December Deals!

Only 22 shopping days until Christmas! Close to My Heart is a great place to shop for the crafters on your list.

The December Stamp of the Month features adorable "Special Care" labels which can be cut with the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge. These stamps are perfect for cards, scrapbook pages, gift tags and anything you'd like to add a message of of love to.

This stamp set is available until December 31st only. With a purchase of $50 or more, you can have this stamp set for only $5! (Regular price: $17.95)

Remember, the products from the Close To My Heart Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide are still available, until December 31st, and have great products for all kinds of projects: cards, scrapbook pages, mini-albums, tags, bags and more!

Get something for all the crafters on your list, then get something for yourself! With every $100 purchase from the Fall/Winter 2013 Idea Book or Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide, you can choose a "Star" item from the Gift Guide for FREE! Choose from the Sparkle & Shine Paper Packet, Sparkle & Shine Complements Dimensional Elements, Magical Days stamp set, Santa Claus stamp set, Mary and Babe stamp set, Trim the Tree stamp set, Charming Chevrons stamp set, Banner Wishes stamp set, Lifting Spirits stamp set, Lots of Love stamp set, or Angel Friends stamp set.

There's still time to host your own Gathering in December too! This time of year is so busy, but you can invite friends and family to shop through your Online Gathering and earn free Hostess Rewards for yourself! Contact me today to set up your own Gathering!

Note: To guarantee delivery before Christmas, place your order or host your Gathering no later than December 9th.

Merry & Bright!

You may remember, when I first signed on as a CTMH Independent Consultant, I became enamoured of Studio J--CTMH's online scrapbooking tool. I still love it. At the time, I was years behind in my scrapbooking and challenged myself to complete two albums: one in Studio J and one in traditional paper. Well, it's been 22 months and I've finally completed the traditional paper album!

Last page for my 2010 album.

Of course, the Studio J album (2011) was completed much more quickly. That one took about nine months. It was fast, easy and fun and I will keep going back to Studio J, but I'll never give up traditional scrapbooking.

So, what's next? I've been working on my 2012 and 2013 albums in Studio J on and off for a while, but now I think I'll turn my attention back to my heritage album. It has sat on the back burner for a long while--in fact, I don't think I've done one page for it in the past year. But then I've got to get cracking on my yearly albums again--I don't want to fall so far behind again.

There are a few things worth mentioning about the Merry & Bright layout above:

• I didn't follow a sketch! You know how much I love my sketches, but after spending some time looking for a double-page layout that could handle several 4" x 6" photos, I gave up and decided to "wing it"--so many double-page layouts today rely on small photos. It was fun, and easier than I thought it would be, to get my creative juices flowing once, I'd figured out the layout for the photos.
• This layout is made of scraps! I used the leftovers from my Sparkle & Shine kit, but I never had to cut into a new sheet of paper. The scraps I'd saved from previous layouts made with this kit (four and counting) were enough to add colour and interest to this page.
• Bling! Bling! I got out my new Shimmer Trim, in red and silver, to add sparkle and shine. I love this trim! It's as sturdy as glitter cardstock, has a strong adhesive backing (which isn't difficult to remove) and the glitter stays on the trim--it doesn't rub off on your fingers! I also added some rhinestone gems and Bitty Sparkles. (I find myself using Bitty Sparkles on everything these days--pages, cards, tags, everything!)
• I dusted off my Silhouette. I haven't used it in a very long time, but my love for die-cuts is ramping up again. Die-cuts are a great way to add fun titles and shapes to a project. Once I start merging die-cuts and stamping, watch out!

Looking ahead, I already have a few pages completed for 2013 (as well as 2012). It's going to be a great scrapbooking year!

Opening and closing pages of my 2013 album done using Studio J.

Sneak Peek: Day 2

Fabric Necklace Kit

Undoubtedly you've heard me talk before about taking scrapbooking out of albums and into your world. This fall, CTMH is showing you a new way to take your crafty skills to the next level: making jewellery!

Base & Bling (wearable crafting projects) allows you to create beautiful adornments that reflect your scrapping personality.

Start with the Base elements (necklace, cuff, hair clips, rings or headband) and add the Bling with five different assortments (in teal, black, red, pink and purple) and two different accents (words and floral). There are also adhesive dots and strips to make sure your creation is easy to assemble and lasts.

Add textiles to your jewellery to create rosettes and flowers. There are four textile sets: Chantilly, For Always, Sarita (new) and Sparkle and Shine (new).

Want to try making your own jewellery, but not sure how to start? Try the new Fabric Necklace Kit! Use the fabric from the Sarita textiles and Base & Bling products to create your own beautifully embellished necklace. The kit includes the following: Outdoor Denim/Twilight Dots fabric, Base & Bling necklace, adhesive dots and strips, selected teal and black jewels, floral accents and word accents.

For only $14.95, the Fabric Necklace Kit is an excellent way to to try out crafting your own jewellery. It's also a great project and affordable project for a Home Gathering! Your crafty friends, scrapbookers or not, will love making this beautiful necklace.

Don't wait until the Idea Book comes out! Book your own Home Gathering now!