Blessed Scrapper- Sarita

CTMH Feb. Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2012-02-01T08:02:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our February Bog Hop! If you came here from Gina's Blog you are on the right track! What a fun stamp, Thoughtful Tidings. You are in for a definite treat with this one. Be preprared to see a TON of new product as the NEW SPRING/SUMMMER Catalog goes LIVE today!! WHOO HOO!!!!

I had to be simple and practical, only because I did have MANY THANKS to write! I forgot the most fun of working in a preschool, the presents! LOL! So, I had to make about 20 thank you cards. This stamp fit perfectly with the design from last month's special.

This stamp set is available only until Feb. 29 ( YES! it's a leap year! How fun is that??)

Rem

Remember, everything outlined in red coordinated with the CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge! So, now you know you have to have it!!

Head on over to Jen's Blog-Roxy Bonds Blog now. I know she has done something amazing!

My One Word for the Year: Harmony

2012-01-01T20:46:00.000-06:00

My word last year was EMBRACE. All year long I held on to it. I lived it. I wanted to embrace the life I was given and stop fantasizing about one that I was supposed to have. I embraced Sofie's Autism. I decided we were not living with Autism. Autism was living with us. Those were some huge steps that led me to greater awareness, self acceptance and love. All from that one little word. So, now that 2012 has begun I need a word. A word is much easier to focus on than a resolution. It is actually an un-resolution. You can read more about that here on myoneword.org

So, now here I am with a great job, a desire to keep my CTMH business and creative endeavors growing, a husband who is around a lot more and a family who is thriving, not just surviving. So, I immediately thought of balance. But I want more than things to be balanced. I want it all to work together for God's greater plan. So, I decided on

HARMONY.

I am a visual girl, so I needed something to look at and I found a couple things on Pinterest that I wanted to share. Here is the what. What does harmony mean and how can I live my life to obtain it. This is perfect.

Source: Uploaded by user via Sarita on Pinterest

Source: internetcafedevotions.com via Sarita on Pinterest

I have to say though that my crafting is a HUGE part of this. I LOVE that I am a consultant with CTMH. Today we got to see the NEW Spring/Summer Idea Book online and it is amazing! I am absolutely NOT giving up my 22% discount. PLUS we earn select product credit based on our sales. With LOW quarterly minimums I am not worried about keeping it! I can't WAIT to work with NEW product. I will be hosting a crop in February to launch the new book. You won't want to miss it!

So, this is my goal. To find harmony in my life between my full time job, my family and friends and of course all of my creative adventures. (I realize now that is more important than ever!) Have you thought of your word for this year? If you have, I would love for you to share it by leaving a comment!

Happy Crafting and Happy New Year!
Sarita

Little Reminder January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

2011-12-31T20:00:00.000-06:00

Hello and Happy New Year! Welcome to our January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop. If you have come here from Haley's Blog then you are on the right track! This month's set is a fun one that I am very excited to use this coming year! My family is celebrating 2 babies and 1 wedding in 2012. You can see why I will be getting a lot of mileage out of this set!

I chose to make a simple celebratory card for the New Year. I hope you enjoy. It may be hard to see but I stamped the Let's Celebrate in Bamboo for the background and then stamped it twice in black. I thought the bling added some pizazz. I like the contrast of the natural Kraft cardstock with the wild zebra print of Roxie and then some sizzle from the splash of lagoon. Maybe that's what I am hoping and wishing for my new year. How about you?

Products Used:

Z1375 Kraft cardstock
x7140B Roxie Level 2 paper pack
x5904 Splash of Lagoon cardstock
Z1360 Rhinestone Designer Brads
Z1463 Just Blooms Flutter Paper Shapes (Butterflies)

Well, now it's off to Angela's Blog to see what she whipped up with this stamp! Don't forget to add this to your order this month for only $5 when you spend $50.

Pinterest is my Happy Place

2011-12-28T14:55:00.000-06:00

This super simple yet elegant Christmas decoration was inspired by Pinterest. So, I actually went back to something I pinned and recreated it!

My version is in the following picture. I received so many compliments and they were incredibly easy and fun to make. I used the evergreen from the trees in my yard. I also happened to have mason jars. PERFECT! I added this fun striped ribbon that I got from SU and walla!

Have you found Pinterest yet? If you have talked to me lately, chances are pretty good you have. Think of it as a virtual bulletin board where you can pin ideas for just about anything to it. I love looking at my boards- which I have several including Home Decor, DIY (secretly this is my husband's project board, but he doesn't know that *wink)., Scrapbooking, Paper Crafts, Recipes and my new one, Preschool Teaching Ideas. I even have a board on there for my teenage daughter with things she might like or things I want to remember to show her. There are many great conversation starters on my Wordy Wise board.

So, everytime I see something on a blog or a website that I want to save- I no longer print it off YAY!! ( so it's very eco-friendly). Nor do I bookmark it in my favorites. I clearly can't remember how I even filed them in Favorites , much less FIND IT.

So, what's the big deal you say? Great! I can put pictures on a board- sounds like tons of other websites. No, no no my friend, here when you "pin it" to your board and then go back to it, you are taken directly to the website it was pinned from!! Now, I know you must be smiling by now.

Here's the really fun part, people who have your same interests and styles can follow all of your boards or just one of your boards. So, then there is a whole community of pinning and repinning fools! You can add comments, mention people and even "like" a pin. I have really learned a lot about my friends this way. What you pin says a lot about you.

So, when I am having a bad day or just need a shot of inspiration or have crafters block I have a place to go that immediately makes me smile. All the things I love in one place. So, I am not only saving the environment, I am also saving time. Okay, if you are on Pinterest you know that might be a little white lie. It can be addicting as all get out! So, beware of the time sucker it could become. However I do think the pros outweigh the cons.

If you would like an invite to Pinterest just email me and I will gladly welcome you into our circle. But don't say I didn't warn you. If you are on Pinterest simply click this button and you will be taken to my boards! See you there!!

I Did Not Fall off the Face of the Earth!

2011-12-27T09:54:00.001-06:00

So, you may be asking, Where in the heck is Sarita? Although it may look like I fell off the face of the earth, I am still alive, kickin' and extremely well! It is rather comical actually, how I think I am in control of my life and just when I have it all figured out, God sends me down a completely different path.

One day back in mid September I opened up my church service bulletin. Like I always do I went right to announcements. I was really surprised to find out that our church's preschool, Mustard Seed was looking for a new Preschool Director. Now, you may not know, but I spent my "past life" in early childhood. Matter of fact, before my husband was being deployed to Iraq in 2004, I was the director/teacher at my former church's preschool.

My immediate gut reaction was, they need me. Not, how in the world could I work full time again, or this will rock our world. In that moment I simply felt called to do this work. So, I applied and kept going on with my life and my business. After what felt like an eternity I was contacted for an interview and shortly after was offered the job. My first day was Oct. 31 and I haven't looked back or barely taken a breath!

It was a busy time to jump in. We had picture day, Parent/Teacher Conferences, mini- Thanksgiving Meals. I also celebrated my grandma's 90th Birthday as well as my 40th birthday. Then it was on to a wonderful Christmas program and lots of learning and adjusting in between. So, I am very grateful to be on Christmas Break now.

I have already fallen madly in love with these two boys. They are curious, fun and so loveable. One of them gave me my first day on the job hug. It made my day!

WHO LOOKS LIKE THIS AT 90?? Isn't she a beautiful woman? I want to be her when I grow up!

Celebrating my birthday also included Thanksgiving with my family and of course PACKERS!!!!!!

So, the big question I have been asked is "What about your scrapbooking?" Scrapbooking and creating is a part of me. My silly husband was entertaining thoughts of turning the cottage into a MAN CAVE! HA! HA! What a silly boy! No worries there, I will be creating and blogging and will always be with CTMH. Matter of fact, I use the Cricut just about every day and even brought in stamps to make gift tags with the children. So, it's all good!

My good friend and downline, Joanne is on her way over to show me the new catalog!! I hear it is to DIE FOR!! I can't WAIT to see it! So, if you are sticking with me, I will be here.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! It was our best one in a long time! Sofie is doing so well and it takes the edge off a bit. We don't always have to be in a heightened state of alert. So, we were able to enjoy the season without melt downs and mayhem. I couldn't ask for anything more! We are looking forward to an adventurous, busy and blessed 2012!

Many Blessings to YOU!!!