Trying something new...Studio J

Studio J is the name of Close to my Heart's online design software.  Close to my Heart offers you another fast and simple way to celebrate relationships.  I wasn't quick to embrace this opportunity, but now that I've seen it in person, and tried it for myself...I'm excited! 

I love, love, love classic scrapbooking:  the smell of the papers, the feel of the textures, the thrill of putting it all together.  But I found that I love scrapbooking on line too!  Choosing the paper kit, editing the photos, personalizing with accents is tons of fun.  I'll be posting my newly designed layouts and some how-to videos for you.

What's great about Studio J is that you can try it for FREE!  You don't have to commit to any purchase when you enter Studio J and play with your photos.  Go to my website:  alona.myctmh.com and click on the Studio J link.  Go ahead and set up an account.  It doesn't cost anything, and that will allow you to come back and play some more another day without losing the layouts you created the first time.  Studio J will save your layouts for 90 days.

I always get mushy when I watch this video!  Check it out...you'll want a tissue too!

You are invited!

You are invited…   to Christmas BINGO!

When – Tuesday, December 6, 2011                                                                         

6:30-8:30pm

Where -  Madison Park Christian Church, Fellowship Hall, Door H

Why – To create 3 ornaments, check out new upcoming workshops for Christmas giving, and to win some fun prizes playing BINGO!

Cost - $10 fee includes supplies for 3 projects and 2 BINGO cards.

**For each friend you bring to the party, get 2 tickets in the raffle for a free workshop of your choice.

Please RSVP by November 30.                        Alona Peters, 217-656-3907, alonapeters@gmail.com    

We will create these three ornaments.  Creating fun gifts for Christmas is a cinch with Close to my Heart supplies.  We'll be using our new papers, ribbon, and bling to make unique items to adorn your tree or packages.

You'll also have an opportunity to see my December workshop projects in person.  There will be a limited number of participants, so you'll want to get your name on the sign up right away.  I will be posting some photos of the workshop projects later this month.

     

More Cherish the Day!

 I created this standard-sized card using my favorite patterns from the Dreamin' paper packet. Of course I love all the patterns, but I'm particularly fond of polka dots in any flavor.  I also utilized the new Cricut Art Philosophy shapes for my card.  It's so fun discovering all the new possibilities with this tool!

Joanne Coleman created this standard-sized card.  The star corrugated chipboard shapes are from the new Milepost Shapes (Z1464).  She customized them for her card by rubbing them across the pacifica inkpad. Antique copper brads (Metal assortment Z1368) and an embossed brad (Z1410)make the card extra special!






I have one more fun project today.  This fabulous gift idea was created by Miyuki Williams.  It would be a great Christmas gift for your favorite secretary or teacher.

Decorate a 4x6 acrylic photo frame with a patterned paper inside instead of a photo.  Then instead of standing it upright as you would to view a photo, lay it down and turn it upside down.  Now you have a perfect surface for writing on a post-it note.  Miyuki utilized Cherish the Day month tags to update the front.  These are attached with double stick tape, so you can switch out the months and store them on the bottom of the frame.

Cherish the Day

The stamples made with S1111 Cherish the Day, November Stamp of the Month, use the ink and paper colors: Bamboo, Goldrush, Chocolate, and Pacifica. Many use the Dreamin' Paper Packet (X7142B).

Georgia Hauglid created this circle card.  I love how she repeats the circle throughout the card design...  even the choice of the wooden button accent!  The paper strip down the center of the card is the cut-away strip of paper on our new background and texture paper design.  The CTMH copyright is on the back.  Now you never have to worry about the ctmh words ending up in the wrong place on your card or layout.

This 5x7 card, designed by Brigetta Giles, utilizes lots of Cricut Art Philosophy shapes!  The cupcake layered shapes, frames, mats, and scallop border along with the stamp of the month makes a fun birthday card anyone would love to receive!

Wouldn't this make a fun place setting treat on Thanksgiving?  Shelly Allen used the November tag along with the Cricut "ticket" shape.

Check back tomorrow for more stamples using Cherish the Day.  Feel free to email me (alonapeters@gmail.com) with any questions about ordering supplies or how to create these projects yourself.

November Stamp of the Month - Cherish the Day

Each month Close to my Heart offers a special stamp set available for only that month.  November's Cherish the Day is a great addition to your stamp collection.  This set of 44 stamps includes a tag for each month, numbers 1-31, plus the phrase "cherish the day".  In addition to the adorable shapes used in the samples above, the image will fit inside the ticket shape in Cricut Art Philosophy.  I have been having lots of fun with this stamp set!  Tomorrow I'll share a few stamples (stamped samples - a new word you'll see from time to time on this blog :).

Holiday Wishes! Special Stamp Set for November

Holiday Wishes
November Constant Campaign

When you place a minimum order of $25 in My Acrylix^® stamp sets in November, you can purchase a new D-size Holiday Wishes stamp set for only $5! That’s significant savings off the full retail value of $17.95 US / $19.95 CAN. And here’s a bonus: many of the images in the set coordinate with our Cricut^® Art Philosophy cartridge for added cutting and stamping fun! See the FAQ for details.

Dates: Offer valid November 1 (9:00 am MDT)–November 30 (11:59 pm MST).

Holiday Magic

The stamp of the month for October will get you in the holiday spirit!  Get your creative juices flowing with ideas for cards, gift accents, and gift tags.  This set of 18 stamps is only $17.95, or you can get yours for the bargain price of $5.00 when you purchase other products to total $50.

The items created in the following artwork were made from the Elemental Level 2 Paper Packet ($9.95, X7141B, p. 28).  They were fun, whimsical, and some were very elegant.  This assignment really made me rethink some of my other paper packs; could they be "Christmas" material too?   How about you?  Are you a traditional-color card maker or are you willing to adventure with some new colors? 

Colors used in the Elemental paper packet:  Desert Sand, Olive, Pacifica, Sorbet, Cranberry.

My daugher, Mary, created this card.  Using the darker colors and sanding the cardstock gave the card a soft "country" feel.  She stamped the tree image with sorbet ink on sorbet cardstock, olive ink on olive cardstock, and cranberry ink on cranberry cardstock.  Then she cut each tree into 3 pieces, putting them back together with a piece from each color.  Fun idea, Mary!  The zigzag border is cut with the new Cricut Art Philosphy Collection (Z1686, $99.00, p. 13).

Circle cards are fun to make, and even more fun to receive!  Georgia Hauglid created this one. You can't see it in the photo very well, but there are tiny sparkles in the center of each snowflake.  These are fun to add to your projects (Bitty sparkles, Z1263, $2.95, p. 126).

This beautiful 5x7 card was created by Brigetta Giles.  I love how she used stamp rolling to give the sleigh more dimension.  You ink the sleigh with cranberry ink, stamp once on scrap paper, then roll the stamp into the cranberry ink again to make the edges darker than the center.  It really makes the image stand out!  The little olive accent ribbon and button brad are from the Olive mini-medley accents collection (Z1489, $4.95, p. 127).

Enjoy this elegant card created by Joanne Coleman.  The satin ribbon (Colonial White Collection , Z1126, $7.95, p. 124) and pearls (Opaques Adhesive Gems, pearl, Z1336, $2.95, p. 127) make this card very special!  Joanne raised the tree and accent squares with foam to tape to create even more layers of dimension.  The stamped images are lightly sponged with desert sand ink.  Gorgeous!

More ideas tomorrow!

New Opportunities with CLOSE TO MY HEART!

October is the start of great opportunites with a Close To My Heart business!

You can customize your kit by selecting add-on collections (ranging in value from $80-$130) for $40 each. 

Get a Fab Freebie in October

Become a Consultant in October and get one add-on collection FREE*!

Roxie Add-On

Includes a Workshops on the Go™ Roxie Kit, Rhinestone Designer Brads, Foundry^® Pin Clips, My Acrylix^® Instant Memories Stamp Set, My Acrylix^® Unscripted Stamp Set, Tulip Exclusive Inks^® Pad, Cocoa Exclusive Inks^® Pad, and a 2" × 6 1/2" My Acrylix^® Block.

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Elemental Add-On

Includes a Workshops on the Go™ Elemental Kit**, Dimensional Elements Banners, Décor Journaling Spots, My Acrylix^® Love Life Stamp Set, My Acrylix^® Happy Clusters Stamp Set, Olive Exclusive Inks^® Pad, and a Desert Sand Exclusive Inks^® Pad.

**Cricut^® Art Philosophy cartridge required to complete workshop layouts and bonus project (not included).

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Studio J^® Add-On

Includes a 12-month Studio J^® membership and five Studio J^® layouts (must redeem within first 3 months).

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Sign up as a new Consultant between October 1–31 and receive one New Consultant Kit add-on collection of your choice FREE! Add-on collections are priced at $40 (US&CAN) each and have a retail value of $80 US/$85 CAN – $130 US/$140 CAN, making this an incredible deal!

For just a $99 (US&CAN) enrollment fee, you'll receive a New Consultant Kit packed with business essentials and new products valued at over $280 US/$320 CAN, plus a FREE add-on collection to enhance your kit! Then you can choose to buy one or both of the other add-on collections for just $40 (US&CAN) each. It's an incredible deal!

Contact me at alonapeters@gmail.com.  I'm looking forward to helping you achieve your goals with Close To My Heart.

 

Contest Winner!

Tresa Black from fabulouslyartsy.com created this jaw-dropping album for a recent contest held by Close To My Heart.  Check out this video. Then check out her blog; it's one of my favorites for inspiration!

Girls' Night Out!

Typeset is the kit of the month for scrapbook clubs.  I love all the fun fonts, and the colors are fabulous for my kid's back to school photos.  You can see all that is included in this great kit on page 19 of the Autumn idea book.  We will be creating the layout above as well as 2 more layouts; it will be a productive night!  If you would like to play with us at Girls' Night Out, email me.

Quincy group:  August 25, 6-10pm
Barry group:  September 2, 6-10pm
Kirksville group:  September 19, 9am-12

CHANGE!  I told you it was an exciting word!  There are some changes to our kits that are going to make you smile.  The paper packs are more limited to match the projects...and so is the price.  Level 2 paper packets are now only $9.95.  The workshop on the go kit will include a C size stamp set, but the price of the entire kit, including accents, remains $29.95.  Additional projects are suggested to use up your scraps, and hints and tips for those can be found at closetomyheart.com>Ideas&Inspiration.

I'll be telling you more about my favorite changes in our new catalog.  What's your favorite change?

Change!

Change.  That word creates anxiety for lots of people, but it excites me!  I like change.  I like to try something new.  It's exciting to consider new possiblilites, new opportunities.  I am loving the changes that came with the new Close To My Heart Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book.

Contact me to get your own copy, and stay tuned for some fun changes.