Pictures from CTMH Convention Day 2!

This is a layout Wendy made from a paper pack called Pro Player.   Sound boyish and video gameish?    It sure doesn't have to be!   I love this snow layout.   Check out the snowflake overlay done with the new Cricut Artbooking cartridge.  

Here are two cards done by Ginni with Laughing Lola.   This paper pack has PURPLE!!  And PLAID!   (two of my favorite things....)  The card on the right has stitching done with our new stitch guide.   It's similar to our clear acrylic ruler, but has a number of hole patterns for stitching - fun!  Looks like she used a few buttons from our new black mini medley too.

CTMH Convention Day 2:

LOTS to share again from Friday's sessions.   We had a General Session in the morning and Extravagana in the afternoon - wow!  I'm proud to say that both my upline Ginni, and my sideline Wendy were 2 of the 18 teachers.   I'm surrounded by over the top talent on this team.

We learned this morning that while the Fall/Winter Idea Book does not include a Christmas paper pack (I was planning to use the Wintery looking Frosted or maybe the Autumn themed papers called Huntington which include a red and a green print (boy is this ever a run-on sentence!), CTMH will be putting out a mini catalog in mid-October with loads of Christmas product - I love it!     We didn't get any peeks at that, but I know it will all be marvelous.

I hinted at a new Cricut bundle yesterday, and here are a few details:   It's called Cricut Artbooking.   It has dozens of linked project pieces for card making, scrapbooking and mini albums.   I can hardly wait to get it and play with it.   There are lots of overlays for pages and cards, and these can be used in so many ways!

Have I mentioned the frames???   I'm in looove, ladies!    One is a black frame with clothesline wires stretching across it to attach photos, cards or - just about anything.   The other frame is colonial white with honeycomb wire!   That one's my favorite.   We saw all kinds of ideas for these frames, and I think you'll love them like I do.

My phone is apparently overwhelmed trying to upload 500 (got a little carried away apparently) pictures to my computer, so I can't share pictures until tomorrow - frustrating!

We had an amazing thunderstorm today - very impressive!    They really know how to do rain here, but it's the warmest rain I've ever walked in.   David & Megan were at Hollywood Studios, and several outdoor shows got cancelled due to the storm.   The silver lining is that Coronado Springs handed out free Disney umbrellas as we left the convention center today!!

More tomorrow...

Day 2: General session!

Here we go with Kristine , Monica and Brian, CTMH VPs!  Good morning CTMH!

Viva! DAY 1 CTMH Convention

Wow --what a day!  So much to share...   The Autumn Winter Idea Book is awesome!   Every new product is designed with care and with you in mind.  

There are 40 some new stamp sets, not counting six INCREDIBLE Stamps of the Month.   I love every single one of them this catalog!    Oh, that's not counting the 7 hostess only stamp sets - a new hostess benefit starting August 1.   

Speaking of August 1, put that day on your calendars to come to my Open House and get your very own Idea Book.

Jeanette and the CTMH team has also included 5 Stamp Sets from "Jeanette's Stamp Archive".   Some of you will remember these stamps from early CTMH (DOTS) days.   These are all designed by Jeanette and are super cute!    They're going to be very fun for coloring.   Long before I started stamping and scrapbooking, I used to use a DOTS Catalog for designs for painting on ceramics, so these are familiar to me too.   

You saw the little M size stamp A True Thank You that is being offered in June as a tornado relief fundraiser for Oklahoma?   Well, there are seven more M size stamp sets in this Idea Book, at just $2.95 each!

There are six new paper packs, and two new Card Workshop on the Go Kits.   Okay, I have to save some news for other days!   I think I hear a cricket chirping...

 This is a (sideways) pic of a little album we made today.   I took it's picture with the chipboard we used.   This paper is called Laughing Lola, and features a paisley print, a plaid, and 4 other designs.   The colors are Lola Purple, Lola Gold, Lola Blue and Black.   It's SO cute.   Ginni (my upline) got this paper to design her Extravaganza classes with, and she says it's her favorite.   Can't wait to see what she did with it, but this is just a sneaky peek for you...

Here's some Florida Flora to wow you!   Coronado Spring Resort is awesome.   Absolutely gorgeous.  As a consultant this year, I paid for this cool vacation, did all my scrapbook layouts free, got to play with lots of product for free, made lots of fun gifts (also free) and best of all had fun helping others create beautiful cards, layouts and other fun things.   Want to join me next year?

 Thanks for all your crossed fingers and best wishes, but, doggone it, I did not win the Scrapbook Retreat.   I sure had fun qualifying though and I thank you again for your support!   

This is taken from the sidewalk outside our room.    It's a short 5 minute stroll around to the convention center and restaurant area on the left side of this picture.

Aha!  You thought I was done with the new product pictures, did you?   This cute little crush book is a new product too.   It's a fun way to put pictures, journaling and memorabilia in a book you can take right with you on vacation.  Just grab a glue stick and you're set!  It comes with 60 printed pages, and is wire-bound with a hardcover.  It's just $12.95!    You will be able to get one or two memories assortments to go with it for $4.95 each.   They include journaling spots, stickease sheets, alphabet stickers and little memorabilia envelopes.   

More tomorrow....

CTMH Annual Convention Opening Session!

The biggest party of the year just started! 

July Scrapbook Club

Here are the three terrific layouts we are doing for July Scrapbook Club:

This layout was inspired by amazing consultant Michelle Snyder (somethingaboutsharing.com).   I loved her idea of contour cutting around some of the images on the Surf's Up word print paper.  

This layout is straight from the Idea Book pg 52.   The pattern is from Magic, Magician's Choice.   Sorry for the glare!   Megan and I went to Lincoln City yesterday with my girlfriend Marilyn and her daughter Alice.   In spite of a gloomy forecast and a horrendous rainstorm on the way, the weather turned out gorgeous!   We shopped, had clam chowder and shrimp sandwiches at Mo's and played on the beach - ah, bliss....

This layout was designed by my talented upline, Ginni Candelaria.   Isn't it cute?  The sun's rays are stamped with the Patterned Pennants Stamp set and then cut out.   The sun was a circle cut on the cricut at 10.5", and then I used 1/4 of the circle.  The other stamp set used was the Surf's Up stamp set that comes with the Workshop Kit.  The title was cut with Cricut CTMH Artiste Cartridge.

Products Used:

Surf's Up Workshop Kit (includes paper pack, stamp set, clear sparkles, Surf's Up Assortment)
Lagoon Stamp Pad
Chocolate Stamp Pad (for inking the edges of the middle layout)
Goldrush Stamp Pad
Paradise Baker's Twine
Surf's Up Stickease
Green & Blue Bubbles

Contact me to order a kit and join us in July!

Karen Varcoe
Create with Karen
kvarcoe@aol.com
503 267-6080

Annual CTMH New-to-you sale!!

Stop and shop or stay to play at my annual CTMH clearance sale and 5 cards for 5 dollars. Tuesday from 1pm-8pm, at my studio in Gresham. Refreshments and door prizes. Please RSVP if you will be participating in 5 cards for 5 dollars. No need to RSVP if you are just stopping to shop!!! Hope to see you then!

6/9 Home of the Brave & Courage: Two patriotic stamp sets!

These stamp sets, along with a Canadian patriotic set, are available only during June and July. Here's a card I made using them. I purposely kept it simple to keep the focus on the images. It's a 5x7 card with Cranberry Card Stock and the Outdoor Denim Marine Map paper from the Tommy Paper Pack. I used Champagne, Outdoor Denim, Whisper and Cranberry Inks. We're making this card and three more at Cards with Karen this week. RSVP to kvarcoe@aol.com for Mon 6/10, Tues 6/11, Thur 6/13 (Gladstone) or Mon 6/24 (Salem). Cards with Karen is $8 for four cards, or get it FREE with a $15 order!