Turn Cans Into Pencil Cups!

I was tossing some large cat food cans into the recycling and thinking it was such a waste. Then I remembered seeing some upcycling ideas on Pinterest to make pencil cups out of tin cans and voila! We have cheap storage for my colored pencils, pens, and brushes! (Sterilized in the dishwasher of course!)

I used my fancy Pampered Chef can opener so that the edges would be smooth and then adhered my Chantilly paper to the cans with Royal Coat decoupage paste. I also put some red double stick tape along the top and bottom to make sure it would stick. Some snips at the top of the paper every half inch made it easy to fold over the can for a finished edge. After a few minutes, I put on a couple of coats of Royal Coat on the outside for protection. I like Royal Coat better than Mod Podge since it seems to dry completely without tackiness. Next time you are about to toss that empty soup or tomato can into the  recycle, make some fun storage for yourself!

Dream Pop Blog Hop!

It seems like PL (by Becky Higgins) is everywhere these days and I thought the new CTMH Dream Pop paper pack would be perfect for some journaling cards. I had just received the Sightseer stamp set and it turned out to be a great match with Dream Pop! I did sneak in the OK Smile...sentiment from last year's "It's Your Day" stamp set since it seemed to go with my theme. My teammates and I are showcasing different ideas for the National Scrapbooking Month special paper pack and if you are following our blog hop, you should have arrived from Michele's blog.

With all of the different patterns, bright colors, and textures in the paper and the various combinations I could make with this stamp set, I had a hard time stopping at just four cards. I plan to make a lot more! Please stay tuned for future Pocket Life ideas and a workshop.

If you are interested in the products I used to make my journal cards, see below for more information.Thanks for the visit. Now go check out Lalia's Blog for some great inspiration!

Sightseer Acrylic Stamp Set

$13.95 C1534

April-May 2013 National Scrapbooking Month Constant Campaign

Get the exclusive paper packet for only $10 when you spend $35!

In honor of National Scrapbooking Month, you can get the yummy Dream Pop paper packet for only $10 when you spend $35 in May (valued at $19.95 retail)! This exclusive paper packet includes 12 cardstock sheets as well as 12 B&T Duos^® papers that were specifically designed for this promotion only—you can’t get these sweet colors and patterns anywhere else! Start National Scrapbooking Month off right with a unique paper packet at a bargain price and get your creative juices flowing! Also, consider hosting this month: Hostesses receive one paper packet free with qualifying May Gathering sales totals of $400 or more.

*Shipping/handling and tax apply. Not available for purchase at full retail. Offer valid May 1–31, 2013, while supplies last. Qualifying purchases must be current, retail-priced product.

Dates: Offer valid May 1–31, 2013.

Easter Blog Hop

Happy first day of Spring!! I am excited to be part of an Easter blog hop with my fellow Close to My Heart teammates from Evergreen Memories. We will be showing off the latest papers, stamps, embellishments, and inks from the new 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book.

If you started the hop elsewhere, you probably just came from Lalia's Blog. Welcome!

I used my favorite paper packet from the new catalog - Chantilly. The pastel colors make me think of ice cream and warm weather. Plus, they mix well with bold colors. I had fun playing with my Artiste Cricut cartridge and I was looking for an excuse to cut out the hot air balloon. The balloon makes me think of blue skies with puffy clouds and no rain in sight! The little bunny peeping in the grass was also cut on the Artiste cartridge, right down to his flower tail. The cloud in the background is actually negative space in the card base. I mounted white cardstock behind it and sponged lightly. For the "Easter" sentiment on the Cricut, I used our new glitter paper and had no problems cutting it. I hope you like my creation!

Materials Used:

• CTMH Chantilly Paper Packet X7163B
• CTMH Glitter Paper, Black & Grey Z1829
• CTMH Slate Cardstock X5930
• CTMH Artiste Cricut cartridge Z1790
• CTMH Workshop on the Go, Chantilly G1053 (cloud stamp)
• CTMH Twilight ink pad Z2160
• CTMH Baker's Twine, Paradise Assortment Z1702

If you would like to buy these products or would just like to browse in my Close to My Heart online store, just click here.   

Thank you so much for visiting my blog.  Now it's time to hop on over to see what surprise Cindy's Blog has in store for you!

Jump for Joy!

During the month of March, hostesses “jump” to the next level of Hostess Rewards when a Gathering reaches $250 or more! More discounts and more free products for hostesses. Now that’s a reason to jump for joy! This offer is valid until March 31, 2013. Contact me for more information.

Project Inspiration: Muslin Gift Bags

I think these new Close to My Heart stampable muslin gift bags are so cute! It is an easy technique too. I can't wait to try this when my muslin bags and pigment inks arrive. C'mon Fedex!