Why I am the Domestic Homefront Coordinator

The reason I can claim to be the Domestic Homefront Coordinator is because of these two. My oldest, Zeke, proudly displays his "C" items during the week he was learning the letter C in school. Princess Kaydawn is always dancing and prancing about. Because my husband works so hard, I'm able to stay home and raise my children. Aren't they beautiful?

CTMH's Treasure Life

I couldn't resist showing off this card. I made it for a swap using Close to My Heart's September Stamp of the Month, Treasure Life. The technique is called retriform. My inspiration came from Debra Langdon; thanks, D!

30 Cards for $30

Four years ago, I started a workshop called 35 Cards for $35. It was a tremendous hit and I've done it time and time again, both as a workshop and parties. This year is no different and I've already done this year's samples.

I used Close to My Heart's Evensong paper pack and Magical Christmas and Vintage Christmas sets. Of all the workshops I've done, this is by far my favorite!

If you're interested in coming to this workshop, it will be on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 11 am at Scrapbook Frenzy. Pre-payment and registration is required by Nov. 2. I do all the cutting for you...all you do is stamp and assemble!

It's been that long?

Oh my goodness! I know I'm bad about blogging, but I didn't realize that it was December since my last post! Holy cow!

I guess my only excuse is that I did try and have had very little luck getting things on my blog. Also, it's been one heck of a spring and summer. I never thought I'd be glad (and I'm still sad for different reasons) that school arrived so we had a semblance of normalacy around here!

Our summer was - once again - jam packed with activities and events. We began with a tornado on Memorial Day Weekend that led to even more remodeling. It was supposed to be a summer without the house torn up, but it wasn't.

We packed in two VBS in one week, followed up with Kiddie College, went right into a trip for me and the kids to Manitou Springs, and then ended with a couples trip to Kansas City with our friends, Chris and Brandy.

We began July with a bang...fireworks, of course! When the 4th rolls around, I have 3 kids, not 2, shooting them off. It's always a "blast" to see the kids light and then run. After the 4th I threw myself into painting the upstairs (where the tornado damage was). It took 52 hours, but I was able to get it all painted (and the garage too!) before Aug. 1. We headed to Plattsmouth to visit Ron's mom, went to my sister's to help her paint, and bid farewell to our good friend Allen as he started a new job in Wichita.

The first week of August brought our family vacation to South Dakota. What a trip we had. We hit almost every tourist attraction there was in the Black Hills and still had a blast.

Upon our return, we purchased our second rental and I began my daycare for Joel and Hannah. It was a blur, but we managed to squeeze in playdates (especially with the Beckers), swimming, t-ball, music lessons, and spending time outside.

Hopefully the fall will lend me more opportunity to post to my blog. But for now, here's a parting photo.

My Try at Digital Scrapbooking

While I'm a die-hard papercrafter, I also love the computer. In my previous life as a high school English/Journalism teacher, I worked with Photoshop and Pagemaker. I loved making the pages come alive from the designs in my head. I love staying home with my children, but sometimes I miss the technical projects I did when I worked. Digital scrapbooking was just the thing to give me my fix. I won't replace all my scrapbooking with digital, but I do like that I can take the laptop on a trip and that's the only tool I need. It fulfills my incessant need to be doing something all the time (is that normal???). Anyway, here's my first creations...

Scrapbook on a Canvas

The latest project for Hostess Club is Scrapbooking on Canvas. This fun and simple project is a great way to take your altered art to the next level while creating a unique way to display "pages".










Supplies needed for this project include:Mod PodgeAcrylic Paint to match papersCardstock, Background/Texture PaperStampsInks matching papersFoam Brushes for paint and mod podgeEmbellishments














Step 1: Paint your canvas. For this canvas, I wanted some of the original canvas to show. You can cover the entire canvas, however. (Please note that painting the canvas is not necessary; using the canvas is fine as well.)















Step 2: After first coat of paint dries, add second coat if you're using more than one color. Additional coats may be needed if you are coating the canvas in a solid color all over.

Step 3: Stamp images on the canvas. Keep in mind what pictures will be covering the images so you can use stamps that will read best and be seen. Another helpful tip is to place something solid below the canvas so when you press the stamp into it, it does not sag (leaving a partial stamp). Remember, if you're using acrylic stamps, you'll need to place a piece of foam between the solid item and the canvas. Allow ink to dry thoroughly before mod podge is applied.

Step 4: Distress with ink. This step is optional, but added to the theme of my canvas. Again, allow ink to dry thoroughly.

Step 5: Plan the layout of your pictures on the canvas.

Step 6: Apply mod podge for first layer. I only applied mod podge to a section so it wouldn't dry before I had all the pieces in place. Make sure mod podge completely covers the area your placing an item.

Step 7: Apply mod podge over each layer to smooth onto canvas. Make sure both the top and bottom of the piece is thoroughly covered in mod podge. Smooth any air bubbles from paper or they will wrinkle on your project. An old credit card works great for this task.

Step 8: Continue placing items on your canvas, building the "page". Work in sections and layers.

Step 9: Modge podge each time an item is placed on the canvas. Again, be sure to cover both sides of an item with mod podge and smooth wrinkles.

Step 10: Allow mod podge to dry thoroughly and then recoat. Once second coat is dry, add embellishments such as ribbon or brads. Use a piercing tool to poke through the canvas (be mindful of the frame).

A neat distressing techniqu I discovered in this project is using a touch (and I do mean a SMALL touch) as I swiped the second coat of mod podge. It gave the canvas an additional aged look.

All products used to make this piece were from Close to My Heart.

X7086B Caprice Level 2 Paper Packet

Z2111 Chocolate Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Z2105 Black Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Z2103 Bamboo Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

X5760 Winter Cozy Textured Cardstock Combo (Crystal Blue used)

Z1301 Chocolate Collection Ribbon Rounds

Z291 Hinges (Copper used)

Z299 Basic Collection Bigger Brads (Copper used)

Pictures were taken at the Brick Barn Inn, Topeka, KS

A Kansas Sunset

Anyone who's never driven through Kansas in late summer has missed a truly beautiful place to visit. Personally, I get tired of the bad rap Kansas gets for supposedly being a flat, uninhabitable place where there is no beauty.

Kansas is full of beauty...if you get off the interstate and experience it. (A little bit of trivia: the first stretch of interstate was laid in Kansas and part of that stretch had to have at least a 1 mile stretch of straight road so if a plane needed to land, there was a place for it to do so. Therefore, the stretch of I-70 that spans the state of Kansas is pretty boring to drive because it SEEMS the state is nothing but flat. Anyway, back to origianlly scheduled programming...)

The picture to the right was taken at Cedar Bluff Resevoir just as the sun dipped below the rolling hills and bluffs surrounding the lake. The wind was blowing just enought to create a lapping wave on the sandy shore of the swimming area. While the shore is lost in the evening shadows in the picture, the grass was a vivid green and the sky full of blues, grays, reds, oranges, and reds. A hint of brown dawned the tips of the tall blades of grass as the middle of August had born it's heat just enough to sap the edges of moisture.

This resevoir was created in the 1950's when a dam was built between the walls of bluffs in a valley. (So explain to me how Kansas is flat if they could close off a valley!) It's mostly flooded timberland and a great place to fish because there is great habitat for freshwater aquatic life. It's a hidden retreat, 15 miles south of the interstate on a state highway.

Oh, by the way, I don't know if I've mentioned I'd like to be a photographer someday. I enjoy covering my face with the body of my camera, peering through the lens and creating a scene, visible only through the lens. Based on how I focus, I can create a widespan or a close-up view of what is reflected in the little mirror in the body of the camera. What is burned on the digital chip of my memory card is what I choose. Fortunately, God has given me a full array of possible canvases and individuals to capture on my memory card.