Rock the Block!

I just love these blocks! So many wonderful uses! This set includes the new Collage Cubes and the exclusive E-size stamp set all for just $15 when you place a $25 order from the current Autumn/Winter Idea Book.  Check out this video for more details on this super cool product!

The December Stamp of the Month is also a must have!  And better yet you can get it for just $5 with a $50 purchase.  This is a significant savings from the original SOTM program.  I am already planning to use it to make Valentine's Day cards for my son to give out at school and, of course, to the BEST Grandma and Great Grandma's in the world!  :)

So if you spend just $50 in product this month you can take advantage of both of these amazing specials!  What cool holiday gifts would these be for your most beloved fellow papercraft lovers?! :)

Also check out all of the fabulous products whose prices are further reduced up to 80% off in the While Supplies Last section of my website. 

Here are some more ideas to get your creative juices flowing! :)

Mandy Leahy did an amazing job with the Rock the Block set! Can you believe she used just one set of blocks to make all of these beautiful decorations! Super cool! 

Who wouldn't love a holiday card or tag hand-made especially for them?!

Email me to place an order or order right from my online CTMH website for shopping 24/7. 

Happy Crafting! :)

You Rock! Joshua's 4th Birthday

Joshua recently rocked out at his 4th birthday party! He had a party at McDonald's Playland and another one at home!  What a blast!  He was so excited when he saw his new ride cymbal for his drum set and the new Guitar Hero Wii game that I know we will both enjoy! :)  He has grown so much in the past year and has started taking drum lessons with an awesome drum teacher.   He is enjoying school and having lots of fun with his family and friends!  I had some free time today (no school/work- yippee!) and was able to work on some of his birthday layouts.  I hope they inspire the rockstar in you too! :)

CTMH Material List

Reflections- Main Frame Perfect Square, Title Topper, Half & Hal, and Front & Center patterns

You Rock Paper Packet (retired but available on Studio J)

Opaques

Sparkles

Studio J- First Day at School

  

Joshua recently had his first day of school in his new Pre-K-4 class. He is having a blast again this year!  Since I am so busy lately with starting another school year myself (I am a Science Professor at Norwalk Community College) I used our online scrapbooking program, Studio J, to create this beautiful and oh-so-quick layout.  The best part was that I did this two page layout in about 1/2 hour and had absolutely no mess to clean up after and I had Joshua right by my side helping me push the buttons on my computer!  

I didn't have my blog last year so I thought I would also include pictures of last year's first day of Pre-K-3 layout as well. I used the same paper packet called Class Act to keep with the school theme since these layouts are both in Joshua's School Scrapbook.

If you are looking for more ideas for Back to School layouts check out this Back to School Studio J blog.  You can also check out these really cool Teacher's gifts made by my amazing friend and fellow CTMH consultant Crystal.  

Here is a link to Studio J. Try it and you will be hooked too!

Joyful Stars Swap #1-- Autumn/Winter Idea Book

I recently participated in the Joyful Stars Team swap for the NEW Autumn/Winter Idea Book.  Usually everyone participating in the swap chooses a new paper pack and a Stamp of the Month to create a 2-page layout or 3 cards, but for this swap since the date of the swap is August 20th, we decided not to use the August SOTM and to choose any other stamp set instead.  I chose to use the Mischief Level 2 Paper Pack and the Royal Birth stamp set.  I wanted to show another use for the clearly Halloween themed Mischief papers so I decided to use only the B&T paper with the damask pattern on it and the back side of the Halloween label paper which has a delicate weave pattern on it.

  My layout is called "Queen for a Day" and it was inspired by this year's CTMH Convention in Disneyland where I was excited to meet the CTMH Dream Team royalty: Karen Morris, leader of the Dream Team, and her downline Naomi Smith, leader of the Connected Hearts Team.  I am a very proud downline of both of these teams.  So proud in fact that I decided to "curtsy" in front of Karen and she thought that was just too silly! What fun we have! Oh my, what fun we have! And what an honor it was to meet them both.  I can only hope that one day I might be a fraction as successful in my CTMH business as they are in theirs.  I know one thing is for sure, that we all have the time of our lives at Convention every year! :)



A close up of my journaling printed on purple vellum. 



A close up of my tiara and wand. I used silver embossing powder to make them shine!

NOTE:  I based this layout on Harmony in Cherish pg. 38 except for I did not cut pieces A or G.  Instead I cut three 1  1/2 x 12 pieces and attached two to the sides of the left page and one to the center of the right page.  I also chose to use the journaling space on the right page for a picture and the bottom picture space for my journaling.   

CTMH Materials Used:
Mischief Level 2 Paper Packet
Smokey Plum, Gray flannel, and Black cardstock
Royal Birth stamp set (tiara, wand, gem, Queen for a Day, Yes I am Royalty)
10 Things stamp set (small flourish)
Black stamp pad
VersaMark ink pads
Silver embossing powder
craft heater
Licorice opaques
Black grosgrain ribbon
Foundry metal ribbon slides
Heirloom assortment (hanging crystal)
Midnight felt shapes (corner bracket)
Cherish (Harmony layout)

Please let me know if you would like to learn more about CTMH products! My next post will feature the Halloween artwork we will make in my September workshop class.  Make sure to RSVP by September 11th!  

Happy crafting! :)



Grandpa's Remembrance Album

One of the greatest men in my life, my grandpa Bernie, passed away this week.  My grandfather was the most gentle, kind-hearted and loving man I knew.  He was always welcoming, smiling and happy.  He wore his heart on his sleeve and he was never afraid to let you see him cry. 

My grandfather was also the bravest man that I have ever known.  He was in the Army, fought in WWII and was wounded very severely.  He had many scars on his body from places where shrapnel had punctured it. Some shrapnel staying inside of his body for his entire life.   He was among those that fought in Normandy and was awarded the purple heart for his bravery.  But my grandpa would rarely talk about those days.  I think he did not really want to remember them.  Or, more correct, he did not want us to remember him by those stories.  What he wanted us to remember him by was another story.  The story of my grandmother and my grandfather:  Ruth and Bernie.  Henceforth, and for all of my life, just known as  "THE story".  For as soon as you would meet my grandfather he would ask you "Did you hear THE story?"  No, you say?  Well then let me tell it to you! 

My grandfather met my grandmother on a Sunday.  3 days later they got engaged.  30 days later they got married.  

Yes.  I got the story right.  Believe me I have heard it a million times and yet I NEVER got tired of hearing it!  For his face would light up everytime he told it.  My face would light up too everytime I heard it.  My grandparents fell in love and got engaged in 3 days and were married 30 days later!  Today one might think "that's crazy!" but, if you saw my grandparents, it is NOT so crazy after all.  For they were crazy about each other.  Even after almost 63 years of marriage they were still crazy about each other.  My grandfather worshiped my grandmother ("Ruthie!" he would call her) and my grandmother took care of my grandfather's every need.  What a marriage they had!  Everything my grandmother did, every meal she made, every day of her life, my grandfather was greatful for her and he told her so not only in words but in his actions too.  What a MAN!  She knew that she was "#1" in his book and he knew that he was "#1" in her's.  It was a real-life LOVE story.  One that I was blessed not only to hear but to be a PRODUCT of.  Because without THIS love story, my dad would not be here, my dad would not have met my mom, my parents would not have had their own love story and I would not be here.

I know that grandpa will not be able to tell THE story again here on Earth but I also know a LOT of people that can and WILL continue to tell THE story long after he is gone. 

I could not have asked for a better grandfather. I could not have asked for a better role model for my son.  I am so happy that Joshua got the chance to know and LOVE my grandpa ("Poppy" to Joshua) and although grandpa has left this Earth, I KNOW that he has really NOT left.  He has not left MY life.  I will not see him in the flesh anymore but his love, his legacy, and the traditions he instilled in me will always live on in my heart.  I love you Grandpa.  YOUR story will live on forever. 

left page and cover shown above:  My grandparents at their 60th Anniversary Party. How beautiful!
right page: My grandpa Bernie when he was young, very handsome and in the service.

left page:  My grandpa and me in his pool when I was about 2 years old
right small page: The Tapestry of Life. 

left small page:  My family posing with chocolate cigars.  The night I brought my son Joshua home from the hospital.  I love grandpa's face (grandma and grandpa are in the bottom right of the picture)
right page: My grandpa Bernie kissing grandma Ruth's hand. I loved to see him to do that!

left page:  My family at Rosh Hashana dinner (Joshua's first in 2008). One of the best meals and days of the year. 
right page: My grandparents on Father's Day this year.

left and right pages:  My grandparents in Florida.  They were so happy to spend the summers there. We were so happy to visit them too! (2005)

left page:  My grandparents on a "night out on the town" many years ago. 
right page: Poppy and Joshua (2008)

back page:  My grandparents at a friend's wedding years ago.  What a stunning couple!
 

"And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. 

It's the life in your years." 

-----Abraham Lincoln

My journaling reads: "Grandpa & Poppy, You will live on in our hearts forever! 2011 "

I miss you Grandpa. I love you.

To make this album I used all Close To My Heart materials of course!
Sonoma Level 2 Paper Packet
Sonoma Level 2 My Stickese
Purple Sparkles
Liquid Glass
Microtip Scissors
Acrylic Album
Organdy Ribbon

Please let me know if you are interested in making a memory album of your own. 

Yeah!! The New Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book is HERE!!!

 

The new Autumn/Winter Idea Book is here and it is gorgeous!!! Click here to view it online! With bigger pictures of the artwork and even detailed supply lists for the featured projects, this new idea book is really the BEST yet!  See for yourself!

The new August SOTM (Stamp of the Month) is really WICKED!!!  For the month of August only, the Wicked stamp set with a Halloween theme (duh!) will make your inner witch kackle! Perfect timing I think for getting ready for that big Halloween party!  Click here to purchase! 

The new Mischief Paper packet is awesome! I will feature this paper packet in my September Workshop Class.  Click here to purchase it separately or click here to purchase the WOTG (Workshop on the Go) that we will be using in my September Workshop Class. I'll post that artwork soon. Email me to reserve your seat as seats in my classes are limited.   

So much to say and so very little time!  My son Joshua is calling now and finally feeling better! He had a 104 fever from Tuesday night to early Sunday morning.  Summer virus the doc said. 

Stay tuned to my blog for more updates, new products and new info that I know you will love!  Such as our even lower prices on stamp sets and thicker double sided paper! More details soon! Happy crafting!!! :)

NEW CTMH Idea Book only a day away!

Drum roll please....The new CTMH Idea Book is being released on August 1st! I am so excited because I know you will absolutely LOVE all of the new and fabulous products and I can't wait to show them to you!!!  I have had the amazing opportunity to get my copy of the new Idea Book already at Convention and I also received lots of gorgeous new papers and accessories for FREE (click here to sign up to be a Consultant and you can be just as LUCKY as me!). 

Wow are you going to LOVE LOVE LOVE the new CRICUT cartridge!!! The flowers and doilies in the beautiful artwork showcased above were made using our new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  Yes we have really decided to make papercrafting FASTER. SIMPLER. EASIER. for you.  After all our motto is: We show you how to celebrate relationships through discovering your creativity, to preserve and share the moments that matter most.  And we really mean it! Even if you think you are not a creative person I KNOW I can help you discover how with our patterns, instructions and guidance you can make the most amazing papercrafting projects that your family and friends will just go crazy over.  And best yet, you will have the confidence in knowing that your precious memories will be preserved for future generations to enjoy and treasure! 

There are so many things to show and tell you that I will also be holding a CTMH Open House on August 14th from Noon until 3 p.m.  Come and see our new products and get your very own copy of the new Idea Book for FREE with your order.  I will also have some cash & carry items and of course a make & take! What's that? You can't wait until August 14th? (I don't blame you!!!) You can also click here to place an order online at my website at stephaniebrown.myctmh.com right now for products in the current Idea Book and starting August 1st for the new products in the new Autumn/Winter Idea Book!  Please let me know if you will be attending my CTMH Open House as I want to make sure to prepare enough make & takes for all!  RSVP through email by August 12th at s.m.brown@sbcglobal.net and I will send you all the details.  SEE YOU SOON!!!

Happy crafting! :)

Destination Home-- Connecticut

"There's no place like home! There's no place like home! There's no place like home!"

Oh my! I just clicked my beautiful ruby slippered heals together three times and voila I'm home!!!  No really, I am not in Oz anymore, or Kansas or California or Nevada...you get the idea.... I flew home.  Family missed us too much.  We missed our family.  We felt that we had seen everything that we had wanted to see (for now at least). So we decided to fly back home to good ole Connecticut, the Constitution State.  They say "home is where the heart is" but I think that home is a place where the hearts of those that you love are.   We missed everyone and we were very happy to get home especially to the awesome welcome home duo that greeted us at the airport.  Welcome home signs, smiles, hugs and a few tears too.  Thanks Lisa and Tracie!!!!

There really is no place like home.

Thank you for following my blog and please continue to follow me in all my travels and scrapbooking endeavors! LUSM!

Destination Home-- Sightseeing in Las Vegas

We stayed at the ULTIMATE hotel in Las Vegas, the Bellagio, but we also got a chance to visit some of the other hotels along the strip such as the Paris, Mandalay Bay, Excalibar, Luxor, Venetian, Wynn, and Caesars Palace.   My favorite was the Paris.  The Paris is right across the street from the Bellagio and has a HUGE Eiffel Tower in the front of the hotel with the casino at the bottom of the tower and a restaurant about a third of the way up on the 11th floor.  You can also take a ride up to the top of the Eiffel Tower if you so desire.  I passed on that one; sorry but I have had enough of high altitutudes for a while!  :)   We ate the most delicious meal at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant!  Five courses of utter bliss!!! We have really eaten some EXCELLENT meals on our vacation (Bobby Flay's MESA Grill was by far the BEST meal we have ever had).  We also had amazing seats to see the Celine Dion concert at Caesars and she did not disappoint! I am really sorry to be leaving Las Vegas.  I have had such a great time these past four weeks that I don't want it to end! But alas all good things must come to an end, I guess... Enjoy the pics!

The Paris as seen from our hotel room!

The Eiffel Tower at night is beautiful!

The inside of the Eiffel Tower on the Casino floor is surrounded by french apartments/rooms and shops.

We are up in the Eiffel Tower Restaurant with an amazing view of the Bellagio and its famous fountain (really a lake modeled after Lake Como in Italy).  We were on our third out of five courses here. No joke! :)

Mom and Josh had to "walk like an egyptian" at the Luxor hotel which is in the shape of an Egyptian pyramid complete with Pharoahs and Sphinx gallore. (You can stop singing that Bangles song to yourself now please)

The outside of the Luxor. It is hard to appreciate the massive size of the pyramid and sphinx here but maybe looking at how small the cars are will help. 

Mom and Josh at the foot of the Great Sphinx of Giza.

Joshua enjoying the view of a Caesars Palace fountain.

Joshua and his new favorite drink-- a Shirley Temple with extra cheries!

No my seats were not THAT close! but they were really good (box orchestra heehe!).  Celine actually emailed me a few pictures from her show and a specially recorded thank you message.  No joke! Really! Go to her show and you will get one too!!!

OK enough for now. My next post will be from home. "I am leaving on a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again."  Now stop singing John Denver for goodness sakes!  We decided to fly back home from here.  If I don't go home now, I may never go home. :) SUS!

Destination Home-- Las Vegas, Nevada

Greetings or should I say "Ciao" from the unbelievable Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada!  We are on our way home now from our California trip but we are sparing no expense!  This has been the trip of a lifetime! (and I might need to spend the rest of my life paying for it but C'est la vie!) This is really a site to see! Here are a few pics of the Bellagio for you to drool over...

The grand size view of the Bellagio from across the street in the Eiffel Tower Restaurant of the Paris (post more on there soon).  In the lake in front of the Bellagio a jaw dropping water show is presented about every half hour where the water is shot up into the air as high as the Bally's hotel nearby!

Joshua at the entrance of the Bellagio. Love the lions!!!

Mom and Josh walking under the many upside down umbrellas throughout the Bellagio's grand walkway of shops such as Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Fendi. (I am in the back taking the picture and getting my credit card ready :)

The longest long-stem roses I have ever seen. I swear I think they are about 5 feet tall! The colorful over-the-top glass flowers hang from the ceiling in the lobby. 

The courtyard is just amazing. There are more flowers there than I have ever seen in my whole life combined!  There is also a merry-go-round which Joshua was very disappointed to find out was just for "show."

Here is the other side of the courtyard which would be just incomplete without the ferris wheel, don't you agree?

The center view of the courtyard with the large eagle made out of flowers, twigs and seeds.  There are also huge bears and "paintings" made out of all natural materials.

This is the largest moving chocolate fountain in existance. The chocolate flows right down from the ceiling!  Too bad I could not find the hole at the bottom to fit my open mouth into. Oh well.  I settled for a pistachio gelato instead which was delicioso!

 I really want to write how much I miss you all but sorry I just can't! ha ha! LUSM!!!! :)  See you soon!