Sparkle and Shine Christmas Cards

I had so much fun creating these 3 cards using Close to my Heart's Sparkle and Shine paper pack and a variety of stamp sets and embellishments.

This first card features the Santa Claus stamp set as well as Santa's Greeting stamp set, along with some red shimmer tape.

 

The second card features the sentiment from the Santa Claus stamp set and ornaments cut from the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and Cranberry Baker's Twine from the Harvest Collection as well as red shimmer trim, and silver sparkles.

The final card (and my favorite of the 3) showcases a beautiful reindeer cut from the Artbooking cricut cartridge, a circle of grey glitter paper cut from the Art Philosophy cricut cartridge, and Sparkle & Shine Washi Tape. The sentiment is from a previously retired CTMH stamp set called Holiday Warmth. 

Picture Your Life at Close to my Heart!

NOW is the best time to sign up as a consultant at Close to My Heart!

Picture Your Life at Close To My Heart is an incredible offer for new Consultants to join my Team! Sign up between November 1 and December 15, 2013, submit a qualifying minimum personal sales, and you will receive one of your choice of the incredible new Picture My Life™ scrapbooking programs!

 

The eight new Picture My Life™ scrapbooking programs feature themes based on some of our most popular paper packets, plus two brand new paper packets. Each individual program features 122 double-sided, designed cards plus 10 unique Memory Protectors™ to hold creative combinations of these cards and your own photos. You get 44 - 4" × 6" cards (2 each of 22 designs) which come in 14 vertical and 8 horizontal designs. You also get 78 - 3" × 4" cards (3 each of 26 designs) which come in 10 vertical designs and 16 horizontal designs.

For as low as $49, you will receive everything you need to get started as a Consultant who just loves to buy product for yourself at a great discount or as someone looking to make income doing something they love. In addition to the amazing products and business tools - you can also receive your choice of one of the new Picture My Life™ scrapbooking programs!
Sign up now!

Decorated Wooden Frames

I made these frames for a booth I had at a craft fair. I bought $1 wooden frames from Michael's, cut scrapbook paper to fit over them, Mod Podged the paper on with multiple coats, and decorated with various flowers, stamped images, ribbon, and metal words.

Autumn Card

I love Autumn! The air cooling in the mornings and evenings, the smell of cinnamon and vanilla, the re-introduction of pumpkin-flavored EVERTYTHING make me happy. It also makes me with we had the joy of seeing the leaves on the trees change to brilliant shades of oranges and reds. Since we live in the desert and everything is either green-ish or a lovely shade of dirt, I love dreaming of the fall colors in my artwork.

This card features beautiful Autumn colors as well as showcasing some words describing this beautiful season. I used September's stamp of the month: Poster Tidings. To get the multicolored panel using just the one stamp, I stamped the image on colonial white card stock multiple times using multiple ink colors. I then cut the accent words out of the stamped images into long strips and glued them overtop of the image I had stamped in slate. The leaves and scrolls were cut using the Cricut Artbooking cartridge.

Thank You Card Workshop

One of the things I enjoy most about having a booth at an event is networking with other business owners. Just a few weeks ago, I met a group of Mary Kay consultants. We were talking, and they were looking at my artwork, when they came up with an idea. The director of this group of ladies asked me to design a Thank You card workshop for her team. These are the cards they will be making at their team training meeting on Monday night. They will each make 5 of each of these 3 cards. They will each leave with 15 cards they've made themselves that they'll be happy and proud to send to their customers.

All three of these cards were made using For Always paper, Black Shimmer trim, black cardstock, hollyhock cardstock, and archival black ink.

This frst card also uses a border cut from the Cricut Artiste cartridge, and an image from the 4 My Friend stamp set.

 

This card features a cut from the Cricut Artbooking cartridge as well as an image from a retired thank you stamp set.

 

And the final card (my favorite of the 3) features the Thank You image cut from black glitter paper using the Cricut Artbooking cartridge.

 

I'm proud that they asked me to design their cards for them and happy that they liked my designs enough to make them for their customers.

Best Friends Scrapbooking Layout

At my daughter's 9th birthday party, I snuck her and her best friend into a seperate room for a little phot shoot. I had them pose in a bunch of silly poses. I thought the pictures turned out so cute and couldn't wait to make a layout using the colors in their dresses and lots of sparkles and glitter. I love how this layout turned out.

I would love to help you make layout YOO love with YOUR pictures to document YOUR memories - give me a call so we can get started!

Brag Books

These are some little brag books I made to sell at a craft fair. You can easily make these too. I purchased these inexpensive photo albums from Target for less than $2 each. Then I removed the printed cardstock from the front and back cover panels, cut my own cardstock or patterned paper the size of the pieces I pulled out, decorated with stamps and/or stickers, and reinserted the new covers. Viola! New and improved brag books. These can be made with any scraps you already have, and make a cute little gift for anyone who just wants to store their pictures in here and enjoy! Happy crafting!

Reusing Cricut Mats After They Have "Lost Their Sticky"

I've read on Pinterest a few different ways to get some more life out of your Cricut mats after they've lost their sticky. 

I decided to try them for myself. I took 2 old mats I had lying around. First I used a little soap and water and scrubbed the mats with my fingers and left them to air dry on my dish rack over night. In the morning, they were dry, but not sticky enough.

So I tried another experiment I saw on Pinterest. I got out my Close to my Heart Bonding Memories glue, and covered the entire mat with it. When this glue is wet, it is blue, as you can see in the picture below. I let them dry on the table for about 12 hours while I was at work.

The glue dried clear by the time it was scrappy time that night. I was over joyed with the results when I was ready to play. The papers stuck to the mat perfectly - and released perfectly. Success! I definitely recommend trying this technique to get some extra life out of your mats you would have normally thrown away.

Frosted Holiday Card Class

These are the cards I designed for my Frosted Holiday Card Class. When you come to this class, all the pieces will be cut out for you. You will get to stamp some pieces, then assemble 5 cards each of these 3 designs. You will leave with 15 cards and envelopes!

Each of these cards are made using the Frosted Paper Pack, Whisper cardstock, Crystal Blue cardstock and ink, Silver glitter trim, silver sparkles - and each features one of the three snowflakes from the Artbooking Cricut cartridge.

 

 This first card also features the Hostess Stamp Set: Card Chatter - Bright all Night

 This second card features the stamp set The Best Things.

This card features the word "joy" cut out of silver glitter paper using the Artbooking Cricut cartridge.

This card class is being offered on the following dates:

Friday, November 1 @ 7PM

Thursday, November 7 @ 7PM

Saturday, November 9 @ Noon

Thursday, November 14 @ 7PM

Saturday, November 16 @ 1PM

Friday, November 29 @ 6PM
Contact me today to reserve your spot. Call me at (702)460-7038 or email me at dana09@yahoo.com

Death by Chocolate

These are the little treat boxes I made for the ladies in my club this month. I cut the coffins out of black cardstock using the Artiste Cricut cartridge. After assembling and gluing the coffins, I inked the edged with white ink. I then cut the tombstones out of grey, and the spiders out in black cardstock, also using the Artitse cartridge. Using August's Stamp of the Month, Chocolate Affair, I stamped the sentiment onto the tombstone, then distressed the edges in black ink. Finally, after using 3-D foam tape to attach the spider, I covered him in Liquid Glass and allowed it to dry.

November Club Layout

I really enjoyed creating this scrapbook layout. This is the layout the ladies in my scrapbook club will be creating during their November Club Night. The Huntington paper pack and stickers were so easy to coordinate with these pictures, and the layout came together so smoothly. I used Barn Red and Cocoa cardstocks to compliment the beautiful patterned papers in the Huntington Paper pack. I kept the layout clean and simple by using only the coordinating MyStickease. For my journaling, I created a Word document, then printed directly onto the MyStickease sheet before placing the printed sticker on my layout.

To order all the supplies needed to create this layout, click here. Contact me if you'd like to join one of my scrapbooking clubs.

In the Spotlight: Babycakes!

This paper pack was just released August 1st by Close to my Heart - and today it is my favorite! When I first saw these pictures in the new catalog, I was in love. Although it is called Babycakes, and some the sticker pack is very baby themed, I could see so many more uses for this paper than just for baby scrapbook layouts and cards...

 

 

As soon as I got this paper pack and stickers in my hands, I immediately started my dog's scrapbook. Because of the soft neutral colors in this paper pack, I think it is a perfect match to Socks's puppy pictures 

 

 

I love how this layout turned out, and I think without the baby stickers, it could capture many more memories than just babies. So this layout will be the one my Scrapbook Club will make in October. Can't you imagine this layout for Fall or Thanksgiving or Halloween memories? I can't wait to see what my club members will create with this layout and their own pictures.

 

I used some scraps from the Babycakes paper pack when I was playing with my new Baby Carriage mini stamp to create this card. To color in the carriage, I used a waterbrush and stamp pad ink. The wheels, eyes of the giraffes, and edges of the carriage top are all outlined in Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel.

 

Then I wanted to experiment with this paper pack to create projects that aren't baby themed. This is a card I made using the Creepy Creatures stamp set. The striped paper is from the Babycakes paper pack. The skeleton is stamped in black archival ink and colored in with our chalk marker. I love how the star of the show pops off the grey cardstock.

 

Here is another card I made using a piece of paper from Babycakes - the grey background patterned paper. This card also features the Heartfelt Birthday Wish stamp, Black Shimmer Tape, and the new Black Mini-Medley Accents Collection.

 

As you can see, one pack the Babycakes paper packet is very versatile - and just one pack of paper can go very far as I have already made a 2-page scrapbooking layout, a 1-page layout, and 3 cards out of it, with still a ton of creating left in this packet. I'm excited to see what I can come up with next!

 

 

The Babycakes paper pack and all the supplies shown on this post can be purchased now from my website linked on the right or from here 

 

 Happy Crafting!

 

 

 

 

 

Idea Book Release Party was a success!

Last night was my Close to my Heart Autumn/Winter 2013 Idea Book Release Party. I had a great turn-out with some of my best friends and customers - as well as my new team member and a new customer - in attendance.

After a simple dinner of sub sandwiches and side dishes everyone made 2 projects. The first project was this card made using some paper from the Chantilly kit and the Hello Tweety stamp set.

 

The second project was a little goody box cut from the Cricut Artiste cartridge using crystal blue cardstock then embellished with paper from the newly-released Sarita paper pack, outdoor demin cardstock and Friend, the new Hostess Rewards Stamp Set. Then they filled their little treat boxes with chocolate kisses! 

 

 
Attendees booked their own home parties and looked through some of the new products from the Autumn/Winter 2013 catalog including all the new paper packs, embellishments and stamp sets.

 

Everyone browsed artwork made using the new papers, stamps, and embellishments

 

 

Then they learned about and signed up for the new Scrapboooking Clubs that will start in September 

 

Then it was shopping time! Everyone who attended got a copy of the new Idea Book along with A True Thank You, a stamp set from the new Mini stamps collection.

Everyone received drawing tickets for various reasons from attending to following my blog to purchasing items to booking their own party to signing up for a club. Prizes included paper packs, embellishments, and quite a few stamp sets. 

I'll tell you, I had an awful afternoon yesterday, but as soon as these ladies showed up laughing and ooing and aahing over the cutest papers and stickers and Cricut cartridges, I forgot all about my bad day. Nothing like stamps and stickers - and amazing friends! - to make a fun night! I hope they had just as much fun as I did. I'm already looking forward to the next Idea Book release party in January/February 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background Stamps

This is a great video from Close to my Heart on how easy and fun it is to use background stamps to make your own patterned paper.

The Big Bash!

 

You're Invited to a Close to my Heart

Idea Book Release Party

 

Friday, August 2, 2013  7-9PM at my House

 

Come see the newest Close to my Heart products due to be released August 1st - and get ahold of your copy of the new Idea Book.

-          Everyone who attends will receive a FREE Autumn/Winter 2013 Idea Book

-          Make a free project

-          Enjoy refreshments

A limited number of cash and carry items will be available at deeply discounted prices. 

Everyone who attends receives raffle tickets to win Close to my Heart products

-          1 ticket for attending

-          1 ticket when you RSVP “Yes” by Friday, June 26^th!

-          1 ticket for each friend you bring (or refer) to the party

-          1 ticket for every $10 you spend (includes any online purchases you make between now and  8/2 using the “Idea Book Release Party” link on stampsnstuff.ctmh.com)

-          5 tickets when you join a monthly club

-          5 tickets when you “follow” and leave a comment on my blog before 8/2 – stampsnstuff1.blogspot.com

-          7 tickets - and a FREE gift! - when you book and host your own home party

-          10 tickets when you join Close To My Heart, as well as over $155 in product for only $49 (or $335 in product for only $99)

Give me a call at (702)460-7038 to RSVP (1st 5 people to RSVP get an extra ticket!) or if you have any questions.

If you can’t make it to the party, you can still earn raffle tickets – call me to learn how!

 

**The card above is made using a new stamp set featured in the Autumn/Winter Idea Book. It's a Hostess Reward Stamp Set called The Party Is On.**

Irresistibles!

Check out this short video highlighting the adorable Irresistibles frames!


Aren't those projects just too cute? It's hard to believe a set of these frames is only $3.95! Click here to purchase a set for yourself.

For Always

We went to a beautiful wedding last month, and I made this card for the couple. When I heard their wedding colors were black and teal, I just knew the For Always paper pack was the perfect one to use. I really enjoyed cutting the couple silhouette as well as the Mr & Mrs images from my Close to my Heart Artiste Cricut cartridge. I love how the ribbon, flowers, and hat pin added just the right amout of detail to this card.

While I had the Cricut and this paper pack out, I decided to cut out this little purse with a pocket. I attached a little piece of velcro to keep it closed, and embellished it with a tiny pearl.

Just a few Dream Pop cards

The Dream Pop paper pack was only available from Close to my Heart in the month of May, but I couldn't help but make a few cards out of it this month.

I used the Word Balloons stamps set that came with the Cricut Artiste Collection on all three of these cards.

All three cards also include my new favorite embellishment - Silver Shimmer Trim!

To purchase these, and other beautiful products, visit stampsnstuff.ctmh.com.

Born to Ride!

I finally got to play with the Born to Ride stamp set (available at stampsnstuff.ctmh.com) last night, and I had a blast! I made this card for my future Father-in-law for Father's Day. He is a Harley fan, and a fan of any kind of creative artwork. To create this card, I first stamped and heat embossed the motorcyle image with black embossing powder. Then I stamped the small flame image with Sunny Yellow ink (a discontinued color) and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. Then I stamped the large flame image with Tulip (another discontinued color) and clear heat embossed it. Then I stamped the "Born to Ride" image with clear embossing ink and heat embossed it with silver embossing powder. The whole background is smeared with a tissue and ink using Black, Smokey Plum (retired), Honey, Autumn Harvest, and Barn Red inks. I love how it turned out - I hope Pops does too!

Bun in the oven!

I made this card to send to a friend whom we just recently found out is expecting her first baby. I can only imagine her excitement - and we are pretty excited for her too.

I made this card using the Chantilly paper pack available from stampsnstuff.ctmh.com and a couple retired stamp sets that I can't bear to part with - Family Ties-Adults and Gracious Greetings. I colored the glowing mom-to-be using Close to my Heart's watercolor pencils, then used the blending pen to smudge the colors. I hope this cute little card adds a little more cheer to her day!

Hello!

Just a little card I made last night using the Dakota paper pack, the Cricut Artiste catridge and burlap ribbon.

I Adore You

I ran across this card this afternoon that I designed for the open house I had back in February. Everyone who came got to make this card. I still adore it.

Command Center

My daughter and I had been talking about making her some kind of weekly calendar in a frame that she could write on and erase each week. When I saw that my friend and upline, Kim Moss, was making this project as a workshop, I was so excited to go make one too.

 

Kim had all the pieces already cut for us from the For Always paper pack, as well as a preprinted monthly and weekly calendar. I chose to stamp my accents from The Best Things stamp set, and "LEILANI" from the Glamour Uppercase stamp set. All of our pieces assembled beautifully in a 16"x20" frame. Then we attached a pen holder to the bottom to hold our Vis-a-vis pen and a decorated silver clip to hold her school calendar.

 

This afternoon, my daughter and I took it apart to add her photo. We also added some touches of cranberry by stamping the main image from the Love Doily stamp set and adding Pink Glitter Gems and Trinkets Wooden Shapes colored with cranberry ink. We had so much fun taking a beautiful project and adding a few of our own touches to make it match her room.

 

Here is a closer look at the top half of the Command Center... 

...and a closer look at the bottom half...