The Latest Buzz

I am awaiting the arrival of the Spring Close To My Heart Idea book. It should be here any day now. Here's a peek at the cover.


January is National Paper Crafting month and to celebrate all things made with paper CTMH has an incredible gift.

This is a scrumptious kit with two sided printed paper, and a E sized stamp set (meaning big).

Here's a note from CTMH about this special.


The gorgeous new Key to My Heart Level 2 paper packet features all of our luscious
new exclusive colors: Tulip, Juniper, Sorbet, and Crème Brulee. The packet is
accompanied by the awesome new E-size My Acrylix® Key to My Heart stamp set
brimming with elegant, charming designs. It’s a great combo with a retail value of
$47.90—and from December 16 through January 31 it can be yours at substantial
savings, or even FREE!
Fun for All!
Celebrating National Papercrafting Month
What’s more, hostesses can get the kit FREE with a Home Gathering sales total
of $400 or more. And if you join Close To My Heart between January 1–31, you’ll
receive the kit FREE in your New Consultant Kit.
National Papercrafting Month promises something for everyone!

Or you can receive this when you spend $130, you’ll get the Key to My Heart kit FREE
When you spend $75, you can purchase the kit for just $20



I also wanted to share with you the Stamp of the Month for January. Just in case you were wondering what it looked like.

Need Some Creative Christmas Ideas?

I've been in such a creative and Christmas mood lately. I wanted to share with you a few items I've made. I used Close To My Heart's new Festive Frills stamp set to create the trees. So did you notice the tree trunks? They're made using the tail from the larger bird in the stamp set. How cool is that? To create this and the following card I made a triangle stencil to mask the area I didn't want stamped, leaving a triangle hole to stamp in. The trees on the top card do have pop dots on the foreground trees to give it dimension.

I stamped this tree in Close To My Heart's White Daisy ink and then went back over it with a silver gel pen and added the sparkle at the top. I really think it's got a classy and polished look to it.

Few Creative Outbursts

Here are two of the items I've created recently. The box is a gift box that I stamped on white cardstock using the CTMH "No Peeking" and the new CTMH "Frosty Borders" stamp set in Cranberry. This was really easy to do. Here's a link to the directions

The card is one I made for Nick's sister. She sent Kallie an Alligator costume and book about alligators. So I made this card as a thank you. On the inside I stamped "A bit of thanks". The stamp set used is CTMH's "Life's a Jungle" It was the July stamp of the month. I thought it was cute to cut a bite out of the card.

Season of Gratitude Tutorial #1

This is my first card tutorial on line. I made another very similar to it for Nick's mom (posted below this project). I loved it so much I made this card for my Aunt Dora as a thank you. I hope you find this easy to follow. Please leave me a comment if you have any thoughts about it or if you attempt it. All products excluding the stickles are Close To My Heart (CTMH). If you would like to order anything you see here please contact me and I'll be happy to get them to you.

Materials Needed:

3 x 4 white cardstock

3.5 x 5 Vineyard Berry Cardstock

8 x 5.5 CTMH Creme Brulee Card stock (card base)

CTMH Black Ink stamp pad

CTMH Autumn Terracotta Ink stamp pad

CTMH Tulip Ink stamp pad

CTMH Chococlate Ink stamp pad

CTMH Playful Flourishes Stamp Set

CTMH Give Thanks Stamp Set

2.5" x 2.5" clear block

2" x 3" clear block

Blending pen

Bone folder

Crystal Stickles made by Banger

3 CTMH Autumn Terracotta Bitty Brads

CTMH sponge tool

sponge

Eyelet Setter

Scrap paper

Step 1. Stamped pumpkin from the Give Thanks stamp set in CTMH Black ink. Make sure you leave room for the Season of Gratitude sentiment at the top of the card.

Step 2. Stamped the bottom left of the card using the U shaped flourish. I only inked part of the stamp. This will allow me to line up the other U shape flourish in the next step to complete the effect I want.

Step 3. I used the matching flourish and inked it in black so that it would line up with my image, thus making a complete U underneath the pumpkin.

Step 4. I used the small squiggly from the playful flourish set, inked it in black and lined it up on my stamped flourishes and stamped.

Step 5. I inked in black just the "A season of" from the Give Thanks stamp set. I wiped off any additional ink with a wet wipe. Then I stamped it on the card making sure to leave room for the word Gratitude.

Step 6. Oops! I forgot to clean my stamp properly. Therefore you can see a second generation stamp of the words A Season of when I stamped the word Gratitude. Make sure to clean your stamps each time. I'll attempt to fix it later. I did stamp the word Gratitude in black ink.

Step 7. Using Autumn Terracotta ink and the blending pen I colored in the pumpkin. To use the blending pen you'll need to squeeze the closed ink pad, then open it and using a damp blending pen use the ink that transferred to the lid tray. It helps to start painting your color from the edges and work your way in. This will give you a softer overall color creating a watercolor appearence.

Step 8. Using Chocolate ink and the blending pen I colored in the stem of the pumpkin.

Step 9. Using a piece of a dollar store sponge, I sponged around the top of the card with Tulip Ink.

Step 10. Using the Autumn Terracotta ink I sponged around the bottom edges on the card.

Step 11. I used the blending pen and the Autumn Terracotta ink and highlighted the words and the flourishes. Step 12. I used the Autumn Terracotta ink and a flourish stamp and did second and third generation stamping around the edges. Second generation stamping is when you load your stamp with ink, then you first stamp on a scratch piece of paper, and second on your project. Third generation is stamping twice on your scratch sheet and thirdly on your project.

Step 13. I did 3rd generation stamping all around the card with another flourish using black ink.

Step 14. I went over the flourishes and each of the curls in the words with the stickles.

Step 15. I adhered the card front to a vineyard berry textured card stock and set in three Autumn Terracotta Bitty Brads on the left hand side of the card. Step 16. I folded my Creme Bulee cardstock and then using the sponge tool and the Autumn Terracotta ink I sponged around the edges. Next I adhered the card front.

Finished Card and another version using all of the same supplies.

Get Your Scrap On!

CROPTOBERFEST

OCT. 25, 2008

Starlite Ballroom

10am-4pm


Get a head start on your holiday scrapbooking, or catch up on projects you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to complete them. Saturday October 25, you’ll have 6 hours of interrupted scrapping bliss, a catered lunch, snacks, and several opportunities to win great prizes. You’ll even learn something new in the free make-n-take and the optional workshop*. The cost is $30. You’ll receive lots room to spread out, good lighting, a catered lunch, a free make-n-take project, and the chance of winning great prizes.

To register call Leana Ott 422-4095
An independent Consultant with Close To My Heart


Starlite Ballroom is located on Airport Blvd. behind Mosley’s meat market at the intersection of Airport and University Road in Mobile, AL.

*There is an additional $10 cost for the optional workshop. Sign up in advance so that materials can be pre-cut and bought.

New Favorite Tool!

I'd like to announce my love for the brayer. I bought it years ago with much excitement only to discover I didn't know how to use it properly.
So I boxed it up. Well I found Michelle Zindorf's blog and whipped mine out to a rolling success. Here's a two of my creations. Michelle has easy to follow step by step instructions on her blog with lots of pictures and work she's created. Please take a look. http://zindorf.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/



I used the July SOTM from CTMH for the Friends card. You can see the CTMH stamp sets Paradise and retired Saling to create the sunrise card.

Christmas Card Workshop

Designs and photo are CTMH www.closetomyheart.com

Love the look of handmade personal Christmas cards but don’t feel like you have the time? Get an early jump start on your holiday greetings with this 2 hour workshop. You will create 12 beautiful yet deceptively easy (meaning no creative talent needed) Christmas Cards to send to your loved ones. What’s the cost? $15 dollars and you get: great time with fun gals, snacks, 12 completed cards, (see Merry & Bright on page 52) accented with cranberry grosgrain ribbon, and cranberry brads. RSVP by Oct. 1st please so that I have time to place the order and get all of the supplies.

When:
Friday Oct: 10, 2008:
6:30 to 8:30pm

Where:
My place. Call for directions

RSVP by:
Oct. 1, 2008
251-661-9550

Cost:
$15.00

FUN FUN FUN

I had a great time with each of the wonderful ladies that came to the Scrapbook Extravaganza. I saw lots of smiles so I think they had a great time too. A big Congratulation goes out to Kristen Ryan for winning the Grand Prize valued over $42.00. She won the new Circle Around stamp set a 2.5 by 2.5 block and a new Sorbet stamp pad, one of four exclusive new colors. Leigh Raines was the winner of the new Acrylic Album.

I had a great time and loved showing off all of the great new products CTMH has to offer. I hope my enthusiasm was contagious. Here are a few of the projects I displayed as well as the make n take each of the girls created. On the top layout (inspired by a layout on page 73 of the new CTMH Idea Book) you'll see the 4 new colors Sorbet, Tulip, Juniper, and Creme Brulee. I used the new Coffee Stain , Make My Day, Circle Around and Summer Harvest stamp sets. What you can't see is the new voice recorder that is hidden behind a picture. It allows you to record 30 seconds of audio and play it back. The battery is long lasting and easy to change without affecting your creation. The recorder can be painted, stamped on, or altered. Basically it's awesome you should get at least one! The second page uses the Juniper and Creme Brulee colors, our new white rub-ons, the Make It Count, and new Classmate Alphabet stamp sets. The third layout uses all of the new colors, the Coffee Stain and Paradise stamp sets, the mini-medleys in spring blossom and awesome Color-Ready Alphabets. This layout was inspired by page 8 of the Fall/Winter CTMH Idea book and the pop up make n take card was seen on page 31. I used moonstruck, bamboo and white card stock, moonstruck ink and the Route 66 B&T paper as well as the new Snowflake Kisses stamp set. The fun technique of "popping up " was used on the inside card for the "warm winter wishes" it's from the new Winter Memories stamp set. Wow, this seems like a whole lot of typing. I bet you can't even imagine this is just the tip of the iceberg so to say, of all the new products. And I hope you noticed how inspirational the new Idea Book is and if you would like to get your hands on one please contact me.

New Fall/Winter Close To My Heart Idea Book

It's here and ready for you to flip through it's magical pages. I bet you'll think this is great reading material too. I have your free copy (a $3.95 retail value) waiting for you when you attend the Scrapbooker's Extravaganza this Tuesday at 6:30pm. Please email or call me for details. Please see the official invitation below for the event details. You'll also see how you can increase your chances of winning great door prizes. I have one prize valued over $42 and two awesome Acrylic Albums to give away. I hope you can make it you will not want to miss this fun event.

Create a FANtastic Football Party

Here are some tips/ideas to help make your next game day FANtastic!

Make your Football party the hottest ticket in town with a super "ticket" invitation from http://www.party411.com/

Decoration ideas:

• Set the table with a grass table cloth. You can purchase indoor/outdoor green grass carpeting from a local hardware store and use it as the foundation for your tablescape. Then use white athletic tape or electrical tape to create the yard lines. You can substitute green felt in place of the grass.
• Mark the party spot with your team colors: Decorate around your mailbox and front door in your team colors by hanging team bunting and or a team flag.
• Make Football brownies and sandwiches by using a football shaped cookie cutter.
• Have your own stadium cups made in your teams colors to commemorate the date and event.
• Paint the face's of your guests in your teams logo, or give an extra gift to those who come with theirs painted.
• Make sure all guests have a team pom-pom and wear their team colors.
• Give a special gift to the Best Dressed guest.

Games:

• Divide into two teams Home and Visitors; have a paper football champion ship during breaks.
• During half time, take it outside and see who's the best kicker. Let each guest try to kick a field goal. The furthest in bounds kick wins.
• While outside have everyone try their hand at being the quarter back. Take a piece of plywood and cut three holes out of it three times the size of the football. Then give each a score, 10, 20, 30. Each person gets 4 passes. If the throw makes through a hole then the person get the amount of points allotted for that hole. The person with the most points wins.
• Create a trivia game relevant to your favorite team. Divide the group into two teams; Home and Visitors. The team with the most correct answers wins.
• Have a trophy made and award it to the winner of your day's games. That person/team is responsible for hosting the next event.

FANtastic Football Party Tips:

• Start the pre-game party an hour to an hour and a half before Kick Off
• Warm up the mood with food, drinks, and your own pre-games
• Have friendly competition during commercials and the half time break
• Keep score, The Home Team & The Visitors
• Award a trophy to the winning team, they have to host the next event

You've Got To Check This Out

This is a YouTube video of Jennifer McGuire (you've seen her and her awesome work in many Scrapbooking Mags) well here is a video of her altering the new CTMH Memory Keeper box. She has lots of neat tips you can even use on your pages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQb6DmXm-q4

Scrapbooker's Extravaganza!!

Scrapbooker’s Extravaganza!!!
And you’re invited

Want Free scrapbook supplies?

Tuesday September 9, 2008
6:30pm-8:30pm

Every person who RSVP’s by Sept. 7th then attends will carry home at least $10.00 in Close To My Heart Merchandise free! Bring a friend & you get a special gift!

And you’ll have a chance to win even more free supplies!*

You can increase your chances of winning for each of the following items you complete you'll earn a extra raffle ticket*:

• RSVP
• Bring a friend
• Show up on time
• Bring a banana
• Post a comment on this blog

For the following you'll earn 3 extra tickets each*:

• Place an order
• Make a donation to Operation Smile during the extravaganza
• Book a gathering

To RSVP and get directions call 251-422-4095

What is a scrapbook extravaganza? It’s a night out with the girls; being some of the first to see, play with and take home some of the awesome brand new products Close To My Heart has to offer.

Lean Ott
Independent Consultant with
Close To My Heart

*You have to be present at drawing to win. The drawing will be held on Sept. 9, 2008 during the Scrapbooker's Extravaganza.

Also if scapbooking or card making isn't your thing that's okay you can come any way or please send this to someone you know who might be interested I would very much appreciate your help getting the word out.

I just can't hold out any longer...

Here it is a sneak peek at some of the new toys (hum I mean products to which I will forever preserve our family memories with) from CTMH. I am working on items to display at my Scrapbookers Extravaganza happening on Sept. 9th. Yes you're invited, and you can see these masterpieces in person. I just love all of the new paper kits, the 4 new colors and accents. This is the new memory keeper box. It is so amazing because you can use it for so many things. I am going to use it to hold some of the many love notes DH leaves for me. The paper is from the new Notebook collection. I also used the Free Spirt, and Make It Count stamp sets. Everything but the larger flowers is from CTMH. They also have large flowers. I just haven't been able to add them to my toy box yet. The top of the box design was inspired by the CTMH Spring 2008 Idea Book cover. The top page with my adorable son Taylor is a simple 6x6 page using our new Juniper and Creme Brulee colors, ribbon, and accents. The T is one of the great solo dimensional elements. And you can see the bling on the T with the new sparkles. This card I created using a design from the brand new Originals by Jeanette Lynton the founder and creator of CTMH. You can find the directions for this card on page 66. This book is wonderful and has great pictures, easy instructions and lots of examples. It's a must for every crafter. I used three of the brand new stamp sets CTMH is debuting in Sept. Circle Around, Thoughtful Seasons, and Magic Moments. We're going to be playing with the Thoughtful Seasons in our make and take at the Extravaganza. Come see and play with it for yourself. I hope you've enjoyed this sneak peek. I'll am saving the best for the 9th. I hope you can make it.

Aswesomely Cheap Storage Idea

My mom and I were shopping in the mall yesterday and found the perfect solution to my ribbon and accent storage issue. Total cost $6.75!! Yep. I thought you'd like that part. I bought the square shelf for $3.00 and the magnet board for $2.75 and a pack of prestick magnets for $1. Each was regular price. Great deal, I know! So here's my end result.

FYI. The adhesive on the prestick magnets is not enough so I added Clear Gel Tacky Glue.

Husband Alarmed When Alone At 1am!

Yes I was up until after 2am Monday night creating and playing with an awesome new product from Close To My Heart. DH said he woke up at 1am and saw I wasn't anywhere around but then he looked up and saw the house alarm was still set so at least he knew I hadn't run off with my CTMH loot. He's so silly.


I cannot wait to show you my latest creative outpouring. Here's a sneak peek. I know it's not much but you're going to LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I have been so busy with life I haven't been able to finish it completely but let's just say this new product gets your memories out of the box in an amazing way. I'll post the finished product on the first of Sept. so check back here then.

Give a gift, Get a gift!!

• Who wouldn't love to help a child have a future and get something really wonderful in return. Here is a great opportunity for you to receive this wonderful From Me To You card kit and give the gift of a better life to a child. I am so proud to announce this partnership with Close To My Heart and Operation Smile. This card kit can be yours for only $10 (plus S&H), and all of the profits go to Operation Smile! Isn't that amazing.

You'll get

• 16 Colonial White Card Bases
• D size My Acrylix From Me to You stamp set (value 22.95)
• Precut cardstock and textured cardstock
• Coordinating brads & ribbon
• Sandpaper
• 16 Envelope Flats
• Step-by-step instruction booklet to create 16 cards (2 of each of 8 beautiful designs
• An attractively decorated box

The retail value of this kit is $34.95

Operation Smile is a wonderful organization that works in 26 different countries around the world with volunteers preforming surgeries on children with severe facile deformities. The deformities are debilitating and in some cases lead to death. While at the 2008 Close To My Heart convention. I was blessed to hear co-founders Dr. William P. Magee Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen S. Magee, a nurse and clinical social worker speak. I was so impressed that they used their talent and time for the last 20 years to give an amazing gift to children who would have had no chance at life. Since their inception in 1982, OS has helped more than 115,000 children . I was astounded to learn that the life altering surgery takes less than 45 minutes to preform and costs about $240 each. I really encourage you to check out their website and learn more about Operation Smile for your self. I am sure you will feel the same way I do about such a worthy cause.

If you would like to order this card kit or any CTMH products, or even host a gathering please contact me.

Just Because!!

You could WIN $1,000 In CTMH Products & Earn this beautiful Card Kit FREE!!! Close To My Heart is featuring an exclusive and really fabulous Just Because card kit in honor of National Stamping Month, and you can get it free, or greatly discounted.

The Just Because card kit will make 16 beautiful cards and includes
-A D-size My Acrylix® Just Because stamp set
-Designer ribbon and Sparkles
-Two Exclusive Inks™ mini stamp pads
-Cardstock and B&T Duos™ papers
-A magnetic-closure designer box
-Step-by-step instructions for making these stunning cards
-Kit colors: Chocolate, Colonial White, and our new Tulip color.

Beginning Aug. 14, - Sept. 30 you can purchase the Just Because card kit for $34.95, or if you make a purchase of CTMH products with the minimum of $75 you can receive the kit for $15.00, or you can get it free as well as the Stamp of the month free with the minimum purchase of $125. That's $57.90 free!!!

To enter for a chance to win $1,000 in CTMH products, begining Aug. 14th, you can log onto http://www.closetomyheart.com/ Just fill out the entry form and you're entered to win!

With this kit you will not be intimidated, instead you'll be amazed at just how easy it is to create 16 beautiful cards with the easy step by step instructions and photographs. Your friends will be so pleased when they receive a hand made card created by you. If you would like to see move of this kit or would like to order one please contact me.

Photos and cards by Lourae Minor

Back from convention

This was my first, but not my last Close To My Heart Convention. Lisa Murphy and I traveled last Wednesday to sunny Orlando, Florida and stayed in the beautiful Gaylord Palms Resort. I have returned with a fresh new perspective and invigorating energy and I'd like to share it with you.

The excitement in the room during the first General Session of convention can be compared to the Beatles landing in the U.S. Yes, we were all screaming teenagers when we learned of the great new products being released by Close To My Heart. Some of them include 4 new colors with delicious names I can't wait to share with you on September 1st. We created a fabulous Christmas album with the crystal clear My Acrylic album (retailing for 14.95). We saw and came home with many beautiful new stamp sets and lots of creative ways to use them. I would love to show you the great new products and the truly fabulous current products Close To My Heart has to offer during my Open House coming in September.

I will be posting more information, and great items you can walk home with FREE. So like your favorite TV show keep it tuned right here for updates.