Glitz and Reinker fun

Just trying a little something for footprint sheets...painted the snowman's hat with Stardust Glitz mixed with Citrus Leaf reinker using a waterbrush. Pretty cool effect.

H2H gift challenge

It's been a tough year financially due to the economy and health problems, so money is tight. Thanks to Creative University, I found a perfect solution...pinwheel, double-sided ornaments that will be sent out in our Christmas cards. A little labor of love and token of affection for family and friends who have been supportive through the trials.

Pinwheel technique from Sheila Bennett

This is one of my first attempts at this fun and beautiful techniques, thanks to Sheila Bennett's segment on Creative University online sponsored by Tresa Black

Pop Top Can Gift Tin

I found a tutorial for this on SCS, and just had to give it a try. I've been spending ridiculous amounts of time on the canned for aisle looking for cans with the right kind of lower rim to use my safety can opener...should have plenty in time for Christmas and be healthy from all those fruits and veggies LOL

H2H #35 sketch challenge

This is my first attempt at embossed flowers, and I really like this technique. I look forward to trying it again.

H2H...thank you

I adore snowmen, and thought this would be a really fun Thank You note for Christmas gifts, or just for any winter event needing a Thank You!

H2H Pretty Pretty Princess

I had fun adding lots of glitter and pearls to this girly girl card! I'm covered in glitter now, so I must've had fun :)

Heart to Heart challenge...shaped card

I found this darling baby onesie template at PaperScrapz and just had to give it a try.

H2H...trees and leaves challenge

Thank you for this particular challenge...I took this fabulous picture last fall at one of our local parks. It was the first day me oldest daughter had been well enough to leave the house in weeks due to complications from the swine flu. It's not a great quality photo taken from my cell phone, but I love the composition, even including our doggy! I've been wanting to get it done for ages, so this was just the push I needed to complete it! Hope you all love it as much as I do LOL

Heart to Heart challenge...Birthday

I so wanted to use my new Thriller stamp set, so thought I'd go for a little humor. I would have enjoyed this on my 40th birthday!

ABC time at H2H

Here's a couple pictures of my project for this week's challenge...As you know, my dear husband is a pirate at heart (he even got to play a pirate at our NICU graduate picnic this summer!) so any chance to use pirate stuff is good at our house LOL. Haven't been playing along much since I just started working nights and our schedule is nuts...hopefully we're back to a new normal, though, and I can play along again.

Heart to Heart challenge...Tag It

Thankfully, this challenge came as I was finishing a tag album for my friend's baby shower. Her It's a jungle theme that was so fun to make. My main computer died, so I'm having trouble uploading more pics...hope this is okay!

H2H challenge #17...color challenge

Here's my offering for the color challenge using Blush, Vineyard Berry and Creme Brulee...two out of the three colors of which I have very little LOL...Did what I could with what I had :)

H2H challenge #16...recipe challenge

My girls and their cousin love to make Monkey Bread when they stay at Nana's house...this layout showing them over the years was so much fun to make. I cheated a little on the title...didn't have enough CTMH letters, so used some from a local establishment. A crafter's gotta do what a crafter's gotta do LOL

Heart to Heart challenge...ABC (anything but a card)

I made this album to send to my niece Jessica who just spent two weeks in Idaho. We had a blast while she was here playing in our neighborhood pool, lighting off fireworks, cooling off at the water park and picnicking in the mountains. She is second-home sick, so I think this will help her remember the fun we had :)

Heart to Heart challenge...ABC (anything but a card)

H2H challenge #14

I tried another card, but didn't love how it turned out. I do love this one, and hope you do too!

H2H challenge #13...Olde Glory

Here is my patriotic offering in honor of Olde Glory...It's a grand old flag that represents our nation. My husband spent 5 years in the Marines, and I wanted to produce a card to honor that service and sacrifice by him and all those who have served in the military. Hope you enjoy, and God bless America!

H2H challenge #12 color challenge...Tulip, Black and Buttercup

This challenge was a little tricky because I didn't have much in the way of Buttercup around...my philosophy is to do what you can with what you've got where you are (Eleanor Roosevelt) so I grabbed what I could find and took it with us camping. I had the back of some B&T paper from Boom-Di-Ada that I used for the buttercup element. I'm very much in love with A Little Buzz stamp set <3. Looking forward to using this bookmark in my summer read LOL

Heart to Heart challenge #11 Father's Day

On my wedding day, I asked my dear Uncle Terry to walk me down the aisle; my real dad walked out on his wife and children about 10 years ago and never looked back. Not only was Uncle Terry honored to fill this roll, he even went the day before our Reno wedding and spoke to the minister, giving him some background information about our situation. Our wedding was beautiful, and I appreciate all my aunt and uncle did to make it even more special. He's getting this card for Father's Day :) I used scraps from the Everyday Celebrations kit.

Father's Day

And a couple other Father's Day cards...my daughter's requested I made one for both of their dads... Dane's is the piratical one, of course!

H2H challenge #10...get scrappy using CTMH products

Here's my layout for this challenge... scroll down for a slideshow with more closeups.

H2H challenge #10...get scrappy using CTMH products

Boy do I love this kind of challenge since I'm frequently doing this anyway LOL. The photos are not fabulous, but the memories are beautiful!!

Heart to Heart challenge #9

I really enjoyed making my own striped paper for my interpretation of this week's challenge. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else makes, too!

Here are a few more examples of stamped backgrounds

Not sure why this last one loaded sideways...strange things, computers LOL

Heart to Heart challenge #8: Stamp your own Background

Boy was this a tough one...tough to decide what to submit, because I love to stamp my own backgrounds. My husband wisely voted for the pirate paper used in our wedding album. If you click on "tips and techniques" in the left margin of my blog, you will see how I made this multi-step background used throughout our album.

Heart to Heart challenge #7

This week's challenge used a color combination of Desert Sand, Ocean and Topiary. I happened to be working on our Disneyland Honeymoon album, and this picture worked perfectly for this color scheme. Hope you like it, too!

Heart to Heart challenge #5

For this week's technique challenge, I choose sanding...I'm addicted! On this card, I dry embossed a pattern for the background then sanded over the top. I also sanded the back of some B&T paper to add more dimension. Scroll down to see one of my wedding album pages where I used three different versions of sanding...is there any help for this addiction? LOL

Page 1 of our wedding album

Can't stop sanding... three different kinds on this page LOL

Heart to Heart Mother's Day challenge

This was fun to make using Veranda papers and Spring Blossom paper flowers. Not sure if the judges will love it, but I know Nana will :)

Heart to Heart challenge #4

Here's my offering for this week's H2H challenge

Open House make and take project teaser!!

Heart to Heart challenge

Here are my offerings for the Heart to Heart challenge! Looking forward to each new week...

The summer 2010 Idea Book has arrived!

Make the most of your memories using the latest products from
Close To My Heart


Come see the new scrapbooking and stamping supplies to capture the most important moments of your life

OPEN HOUSE
Wednesday, May 5th...Cinco de Mayo!!
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

See some of the newest products, enjoy fun make-and-take projects, shop for handstamped cards and more!!

Merri Barber
Independent Consultant
1331 W. Great Basin Drive
Meridian, Idaho 83646
(208) 629-9762
stampmom@msn.com
order online at merri.myctmh.com

Birthday card