Super cute Valentine kit!

Whooo’s Your Valentine kit
 

Combine your love of paper and glitter with the contents of this kit to create personalized Valentines. This darling kit, which retails for $40, can be yours for only $10 when you spend $35 or more in Close To My Heart product from the Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book. This kit offers you a sneak peek at two new Spring/Summer 2013 products: the treat tubes and the silver glitter paper! Decorate the die-cut boxes with stamped images, cardstock, and glitter paper. Then attach the clear tube and fill with treats for quick and easy Valentines!

Featured Products:

12 – Die-Cut Boxes (3 each of 4 colors: Blush, Hollyhock, Ruby, White Daisy)
3 – 12″ × 12″ Cardstock Sheets (Blush, Hollyhock, White Daisy)
1 – Sheet Silver Glitter Paper – new product for Spring/Summer 2013!
12 – Treat Tubes with Lids – new product for Spring/Summer 2013!
1 – My Acrylix^® Whooo’s Your Valentine Stamp Set (D-size)

This offer valid through January 31, 2013. Limit one Whooo’s Your Valentine kit per qualifying order.

Once you’ve finished with Valentine’s Day treats, you’ll find plenty of uses for the stamp set with the adorable owl plus any of that awesome glitter paper that is left over. About the glitter paper – no, the glitter doesn’t rub off!  Another consultant said it best, “it’s a holiday miracle people”.  Even better, the Cricut cuts through it like butter.  Don't miss this great deal!

Holiday color palette

I took one look at this set of color swatches and felt like Christmas!

Source: jeanettelynton.com via Close To My Heart on Pinterest

What colors say Christmas to you?

Chalk It Up!

I came across this awesome layout this morning and decided the design was just what I was looking for to showcase my favorite French restaurant in a layout.  Now I can't wait to play with the Close To My Heart chalkboard sheet and marker!

I also found this video which showcases our chalkboard shapes plus gives helpful instruction on putting together Cricut cut 3D flowers.

These products can be found in our Autumn/Winter Idea Book:

• Z1767 Chalk Marker $2.95
• Z1788 Chalkboard Shapes $3.95
• Z1789 12x12 Chalkboard Sheet (adhesive backed and suitable for cutting with Cricut) $4.95

Special Offer Starts this week!

When you place an order of $35 or more in Close To My Heart products, you’ll receive the Whooo’s Your Valentine kit for only $10.  The Whooo’s Your Valentine kit includes 12 die-cut boxes, 3 cardstock sheets, 1 sheet of silver glitter paper, 12 treat tubes, and an exclusive D-size stamp set created specifically for the kit. This kit offers you a sneak peek at two new Spring/Summer 2013 products: the treat tubes and the silver glitter paper!  Don't miss this terrific value.  Contact me for details!

Crazy for Pear & Partridge

What is it about the Close To My Heart holiday collection, Pear & Partridge,  that keeps me coming back for more?  For me, it's both the beautiful color combinations and the gorgeous bird images.

This inspiring collection is so versatile!  You'll use it for cards, tags and even home decor.  Close To My Heart has created several sample projects to start your creative engines:

Take a closer look at Pear & Partridge products:

• Workshop on the Go Scrapbook kit
• Workshop on the Go Cardmaking kit
• Paper Pack
• Christmas Joy stamp set
• Christmas Love stamp set

New Tag Class

Hello scrappy friends!  I am excited to announce that I will be teaching paper crafts at Green Lotus Studios.  My first class, Holiday Tags, will be on Tuesday, December 11th at 6pm.  We'll play with pattern paper, clear stamps, glitter, mists and more.  We'll create tags suitable for gifts and scrapbook pages.  I'll also show you the fabulous Cricut Artiste cartridge from Close To My Heart and gorgeous rosettes you can create quickly and easily.  These rosettes are a terrific finishing touch for tags or gift wrap, an awesome accent for cards and layouts, and a stunning addition to banners.

Source: jeanettelynton.com via Close To My Heart on Pinterest

Please sign up for class through the Green Lotus Studios web site.  Class fee is $15.  Please bring scissors and adhesive to class.  All other supplies are included.

It's Finally Fall!

It's finally Fall; my favorite time of year.  Every year I look forward to pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin cheesecake and costume parties.  I like to celebrate Halloween in a big way!  I decorate the house and the yard.  For the past 12 years, I've gone to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom.  This event features my favorite Disney parade of all time.  Be sure to wear a costume if you go and take lots of pictures!

If you're planning a Halloween party this year, you'll love Close To My Heart's Spellbound Cricut kit.  Check out the great stuff you can do with it in this video.

New Halloween Stamps

It's about time for Tricks and Treats!  I've decided to treat myself to some new Halloween stamps.  I'm excited to start creating with the Backdrop - Charmed set from our new Fall catalog.

I'm looking forward to some crafty time this weekend and time to play with new stamps!

Cricut Artiste fun!

Check out this fun video of projects made with our new Cricut Artiste cardridge!

Help Wanted!

As many of you know, I volunteer for a charity called Wish 2 Breathe which is a local campaign of the National Foundation for Transplants.  Among our many plans for fundraisers, we have decided to participate in a Fall craft festival.  We'll be selling all sorts of handmade craft goodies at our booth in October and if all goes well, offering goods online through Etsy too. 

I'm thinking of offering holiday cards and gifts tags.  What sort of items do you think I should have on offer in our booth?

This is one of my favorite ideas for the gift tags:

It's Here ~ Cricut Artiste!

My Cricut Artiste cartridge has arrived and I am so excited to share it with you!  This new cartridge offers 700 shapes and includes dozens of 3D projects from flowers and rosettes to gift boxes. 

Our Cricut Artiste Collection includes the cartridge, a special booklet of instructions for 3D projects, three coordinating stamp sets and three sheets of Dimensional Elements in coordinating shapes (check page 15 of our beautiful new catalog).  The new catalog contains a huge variety of additional coordinating My Acrylix stamp sets too!

Close to My Heart is celebrating National Stamping Month.  You get the exclusive My Acrylix It’s Your Day double stamp set for just $5 when you place a minimum order of $35 in full retail products between August 15th and September 30, 2012.   Take advantage of this sweet deal when you purchase your Cricut Artiste Collection and don't forget to add our Stamp of the Month set to create an awesome bundle of savings!

Scrapbooking Swords?

I spent the weekend bursting with pride as I watched members of Team USA fence their hearts out.  I jumped up and down as our youngest fencing member, 18 year old Lee Kiefer, came in fifth in the women's individual foil event.  I cried when Tim Morehouse finished 8th in the men's individual sabre event. 

Why is it so hard to capture my passion for this sport in my scrapbooks?  I have a number of photos taken at the Duel Til You Drop tournament just waiting to be scrapped.  I have seen one Jolee sticker set made specifically for fencing, but I need more ideas.  Post here if you can help me!

Mariel, Tim and Olympic Fencing

 

Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics will be held today in London.  Team USA has elected two- time Olympic Gold Medalist and World Fencing Champion Mariel Zagunis to carry our flag.   Mariel, a 27 year old sabre fencer from Oregon, is a world class athlete.   In an interview with NBC Olympics, she said, “I'm extremely humbled by this incredible privilege. As an athlete, I can't imagine a higher honor than to lead Team USA into the Olympic Games, which are the pinnacle of sport and a platform for world peace. I am tremendously proud to represent my sport, our team and, most importantly, the United States of America.”

 

Mariel will compete in the Women’s Individual Sabre event held August 1^st.    Individual Foil events begin tomorrow and will be broadcast in Jacksonville from 7:30am – 9:00am and from 5:00pm – 8:00pm.  I’m also extremely excited to watch Tim Morehouse compete in the Men’s Team Sabre event on Friday, August 3^rd.  Tim’s book American Fencer: Modern Lessons from an Ancient Sport has been a true inspiration for me.  If you’ve never watched sabre before, Tim has created this helpful video which explains the basics of the sport:

I may never get to meet Mariel or Tim, but they have made a real impact on my life.  I’ll be cheering for them through the games.  I’ll be nervous for them each time they approach the en garde lines.  I will be joyful  each time they land a point.  I am proud that they represent me as both a fencer and an American.

New Projects Video

I've got another sneak peek today!  Two of the exciting and new Workshop on the Go projects from our Fall calendar are featured in this video.  You'll see everything included with the Scroll Album kit, which was a huge hit with the consultants at convention, and our new Advent calendar kit.

Don't forget; I'm hosting an online catalog debut event next week for those of you who just can't wait to see the newest CTMH goodies!  Let me know if you need an invitation.

Feeling like an Artiste!

It's no secret that I am super excited about our new Cricut cartridge Artiste.  I can hardly wait for the debut on August 1st!  Until then, I thought I would offer my loyal readers a sneak peek at an Artiste creation.  This cartridge offers 700 shapes including cupcake liners.  Presidential Director, Tina Sutton, shared this fantastic idea for using the cupcake liner to create themed party lights:

If you're planning a Halloween party this year, Close To My Heart has something very special just for you.  Be sure to check the awesome new catalog on August 1st or contact me for more information.

Fashionista!

Do you have a special friend that you turn to for fashion advice?  Last summer I had the good fortune to be visiting with my dear friend Candi just a few weeks before the Cystic Fibrosis Little Black Dress fundraiser.  Candi has terrific style and she understands garment construction better than anyone I know.  I was really excited to have her as my shopping companion as I searched for the perfect black cocktail dress. Candi and my goddaughters, Emily and Katie, pulled several dresses for me to try on.  Clearly these girls have inherited their mother's talent for fashion.  Here is the dress they found:

I feel like a million bucks in this dress and I've decided to create a scrapbook page about the shopping adventure and my fashion stylists.  I've found the perfect CTMH stamp set to create my page.  Take a look at Fashionista:

Let me know if you've created a project with this stamp set.  I'm thinking of making a couple of special thank you cards for the fashionistas I love!

Sneak Peek!

 Close To My Heart's annual consultant convention has just wrapped up and you would not believe the excitement generated by our Fall catalog and new products.  I've had the good fortune to preview the new catalog and I can hardly wait to share it with you!  There are so many beautiful new stamp collections and Workshop on the Go kits.  Of course, I am most excited about our newest exclusive Cricut cartridge, Artiste.  I'll have more information on that for you soon.  For those of you familiar with our awesome Art Philosophy cartridge, you've come to expect terrific value from our Cricut products and I promise you will not be disappointed in this newest release which includes 700 shapes, 3 coordinating stamp sets and more.  This catalog and the exciting new products offered will be available August 1st.  I'll be hosting an online gathering that very day for those of you who just can't wait to see the new goodies.  Let me know if you would like an invitation!

Fed Ex Delivers

Wow!  It seems like everything I've ordered in the past week or so arrived on my doorstep yesterday.  Thank you, Fed Ex :)  First, there was the bottle of Nuit Etoilee I just had to have. 

 

It's a splurge but so worth it. 

Next was the closet reach pole I found online that will finally let me use the second rod in my cedar closet.  Saving the best for last, there was quite a large box from Close To My Heart.

I know Convention is this week and I'll be placing another big order soon, but I couldn't resist the deal with Stampaganza.  I'm super excited to play with all of my new stamps, especially Fashionista (D1504) and Paper Lantern (C1458).  Plus, I picked up the Workshop on the Go Florentine kit.

This fantastic set, featured on pages 50-55 of the Spring/Summer catalog includes everything you need to complete two double page layouts.  Add a pack of our White Daisy die cut cards and a pack of our Pewter Badge Buttons and you'll be able to create a bonus project set of cards too!

Crafty Solution

I'm organizing a bit in the master bedroom and realized I only wear a small portion of my jewelry.  The pieces are put away in a couple of different jewelry boxes and what I don't see I rarely think of wearing.  My solution was to create three jewelry display boards next to my full length mirror.  It was super easy!  I bought a packet of thin cork sheets.  These are very light weight and measure exactly 12x12.  I then covered each cork piece with paper from Die Cuts With a View to match my decor.  The cork sheets are attached to my wall with Command Strips from 3M.  My jewelry is hung from push pins.

Shell Stamp Obsessed

What is it about the Quick Cards Shell stamp (A1128) that makes me love it so much?  Every time I see it used on a card or project, I am thrilled with the results.  Close To My Heart founder, Jeanette Lynton, selected consultant Christine Adams' gorgeous shell card for a recent Spotlight on Art feature on her blog

According to the blog, Christine used a paper-piecing technique to add dimension to her card, layering a trimmed Desert Sand image over a Cocoa image.  She added the blue highlights with a blending pen.  Thanks Christine, for the inspiration! 

Online Crop

I'm making weekend plans and I can hardly wait for some scrappy time!  I'm super excited about this weekend's online crop at with Shimelle.  Be sure to join in the fun :)

It's Promo Time!

Let me know if you need more details on getting your hands on this terrific Dotty for You paper pack!  You can purchase it at a huge discount with an order of $35 (exclusive of tax, shipping and Operation Smiles donations) or more beginning April 17th or earn a free pack along with our other awesome hostess benefits when you host a Home Gathering with me.

The Happiness Project

Amazon.com describes Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project more succinctly than I ever could.  "In this lively and compelling account, Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference."  You can read more about it here.

In January, I found a local group on Meetup.com whose purpose is to help members create their own happiness project.  We meet once a month to discuss our ideas, progress and one chapter of the book.  If this sounds appealing to you, please visit the group Meetup page.

Happiness has become a hot topic these days.  The New York Times recently featured this article regarding a United Nations resolution on the pursuit of happiness.  Heck, the book even made it on Jeopardy:

It will not surprise my readers to hear that stamps, photos and scrapbooks make me happy!  Getting snail mail also makes me happy so I tend to believe it's a treat for others too.  What makes you happy?