Whooo's Your Valentine????

Now that life is finally getting back to somewhat of a normal....I am able to spend MORE time creating and sharing my creations!  While it is bittersweet, I AM glad to be getting back on track!

Have you seen the SUPER CUTE kit that Close to my Heart is offering through the end of this month in honor of National Paper Crafting Month?  If you have, then you know how STINKING CUTE it is!!!  If you have NOT then you NEED to check it out on my website....lovinscrappin.ctmh.com.  It is ONLY $10!!!  Yep!!  It retails for $40.  BUT during the special when you spend $35, you can purchase the kit for just $10!!

I have to be honest, as I always try to be!  lol But when they first offered the kit, I was not a big fan...that is UNTIL I sat down and played with the stamp set and the new Silver Glitter Paper.  Then I fell in LOVE with it!  I even created my own patterned paper using the background stamps that are included in the stamp set!!

If you are like me, you probably don't have any use for 12 treat tubes to send Valentine's to anyone.  I am sure I will find something else to use those for....and when I do I will post it!  But who can't use some STINKING CUTE owl stamps and AWESOME Silver Glitter paper??  REALLY??

I have purchased glitter paper before, but it was too course...kind of like a course sand paper.  BUT NOT this stuff!  This GLIDES through your paper trimmer!  I even punched out the scalloped circle with no problem!  

I did not add any additional embellishments that were NOT included in the kit.  The only thing I used that was not included was Blush, Hollyhock and Slate ink to stamp with.  Plus a Hollyhock Alcohol Marker to color in the hearts on the first card.

Thanks SO much for stopping by!!

I hope this has inspired you to either get out your Whooo's Your Valentine Kit that you have already purchased OR hurry up and order one before the end of the month OR before they run out!!

Happy Scrapping and Stamping!

Jen

Spotlight on Art - Jeanette Lynton's Blog

Last week I received an email from Close to my Heart telling me that I had earned a spot in the Spotlight on Art segment of Jeanette Lynton's Blog!!!  I was completely BLOWN AWAY when I received the news!!!

I had submitted my Flakey Friends/Pun Fun cards using Dakota in late October and received a quick note 4 days later thanking me for my submission.  When I read the email, I figured that I had not been chosen.  SO much to my surprise when I checked my email last Tuesday, I had indeed been chosen and it was being featured THAT DAY!!  I was SO excited that someone could have slapped me and I would have still been smiling!  LOL

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason....this could NOT have come at a better time in my life....

Let me explain why....

4 1/2 years ago in August of 2008, my SIL (my hubby's sister) was diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma (uterine sarcoma) cancer.  When she was diagnosed, she was given 6 months to live which was devastating to us all!  She immediately had a complete hysterectomy and started her chemo treatments within the month.

Her first round of chemo treatments proved to be successful!  Her scans showed the cancer to be gone! But towards the end of that first year, her cancer had moved to her lungs and liver.  By November 2009 she was on her second round of chemo with the hopes of slowing down the growth.  She was told that any chemo treatment from here on out would be to extend her life, but that curing her cancer was not a possibility.

Over the next 3 years after many hours of research by not only the dr. but my hubby, they would try several different chemo treatments and even go on to try some trials that had shown success.   Some were successful at shrinking the tumors that had grown on her liver and her lungs.  But unfortunately that success was not long lasting as the cancer was spreading through her body like wildfire.  After trying radiation to shrink a mass in her abdomen, she stopped any and all treatments in the summer of 2012.

Rhonda was admitted to the Hospice House on Wednesday, November 21st 2012 and passed away 3 weeks later on Friday, December 14th 2012. She fought to the bitter end...as we expected she would!

When I received the notification of being featured in the Spotlight on Art, I was at lunch with my hubby after a LONG night at the Hospice House.  My heart was heavy and my eyes burned from the tears that kept welling up in my eyes that day.  Jeanette provided a BRIGHT moment in my day and words cannot express what it meant to me to be in the Spotlight during such a dark period in my life.  This moment will never be forgotten....

Rhonda as a toddler.

Rhonda's High School Graduation Photo

Rhonda's family at a Christian Convention in 2007.  Matt, Dan, Rhonda and Mandi.  

Rhonda with Rod (her brother and my hubby) at our daughter Rachael's graduation ceremony in May of 2012.

Rhonda attending Rachael's graduation party in June of 2012.  Rhonda was very sick when this photo was taken, but she was NOT about to miss her niece's graduation party.  

Thanks SO much for stopping by!!

I hope that this inspired you to submit your favorite art to Jeanette Lynton's Blog....

Happy Scrapping and Stamping!!!

Jen

Video on CTMH's new Alcohol Markers

Check out this AWESOME video from Close to my Heart on how to use their new Alcohol Markers!  It only takes about 6 min. to watch and you will come away being able to color like a pro with the new markers!!

Learn how to use our markers with embossing, coloring in small images, and coloring the stamp itself with the markers then stamping.  I just LOVE how Monica and Christine are SO excited about the new markers!  

Thanks for stopping by!!

Hope this inspires you to check out the new Close to my Heart Alcohol Markers and create something fun with them!!

Happy Scrapping and Stamping!!

Jen