Adorable Special Treat Set!!

I love all things pink & adorable, and this little set is both!!  This little "Whooo" set comes with an adorable stamp set that is worth the $10 alone!!  It also comes with 12 treat tubes that you can fill with any sort of small items (candy...yes! an assortment of small scrapbook embellishments...yes! seeds for a garden party?...sure!! what about small office supplies?...why not!).  The kit comes a couple sheets of pink and white cardstock, but you could substitute any cardstock and make this kit work for almost any occasion!  I was thinking it would be really for teacher appreciation day or even a cute last day of school gift for your child to give to others in their class. Additional treat tubes can be ordered from the upcoming Spring/Summer catalog after February 1st.

Here's a brief summary of the details:

This kit (with a retail value of $40) can be yours for only $10 when you spend $35 or more in Close to My Heart product from the Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book.  It contains 12 die-cut boxes, 12 treat tubes, 3 sheets of cardstock, 1 sheet of silver glitter paper, and an exclusive stamp set!!

In November, you’ll get something extra when you buy the stamp of the month—50% off another stamp set! When you place an order of $50 or more in full retail products and buy the November Stamp of the Month set, Capture the Date, for just $5, you can pick any stamp set at 50% off! Get Capture the Date and then capture the savings today!

To show their support of Red Cross relief efforts for those areas of the US severely affected by Hurricane Sandy,  Close To My Heart will donate $1 for every Stamp of the Month set sold as a part of this promotion during November.

Hurry! This offer ends on November 30th!!  Please contact me or order online HERE. 

Double Stamp Set Offer Ends Soon!!

Only a few more days left in September (sigh) and the end of the National Stamping Month Campaign!  Place an order for $35 or more and you'll be eligible to get this great DOUBLE stamp set for only $5!!  Contact me right away to place an order, or place it online by September 30th!!  My favorite stamp on this set is the adorable little bicycle - so cute!  Get yours today!

It's the first day of school!!!  Can you sense the excitement?  My son starts kindergarten, so excitement is briming not only from him, but also my daughter who loves the idea of going to school with her younger brother - probably so that she can boss him around on the playground ;)  There is also quite a bit of enthusiasm coming from myself, who will be enjoying the childless house for a few hours each day! :)  With all this in mind, I give you this post of an adorable layout using the new Scholastic paper line.  I particularly love the bakers twine that was used on it!  Order $35 or more before September 30th and get THIS adorable double stamp set for only $5!!

New Idea Book & Catalog!!

The new Fall/Winter Idea Book & Catalog is here!!  There are new paper lines, embellishments, kits, and stamps of course!!  There are some great new products, so here's some of the things that I particularly love:

-The Scholastic and Avonlea paper lines are my 2 favorites

-There is a new how-to book with patterns & instructions for scrapbook layouts and cards called  Make It From the Heart

-A card workshop kit with the Avonlea paper is a workshop I would like host (thinking of setting a September date - let me know if you are interested in attending!)

-The new Artiste Cricut Cartridge bundle (cartridge, coordinating stamps and chipboard shapes)

-An adorable black display tray, which I've seen decorated oh-so-cute to display in your home.  Is there interest in a workshop anyone?

Let me know if you would like a copy. In the meantime, you can view it online.  There is a great double stamp set offer with any $35+ order before September 30th (picture HERE).

Focused Scrapbooking?

 In late May, my scrapbooking-partner-in-crime (above) accompanied me to another Scraptacular Getaways weekend retreat.  It was especially difficult getting ready for this one, with our kitchen remodel in full swing and all!  But I managed to throw some supplies in my bag and off we went to scrap our brains out!  My brain had trouble shifting gears from construction mayhem at home to creative placement of paper & photos.  So I got a one hour massage from the massage therapist who was there to help us relax!  It was a fun getaway, but I was not very productive this year - only a couple of pages got done this year.

 I entered this layout of my daughter in the snow in the Layout Contest, but didn't win :(

Rebecca produced some really beautiful layouts!  She is really a talented scrapbooker and I am amazed and in awe of the gorgeous layouts she puts together!

A closer look at the embellishments

Another one of Rebecca's layouts

I love the clusters of embellishments on her pages! Another year will go by before we get to go again, but it is always such fun - even though we hardly sleep and mostly eat M&M's and drink a lot of caffeine to stay awake!!  Check out Scraptacular Getaways website to see more about their great scrap retreats!

It's Stampaganza time!

Every year Close to My Heart has a promotion called "Stampaganza" and it is currently going on for the month of June!  When you buy any 2 stamp sets, you get a third set FREE!  It's a great time to get those stamp sets that you've been looking longingly at in the catalog!  As for me, I will be getting a long wanted large alphabet stamp set and 2 others that have been on my wish list.  Of course, I will only pay for 2 of them! :)  Oh, and for $5 more I'll be getting the June Stamp of the Month!

Here's the official text on this special:
 
Fabulous stamp images for your cards, scrapbook pages, banners, and more can be yours FREE in June. For every two My Acrylix^® stamp sets* (sizes A, B, C, D, or E) you purchase at full retail price, you'll receive a third stamp set of your choice FREE* (of equal or lesser value)—a savings of up to $29.95 per set!

Let me know if you have any questions or would like to place an order!

I received an email today from a sweet lady who is a Thirty-One Gifts demonstrator.  The cover of their catalog (above) made me oooohhh and aahhhhh.  That is what I would love my craft room to look like!! I really love the creamy wall color and the white-on-white look.  I'm going to keep this picture as inspiration for when I swap my craft room (currently in what is supposed to be the dining room) with the kids playroom. The kids don't like to go in the playroom because it's too dark & scary since it's down the hall and they can't see me when they are in there! (If you ever decide to have a playroom, it needs to be next to the kitchen or else your kids will just bring all the toys out to the kitchen so they can see you while playing. Which makes you wonder why you created a playroom in the first place!)

My much loved big white hutch will soon move from the kitchen into my craft room.  I still love my hutch as dearly now as the day I bought it, over 12 years ago!  I will be removing a computer cabinet that I really don't use anymore in order to make room for the hutch.  I like the row of glass jars on the shelves in this picture, and might do something similar on my hutch.

So just thought I'd pass this cute picture along!  And if you want, take a visit to Thirty-One Gifts :)

How-To Books Retiring!!

How-To Books available only while supplies last!

If you don’t have any of Close to my Heart’s How-To Books, you are missing out. These books are jam packed with awesome templates, patterns, creative ideas, and most of them even have a CD or DVD included  as well.

It was just announced that these books will be retiring at the end of the current catalog cycle, but they are only available while supplies last. Once they are sold out, they will be gone forever. (And at only $21.95 each, I guarantee they won’t last long.)

Have you ever seen a project in the Idea Book/Catalog that you loved? Did you know that most of the cards and layouts in all of the Idea Books/Catalogs are actually created using the patterns from these books? If you look closely, under each project, it will tell you which book the pattern came from and what the pattern is called. They are a great resource! There are four scrapbooking books and two card making books. I own all but one and can honestly recommend them!

You'll love the newly updated Reflections™ program which features (100) 12" × 12" scrapbook pages. Each layout pattern comes complete with a shaded blueprint, detailed assembly instructions, companion layout guides, photo options, and creative techniques sure to make your memories come to life.

Cherish is a beautiful hardbound book is similar to the Reflections programs with blueprints, step-by-step instructions, and photo suggestions, but it’s really in a league all of its own. It is a stand-alone publication that will look simply fabulous on a bookshelf or coffee table. It features 50 12" × 12" two-pagescrapbook concepts as well as in-depth instructions for unique art techniques, accessory suggestions for every concept, detailed cutting diagrams, step-by-step assembly instructions, a thumbnail index, and all the artwork recipes.

Create your own 12" × 12" designer layouts with Jeanette Lynton’s second volume of incredible scrapbooking patterns. Packed with 50 all new, two-page patterns, complete cutting diagrams, and assembly instructions, plus inspiring techniques, Imagine™ is every scrapbooker’s best friend.

Bring magic to your scrapbook layouts using clever interactive techniques. You'll add hands-on excitement and dramatically increase your photo and journaling space using pop-ups, pull-outs, slides, cascades, and more! Magic™ also includes 35 gorgeous 12" x 12" layout patterns that can be used on their own or with the interactive techniques. (DVD included.)

Create beautiful handmade cards with confidence using the numerous patterns in our exquisite hardbound Originals™ program. With exact dimensions, fold placement guides, blueprints, and step-by-step instructions, every aspiring cardmaker or crafting pro will love Originals. Feast on the gorgeous, full-color artwork sprinkled throughout the pages and then make cards of your own, simply and easily, with Originals!

Bulk cardmaking, trendy circle cards, and all new patterns make Jeanette Lynton's latest hardbound, how-to cardmaking book, Wishes, a must-have for your creative library. The three bulk card "workshops" help you make 8, 12, or 16 cards in a jiffy while getting the most out of your papers and your time. The beautiful full-color artwork and creative tips and techniques offer hours of inspiration and fresh ideas.
 
Be sure to order your copies of these valuable books before they are gone!

Try Digital Scrapbooking This Month!!

I have considered myself a die-hard traditional paper scrapbooker. I love looking at (and often buying) new patterned papers and embellishments.  My creativity gets flowing when I see adorable products at my annual voyage to the Scrapbook Expo.  But lately I have to admit that I've really been thinking about digital scrapbooking.  Not that I would go exclusively digital, but I think there may be events that would be faster & easier to scrapbook digitally.  Case in point - my family's recent trip to Legoland.  Do I do my usual thing of looking at the photos on my laptop, then print the 4 x 6 photos that I think I'd like to put on a layout, put those photos in an envelope that will sit on my craft table waiting for me to pick the perfect paper & embellishments before I even begin to think about how I will arrange those photos on the paper.  It could be years before that layout comes about (seriously!).

But what if I did the digital route?  If I go to the Studio J website I can upload my photos and play around with paper & layout options, and have that layout done in an hour or less.  Then, instead of paying for those 4 x 6 photos that I may or may not end up using, I can just pay for the 2 page layout to be printed and mailed to my home (free of shipping) where I will lovingly slide it into my scrapbook!!  Hmmm....kind of a no brainer I think!

This month I am finally going to take the plunge into digital scrapbooking using Studio J.  The deal is so great this month that I just can't pass it up!  For each Studio J 5-pack that you purchase, you'll get another 5-pack for free!  A 5-pack runs $55 - but for this month only, you get 2 for the price of one.  That means you'll get 10 two page digital layouts for $55.  If you figure how much you usually spend on printing photos, buying paper & embellishments, etc. you can see the value in this.  It comes out to just $2.75 per page, with free shipping! Not too shabby!

It doesn't cost a thing to go to Studio J and just check it out (click HERE).  You can also upload your photos and create a layout without spending a penny!  If you love the layout you create and want to do more, consider this month's special.  You don't have to use the 5-packs this month - they do not expire - so you can use them whenever you want.  You do have to purchase it during the month of February to get the free pack though.  Let me know if you have any questions!  And watch for a future post where I will share with you my first digital layouts!!

Is it February already?!

I'm sitting here looking at my calendar and, yes, it has taken me 12 days to realize that it's February!! That does not bode well for me during a month that is almost half over! Will I get anything done this month? I think not :)

In any case, let me belatedly post the February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  I do really like this month's stamp set.  It has several shapes that coordinate from the Cricut Philosophy Cartridge, which is fun & exciting!

 My favorite is the "You're Top Notch" on the postage stamp shape - I can see it on a cute card made from kraft paper and then tied with some bakers twine - you know, so that it looks kind of like a package!  I'll have to try to make it so you can see what I'm picturing in my mind ;)  Here are few projects using the Stamp of the Month that you can see right now:

For more ideas, click HERE to follow the February Blog Hop!  Now, if I can just get caught up and get some things done over the next couple of weeks!

Progress on my Project

 I've been enjoying working on my "Rock the Block" project!  I really love the Elemental paper - the patterns and colors really look great!  I've used the Cricut Philosophy Cartridge to cut out some hearts, covered the blocks with paper, and then used the exclusive stamp set to stamp flourishes and sayings.

 Cutting your photos can be tricky!  I had to cut a second picture of my son because on the first one, I cut his eye in half!  On this one, notice how I made a horizontal cut just below his eye - much better I think!

 While the blocks are designed so you can use a 4 x 6 photo, I ended up cutting this family photo down to 4 x 4 because I thought it was more visually pleasing.

 Since it will be a puzzle on my coffee table, I thought I'd add another "puzzling" element by cutting this heart in half and putting on two blocks.

So 3 sides down and 3 to go!  I am almost done with the 4th side, which is a picture of my daughter.  Then side 5 will have a picture of both kids together.  I have yet to finalize which photo I'll put on the last side.  I'll post again on the progress.  In the meantime, take a look at my previous post about this "Rock the Block" block & stamp set.  It's only available until January 31st!!

January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Check out the super useful stamp set for January!  It would be great to use on a scrapbook layout to remember the date of the event you are scrapping.  It would be equally as great on a card to recognize the date of an anniversary, etc.  What about a save the date card?  Or to make a calendar?  See?  The possibilities are endless!

Check out more possibilities by following the blog hop HERE