Hello...hello!! Despite my best intentions, this past summer FLEW BY and I didn't get around to doing much crafting. However, I did manage to completely move and reorganize my crafting space from a small third bedroom upstairs to a much bigger space in our family room downstairs. Now, I don't feel so clausterphobic and my daughter can play nearby!! Plus, I have the perfect space to host papercrafting workshops! So, to officially christen my new crafting space, I'll be hosting a card workshop on Saturday, November 20 from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. There are still two spots available, so contact me by e-mail at christinemhealy@yahoo.com if you are interested. I've included some pics of the cards we will be making.

Fun with Kate & Co.

So here I am finally catching up on some blogging in the wee morning hours.... I was feeling SO tired earlier this evening that I was counting the minutes until I could get into bed, but then something happened and I got a second wind so here it is 1:10 a.m. and I'm on a roll with catching up on e-mails, blogging and checking new websites...all crafting oriented...of course!! Speakingf of crafting, I spent some time this past Friday at the Great American Scrapbook Convention that took place at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly. I've gone every year for the past six years with the exception of last year and I always manage to leave with new inspiration and LOTS of new crafting goodies!! Despite the word "scrapbook" in the title, the Convention is really a papercrafter's paradise. Over the next month (July), I hope to be sharing some papercrafted projects here on my blog using some of the new goodies I purchased at Convention so, if you have some time, come back to visit.

Speaking of Convention, the Close To My Heart convention is right around the corner...July 8-10 and I CAN'T WAIT!!! As I've just passed my one year anniversary being a Consultant with CTMH, this will be my first convention and, from what I hear, CTMH treats their Consultants VERY WELL so stay tuned for all the new products I'll be showcasing on my blog!

And last, but not least, I wanted to take the opportunity to sincerely thank one of my customers...Kate...who hosted a cardmaking party on June 12. She invited along three friends (and the granddaughters of one friend) to join her in a cardmaking workshop. The card pictured here is the one the ladies made while the girls completed a cupcake-themed card and a father's day card. I believe fun was had by all...THANK YOU Kate & Co.!!!

I'm still here...

Oh my...it's been so long since I posted. I've been hoping to get my pics organized on a flash drive so I can do some blogging when I have down time at work because otherwise it's hard to find the time once I return home in the evenings. I haven't quite accomplished the pic organization yet, but it's getting there. Also, with the summer coming and getting time off from work (since I work in a school), I really hope to get back on track with blogging on a regular basis....not to mention getting some workshops on my calendar for July and August. Happy Memorial Day!!!

My Cutie Patooties!!

I tend to be a more private person when it comes to my family. So, when I started my blog last summer, I wasn't sure how much "personal" information I wanted to share. As it turns out, I've found myself using my blog mostly to post information about my papercrafting hobby and business. However, last weekend, my family adopted a new puppy and I can't help but post this picture of he and my beautiful daughter. I know I'm biased, but aren't they just the CUTEST pair you've ever seen!!!

You Rock Cards

Here are three cards I designed using the CTMH You Rock Level 2 Paper Packet, with a little help from "Wishes" a how-to book for cardmaking. I will be teaching how to make these cards on May 1, 9:30 a.m. at the Kingstowne Center for Active Adults. If you would like to learn how to make these or any other cards, just contact me at christinemhealy@yahoo.com ...I would love to show you how!!

Excitement is in the air!!

I am feeling SUPER excited this week, both personally and professionally! First, my husband, daughter and I are adopting an 8 week old puppy this coming weekend...can't wait!! I'll be sure to post some pics next week so stay tuned. On a professional note, there is SO MUCH new stuff coming your way from Close To My Heart in the next one to two months...I don't know where to begin?? Well, let's start with the "Miracle" Kit in honor of National Scrapbooking Month (May):

Beginning April 15, you can purchase this beautiful Kit three ways:

1. Pay just $5 for the Kit when you order $60 worth of CTMH products, or
2. Pay just $10 when you order $40 of CTMH products, or
3. Purchase the Kit directly for only $19.95.

Included in the Miracle Kit are the following items:

5 – Colonial White Cardstock

1 – Bamboo Cardstock

1 – Floral B&T Duos® Paper

1 – Stripe B&T Duos® Paper

1 – Crystal Blue Circle B&T Duos® Die-Cut

1 – Sweet Leaf Bracket B&T Duos® Die-Cut

1 – 6" x 12" My Stickease® Assortment

1 – 6" x 9" Irresistibles™ Chipboard Die-Cuts

1 – Mini-Medley Accents Colonial White Collection

12" Colonial White Waxy Flax

3 – 4" x 6" Memory Protectors® Flip Flaps™

2 – Sponges

1 –Brochure

I can't believe HOW MUCH great product you will receive for SO LITTLE money and only while supplies last so think about making an order starting April 15!!! To do so, visit my web-site http://christinehealy.myctmh.com/

For updates regarding all the NEW products coming your way from CTMH, check my blog regularly for the next several days....hint, hint....the eagerly awaited customer launch of Studio J and the new Summer Idea Book...think cherries, fluffy clouds and rainbows, and Disney...stay tuned........

Crafting for a "Celebrity"

Boy oh boy....am I WAAAAYYYYY overdue for a new posting!! So, I thought I would highlight my newest card that I finally completed this past weekend. I say "finally" because a friend of mine, Trish, commissioned me to make this card, along with a couple dry erase boards, back in late February. So, during my time off last week, I got down to business and here is what came out of it.... Trish and her family are headed to Canton, Ohio this August to attend the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony that will honor Floyd Little, nickanamed The Franchise, for his years of playing on the Denver Broncos. Trish is very friendly with Floyd's daughter, Christy Jones, who lives in the Washington, DC area. Congrats to Floyd "The Franchise" Little!!!! Hope he likes the card.

Here is one of the dry erase boards I made for Trish to give as a going away gift to another friend and her family...

All I can say is...Poor Kevin!!!!!

Topstitch Class - Coming March 13!!

I'm really looking forward to hosting the "Topstitch" Class at my home on Saturday, March 13, from 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. This is one of my very favorite CTMH paper packets and I think you will love it too!! The base colors are baby pink, heavenly blue, chocolate and vineyard berry. The pinks and blues makes it perfect for female and/or male cards and scrapbook layouts.

For just $20.90 (plus tax & shipping) you will receive the following CTMH products:

• Topstitch Level 2 Paper Packet ($12.95)
• Soft Suede Pinwheels - full pack ($5.95))
• Clear Sparkles - half pack ($1.50)
• extra embellishments including some buttons and ribbon ($0.50)
• full use of my stamps, inks, adhesives and other tools

The following pictures show a sampling of the cards for which I will be providing instruction during the workshop (there is a total of six different designs)*

* I will be pre-cutting the papers for you so all you have to do is stamp and assemble

While I will be gearing my instruction toward cardmaking, you can certainly focus on scrapbooking if you wish. Either way, you will leave with ample supplies that will allow you to complete additional projects on your own time - cards and/or scrapbook layouts.

If you are interested and/or want to learn more, please e-mail me at christinemhealy@yahoo.com or call me (703)927-2404.

DEADLINE to register for class is Sunday, February 28. Feel free to invite a friend along...just let me know if you are ordering for two. I look forward to seeing you in March!!

What to do when you are snowbound?

Craft, craft, craft!! Here in northern Virginia, we've been out of school/work since last Friday. Normally, I would be feeling pretty stir crazy, but thanks to all of my paper and stamps, I've been keeping myself pretty busy! One project I've become quite smitten with is making scrapbook-inspired dry erase boards. I was first introduced to this idea back in December when I attended a holiday party hosted by fellow CTMH consultant, Barb Carrico. At the party, we had a gift exchange and I received the beatiful dry erase board pictured below, made by fellow CTMH consultant, Kelly Rizzo. As you can see, Kelly is very talented and I felt so fortunate to be the recipient of such a beatiful, handcrafted item! She used the CTMH Unforgettable Level 2 Paper Packet to make this board, along with a few different stamp sets and embellishments...
So, I decided to give it a try and the following four boards are the result of my efforts....

If you like any of these and would be interested in learning to make one, please e-mail me at christinemhealy@yahoo.com or contact me at (703)927-2404 as I'm preparing a list for a future class. If you would like to purchase one for yourself or as a gift (makes a great teacher and/or mother's day gift), please visit my Etsy web-site where I'm selling them: http://itsapaperthing.etsy.com/ Thanks!!

Receive the Felicity Collection FREE

If you're like me and you absolutely love papers, stamps, inks and anything else related to papercrafting, then you will love what CTMH has in store for you this month!! In case you didn't already know, January is National Papercrafting Month and, in order to celebrate, CTMH is featuring a truly special collection of papers and stamps in their Felicity Collection...

This two-page layout that is just the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to this beautiful collection of papers and stamps. Below you will see a picture I took of all the papers and the stamp set which includes a full alphabet!! Altogether, there are 12 sheets of B&T Duos papers (2 each of 6 patterns), along with 6 die-cut papers - each is uniquely styled...

There are four ways you can earn this Collection (retail value of $34.95) for FREE through the end of this month:

1. Be the FIRST to e-mail (christinemhealy@yahoo.com) or call me (703-927-2404) and book a Home Gathering during February and you will receive a FREE Felicity Collection from me when you host your Gathering. Available dates are 5th, 13th, 21st, or 27th. (I will determine who was "First" based on time/date stamp of e-mails and voicemails.)
2. Go over t0 the upper right-hand column on my blog and click the image that says "National Papercrafting Month." This will take you to the Felicity Blog where you can post a response to the question of the day and be entered in a daily drawing to win a FREE Felicity Collection.
3. Go to my web-site (http://christinehealy.myctmh.com/) through January 31 and purchase stamp sets totaling $60 or more, and you will automatically receive a FREE Felicity Collection along with your order.
4. Go to my web-site (http://christinehealy.myctmh.com/) and place an order of $125 in CTMH products, and you will automatically receive a FREE Felicity Collection along with your order.

I'm also gearing up to offer new papercrafting classes in February, March and April, featuring the new paper packets showcased in the new Spring Idea Book 2010. So please come back to visit my Blog soon...thanks for stopping by!!

New Year and New Projects!!

Happy New Year to all!! I have been so fortunate to have two weeks off around the holidays and, during this time, I have had some extra time to do some papercrafting. One of the things I did was to make some gifts for friends and family. I would love to take credit for the following two designs, but I cannot. The first project was inspired by a fellow CTMH consultant - Kelly Rizzo. She made one of these Write On Wipe Off Memo Boards and I received it in a gift swap at a CTMH holiday party back in December. I decided to take Kelly's basic design and tweaked a couple parts to make it my own. One thing I did was to use the CTMH November Stamp of the Month (Around the Block) to stamp the house in the bottom right corner. Since I gave this exact board to my neighbors (the Bowers family) for a Christmas gift and we live in a townhome community, I thought this house stamp was perfect!

This second project was inspired by a very talented papercrafter whom I met at a local craft fair back in October. Her name is Sonja Peake and she makes beautiful papercrafts including cards and gift items. The two memo boards below have magnets on the back so that they can be placed on a refrigerator or could be attached to a metal desk/file cabinet at work. I basically copied Sonja's design, but added my own touch with CTMH papers and by stamping the recipient's name to personalize the gift. Also, there is the option of including a pen with a matching paper insert.