Seaside - I can dream I'm at the beach

We have been having the worst summer weather here on the east coast....chilly temps and lots of overcast skies, rain here and there too and not much sunshine over the past two weeks.  When I decided to do my hostess club layout this month with  CTMH Seaside Paper, I was hoping I would have some great beach pictures to put on it....I can dream, right!?

 We have been doing a 12 x 12 layout, along with some homemade pocket cards so that in essence, we have two double-page layouts when complete by inserting the pocket page in between the two 12 x 12 pages.  We stamped images from this month's Stamp of the Month, S1507 "Life is Wonderful"  and also used C1594 Treasured Friendship.  Several distressing techniques were used as well - sanding, tearing, and inking.  I also cut the sea birds, fence, lighthouse, and pilings with a Sissix set that I have had FOREVER and hardly ever use....aren't they cute?

As well, Jessica will be thrilled to know that I used her leftover zip strips that I saved from the garbage on the 8 layouts we created as a club!  Thanks Jess!!

Retiring CTMH Stamp Sets

Good morning!  Today I want to share a list of retiring stamp sets - and when you purchase $25 in stamp sets, get a Hostess Rewards stamp set for $5 or the Stamp of the Month Free!  Get 'em now or you'll be disappointed:

A1147 Hanukkah Celebration 1-Sep
A1152 Joyful Wishes 1-Sep
A1153 Hope 1-Sep
A1155 Quick Cards—Japanese Blossom 1-Sep
A1157 Quick Cards—Island Greetings 1-Sep
A1161 Beyond Measure 1-Sep
A1162 Bright Spirits 1-Sep
A1163 Practical Planning 1-Sep
A1165 Capture the Day 1-Sep
A1166 Quoth the Raven 1-Sep
A1168 O Holy Night 1-Sep
A1169 Well Wishes 1-Sep
A1171 A Little Note 1-Dec
B1403 To You and Yours 1-Sep
B1432 Love This 1-Sep
B1442 Belated Birthday 1-Sep
B1452 Funky Blossoms 1-Sep
B1454 Thanksgiving Wreath 1-Sep
B1455 Be Jolly 1-Sep
B1456 Born to Roam 1-Sep
B1457 Tweet Me 1-Sep
B1458 Cuddly Salutations 1-Sep
B1459 Celebrate Love 1-Sep
B1461 Happy Mail 1-Sep
B1464 Puppy Party 1-Sep
B1465 Glitter Glam 1-Sep
B1467 You Mean the World to Me 1-Sep
B1468 Merriest Christmas 1-Sep
B1469 His Love 1-Dec
B1470 Love Ya Silly 1-Dec
B1471 Variety of Thanks 1-Sep
B1472 Love This Story 1-Sep
B1477 Exotic Flower 1-Sep
C1504 Fall Harvest 1-Sep
C1506 Flakey Friends 1-Sep
C1522 Creepy Creatures 1-Sep
C1533 Fabulous You 1-Sep
C1556 Paisley Perfect 1-Sep
C1557 Polar Bear Holiday 1-Sep
C1561 One-Way Borders 1-Sep
C1562 Mary and Babe 1-Sep
C1570 Lifting Spirits 1-Sep
C1576 Pick a Posey 1-Sep
C1585 Australian Salutations 1-Sep
C1586 Australian Thanks 1-Sep
C1587 Sing Glory 1-Sep
C1589 Lifetime of Happiness 1-Sep
C1592 World Traveler 1-Sep
C1593 Hats Off 1-Sep
C1595 Hello Summer 1-Sep
C1596 Happy Hexagons 1-Sep
C1597 Rainy Day 1-Sep
C1598 Noel 1-Sep
C1600 Happy Birds 1-Sep
C1601 Nursery Charms 1-Sep
C1602 Magical Moment 1-Sep
C1603 A Bunch of Thanks 1-Dec
C1606 A Thing Well Done 1-Dec
C1617 You're the Bomb 1-Dec
C1613 Paper Bird 1-Sep
C1614 Tagged with Love 1-Sep
D1469 Polka Dot Alphabet 1-Sep
D1507 Urban Alphabet 1-Sep
D1540 In the Background 1-Sep
D1541 Fast and Furious 1-Sep
D1543 Country-Born 1-Sep
D1544 Distressed Backgrounds 1-Sep
D1550 Happy Autumn 1-Sep
D1552 Magical Days 1-Sep
D1553 Yuletide Greetings 1-Sep
D1554 Christmas Village 1-Sep
D1559 Geometric Backgrounds 1-Sep
D1596 Outback Adventure 1-Sep
D1597 Hoppy Birthday 1-Sep
D1602 A Budding Friendship 1-Sep
D1603 Shreddin' the Slopes 1-Sep
D1608 Better with a Friend 1-Sep
D1615 Sweet As Sugar 1-Sep
D1616 Have a Happy Day 1-Sep
D1632 Amour 1-Dec
D1640 Celebrate Australia 1-Sep
E1026 Vogue Alphabet 1-Sep
M1043 Sprig Wreath 1-Sep
M1044 Spring Banner 1-Sep
M1045 My Happy 1-Sep
M1046 Guiding Heart 1-Sep
M1047 Timely Tidings 1-Sep
M1048 A Quick Hello 1-Sep
M1049 Blooming Heart 1-Sep
M1052 Mini Valentine 1-Dec

Cheers!

July 2015 Cross Canada Blog Hop - Operation Smile

Hello from Nova Scotia and welcome to our July Blog Hop featuring the current Operation Smile Stamp Set, "Happy Everything". When you purchase this stamp set , Close To My Heart will donate $3 to Operation Smile, a non-profit organization that performs life-altering surgeries that give children confidence for a lifetime. They have performed over 220,000 surgeries since being founded in 1982. To purchase any of the items seen in our blog hop today, contact your local consultant.

We hope that you will take the time to leave comments on our posts, as we love to get feedback from our viewers..... Thank you… now on to our hop!

If you have just hopped onto my blog, you can start here as this is a circular hop, but if you want to follow us across Canada then please start at the beginning and join My Creations with Michelle    If you came from there, then you are in the right place!

I have been hosting a card buffet workshop and this is one of the cards I am offering.  It's a great masculine card that uses recycled and household items.....box board (from cereal boxes for example) and tinfoil! 

 The tinfoil is glued to the box board with our Bonding Memories Broad Tip Glue Pen, then folded over the edge.  I then embossed it with a basket weave embossing folder to make it look like a metal sheet. The stamped image is from the "Happy Everything" Operation Smile set, as is the inside sentiment - both stamped with Black ink.  CTMH card stock colours used are Black, White Daisy, and Whisper, all pieces were sponged with black ink.  I ran our black Shinhan marker along the edge of the tinfoil to distress.  Added a few black brads and voila, a masculine card for any occasion.

Your next stop on the Cross Canada Hop is Nicky's Timeless Cottage  If you get lost along the way, you can head to Michelle S Blog, http://mycreationswithmichelle.blogspot.ca  as she has the complete blog list.

Thanks for hopping along with us - we hope we were able to inspire you to get creative using some of the designs, products and techniques seen along the way.  Join us again next month when we will be featuring  projects full of Summer Fun.  Mark August 15th on your calendars and hop along with us.