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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Make-A-Wish

Have you wanted to use your scrapbooking talents to give back somehow?  Well, I may have the inspiration and direction you've been looking for.

Make-A-Wish is a non-profit organization that "... grant[s] the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy."*   Founded in 1980, Make-A-Wish has touched the lives of over 250,000 children across the world!!

This organization utilizes thousands of volunteers to help support their events, operation, and wish granting.  I have been a volunteer with them for the past 2+ years, scrapbooking the special memories of a child's granted wish.  It's a wonderful way for the child and family to remember the wish experience and "...share the moments that matter the most."**  

Here are a couple of my favorite layouts from some of the wishes I've had the honor of scrapbooking:



Visit their website at www.wish.org and click the link for "Find Your Local Chapter" to contact the chapter nearest you and get more information about volunteering.  You will have to fill out some paperwork, get background checked, and get finger printed, but it's worth it!!

How does it work?  Once you've completed the volunteer sign-up process, you will receive an email from a Make-A-Wish representative asking if you have time to complete a wish album.  If yes, they usually provide a list of available wishes to scrap.  You choose one or say any of them, and they will send you the photos.  You scrapbook it and drop off or mail the album back to Make-A-Wish.  The supplies and your time to create the album are your donation to the organization.

I have completed six scrapbooks for six kids, ranging up to 20 pages each.  It brings joy to my heart after having an amazing trip or adventure come together.  I'm proud of it and I truly know the families will enjoy it for many years to come and hopefully help remind and inspire the kids that wishes do come true.


* = MAW mission statement on their website www.wish.org
** =  the end of Close To My Heart's mission statement
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Monday, April 15, 2013

Workshops On The Go

Did you know that Close to My Heart has kits?  Well we do! There are Scrapbooking Workshop On the Go (WOTG) kits for each new paper pack featured in the current Idea Book and some of the new papers feature an exclusive Card WOTG.

In addition to the papers and cards/envelopes needed to create the WOTG project, there are a few things that make the WOTG kits special:
  1. a coordinating and exclusive stamp set that is only available with that kit
  2. easy-to-follow directions, printed in color that include all cuts, stamping & assembly
  3. two coordinating accessories (i.e. ribbon, buttons, sparkles/gems, etc.)
    • sometimes one or both are only available with that specific WOTG
The WOTG are great projects that can be created as shown or they allow you creative freedom to alter as you feel inspired. One of my favorites from the latest Idea Book is the Chantilly Card WOTG.  It's one of the cutest and vibrant papers CTMH has released and provides a lot of versatility.  The WOTG featured 3 cards and provided supplies to create a total of 15 cards (5 of each style).  I was also able to create a couple extra cards from my scraps.

Note: some of the basic tools used in every day crafting, such as paper trimmer, stamp pads, stamp blocks, scissors, adhesive, and other tools, are needed to complete the WOTG's.

To change it up, I created one of the cards per the instructions and then had fun with the others & added in some bling:

The top card is the WOTG as directed - the others are my variation and inspiration based on the paper and colors.  Like I said before, this paper provides versatility and a lot of that has to do with all the amazing colors it showcases.

The card on the left is the WOTG card; the other four are altered by me.  I enjoyed using the Exclusive Inks {Alcohol} Markers to color in the cake - it really added to the card & they are so easy to use!

The top card is the WOTG card; the other four I put my touch on.  This is the only set I distressed, but it made them pop so much better after I did.

3x3 cards created using some of my scraps and I threw in a Sparkle Flourish (Z1812). I have a few more scraps I plan on creating a couple more cards with.

Birthday cards are my favorite to make - everyone loves {& expects} a Denise-Card now...yes, I've spoiled them! So having a WOTG that I could take a design and create and then be inspired to change up is fantastic!! 

CTMH is all about Faster. Simpler. Easier. and the WOTG's truly follow that motto.  Does the WOTG inspire you?

Questions or comments, please let me know.  Now go get inspired!!
~ Denise ~


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