HOORAY for scrapbooking!

In my professional life, I am a motivational speaker (among many other things). I recently gave one of my favorite speeches, entitled "HOORAY" to a large group of women in Wisconsin. HOORAY is about embracing the moments in your life that tickle your soul. It's also about making those moments available to you, and being sure to notice and capture them, so you can appreciate your good fortune.

That causes me to say "HOORAY" for scrapbooking! I love being a Close To My Heart consultant because it empowers me to do what I love (create!) and it opens my life to friendships with other artists as well!

I have been busy creating some "HOORAY" gifts, and want to share some with you:

Two co-workers had babies and what better gift than handmade baby announcements:

Sweet Baby Harper had some seriously cool announcements to introduce himself to the world. Not to be out done, Baby Joshua was next:

Now, I'm fairly creative, but let's be real! I don't have the time to sit down and create this inspiration all by myself! I got the templates from the instructional books that CTMH sells which are designs created by Jeanette Lynton. I have all of her books. I just follow the directions, and wa-la! I look like an artist! (Ask my how- I'll show you how to get your own and teach you how to use them!)

Celebrating the birth of a new baby is a guaranteed "HOORAY". Making a handmade gift and sharing it with all of you is cause for HOORAY too! (for more Hooray moments, visit my work blog at www.blog.REALiving.net ).

When you are done surfing the blogs, you can visit my Close To My Heart webpage and browse the catalog, get your holiday shopping done on-line and look at the artwork on my webage (http://hollyhakes.myctmh.com ). That will give you enough inspiration to exclaim HOORAY yourself!

Bloggin' a Bright Idea,

Holly

A "Cake Boss" Birthday

My family is a big fan of a TLC's "The Cake Boss". For those of you that don't know, this is a reality show in which a family bakery is Hoboken, N.J. and the family son, Buddy are featured. Buddy makes amazing cakes!

For Iris' birthday this year, she "wished" that Buddy could make her birthday cake. I thought I'd see if I could make that a reality. First, I called the bakery and asked if they could ship one ("no", was the answer). Then, I used FaceBook to try and find a friend in NJ that would be willing to try and ship one to me. Fate intervened, and my Uncle Joe, who is a flight attendant and flies out of New York, came to the rescue. Joe was actually coming home for a visit on Iris' birthday (a fact I did not know!). He volunteered to go and get the cake and bring it home.

In the Cake Boss show, much is made of the confusion that arises in the bakery. Cakes are "lost", orders are misplaced and ah, the drama! There is lots of hollering and stress! Uncle Joe said that there is lots of hollering and volume in Hoboken, period. But, there was plenty at the bakery when Joe arrived. Joe needed to pick up the cake at 6:45am in order to make it back to the airport to catch his flight home. Just like on television, the staff could not find the cake. Buddy will always say, "where's the friggin' cake!". Iris imagined him yelling just that as they looked for the "friggin Iris cake!". Only after the staff went upstairs to the bakery looking for it (to ask Buddy himself, no doubt!), was the cake found. After a mad dash via the subway, and a sprint to the plane, Joe came thru! The cake made it to Wisconsin!

We picked up Joe at the airport, and he was here at the house when Iris got home with the surprise. Iris couldn't believe it!! She tasted the cake and declared it "the best in the universe".

Because this is a page about scrapbooking, of course, I have to show you the mini-scrapbook I mailed to Buddy's Bakery ("Carlos Bakery"). We sent this as a thank you album, and much to Iris' delight, Buddy sent an autographed photo in return!

For instructions on how to make your own mini-album, send me a message!

Bloggin' A Bright Idea,

Holly

Summer = Scrapbooking At The Cabin

Summer is often a time where scrapbookers set their projects aside and enjoy all the outdoors has to offer. For some reason, summer down time seems to present more opportunities for me to scrapbook, and I like to take them!

Recently, we spent 8 days at our family cabin, in Birchwood, WI. As luck might have it, we saw rain for 7 of the 8 days. When it started raining, my husband was very thankful for all the scrapbooking materials we lugged up north, because my girls were easily entertained! They made cards all week long! And, so did I. I want to share with you some of our creativity!

Ava made greeting cards to send to Sam (2 year old cousin) and Nora (9 month old cousin). They enjoyed getting their cards in the mail as much as Ava enjoyed making them. She made them and designed them all by herself. I just helped cut papers to size.

Iris made collections of cards. This is one using the stampset "Play Date". She made four cards from this set, using similar techniques (ink transferring as an example). She was hoping to sell them as a set (what an entrepreneur!).

And, here is one of my creations. I challenged myself to work thru my stamps, and make a card from each set. I'm not sure what my total count of cards was, but I did use some that I don't use often, including "Merry Monsters". He's cute, isn't he?

I hope that you are finding fun, relaxation and creative on your summer so far! THAT is what summers are for! Enjoy!

Bloggin' A Bright Idea,
Holly

A Little Time.... A Lot of Gifts

I took some time today, on Mother's Day, to do exactly what I wanted to. That exact thing for me was, you know- Scrapbook!



I had some gifts that were long over due to finish. I carry a journal in my purse, and when I think of someone that "needs" a card or gift, I put them on the list. Often, my gifts are more than fashionably belated, but I never hear complaints!

I have a friend who bought a new house one year ago (now this IS belated gift). I didn't make it to her housewarming, but have wanted to make her a gift regardless. I think she will still appreciate this, and you will appreciate the bright idea!:

I hunt for scrapbook frames like this at good prices. I recently "scored" and found some for $5.00 (I bought all they had!). I did a 12x12 layout using Veranda (X7119). I used a variety of stamps and techniques including paper piecing (see the houses?). This allows a solid colored stamp to be multicolored. I stamped the house twice, in two colors and then cut pieces from one and put them on the other. Putzy, but cute!

This family name had 4 letters in it, so I did 2.75 x 2.75 squares and mounted them evenly on the page. I embellished from there!

Keep your eyes peeled for nice scrapbook frames, and make a piece of your artwork into a gift for a friend- or for the walls of your own home!

Happy Mother's Day to you, all of my customers and paper crafting friends! I hope you too, are enjoying your day!

Bloggin' A Bright Idea,

Holly

I am celebrating my 4th anniversary as a consultant with Close To My Heart this year. That means, four years ago, I had a really Bright Idea (joining CTMH) and have found an entire untapped portion of my life as a result.

Would you believe it if I told you that I joined CTMH and had never scrapbooked or stamped prior to signing up? That is the truth! Before CTMH, my artistic drive went into drawing cartoon figures. I signed up for CTMH completely because I wanted to learn how to color in my drawings with the skill that stampers do. Well, four years later, and sadly- I've drawn very little, but wonderfully- I have scrapbooking and card making (and papercrafting) in my life.

I LOVE everything that CTMH has brought to my life. I have made many good friends (fellow consultants and customers alike!), have become much more creative, and artistically talented (if I don't say so myself) and have found a true hobby- just for me! Well, I do share this love with my daughters, but that's wonderful too- we share creative time together!

Since becoming a consultant, I think I have also become a better friend. I'm not one to go out much and socialize with friends outside of my work day. So, my connection with my friends is infrequent face to face, but I've done a much better job of telling them they are on my mind by sending them cards and handmade gifts. I always have a card list in a journal I keep in my purse. This helps me to remember, and then follow thru, on sending a good old fashioned note to someone, via U.S. Mail! What a treat!

The latest recepient of a handmade gift from me is a co-worker, Tasha, who is a proud mother for the second time to a daughter, Kenlee. I made announcements for Kenlee's big sister just a year or two back, and I got to make some for her now. I decided to do something different than big sister had- which was more traditional baby pink colors. I thought Kenlee, being the second sister, would like to have announcement that were classy and sophisticated. :) I wonder if she will like them! Here they are:

This card was made using the "Keyhole" layout from Wishes (9033)(template book from CTMH) and Veranda paper collection (X7119B) (with the addition of some Cocoa Cardstock). I used my cuttlebug to emboss the circle, and then cut the flower from one of the stamps in Endless Love (D1260) stamp. I cut out the middle of the flower too (I really enjoyed cutting that out 20 times!) so the embossing would show thru. Add some organdy ribbon for a final touch. I used our Posterboard Alphabet (E1014) for the "K", and then embelished it with Playful Flourishes (D1212) and Bitty Sparkles (LOVE THEM!) (Z1263). The ink color is Barn Red.

It gives me a lot of pride to share a handmade gift like this with my friends. I hope that it brings them as much joy as it brings me!

Look at what joy joining CTMH on a whim brought me in four short years! Pure Bliss! Email me if you have questions about joining yourself, want information on making the card above, or if I can help you in purchasing some CTMH products for your "hobby"!

Bloggin' A Bright Idea,

Holly

I Can't Stop Making Cards!

Our lives are busy, and sometimes, I just can't come up with the time I want to do my favorite thing- scrapbook and make cards. This weekend, I decided my card making materials were coming to the cabin with me!! I knew I could find some time there, away from all of my obligations!

As a result, I have card mania!! I was excited to try out some new products, including new Stamps of the Month. Take a peek:

This stamp set is a customer favorite, "Cupcake Sprinkles" D1336. I like it because I very easily assembled a cute cupcake and message, with minimal embellishments (one red brad) and it is still cute as can be! I stamped the bottom on Indian corn blue card stock (in the same color ink) and then cut it out. That adds a tiny bit of dimension to the card. Also, the original stamp had 'hey there cupcake' all connected. Using masking, I was able to separate the words to work on my card. Ask me, I'll show you how!

Upcoming Stamp of the month alert!!! This super cute stamp is the new July stamp of the month. It is called 'Happy Forever' and is available only in July. This cute little guy was great to color. I used my watercolor pencils and a blending pen for a great appearance. I didn't even use any embellishments on this card, and it is still cute!

Okay, let's make this interesting. See if you can figure out what stamp set I used here. If you email me the name of the stamp set and the product number for it, I will send you a CTMH reward! It is a very versatile set and it made a big impact here!

These papers were left over from an old project where I quilted the paper. You heard right! I sewed together two pieces of paper with batting in between them, and stitched randomly. I used left over pieces to make this interesting (and comfortable!) card!

A weekend at the cabin, scraps and left overs from partially used paper packets, a few new stamps for inspiration and wala- CARD MANIA AT THE CABIN!

You can make amazing paper craft projects too, using CTMH products. Ask me how!!

Now I'm off to mail out some of these cards. Maybe you will be someone that receives one!

Bloggin a bright idea,

Holly

Birthday Traditions

Papercrafting has brought so many gifts to my life in a very short time. I have only been a papercrafter for 4 years. It started papercrafting at the exact same time I signed on to be a consultant with Close To My Heart. Before being a consultant, I was artistic and liked to draw cartoon characters. I signed up to be a consultant so I could learn how to color my drawings better, as I have admired the skill set of stampers. Well, after being introduced to stamping, sadly my cartoon creations have had very little attention, I was hooked!

One of the things papercrafting has done for me, is bring birthday traditions to our family. Each birthday, I make a custom invite for each of my children. They have an invite for friends, and one for the family dinner. It was Iris' birthday this month, and the CTMH Topstich paper packet made creating a girly invite a snap. Here is Iris' invite. She is holding her baby cousin Nora on her lap:




After Iris has her party, she always mails thank you's to each birthday guest, both children and adults. Here is her thank you for her 'girlfriends' in which I used a stampset called Family Ties Children (C1345) and Thanks (D1361). I colored it with watercolor pencils (and outlining method I'd love to teach to you) and a blending pen (so proud of my coloring!!)-



And here's one for the adults using a Just Blooms flower (Z1033), button and hemp. I swear, you can never go wrong with that combination! Check it out:


When the birthday is over, I make the annual birthday scrapbook page, and incorporate the invite right into the layout. I can't show you that, because I'm not done yet (not quite that organized ladies!).

I am so thankful for my hobby, and for the wonderful family I have been blessed with. Both things make me smile and warm my heart. I hope papercrafting bring the same blessings to you, all around.

As usual, for any tips, tutorials or supplies, just send me an email at Hakes926@charter.net .

Bloggin' a Bright Idea,


Holly

Scrapbooking Promotes Healing

I haven't posted for over one month. That makes me sad, because I know I've been out of touch with you, my scrapping friends. Many of you know that my Dad died unexpectedly on December 14th, that means that most things that I am normally on top of have fallen to the wayside in the past month. I'm updating my blog today, which means I'm coping fine. It's a good sign!

Grief is funny. People manage in different ways, and comfort themselves in different manners. For me, the only thing that has brought me comfort in the past weeks is scrapbooking! I have been making cards, completing pages, creating gifts, organizing photos, sorting thru crafting materials, and even breaking out the sewing machine (for pages and also some impromptu sewing projects) all in the name of grief. Seriously, something that makes me so happy (creating) is the perfect balance to a time that has found me so sad. I keep expecting that I will be "all better" but the sadness still hangs on. Fortunately, my trusty crafting is still there, waiting to soothe me, and soothe me it does!

If I posted all of the creative things I've done in the last month or so, I'd need an extra blog! But, I did want to show you a favorite. This is an accordion album I have made over and over, for different gift recipients. I found the directions on You Tube and they are from a fellow CTMH scrapbooker who calls herself "The Stamp Goddess". Type her name in the search engine on You Tube and you will find tons of neat ideas, very entertaining and educational videos, including one with this accordion album. The thing I like is it is made entirely from card stock. That's it!



For this gift, I decided to make an album filled with positive and inspirational quotes. You know, the ones that are good for your soul. I left the opposite side blank. The person receiving it could add a photo, or a journaling block, or leave it alone.

The design of this book allows you to also add tags inside the middle of each page. I didn't do that for this book, but you'll see in the directions how to do that.

I have been reading quotes about grief, trying to sort out and "diagnose" my own. Here's a good one:

As long as I can I will look at this world for both of us. As long as I can I will laugh with the birds, I will sing with the flowers, I will pray to the stars, for both of us. ~Sascha, as posted on motivateus.com

It seemed to be fitting for where I'm putting my grief, into creating, gift giving, and of course, the soul of all scrapbooking, remembering. For as long as I can, I will do all of that, for both of us (and all of us!).

Bloggin' a Bright Idea,

Holly