Look at the goodies you can get!  Your grab bag amount changes daily at 3 PM so you might be able to walk away with a lot of freebies!  Place an order on my web page and then order your grab bag!!!

While surfing the 'net, and looking for ideas, found the website Take Heart Inspirational Ideas and Challlenges.   This web blog is right up my alley.  They give you guidelines to use in creating something, using Close to My Heart.  Since I am a consultant, and love the CTMH products, I had to play along. 

 

 

I have pictures of Christina attempting to make cookies when we were visiting Grandmom.  They are probably 5 or more years old.  Here is the sketch that was posted for us to use.  And were were to use Close To My Heart product.   

 

 

This is what I came up with!

 

I used the new paper pack Wanderful.  For the circle in the background, I cut the shape using Martha Stewart circle punch.  This anchored my pictures.  For the journaling, I used just the word Explore.  This was a stamp that was included in the Workshop on The Go set for Wanderful paper.  The banner I cut out using my Cricut, and I used a the set of alphabet stamps, called Atomic, to put under the banner.   For the 3 circles on the sketch, I found a cricut cut out using flowers.  I used the background cut out for this, but I cut the flowers from a discontinued paper pack.  The title was also cut from Cricut.  All that was left to do was to add my pictures!   I like how this turned out!

You can enter contests like this too.  Just go to Take Heart Inspirational Ideas and Challlenges.

 

 

As promised, I am back again today with another card that I made using the new paper packs, Snowhaven.  I love the bright red and black colors of this packet, don't you?

 I used the multi design side of the main paper to create this card.  I layered it on cranberry, then black.  After that I used a whisper gray with black and then the print pattern.  The stamp saying is from the stamp set that is included in the Workshop on the Go. 

Tomorrow look for a card using Pathfinder paper pack.

I have been  busy lately doing all kinds of summer things here at home.  I have been doing some cards, and making things for our up coming products, that are now out. Over the next couple of days, I will be uploading some of the cards I have made with each new paper pack.  If you are interested in any, let me know.  I will help you out. 

The papers in this pacet are absoultely beautiful They are like painted papers and flowery prints.    Tomorrow, I will show you a card I created using our new Snowhaven paper pack. 

Look at the three Cricut cartridges Close to My Heart has to offer you.  Between the three of them, I find I don't use my other cartridges as often as before.  Just look the all the images you get here.  If you are interested in purchasing any of these or all three, you can order them at my website conniecreates.ctmh.com

A

Artiste

Artbooking  

Cards for June Stamp Club

I starting a new Stamp Club, and will be creating 2 or 3 cards for those who are members.  We are meeting this Saturday for the first time and I thought I would share my cards with you.  You will be making 3 cards, but you will be given a choice as to whether you want your card to be done in portrait or landscape.

Card 1

Here I used a CTMH embossing folder, lagoon paper, and I cut out the shape from the cuttlebug and stamped on it.

Card 2

This card was made using ink and water for the colors and then stamping each section with a different background stamp.  

Card 3

This card can be used for many different events...baby...baby shower, child's birthday, and on and on.  I stamped the giraffe  on different colors of paper, then mounted them on chocolate, the same color as the ink.  I added a sentiment that came with this set.  On the top card, I also added the hippo and made it look like he was mouthing the sentiment.

Now ladies, all you need to do is choose which one to make.

If anyone is interested in the dimensions, please email me.  If you are interested in joining our stamp club, you can still sign up.  Purchase $25 a month, for 6 months, in CTMH product, and you have the opportunity to be hostess for one month, and get free product.  Email me for additional information.

Twice a month I teach a class at my house.  On the second Saturday of the month I usually try to create 8 to 10 cards from a paper pack of Close To My Heart.  In February, I made a few cards using the Ivy Lane paper pack.  Everyone loved the cards.

I think is is one of my favorite ones.  I forgot to stamp a sentiment on this, but I will put one on when I send it out.  I used the Cricut Expression to cut out all the parts.

The next card we made was this one.   I used some cocoa cardstock as the base, then I cut a 4" x 3" piece of Ivy Lane and centered it.  On the edges of the cardstock, I used some of the glitter tape we have.  It dressed the card up a little.  Using a couple of the stamps that come with the Workshop On the Go kit, I stamped the background stamp with cranberry ink on a die cut from the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.   The greeting is another stamp, and I used Cocoa ink for that.  If you notice the "o" is a flower shape, and that too was on the stamp set in the kit.  

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This card was cut entirely with the Cricut machine.  It had a teapot that is attached to the frame of the card.  I cut a second card with white cardstock and used the teapot as my central figure.  I stamped on it with a flower stamp, which really seemed to decorate the teapot.  And if you have a teapot, you should have a cup of tea to go with it!  I used a different piece of cardstock from the Ivy Lane pack to make the teacup, with its steam coming off the top of that hot tea.

I was having fun making these cards, as did the girls who made them with me.  This card below was a quick and easy card.  I used some Ivy Lane paper and stamped a small tag that I cut with the Cricut.  These stamps on the tag were also from the stamp set that came with the Workshop to Go Card kit.  I used three different stamps.  One was a chevron stamp and the other one that says  is actually a tag stamp that I turned sideways.  On the bottom is the third stamp I used.  It says "is better with friends".  I cut a border with the Cricut and placed that at the bottom of the cardstock.  A quick card.  

My last card using the Ivy Lane paper pack is this one, with the butterfly.  Again a used a different sheet of the cardstock to make the center shape.  I used the back of the Ivy Lane paper, which has a green pattern on it.  I added a scalloped shape of pear cardstock with holes in each scallop, used a litte circle of the Ivy Lane green side, and cut out my butterfly.  The butterfly is a solid shape on the bottom (which is the same paper as the bottom floral shape and the top of the butterfly was a solid hollyhock sheet of card stock. ) Using the cricut makes these cards so easy to make.  

There is one more card we made, a boxed card.  This was much more complicated to make, but I LOVE how it came out.  I will post that later on today.  I hope you enjoy what you have seen, and if you are interested, maybe you can join us some time.  If you are interested in the CCR cuts, let me know

 and I can send them to you.

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Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring March's SOTM,.  If you have come here from Michelle Loncar's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here <make here a link to Helen’s or Kathleen’s blog – whoever is 1^st in the list>.

This month we have 50 +  Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I used Chantilly paper for my background.  On white cardstock, I stamped the images of the two small figures with cocoa ink.  I then colored the figures using blush and hollyhock inks.  I colored the center heart and flower with cranberry ink.  I then used some shimmer ink over the top of the figures, to add a little "aging" effect to them.  The sentiment was stamped in cocoa ink.  

Now "Hop" on over to Maria Myers'sBlog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the March SOTM is only available until March 30!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

January SOTM Blog Hop

A new year is starting, and with it all we wonder what is in our future.  I know I hope for a healthier New Year.  This past year my family, including myself, has had more than it's share of medical concerns.

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring January's SOTM, which is Crossed Stitched Wishes, a set of 13 stamps.  If you have come here from Teresa Scrivens Blog
 you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here


 This month we have approximately 50 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

When I saw this set, I couldn't figure out what to use first.  Since next month is Valentines Day, I decided to make an early Valentines card.  This is how it turned out. 

I stamped a banner using the line stamp and row of small hearts.  I curved the line on my block, then curved the row of hearts right under the line.  This I cut out.  Using the Artbooking cartridge, I used the image of a mini album page, cutting off the holes, and placing this on the top of the card.
I then stamped and cut three hearts...one large and two medium size.  I placed them on the bottom of the card, with the large heart in the middle.  I printed out a saying of Happy Valentines day.

Products Used: CTMH cranberry red cardstock cut into 4 1/4 x 5 1/2, White Daisy cardstock, cranberry ink, other stamp sets, Artbooking cartridge,white ribbon

As I said earlier, I couldn't just make one card.  It was so hard to decide which to use, so I made a second card.   Here it is;

 This time I used a piece of cranberry cardstock, cut into 4 1/4 by 5 1/2, the same as before.  I then, using the Artbooking cartridge, I cut a heart within a rectangle, which was the photo 2.  I used real dial, at 4 3/4", and it fit nicely on the card.  In the center of the heart, I stamped, Love and I put an arrow through the heart.  Using a Martha Stewart punch, I punched a decorative edge on the bottom of the card.  I added bling around the heart shape and then I place 3 small pieces of bling in each of the four corners.  

Now "Hop" on over to Elizabeth Mindemann's Blog to see her work! She has some really creative ideas and I am sure you will like what she does with this stamp set.  Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the January SOTM is only available until January 31!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring December's SOTM, which is S1312 Special Care, a set of 6 stamps.  If you have come here from Michelle Loncar's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here at Adrienne Brill's blog 

I will be posting my item in a couple of days.  It has been hectic here and I didn't get my item finished.  I have had both my mom and my younger daughter in and out of the hospital, and now Mom is visiting for a couple of weeks to get back on her feet.  I will have something by Monday or Tuesday.  

This month we have many Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

Now "Hop" on over to 

Teresa Scrivens  Blog

 to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the December SOTM, Special Care is only available until December 21!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Artbooking Made Easy (S01E06): Designed Décor Flip Stand Album

Illuminate November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

 Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring November's SOTM,

which is Illuminate, a set of 15 stamps.  If you have come here from Heather's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here at Melinda's Blog.

This month we have 54 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

This is a little card I put together to mail to a friend.  The saying in the top says, "Let your light shine through".  I decided to use some of the paper from our new paper pack, Sparkle and Shine.  I had to decide where to place my lamp post....hmmmm  front or back of the page?  I decided in the front.   I stamped a lamp light, colored it using my honey alcohol marker, cut it out and hung on a lamp post.   There is  a candle inside it  that I colored, then stamped, using my Juniper alcohol marker.  After this all dried, I put a little bit of glitter around the light to give it a shimmer, like you see around a light at night.  I used 2 sentiments from this card set.  On the bottom sentiment, I put it on a piece of ribbon.

Thanks for looking.  Now "Hop" on over to Terri Ann's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the November SOTM is only available until November 30, 2013!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Had a group of friends over tonight and we had a cardmaking class using the Frosted paper.  I really enjoyed making these cards and showing everyone how to make their own.  I will be writing up the cutting instructions soon.  Here are the cards:

striped Winter Wishes

Glitter snowflakes

Peaceful forest

ribbon Holly Jolly

Tri-banner Holly Jolly

Snowflake Holly Jolly

Penguin Ornament

Subway art 

3 color winter wishes

Glitter snowflake Holly Jolly

Merry and Bright

If you would like the cutting directions and stamp sets and paper, send me an email and I will sent them to you.  Thanks for looking.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Welcome to the Holidays From the Heart Blog Hop featuring the NEW items from CTMH's Holiday Guide.  Once you've checked out my project, you will see a whole BUNCH of lovely project links below...go check each and every one out and leave some love!

Season's Greetings will soon be heard on a regular basis.  Christmas will be coming soon,  Shortly after Thanksgiving, I will start addressing and mailing my Christmas cards.  I have started early this year, so hopefully I will not have any last minute panics to make more cards.

In the Holiday Catalog, Close To My Heart has several Christmas stamp sets.  The 2 stamps I used come from the set Santa Claus, on page 5 in the Holiday catalog.  Here is the card I made.

On a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of white cardstock, I made my own background paper, using ruby ink  and stamping with the saying, "Santa Claus is coming to Town", all over, then took a small snowflake stamp from the same set and stamped with Outdoor Denim in the white spaces.  

I stamped my Santa Claus twice; once on 1 3/4" x 2 1/2" piece of white cardstock with outdoor denim, then on a scrap piece of Ruby cardstock with Ruby ink.  I cut the hat off the Ruby Santa, and glued the hat onto the white cardstock Santa. I mounted this on a 2" x 2 3/4" ruby cardstock, then mounted it again on a 2 1/4" x 3" piece of Outdoor Denim cardstock.  

 I finally stamped the Ho! Ho! Ho! stamp in Outdoor Denim on three pieces of 1" x 1" square white paper in outdoor denim ink, which I then mounted on a 1 1/4" square of Outdoor Denim cardstock.  

After I put the card together, I mounted the entire card on a piece of 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" Outdoor Denim cardstock.   

This was a lot of fun.  I haven't made my own background paper in a while.  I think this is one card that will be sent to some of those people on my Christmas card list.  I hope you enjoyed the card.  If you would like to purchase this stamp set, or any of our other stamp sets, you can purchase it here, at my website, www.ConnieCreates.ctmh.com

Scrap-booking and card making get Together is on for Saturday!!!!  Come down and see what fun you can have with us.   Bring your pictures, papers, stamps, inks, whatever you need to work.  It will be fun.  At 4:00, I will be teaching a class for a scrapbook layout using our newest Cricut cartridge, Artbooking.  It is really a cute layout, 2 pages, with Grateful and Give Thanks are titles I have for it, but you can change it if you want.  Dinner will be turkey meatball sandwiches, chips, and salad.  After dinner, around 6 or 6:30, I will give you a lesson on using the alcohol markers.  Yes, those of you who ordered the first set of markers…they are in!  We will make a card exclusively for you alcohol marker purchasers. 

I will be placing my next order after you leave on Saturday, so if there is anything you want to order, get your order in right away.  I have gotten many of the new stamps from the Christmas catalog, and they are cute!

There is a new Stamp of the Month for October called Scandinavian Wishes.  If you place an order of $50, you can get this stamp set for only $5.  Now, those of you in the marker buy, that means you need to only order an additional $23.80 

Our next get together will be October 26, and we  will be starting classes to make Christmas cards.  I have a set of cards made for you to look over, to see if you want to take this class.  

You have two options:

Option 1:  You take the class, creating 10 cards.  You will receive 10 blank cards and envelops, the paper needed for the cards, use of my ink and my stamp set, and I will provide any embellishments needed.  Cost to you…$15.00

Option 2: Purchase the Workshop on the Go Frosted for $24.95.  With this kit, you have the ability to make 15 cards, plus you get your own "D" size stamp set (valued at $19.95), and embellishments for the cards.

Next month, we will be making more Christmas cards, using the new Sparkle and Shine set from the Holiday Catalog.  You will have the same choice of options for that also….so think ahead.  

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING THE CARD CLASS, BUT CANNOT ATTEND, DUE TO DISTANCE OR OTHER COMMITMENTS,  LET ME KNOW.  I CAN MAIL THE KIT TO YOU, ALONG WITH DIRECTIONS AND PICTURES, SHOWING YOU HOW TO PUT IT TOGETHER.  JUST LET ME KNOW.

Artbooking Layout

October's My Cricut Craft Room's Blog Hop 

You should have started at http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com/ if not please start at the beginning

Welcome to My Cricut Craft Room's October's Blog Hop 

Collectively the design team and guest designers have made some amazing and special projects to share with you... over 60 projects are on this hop, but it is in less than 20 stops. .  

I have made this great project to share with you today. 

I just love the new Artbooking Cartridge!  There are so many things you can do with it.  It is ideal if you are going to create a layout.  All you do is find the layout you are interested in making, follow the directions for the size to make your layout, and put ONE button to cut it all out!

Here is what I created.

On this side, I cut the overlay at 11", the 5x7 picture photo mat and the title with its shadow at 11"

When cutting the packages diecut, I wanted it to be larger, so I switched to the Real Dial size and cut them out at 6"

I then assembled them  I mounted the packages on white paper, mounted the overlay on the base cardstock of pink Bazzill, put the shadow under the title and  I glued them all down.  After that I glued a white sheet under the 5x7 photo mat

On this side of the layout, I cut the small overlay at 11", a 6"x12" strip of paper, the photo mat trios at ll", 2 small photo mats with a cupcake corner, and the border at 11".  I put some white cardstock in the photo openings so you could see where the photos go.  Then I glued the small overlay on the left and the glued the strip of cardstock on the left side.  Next I glued the 2 small photo mats on the overlay, the tri-photo holder on the cardstock, and the border.

I love how these layout come together.  Just look at those photo mats.  I really like how they are related to the theme.  

Next you should go to Tracey's Blog 

http://www.thecroppingcanuck.blogspot.com/ 

If you get lost along the way here is the entire line up

1. Start http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com/ 
2.  Vivi J http://www.vivijdesigns.blogspot.com/ 
3.  Cindy M http://www.inlovewithpaper.blogspot.com/ 
4. Shawn Mosch - http://craftychicsblog.blogspot.com/ 
5. Liliana Umpierre - http://www.likidesigns.com/blog 
6. Leslie Wrege McGrath - http://scrapnlifeaway.blogspot.com/ 
7. Roberta Swisher - http://queenbeepapercrafts.blogspot.com/ 
8.  April Nourse www.curlsandgrins.blogspot.com 
9. Brenda Knapik -  http://www.disneygirlcrafts.com/ 
10. Lourdes - http://creativecraftsniche.blogspot.com/  
11. Vicki Glenn - http://www.vickiscraftroom.blogspot.com/       
12. Erica http://EricasProjects.blogspot.com/ 
13. Connie Walsh - http://www.ConnieCreates2.blogspot.com/ 
14. Tracey  http://www.thecroppingcanuck.blogspot.com/ 
15. Oh Kissa http://www.ohkissa.com/ 
16. Sandy- http://www.scrapbookblessings.blogspot.com/ 
17. Kris Dietz -- http://http://kreationsbykrisdietz.blogspot.com/ 
18. Mayra- http://mayrasdesigns.blogspot.com/ 
19. Cheryl www.Cricutobessed.blogspot.com 
20. Crafting Blog Events http://craftingblogevents.blogspot.com/ 

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October Stamp of the Month for Close to My Heart

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring October's SOTM, which is Scandinavian Wishes , a set of 12 stamps.  If you have come here from Nancy's Blog , you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here Helen’s or Kathleen’s blog 

This month we have over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I decided to use this stamp from the Scandinavian Wishes set.  It is a folksy type of stamp and I lightly stamped it on white cardstock using a light green ink.  While you can use this stamp with just one color, I decided to use my markers to color over the designs.  The light green ink, under it, added to the overall color.  When I finished coloring the stamp, I mounted it on dark cardstock, and added 3 small rhinestone bling.  I folded an 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 sheet of white cardstock in half and using the border stamp in this set, stamped the cute border around all four sides.  Once this was finished, I glued the mounted stamp in the middle, and stamped the 3 words Love, Peace, and Joy above the main stamp.

Now "Hop" on over to Pam's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the Scandinavian Wishes October SOTM is only available until October 31, 2013!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

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Today’s post is part of the Creative Crafters’ Make a Wish Blog Hop.  I hope you’ve enjoyed your hop so far and I’m glad you’re here.

If you’re coming from Cindy Murray , you are in the right place! (If you want to start at the beginning, go back to Cindy, and you will be able to start at the beginning.

Prize

This month, each of us will be offering a prize.  To win, you just need to comment and/or sign up for my newsletter (left). Each comment as well as each new subscriber will be entered to win.

Wishes come in many different sizes and ways.  Christmas, Birthday, wishing to get better, wishing for happiness, wishing to go to a dance, and so on.  Here is my card, 

I used an older stamp from Close to My Heart.  It is a dandelion, ready to go to seed.  I remember seeing them and making a wish.  If you were able to blow all the seeds away, you wish would come true.  (Boy, did my father hate it when I did this.  I never understood why.)

Next on the hop is Laura Hedgecock.  Hop on over to see what she has created out of our theme.

One thing that is often a stumbling block for new scrappers or card makers is trying to decide how you want to lay out your page or card.  Close To My Heart has many different books available to help you get the process started to create your own pages or cards.  

Inside each book you will find layouts for single or double pages, as well as layouts for various numbers of pictures you want to scrap.  It is as simple as ABC. 

• A.  Look through the book until you find a pattern that you like.

• B. Gather your papers and cut according to the diagrams listed in the book for your particular layout or card.

• C. Glue down your cut papers according to the instructions and there you have it!

This video will show you in more detail what you can find in the books.  Check it out!

Now that you have seen how easy it can be, why not order one or two books for yourself.  You can find them in the catalog on page 140. 
Choose from the list below:

Cherish Scrapbook Program ($14.95)

Imagine Scrapbook Program ($14.95)

Magic Scrapbook Program ($14.95)

Reflections Scrapbook Program ($14.95)

Wishes Card Confidence Program ($14.95)

Originals Card Confidence Program ($14.95)

These books feature both scrapbook pages and cards: 

Make It From Your Heart Volume 1  ($7.95)

Make It From Your Heart Volume 2  ($7.95)

Just go to my store and order your own books...those that will assist you in all your scrapbooking and card making endeavors!  Click here to go to my store. 

Project Inspirations: Pocket Album

This is a wonderful thing you can make to save those cards you get for the holidays.  Year after year,you and your family will have the cards to look at and fee that special something you get when to see them later.  This is so easy to make, so why not give it a try.  If you need any help or products let me know.  :)