March Stamp of the Month - Choose Happy!

I have been having fun with Close To My Heart's Stamps of the Month - and this month has been no exception. "Choose Happy" is a very versatile set of 14 images consisting of frames, borders and sentiments:

What sentiment wouldn't have more impact surrounded by a unique and lovely frame? Here are a couple of cards that I created using this set:

For this card I used the "wood" frame and squiggle from the SOTM along with the "Heartstrings" paper pack*, the Quatrefoil Embossing Folder, a sentiment from the "Have a Happy Day" stamp set, and "Stuck on You" Puffies* from Seasonal Expressions 1 (* - only available through the end of THIS MONTH!).

This card also uses the "Heartstrings" paper pack, along with hearts from the "Forever in My Heart" stamp set, and red Shimmer Trim.

This set is equally fun to use in your scrapbooking! Here are a couple of ideas from CTMH:

There's just over a week left to get this set for yourself. Purchase it outright for $17.95, or pay only $5 with a $50 purchase! Click HERE to shop my website! Thanks!

LAST DAY for the February Stamp of the Month!

I had so much fun working with the February Stamp of the Month, "A Happy Hello", while at my friend Cindy's crop last weekend. This is such a versatile set! Check out how gorgeous it is:

Now check out the beautiful cards:

Fun, right?! Click HERE to jump to my website where you can place your order for this set for just $17.95 - OR ONLY $5.00 with a purchase of $50! Remember - today is the LAST DAY!!!

Enjoy the weekend!

Fun Candy Wraps

My son came home the other day with a box full of candy bars to sell for a fundraiser. Whereas any candy bar in and of itself looks good enough to me, I thought, being the week before Valentine's Day, I would spruce them up a little bit with wraps. So I got out all my old (and new!) patterned paper, cardstock, awesome new stamps, and embossing folders, and went to town. I only wrapped half of the box, figuring there might be some people who wouldn't want them.

Well, I couldn't have been more wrong! I brought the box into work with me, and as soon as people saw them, they started buying them up - for themselves and for gifts for Valentine's Day. They were a BIG hit! I ended up bringing the box back home and wrapping the other half of the bars! Here are the first half (the last set are Twizzlers):

I used a combination of old and new product - the most recent stamp sets being "Forever in My Heart" and "Love This Story", which is a Hostess Rewards Exclusive stamp set. The moral of this story is: even the smallest thing can make a big difference. Put a little love into it, and people will notice - and appreciate it!

And on a side note - one of my co-workers was so impressed with the candy wraps, he asked my to wrap some boxes of chocolate that he had bought for his sweetheart - this is the final result:

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Celebrate National Papercrafting Month!

January is National Papercrafting Month and this is the LAST WEEK to take advantage of the fun special from Close To My Heart. The limited edition “Year >> Noted” Papercrafting Kit features brand new cardstock colors and Background & Texture papers, as well as fabulous gold foil stickers and an Exclusive stamp set. The best part is you can get the whole set for only $5 when you place a qualifying $50 order. Plus, there is a $5 Kraft Mini Book option with no additional purchase required. All together you can get over $34 in Close To My Heart products for $10. Here’s a visual of what’s included:

My daughter wanted to do up a small scrapbook of the cat we have newly acquired, so I immediately thought of this kit – it was perfect! There was really no need to utilize the stickers or stamp set, but she used the fun patterned papers and the Skylark Picture My Life (PML) cards that I had left over from the 2013 Year-in-Review scrapbook I did last year (there were a LOT of left overs!). The Kraft Mini Album is sized perfectly for the PML cards. Here are just a few of the pages:

She has yet to do the journalling, but you get the picture. She had it put together in a flash!

Being a card-maker myself, I used the patterned paper and gold foil stickers (to back the sentiment) and the stamps from the Exclusive stamp set that’s included (to create a fun border for the sentiment and around the edge of the card) to make this card:

The sentiment was cut from CTMH’s Exclusive “Artfully Sent” Cricut Cartridge, which cuts dozens and dozens of Picture My Life-sized cards. I love it! Remember – this Kit is available through the end of THIS WEEK ONLY – and ONLY WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! Anyone placing an order and purchasing the “Year >> Noted” Kit will receive an “Artwork Showcase” PDF from me via email. This is a great kicking-off point to get your creative juices flowing! Visit my website at http://funforyou.ctmh.com to place your order today!

Time is Running Out For a FREE Stamp Set!

All this month - National Stamping Month - Close To My Heart is celebrating our founder and CEO Jeanette Lynton's 30-year anniversary in the scrapbooking and stamping industry! The best part is - you get the gift! Just spend $30 on any current retail-priced stamp sets during the month of September, and you will receive the exclusive C-sized #30yearsofhappy stamp set for FREE!

This is the cutest set of stamps - perfect for adding to any scrapbook page or card. I did just a couple of cards to show you some examples of what you could do:

This card uses the tiny camera to create a background and the "Fabulous" stamp for a sentiment. It also uses one of our newest colors - Thistle!

This card uses both the "hey" butterfly stamp and the flower stamp from the set. Simple, quick, easy...perfect!

There are so many - 30 in fact - fun images to use in this set. But you can only get it for the next 10 days - and for FREE no less! Be sure to get yours while you still can! Order from my website at http://funforyou.ctmh.com. Happy 30th Close To My Heart!

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

OK, I know that I’m a few hours early with this BIG announcement, but I just couldn’t wait any longer! Tomorrow is AUGUST - I can’t believe the summer is half over! Things have been REALLY different in our household this year, as I have gone back to work full-time for the first time since having my children – which is why I have faltered in keeping my blog up to date! I apologize!

So without further ado (drumroll, please)…Introducing the NEW Close To My Heart Idea Book – “Annual Inspirations”!

This is completely different from our previous Idea Books in that it will be good for the entire year! From now, August 2014, through July 2015, you can order and enjoy the products in “Annual Inspirations”. IN ADDITION, there will also be two supplemental Idea Books, released one at a time – one in December and one in April. They will each be good for four months, and will feature ONLY NEW, seasonally-inspired products. I tell you, I cannot wait to see the “Seasonal Expressions” books after seeing “Annual Inspirations”!

“Annual Inspirations” features:

• Nine new My Reflections™ Paper Packs with coordinating Complements, assortments & stamp sets – most with a coordinating Workshop on the Go or a Workshop on the Go Card-Making Kit
• Another NEW Cricut® Cartridge – “Artfully Sent” – which is solely based on card-making. With it, you can create 250 complete cards and 150 other small projects!
• Five brand new COLORS
• New Hostess Rewards Stamp Sets and Stamps of the Month
• The “Cut Above™” Line – features treat bag and card kits that have all of the pieces pre-cut for you and are ready to stamp & assemble.
• “Designer Creations” line – fun, 3-D gift items.
• Five new “Picture My Life™” programs
• Three NEW “My Crush™” Books!
• Three new “Designed Décor” pieces
• Eight new additions to the “Base & Bling” line
• NEW embellishments, NEW ribbons, NEW Washi Tape – Oh My!
• New tools, new adhesives, new Markers, and a Score Board!

Seriously, this is the best Idea Book to come down the pike in a long time.

And this month’s Stamp of the Month – ADORABLE! It’s called “What a Hoot”, and here’s what you get:

And here are the two cards I made with it (so far…):

How cute! The first card uses one of the BRAND NEW paper packs - "Snowhaven", while the second makes use of our BRAND NEW markers.

I can't wait to show you more! If you would like your very own copy of Annual Inspirations, be sure to come to my next workshop or my Open House - details on both coming soon. In the meantime, CLICK HERE to view the new Idea Book online (starting August 1st)! Don't forget, you can always place an order directly on MY WEBSITE - 24-hours a day! See you soon!

Celebrate 30!

2014 marks Jeanette Lynton's, the founder and CEO of Close To My Heart, 30th anniversary in stamping and scrapbooking! The bonus is that YOU get the gift! This month ONLY, when you make a $50 CTMH purchase, you can add one of SIX different Exclusive Collections for just $30. These kits have a minimum retail value of $50, with some valuing as much as $65! But here's the catch - they are WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! Some of these kits are going to go FAST, so place your order today, online, at funforyou.ctmh.com to be sure and get your favorite before it sells out.

Curious about the kits? Of course you are! Here's Kristine Widtfeldt to tell you all about the special - and give you a peek at each Collection!