Online Scrapbooking For Everyone!

Have you tried Studio Scrapbooking? Studio J is Close to my Heart's offering for digital scrapbookers. Studio J is easy to use, creates fabulous layouts and doesn't require initial or ongoing investments in software or digital paper packages.

Best of all, you can explore Studio J for FREE! Because you don't pay until you're ready to purchase your layouts, you can learn to use Studio J and build you own pages free of charge.

Using Footloose digital papers and stickers.

And with the new Idea Book, Studio J just gets better! You're invited to try Express Collections, a whole new way to scrapbook faster than ever. Each of the six themed Express Collections includes ten unique two-page layouts plus a front and back page, all designed with embellishments, gorgeous My Stickease clusters and unique colour combinations. Just drop in your photos, add your journaling and you can literally create a custom album in minutes. CTMH has done all the work and you can take all the credit! Or you can still choose to design your layouts from scratch--the choice is yours!

Also new, CTMH has done away with Studio J memberships. Everyone has access to the following fabulous benefits:
* Low pricing of just $6.95 per two-page layout--that's less than $3.50 per page!
* Access to ALL kits and patterns.
* Free layout JPG files with purchase of printed layouts.
* Purchase standalone JPG files for just $2.95 each.

For gift giving, you can still purchase Studio J 5-packs for only $47.95. The Studio J 5-pack includes five double-page layouts and JPG files and shipping and handling.

The new Studio J 5-packs no longer come with Memory Protectors, however, if you purchased a Studio J 5-pack prior to July 12, 2012 and haven't redeemed it yet, you will still receive the Memory Protectors.

Using Believe digital papers and embellishments

With so many benefits and no obligation, why not try Studio J for yourself? Just visit my website, click on the Products tab and select Studio J Online Scrapbooking. To enter the Studio J site, you'll be prompted to create a free account. Then you can start exploring Studio J, uploading your photos and creating your own digital papers in minutes.

While you're exploring, be sure to visit the Ideas and Inspiration area of my website where you'll find tutorials on many of the tools in Studio J.

Fast, fun and fabulous! Studio J is a great way to finish albums fast.

Tomorrow's blog: Ideas and Inspiration

Hostess Rewards!

As a Close To My Heart Independant Consultant, I'm always on the lookout for people interested in hosting a Home Gathering. Sometimes customers and potential hostesses don't see the value in hosting their own Home Gathering. They think "I'm already giving you my business. I'm a loyal customer. Isn't that enough?" From my point of view, sure! I love your loyalty and appreciate your business, but there's a very good reason I want you to host your own Home Gathering: FREE STUFF!

Every hostess who sells a minimum of $150 at her Home Gathering is eligible for free stuff. Could you use $25 to stock up on stamps, cardstock and inks? How about $40 or $80? How about a 50% discount on one or more items? How about an exclusive Hostess Collection, valued at $100 or more, at 50% off?

When you host a Home Gathering, you earn Hostess Rewards based on the amount of sales. Check out the chart on page 2 of the Idea Book for the Hostess Rewards breakdown. The minimum sale level of $150 earns you $25 in free products. Consider that the average CTMH order is about $50, and you can see how easy it is to reach the minimum.

When you reach the second level of $250 in sales, you earn $40 in free products and any 1 item in the Idea Book at 50% off. You can use free product credit and 50% off to purchase stamps, acrylic blocks, inks, markers, re-inkers, My Stickease assortments, Complements, My Reflections paper packs, cardstock packs, Workshops on the Go Kits, Studio J layouts and Studio J 5-packs.

In addition, CTMH has put together four value-packed collections that are only available to Hostesses. Use your 50% off to purchase Hostess Collections featuring Avonlea, Dakota, La Belle Vie or Pear & Partridge papers, stamps, embellishments and more. Each Collection comes with a paper pack, My Stickease Assortment, stamp sets, acrylic blocks, inks, embellishments and more.

Collection One features the Avonlea paper pack and My Creations Bracket frame.

Collection Two includes the Dakota paper pack and My Creations Star.

Collection Three gives you the lovely La Belle Vie paper pack and Display Tray.

Perfect for Christmas, Collection Four offers a complete Christmas collection with everything you need to create perfect pages and cards.

You can also host your Home Gathering several ways: traditionally, in your home; as a workshop; as an Online Gathering.

A traditional Home Gathering is hosted by you and held in your home. I will arrive about 30 minutes before the scheduled start to set up my presentation and help you with any of the last minute details. While your guests arrive, I will chat with them and keep them company while you see to their comfort, whether it's getting drinks and snacks ready or answering the door. When everyone is ready, I will give a brief 15 minute presentation on the current Idea Book and point out some of the features of CTMH products. I'll answer questions and provide Idea Books and order forms to your guests. While they browse the products, I'll offer a small, free Gathering Project, usually a small card or bookmark, for your guests to complete individually. Afterwards, when your guests have placed their orders, I'll let you know what the sales were, how much you have earned in Hostess Rewards and help you to select products from your wish list for your order. With as few as four or six guests, many Hostesses find they earn enough in Hostess Rewards to get most of the items on their wish lists for free! When your guests orders arrive, I will deliver them to you and you in turn make arrangements to get the orders to your guests. Seeing your guests again to give them their orders is a perfect opportunity to thank them for helping you to earn free Rewards.

A Workshop Gathering is a fun event for your scrappy friends. You invite your guests and those who are confirmed will purchase the Workshop on the Go Kit. This needs to be done about two weeks prior to your Workshop Gathering. On the day of, I will bring the Kits along with other necessary supplies, such as inks and acrylic blocks, and set up the workshop. When your guests arrive, I will walk them through the Kit, demonstrating how to assemble and stamp. At the end of the event, you and your guests will have a treasured keepsake of a fun time. Your guests will also have the opportunity to shop from the Idea Book, and like a traditional Gathering, you'll earn Hostess Rewards on their purchases.

If you're a busy crafter who cannot or doesn't want to host people in your home, why not host an Online Gathering? This type of Gathering is not limited by time or space. You pick a date, usually about two weeks in advance, and your guests have until midnight of that date to purchase through your Gathering. All purchases count towards your Hostess Rewards. At the end of your Gathering, I'll let you know what the final total is and how much you have earned in Hostess Rewards. Best of all, you can invite guest from anywhere in Canada!! Your aunt in New Brunswick, your BFF in BC, your sister in Saskatchewan, invite them all! Any orders placed through your Online Gathering will be delivered directly to your guest. You'll even receive your own special electronic invitations, reminders and thank you notes for your Online Gathering. All the details are taken care of. You just enter the email addresses, send the inviation and the rest is taken care of.

With these great collections to choose from, FREE products and a great time with family and friends, why not book your own Home Gathering? With the launch of the new Idea Book just around the corner, now is the perfect time to book your Gathering. Be the first to offer CTMH's newest products to your family and friends.

Tomorrow's Blog: Online Scrapbooking for Everyone!

Cards! Cards! Cards!

Stamping and cardmaking. It's a match made in heaven. Close To My Heart knows many of us are not just scrapbookers, we're cardmakers too, and has responded to our need for quick, easy to assemble cardmaking projects with two new and beautiful cardmaking kits.

The Workshops on the Go Avonlea and Pear & Partridge cardmaking kits each come with everything you need to create 15 beautiful cards (five each of three designs): exclusive C-size stamp set, B&T Duos paper, cardstock (in exclusive matching colours), 15 Colonial White cards and envelopes and embellishments.

The Avonlea kit is perfect for expressing your good wishes and thanks. In beautiful, subdued tones, these cards are neutral enough for any occasion and elegant enough to make the occasion special. This kit also features cardstock in a special colour, exclusive to the Avonlea kits: Avonlea Off-White.

The Pear & Partridge kit is festive and shimmery! The tan twill ribbon offsets the bright bling of the Red Glitter Gems and gives these cards a touch of holiday glam.

The sentiments in lovely script and whimsical images of the C-size stamp set achieve a balance of traditional elegance and modern flair. This is a stamp set you will pull out year-after-year.

These card sets are perfect for hosting a workshop at your home with friends. Each kit makes 15 cards, so you can split one kit among guests or order each guest their own kit. Even as single card make-and-takes for your guests, these card kits are a fun and inexpensive way to let your guests get their hands dirty.

Book your Home Gathering today and mention if you'd like to provide a cardmaking workshop or any of the other fantastic Workshops on the Go.

Tomorrow's Blog: Hostess Rewards!

Calling All Circut Fans!

If you have a Circut, you probably know about the amazing Art Philosophy cartridge that cuts over 700 images (fonts, shapes and 3-D items). Just for Circut users, Close To My Heart is introducing a new collection and special Workshop on the Go Kits!

Like the Art Philosophy Collection, the new Circut Artiste Collection comes loaded with 700 images, themed projects, cards, fonts, shapes and 3-D items. It also comes with three D-size stamp sets and three packages of Dimensional Elements in coordinating shapes. You can cut the image with your Circut, stamp it with the stamp set and mount it to the Dimensional Element. All the products work together harmoniously.

You'll never be short on ideas of what to do with your Circut Artiste collection, but if you're looking for quick and easy projects, CTMH has just what you're looking for.

The Workshop on the Go Spellbound Circut Kit works with the Circut Artiste cartridge to create everything you need to create a Halloween party for 8: Treat bags, cupcake picks and liners, soda wrappers, and a spooky banner.

As with all WOTG kits, the Spellbound Circut Kit comes with a C-size stamp set. It also comes with the cute Spellbound paper pack which is only available through this kit. In addition, the kit includes 10 yards of Sunset Baker's Twine, Foundry Pin Clips, jump rings and an instructional brochure which will make bringing it all together a breeze.

The Artiste Collection also comes with lots of shapes for decorating your home for the holidays. With just some cardstock, stamps, ink, embellishments and your Artiste Circut cartridge, you can create these adorable Christmas trees to display, hide treats inside, to use as ornaments or festive place markers. The possibilities are limitless!

CTMH also offers another Christmas decor kit exclusively for Circut users: the Workshops on the Go Advent Calendar Kit. Using the My Creations cubby as a base and the Circut Artiste cartridge to cut the boxes, you can customize your own Advent calendar. Whether you're counting down to Christmas or another special occasion, the Advent Calendar Kit makes it fun and beautiful. Check out this video for details on what's in the kit and how to assemble it: Workshop on the Go Scroll Album Kit and Advent Calendar Kit Video. (Check out yesterday's blog for more of the Scroll Album Kit.)

Tomorrow's Blog: Cards! Cards! Cards!

Jump off the Page!

Scrapbooking isn't just for albums anymore! In the new Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book, CTMH brings you two new Workshop on the Go Kits to decorate your home. Here's a sneak peek at a new take on a mini-album.

The WOTG Scroll Album Kit makes a beautiful display on a mantle or bookshelf and is a wonderful gift. This four foot kraft paper scroll on a large wooden spool can be displayed open, showing the lovely stickers, stamps and buttons (all included) as well as your favourite photos, or rolled up and tied with a luxurious chocolate grossgrain ribbon.

Like all WOTG Kits, the Scroll Album Kit comes with an exclusive C-size stamp set that is only available through the kit and will not be available for sale individually or in any other Idea Book.

The easy to use instructions will have you quickly assembling this project. In as little as one hour, you can have it ready to display in a special spot in your home.

Because it's easy to use and can be assembled quickly, the Scroll Album Kit is an excellent choice for a Home Gathering Workshop. Simply invite friends and family and order one Scroll Album Kit for each person attending. Leave the rest to me. I will show you and your guests how to assemble the album and bring additional supplies, such as ink and blocks, saving the expense of purchasing them separately. Best of all, with as few as four guests, as the Hostess of a Workshop Gathering, you qualify for $25 in FREE CTMH products.

Contact me today to book your own Workshop Gathering.

Tomorrow's Blog: Calling All Circut Fans!

10 Day Countdown!

The countdown to August 1st is on! In just 10 days, the new Close To My Heart Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book is available! Keep visiting this blog over the next 10 days for sneak peeks at what the new Idea Book offers. Then visit my online store, www.susanagomes.ctmh.com, on August 1st to view the Idea Book and draw up your wish list. Want a hard copy of the catalogue? Just send me a message and I'll get one to you ASAP.

What will you find in the new Idea Book? CTMH is in the midst of upgrading and rebranding. You'll see a new look on the packaging as well as many new products.

Have you longed to have all the Exclusive Inks colours but couldn't spend $5.25 each for 60 colours? CTMH has made it easier for you to purchase the entire rainbow! CTMH has reduced the number of colours to 40--don't worry, many of your favourites are still there--and is introducing mini pigment pad sets.

Purchased as a colour family set (Basics, Enchantment, Adventure and Whimsy) of 10 ink pads for $19.95, you can stock your stash with every designer colour you've been after.

And of course, the new colour families are still available in the large stamp pads as well as reinkers. You can also purchase coordinating 12" x 12" cardstock in packages of 24 sheets.

But that's not all! With the last Idea Book, CTMH retired its popular line of Exclusive Inks markers. They have been replaced with a new line of alcohol ink marker sets available in the new colours. Each marker set, available for $5.95, comes with 2 coordinating shades. Perfect for colouring stamped images, these markers will be a must-have for your stash.

There's so much more to tell you about CTMH's amazing new products! Visit my blog tomorrow to find out about the new Home Decor Workshops on the Go Kits. Make it even easier for yourself by following my blog. Just click on the button at the bottom of the screen.

And just for fun, when my blog reaches 30 followers, I'll have a give away to celebrate! Join and spread the word!

Tomorrow's Blog: Jump off the Page!

July is the Best time to Buy!

Anytime is a good time to order fabulous Close To My Heart products through my on line store. Easy to use and open 24-hours, my on line store allows you to order items from current and past Idea Books.

But this month in particular, there are some great reasons to buy on line:

Have you visited my on line store lately? (Just click on the link to the left to get there!) Did you notice the "While Supplies Last" link? This link takes you to a Close To My Heart "clearance bin". The items listed here are deeply discounted. You'll find papers, ribbons, embellishments and ephemera not available in the Idea Book and only available on line. With bargains starting at only $1, you'll find something you love to turn you cards and scrapbook pages into treasures.

July is a great time to order through y on line store! Perfect Pairs is a special on line-only promotion throughout July. With a $75 qualifying order, you get a Perfect Pair (paper packet and embellishment) for free!

Have you checked out the Stamp of the Month for July? The "Live Out Loud" stamp set is only $5 with a $50 purchase. This lovely C-sized set contains beautiful sentiments in eye-catching graphics that are perfect for card making and scrapbooking.

And if you place you order by July 7th, why not join the Mystery Hostess Gathering? The Hostess for this Gathering will be drawn by lot. For each item you order through this Gathering, your name will be entered into a draw to win FREE Hostess Rewards! In addition, if you refer a new customer who also places an order, your name will be entered an additional FIVE times! Spread the word and have them mention who sent them.

As always, on line orders are shipped directly to your home--no waiting for a Hostess to deliver the items.

Perfect Pairs, While Supplies Last, Stamp of the Month and a Mystery Hostess Gathering!! July really is the Best time to buy!!