (the next one is September 1. Be watching the side of my blog that day for the link!).

When I saw this sketch at Card Patterns (#29) I knew exactly what stamp I wanted to use for the main image. It's part of the November Stamp of the Month set, "Around the Block." There is the cute little house outline and then several choices of doors, windows, window boxes, chimneys, roofs, shutters, sentiments, etc. to mix and match to make your home look just like you want. This set is available to order, earn at a discount, or even earn free during the month of November. I decided to use primary colors on this card because to me they felt happy and went with the "Home is where the heart is" saying. I also wanted to use this cute polka dot ribbon I just found and that way it matched (ribbon by Offray). I even covered my dimensional element heart with the ribbon and just cut around it. I like the way it turned out.

I decided to stamp my images in black and then color in with water color pencils, blend with a waterbrush and shade around edges with our grey flannel marker. Water color pencil tip: don't color in the whole area you want colored. Just use your pencil to color the parts you want darkest (like around the inside edges or just on one side) and use your waterbrush to pull the color from there into the rest of the area.

Close To My Heart products used: Around the Block (avail. 11/1-11/30, D1377), Sweet Home Level 2 Paper Pack (avail. 9/1, X7116B), Colonial White Cardstock (1388), Watercolor Pencils (3505), Waterbrush (1771), Dimensional Elements Fresh Shapes (Z1019), Black Stamp Pad (Z2105), Essential Brad Assortment (Z1219), Grey Flannel Marker (Z2324).

Click here to order from my website 24/7 (even when you're 'around the block').

Warm Fuzzies in the Mail

Don't you just LOVE the days when you open the mailbox and find a handstamped card from someone who cares about you there just waiting for you? It is one of the simple joys in life. Well, today was one of those days. I opened the mailbox to find this beautiful thank you card from Close To My Heart.

As many of you may remember, I created an album this summer that I donated to a silent auction for Operation Smile (the charity that Close To My Heart officially supports) put on by Close To My Heart (see the book in this post). I was thrilled enough that I was able to do something that helped to make a difference in the life of a child (my book went for approx. $100!), but on top of that, I received this card today. Not only was it handstamped, but it was a personal expression of thanks from a company with thousands of people working for them. The fact that they took the time to thank those of us who donated to the auction is extra special. And, it that weren't enough, it is hand signed by the owner and CEO of CTMH, Jeanette Lynton and all of the vice presidents as well. Thank you for the thank you, CTMH! It is such a privilege to be part of a company with so much 'heart.'

And, while we are on the 'thank you' subject, I'd love to take this moment to thank my customers. Many of you round up your order totals to the next dollar amount to be donated to Operation Smile. Last year, in those round ups alone, my customers paid for one entire surgery for one child. How cool is that? THANK YOU, 'Karen's Kustomers' for your support of this worthy charity too! Doesn't it feel good to know that something small that you did allowed something big to happen for someone else? Warm fuzzies all over!

Total Bummer

Last night did not turn out quite like we hoped. Lone Peak lost 30-9 to Bountiful. Total Bummer! The good news is that we moved the ball. The bad news was too many turnovers. The good news is that it is just one game. The bad news is that we still have a very tough schedule ahead. The good news is we can fix our mistakes and get better this week. More good than bad, I think. I admit I am not a very graceful loser and I really want a do-over. Tannon is bummed but believes we will be much better next week (we play Mountain Crest at their field).

Tannon had a good game at QB. He was 19-35 for 206 yards, one touchdown and one interception (darn!). He also rushed for about 25 yards.

The photos you see are from last night. There are a couple of Dan and I showing off my 'mom shirt.' We (the moms) had shirts made that said "Moms of the Knights" on the front and our son's last name on the back. The photo of Tannon (#10) was after he and the other captains met with the refs at the beginning of the game for the coin toss.

So, here's to a good effort, to a group of boys who gave their all, and to next week! Go Knights!

Are you ready for some football?

I am! Last Saturday was our inter-squad scrimmage but tonight is the real thing...the first Varsity game.

My son, Tannon (#10 in burgundy) is our quarterback and we are hoping and praying that he starts out the season well tonight and leads his team to a victory. Go Knights! Let's kick some Bountiful Braves tushie!

Dawson (#12 in white) is our freshman. He plays linebacker and tight end. We have one more week before his first game. Photography note: Yes, I know that you are supposed to have them running into the frame and not out, but sheesh, when they are moving so fast I am lucky to get them IN the frame. Sorry for breaking the photography 'rules.' I am learning. Sports photography is HARD!

Last Saturday was fun watching my boys out on the field preparing for their first games and feeling the excitement of the season. This week, I am feeling more than excitement. I am feeling some serious butterflies fluttering around in my tummy! Why, oh why did Tannon have to be a quarterback?