Today is the LAST DAY to Order 2011 Products

Today is the last day to order retired items. Check the list here.

Also today is the last day to get the January SOTM: Little Reminder

We've made it easier for you to get the Exclusive Stamp Of The Month (SOTM). Simply spend $50 or more to purchase the D-Size Stamp at a reduced discount of just $5! That's a huge savings!

Or you can always buy the stamp at full price of $17.95. Remember the SOTMs are only available during the featured month and then go into retirement.

This stamp can be used to create calendars, reminders, accents and titles. It really is a great addition to any collection. Buy Now

Stamp images outlined in red coordinate with the Cricut® Art Philosophy collection (Z1686).

How-To Create A Ribbon Pin

To create this ribbon pin you'll need a 2" scallop punch or a cricut. You'll also need some wide grosgrain ribbon, pearl paint, milepost stars, and shimmer brads.

1.  Punch your base.

 2. Paint on the pearl paint to make it shinny. Let dry completely.

3. Using some scrap strips (1" x 12") fold it to create ruffles but do it at an angle so as you continue it will naturally curve into a circle. You'll need to fold at least two. However you can do more and layer them.

4. Next add some re-inker to the pearl paint and paint your milepost stars. Allow to dry completely.

5. Put the ruffles on top the base with glue dots or liquid glass. Fold a 5" piece of ribbon in half and attach to the back with glue dots. Add the painted star on top and secure with a shimmer brad.

New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to our new Product Blog Hop! If you have come here from Carol Horton's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Helen's Blog.

This month we have 27 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go! 

Cruisin' Paper Pack with Round Durable Studs and Baker's Twine. Colors: Cranberry, Black, Daisy White, Twilight, Juniper, and Grey Wool.

Florentine Paper Pack with Square Durable Studs, Paper Flowers with Bitty Pearls, and Color-Ready Seam binding Ribbon. Colors: Cocoa, Creme Brulee, Twilight, and Olive.

Florentine Paper Pack with Stickease, Paper Flowers with Bitty Pearls, Color-Ready Seam binding Ribbon and irrestibles. Colors: Cocoa, Creme Brulee, and Twilight.

Superhero Paper Pack, Bakers Twine, and Mileposts Shapes. Colors: Cranberry, Moonstruck, Black, Sunny Yellow, and White Daisy.

Superhero Paper Pack, Bakers Twine, and Mileposts Shapes. Colors: Cranberry, Moonstruck, Black, Sunny Yellow, and White Daisy.

Now "Hop" on over to Gina Brandstetter's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

2012 Gen Con

I am looking forward to Gen Con 2012! 

I submitted 4 type of events to the SPA events this year. Here is a sneak peek at one of the events: Creating Realistic Paper Flowers.

This flower was also submitted to teach at CTMH Convention for Extravaganza.

I plan to do a card making class where we will focus on techniques.

I also submitted 2 events on Comic Book Scrapbooking. This is our new Superhero Paper with rub ons and Badge buttons! Fun stuff :)

Of course I submitted an event for Steampunk Scrapbooking too. I plan to do two seperate layouts this time. Preview will be coming soon. In the meantime, check out what we did last year.

Want To Make A Career Change?

Close To My Heart has changed my life

Do you want to get paid for doing what you love? Do you want to stay home with your kids and craft together? Do you want to travel on the company's dime?  Do you want to make friends and memories that are priceless? If so then you want to join my team! There is no better time like the present.  

Get the NEW consultant kit on Jan 1st for only $99.

Almost $300 in Retail Value to start your scrapbooking experience. You can then choose up to 3 more kits at 50% off! There is no better discount! Contact Me to learn more about this amazing opportunity or sign up here.

Product Highlight

Rhinestone Designer Brads


These designer brads really jazz up any project. You can add them to ribbon, flowers, and chipboard too and create clusters of glam. 12 brads: 6– ¾", 6 – 3/8" for $5.95 Buy Now

Get $25 in FREE Product

As a club member you get a scrapbooking layout kit sent to you monthly. It is such an amazing deal. But you get other great incentives too.

• A new level 2 pack of paper monthly
• An exclusive C-sized stamp monthly
• 2 packs of various embellishments monthly
• monthly instructional guide to complete 2 layouts (total of 4 pages) 
• $25 in free product every 5 months
• Free idea book every 6 months
• Petite perks stamp set for re-signing every 5 months
• Holiday gifts throughout the year

So if you are serious about getting caught up on your scrapbooking in 2012 then what are you waiting for? Start today by emailing me

Valentines' Card Class

Today is the last day to order for the Class. Order some to make at home here.

Create 5 Candy Valentines. Order as many kits as needed
Date: Thursday, February 2nd 2012
Time: 6:00pm
Location: Happy Scrappin Studio
Street: 1402 Coghlan St
City: Bremerton, WA 98337
Price: $10

We will be making these cute card cards to send out for Valentine's Day. When ordering for the class please let me know if you could like more than 1 kit.

Cricut Tips: January 2012

Techniques & Tips
 

So I have been using my Art Philosophy Cartridge a lot! I found that if you are using the craft room to design in (a free program you download from cricut.com) that you can change 1 of the dimensions instead of changing the whole size proportionately. What this allows you to do is create oblong shapes for example. So I used heart shape 1 and change the height so it was longer and I was able to use this shape with a stamp I already had but was not typically a criut coordinate stamp set. I hope this is making sense. Another thing I was able to do was create a postage stamp mat by making the width and height perfect for a 5 x 7 photo instead of the standard porportions on the cartridge.

If you haven't got our Art Philosophy Cartridge yet, check it out here and see all 700 cuts for our exclusive cartridge and stamp collection!

Tip from Becky Purvis: Please be aware for anyone who uses the Sure Cuts A Lot with their Cricut...do NOT update your firmware or you can't use that program again.... I would cry if that happened to me. I have so much "free stuff" (thousands) invested to be able to use it with my Cricut.

Note: If you do not have the Sure Cuts A Lot and are having problems with your cricut try updating the filmware by syncing your machine: http://www.cricut.com/cricutsync/

Product Highlight

Bling Assortment


I love this assortment. I have added the buttons to cards, layouts, 3D projects like my Rock The Block. The pins I added to layouts and hat pins I created. This assortment looks great in winter layouts too. Comes with 18 pieces; 6 buttons in each of 2 sizes, 6 pretty pins for $4.95 Buy Now

Using Up My Stash - Roxie

This January I am using up my stash! So I'm going through all paper pack and supplies and creating projects to clear out the old and make room for the better!

Both of these layouts were created using up my Roxie Paper pack and Stickease.

This layout was an idea I got from another CTMH Consultant, Shari Froemming. I put it on the Kraft Cardstock instead and added some sheets of Bella for some more leopard paper.

I stamped and colored in my images with the watercolor brush. Last I added some Black Hemp. 

See More Roxie Projects on my Pinterest

Use Your Stash Blog Hop - January

If you are joining us for the "Using Up Your Stash Blog Hop" you are right on track. WELCOME! You should be coming from Michelle's Blog. If you get lost along the way you here is the entire list of hoppers:

1. Joy McHargue www.studiowow-joy.com
2. Ann-Marie Trammell http://scrapsanonymous.blogspot.com
3. Michelle Battitori michelleshandmadeworld.blogspot.com
4. Wendy K www.myscrapbookingblog.com
5. Judy Faye Garner www.judyfaye.blogspot.com
6. Tabbi Fritz http://stuckonscrappin.blogspot.com
7. Tonya Whitehurst http://heartandsoulscrappers.blogspot.com
8. Debi http://debiistheothersister.blogspot.com
9. Shirley http://momnmescrap.blogspot.com
10. Michelle West http://www.inksandinspirations.blogspot.com 
11. Rachel Ventura http://thehappyscrappinsquad.blogspot.com

Let's get started. Today I am showcasing 2 layouts I got out of the Magic Book. 

The first one I used two paper packs that many of you wouldn't think would go well together: Mischief and Bliss. I used the "Top Hat" pattern from the Magic Book (pg 114). Click any image to zoom in.

The stamping was done with the "Rock The Block" special that is running until the end of the month. The letters were cut from the CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.

I used some Miracle Irresistible (ON SALE NOW for $1) that I inked with cocoa ink and some Dimensional Elements (inked in Parchment). I added a few wood buttons too.

 

The second layout is a very close copy of the "Magician's Choice" pattern from page 116 of the Magic Book. I used the Cherry O paper and the Bliss again.I added some drawn on stitching around the edges.

I used up a few Just Blooms Paper Flowers and Clear Buttons (which I put B&T paper behind to accent). I added some Floss and Bitty Pearls too.

I used up some Blush Ribbon and some White Ricrac ribbon. 

I created the leaves on this flower by using the 1 1/4"  Circle Punch and punching a folded strip of sweet leaf cardstock. I then inked it.

Last I added a Twitterpated Dimensional Element and a photo clip from the Olive Mini Medley. 

Now hop on over to Joy's Blog for more ideas of using up your stash.
 
*Blog Candy* Follow me and then leave a comment below. I will pick one lucky winner on Monday Jan 23rd 2012 for a random assortment of scrapbooking goodies! 

Product Highlght

10-Things Pocket


These journaling strips are a great additions to a layout but can also be used with cards. They are color ready so you can make it match any color pack. I added ribbon tabs to a few strips on this layout. You receive the 4 3/8" × 3½" pocket with 10 – 5" × ¾" numbered strips; Black, Colonial White for $3.95 Buy Now

Roxie & Sonoma Card Class

These are the cards we made at this month's Card Class:

Roxie Paper Pack with stamped roses from the WOTG. Added Ribbon slide, Black Designer Ribbon (On SALE for $4- BUY NOW), and button brads.

Roxie paper with rolled Cricut cut flowers from the Art Philosophy Cartridge. Added bitty pearls, kraft borders (On SALE FOR $5 - BUY NOW), and a flutter.

Roxie Paper with Hope Stamp. Pretty Pins and Bling Button.

Sonoma Paper and the Sweet Moments Stamp. I cut the bottom of the card in a die cut pattern.

Sonoma Paper with zipstrip and Basic Button

Sonoma Paper with stamped journaling & heart added chocolate ribbon.

Check out more Sonoma and Roxie projects on my Pinterest.

Using Up My Stash - Mayberry

This January I am using up my stash! So I'm going through all paper pack and supplies and creating projects to clear out the old and make room for the better!

Here I've used my left over Mayberry Paper (THIS PAPER PACK IS ON SALE FOR $2!- BUY NOW) with the stickease and added some buttons and ribbon to create a little banner. I added some Hollyhock ribbon as well. The color is slightly different but with such a colorful layout I thought it went well together.

It's All About the 70's Blog Hop

 

Welcome to Our 70's Blog Hop! If you have come here from Lori's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating members at the bottom of this post. 

So I was born in the early 80s and completely missed the 70's. But I created this layout with the theme in mind using an assortment of bright colors. The fabric looking paper is the new CTMH Stella paper that you can purchase starting Feb 1st here. The accents are canvas which always reminds me of things found in my grandmother's house which I swear was never decorated again after the mid 70s.

I also added the lace crochet flowers and glitter buttons. I thought both of these were great additions to really top off the 70's look and feel.

 

I have yet to put some photos on as I will need to find the perfect ones :) But click on any photo to zoom in. 

*Blog Candy* Follow me and then leave a comment below. I will pick one lucky winner on Wednesday Jan 18th 2012 for a random assortment of scrapbooking goodies! 

Now "Hop" on over to Jamie's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!