Costa Rica Travel Mugs

These decorated travel mugs from Starbucks turned out so well. They are so stinking cute :O)

I love the fact that you can decorate them anyway you want to - the only word of warning - don't make the inserts too think of they won't fit in between the 2 layers of plastic - so - no brads or sparkles so I go way overboard with the Prisma Glitter instead :O)

 I made one for me and one for Victoria and we discovered that a bottle of Champagne 

(or wine) will fit perfectly in the 2 travel mugs :O)

 I used the C1575 True To Life stamp set along with the Costa Rica trip set.

I still have the Bingo Alphabet - one of my favorites - so I used it to personalize mine.

 I used Crystal Blue and Pacifica inks for the butterflies and Pear, Juniper and Sorbet for the 

cutest frog on the planet :O)

The lizard was stamped in Chocolate ink and I used Desert Sand for the 'Beach" stamp which I colored using the Watercolor Pencils.

Hope this inspires you to create one of your own - Love Sara xxx

Costa Rica Luggage Tags

I made more gifts for this trip - this time one for me - one for my BFF Victoria 

and one for my friend Dana.

I found these adorable wooden flip-flop pieces at Michaels 

and thought they would make great luggage tags. I found the small wooden letters too so was able to personalize them :O)

I stamped the little pink hearts in Hollyhock ink (to represent Close To My Heart ) and then used the markers to color in the bands on the front of the flip flops and the flower on the front. 

I added liquid glass to the center of the flower and heaped on the Prisma Glitter.

I stamped the little lizard from the Costa Rica Incentive Trip stamp set  in Timber Brown Stazon (yes I know it looks really reddish but I think that is the effect of the wood and the liquid glass).

I inked the wooden letters with the Hollyhock marker and then stamped the design in the Timber Brown Stazon and attached them with Liquid glass.

I then went over the whole thing with Liquid Glass. "That's a lot of liquid glass" I hear you say. 

You better believe it - I used a bottle and a half to cover these !!!.

Then I decided I would add more Prisma glitter - this time to the initials - but I wasn't sure what it would look like so I just did it to mine. I was a little disappointed with it because it hid a lot of the pattern underneath which is why only mine has the glitter on it.

I finished them off with some Ruby Chevron ribbon. 

I loved the way they turned out and so did Victoria and Dana.

They aren't really sturdy enough for suitcases but perfect for hand luggage :O)

Hope you like them

Love Sara xxx

Costa Rica friends gifts

When I earn at trip through Close To My Heart I make a point of making hand made albums for the Executive team, Monica Wihongi, Kristine Widfeltd and Brian Holman and of course one for the CEO and owner Jeanette Lynton.

This trip was no exception and I used the new Balloon Ride Level 2 paper pack.

The base was a True Fit File Folio and had all sorts of pull out tags and waterfall photo features.

 I used Creme Brûlée and Sorbet inks to give the butterfly the 2 tone image.

I also added the Brown/Tan Glitter paper to add some *Bling* (of course I did LOL)

You can see the 2 additional photo mat tags peeking out of the side pocket on the left and the top pocket on the right.

 On the last page you can see the 'Waterfall' photo feature which allowed me to add 

4 photo mats to a very small space. By pulling on the tab at the bottom the photos fold up 

and allows you to see the one below it.

Again there is another tag which can be pulled out of the top of the left hand section 

and the final tag is pulled out from the side of the final section.

 This shows the 'Waterfall" partially opened.

Well I hope you liked it  as much as they did :O)

Love Sara xxx

I'm Back from Costa Rica :O)

Hopefully you didn't miss me as I kept my blog up to date with posts while I was gone - thats a first I hear you say hahaha :O)

I had a wonderful time in the Guanacaste Region of Costa Rica on the Incentive Trip which I earned through Close To My Heart.

94 degrees - beautiful sunshine - fabulous all inclusive hotel - amazing friends - lots of smiles - it doesn't get any better than that !!

SO here are a few photos of the trip :O)

This was the beach just outside the hotel grounds - it was lovely - a beach covered in shells at the one end - and you KNOW I brought some back to add to my scrapbook lol

 This was a the view of the pool - it was gorgeous and had a swim up bar :O)

 Here I am with my best friend who I took on the trip - Victoria (in the pretty red dress) along with 2 fellow consultants from here in Michigan Dana and Holly xxx

 I know this is a little hard to see but this is a 4 foot long Iguana who was in one of the trees by the river. We took a cruise on the Tempesque River through the Paolo Verde National Park - it was a great trip and allowed us to see so many animals and birds.

 Victoria and I on the river cruise boat.

 And one last one of me by a beautiful bougainvillea tree at the hacienda that we stayed at for lunch after the river cruise.

Well I hope I haven't made you too jealous of the trip - you know that you can come with me on the next one to Hawaii :O)

Pura VIda Scrapbook Layout

Today is the last day of my trip here in Costa Rica and here is the final layout given to my by CTMH - Love this one the best I think.

I used the honey ink pad directly on the honey cardstock for a woodgrain effect and stamped the leaf stamp in shades of Pear and Sweetleaf. I then cut them out and attached them to the 

side of the photo mats.

I can't wait to get back home to see my boys and my husband - and to print out the photos from this fabulous trip.

Love Sara xxx

Fun and Sun Scrapbook Layout

Oh my goodness - I love the lizards haha :O)

I have them running across my page in all directions.

I know I will come back from this trip with many pictures so this layout is perfect for those photos where you have close ups of items or people and the background can be cropped out.

Fun and Sun is a great title for this page and it also has a nautical feel to it so you could use it for an occasion like that :O)

Love Sara xxx

Fun Scrapbook Layout

This is such a pretty layout - I was really pleased with the way the buttlerlies turned out. I stamped the darker ones in Lagoon ink and rolled the edges of the stamps in Outdoor Denim ink and the light one I stamped in Pear ink and rolled the edge in Lagoon ink.

The three patterns of paper from the Skylark paper pack add just the right amount of pattern without it being distracting from the stamped images.

We are off to spend the day in the National Park so I know I will get many great photos which will fit on this layout :O)

Love Sara xxx

Explore Scrapbook Layout

I just love the colors of this layout and I already know what photos I am going to put on this when I get back from my trip

The Lagoon cardstock gives it the feel of water and I know that today I will be sailing and snorkeling so photos of todays trip will be perfect to go on here. The Teal Shimmer Trim is just perfect with this paper and cardstock and you know I like anything sparkly :O)

These layouts are lovely and I am looking forward to putting photos on them and making more - because you know I will have lots of photos.

Love Sara xxx

Skylark Incentive Trip layout

I am away in Costa Rica this week taking photos to put on this layout :O)

Yes I managed to complete this one before I went and again - I didn't put the layout title onto it. When I am ready to add my photos then I will decide on the title.

I used the large butterfly stamp with a tone on tone stamping technique on the Sorbet cardstock.

I used Sweetleaf ink on the top of the Sweetleaf cardstock page bases to stamp a leaf design - I know its a little difficult to see unless you zoom in on the photo.

I really like the technique of cutting the ends of the paper and cardstock pieces to make them look like ribbons.

Hope you like it too - Love Sara xxx

Land Tour layout

I really like the way this layout turned out - as usual I didn't follow the instructions  (why does that surprise you hahaha)

I ink distressed the Bamboo cardstock with the Bamboo ink to make it look like woodgrain

- I inked the Costa Rica title stamp in Sorbet ink and then stamped it again in Pear ink and cut the tiny frog out and layered the 2 images together.

I stamped the lizard in Pear ink on the Sweetleaf cardstock.

I do like the way that this layout from the Make It from Your Heart Vol 2 can be altered - we can switch the 2 pages around so that the left page becomes the right page and it gives it a totally different look. Anyway - I like it this way round - so hope you do too :O)

Love Sara xxx

Smile Layout

Here is another Costa Rica layout from CTMH - Loved the little green lizards which I stamped in Pear ink and rolled the edges in Topiary ink.

I used the Glamour Uppercase Alphabet for the words and stamped it in Cocoa ink on the Kraft cardstock - again I used the scallop border punch to decorate the edges of the Kraft cardstock.

Hope you like it :O)

Love Sara xxx

Costa Rica Layout

CTMH suggested titles for all of the layouts - but I wanted to make the pages and add the titles later - that way I won't be limited for the occasions I have to use them.

The colors of cardstock on this tropical feel layout are Smoothie, Ruby, Honey and Sorbet with Sweetleaf cardstock mats

Hope you like it as much as I do :O)

Love Sara xxx

Explore Paradise Layout

Here is the 2nd layout which I made with the kits from Close To My heart - the green Skylark paper has a fun design which reminds me of foliage and I LOVE that Frog !!!

Hope you like it too - Love Sara xxx

Costa Rica Land Tour Incentive trip Layout.

Not sure if I have told you lately just how much I love working for Close To My Heart -

One of the perks of being an Independent Consultant is that we have the option to earn cruises and trips. Close To My Heart generously pays for 2 people - their flights and trips and it has been a fabulous way for me to see more of the world.

My upcoming trip in March 14 will be to Costa Rica and I am super excited about it.

Apart for the trip and airfares - we are also given gifts  - and here is part of this trips gift.

 How cute is this limited edition trip specific stamp set - do you just love that little lizard and the cutest frog ever !!!!

Only the Incentive Trip earners get this stamp so I love to received them - it makes me feel special :O)

We also received the kits to make 10 double layouts featuring the new Skylark paper and a lovely black faux leather album to keep them all in.

Here is the first of the layouts - I will post pictures of them as I complete them.

I used Honey and Sorbet inks  for the butterflies and the lizards are stamped in White Daisy pigment ink. Because I am too impatient to let the pigment ink dry - I sprinkled clear embossing powder and heat embossed them - so my lizards are shiny :O)

Love Sara xxx