Seasonal Expressions Blog Hop

 
For this hop, I'm using some of the new Heartstrings paper and the new Hopscotch paper from the  Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book that went live the first of December. If you're coming from Tonya's Blog you're on the right track!


I wanted to scrap a newborn baby girl picture with the pretty rose patterned paper. The Whisper color didn't look quite right with the cream background of the picture so, I decided to add some Colonial White from the Hopscotch paper pack. Since it was a baby girl all dressed in pink I thought it needed some Pixie cardstock.

You almost can't tell where the cardstock ends and my wall begins!

Here you can see the white shimmer trim that I colored with a Shin Han marker to change to color to pink. I promise it matches better in person than it does in the photograph.

Close up so you can see the tiny hearts I added to the scallop circle and the bitty bling as well as the rose.

I used both the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and theArtbooking Cricut cartridge to cut out some of the decorative elements for this page.

Thanks for stopping by! Please, feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think. Head on over to Melissa D's Blog and see what pretties she's got for you! 

CTMH Paper Focus Blog Hop - Confetti Wishes

This month we're focusing on the paper pack Confetti Wishes. If you're coming from Melissa R's Blog you're on the right track. 

First, I covered the card front with the confetti paper. Then a cut a smaller piece of the diagonal stripe on the flip side. I wanted to do something a little different with it so, I cut off a 1/2 inch strip and placed it perpendicular to the first cut to match up the stripes and give it a skip in the pattern. That gave it a little pizzazz from the usual look, don't you think?

I stamped a chevron shape from A1150 Charming Chevrons in Thistle, trimmed it out with my scissors leaving a little white space, then backed it with Pacifica cardstock. 

The sentiment from B1472 Love This Story (it's a Hostess Rewards Exclusive stamp set) was stamped with Pacifica, then trimmed out with my scissors. The sentiment shape can be trimmed out precisely with Z1790 Cricut Artiste Collection. I added Z3024 White Shimmer Trim and Z1752 Sparkles Assortment to bling it up a bit. A super simple and easy card to make.   

When you're ready to move along, head on over to Melissa D's Blog .

December Stamp of the Month: Cutie Pie

December Stamp of the Month: Cutie Pie

Add a little frosting to your order this month!

It’s a sweet, sweet December deal: Place an order totaling $50 or more and you’ll qualify to receive the December Stamp of the Month, Cutie Pie, for just $5! This set of sugary stamps will be perfect on your cards and layouts featuring your favorite sweet faces. It’s available only during December—so act fast!

See the set »

Deal Of The Decade

Celebrate the 10-year anniversary of My Acrylix^® clear polymer stamps.

Celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Close To My Heart’s revolutionary My Acrylix^® clear stamps with us! With a qualifying purchase of $50 during the month of December, you are eligible to purchase ANY C- or D-size stamp sets from the Annual Inspirations 2014–2015 idea book for only $10. That’s up to $7.95 USD / $9.75 CAD of savings on a single stamp set—and there is no limit to the number of eligible stamp sets you can purchase at this discounted rate. Remember, a purchase of $50 will also qualify you to receive the December Stamp of the Month for only $5, so if you purchase both the discounted Stamp of the Month and additional stamps at this special campaign pricing, your savings will compound! It is truly the deal of the decade.

*Offer valid December 1, 2014 (9:00 am MST)–December 31, 2014 (11:59 pm MST). Shipping/handling is calculated based on the full retail price of the discounted items (C-size stamp set: $13.95 USD / $15.25 CAD; D-size stamp set: $17.95 USD / $19.75 CAD).

Learn more »

Seasonal Expressions 1 Is Here!

Seasonal Expressions 1 Is Here!

Enjoy four months of fabulous product.

It’s finally here, the idea book you’ve been waiting for! Full of unique ideas and bright, detailed photos, this themed seasonal book is sure to delight! From now through March, you can order some of the most charming Valentine’s- and spring-inspired papers, stamps, and embellishments you’ve ever seen. The vivid colors and patterns will give your layouts and cards a fresh look and plenty of pizazz. See the contents for yourself now in Seasonal Expressions 1!

Check it out »

Cyber Monday Sale!

This just in!!Cyber Monday Only: 20% Off All Cricut^®Collections

Artbooking

Art Philosophy

Artfully Sent

Artiste

For the first time ever, Close To My Heart is offering a Cyber Monday Sale on Monday, December 1, 2014. There has never been a better time to buy Close To My Heart’s exclusive Cricut® Collections for 20% off the retail price. Whether you love scrapbooking, cardmaking, or creating 3-D projects, our four exclusive Cricut® collections make the perfect addition to any craft room! Sale starts at midnight (MST) on December 1 and ends at 11:59 pm Monday night. Make sure you share the news about this sale with all your friends and family memebers, too!

Orders must be submitted between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm (MST) on Monday, December 1 in order to get the discount on your selected Cricut® collections. Enjoy extra savings on Close To My Heart's exclusive Cricut® collections this Cyber Monday!

 And when you order just one of the cartridges, you will automatically qualify for the December special and can purchase even more stamp sets to coordinate with your cartridge for only $10 each (regular price of $13.95 or $17.95).  You will also qualify for the December Stamp of the Month!

Click here to place your order!  Everyone who takes advantage of this fabulous special will receive a free gift from me in the mail as a token of my appreciation.  Contact me if you have any questions and be sure to spread the word!  EXTRA GIFT for referring a friend to this offer. 

CTMH Paper Focus Blog Hop - Snowhaven

Here's the hop for the paper pack Snowhaven. I hope you're enjoying the hop if you've come from my Heartfelt Sentiments Blog. This month, Close To My Heart is celebrating 5 years of Studio J. So, to celebrate myself, I'm creating layouts in Studio J that are only 5 bucks for each 2-page layout. Here are some icy pictures from 2013 that go great with the Snowhaven paper.

Later on this month, be on the lookout for some Christmas cards I'm going to design in Studio J. What better time than the month of November to start getting those Christmas cards ready!

Hop on over to A Little Scrapping Haven to see what Melissa has been up to!

Get Lucky In November

Celebrate five years of Studio J and get your layouts, in November, for just $5!

I am sharing this campaign with you now so you have plenty of time to create your layouts in order to take advantage of this fabulous offer!  There are five amazing ways YOU CAN WIN through Studio J and all Close To My Heart social media!

#1
All layouts purchased in Studio J, throughout the month of November are just $5!  That is a savings of over 25% retail!

#2
You can become a lucky winner because every fifth order placed during November receives a FREE surprise Close to My Heart accessory in the shipping box!  The accessory has a retail value of $5 of more!  Wouldn't you love to "spruce" up your layouts a bit with some fun bling?!

#3
Five lucky people will receive "golden tickets" in their Studio J box that will be redeemable for one of Close To My Heart's new D-ring albums* loaded with 10 Top Load Memory Protectors.  They are CUTE AND BEAUTIFUL (to be showcased on my blog soon)!  How would you love to win one of them?!

#4
Simply create new, gorgeous layouts in Studio, select your favorites, and then post pictures of them on Close To My Heart's Facebook page using the hashtag #ctmhlucky5.  After November 30, five lucky winners will be selected from the entries based on their artistry and creativity and each of the winners will receive their own D-ring albums* loaded with 10 Top Load Memory Protectors!

#5
Take your Studio J artwork and post a picture of it on Instagram using the hashtag #ctmhlucky5.  Just as it is with Facebook (#4 above), after November 30, five lucky winners will be selected from the entries to received their own D-ring albums* loaded with 10 Top Load Memory Protectors!

And to make things even more exciting...*drum roll*  Starting November 3, FIVE BRAND NEW KITS from the Annual Inspirations idea book - Confetti Wishes, Snowhaven, Seaside, Pathfinding, and Scaredy Cat - will be made available in Studio J, so you can create new artwork using the latest papers and embellishments from Close To My Heart.  With so many ways to win, five may be your new lucky number!  Log in to Studio J, creating a FREE account, and start creating today!  Click HERE.

Contact me with any questions or let me know if I can assist you in creating layouts! Enjoy creating in Studio J! What a wonderful time to get caught up on scrapbooking!

*Offer valid November 1–30, 2014. Pattern and color of new D-ring album to be given to winners will be at Close To My Heart’s discretion based upon availability. New kits available in Studio J^® on November 1 include Confetti Wishes, Snowhaven, Seaside, Pathfinding, and Scaredy Cat. No tax or shipping will be charged on the free item(s). Studio J layouts ship in a protected box that can hold 4 to 50 two-page layouts. For additional information about shipping/handling, please visit StudioJ.com > Products and Pricing > Shipping Options.

Pathfinding - CTMH Paper Focus - Blog Hop

Welcome to the Heartfelt Sentiments Team's monthly blog hop featuring a paper pack from Annual Inspirations. If you're coming from Melissa Robinson's Blog you're on the right track.

This month we're featuring Pathfinding paper in our hop. So, I was trying to come up with an idea for something cute when I realized I had never made a layout with Artbooking, one of CTMH's exclusive Cricut cartridges. Well, actually I have at the Album Retreat. But, all the cutting was already done for us. I've never cut the pieces out and planned how I would use them on the layout. Well, let me tell ya, it is the easiest thing in the world! I basically just went by the layout in the booklet...what could be easier?

Well, I did make several changes and added a few things here and there so it's not an exact copy of the layout in the instruction booklet. But, you know how it goes when you start cutting things out and some things fit and others don't. And, you know me...I even had to go get out an extra sheet of Olive cardstock from my stash. I hope you like what I've created. And, if you've been thinking about one of CTMH's Cricut cartridges for yourself, you won't go wrong by purchasing it! Just don't do like me and not get around to trying it out.

Now hop on over to A Little Scrapping Haven to see what Melissa David has been up to. Be sure and leave a comment if you like what you see!

September 2014 Studio J blog Hop "Anything Goes"

At last we've decided to have a Studio J Blog Hop! It's your typical hop with a Studio J twist. This month it's anything goes. In the future, we hope to have themes so you can see lots of ideas on how to do a particular skill in Studio J.

If you've come from Adeline's Blog you're on the right track. If you click the next link in the post, you'll make a complete circle and end up right where you started.

My selection is a layout with pictures from a couple of years ago. What better way to get caught up on your scrapbooking than Studio J? This is a layout anyone can easily create for themselves! Enjoy!

The picture with Kaylie blowing out her candles was originally a spot for 2 photos, but I just had one. I used the same photo in both wells but increased the percentage of it and moved one to the left...the other to the right until they matched up. That cropped a lot of the distractions in the background out. I played with the size and placement a little until the front of her face wasn't cut down the middle where the background shows between the 2 pics. I could have changed it to be just one photo well by increasing the width of one of the photo wells and deleting the other. But, I liked the look of it with two.

I'd love to show you how you can get caught up with your memory keeping!  Check out Studio J and see if it's something you'd be interested in using...it costs nothing to try!

Now, hop on over to Julie's Blog to see what she's been up to in Studio J.

September Stamp of the Month: Family Is Forever

Highlight your heritage with this exclusive stamp set.

Make family connections with the sweet sentiments and images of a stamp set that celebrates the people that matter most to you. The September Stamp of the Month, Family Is Forever, will warm the pages you dedicate to your cherished family relationships. When you place an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products during the month of September, you can get this heartwarming set for just $5! Of course, this deal is not as timeless as your memories—it runs only through the month of September, so get your set right away!

View the set »

#30yearsofhappy

Celebrate National Stamping Month and 30 years of stamping success—together!

September is National Stamping Month, and Close To My Heart will be celebrating all month long! When you spend $30 on any current retail-priced stamps during the month of September*, you will qualify to receive the exclusive C-size stamp set #30yearsofhappy FREE (a $13.95 USD / $15.25 CAD value)! This special offer is part of our celebration of National Stamping Month and honors the ongoing celebration of founder and CEO Jeanette Lynton’s 30-year anniversary in the scrapbooking and stamping industry. The exclusive stamp set features 30 mini images and sentiments perfectly suited for 30 days of happy stamping! You can take part in the fun for the next 30 days by purchasing your own set! To follow all of the ways we’re celebrating #30yearsofhappy, check out Close To My Heart’s Facebook page and Instagram!

*Offer valid September 1–30, 2014. No tax will be charged on the free item(s). Shipping/handling is calculated based on the full retail price of the free item ($13.95 USD / $15.25 CAD). Excluded stamps include discounted Stamp of the Month sets, Hostess Rewards sets, Workshops on the Go® sets, and any other kit-exclusive stamps.

Learn more »

CTMH Paper Focus - Blog Hop Scaredy Cat

If you're coming from Melissa's Blog, you're dong great.

I wanted to show how versatile our paper packs are by creating a layout that wasn't Halloween themed. What do you think of this?

Scaredy Cat paper pack using Layout 10 in Make It From Your Heart Volume 2. Z1708 Sparkle Flourishes were added for an elegant touch.

A close up of the stamping with C1581 Inspiration Flourishes.

Now, hop on over to see what Melissa D's Blog to what she made.

Hostess Exclusive Blog Hop

 If you're coming from Tonya's blog you're on the right track.

Welcome to the Heartfelt Sentiments Team Hostess Exclusive Blog Hop. We're featuring stamps sets that only our hostesses can receive for a great discount. I'm using Well Wishes. It's available as a Hostess Reward for only $4.00!

I used Ruby and Olive ink to stamp the main image several times and cut it out in different areas to layer and make it dimensional.

The olive card front was stamped in Olive 2nd generation randomly all over to create texture and interest.

I think it would be a very versatile stamp set to add to your collection.

Thanks for stopping by! Now, continue on with the hop and check out what Sheila has to show you!

CTMH Paper Focus Blog Hop - Chalk It Up

Welcome to the Heartfelt Sentiments Team's Close To My Heart Paper Focus Blog Hop. Each month, we use a different paper packet from the Annual Inspirations Idea Book. And, this month, in honor of the start of school we're using Chalk It Up.

If you're coming from Melissa Robinson's blog, you're on the right track!

For my project, I chose to do a card. I was working on the Chalk It Up Workshop on the Go and these are leftovers from that project. I also chose to use the stamp set that comes with it to show how versatile these sets are.

Lagoon cardstock was edge distressed and layered over a white card base. The banners were cut from one of the B&T papers and I used two cute embellishments from the Chalk It Up Assortment that came in the workshop kit. To finish it off, I wrote a sentiment with LePen journaling pen.

I hope you've enjoyed stopping by my blog today. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. I look forward to your next visit! Now, hop on over to Melissa David's blog to continue the hop.

August Constant Campaign: Picture Perfection!

Save big on Memory Protectors™ with Picture My Life™ scrapbooking programs!

Close Read

We know that, as a crafter, your chief mission is to preserve and protect the images and memories from your life that you hold most dear. To aid you in this quest, we’re providing you with a hot summer deal! During the month of August, when you purchase any of the 13 available Picture My Life™ scrapbooking programs featured in the Annual Inspirations idea book at their full retail price of $24.95 USD / $27.50 CAD, you are eligible to add your choice of 1 of 8 qualifying Memory Protectors™ 10-packs for just $3 (USD & CAD)! Each Picture My Life scrapbooking program already includes a coordinating 10-pack of Memory Protectors, so when you add your additional 10-pack for only $3, you will be well on your way to your own picture-perfect pocket scrapbooking adventure. You’ll be able to preserve double the memories in half the time! Check out our 5 new Picture My Life scrapbooking programs in the new idea book, or choose from the 8 existing programs. There’s a theme for every season of life—find yours!

*Offer valid August 1–31, 2014, while supplies last. No tax will be charged on the free item(s). Shipping/handling is calculated based on the full retail price of the free item(s) ($9.95 USD / $10.95 CAD).

Peruse the programs »

August Stamp of the Month: What a Hoot

August Stamp of the Month: What a Hoot

Prepare for “owl” the fall festivities with this hoot of a stamp set.

Close Read

Fall will be swooping in before we know it, and there is no better way to welcome in crispy breezes and falling leaves than with the August Stamp of the Month, What a Hoot! When you place an order of $50 or more, these festive fowl can join your aviary for only $5! The quirky owls in this adorable stamp set will add an endearing element to any craft. You can even dress them up in costumes and wish your friends a “Happy ‘Owl’oween”! Whatever the occasion, these feathered friends are sure to make a hoot in your neck of the woods.

See the stamp set »

Annual Inspirations

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the new Annual Inspirations idea book!

Enter a new world of crafting possibilities with the launch of our latest idea book.

Close Read

After months of anticipation, Annual Inspirations has arrived at last. The art-filled pages are now available for your viewing pleasure! Peruse the gold mine of new products, ranging from the new Cut Above™ line to the ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Markers, and admire the gorgeous artwork that dances across the pages. With additions such as 5 new colors and 9 new My Reflections™ paper packets, this idea book is overflowing with artistic inspiration and surging with products fit to make any crafter’s heart swoon. So go ahead, fall in love with the new idea book. We promise the plunge will be well worth your time.

Check out the idea book »

Leave a comment and let me know if you'd like to get a copy!

Team Paper Packet Focus : Timberline

It's our monthly team focus of paper from the Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book and Catalog. If you're coming from Judy Faye's Blog , you're on the right track!

This month we had our choice of Timberline or Skylark. Both of these paper packs are my most favorites in this issue of the Close To My Heart Idea Book. Since I had the perfect photo for Timberline, I decided to do a one-page layout with the Timberline paper on Studio J for my entry in the monthly blog hop. Timberline was perfect for scrapping this kayaking photo. I got creative with the Stickease in the online scrapping software to make a cute watery border at the bottom with the same Stickease that I used in the title. And, I also created a jagged accent on the left side by layering the trees Stickease.

I hope you've enjoyed my latest Studio J layout! You can discover for yourself how easy it is to scrapbook your memories neatly and quickly by going to my website. To continue on the hop, click HERE and it will take you to Melissa's blog. Thanks for looking!