New Blog

I took the business class at the Close to My Heart Regional celebration on blogging, and they highly suggested that we make our blog name something really easy to remember. Since everything else that I do is 'MNKaty' (aol screen name, CTMH website, etc) I switched my blog to MNKaty.blogspot.com. Pretty easy to remember, huh? Feel free to join THAT blogspot as a follower and I'll see you there!

Jingle WonGo

The Jingle WonGo (Workshops on the Go - G1002 $29.95) includes a full Jingle Level 2 paper pack, an exclusive Workshop guide, the new Twinkle Brads (So very cute!!!) and the exclusive "Something Special" stamp set in the Basic Kit set.

The 'Better' embellishment options are: Z1226 Dimensional Elements 'On Target' $5.95 (used for the circles on the layouts and on the cards too) and Z1209 Cranberry Designer Ribbon Rounds $7.95.

The layout features my sweet niece, Carly, last Christmas. Unfortunately, I was not with her to take photos, so April graciously emailed them to me!

Sweet Home WonGo

Sweet Home WonGo (Workshops on the Go - G1003 - $29.95) includes a full Level 2 paper pack, an Exclusive Workshop Guide, Mini Medley White Daisy Collection, and the exclusive stamp set "Enjoy the Journey". This Workshop teaches how to use the BACK of your stamp to give additional dimension to them!

The Better optional embellishments are: Z1211 Top Coats: Framed In - $4.95 (these are a brand new product and very fun to use!) and Z1154 Buttercup Designer Ribbon Rounds which add so much to both the cards and the layout!

The layout is a tribute to my precious mother-in-law, Sharon Carlson, who passed away a few years ago. She was very much a mentor to me and a good friend! (And she raised an extra-special son, my husband, Chris!)

Grace WonGo

Grace WonGo (Workshops on the Go) Basic kit (G1001 - $29.95) comes with A Level 2 paper pack, Exclusive Workshop guide, Rustic Edge Anchors and the adorable "Beautiful Flourish" stamp set! (This stamp set is particularly neat because you use two of the flourishes to make the sweet heart!)

The Better options for embellishments are: Z1206 Basic Craft Buttons (in chocolate, cocoa, colonial white) for $7.95 and Z1247 Crystal Blue Waxy Flax, for $3.95, which makes the 'stitching' a breeze!

The layout feature the evening when my son, C.A., proposed to Katie at a place in Old Town Alexandria! They were married in June, 2009!

These are the cards and layout from the Workshops on the Go (WonGO) from Close to My Heart. The Basic kit is $29.95 (order code G1000) and includes a full Level 2 paper pack, Chocolate Designer Ribbon Rounds, the Workshop Guide and the Exclusive Stamp set, "Hello There" stamp set, shown with the cards. The suggested embellishments for Better to add to the basic kit are: Z1230 Dimensional Elements in Color $3.50 (buttons that you use to make mushrooms, besides adding to the page!) Z280 Natural Hemp $2.25 and Z1218 Basic Brad Collection $4.95 (THREE sizes of brads, big, normal and bitty in FOUR different colors!)

The photos on this page are of my parents when they were married. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June, 2009!

These are 'spoilers' for the upcoming New Catalog party on Sunday...I used the colors from the paper packets to stamp the names of them. I'm pleased with the way they came out, especially Twitterpated!

This layout is in honor of my son, C.A.'s June wedding to Katie! The wedding took place at Fairfax County Historical Courthouse, and the entire event was planned in TEN days because C.A.'s Marine Unit was called up to be deployed in Aug. However, three days before he was to leave, the Marines decided that they didn't need him to go over after all! Thank you Lord!

This is the birthday card I created with the Bella paper pack!

This is the next class we will do on Aug. 24 for the All About Me class!

This is the first page of our All About Me scrapbooks. I decided to use the CTMH Bella paper pack, because it is one of my favorites with purple!

I love teaching the 'All About Me' class! These women have decided to scrap who they are, so that their family can read about who THEY are too! Each person chose their own paper pack to use, and will use the same choice for all the All About Me classes they take!

Danine and Kathy, our 'princesses' for the day, earned the right to be treated like royalty by getting three friends to join them at the crop. They were honored with decorated chairs, were served on special plates, and given 'Royal Gifts'!

Our Operation Smile benefit crop has net $2435.00 which will help 10 children get the life-changing surgery they need!

Scenes from the Operation Smile Benefit crop, coordinated by the MeriMajesties CTMH team!

Croppers of all ages got together to create beautiful pages and cards while enjoying each others company. Classes were offered and taught by MeriMajesties team members. We are grateful to Knox Church for donating their space, Peggy for making our shirts, Costco for lunch and prizes, Giant for donating snacks, Olive Garden for the dinner salad and breadsticks, Chris for donating the color printer for our raffle and Mirella (weekendmemories) for loaning us her tools for the day! A special thank you to Mary, our masseuse, for not only getting knots out of our shoulders, but also donating all of her proceeds of the evening to Operation Smile!

Proposal!

My eldest son, CA, (aka Chris) proposed to Katie! I'm going to be a Mother in Law! (AND....there will be TWO Chris and Katy/Katie's, since that is also my husband and myself!)

Meeting His Hero!

I got to take our youngest son, Steven to meet his 'hero', Alton Brown from Good Eats on the Food Network. Alton mixes chemistry in the kitchen with darned good food, and Steven loves to try all of his recipes. He even learned what he as learned to help him choose science experiments for school!

Yesterday it was snowing...and the kids were at school. A cozy fire, hot coffee, and a great book...and it was so awesome and relaxing! One more GOOD deep snow, and I will be ready for spring!

Entering CTMH contest

I joined a swap from the CTMH bulletin board, and really liked the one I created...so I did another one, quite a bit fancier and in a newer paper, to enter into the monthly contest. I even found a decent picture of myself that has similar colors that the Emporium paper pack uses!

Even if I do not win, I am pleased with my creation!

Photo op today!

It FINALLY snowed today, and now I have some pictures that I can use on my latest layout. (Well, I will have to wait to get them from Costco since the roads are now icy!)

I love the snow, and I love campfires, so today my kids and I, (and a lot of neighborhood kids) made a roaring campfire in the backyard and toasted marshmallows! What a great day!

A 4" x 4" card I made with the CTMH Stardust paper, 'You Rock' stamp set and gold embossing powder. I even pop-dotted the guitar after stamping it once on the card!

Rock Band in my basement!

This is a layout I did with the new CTMH Stardust paper, highlighting the 'band' in my basement. All of them get into Rock Band, and I like the fact that all ages can play together, each at their own level!

A Story to scrap!

Steven wants to be a chef, and received a great cookbook for Christmas "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day". We found a recipe that can be used for a pizza crust and had to try it because with a 17 year old teen (Erik) that lives on pizza, Dominoes knows us by name! It was delicious and Erik was heard to say that it is BETTER than Dominoes...and proceeded to make another batch of pizza dough the following day!
This is definitely a story for the scrapbook!

I'm so proud of my daughter!

Everytime a new CTMH catalog comes out, I like to 'unveil' it with a fun party, with (so far) each one being different! This time, I wanted to have a 2 page layout and a couple of cards completed with each new paper pack. My daughter, Quela, was helping me get ready for the event, and while she is not normally a scrapbooker, she decided to try a layout to help me out! She chose the Key to My Heart paper pack, and this is what she came up with! This is only her SECOND layout that she has done, and she did it with the help of the CTMH 'Imagine' Book!

Photos in every part of my life!

I love to scrapbook...and take lots of photos to use of family, friends and events. I also am blessed to teach (non-professionally) photography to students and work with them on publishing the school yearbook. Last year there were over 900 photographs taken during the school year between the student yearbook staff and myself!