New Photo Album

I know, I know.....I haven't posted anything in the blog since November. That's bad, I know. It has become a little more difficult for me to update and upload new pictures and posts here. First and foremost, I was without a computer for almost a month! My laptop finally decided to throw the towel and I had to purchase a new one. Although I tried to salvage it from dying on me, I had no such luck and I was told that I was better off investing in a new one (as it would cost me just as much to get it repaired). Not having a computer was torture, to say the least. Then, I started going to classes at night to pursue my master's degree. It is already a daily challenge to keep up with family, work at school, being a soccer mom, and the desire to keep myself sane by crafting during my "spare time that I honestly had no energy by the end of the day to sit and blog about every single project I created. So long story short (and after some little internet research), I finally found a way to showcase my projects without having to blog about every single one of them. Don't get me wrong, I love blogging and adding new posts but I have to admit that I didn't want this blog to become a chore, but rather what I originally created it for....to share my love of paper crafting and scrapbooking. Even though I hadn't updated my blog, I do however manage to upload some projects on my Facebook page more often than here. I felt some sense of satisfaction doing that (at least). So without further ado, I present to you my Photo Album link (on the right hand side of the page) for your viewing pleasure. I hope this also helps you, my readers and fellow bloggers, to get inspired...and CREATE!  And with New Year's just around the corner...I am going to resolute to make more time to blog this coming year. =) Thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog. Enjoy!

Here is a link to my Flickr Slideshow - http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmartinezfam/show/

Happy Crafting and Happy 2012!

In love with my Cuttlebug!

More and more I am amazed at what the scrapbooking industry is coming up with these days that it's hard to keep up with so many neat devices and machines out there for us paper crafters and devoted scrapbookers! But when I finally got my hands on my very own Cuttlebug, I couldn't wait to see what I could come up with!

Before I had purchased my own Cuttlebug, I had been taking turns using my friends' Sandra & Gloria's Cuttlebug. Without their help, I wouldn't have been able to add this special touch to make my friend's baby shower invitations.

Another opportunity came knocking when my cousin's sister-in law asked me to make her father's Christmas theme birthday invitations. She shared her vision of what she wanted them to look like and went from there! I'm happy to say that she was pleased with the design-I hope you are too. Can't wait to see what else I come up with and what this little powerful thing can do! Plus, I've been taking advantage of every Cuttlebug sale at both Hobby Lobby and Michael's since I got it and have a pretty good inventory of embossing folders already....for now (hee, hee)!

Trick or Treat(s)!

When one of our Busy Bee members, Hilda, became an independent consultant for Stampin' Up, we were so excited to test out her Big Shot at our last crop. Sandra also happened to purchase one at the convention along with some incredible dies. She is making some awesome centerpiece decorations for her mother with them!  Needless to say, I was in love with it! You can do sooooo many things with it that the possibilities are endless! I hope to purchase one later on.....much later. =( The good thing is that we will be sharing dies with each other. I've already purchased some dies from Stampin' Up which happen to be compatible with my Cuttlebug. For now, that will have to do. And it works just as good! In the meantime, here are some treats I made for my co-workers at school using the Petal Cone and Pillow Box dies that Sandra purchased. I filled them up with some candy and voila! Aren't they amazing?!

My First Scrapbook Convention!!!!!!!!

I am an avid reader and subscriber to CK Magazine. I am always amazed at how many listings there are at the back of the magazine of scrapbooking stores in other states as well as conventions. I've always wanted to experience what a scrapbooking convention was all about. Unfortunately, Laredo is not anywhere listed as any of those cities where conventions are offered. When our Busy Bees group member, Hilda attended one last year with her husband she came back in awe and inspired to share her experience with us. The rest of us were immediately drawn to her recountal of the trip.  Early during the year we discussed the probability of the four of us taking a trip to San Marcos, where CK Scrapbook Conventions would be making an appearance in September. We were hooked and convinced from the start. The four of us planned it and couldn't wait for our little getaway to scrapbook heaven (only fellow scrapbook enthusiasts and paper crafters could understand our excitement from this point!)

When THE DAY came, we couldn't think about anything else to take but our scrapbooking tools, photos and essentials for our two-day stay. But I guess we also needed to take a change of clothes, toiletries and what not...I packed lightly (as a Girl Scout would) and we were on our way!

From the moment we got there we were ecstatic and on a mission to CREATE at the different classes we registered for. Our time at the Embassy Suites was quality well spent. We learned so many techniques, had a crop night, and of course, came back with some goodies. There were so many amazing exhibitors! We wanted to bring everything with us!! Some us more than others-like we needed a hole in the head!

Before we could head back home we managed to go to several scrapbooking stores along the way and to close our trip with a bang we ate dinner at PF Chang's. Let me just say that this is the BEST Chinese restaurant- ever!. Our potpourri of meals were so delicious and mouth watering to say the least. Certainly worth going to! And now to plan and wait for next year's convention...we will definitely be there! Can't wait! In the meantime....let's get crafting!

Here is a little compilation of our trip. Thanks ladies, for making this trip and experience possible!

Free photo slideshow made with Smilebox

Lingering question...

With so many talented ladies out there in the "art of creating" scrapbooks, paper crafting, and other handmade elements-specifically, here in Laredo-I don't know why our community hasn't yet embraced the idea of having a craft fair that will promote our local talent. I following many blogs with the same interest I share and to my surprise- most, if not all, have a craft fair in their hometown. More recently our city has initiated a farmer's market and that has brought many opportunities to individuals who love the idea of purchasing natural and pesticide-free products as well as new businesses to our community. However, I've had this lingering question running through my mind (more than often now). So why doesn't our city take the challenge and have an annual craft fair? I, for starters, would certainly be one of the first individuals to participate in this new endeavour. I more than likely wouldn't be the most artistic, but definitely and surely be inspired by so many talented crafters in the same venue. It would also give me an opportunity to display my work and that of other fellow enthusiasts in this up-and-coming marketable business. Recently, I was featured in one of Laredo's local magazines, Laredo Family Time Magazine under their new Mompreneurs section. Let me just say that I was honored for the gesture and opportunity. I commend them for their interest in showcasing full-time Moms who also enjoy crafting for a living or as a hobby. It is periodicals such as these that strive themselves to promote activities, events and local talent in our city to make it a better community for ourselves, our family, and other aspiring individuals who want to take their venture to a new level. For now all we can do is continue crafting, creating, and inspiring others.

Happy crafting everyone!

Congratulations (Baby) Card

Card Swap

After Laredo's ONLY scrapbooking store closed some faithful scrapbookers and I wanted to continue getting together to...what else? SCRAPBOOK! We've been doing pretty good since the start of the new year. We've been meeting every month and taking turns at each other's houses doing so. At one of our crops, one of the members suggested and wanted to start a "Card Swap". It sounded like a wonderful idea and for that month's crop we managed to swap 4 cards each with each other. I can't wait for our next "Card Swap" since I've already used the ones I received!! Here's a look at the cards we all created.

What was I thinking?!

While browsing through some of the blogs I follow I found this unique creation for cards. Since I hadn't done our Christmas cards I decided to work on them immediately after the Thanksgiving holidays. I had very little time to complete this mail-out and for a minute I thought: "What was I thinking?!" (You'll understand why as you read on). I was worried I wouldn't be able to finish them on time since I was leaving the country during the Winter break. When I began working on them I realized that I needed  more time to work on them (which was not the case). Fortunately, I did. I was able to mail them right before I left and in time for my friends and family to receive them. Upon my return I found out that ALL the cards were returned due to insufficient postage!! Since I was not here, my kind and gracious Mother-in Law did me the favor of adding more postage and re-sent the cards. I found out later that not everybody received them as I had originally. To this day I still don't know what happened to some of them. Oh well, lesson learned. I'll be more cautious next time...which gives me only six months to prepare for this year's cards!!

 Close up of one of the cards

I know we are in the middle of May here, but I couldn't go without posting this. After all- it's never too late to start thinking about Christmas cards for this year!!

Then there was the situation about my daughter's birthday party....her birthday (on the 13th) was the week we would let out for the Winter Break and I had to talk to her about not being able to celebrate her birthday until I returned since I was scheduled to leave that weekend. As it turns out, I ended up leaving the 15th instead due to my father's change in condition.  As a result I planned her party almost a month BEFORE. I purchased everything I would need for her sleep over and somehow also manged to finish her invitations and hand delivered them. When I returned I was not going to have time to do anything but the party itself.  It was both a challenge and a test of time. I don't know how I did it but I was able to defy time for the completion of these projects. Oh, and the party was a total success-my daughter had a lot of fun with her friends. =)

Sleeping bag invitation

 Vellum = blanket

Nice and tucked

Remembrance Bookmarks

Here's a new take on your traditional bookmarks. Why not create a bookmark to remember a loved one? That's what my Mother-in law asked me to do for her for her mother's first anniversary mass later this month. I used different techniques and mediums for this creation. Some of which include, inking, stamping, and vellum printing. I hadn't beaded anything before so this was definitely a challenge for me.

We miss you dearly! May you rest in peace.

It's been a while...

 I can't believe how long it's been since my last post....the truth is that I have been pretty busy creating and designing projects since I came back from my native country of Honduras. Immediately upon my return I made three scrapbook frames for my relatives in Honduras as a memento in loving memory of my father. I mailed it to them and they were elated and touched by the gesture. I know it will be a present reminder of the love they shared together. It also served (me) as self therapy as I started the healing process of his loss. I will cherish our short time together forever.

To show my appreciation during this difficult time, I also gave my Malakoff Family at school a big "Thank you" with this card. I hope they know how grateful I was to have received a downpour of support. I was truly blessed to have their support and prayers miles and miles away.



...and when one life parts this world, another one is born. This has been the gift I have been surrounded by recently. Starting with the birth of my niece, Karina on Christmas Day (how blessed is that?!). Unfortunately, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her (yet), but I'm hoping to do so during the summer. Before I left however, I did make some cute little boxes for her big sisters, Elena and Marisa. I had to send them with Charlie during a trip to Austin recently since I ran out of time to mail them in time for Christmas. I selected colors to coordinate with their adorable bedrooms and personalized them using charms with the letters of their first name. 

I also made one for my niece, Yvette





 The second was that of my sister's baby shower invitations. I was able to make her invitations just in time for a shower her husband gave in her honor. Considering we were tight on time, I think they came out cute. I also made her a money holder card to place the deposit inside. Yvette loved her invitations and the baby shower was a hit.

Shortly after her baby shower, my cousin Laurita asked me to design Susie's (her daughter-in-law) baby shower invitations. I was honored by her request! Susie will be a first time mom in the summer and we are so happy for her and Johnny on the forthcoming of their little girl. Seems only yesterday that I made their wedding gift card....click here to see it.

And most recently, the surprising announcement of my colleague and good friend, Norma-who is also expecting and due this summer!!! I am so happy for her! Her son Joshua and Charlie have been friends since the first grade and as they finish their elementary school years together this May, her new baby boy will certainly be the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. Next month we will be honoring her with a baby shower. I was sooo happy when she gave the news that I was inspired to make her invitations for this joyous event.

As you can see....I have been PRETTY busy with all kinds of projects. I have other projects lined up and some that I have already completed so stay tuned for more pictures!!

Take note

Little gifts here and there I've given. I made this one for Carolina's 1st Grade teacher as a birthday gift. I took the picture before I placed her name on it. It made the stand look better with the personalization.