New Product Blog Hop

So excited to finally be joining a blog hop and thanks to Tresa Black of http://www.fabulouslyartsy.com/ for sponsoring this hop.
I am thoroughly enjoying a lot of the new products and I used a few on this card:
Kraft Die-Cut cards and envelopes (Z1474)
Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge (Z1686) partial scallop circle, scallop border, label, and flowers are all created       with this cartridge
Art Philosophy Celebration stamp set  (comes with the Art Philosophy bundle)
Dimensional Elements mixed shapes (label)    (Z1683 and comes with the cartridge when the bundle is ordered)
Sonoma  Level 2 paper packet  (X7143B)
Just Blooms Paper Shapes    Flutter Paper Shapes  (Z1463) 
In addition I used:
Mocha Opaque pearls (Z1333)
Glitz Glitter Gel  Stardust   (Z1313)
Inks:  Smokey Plum  and Cocoa

I am very much new to this whole blogging thing and still very much under construction, so please excuse me.
Blessings,  Polly

Close To My Heart new Idea Book is here!

Lots and lots of new changes and new product. You can access the Idea Book at Closetomyheart.com or go to my website pollylewis.myctmh.com, where you can both access the book, but also put in an order and have it shipped right to you. One of the cool changes - if you place a $150 order, you will qualify for Hostess Rewards! It used to be that there had to be 2 people on an order and  the $150, in order to get the Hostess Rewards. Another change - the Stamp of the Month set can now be purchased for $5 if you have a $50 order and from Aug. 1-31, 2011, we are celebrating that change with an A size stamp set for free!

Art Philosophy Cricut® Collection

One of the new products- A Cricut cartridges filled with shapes to go with our stamps and chipboard Elements! This cartridge has 700 shapes and 6 feature keys, plus lots of 3D items. Our Idea Book has red lines around the stamp images that have a cut out to match. The cartridge comes as a bundle, with 3 stamp sets and 3 chipboard Elements that coordinate with images on cartridge. A super deal for $99.

Sewing for "littles"

  Our son and his wife are expecting their first baby- no, make that two babies! Yes, we are getting twins! And I am back in the sewing mode. I have 5 grandsons and I've sewn for all of them, but I am really hoping we get at least one girl this time. They are choosing not to find out ahead of time and that's great, but makes the suspense double. I can't really even imagine getting two girls. We have 3 sons and 5 grandsons so far and on Kate's side, she has 1 sister and 5 or so brothers, so if we could just get one girl, please.

  Anyway, I've recently run across these pillowcase dresses and fell in love with them. They are so simple to make and can be made so many ways. You can use a real pillowcase like this one or start from scratch with fabric. This one is a size 1 and I have enough fabric left to make bloomers to match. Flower is made from fleece with grosgrain ribbon leaves.

   Sew I am off to do more sewing for the "littles".

July card class

Our card group made this card for the July card class. I got the flowerpot card template from Splitcoaststampers.com. I used various Close To My Heart papers for the flowers and pot.

I used paper packs:
Sweetheart
Sophia
Life Delights
for the flowers and
Veranda  for the flowerpot
Unfortunately these are retired papers. Although, Sweetheart and Sophia can still be ordered til the end of July at pollylewis.myctmh.com if your interested. The crocheted flower and button are also CTMH. I used Hollyhock, Autumn Terra Cotta and Pear inks.
This card will fit in a 5" x 7" envelope.

Takin' the Plunge

I'm finally joining the wonderful world of blogging. I've been planning to for quite some time, but have put it off because I wanted to know how first and then do it...yes, I'm a perfectionist.
Well, it hasn't gotten very far that way so I'm gonna jump in and learn as I go.
Who am I? That's a good question-right now I'm in transition. My baby is going off to college, so we will be empty nesters....well almost, he will be home on the weekends. I've spent the last 10 yrs, homeschooling 3 of my 4 children and enjoyed it most of the time, plus doing all the things a mom and wife do. I have been blessed to be a stay at home mom.
Several of those years I've had a part time sewing business- everything from suits, formal and bridal wear to alterations and plain ole mending. About 7 years ago I discovered scrapbooking and fell in love. I have now been a consultant for Close To My Heart for 4 yrs and love showing people how to preserve their heritage and memories in many different ways. I hold monthly meetings for scrapbooking and cardmaking.
Back to the transition.....I have so many things I want to learn and do, that it will take another lifetime at least to get them done, so now I have to decide what it is I'm doing next.
This will be the place I'll share the journey and share my projects and life as it happens. Hope you enjoy it with me.