Housekeeping Items

UNAVAILABLE - The following items are sold out and will not be available again:

Item 9031 - Reflections Scrapbook Program
Item 9032 - Originals Card Confidence Program
Item Z1299 - Distressing Kit

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Last Chance to join the "Make a Miracle Challenge" by helping raise funds to provide corrective surgeries for children around the world through Operation Smile.  Contest ends March 31, 2012.

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Studio J Improvements:

Have you logged into Studio J in the last week and noticed some improvements in the innovative and exciting software?  The most exciting changes give you the ability to:

• Move, crop, resize and rotate the pre-placed toggle accents
• Send backward and bring forward using new buttons on the toolbar
• Select multiple items and send backward or bring forward as a group
• Add distressing directly to photos

These new improvements make the Studio J creation process even easier and quicker that it was before.  Log in to Studio J to try out the new functionality!

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Extension of SmartPost Shipping Trial
Online orders that weigh 10 lbs or less will continue to be shipped through the second quarter at $4.95 or 4.95% of the retail order amount, whichever is greater.

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Celebrate Your Creativity

The first issue of "Celebrate Your Creativity" will be sent on April 1st. 

"Potential"- March stamp of the month artwork

I made this card from the one I found searching for "Potential" Stamp of the Month artwork.  Brenda Rose of roseblossomlegacies.blogspot did a fabulous job with her card, it's beautiful and will be made at my card workshop this weekend!  I love the look!  Thanks Brenda! 

Materials used:  White & Black Cardstock, "Cruisin" B&T Duos paper, "Potential" March Stamp of the Month, Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge and Black ribbon.

It never ceases to amaze me how creative people are, I can't tell you how many hours I spent hopping from one blog to the next drooling over all the gorgeous artwork, great job everyone!!!!

Happy Birthday Card

Happy Birthday Card using the "All Stacked Up" Layout from the "Wishes" How-To Book

Materials Used:

Creme Brulee Cardstock - Base

Pemberley B&T Duos Paper - Over Base

Creme Brulee Cardstock - Boxes

Outdoor Denim Cardstock - Box

Card Word Puzzle Stamp Set - Flowers, Leaf and Have A Happy Birthday

Bronze Brads for flower centers

Front and Center: Project Inspiration

Front and Center

Love these heartfelt cards!  Check out the "Front and Center" video to find out how to bring the stamp images designed for the back of your cards to the front of your handcrafted creations!  "Crafted with Love" stamp set used.

"Heart" Card

This entire card is made using the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge.  

Materials Used:

Sweet Leaf Cardstock - Base

Pemberley B&T Duos papers - scalloped insert and butterfly

3D Glue Dots

Card Workshops

I have two card workshops coming up this weekend in New Gloucester, Maine and there's still room if you want to participate.  Saturday, March 31st from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 1st from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Come make 5 cards for $5.00 or class is FREE if you place an order.  Space is limited to the first 10 people for each event.  Contact me soon to sign up!

Spring Is In The Air

Featuring the new adhesive springs!

Artwork by Close To My Heart Consultant. Vicki Wizniuk

This artwork is displayed on Jeanette Lynton's Blog and was sent in by a Close To My Heart Consultant, Vicki Wizniuk, from Charlie Lake, British Columbia.  I thought it was truley amazing and wanted to share with everyone!




Vicki Wizniuk Artwork

Wouldn’t you love to be on the receiving end of this gorgeous gift bag? I love how the cut-out piece from the handle turns into a perfectly complimentary flap. You’ll recognize the flourish from The Best Things stamp set and those fresh flowers from the Paradise Paper flowers really liven this up. To top it off, Vicki pleated some Lagoon cardstock to line the inside edge of the bag.

 

Vicki Wizniuk Artwork

As if the bag was not gift enough, Vicki also made a 3” x 3” card to go along with it, using a pattern from Wishes. She also used many of the same products to tie the two items together. Did you notice the faux stitching she added in using her Chocolate marker? She used her ruler to keep the lines straight and then pierced holes every ¼” using the piercing tool.

Thank you for sharing these fresh projects with us Vicki!



Studio J: Creating Your Own Patterned Paper

Want to learn more about Studio J?  Check out this video using the Stella Kit to create your own patterned paper.

Birthday Card "Celebrate"

Here is a Birthday Card I made completely from the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge!

Materials:
White Cardstock - Base
Smoothie Cardstock - 3 1/2" Circle
White Cardstock - 2 1/2" Cupcake, 3" Banner
Desert Sand Cardstock - 2 1/2" Cupcake Layer, 3 1/2" Banner
Celebration Stamp Set - Stamp the Cupcake in Tulip Ink, Stamp the Banner outline in Cocoa Ink and the "Celebrate" in Cocoa Ink.
Red button with black hemp looped through it
Chocolate ribbon bow

Finishing Touch

Here's a great tip from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book:

ing Touch

Lining your envelopes with B&T Duos paper is the perfect finishing touch to show you care enough to attend to every detail.  And with the Cricut Art Philosophy collection, cutting a perfectly-matched envelope liner is as simple as the touch of a button.  (See image on pg 18)   http://www.closetomyheart.com/en/Products/Online_Idea_Book.aspx)

"Life is Tweet" Card

I know I'm jumping the gun a little bit but this card is created with the June Stamp of the Month "Life is Tweet" stamp set.  I used White Cardstock for the base, B&T Duos paper from the Cruisin' paper packet for the two strips and Cranberry Cardstock for the "Life is Tweet" cutout.  I used the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge to cut out the Flower shape and then stamped it with the coordinated stamp from the "Life is Tweet" stamp set.  The banner at the top of the card is stamped in Cranberry ink and the flowers and bird is stamped in the Juniper ink.  I added a cranberry button embellishment and used a 3D glue dot to pop the Flower off the page.

CTMH Newsletter - Coming to your email inbox April 1st!

CELEBRATE YOUR CREATIVITY!  

Starting April 1st, Consultants will be able to customize customers accounts to begin receiving the new newsletter.  You will be inspired and want to try new techniques, enjoy fabulous artwork, and get excited about shopping online!  The newsletter will contain the current Stamp of the Month, the Constant Campaign, tips and techniques featuring product highlights and so much more!  There will be links that direct you to the products online for purchase or so you can see more.  What a great tool!  New Customers will also have the option to sign up for the newsletter when they create an online account .  If for some reason a customer chooses not to receive the newsletter they will have the option to "unsubscribe" from the link in the e-mailed newsletter they receive.  Consultants will also be able to customize the newsletter with important information that they want to share with their customers, new artwork or upcoming gatherings, so stay tuned, you won't want to miss it!

Liebster Blog Award!

My First LIEBSTER Blog Award!

I have been given the Liebster Blog Award for being a new blogger with a great scrapbooking room.  My award was given to me by Patti for great inspiration!  I am so honored to get this award, thank you Patti for being inspired by my creativity!  Check out Patt's blog here - she is truly inspirational herself! 

The origins of the Liebster Blog Award are somewhat unclear to us but the general consensus is that it originated in Germany, Liebster, meaning "favorite" or "dearest", to showcase bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  Upon receiving this award, the recipient must then pass it on to five more blogs of note.


So here are the rules when you receive the Liebster Blog Award:

• Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.  Thanks so much Patti!
• Reveal your own 5 picks (with less than 200 followers) for the award and notify them
• Post your award on your blog
• Feel proud and bask in knowing that others will be searching out your blog
• And lastly and the best rule, have fun!

So in keeping with the "Inspiration" theme, here are my 5 picks, blogs that inspire me:

1. Vicki - http://priceofpaper.blogspot.com/
2. Julie - http://scrapbookn.blogspot.com/
3. Heather - http://heatherjanedesign.blogspot.com/
4. Carolyn - http://scrapnyapwithcarolyn.blogspot.com/
5. Brandi - http://crzy4scrapbooking.blogspot.com/

I hope you enjoy these ladies blogs - and thanks again Patti!

New Websites for Close to my Heart Consultants

Close to my Heart Independent Consultants have a new web address!  My new website address is now www.lorischools.ctmh.com.  (CTMH will redirect old addresses through March 2013 so you have plenty of time to learn the new address).  

Other website changes:

Home Page now shows any open and upcoming gatherings in the lower right hand corner.  Customers will have the opportunity to add themselves to a gathering from the home page or during the checkout process of their online shopping experience.  They can also choose to not join a gathering and shop on their own.  Customers who join a gathering will have their order shipped separately and immediately.  It will not be shipped with other items on the gathering order.

Events Calendar and Artwork has been removed from the website and will now be available through our blogs.  Blog addresses will be shown at the bottom of each page of the website for quick access to our blogs.

My Story page has changed to an "About Me" page.  In addition to our photo and personal content, you will now see all of our social media links.

Our websites now include the great tips and artwork that support Stamp of the Month and Workshops on the Go!  We also get the Project Inspirations videos the support the content in the Idea Book.  Our website also provides greater emphasis on the current Constant Campaign and allows our customers to immediately participate in some campaigns by taking you directly to online shopping on our sites.

Checkout process is more streamlined.  Customers will now be able to have multiple billing and shipping profiles.  Your profiles is both secure and private!  Multiple profiles allows you to have multiple shipping addresses or credit cards in the system so you may check out more quickly - much of the needed information will automatically populate on the billing and shipping screens once you select your profile that you want to use. When you set up an online account you can now choose to receive the monthly newsletter by clicking the box.

Stay tuned for the EXCITING news of the new monthly Newsletter - Celebrate Your Creativity!

3D Item

3D box made using the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge and the new Pemberley paper packet.  The Cricut cartridge cut out the box and the flower, this cartridge is amazing!

Operation Smile

You can help make a miracle! Join our Make a Miracle challenge by donating toward reconstructive surgeries for children around the world through Operation Smile^®. Since 2004, Close To My Heart has partnered with this non-profit charity to provide free life-changing operations for children with facial deformities.

It takes as little as $240 to help provide a surgery and change a young life forever; with our Make a Miracle challenge we hope to raise enough funds to help create hundreds of new smiles. Participate in the miracle by donating—100% of your contribution goes to Operation Smile, so every dollar helps. And thank you for helping us change the world, one smile at a time!

Ways you can help:

• Your Consultant will gladly accept your donation.
• Round up your order total and donate the difference.
• Work with neighbors and friends to sponsor one surgery.
• Donate when you make a purchase on your Consultant’s MyCTMH^® website.

To learn more, watch our “Make a Miracle” video. 

Close To My Heart is partnered with Operation Smile^®, an organization that provides free, life-changing surgery that repairs smiles and reshapes lives, one child at a time. Since 2008, Close to My Heart has provided support to change the lives of over 1,500 children and their families. Buy with pride. Your business with Close To My Heart makes a big difference in the life of a child.

For more information on Operation Smile go to:  www.operationsmile.org

Our Vacation Scrapbook Layout

This scrapbook layout comes from the "Magic" How-To Book Scrapbooking Program.  I used White Cardstock for the base, Juniper Cardstock and B&T Duos Cruisin Paper for the pattern.  The thin strip in the middle of the right page is the border strip that comes on the B&T Duos Paper, pretty cool huh?  The "Our Vacation" is stamped in Juniper Ink on a frame cut from the Art Philosophy cartridge.  The stamp I used is "Adventure USA" and the other Ink's used were Black, Cranberry, Grey Wool, Ponderosa Pine, Cotton Candy and Outdoor Denim.

Rock N Roll Stamping Technique

Check out this cool technique called Rock N Roll Stamping - You stamp your image in a lighter shade and then take the same stamp using a darker shade ink and roll the stamp in the ink just around the edge of the stamp.  Click on the link to watch the video:

http://www.ctmh.com/en/Ideas_and_Inspiration/CTMHTV.aspx?c=2

Thanks You're...Card

For this card I used Black Cardstock for the base, B&T Duos Cruisin Paper for the large frame, Juniper Cardstock for the small frame with a strip of Black Cardstock across it and White Cardstock for the stamp image with Juniper ink.  The stamp is from the Art Philosophy Collection and the embellishments are a Flutter Paper Shape Butterfly and two silver brads.

Monmouth PTO Crop

I attended my first crop yesterday (Saturday), and it was a great experience.  I met some really nice people and learned some great tips from the other consultants!  Thank you ladies!!

Idea Book Recipes

Did you know that Close To My Heart has a booklet that will help you determine all the materials you'll need to re-create a project or technique shown in the Idea Book?   Well now you do!  You can browse the idea book for layout designs, color schemes or use of accessories to emulate or reproduce in your own projects.  Take down the page numbers of items you've selected in the Idea Book and find the recipe by page number and artwork title in the booklet. Follow this link to print our your Idea Book booklet http://www.ctmh.com/~/media/7200E0F3FB6C492190EE795F88094985.ashx

Housekeeping Items

Shipping change:  Online orders that weigh 10 lbs or less and are being shipped within the continental US will have the option of shipping via FedEx SmartPost.  The FedEx SmartPost shipping charge for MyCTMH and EZ invite online orders is $4.95 or 4.95% of the retail order amount, whichever is greater.  (Shipping was $7.95 or 7.95% of the retail order in 2011)

The Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book is the last idea book the following products will be featured:

• How-To Books
• Distressing Kit (full kit only)
• Exclusive Inks Markers
• Cardstock Shade Packs
• 8 1/2" x 11" Cardstock Packs

While supplies last:  CTMH has retired products available from 12% - 80% off.  These items can only be ordered online:  go to www.lorischools.myctmh select Online Shopping, While Supplies Last and happy shopping!

Change to Studio J Annual Memberships:  Effective March 1, 2012 new and current subscribers to annual memberships for Studio J will not be automatically renewed for a one-year membership; instead , members will be changed to a month-to-month membership at $10 per month at the end of their year, which they may cancel at any time.  The affordable month-to-month plan still comes with all member benefits.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

Celebrate Card

I used the Cricut Art Philosophy Collection; Celebration stamp set and Dimensional Elements Banner for this project.  I used White Cardstock for the base; Grey B&T Duos paper from the Cruisin Paper Packet for the top and Grey Wool Cardstock for the bottom.  I used the Cricut cartridge to cut out a 3" Banner on white cardstock; I stamped the Banner and Celebrate saying onto the white cardstock in Cranberry Ink; I glued the white cardstock to the Banner Dimensional Element;  I cut out the holes in the banner and tied the Grey Wool thick twine through it and made a bow at the other end; I glued the B&T Duos Gray paper to the top of the card and glued the Grey Wool Cardstock to the bottom of the card.  I used a Glue Dot to hold the bow to the top left of the card and two Glue Dots to hold the Banner to the center of the card.  To add the finishing touches I put two Clear Gems at the bottom right hand corner.

March Stamp of the Month - Potential

March Stamp of the Month - Potential:  Spend $50.00 and get the Stamp of the Month for only $5.00, or purchase at retail for $17.95.  Available only March 1-31, 2012.

This stamp set coordinates with the Cricut Art Philosophy Collection.

 

Cutting shapes, flowers, cards, fonts, and more is a breeze with Close To My Heart's Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge with 700 shapes at your fingertips.  The exclusive images are incredibly versatile, and many are designed to be used with specific My Acrylix stamps for real eye-popping power!
*Cricut is a registered trademark of Provo Craft & Novelty, Inc.  All rights reserved.

Project Inspiration

Born To Ride

Here is the Born to Ride Card I made for the swap I did with my team:   I used the Born To Ride Stamp Set; White Cardstock for the Base and Black Cardstock for the frame; I stamped the Born To Ride saying on White Card Stock with the Autumn Terracotta Ink and then cut the shape out and affixed to the card with a pop up glue dot;.  I stamped the Motorcycle on White Cardstock using Black Ink and glued it to the card.

"MY" STORY

Welcome!  For my first post I would like to tell you "my" story:  Once upon a time.....My Aunt Pam got my interest in scrapbooking started about 6 years ago.  She would send beautiful handmade cards a few times a year and show me scrapbook pages she had made for her grandson's album.  I was very intrigued and wanted to learn more!  I picked up some stamps and some "cheap" ink pads and dabbled a little bit making cards for special occasions and my daughters school class functions.  Then I was invited to a Stampin Up party, I loved it!  I loved the projects that you could make and the card ideas were endless.  I began ordering Stampin Up paper, ink pads and stamps and shopping at Joann Fabrics, AC Moore and Michaels.  I wanted to get more stuff, I needed to earn free products, so I booked a Stampin Up party off one of my girlfriends and the addiction began.  I was inspired by my friend Diana who made my husband & I a wedding scrapbook, it was the most beautiful scapbook  album I had ever seen!  I started making more cards and it was so fun, my husband bought me a cricut machine and I vowed never to buy another greeting card again, I was going to make my own!  I was invited to my first scrapbook retreat with my girlfriend Candi.  I was so nervous and thought, would I have enough stuff to bring, did I know what I was doing, what would I make for 3 days?  Once I got there and set up my area I was amazed at how much stuff these woman had (bags and totes and more bags and totes)!  I made new friends, reunited with old friends and hung out with two of my Aunts!  Everyone made me feel right at home, they gave me advice, lent me supplies and I was able to finish almost all of my Christmas Cards using my cricut!  I was introduced to Close To My Heart shortly after the retreat and I must say I was a little skeptical at first about the acrylic stamps but it didn't take me long to figure out these stamps are amazing!  They are so easy to use, you can see exactly what your doing, they are easy to store and take up a lot less space.  It was at my third retreat when it occurred to me that I should become a consultant.  I wanted so many things from Stampin Up & Close To My Heart there was no way I could afford everything without some help.  I did my research on both companies and made a decision based on my personal needs and wants and became a Close To My Heart Consultant.  In my first three months I reached my goal of $1,200 in sales and made the Straight To The Top Reward of $100 in free product credit in addition to my consultant commissions.  It was easy to achieve and helped me build my business by getting products I love to use.  I meet so many new friends and I have so much fun showing them the products and cool techniques they can use to make great creations.  I'm so excited about my new adventures with Close to my Heart and I can't wait to share it all with you!  Thank you for checking out my blog and I hope you enjoyed "my" story!