I made this beautiful canvas frame at my uplines, Cindy Baker’s consultant club.
That’s my beautiful daughter Danielle and my son-in-law Dustin. Jada’s Mommy and Daddy!
Made with our Veranda papers and embellished with our Filigree Charms that I painted, you can get this look too!

Book a gathering and I will teach you how to make these cool flowers!

I will also be teaching at Tresa Black’s Creative University!
Here is the necklace 35 of us will be making!

I am so excited to go to Tresa Black’s Creative University this month! I signed up for her charm swap and here are my contributions!
I used a two part resin, a tiny vintage print punched into a heart and a pink bling! We are also supposed to make a filler charm with beads to go with it. Can’t wait to see them all!

Make this cute box with acetate lid and tags!. Fun for any holiday! Order your supplies at my Close To My Heart site anytime day or night! I took a fun class at Papertales! You can do either type of tags in the box. Box instructions by LeeAnn here.
I also saw this idea in Lisa Stenz’s blog & Vicki Wizniuk’s blog! Thanks for the inspiration girlfriends!

My sweet friend Denise Anderson-Turley  made this cute Book for me!  Made from Chipboard, legal size envelopes and bound with rings n" ribbons.

Add labels and postage in the envies! Made with my favorite "Notebook" papers.  Orders yours here!

Opps, I just noticed the "K" sticker fell off front-now I’m on the hunt, who knows where it landed???

Thanks Denise!  I Love it!!!

It’s time to think about gift giving and get out those containers we have all been saving and start sprucing them up!  Just back from a grand time in Lake Tahoe with my Close To My Heart Director friends.  Here is a cute idea inspired by Kay Pekin, a Director and on fire successful downline. 

We glued two thin boxes together (these are from clearbags.com-also a great resource for clear envelopes) Then we made a box lid that slides over the top. You can replicate this idea using any box. Just measure the box and add 1/8" to the width and length. Our top was 3" down from the top. Embellished with Jingle papers (gift cut out from the paper), Twinkle brads and ribbon. Cute!!! Thanks Kay!

You too can make your own gifties with our fun Twinkle papers! Just click here to orders yours today!

Our new Idea book is here!   There are so many great new products too see!

you can order on my site.  bren.myctmh.com

Here I’ve used our creative basics jingle paper.  Plenty for cards, layouts and papercrafts!

AUGUST 19 1955

When you are starting to get OLD then your birthday is a time when you find yourself really reflecting…it was a weird day thinking about turning 54.  NOT so much about turning older, that really doesn’t bug me, but just thinking about my life and the past and the hurts and the things we cannot change and the things we can and should change.  I was just wore out from thinking too much today.  Took a nap, then got creative. Found this old picture of me when I turned 11.  (spots look like bubble gum but you can see in the other picture it’s just water spots)

I added liquid applique and glitter for the icing!

I used our cute August Stamp of the Month!

I also silver embossed the cake pedestal and a little birdie on the top. 

I love birds.  My Mom used to call me Brenda Bird because I  held my hands tucked under my armpits like wings, and I loved to sing.

I remember everyone in this photo.  From left to right…Teresa, my cousin Terri, my bff Vickie and Nancy, and of course me in the front.

Another interisting tidbit about me…  My Mom was carrying twins and miscarried one.  Then my sister Karen was born on August 19, 1954.  She was tiny and premature and only lived 14 days.  I was born on
August 19, 1955 exactly one year to the day later.  I miss having a sister, but I’m so very blessed to have so many close friends that are like sisters to me who love me and would do anything for me, not to mention my wonderful kids and MY mother.  Plant seeds and sing songs today!

All I can say is WOW!!! To all my supportive Close to My Heart peers and friends, THANK YOU!  I was just awarded the prestigious "Spirit of Close To My Heart" award! My friends and family kept this a big secret from me and I had no clue!  Not only did I receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a lovely crystal heart statue, my family there to surprise me and a video of my 18 years with the company, but I also received a generous check that will be just the shot in the arm I need toward my goal of owning my own home!  WOW! 

Also…My donation that I made for the Operation Smile auction brought in enought to pay for one operation! That means that a child will have this life changing surgery from this one piece of artwork! How awesome is that!!!  We raised over $5,000 for Operation Smile! A special thanks to my friend, Joanne Walton for making this event possible!

This was my project I donated-an interchangable 18 x 24 canvas.  The photos can be swapped out to personalize it!

And here is my team having dinner together at CPK the first night!

Sorry Jenn, Tina, Shannon, Kay and you other busy girls that missed it!

My Inspiration Institute team ROCKS!

Did we have fun or what????

My buds and uplines, Debbie Fornier and Cindy Baker

My fellow spirit sistah, Sue Laufer

The fun Miss Tina Sutton, who won the most awards at Leadership! Congrats girlfriend!

Our President, Jeanette Lynton and our Vice-President, Monica Wihongi having too much fun!

My friend forever.  Full of grace and love, Jeanette.

Thank you my sweet friend…for everything, hugs, bren

I made this darling purse yesterday at Cindy Bakers home.  It was a relaxing girls day complete with yummy food and a cute project!

Made with our Close To My Heart Sasparilla Papers, our awesome pewter brads, and square tags.

The pattern was created by Becky Roberts…Instructions can be purchased  here