Inspirations all January long

Want to be inspired with a sneak peek of new product?  How would like some awesome deals with that inspiration?  Well, my friends, you've come to the right place!

Pictured here is our brand *NEW* Wings Workshop on the Go.   Look at these beautiful projects you can make!

Okay, ready for the deals?

DEAL #1 = Purchase the kit for only $29.95.  Retail value is $34.15.  Kit contains: *NEW* Wings Level 2 Paper Packet, *NEW* Wings WOTG Stamp Set (not available for purchase), *NEW* Black Mini-Medley Accessories, *NEW* Spray Pen (not available for purchase--yet!) and a Workshop Guide.

DEAL #2 = Purchase the kit and get an even deeper discount than usual on the January Stamp of the Month.  How you ask?  Simple!  Purchase the kit + 1 new item in Inspirations, you'll get 25% off the SOTM.  Purchase the kit + 2 different new items, you'll get 50% off.  Purchase the kit + 3 different new items, you'll get 75% off.  And finally, purchase the kit + 4 different new items and you get the SOTM for FREE!

DEAL #3 = Purchase the kit and you'll save BIG on 5 *NEW* stamp sets.  Savings up to 37%!

DEAL #4 = Purchase the kit in January and you'll receive a BONUS guide on how to create one of our *NEW* Pennant Banner with your leftover materials as a gift for National Papercrafting Month!

Sound good?  Want your sneak peek now?  Check it out HERE.  Or better yet, want your very own copy to drool over?  EMAIL me and let me know your shipping address and I'll put one in the mail to you!


Remember, these deals begin tomorrow, January 1, 2011.  You can snag all the great deals you want HERE.


Great deals and a Happy New Year...it's all good!



Present Gift Card Holder Tutorial

As promised, here is the "how-to" on making your very own Present Gift Card Holder I showed you HERE last week.

STEP 1:

Cut CS for base of "present" to 8-1/2" x 3-5/8".  Score and fold in half (4-1/4").  Cut B&T paper to 4" x 3-3/8".  Adhere to center of half of your base.  Decorate as desired.  Cut half circle in both sides of base.

STEP 2:

Place adhesive along both of the lengths of base to seal and create a pouch as shown below.

STEP 3:

Cut CS for insert to 4-1/4" x 2-7/8".  And B&T to 4" x 2-5/8".  Stamp as desired.  Then place 3D foam on the front top and back top of the insert as shown below.

STEP 4:

Cut CS for "present top" to 4-1/4" x 3".  Score at 1-1/2".  Decorate as desired.  Adhere insert with 3D foam to present top--placing top edge of insert flush to present top score line.

STEP 5:

Slide insert into base.  You can affix a gift card with repositionable adhesive.  

And there you have it.  Pretty easy peasy, right?  Perfect project for birthdays or maybe even  for an upcoming Valentine's present!  

See you tomorrow...I'll be announcing a spectacular deal that'll start January 1st.  Nothing like starting out the New Year with some great deals, right?

Extra, Extra...Magnifique Projects!

If you attended my Magnifique Playgroup this month (or even purchased a Magnifique Workshop-on-the-Go Kit), you'll know there are extra projects you can create with your leftover supplies.

Here are the extra cards using Wishes Card Confidence Program: Lucky Layers concept...

and the extra layout using our *NEW* Magic Scrapbook Program: Disappearing Act concept...

If you'd like to get your own Magnifique Workshop-on-the-Go Kit or if you still need either Wishes or Magic to complete your projects, you can purchase them HERE.

*One final note...if you are considering purchasing the Hooligans, Olivia, Mistletoe OR Magnifique Workshop-on-the-Go kits, please know that these kits will no longer be available after January 31st.  Please plan accordingly.

Best of 2010

It's hard to believe we are in our final week of 2010.  Crazy how time truly does fly by!  I thought now would be a good time to go back and look through the projects I've shared with you over this past year and pick my favorites.  And let me just say, it was tough to narrow it down to just 3!


First, I love this layout I did of my daughter, Addison.  

To see the whole post on this layout, click HERE.


Next we have my pumpkin made with a terracotta pot.

You can see the post about it HERE.


And as my third favorite, I chose my ever popular triangle treat tents.  I love making these...they are super easy and definitely a crowd pleaser!

You can see all about how to make these HERE.


So now, I'd love to hear what your favorites were this year.  Leave me a comment and let me know, ok?



Merry Christmas!

After a busy day of baking cookies and making candy, I figured I should get one last post in before Christmas!

Now that the kids are 'nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums dance in their heads', I can share one last gift idea.  I realize this is totally last minute, but the beauty is this concept will work well for birthdays, Valentine's, etc.

Behold the present gift card holder:

and here it is slid open...

Next week I'll do a quick tutorial on how you can make one too!  So be sure to check back.  

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!  Oh and don't forget to put out your Magical Reindeer Food tonight.  See HERE for more info on this.

Thursday Tip--Paint with Shimmer



card designed by Karen M.

Want to add a little shimmer to your projects?  Our Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint is the perfect product to do this!  Plus, you can add some re-inker to our Pearl Paint and get a colorful shimmer.  Check out the Dimensional Element Ornament sample below.  The base of the ornament was painted with the Pearl Paint mixed with Pacifica re-inker while the ornament overlay was simply painted with plain Pearl Paint. 

Beautiful isn't it?

Plus, this is such a simple technique.  And speaking of techniques...be sure to check back next week as I'm going to be sharing a sneak peek of what's to come in our new Spring/Summer product line.  You won't want to miss this!



Whimsical Christmas Ornament

I just love this coiled paper ornament I made this year.  It was one of my how-to's contained in my 12 Weeks of Christmas projects I shared on my mailing list this year.  Can you believe that this is the final week of my project ideas?!?!  That's right, if you haven't yet signed up to be on my mailing list, you can do so in the left-hand corner of my blog and get in on my final project idea.

Final preparations for Christmas

If you're like me, you're probably still finishing up a few last minute things for Christmas (how this happens to me each year, I just don't understand! LOL!)

Well, once again, I'm in love with our Tag the Occasion Stamp Set!  This set is positively the best and I've only used it for Christmas.  There's still several other holidays (Valentine's, Birthdays, Halloween, etc.) that it'll come in handy too...I can't wait!

It came through once again for some quick and easy tags!

I hope your holiday preparations are going well.  I'll see you again tomorrow!

Who is Sticky Boy?

Have you heard of Sticky Boy?  There's been a lot more hype about him outside the realm of Consultants now that this highly coveted little man has been randomly appearing in boxes shipped from online orders this month. 

In a nutshell, Sticky Boy was our prototype for when we went to acrylic stamps.  For all you CTMH veterans, you'll remember him as "What's Up" from our wood collection.

Watch this fun little video to see more...(you can double click on it to view it in full screen on YouTube.)



Add in the potential of receiving a Sticky Boy with our FREE $22.95 stamp set (randomly selected) with any $20 online purchase (Plenty for Twenty Promotion) and you've got a pretty sweet deal.  Plus, there are new discounted items being added daily (shhhh, don't tell anyone so you can snag all those good deals yourself--up to 90% off some items!!)

Don't delay, this deal ends December 31st!  Start shopping HERE.

Glitter and Christmas--They Just Go Together!

These beauties are the little gift I'm giving to my Club members this year.  Each year at Christmas, I like to do something special for my loyal friends/customers who stick with me month after month.  :)

I was so touched when Chris said she loved hers--she said it was better than any store ornament she'd seen.  Thank you, Chris.  You're such a sweetheart!

If you'd like to make your own glittery beauties, here is what you'll need:

• clear glass ornaments
• re-inker  (we have 60 colors you can choose from; I used Tulip for the above)
• prisma glitter
• ribbon
• rubber gloves (optional--but I'd recommend!)

STEP 1:

Remove metal hanger carefully from ornament and set aside.  Put on rubber gloves if desired.

STEP 2:

Drop 20-30 drops of Re-inker into the ornament.  Begin gently swirling the ornament to fully cover the entire ornament from the base to the top.  Gently tap out any excess re-inker.  (note: if you'd like a more translucent look, you can do a mixture of water and re-inker).

STEP 3:

Place about a teaspoon worth of Prisma Glitter into the ornament.  Cover the opening of the ornament (carefully--sometimes the edges are sharp) and gently shake to get even coverage of glitter.  Tap out any excess glitter.

STEP 4:

Let ornament dry.  Replace metal hanger carefully so that you don't scratch inside edges of ornament.  If desired, add a ribbon loop and bow.

If you have any questions, remember I'm here to help.  Have fun!

Thursday Tip--A Popcorn Ornament

Want to make something unique that will have the recipient in awe?  Well, have I got the project for you!  Plus, it's so easy that a 4-year-old can do it (or in my case--two 4-year-olds!).

Behold the popcorn ornament!

Now, I must admit this creation did not evolve perfectly with the first try! 

It's funny because at the beginning of this week I had heard a story about perseverance.  How Charles Dickens had written many (like 30+) Christmas stories and today we really only are familiar with 'A Christmas Carol'.  The lesson was that if he had given up after a few less-than-popular holiday stories, we may never have the classic that so many love to read and watch each year.

Well, this ornament totally fits with this lesson!  Initially I was trying to come up with a gift that Lucas and Addison could give to their friends at Preschool.  I had purchased several clear plastic ornaments (after all we're talking about 4 & 5 year-olds here!) earlier in the month thinking somehow that would evolve into the gift.  We also had several cobs of popcorn that we had harvested earlier this fall that were now dried out and ready to be popped.  Enter the idea!

 

So what you see here is my failed attempt!  On the left is a totally functional clear plastic ornament.  On the right, the result of popping the corn in plastic not strong enough to endure the heat of the microwave! LOL 

Now, before you think I'm a complete idiot, I will disclose that I did have my doubts about the plastic ornament.  However, my desire for it to be for preschoolers and the fact that I had a few extra ornaments won out on my battle of whether or not it was worth trying.

So we scratched that idea for the preschoolers (went with Jingle Bell necklaces instead).  But I still wanted to make this idea work.  Enter the clear glass ornament!  Winner!  And so that you, my dear friends, do not need to go through my trial and error, here is how you do it:

STEP 1:

Remove the metal hanger from ornament and set aside.  Fill clear glass ornament with popcorn kernels.  Because my kiddos were using kernels from the cob shown above, they lost interest at about 20 kernels!  But if you look at my sample above, you'll see you could probably add a few more if you'd like it to be fuller when popped.

STEP 2:

Place ornament in a brown lunch bag and close bag.  Place in microwave and heat for approximately 1-1/2 minutes (listen carefully--obviously you don't want kernels left but you also don't want that fun burnt smell either!)

STEP 3:

Let cool (it will be hot!).  Then replace metal hanger.  You can add a ribbon hanger if you'd like.  And you can bling it up like I did with a Button and a Sparkle at the base of the ornament.

I hope you give this project a try.  And remember...don't give up.  Creativity is a journey...enjoy it!  If you have any questions, just let me know.

A Gift That Glitters

This month one of the projects that my Stamp Club is making is a glass ornament decorated with our Glitter Rub-Ons.  They truly sparkle in person!

I filled the center of my sample with some metallic basket filler.  The iridescent nature of it, gave my ornament just a little more shimmer!

Be sure to check back, because I've found I'm on a big ornament kick lately (they're just so darn fun to create--and so many options; they're definitely perfect for gift-giving!).  

A Scrumptious Opportunity

Here you have some festive Rolos.  If you like caramel and chocolate, you probably like Rolos, right?

But when you add these little tasty treats on top of a pretzel and bake at 250 degrees for 8-9 minutes (long enough for them to get soft)...

and then press a pecan into them...

you get a very scrumptious treat...a turtle treat.  So simple yet so yummy!

We made these last week when my family was visiting and they were a HUGE hit.  So then I made some more for my Moms' Group Cookie Exchange which was on Sunday night.  And this Friday, I'll be making some more for our monthly Team Meeting/Celebration that will be on Saturday.  

It got me thinking a lot about how something you already love can be made better sometimes just by adding something to it.  For example, if you already love CTMH products, you may find that joining my team and becoming an Independent Consultant may be more fun than you initially anticipated.  It may also be more rewarding than you ever imagined.  Many times the benefits you get just by tweaking your relationship from customer to a Close To My Heart Consultant, are ones you never even considered.  

If you're ready to expand your love for CTMH, then email me today!

Stamp Stenciling

Still have a few special holiday cards to make for some friends or loved ones?  Why not try out a fun new technique in the process of making them!

Each month you can catch a fun video that'll teach you some handy tricks and techniques using our wonderful CTMH products.  Last month, we showed you how to do Stamp Stenciling and this beautiful card is the result of that technique.  Plus, we throw in a fun little twist to the ribbon too!

If you haven't see it yet, click HERE for a little inspiration.

A Magnifique Interactive Layout

It's been a pretty hectic week with family visiting and preparing a workshop to teach at the upcoming Scrapbook Expo that will be in March 2011 in Pleasanton, CA.  I love the layout I designed for this Expo.  For all you loyal visitors and friends, here's a sneak peek...



Now, the beauty of this layout is in the use of our *NEW* Flip Flaps.  It gives this layout the ability to open up 2 additional pages from this seemingly ordinary 2-page layout for additional photos and journaling.  Plus, in addition to the gorgeous nature of this Magnifique paper, the layering of the coordinating My Stickease is like the icing on the cake.  It's simply scrumptuous!  I hope you'll be able to join me if you're local to the Bay Area.

Congratulations...

to Laura for taking on my challenge for Write a Friend Month!  I just know your friend loved receiving your card.  

As promised, here is a bundle of 5 handmade cards from me to you!  I hope you enjoy using them.

If you haven't taken a moment to just randomly send a friend a card yet, I encourage you to do so!  It will make both of you so happy :)

Extra, Extra...Mistletoe Projects!

If you attended my Mistletoe Playgroup last month (or even purchased a Mistletoe Workshop-on-the-Go Kit), you'll know there are extra projects you can create with your leftover supplies.

Here are the extra cards using Wishes Card Confidence Program: Sentiment Secured concept...

and the extra layout using our *NEW* Magic Scrapbook Program: Hat Trick concept...

If you'd like to get your own Mistletoe Workshop-on-the-Go Kit or if you still need either Wishes or Magic to complete your projects, you can purchase them HERE.

There's Amore

Now that we are into December, it means we have another brand new Stamp of the Month--Amore.

Right now, with our Plenty for Twenty promotion, you could purchase this stamp set online at my store and you'll receive another stamp set FREE (a value of $22.95).  It's like a buy 1, get 1 free sale!

Remember, our Stamp of the Month sets are only available the month they debut...so don't delay!

Thursday Tip--Glitzing up Metals

For a project that I'm currently working on, I needed some push pins or thumb tacks.  Problem is, I wanted them to have a little creative flair to them.  Insert Liquid Glass, Reinkers and Prisma Glitter!

I started out by purchasing some plain old thumb tacks.

Then using a left over foam rectangle from one of our designer brad packs (remember waste not, want not!), I transfered some thumb tacks over onto it to let the experiment begin!

First, you put a small drop of Liquid Glass on each tack, followed by a teeny tiny drop (or two--I tried blending some colors to see how it'd work out) of your choice of reinkers (I used Sunset, Buttercup and Smoothie).  Finally, you want to add a little bling, right?  So sprinkle on some Prisma Glitter while still wet.  Let dry and you have transformed the ordinary into something a little more fun and flirty!

The cool thing about this technique is that it can work for other items as well...brads, maybe a metal frame embellishment you want to transform.  Just keep thinking outside the box and let that creativity soar!

Plus, right now if you purchase some supplies from my website to try out this technique, you'll receive a FREE stamp set (valued at $22.95) by only spending $20.  Talk about serendipity!

Plenty for Twenty!

Still craving a good deal after Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials?  Well, look no further!  Have I got a super great deal for you....

You read that correctly.  Spend just $20 on my website, and you'll receive a $22.95 stamp set for FREE.  No tax, no shipping on it...it's absolutely FREE.  Wowzers!  

I'm so excited about this deal that I knew I wanted to promote it big time.  So look what I came up with to spread the word about our Plenty for Twenty promotion....

So what are you waiting for?!?!  Go do a little shopping and get yourself a FREE stamp set already! :)