Happy Halloween!!

Hello, Again!

I figured that today was a great day to re-start my blog!

Thank you for being patient with me and not giving up!

I had so much fun creating this 8 1/2  x 11 

HALLOWEEN LAYOUT

that I knew it was time to share and get this blog back on schedule...

Welcome to my blog of simple and fast creativity... I like to think that I create for everyone!! On this blog you will find creations, tips and techniques to help you with your own projects... scrapbook pages, cards and sometimes, 3D projects! I hope that I can inspire you!

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Today's creation was definitely spurred on by the day and wonderful products at my finger tips! And, of course, the coolest headband that a person could find for Halloween. 

A reminder for me of the greatest Halloween movie!

 The base paper is Wisteria (X6032)

The layer is a piece of paper from the mix-in pack from the Fall Catalogue 

The stamp set is an amazing stamp set designed by Aimee Ferre simply titled 

Halloween by Aimee Ferre (D1893).

*this stamp is also stunning when colored, but today I chose not to.

The paper is edged with a black shimmer brush (Z4224).

The words [Spooky] [Boo] are made super sparkly with our Wisteria Shimmer Brush (Z3511).

Love it!

The picture is wrapped with mink twine (Z4221).

The stamped images and picture are all layered onto black glitter paper (Z3236).

*when adhering an item to any of our glitter paper, I use glue dots as this holds better. 

I also used adhesive and 3D foam tape, crinkled the pattern paper and sanded it, and used my favorite black ink which is the Intense Black Ink (Z4189).

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful Thursday and a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Xoxo Gwen

2019!!

Welcome to a New Year!

With a new year, comes an amazing amount of new product and fresh ideas!

I am so excited that Close To My Heart is a company on top of all of this!! Even after 35 years in the business!!

I can't wait to share everything with you!!

If you know me by now, you know I love simple. 

Beautiful, elegant, classy and simple.

I don't always memory keep in chronological order.

I like to scrapbook my favorite pictures first.

If I find an 'old' picture and fall in love with it, I get that one into

my scrapbook as soon as possible.

I guess if there was rules to the memory keeping world, I'd be breaking them all.

These are some of the reasons that I continue to fall in love with the

Story by Stacy

line that Close To My Heart and Stacy Julian continue to grow with their partnership!  Yayyyy for all of us!! 

I am so excited to be working on dates to offer this amazing workshop for you!!  Stories I Love is going to be such an fabulous workshop to share!!  As well as so many others because, as I said, with an amazing amount of new product, comes some wonderful ideas to be shared!!

Here's to a Wonderful 2019!!

xoxo Gwen

 

Friendship...

Michael Buble's in the BUILDING!! Oh, I so wish.  He is singing in the background though, and that's good enough for me.  For now.  I love a good crooner, and he's my favorite.

Today I'm posting, as my title says, about Friendship.  These are the pages and the picture that confirmed to me that my memory keeping was missing something.  The first picture is the design and layout that brings me peace and satisfaction.  Yes, this page I fussed with and played with, BUT, I worked around the picture and the story.  I kept the focus on my goal.

When telling my story, I remembered how good it felt that Debbie took time from her day and met me for lunch.  She knew I needed her.  I feel the colors of the layout are also saying this.  The colors bring softness to mind.  Kindness.  You can't see it in the picture, but I also used a shimmer brush on the stamped saying and that speaks to me about classiness. Treasure glitters and friendship is a treasure. 

"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." - A.A. Milne

Love, love, love this!!  Sometimes, it's the simple actions that we can do or give, but it's so much more than that to the person receiving them. Kindness is so important.

The part that I played with, is the marbled rectangle in the background behind the saying.  To be honest, it was laying on my desk from that mornings card class.  My guests and I took shaving creme and ink refills, stirred it up and then laid a piece of watercolor paper on top.  Pushed gently, pulled it up and used a ruler to get the excess shaving creme off.  A beautiful piece of paper to complete a story that reminds me of a beautiful friend (and the friends that I spent time with that morning making cards)!!

This is memory keeping.

As you can see from the picture right above me, or the second layout, I was focused on the products.  I love what I do and share it with others, but you always have to remember that memory keeping is about the picture and the story.  The design and creation is the celebration of the two!!

Have a fantabulous and wonderful day!!

xoxo Gwen

*Please note that all products are Close To My Heart products!  This is the company that I am an Independent Consultant with absolutely LOVE!! 

I'm Not Just A Scrapbooker...

I'm back. I have no real good reason as to why it's taken me so long to blog again, but I think that you need to know me.

Yesterday I was asked...

"Why do you do what you do? What drew you to it in the first place?"
When you think about it, I think we should all take a step back and routinely ask ourselves this question, to see if we're on the right track, or if we have lost our way a bit, as it does happen.  When pondering this question, I realized that I may have lost my way a bit.

I can honestly say that 26 years ago, I started scrapbooking because I loved the papers, the playing and designing, reliving the moments that the pictures brought to the surface, seeing the changes (some good, some not so good).

Yesterday, I realized that something was missing...

"Why do I do what I do?  What drew me to it in the first place?"

Telling my story.  My story is important.  All of our stories are important.
 
All the reasons for starting scrapbooking, for me, are the same, but what was missing, were the words.  The words that tell the story.  The words that tell the feelings.  The words that tell the memories.  A picture without words is just a picture.

A picture with words is a story.  It's a journal.  It's a life.  It's a piece of me.  It's my heart.  It's my soul.  It's MY life.  My legacy.  My memories.  

One day, those memories may fade.  They may disappear.  Unfortunately, it happens.  One day, the memories are just gone.  These memories matter.  My husband and my kids know that I love them, but with my pictures and words, they can hear and remember why I love them. 

I'm not just a scrapbooker.  I'm not just a woman with a hobby.  

I'm creative.  A designer.
I'm a photographer.
I'm a journalist.
I'm a reporter.
I'm a teacher.
I'm a business owner.
I am so much more than a scrapbooker...


I am a memory book designer and teacher and I am good at what I do.

I'll see you tomorrow as I restart my blogging journey!!


xoxo Gwen 

 

Happy September!

Today I present to you a Halloween Card!!!

This is a 'Wow!' moment for me as it has been years since I designed and created a Halloween card!!

I am truly loving CTMH's new Holiday Expressions catalogue that went LIVE on September 1st!!  You must check it out!!

https://gwenanderson.closetomyheart.ca

*If you open the above link, click on Products and then Idea Books...you will be able to download and look at both of CTMH's brand new catalogues.  They are fabulous!!

 

Products Featured:

X7724B Cats and Bats Paper Pack

Z4045 Cats and Bats Scrapbooking Stamp & Thin Cuts

X5995/Z2833 (New) Pebble Cardstock and Ink Pad

Z2457 Marigold ShinHan Marker

I believe that sometimes when we are creating and showing new product, we forget to use techniques that we love!!  One of the reasons that I love CTMH is the white core paper, wrinkling it and then inking over top to give the paper a completely different look.

 

I am also pleased as punch that this card will enable me to enter into Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge this week!!  This will be my first time entering a card!!  Whoop whoop!!

 https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k3QZwM1Vs7sZIT4yrZ1jVd1e-aOLEqoh_L0Yn_8m-zlr81E44PaGP0baJlK_MeyXlKlLPSDSbHvk0ZCIXUjSXQd8ix0oqfJQzxWeDD1oHoNOV7BQDqms4QKdrbVtD7nc5eVHAWYmXU5N/s1600/228.jpg

 

Thanks for looking!!

Gwen

"Enjoy the Little Things!"

New Product and a Challenge!!

Good Morning!!

Thank you for taking a moment to peek at my 'blog' today!

It has been a whirlwind July and I appreciate your patience with me as I have been absent for a bit and then I have been 'scrapped' out.

To explain a little...

I created an Everyday Life Album for a family member celebrating a special birthday and then scrapbooked 26 layouts of my husband and I to have on display for our 25th Anniversary. In three days!!

 Nothing like leaving it until the last minute!!

What fun, but what mental exhaustion!

So today, I must once again thank the ladies at

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

http://atlanticheartschallenge.blogspot.ca/

for inspiring today's layout!!  You must check out this challenge blog as I find it very inspiring!!

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAsKoUCMvOXQD56AbVvI5kNOfVEnWT7p4nj9YVqHSgTLqmJyrg_52rzAu9j0KMTyh8Yrb8rk1tkDmVmHGULgTqDWWaM6jRX6zIafsCTRFegpos3mCRI7RCKpgo4sWydEKWf74RC6Kk_x7/s1600/222.jpg

A sneak peek at some of the NEW CTMH products coming out in our new Annual Inspirations on August 1!!  So excited!!!

Hmm...I must be in a brain fog today as I can't seem to edit my pictures, so please forgive my unprofessional photos today!!  I REALLY want to blog today and I promise I will be 'back' next time!! Oh, dear!!

As usual, all the products used on my single page layout are Close to My Heart and will be available for sale August 1, 2017 with the release of our absolutely wonderful new Inspirations Catalogue!!

https://gwenanderson.closetomyheart.ca/

Thank you for looking and for your patience!!

Gwen

"Enjoy the Little Things!" 

I Needed a Challenge!!

Happy Saturday!

My apologies for being absent...this year has been a crazy spring and my husband has been interfering with my scrapbook time!  Actually, you know things have been crazy when Bob asks me out to the field to help!!  lol.

All supplies are Close To My Heart:

G1129 Workshop Your Way Jack Scrapbooking Kit

 

It has definitely taken this challenge from the ladies at

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge:

http://atlanticheartschallenge.blogspot.ca/ 

to bring me back to my world!! 

Thank you ladies, for these weekly challenges!! 

Thanks for looking!

Gwen

"Enjoy the Little Things"

Three Cards and Me!!

Happy Wednesday Evening!

The other day, I 'needed'  to be in my Caffeinated Corner...it was one of those days. 

When it is 'one of those days' sometimes the scrapbooking doesn't come as easy, but why not some cards??

I love simple and easy cards.

 That doesn't mean that they have to be boring.  Simple stamping, a little color, some bling and favorite stamp sets.  That's all you need to get your card creativity going!!

 All supplies are Close to My Heart and available today!
https://gwenanderson.closetomyheart.ca

Inks...Momento Black, Cashmere, Cocoa, and Glacier
Stamp Sets...(D1720) Keep Dreaming, (C1608) Brushstrokes, (A1198) Hi Friend, 
(B1536) All the Thanks, and stamp set from (G1131) WYW Anniversary Cardmaking Kit

 Thanks for looking!!
Gwen
"Enjoy the little things"

Good Times!

Happy Monday!

I think that it is safe to say that you have begun to see that

I am happily married with two 'grown' children.

I think that I can safely say that today's layout shows

that all in the pictures are 'adults', but mature??

Good times for sure!!

All supplies used are Close To My Heart:

G1128 Prickly Pear Scrapbooking Kit

Z3189 White and Gold Ribbon

Z3238 Gold Glitter Paper

Z3260 Hearts Thin Cuts (Sold Out!!)

Thanks for looking!

Gwen 

"Enjoy the Little Things!"

Only 6 more sleeps and a day...

until the Living Beautifully Collection is GONE!!

I will truly miss working with this collection of paper, stamps and the fabulous Cut Above Kit!  

With the stamp set, I love the bold images of the flowers as well as the script that CTMH chose for the single word stamps and sentiment stamps.

The paper, beautiful...every piece.

Thanks for looking!
Gwen
"Enjoy the Little Things"

Live Beautifully 2 Page!

As you may have noticed, I like to blog about my single page layouts...I figured that it was time that I put a 2 page layout up for everyone!  Of course, this layout uses the Live Beautifully paper pack and stamp set that I've been raving about this month!

This layout is all about paper and simple stamping! 

 

(I feel that I should be giving someone else credit for this layout design, but my apologies...I can't remember and didn't write it on the back.)

My apologies on the downhill slant and shadow that I see on the picture this morning...I think my progressives are taking a break!! Hahahaha.

Thanks for looking!

Gwen

 "Enjoy the little things"

This Guy...Challenge Take 2!

I am definitely happier with this second entry for the

Atlantic Hearts Challenge!

http://atlanticheartschallenge.blogspot.ca/

 

 This layout 'fell' together much easier than the last one.

I am so glad that all of my family members 'put up with' my love of scrapbooking and allow me to take pictures to blog about!!!

...or maybe I don't always tell them that they end up on my blog!!

All supplies used are CTMH:

Z3306 My Boy Complements

Live Beautifully Paper Pack

Black, Slate, Whisper and Emerald Cardstock

Sparkles (colored with the Black ShinHan Marker)

 

Thanks for looking!

Gwen

"Enjoy the Little Things"

3 Generations...Another Challenge!

I had so much fun doing the last

Atlantic Hearts Challenge,

that I decided to give it another go.

This time I may have strayed too far away from the sketch (213),

but I did find this sketch a challenge for me!

Even with the circle on it (remember, I love circles),

I found that there was too much space on a 12x12 layout.

As I said, I may have strayed too far from the sketch, but I am still having fun taking part in these challenges and recommend it!!

Since I titled my page "3 Generations", I felt that there had to be three flowers, circles and sparkles.  I realized afterwards that I even had three lines of journaling!!!

This layout uses...

the Live Beautifully Stamp Set

the Live Beautifully Paper Pack

Pixie, Juniper and Black ink

Daisy White cardstock

Sparkles colored with Z2464 Tender Pink ShinHan Marker 

*all supplies are Close To My Heart 

**The title and two of the flowers were first stamped with Pixie Ink and then, with a sponge, I added black ink onto the stamp before stamping.  Love the softness of adding ink with a sponge!!

 http://atlanticheartschallenge.blogspot.ca/

(one of these days I will figure out how to add a link.  It seems that I have forgotten!!!)

Thanks for looking!

Gwen

"Enjoy the Little Things" 

A Day of Friendship!

Today has been a fabulous day.

A day full of friendship and then topped off with some scrapbooking and a challenge!

  

A friend pointed out to me a challenge on

http://atlanticheartschallenge.blogspot.ca

and this layout honestly, just fell in place.

With friends, life is wonderful and full of smiles!

 All products used are Close To My Heart...

C1619 So Many Smiles Stamp Set

Sapphire Ink andCardstock

Z3238 Gold Glitter Paper

Zip Strip from Living Beautifully Paper Pack (CC1212B) *only available for the month of May!!!

Z3304 "Happy Birthday" Thin Cut

Z3318 "Basic Circles" Thin Cuts

White Daisy Cardstock 

Adhesive, 3D foam tape and glue pen

This is the original sketch on Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge...

*to check out Atlantic Hearts blog, highlight address closer to top of my

post, right click and open link in a new tab!

Thanks for looking!!

Gwen

"Enjoy the Little Things" 

ps...just a reminder that I do all my journaling after I blog!

Simple, Embossed Cards!

Embossed Cards...

I love the elegance and the simplicity of embossing with gold and silver!

 I am also in love with CTMH's "Live Beautifully" Stamp Set and Paper Pack that are only available for the month of May and while supplies last!  

Sometimes I forget that the more simple I keep my cards and life, the more beautiful they both will be!!

 

The how to....

When embossing I find it best to use an anti-static product to keep the embossing powder from sticking to unwanted spots.  Then stamp with Versamark (Z891), sprinkle with gold powder (Z2066), and heat with a craft heater (Z555).  Work as quick as possible for best results.  

Simple and beautiful!!

Paper Pack is 17.95.  Stamp Set is 23.00. Created for National Scrapbooking Month and only while supplies last!

 Thanks for looking!

Gwen

"Enjoy the little things!" 

Hello, Monday!

Good Morning, Everyone!

Lately I have had an addiction to SHAKER CARDS!!!

Yesterday afternoon I had a group of 4 ladies join me in making three shaker cards...it is so great to see the differences that happen when 4 different people make the exact same card.  I'm so sorry that I didn't take pictures!!!

I'm very excited to give this class another go tonight with 6 more ladies!  Can't wait and I'll try to remember to take pictures!!

Supplies Used:

B1532 Sweet Birthday Stamp Set

Z1151 3D Foam Tape

Z899 Momento Black Ink

Variety of ShinHan Touch Twin Markers

Z3240 Sea Glass Glitter Paper

Z3304 Happy Birthday Thin Cut Die 

Z3312 Gold Glitter Gems

Page Protector cut up for the 'window' of my shaker box!

Variety of Sequins from my local Dollar Store!

Thanks for looking!

Gwen

"Enjoy the Little Things"

NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING DAY!!

Good Morning!!

I am getting super excited about an upcoming weekend that I am hostessing to celebrate NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING DAY! Which is, of course, on May 6th!

I figure, though, why only a day?  How about a weekend?

Friday May 5th, Saturday May 6th and Sunday May 7th.

The theme... "Live Beautifully"!

Wow!!!

To add to my excitement, Close To My Heart designed a paper pack, stamp set, Cut Above Layout Kit and an Album Bundle to help us celebrate!  Amazing!!

The layout that I am showing you today, is my FREE gift to all attendees at my weekend crop!  I will have all the pieces cut for them and then they will have to put it together!  I hope that they love it as much as I loved creating it for them!!

More details about my weekend and all my upcoming classes can be found on my Facebook page ...

Gwen Anderson - Independent Close To My Heart Consultant

 

Live Beautifully paper pack and stamp set!

Live Beautifully Album Bundle! 20% off!!

 Thank you for looking!

Gwen

"Enjoy the Little Things"

Happy Easter!!

I hope that, if you celebrate, you had a wonderful Easter weekend filled with family and friends!

Since it is Easter Monday for me, I thought that I would share this FUN single page layout of myself!!

With April 'winding down', that means our Seasonal Expressions mini catalogue will be going 'off-line'...many of the items will be no longer available and some are even already there at this point.

But, this also means that we will be 'getting' a new Seasonal Expressions at the beginning of May and I can't wait to share this one with you as well!  It is fabulous! Close to my Heart just keeps on impressing me and gets better and better!

Back to my layout...

*the papers that I used are 'Some Kind of Wonderful'.  I love the fun colors that this package of paper has to offer.

 *the stamp set is 'Journaling Prompts' (B1548)

*the dragonfly comes from 'Dreamin' Big - Cardmaking (C1674)

*all of the items used on this layout are from the Seasonal Expressions set to retire April 30, 2017.

I hope that you found today's layout as FUN and 'Spring-y' as I do!!  Thank you for looking!

 My apologies for not 'cropping' my photo, for some reason, my computer and I were not getting along!!  Not enough coffee???

Gwen

"Enjoy the Little Things"

Thin Cuts...Love Them!!

Only 4 more sleeps and the 25% off Thin Cuts Sale will be over!

I have always LOVED the THIN CUTS!!  They are so easy to use and can really enhance the project that you are working on!!

As you can see, I used the "LOVE" (Z3257) thin cut, and the "HEARTS" (Z3260) thin cuts on this layout.  I even used the "Love" thin cut to cut through our beautiful

SEA GLASS GLITTER PAPER (Z3240)!

Stamp sets used include the Operation Smile Stamp Set,

"True Love" (D1711) and

"Hello Lovely - Scrapbooking" (D1713), which is only available until April 30, 2017.  All other supplies are current Close to My Heart products and available through my OBA.

I hope that my single page layout inspires you to create today!

Thanks for looking!!
    Gwen
"Enjoy the Little Things!"

"Things I Love!"

Good Morning!

I know that it's Spring, but since here in Saskatchewan we still have snow, I thought that I would post another Winter Layout!

As most of you know, there are many 'things' that

I am in love with...

glitter paper (the snowflake, the 'xo' and the sea glass sheet),

Close to My Heart Thin Cuts (which are 25% off this month!!!),

Snap Chat (which my daughter and I use to keep in touch),

the use of 'flags' on a layout,

sequins (were not always my favorite, but on this 

layout they look lovely!!),

and B&T paper!!

Life is Great!

Have a Wonderful Day!!

Thanks for looking!
    Gwen
"Enjoy the Little Things!"