I finally found a little bit of time to play around with September's adorable stamp of the month set, Fall Favorites. Even though every part of me is dreading fall (because it means winter is next!), and I am just shuddering at the thought of cold weather... this is a really cute set. :-)
I played around with paper piecing and coloring with watercolor pencils. I used a variety of paper packets and just had fun!
This does not in any way change my feelings towards the chillier weather though!!! :-)
I'm happy to share October's upcoming workshop! You'll be ready to celebrate the holidays early this year.
This class will be held on Friday, October 19th at 6:00pm. Again for scheduling ease, they'll be held on the third Friday of the month so we can all plan ahead. You can decide to do either scrapbooking or cards for the $25 fee, and it comes with the B1412 Perfect Fit - Holidays stamp set as well as the Dimensional Elements in Color - Holidays embellishments. If you'd like, you can make both the scrapbooking and cards for an additional $10. Everything is pre-cut and ready for you to assemble.
For those of you who would prefer, I'm also offering To Go kits with every workshop. This will allow you to create the projects at your own convenience, directions will be included. I'll also have a list of supplies needed for each project that aren't included, most of which you may already have or have something close you can substitute.
I'm even offering a club option with the workshop, providing even more benefits! Club Members will commit to a 6 month rotation workshops, which will make them eleigible for hostess goodies, prizes, members-only specials, etc. To see all the nitty-gritty details about the workshop and club option, check out the flyer.
If you are interested in attending the workshop, I'll need your RSVP (including payment) by Friday, September 28thSunday, September 30th. This will allow me time to order the necessary supplies and get all the packets prepared and ready to go.
Now you can easily pay online via PayPal, if you'd like! Check out the chart to see the payment required, and you are good to go:
$25.00 - To make either the scrapbook or cards (please let me know which one you select)
$10.00 - Add this to make BOTH the scrapbook and cards
$ 5.00 - Add this for shipping costs, if you aren't local for the Go To kit
$ ? - Please contact me if you need some extra supplies for the project, and I'll give you a total
If you are a CTMH consultant, interested in giving this class yourself, please contact me for special pricing.
November's workshop will be set up a bit differently -- it will be a Christmas Card workshop. It will be set up in more of a bulk format, where you'll make 10 of each design that you select. You'll have the option of making 10, 20, 30 or even 40 cards! More information to come later in October...
Yes, workshops are back. I'll be holding the first class on Friday, September 21st at 6pm. For scheduling ease, they'll always be held on the third Friday of the month so we can all plan ahead. You can decide to do either scrapbooking or cards for the $25 fee, and it comes with B1408 Buttons, Bits, and Bobs stamp set as well as Baker's Twine, Harvest Assortment. If you'd like, you could make both the scrapbooking and cards for an additional $10. Everything is pre-cut and ready for you to assemble, and you'll learn a fun new technique for faux stitching.
For those of you who would prefer, I'm also offering To Go kits with every workshop. This will allow you to create the projects at your own convenience, directions will be included. I'll also have a list of supplies needed for each project that aren't included, most of which you may already have or have something close you can substitute.
Supplies Needed for To Go Kit: Z2114 Cocoa Stamp Pad, Y1003 2"x2" acrylic block (minimum), Z608 Dry Embossing/Scoring Stylus, Z338 Euro Paper Trimmer (or a paper cutter with a deep trough), Z1294 Sanding Kit (a sanding block), Z1471 Ruler (helpful with evenly spaced holes for stitching, but not necessary), Tapestry Needle, Threader (very helpful, but not necessary), Piercing Tool (from Z1114 Piercing Tool Kit), Adhesives
I'm even offering a club option with the workshop, providing even more benefits! Club Members will commit to a 6 month rotation of workshops, which will make them eligible for hostess goodies, prizes, members-only specials, etc. To see all the nitty-gritty details about the workshop and club option, check out the flyer.
If you are interested in attending the workshop, I'll need your RSVP (including payment) by Friday, August 31st. This will allow me time to order the necessary supplies and get all the packets prepared and ready to go.
Now you can easily pay online via PayPal, if you'd like! Check out the chart to see the payment required, and you are good to go:
$25.00 - To make either the scrapbook or cards (please let me know which one you select)
$10.00 - Add this to make BOTH the scrapbook and cards
$ 5.00 - Add this for shipping costs, if you aren't local for the To Go kit
$ ? - Please contact me if you need some extra supplies for the project, and I'll give you a total
If you are a CTMH consultant, interested in giving this class yourself, please contact me for special pricing.
I need your RSVP by this Friday (8/31) to allow me time to order everything and prepare the packets. :-)
Do you know why I love stamps so much? Since my BFF first got me hooked on stamps, I have always loved the fact that I can create in any color combination I want. I can perfectly match something, coordinate any project for the best fit, or even just create something that tickles my fancy. Have you seen the latest JCPenney ad? I love the color combination on this dress:
Isn't that awesome? Is it a color combination I would have thought of on my own? Probably not. But since it is such a yummy color combination, I decided to use it as my inspiration for some art with the National Stamping Month, It's Your Day double-stamp set special. :-)
Don't you love this double stamp set too? Don't miss out! You can get it for only $5 when you place a minimum order of $35 in full retail from now through September 30th!
And while supplies last for the rest of the month, the August special is still going on too. Become a consultant today with either the new $49 Consultant Essentials Kit or the $99 Master Kit and receive the gorgeous Damask Tote Bag FREE (a retail value of $50!). Great deal! You can easily sign up online. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
I took a little bit of a break from creating after convention and the Open House, and I had a lot of backed up chores to do. UGH! I just finished a ton of mending and hemmed way too many pants getting ready for school. Sooooooooo glad that is finished!!! I decided to reward myself with a fun, creative project and made this for Delaney's room to celebrate her winning Borders bookmark contest a while back.
I used a print from a retired paper pack, Enchanted, as the background; I thought it looked nice with all the colors. This has been a project on my "to do" list forever... nice to cross something off!
It was great seeing everyone at the Open House! I've been sharing a lot of my convention art and art at the Open House, now I'd like to share with you a picture of each of the new My Reflections sets.
First, I'll start with the new Avonlea. This set is filled with the beautiful, subtle colors of our new Slate, then some kit-specific colors: Avonlea Off-White, Avonlea Teal, and Avonlea Green. "Sweet and timeless, Avonlea captures the essence of an earlier era."
Next up is Clementine. This set has the new neutrals Champagne, Saddle and Cashmere as well as the warm Sorbet. A touch of cowboy with a feminine flair, Clementine is perfect for all the buckaroos you love.
Which leads us right to Dakota! This set has the bold colors of Black, Barn Red and Pacifica as well as the new Whisper. This rugged set is cowboy through and through.
Hitting a more delicate and decidely feminine look, next up is La Belle Vie. This set has the rich kit-specific colors of La Belle Vie Mauve and La Belle Vie Pink as well as Black and Bamboo. An elegant set with a French flair, you'll fall in love with these graceful and luxurious papers.
On to a more intellectual note, next is Scholastic. This set has the bold colors of the new Ruby as well as Outdoor Denim, Cocoa and the new Champagne. This cultured set is perfect for reading, school and much more.
On to a coquettish set, next is Flirty. This set has the kit-specific colors of Flirty Raspberry and Flirty Yellow as well as Goldrush and New England Ivy. This set embodies bright-colored falling leaves, crisp cool evenings and bold autumn colors!
Stepping out into the evening, next is Moonlight. This set has the striking colors of Black, Goldrush, Smokey Plum and the new Slate. This dauntless set is ready for much more than just Halloween.
And, last but not least, is the set that seemed the favorite at the Open House: Pear & Partridge. This set has the festive colors of Cranberry, Olive, Desert Sand and the new Cashmere. This joyful set boasts bright and merry patterns perfect for all your holiday projects.
I hope you enjoyed a quick sneak peek of all the new Reflections kits. If you don't have your new Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book yet, make sure to get in touch with me. You don't want to miss out!
And finally, it's that time again to unveil the grand prize winner of the 2012 Autumn/Winter Open House:
(* drum roll *) And the winner is... Kim Burzynski! Congratulations, Kim! No complaints of nepotism please, as everyone's names were included in the draw. :-) And everyone who won a door prize after they left, your prize will be included in your Open House order.
I just finished this (with some help from Delaney)! This was a project from LAST year's convention at Disneyland. I had it pretty much finished, but I never finished the inside. I needed to create another Consonant Clusters set for a friend, so I thought it would work perfectly. I created one of these last year as part of last year's convention art:
She nicely left it at work for the other ladies working there and asked if I would make her another one. I finally got around to it. :-) If you'd like to make your own set of Consonant Clusters to work with, here's the file with all the clusters and words in it for you. If you trim off the two edges, you'll need to cut 1-1/2"x1-1/2" squares for the clusters on an 8-1/2"x11" sheet, and 2-3/4"x2-3/4" squares for the words that go on the back side could be printed on a 6"x11" sheet (I can just cut my 12"x12" sheet in half and it runs through my manual feed fine). You do need one extra chipboard square; so you'll have to order two sets to steal one.
Your extra set could become a Bee Inspirational quote set, like this one here with "Bee Helpful" and other similar sentiments on the front combined with a matching quote on the back:
Or maybe a fun bridal shower game, like this Mr. & Mrs. set, with fun questions to play with at the event:
These were just a few ideas that I shared at convention last year, so I thought I'd share -- but your possibilities are endless -- customized matching game, flash cards, baby shower game, etc.
I've been waiting until after the Open House to make a big announcement, so I can finally share everything online now. I am going to be starting up workshops again!!! YEAH!
I'll be holding the first class on Friday, September 21st at 6pm. For scheduling ease, they'll always be held on the third Friday of the month so we can all plan ahead. You can decide to do either scrapbooking or cards for the $25 fee, and it comes with B1408 Buttons, Bits, and Bobs stamp set as well as Baker's Twine, Harvest Assortment. If you'd like, you could make both the scrapbooking and cards for an additional $10. Everything is pre-cut and ready for you to assemble, and you'll learn a fun new technique for faux stitching.
For those of you who would prefer, I'm also offering To Go kits with every workshop. This will allow you to create the projects at your own convenience, directions will be included. I'll also have a list of supplies needed for each project that aren't included, most of which you may already have or have something close you can substitute.
Supplies Needed for To Go Kit:Z2114 Cocoa Stamp Pad, Y1003 2"x2" acrylic block (minimum), Z608 Dry Embossing/Scoring Stylus, Z338 Euro Paper Trimmer (or a paper cutter with a deep trough), Z1294 Sanding Kit (a sanding block), Z1471 Ruler (helpful with evenly spaced holes for stitching, but not necessary), Tapestry Needle, Threader (very helpful, but not necessary), Piercing Tool (from Z1114 Piercing Tool Kit), Adhesives
I'm even offering a club option with the workshop, providing even more benefits! Club Members will commit to a 6 month rotation of workshops, which will make them eligible for hostess goodies, prizes, members-only specials, etc. To see all the nitty-gritty details about the workshop and club option, check out the flyer.
If you are interested in attending the workshop, I'll need your RSVP (including payment) by Friday, August 31st. This will allow me time to order the necessary supplies and get all the packets prepared and ready to go.
Now you can easily pay online via PayPal, if you'd like! Check out the chart to see the payment required, and you are good to go:
$25.00 - To make either the scrapbook or cards (please let me know which one you select)
$10.00 - Add this to make BOTH the scrapbook and cards
$ 5.00 - Add this for shipping costs, if you aren't local for the To Go kit
$ ? - Please contact me if you need some extra supplies for the project, and I'll give you a total
If you are a CTMH consultant, interested in giving this class yourself, please contact me for special pricing.
If you weren't able to make the Open House, I'm sorry we missed you! Here's the other make-n-take that everyone got to make. Two adorable 3"x3" mini holiday cards, using the brand new holiday paper Pear & Partridge with the stamp set B1412 Perfect Fit - Holidays. We even got to use the brand new Ruby Ink, so pretty!!!
I'm also going to share the rest of the convention art I created, then I can move on to sharing other things. :-)
First, here are close-ups of all four of my artwork boards.
And here is a picture of all the 3D stuff on the table outside the booth:
Tah-dah! I'm so excited to finally share the new workshop and the rest of the convention art. Enjoy!
This is one of the FREE make-n-takes you can create at my Open House Celebration this Saturday for the new Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book!
An Open House Celebration for the new Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book!
Saturday, August 4th -- 9:00am - 2:00pm
There will be: -TONS of new artwork and product on display -Free make-n-take projects -A small selection of "take home today" products, specially priced -Open House only specials -Door Prizes & Grand Prize Basket -Light snacks and refreshments
Make sure to stop by to get YOUR *FREE* Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book!!!
Join Close To My Heart in August and get a darling Damask Tote Bag free!
You will receive a FREE Damask Tote Bag (retail value $50), while supplies last.* I can say with personal experience this tote is AWESOME, because it is the one we received from convention. AND my super-oh-so-picky thirteen-year-old daughter even likes it and stole it for her own backpack for school -- if that doesn't tell you how nice it is, I don't know what will! :-) HA! It can be slung over your shoulder, across the chest, or even worn as a backpack.
You can select either the $49 New Consultant Essentials Kit or the $99 Master Kit which includes more supplies and tools -- both are eligible to receive the free tote! But only in August and only while supplies last. For more information on the sign-up kits, click here. For more details about the August special, check out the flyer.
If you are interested in signing up and taking advantage of this spectacular special, I would do it sooner rather than later. We've been told this offer has "limited availability," and I don't see it lasting very long. It begins August 1st at 9am MDT.
This is a great time to sign up:
1 - We have the brand new Essentials Kit for only $49! I've been a consultant now for ten years, and we've never had such an affordable kit while I've been a consultant. With around $130 in full retail value -- you can't beat it!
2 - An absolutely FREE Damask Tote Bag (pictured above), with an additional retail value of $50! Only while supplies last, so take advantage quickly!
3 - Join the Close To My Heart family! Hobbiest, part-time or full-time... there's room for everyone here!
4 - Close To My Heart provides everything needed to grow and build a successful business at whatever level you want: online classes, marketing materials (printed and online), videos, newsletters, workshops, and oh so much more!
5 - The next Convention is at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando! Come join me! Florida here we come! :-)
You can easily sign up on my website, if you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to ask!!!
Another piece of art for teaching this year, was I created a mini album with the new Memory Protectors Flip Flaps®, Small Assortment™ -- I used the 3"x4" size. You simply need to group together one size of the Flip Flaps together and insert photos, paper, and any embellishments you want to use.
I decided to make a mini album of my favorite art quotes. I just poked through the flip flaps and album cover with the piercing tool, threaded through some Baker's Twine for the spine, and tied it at the front. I also used our new Hooks & Loop Dots to close the album. Here is a quick picture of all the quotes I included inside: