Saturday, December 31, 2011

This week's Mojo Challenge

Here is the sketch for this week's Mojo Challenge.  Check out this link to play along.
Here is what I came up with using the Typeset Paper Pack, the Art Philosophy Cartridge and Blue Ribbon Stamp set.  I thought this would be a cute card to stick in my son's lunch box as a surprise encouragement sometime.
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545  
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Monday, December 26, 2011

My Favorite Believe Christmas Layout!!!

SO here is the final layout using sketches from the Scrapbook Generation.  I love the way this one turned out with the ornaments and hemp.  All of the ornaments and decorative square were cut from the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge.  All 3 of these layouts (see older posts here and here for the other two) were made using the Believe Paper Pack and I still have paper left over!  So here is the original layout.
Here is the same layout using CTMH paper.
A closer look


Supply List
Believe Paper Pack (X7145B)
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (Z1686)
White Daisy Cardstock (1385)
Hemp Z280
Foam Tape Z1151
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545  
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

I thought on this festive day, I would share with you my son's gingerbread house.  Rolan and Grandma Hoffer worked together in his first grade class to create this piece of art.
Now I have never made a gingerbread house, but I do think his class had a few tips you might find helpful if you make your own.  First they did not assemble the graham house ahead of time and let it dry, instead they glued a small milk carton to the plate and applied icing and graham crackers to that.  Second the tree to the left is made of an ice cream cone, turned over and covered in icing.

Now if I were to ask Rolan what was his favorite part of creating this, he would say the abominable snow monster pictured below.

So this holiday season, my hopes are that you surround yourself with the sweet things in life that really matter like family and friends.  Above all remember that our dear Savior was born on this night to show God's love for us.  May His great love and peace bless your families and fill you with joy this Holiday Season.   
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545  
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Saturday, December 24, 2011

More Believe Christmas Layout Inspiration

I mentioned earlier that I found layouts on Scrapbook Generation that got me excited about doing Christmas layouts.  This is another one using CTMH paper.  If you want cutting instructions, see Helen Onulak's Scrapbook Challenge here.
A closer look!
Supply List
Believe Paper Pack (X7145B)
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (Z1686)
Silver Glitz Glitter Gel (Z1482)
Cardstock: Cocoa scraps, White Daisy
Hemp (Z280)
Liquid Glass (Z679)
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545  
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Friday, December 23, 2011

Last Minute Christmas Gifts from the Heart!

So we don't typically give our siblings presents at Christmas anymore because their are so many wonderful nephews and a niece to shop for instead.  But I got a great deal on Dove Chocolate, so I decided to throw together a last minute yummy gift for them.  I originally saw this idea on Lisa Stenz's blog.
It's really as simple as:
 One

Two
Three
Supply List:
Food Grade 4in Tin from www.papermart.com
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (Z1686)
Believe Paper Pack (X7145B)
Sky Ink (Z2194)
Cranberry Ink (Z2116)
December 25th (C1469)
Any chocolates
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545  
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Today's Tip: Making your Title Pop!

I guess this holiday is getting me in the Christmas spirit to finally complete some Christmas layouts.  The inspiration form this layout came from a layout featured on a website called Scrapbook Generation.  Here is their layout.
I knew it would look fabulous with the CTMH papers, so here is my version.
Here are a few more pictures to get a closer look.  Check out how I made the title pop using the foam tape.  It's perfect because it comes in a roll and can be cut to any size.  The title is blended into the patterned paper before I popped it.  I tried shadowing it in another color and didn't like the look.  Using the foam tape gave me just the effect I was looking for.
Here's a closer look at the wreath using Remarkable Wreath Stamp set and white daisy ink.  I also used a red sharpie to make the round sparkles red and added some bittys too!
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545 livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Monday, December 12, 2011

Cased Sonoma Cards using the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge!

Here are some great cards another consultant made for a class. I thought they were so beautiful I just had to make them too.  I changed some of the them slightly.  All you will need to make your own are Sonoma Paper Pack (X7143B), Colonial White Cardstock (1388), Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (Z1686), Hooray Bouquet (D1491), Treasures (D1375).  Thanks for looking!
If you are interested in the great special offered December/January, check out this post for details.
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545 livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Friday, December 9, 2011

Today's Tip: Don't be afraid to layer!!!

For this layout, my little man learned to sit up on his own.  I had seen another consultant use the title "Sitting Tall" and I thought it was so clever, so I used it here.  This single page layout has lots of layering which gives it depth and dimension.  Take a look!
Supply List:
Fanfare Paper Pack (X7138B)
Outdoor Denim Cardstock (1275)
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (Z1686)

If you are interested in the great special offered December/January, check out this post for details.
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545 livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Sonoma Card and this week's Mojo Entry

Here is a card I made for this week's Mojo Challenge.  If you are interested in playing along, click here.  For this challenge, I used the Sonoma Paper Pack, Cocoa Grosgrain Ribbon, Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, Hooray Bouquet Stamp set, and Treasures Stamp set.  By simply rotating the sketch, it looks like a totally different card.  The original sketch is pictured below.
If you are interested in the great special offered December/January, check out this post for details.
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Fourth of July Layout and Masking Technique

Here's a layout I made some time ago for a CTMH gathering and I am finally getting around to putting pictures on it.  I used the Fanfare Paper Pack (X7138B) and Paper Lantern Stamp Set (C1458).  I love this stamp set.  I used the masking technique on the multi-colored lattern.  Masking is when you cover part of the stamp imaged with a post it in order to achieve a different effect.  For this example, I stamped the image on 3 different post its and then cut out a different part of the lantern on each one.  You then ink the stamp in your desired color, lay one of the post its in place on the page and stamp.  Repeat changing the stamp color and the post it until lantern is complete.  Here's how it turned out!

If you are interested in the great special offered December/January, check out this post for details.
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544


Tuesday, December 6, 2011

My Sweet Niece!

  Here is a simple layout (actually 2 single page layouts) that feature the same sweet little girl so I made them very similar.  It took me forever to come up with these layouts.  Being a mom of 3 rowdy boys, does not lend itself to girly creativity.  For a little background, my sweet niece was born several weeks early because my sister in law had severe Pre-Eclampsia.  She is a precious miracle.  She weighted only 4 pounds, but she was completely perfect.  She had no trouble breathing or feeding and got to go home after only a few days.  She didn't even need the NICU.  Praise the Lord for miracles.  The other thing that makes her so very special is that before her, their were 10 little boys on my husband's side of the family, but no girls.  She introduced some more pink to the Hoffers' world.


Here's a closer look!

Supply List:
Cherry-O (Restired Paper Pack)
Cardstock: Creme Brulee, White Daisy (X5754, 1385)
Cocoa Grosgrain Ribbon (Z1100)
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (Z1686)
Bling Assortment (Z1466)
Clear Sparkles (Z1104)
Just Blooms Paper flowers (Z1300)
Friendship Small Stamp Set (C1401)
If you are interested in the  great special offered December/January, check out this post for details.
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Monday, December 5, 2011

Today's Tip: Practice does not always make perfect.

   Someone should really think about coming up with a different cliche.  Practice makes Perfect?  Really?  Maybe a better way to say it would be Practice and More Practice Might Make Perfect.  In any case, my son begged for a violin because he saw one on Sesame Street and was surprised when he got one he couldn't just make beautiful music.  So we signed him up for lessons.  But apparently when a child takes lessons at such a young age, the parent has to take lessons too.  So Daddy with his own rented violin took lessons as well.  We don't aspire to be quitters in the Hoffer household, so Rolan and Daddy successfully completed a summer semester of violin lessons and learned some lessons about life in the process.  Here is a layout I made about this little adventure.  I used the Mischief Paper Pack and the edge distresser.
Here is what the journaling says for those who are interested in Rolan's experience:
Things Rolan did not know about playing the violin:
1) Before ever touching a real violin, you learn to play on a cardboard violin with a stick.
2) You have to listen to a CD of violin music every day (it's called the Suzuki Method).
3) There is etiquette for how you stand and hold the violin.
4) When you finally get to test the bow on the real thing, it will make NO sound if there is not enough rosin on the bow.
5) When the summer semester is over, you will be able to recognize the sounds of notes and play the "Train" song.
6) After 2 years of asking for a violin, one semester of violin lessons was ENOUGH.
If you are interested in the great special offered December/January, check out this post for details.
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Mad About You: December Stamp of the Month

During the month of December when you spend just $50 from the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book, you can get the Mad about you stamp of the month for just $5.  As always, the stamp is also available for purchase outright for $17.95.  Here is a piece of artwork created by my Team Leader Joyce Houck using this stamp set.  If you want to make your own she cut the 3D heart from the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge on page 26 at 4.5 inches.  Thanks for the inspiration Joyce.  I think this could make a lovely valentine for my son's class if I just add a little candy inside.
If you are interested in the other great special offered December/January, check out this post for details.
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Rock the Block December and January Special!!!

   When you place a minimum order of $25 on anything from the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book, you can get two valuable new products for just $15: the My Creations® Collage Cubes (a Spring/Summer 2012 sneak-peek product!) and the exclusive My Acrylix® Rock the Block E-size stamp set (available only during this promotion). The retail value for these items is $45 and you can get it for just $15.  You're going to love the collage cubes and the Rock the Block stamp set, which work together for interactive, fashionable fun! This special offer is valid from Dec. 19, 2011–Jan. 31, 2012.
 
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Heart 2 Heart Challenge Entry

Here is this week's Heart 2 Heart sketch.  If you are a CTMH consultant and would like to play along or if you just want to see more examples, click here.
Here's my take.  I used the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, Mischief paper pack, clear sparkles, cranberry grosgrain ribbon, and A Holiday Stamp set.  Thanks for looking!
Nickie Hoffer
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
6325 Bayberry Ave., Manheim, PA 17545
livescraplove@gmail.com
717-665-0544