Patriotism Challenge and Welcome Our New Design Team!

In honor of our international Close To My Heart "stampinghood," this week we're celebrating patriotism and freedom!  Sunday, July 1, was Canada Day, and Wednesday we'll celebrate our American Independence Day, so it's time for YOU to show off your patriotic pride!  (Remember to use CTMH products on your projects.)

We are really excited that the new month brings new faces here at H2H.  Join me in welcoming our July guest designer, Marg Van Patten.

Drumroll please for our new "Team A:"
"Hello, my name is Caroline Bredeson (or Car-o-LEEN as it is prounounced here in Canada).  I have been scrapbooking for the past ten years- started after we moved to the USA in 2000 and I wanted to capture my kids' childhood years.  I began stamping and making cards when I met a friend who was a CTMH consultant, 5 years ago.  She convinced me to join CTMH upon my return to Canada, last summer.  I love sharing with others the joys of paper-crafting and creating hand-made gifts.  My own 'style' is still evolving, but I find my most visually appealling creations are often ones using more of a graphic approach which comes from my background as a quilter. I'm very happy to be joining Heart 2 Heart Challenges to meet more 'kindred spirits'!"

Erin Schulte says: "Card-making is one of my passions! I have been making cards for a few years now and have accumulated everything under the sun with which to make them :). I became a Close to my Heart consultant this past March to share the fun and help offset my hobby costs. It works out great! Close to my Heart is a fantastic company to be a part of and the products are second to none. I'm very excited to have been chosen as one of the new H2H Design Team members and look forward to hopefully inspiring you and working with the other H2H design Team members. See you again soon!"

Next up is Kelly Brandt: "I am 47 years old, mother to two great boys who are 18 and 21, also mother to two great dogs and I live in Kamloops, BC, Canada. I'm married and have been with my high school sweetie for 31 years. I work full time, and love to kayak, hike and be outdoors. I started scrapbooking 4 years ago and cardmaking two years ago. I joined CTMH in July 2011. My passion is to share my love of papercrafts, be it through my blog or classes, and club nights. The camaraderie of the women is my favorite part. I'm usually flying by the seat of my pants when I am designing, but it usually works out okay."

"My name is Madeline Morcelo. I've been crafting all my life but got interested in paper crafting in October 2008 after attending my first card class and have not stopped since! I’m originally from Puerto Rico, but I am currently living in Fort Mitchell, Alabama, because my husband is in the Army and is stationed in Fort Benning.  I have five lovely children from 9 to 25 years old and even though I like making cards and scrapbook pages, creating 3-D items is my passion."

"I'm Shirley Ross, and I am a daughter, a mother to one beautiful daughter and son-in-law, a grandmother to three adorable grands, a widow and now a caregiver to my mom. In 2000, I found myself drawn toward a new creative outlet, scrapbooking. My sister-in-law introduced me to this art medium and I soon found myself in love. In love with the feel of the paper, the colors, the photos, the memories, and most importantly, how it made me feel – happy. I could spend hours creating a layout, blocking out the world around me, even if just for a while. The coolest benefit, my Mom and I scrapped together, thus my blog name Mom ‘n Me Scrap. The best part of being a ‘papercrafter’, is the friends. Just as in the quilting bee days of yesteryear, papercrafting brings women together with a common thread, a place to share, fellowship, and feel welcome. This journey has led to my adventure in running my own stamping and scrapbooking business. The old adage is true ‘when you find your passion, make it your career.' I have been with Close To My Heart for six years and plan on many more. CTMH ROCKS!!"

We also want to welcome our new "Team B" designers:
"Happy stamping and scrapping!  My name is Angel Shifflett, and I am very excited to be here on the Design Team at Heart 2 Heart Challenges!  I have been scrappin' and stampin' for over ten years now and love making scrapbook pages, cards, and other paper crafts.  I love to share my passion of scrappin' and being inspired by others' creations.  I am a Southern Maryland native and spend time with my fiance, son, daughter, and our two dogs.  In addition to scrappin' and stampin', I enjoy reading, spending time with family, and attending my kids' sporting events.  My background is in Human Services and I currently work in a nursing home as a Case Manager for Veterans.  When I talk about scrapbooking, people always ask, 'How do you have time for that?' Well, you make time for something you love!  Any spare minute I have I am playing with my scrappy CTMH products creating a memory."

 "Hi there, my name is Cheryl Cuddie, and I am from Cloverdale in beautiful British Columbia.  I am married with two boys, and am blessed to be able to stay home with them at this stage of their lives.  I am an avid papercrafter, and love scrapbooking in particular.  I have been crafty all my life, and fondly remember rainy days at our summer cottage because it meant a trip to town to visit the craft store with my grandmother.  I was introduced to scrapbooking about 7 years ago when I was pregnant with my oldest son.  I started with one album about my pregnancy, and was instantly hooked.   As my son grew and changed, I enjoyed documenting his life in photos.  I started taking classes at the local scrapbook store, and discovered a whole new world of tools and techniques that I never knew existed.  I became a CTMH consultant in May of 2010 and have never looked back.  I love the products, the inspiration and the fellowship of other craft addicts.  I absolutely love the legacy I am creating for them, and even have my husband now taking pictures with my scrapbook pages in mind!   I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the H2H design team, and look forward to taking my papercrafting to a whole new level!"    

"My name is Dania Boise (pronounced Don-ya, everyone always asks – lol).  I’m married to a wonderful husband that keeps me laughing and God has blessed me with two beautiful children, who are now adults, and two very high maintenance Italian Greyhounds.  My first love is scrapbooking, which I do however, whenever with no order or goal.  A year ago I was swayed to become a Close to my Heart Independent Consultant.  I totally fell in love with the product and stamping and along with that card making.  When not in the craft room I’m a self-employed bookkeeper and addicted runner."
 

"Hello, my name is Dorothy Seiler, an Independant Close to My Heart Consultant in Strathroy, Ontario. I have a full time job also as a Integration Analyst at our local hospital's IT department.  Being a CTMH Consultant gives me a chance to capture memories, release my creative side, and channel my inner teacher!  I've been a CTMH consultant for just over a year, but I've been scrapbooking and paper crafting for years.  I love scrapbooking, card making and making hand made and hand stitched mini albums."

"Hi, I am Nancy Ball, a Mom of 3 tween/teenagers; married to a wonderfully supportive husband; have 4 cats; and I have been a Close To My Heart Consultant for 8 years. I work p/t pushing paper at Caffé Fantastico, a local café and coffee roastery; I also own/operate another small business that contracts Nannies to local families and hotels, called Spoon Full Of Sugar Nanny Service. I am a photographer; I love to sew and make other fabric/paper crafts; I dabble in jewelry making; and am a tv junkie! In my spare time I like to sleep….which isn’t often or long enough!"

Last but not least, our fearless H2H leaders:

My name is Haley Dyer (aka the Inky Scrapper), and it has been my pleasure to be here at H2H and lately to help Mary out as the Team B "captain."  (I'm also getting this post ready since Mary's in the hospital!)  It is so much fun to visit your blogs and check out all your fabulous artwork!  You, dear H2H players, are such an inspiration to us!  I've been a CTMH consultant since 2000 and a full-time elementary school teacher for a lot longer than that. ;)  My favorite scrapbook subjects are my husband, two daughters, our dog, and our cat, plus my extended family and friends.  If I'm not teaching, papercrafting, or on the computer, you can find me with a book in my hands down at the lake where we live in the beautiful north Georgia mountains.

"You all know me - I'm Mary Vogel and I started H2H. I have been with CTMH almost 12 years and am currently a Junior consultant. I love stamping and scrapbooking and I love sharing inspiration with others! I'm sure you're in for a treat with our new Design Team and I hope you'll come back week after week for an all new challenge! I'm sorry my artwork is MIA for this challenge but I am currently in the hospital. Just another interesting day in my crazy life!"

Now, it's (finally) your turn! Show your patriotic pride (and use your CTMH stash)! We can't wait to see what you create. Here are a few quick words from our sponsors:

*Please use some Close To My Heart products. (Projects do not have to be 100% CTMH).

*Post your project to your blog or online gallery.

*Come back here and link up a direct link to your project (not just to your blog address).

*Mention Heart 2 Heart Challenges somewhere in your post and please link to our site.

Failure to follow the challenge rules will disqualify your project and your link will be removed.
* Please consider turning OFF word verification for your comments as it makes it much more time consuming for our DT members to leave you comments.