The Perfect Pair

During July, get a free paper packet and coordinating accessory--a Perfect Pair--with every qualifying online purchase.

Place an online order of $75 or more in July and you'll receive a popular paper packet and coordinating accessory--a Perfect Pair--for FREE! That's a retail value of up to $17.90!

Different Perfect Pairs are available on different dates throughout the month so you'll want to place more than one qualifying order to snatch several Perfect Pairs. Place your order early in the availability period, as the promotion is while supplies last.

Perfect Pairs are available as below:

July 1-5: Mischief Paper Packet and Midnight Felt Shapes (retail value: $15.90)
July 6-10: Dreamin' Paper Packet and Harvest Charms (retail value $ 14.90)
July 11-15: Fanfare Paper Packet and Fanfare Level 2 Assortment (retail value $17.90)
July 16-20: Lucy Paper Packet and Lucy My Stickease Assortment ( retail value $17.90)
July 21-25: Mayberry Paper Packet and Mayberry My Stickease Assortment (retail value $17.90)
July 26-29: Sophia Paper Packet and Sophia My Stickease Assortment (retail value $17.90)
July 30-31: Believe Paper Packet and Holiday Pockets OR Wonderland Paper Packet and My Stickease Assortment (retail value $14.90)

To make it easy for you to order and remember what's available when, I've created an Online Gathering for each Perfect Pair. Just go to my website and place your order through your desired Online Gathering. The Gatherings end on the last day that Perfect Pair is available.

To view these amazing paper packets and accessories, visit my website for the 2011/2012 Winter Idea Book.

Please note the following:
* The Believe and Wonderland Pefect Pairs are at CTMH's choice. If you order this Perfect Pair, you will recieve one of those two--you will not be able to select which one.
* Perfect Pairs are valid July 1-31, 2012. While supplies last. Additional shipping/handling and tax may apply. Discounted products do not count towards qualifying purchase.

Great Wolf Mini-Album

I was really excited to make this mini-album ever since I received my Footloose Workshop-on-the-Go Kit. But, I wasn't sure I had a summery-themed series of photos that was worthy of its own mini-album. Fortunately, a few weeks ago, my children and I took a little mini-break at Great Wolf Lodge and I have a perfect album commemorating our special trip!

Front Cover

In addition to the Footloose Kit (which includes the paper, cardstock, stamps and wooden badge buttons), I used the Footloose Dimensional Elements (chipboard shapes), Rustic Alphabet stamp set and CTMH Exclusive inks in Creme Brulee, New England Ivy, Sorbet and Lagoon. A perfect colour palate for water park pictures.

The album itself is the My Creations Memory Showcase: a 6" x 6" album in white with 2 chipboard covers and 4 interior pages. There are a total of 8 pages to decorate.

Inside Front Cover & Page 1

To achieve the multi-colour effect on the stamped images (the sea turtle and sea horse), I simply inked the stamp then added additional colours directly to the stamp using a piece of sponge. Starting with the lightest colour and progressing to the darkest colour works best.





Pages 2 & Inside Back Cover

The large chipboard sun on page 1 overhangs the page. To avoid displaying the back of the chipboard on the next page, I covered it with patterned paper. It looks like a tab and adds a little more interest to the page. This technique was repeated on the back of the pink chipboard piece that peeks over the top of the inside back cover (green tab on back cover).


On the last pages, I layered various elements. On the back cover, 2 "ribbons" (I snipped a chevron end on 2 strips of patterned paper) were set behind the chipboard title which was then adhered with adhesive foam to pop it up. On page 3, the star was added over the chipboard flower and both of these were layered on top if the scalloped title strip.

Back Cover & Pages 3 & 4

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It was trickier to cluster the chipboard shapes and wooden badge button on page 4--the thickness of the chipboard left very little surface for the button and star to be adhered to. I used pop dots to even out the heights of the button and the star, both of which are layered over the sand dollar and wave chipboard, but are actually adhered to the pattered papers.

Throughout the album, I stamped whimsical clams and sand dollars on the wooden badge buttons.

I'm really delighted with this album. The colours, paper and images fit the album theme perfectly.

Do you have some special vacation photos that deserve special treatment? Are you taking a holiday this summer and want to whip up a keepsake quickly afterwards (or even beforehand to add photos to once you're home)? Whether you're taking a cruise in the Caribbean or relaxing at the local beach, check out the Footloose Workshop-on-the-Go to preserve your summer memories.

How To: Studio J

Hi Studio J scrappers! Check out this video for detailed instructions on how to use some of Studio J's features to personalise your layouts. Learn how to change papers, colour like and individual items and make the most of My Stickease embellishments.

Studio J Tutorial

Happy Scrapping!

A Little Stamp Goes a Long Way

All it takes is one little element to add a special spark to a page. If you have a simple style, like I tend to use on my pages, that little element can make a huge impact on your page.

For this class photo page, I followed a sketch from PageMaps 2 by Becky Fleck. It's a pretty simple page, only two patterned papers used, but the stamping really adds a flair to it.

The title is stamped using the middle sized letters from the Trinity Alphabet stamp set, and the other stamps are from the Blue Ribbon set. The Exclusive Inks colours used are Lagoon, Bamboo and Cocoa. (And even though these are not CTMH papers, notice how well the colours co-ordinate!)

To create that special element, I used the ribbon stamp and layered the pinked-edged circle over it. I stamped the "You're My Shining Star" sentiment over top and popped up the circle with adhesive foam.

I also stamped the "Happy Day" sentiment next to the journaling.

Next time you're wondering how to dress up a page, take a look at your stamps. You don't need to use every stamp in the set on the page. Find those one or two stamps that work together or on their own to take you page to the next level.

Studio J Layout: Feathered Friends

One of my favourite things about Studio J is the wide selection of papers and embellishments. Papers in colours I would admire, but never buy knowing they would sit in my stash never to be used. Most of my scrapbooks are filled with pages about my boys. There are very few with feminine subjects.

So when I get an idea for a page that can take on a feminine feel, Studio J offers a great range of digital papers unlike anything I'd find in my stash.

For this page, documenting my favourite back yard visitors, a family of goldfinches, I used the new Lucy line of papers and embellishments. Perfect for girly and baby pages, I thought the beautiful florals and co-ordinating green (Pear) papers were just right for a garden layout.

I used a Studio J template, but I personalized the papers and embellishments to make this page uniquely mine.

I began by replacing the cardstock background with a floral patterned paper.(The same pink floral paper on the left side of the photo row.) Then I altered the floral paper by switching from full colour to grey (Grey Wool). This gives the background paper a lovely, subtle patterns but doesn't detract from the photos or full colour papers.

After selecting the patterned papers and distressing the edges, I embellished the page with stickers from the Lucy My Stickease assortment. There was a lot to chose from! I also resized several of the stickers to fit with the scale of the layout.

Finally, I added stitching in several spots. Stitching is one of my favourite embellishments in traditional scrapbooking and even more so in Studio J scrapbooking where a half hour of piercing holes and threading is replaced with a click of the mouse! I used several different stitches in different sizes. The large cross-stitch across the top of the page grounds the title and unified the two halves of the layout. The smaller running stitch on the large floral paper creates a frame for the photos. And the adorable stitches flowers add a bit of whimsy.

Go ahead and try Studio J to break out of your usual scrapping themes and try something you might not even consider with traditional scrapbooking. With four convenient online options, there's a Studio J package suited to you. Click on the link to my online store on the right to learn more about s
Studio J.

Happy Scrapping!
Susana

Mystery Hostess

Want to take advantage of the Dotty For You or Stampaganza offers but not going to a Gathering? No problem! Join the Mystery Hostess Gathering on my website (just click the link on the right and join!) and you can place your order!

Order before May 31st to receive the Dotty For You paper pack with orders of $35. This 24 sheet collection is full of vibrant colours and perfect for summertime scrapbooking.

And as always, with orders of $50, the Stamp of the Month is available for only $5. May's Stamp of the Month, Friendship, includes two beautiful images of sunflowers. This D-size stamp set also has leaves and lovely sentiments. Use this versatile set over and over for cards, pages and home decor items.

Or...for the stamper who can't choose just one of Close To My Heart's amazing stamp sets, join in June for Stampaganza! This promotion offers a FREE stamp set for every two ordered. And that's on ANY stamp size.

Take advantage of this amazing offer to stock up on the stamps you'll use all the time--like the amazing alphabet stamps--as well as the ones that will help you make dozens of cards quickly--like the Quick Cards stamps.

Have you already bought the fabulous paper lines in the current Idea Book? Stampaganza is a great way to save some money to purchase the co-ordinating stamp sets! Just look up the paper line in the Idea Book and find the matching stamps. And remember to check out the co-ordinating colours for ink pads!

And while you're stocking up on stamps, check out June's cute Stamp of the Month. With it's doodle images and curly-cues, this stamp set is just "too tweet"! (Sorry, the Stamp of the Month does not qualify for the by two get one Stampagnza offer.)

But the great offers aren't over!! Place your order through the Mystery Hostess Gathering and you could WIN FREE HOSTESS REWARDS!! For every item you order through the Mystery Hostess Gathering, you name will be placed in a draw. The draw winner will win the Hostess Rewards for this Gathering. The Rewards start with Gathering sales of only $150 and the minimum Reward is $25 in free Close To My Heart products! The more the sold through this Gathering, the bigger the Hostess Rewards will be! Will it be $40 in free product and 1 item at 50% off? Will it be $80 in free product and 2 items at 50% off? We'll find out on June 10th when the Mystery Hostess and Hostess Rewards amount will be revealed.

Remember, your name will be entered into the draw for EACH ITEM ordered. So, if you're taking advantage of Stampaganza and the Stamp of the Month, your name will be entered 4 times! And as a bonus for customers who spread word of the Mystery Hostess Gathering, I will enter your name an additional FIVE times when a new customer places and order through this Gathering and mentions you. Spread the word!!

Just click on the link on the right to join the Mystery Hostess Gathering.

Enjoy shopping and good luck!!

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month!

It's National Scrapbooking Month and there's a lot to celebrate! Not only is it time to take pride in a joyful hobby (or make time for that hobby) it's time to celebrate the yourself and what you've accomplished. Take time to look over your scrapbooks, scrapping projects, cards and home decor items. Take that walk down memory lane and enjoy the beautiful art you've created.

For me, this month is a special celebration of the first three months of my Close To My Heart business. As a THANK YOU to my customers and scrapping friends who have been so supportive as I've started out, I'm inviting all of you to a special Crop and Shop on May 11th. Meet me at A Gift of Art in Newcastle, from 6PM to midnight for cropping, a make and take, challenges and shopping. This FREE event has limited seating, so RSVP early. Email me for further details.

If you can't make it, but would still like to shop, just visit my website and join the Scrapping Celebration Gathering.

This is a great month to get those Close To My Heart items on your wish list. This month there are two great promotions.

The Stamp of the Month for May is a beautiful sunflower. There are so many possibilities. With your qualifying $50 order, this D-size stamp set can be yours for only $5! This Stamp of the Month is only available until May 31st.

 Also only available until May 31st is the Dotty for You paper pack. With a qualifying purchase of only $35, you can order Dotty for only $5. But that's not the only way to get it! If you book a Home Gathering for May and have sales reaching $400, in addition to Hostess Rewards, you earn Dotty for FREE! There are still spots available for May. Contact me now to book your Home Gathering.

Hope to see you at my Crop and Shop on May 11th!!

Happy Scrapping!