Take 6 Tuesday - 6 Things I am Thankful For This Year

Welcome to this week's edition to Take 6 Tuesday!

In just a few days we will all be sitting around a big table eating Turkey (or some other yummy favorite) with family and friends enjoying the day off from work. Naturally, Thanksgiving is the time of year that we sit back and reflect on the things in our lives that we are thankful for. I'd like to share my list with you this week. Of coarse noting in my life would be possible without God so my list consists of not just 6 things that I'm thankful for but also 6 ways in which God has touched my life.

1. Family

As many of you know, my baby sister passed away just 4 months ago. This was very much a surprise to everyone. Lisa was only 37 years old but left 3 children and 2 darling grandchildren behind. Words cannot express how thankful I am for my family! I have a wonderful, supportive husband and two great kids that always keep me on my toes!

Here is a recent picture of my family taken at a wedding this summer. Look closely! That IS Jordan in a dress!!

2. Job(s)

In an economy where you can't open the newspaper or turn on the TV without hearing about more layoffs or unemployment rates, I have become very thankful that Rob and I have both been able to keep our jobs this year. I'm also thankful that Nick was able to find a permanent job working security at Harrah's just as his seasonal job at Worlds of Fun came to an end!

3. Freedom

Most of you that know me well know that I am very passionate about our country and our freedom! I am so thankful for the freedoms we have (and often take for granted) as Americans. I am thankful for all the men and women who serve our country to protect those freedoms as well.

2. Health

I'm thankful that God has provided me with the health that I need to do the things that I am able to do! As long as Rob and I have our health and our kids stay healthy, there really isn't too much more we can ask for.

1. Friends

I am so blessed to have so many different circles of friends! I have friends from work, high school, customers that are friends, Close To My Heart consultants that are friends, friends from fan clubs (you know who you are), friends from professional organizations, and on and on! I love my friends!

I'm sure you will also be reflecting on some of the things you are thankful for this week. I would love to hear from each of you if you are willing to share! Drop me a note and I'll drop you some blog candy!

Happy Thanksgiving and if you are reading this, I am thankful for YOU TOO!!

Take 6 Tuesday - 12 Christmas Gifts For Under $20!

OMG!! There are only 47 days left until Christmas!

If you haven't already started crafting your home-made Christmas gifts, it is time to get started! There are so many people that we often want to give a little something to for Christmas but can't always spend unlimited amounts of money on, like teachers, grandparents, neighbors, co-workers, etc.

Close To My Heart has several items that can be made as gifts for under $20 and most even cheaper than that! Because there are so many options, I've decided to make this a bonus week and give you not 6, but 12 ideas this week!!

I also have sample pictures of many of the projects but as you look at the samples keep in mind that they are projects I've made in the past so try to imagine them in your favorite papers, ones that you might use for a Christmas gift.

Hang on tight and here we go!!!!!!!

12. Photo Wallet. This adorable little photo wallet is a great little gift or even a stocking stuffer. It is made with just cardstock and patterned paper and folds up to fit right inside your purse. It uses very little paper and therefore would make a very inexpensive gift.

11. Display Album. Display albums can be decorated to just hold pictures or they can also be used as a desk calendar. Decorated in your favorite papers they are an adorable desk item! The My Creations Display Album can be purchased for only $7.95.

10. Board Book. These books are great gifts for just about anyone. They can be made as a children's book or a theme book for any event. I think this particular item makes a great coffee table book as well. I made the one below using the "You Rock" paper packet. The My Creations Board Book only runs $6.95 and you can usually decorate it with less than 1/2 of a level 2 paper packet.

9. 3-Ring Binders. The 3-Ring Binders also make great theme books as well. They come about 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 and are adorable when decorated. These binders make a great "Baby's First Year" book and other themes as well. Last summer I made a Disney binder using the characters and their autographs. The My Creations 3-Ring Binder is only $5.95!

8. Mix & Mingle Album. I love these! What more is there to say? These adorable mix & mingle albums come with 8 different panels to decorate. You can see in my sample below how I decorated it and used it to display in the accordion style. But the great thing about these albums is that you can also make wall hangings and other projects with them. You can also divide you 8 panels and make more than one project per package! Can you say Adorable?!

7. Star Album. Here is a project that makes an awesome teacher gift! It only requires cardstock and pattern paper so there is no base product to purchase. I love these because you can display it on a table or hang it as a decoration. And when you are done for the season, simply close it up to a 6 x 6 book and it is easily stored until the next time you want to pull it out! Here is a picture of one I made in the spring. I also have a Christmas workshop coming up on this one if you want to check out the current workshops tab.

6. Accordion Album. Accordion Albums (Memory Showcase) come in 6 x 6 and 9 x 9 sizes. These are fun to decorate and can also be used for a variety of themes. Some examples may include wedding, baby, graduation, Christmas, or vacations. The My Creations Memory Showcase are very reasonably priced also at $3.95 for the 6 x 6 and $5.95 for the 9 x 9.

Half way there..... Are you still with me?

5. Recipe/photo box. There are so many ways to decorate and use these boxes. I actually use the one I've decorated below to keep postcards in. I love to buy postcards when I travel and never knew what to do with them until I made my box. Another great feature about these boxes is that you can add a variety of 3-d embellishments to them and really get creative! The My Creations Recipe/Photo Box is only $6.95.

4. Photo Cube. I like the photo cube because it can also be decorated with lots of 3-D embellishments. It can also be used as a gift box for various occasions (baby shower, bridal shower, etc.). This item also makes a great desk decoration for the office. The My Creations Cube can be purchased for just $4.95!

3. Journal Books. The journal books make great gifts for teachers and students! They can be decorated with any papers of your choice and make a classy, inexpensive gift. The My Creations Journal can be purchased for $7.95 and holds 75 unlined pages.

2. Calendars. Calendars always make great Christmas gifts as we approach a new year. And nothing is better than a home-made calendar. There are two kinds of calendars that I find to be great Christmas gifts: 1) the event calendar and 2) the 12 x 12 Monthly Calendar. The Event Calendar is only $8.50 and the Monthly Calendar is just $7.95.

1. All-Sorts Mini Album or Acrylic Mini Album. The All-Sorts Mini Album is probably one of my favorites. Both of these albums are very unique in their design which leaves a lot to your creativity. When decorated, they are nothing but stunning! I can't imagine anyone that wouldn't appreciate either one of these gifts! The My Creations Acrylic Mini Album can be purchased for a reduced price of $9.95 and the My Creations All-Sorts Mini Album is only $5.95 - a deal that can't be beat!

I hope you have enjoyed some of my Christmas gift ideas as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you. If you have any questions regarding any particular project or need more detailed instructions, feel free to email me at danaterry4@comcast.net. Naturally, if you need to order any supplies for your Christmas gifts, you can do so on my website by clicking the link to the right or by emailing me.

Thanks for hanging with me and have a fantastic week!

Take 6 Tuesday - 6 Solid Stamp Techniques

Welcome to this weeks edition to Take 6 Tuesday! I hope you enjoyed your outline stamping tips from last week and have played around a little. As promised, this week I’m going to give some tips on how to use your solid stamps. Some people really prefer the solid stamps over the outline stamps because they simply don’t like to color in their images. There are different techniques that can be done with solid stamps that can also add different colors to your art without the “coloring in” work.

Here are some solid stamping techniques for you:

6. Second generation stamping. This is a very basic technique. To get this look, you will stamp your image once (usually on scrap paper) and then again without re-inking. This gives your image a lighter version of the color you inked your stamp with. As you can see from the ornaments on the layout below, I first stamped them in second generation stamping and then came back on top of the ornament with a first generation stamp of the decoration.

6. Masking. Create a “mask” for the stamp. This can be done by stamping your image on scrap paper and cutting it out. Use your cut out scrap as your mask. Cover your stamped image with the “mask” and stamp your next images overlapping the original.

5. Chalk popping. Stamp solid image using either white daisy, versamark, or grey flannel inkpad. Color on top of your image using chalks. As you cover your image with the chalk, it will “pop.”

4. Color customizing. This is a great way to get multiple colors on one image. Use markers or sponge daubers to apply color directly on your stamp. Huff and puff to remoisten the ink and stamp.

3. Kissing. This is a great way to give texture or design to a solid stamp. First ink up your solid stamp, then take another stamp with a design image (or texture stamp) and “kiss” the two together, stamp-to-stamp. The design image will remove ink from your solid image so once stamped on paper, it will texture. I used this technique in the layout below in the title word “Dad.”

1. Rolling. This is one of my favorite techniques because it is quick and easy! First, ink your solid stamp in your base color. Stamp your first generation of the stamp on scrap paper. Then roll the edges of your stamp into the sam inkpad. You can also roll your image into a different color of ink, but just be careful when mixing ink colors. Always ink first with your lighter color and roll in the darker color. In the family layout below, I used the rolling technique on the hearts. And in the “Our Hero” layout, I used the technique on the leaves with different colors.

There are so many great solid stamping techniques, I’m even going to give you a bonus this week! Here are a few more:

White on white embossing. Emboss a solid image in white on white paper. Then sponge over the image with the desired color if ink or chalks. This gives your paper a patterned look as the sponging ink will not stick to the embossed images.

Highlighting/Shading. Stamp a solid image as usual. Then shade using colored pencils or use the white daisy inkpad applied with sponge applicators to highlight.

Sponge edges. Stamp and cut out your image. Then use the same color of ink or a darker color to sponge the edges to help outline your image. The card below provides an example of this technique on the hearts.

So do you have a favorite stamping technique yet? Let me know which one is your favorite over the past two weeks and I'll send you a little something.

See you next week!

Take 6 Tuesday - 6 Outline Stamp Techniques

Welcome to this weeks edition to Take 6 Tuesday!

This week I want to share with you some stamping techniques for outline stamps. An outline stamp is one that only provides outline of the image of the stamp whereas a solid stamp is typically one solid color. The first layout below provides examples of both outline stamps (the title word "Time") and solid stamps (the various colored ladies).

So in no particular order, 6 outline stamp techniques are:

6. Stamp the outline stamp on background and texture paper and then cut it out. In the example below, I stamped the title word "Time" with an outline stamp on B & T paper and then cut it out for an added patterned look.

5. Markers. You can always fill in an outline stamp with markers. When you use this technique, it is important to be sure to stamp your outline stamp in an archival ink so your markers do not bleed into the ink.

4. Color pull out. Color pull out is when you stamp your outline image in a particular color and then you use your waterbrush to "pull out" the color. The layout below provides an example of the color pull out technique. It may be difficult to see in the photo but look closely at the random stamping row toward the bottom of the layout.

3. Chalking. Coloring in your outline stamp image with chalks gives your artwork a very nice, soft look.

2. Blending with ink. This technique is also used with the archival ink so when you blend in your ink colors, the colors do not bleed with your black ink. In this example, I have stamped my image in black and then used the waterbrush and ink pads to color in the image.

1. Water-colored pencils. Like markers, colored pencils are another way to color in your images. What I like about using water color pencils is that I can also use my waterbrush to blend in the color so the pencil lines do not show and you have more blending opportunities than you do with markers.

Remember that this is only a few ways to use your outline stamps. There are certainly many more ways to use them. Do you have a favorite or do you have some additional outline stamping techniques that you would like to share? Post your thoughts and I'll get some blog candy out your way!

And stay tuned next week for some solid stamping techniques!

Have a great week!

Take 6 Tuesday - 6 Ways to Use Liquid Glass

Welcome to another week of Take 6 Tuesday!

This week I want to focus on Liquid Glass. Personally, I think Liquid Glass is one of
the most versatile products Close To My Heart offers. There are so many
ways to use it but of coarse, I've narrowed my list down to just 6.

Here we go.....

6. Use it as an adhesive to adhere 3-dimensional items such as buttons,
dimensional elements, ribbon, etc.

5. Make rain drops and other water effects.

4. Use as an "all over gloss."

3. Household repairs (yes, some customers either hid theirs from the husbands or bought a second tube for household items).

2. Background patterns on cardstock.

1. Sprinkle prisma glitter on top. This is a great way to make faux brads in any color you need.

Here is a project I made using Liquid Glass. I used it to adhere the dimensional elements and ribbon down as well to make some faux brads in the lower left-hand corner.

Let me know what you like about liquid glass and I will send you a complete handout on Lovin' Liquid Glass. If you've never used liquid glass before, that's ok. Tell me how wonderful it sounds and I'll send you the handout too! :)

Take 6 Tuesday - 6 Ways to Use Dimensional Elements

Welcome to this week's edition of Take 6 Tuesdays!

I love to embelish my cards, layouts, and craft projects with dimensional elements! There are so many ways to use the dimensional elements so I wanted to share a few (ok 6) with you this week.

6. Ink the dimensional element. This can be done by turning over your ink pad and tapping it on your dimensional element until you get the desired amount of ink and look you prefer.

5. Sponge or use a texture tool.

4. Color them with markers.

3. Cover the dimensional element with cardstock or backgound and texture paper and then cut it out.

2. Wrap the dimensional element in ribbon.

1. Leave it white or just edge in ink.

Share what you like about dimensional elements and I'll send you some blog candy this week.

Take 6 Tuesday - 6 Reasons To Join A Scrapbooking Club

Hello and welcome to this weeks edition to Take 6 Tuesdays!

This week, I would like to share with you some of the great benefits of being in one of my scrapbook clubs.

First, let me explain what a scrapbook club is. Generally, a club consists of 6 - 12 ladies who share their passion for scrapbooking, card making, and paper crafting. My clubs meet every other month on a regularly scheduled date and each person spends a minimum of $25 on product and in return, they get to make a free 2-page 12 x 12 layout. Each member of the club gets to take a turn at being the hostess and earning the hostess credits.

So what are the top 6 Reasons for Joining a Scrapbook Club? Let me tell you....

6. Each member of my clubs gets a FREE idea book every time Close To My Heart issues a new book.

5. Being in a club is a great way to purchase small amounts of product on a regular basis to build up your supply. This takes away the pressure of "buying it all at once."

4. When you come to club night and make your layouts, you also get to learn new techniques, tips, and ideas. This is a great way to learn! Here is a picture of a club layout where we learned how to heat emboss.

3. Having a regular night out with the girls is often PRICELESS!!

2. Members of my clubs receive a punch card in which they can earn additional FREE products from me.

1. The hostess of each club night rotates between the club members so everyone gets a chance to earn the FREE hostess credits! FREE is good right?

If you are currently in one of my clubs, post what you love most about your club and I'll send you some blog candy.

If you aren't currently in a club and want to join or start a club, let me know and I'll give you a FREE gift!

Have a great week!

Take 6 Tuesday - 6 of My Favorite Places to Travel

It's another week for Take 6 Tuesdays and although this is actually Wednesday, I hope you will forgive me for being a day late.

I got to take some time away from the real world last week and visit a good friend of mine in Savanna, Georgia. My husband, Rob, and I were both celebrating birthdays in September so we wanted to get away for a weekend. Little did we know how much we were going to fall in love with Savannah! The beautiful and historic city quickly became one of my favorite places to travel!

So I decided to share some personal experiences this week and give my 6 favorite places to travel. It's really hard to put the top 6 in order but here we go!!!!

6. New York - I love New York City! I get to travel there every year for business and I can never get enough of it. The Brooklyn Bridge is one of my favorite NYC landmarks as well as the fabulous Statute of Liberty.

5. Washington DC - I travel to DC often for business also. One of my favorite places to visit in DC is Arlington Cemetery. I go every year to watch the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. And while I love all of the monuments and memorials, the Vietnam Memorial is my favorite. The first time I visited there, I broke down in tears. Here is a picture of me in front of the White House taken this July for the Close To My Heart Convention.

4. Bahamas - In 2005 I was fortunate enough to earn a Close To My Heart cruise to the Eastern Caribbean and it didn't take long to fall in love with the Bahamas! Until then, I had never really seen the clear blue ocean.

3. Rome - In 2008 I earned another cruise to the Mediterranean Sea. We were fortunate to visit several locations but Rome was one of my favorites! Here is a picture of Rob and I at the Coliseum.

2. Savannah, Georgia - Like I said, it didn't take long for Savannah to become on of my new favorite places. The city is full of so much history, it just fascinated me! Not to mention that several scenes from the movie Forest Gump were filmed there! Here's a few pictures from our trip.

Paula Dean's Restaurant

This is the oldest original home in Savannah. Tinny uh?

The Davenport House.

This is the place where Forest Gump sat on his bench. The bench has been removed and placed in a museum.

1. And the final place on my 6 places to travel is HOME! It's so much fun to travel the world to exciting places but as the saying goes.... There's No Place Like Home!!

I would love to hear some of the places you have traveled and your favorites. Share them with me and I will send you a free layout!

Have a great week!

Take 6 Tuesday - 6 Ways To Use Eyelets and Brads

Welcome to this week's edition of Take 6 Tuesdays.

Don't you just love to embellish with eyelets and brads? I do! This week, I thought I would share with you some ways to use eyelets and brads that you may not have thought of yet or you have in the past but need a refresher.

Here are just 6 of so many ways to use eyelets and brads:

6. center of flowers or letters

5. eyes of paper dolls

4. nails in a fence

3. buttons on a snowman

2. in the hole of a tag

1. buttons on a shirt

Here is one of my favorite layouts that I made using a lot of brads.

Post or send me a picture of something you've made with brads or eyelets and I'll send you a bigger list of 70 ways to use eyelets and brads along with your blog candy.

Take 6 Tuesday - 6 Of My Favorite Close To My Heart Products

Welcome to this weeks edition to Take 6 Tuesdays!

Now this is one tough list to make! Close To My Heart has so many great products, it is so hard to narrow the list down to just 6!

Without further delay, 6 Of My Favorite Close To My Heart Products are (in no particular order):

6. My Reflections Level 2 Paper Packets

5. My Acrylic Stamps

4. Acrylic Blocks

3. My Legacy Albums (I absolutely LOVE the new simulated leather albums)

2. The Waterbrush

1. Mini-Medley Accents Collections

Tell me your favorite Close To My Heart products and I'll send you some blog candy!

Take 6 Tuesday - My 6 Favorite Stamp Sets

Welcome to this weeks edition to Take 6 Tuesdays!

The Autumn/Winter idea book just went live on September 1st. It's always so exciting to look at the new products and stamp sets.

This week, I've picked My 6 Favorite Stamp Sets in the 2010 Autumn/Winter idea book.

They are (in no particular order):

6. Party Pennants

5. In The Month of September (because my birthday is in September) LOL!

4. Adorn-able

3. A Timber - Don't you just love the new A-sized stamps?

2. Ice Crystals

1. Party Animals

Post your favorite new stamp sets in the Autumn/Winter idea book and received some blog candy! Don't have the new book yet? Send me an email at danaterry4@comcast.net to request your copy!

Take 6 Tuesday - 6 Reasons Why I LOVE Close To My Heart!

Welcome to my first edition to Take 6 Tuesdays! I love lists, don't you? Each week I will have a new list of 6 things posted for you. You won't want to miss any of my great tips or quirky Dana facts so be sure to check back every Tuesday for a new list.

I'm starting off my first Take 6 Tuesday with my Top 6 Reasons Why I LOVE Close To My Heart. There are so many things to love about Close To My Heart, it is hard to list just 6 but here we go:

6. Studio J. OMG! Have you seen how easy it is to create online layouts? Check it out at my website.

5. Great prices!

4. I love how all of the paper packets, cardstock, inks, accessories, ribbon, etc. match perfectly!

3. Close To My Heart has the best "how to" instructional books. There are currently 4 layout books and 2 cardmaking books available.

2. Our My Acrylic stamps are the best on the market (not to mention we were the first).

And the number one reason I LOVE Close To My Heart is......

I have the BEST customers in the world!

Post what you love about Close To My Heart and I will send you some blog candy!