Hey there Foxy Ladies!

Oh Yeah...check out this awesome stamp of the month for February called 'Wild about Love'...I'm not sure if you're aware or not but these little fox images are showing up everywhere! 

Last year it was moustaches, lips and owls...for anyone that has a thing for owls-great (like me!!!) but for those of you that got creeped out by them (my gal pals Tina and Sandra!)...I'm sure you're glad the industry has moved onto another woodland creature :)

Here's some artwork compliments of CTMH...

Ok, so this stamp set is only available during the month of February...while supplies last...$5 with any minimum purchase of $50 or $17.95 if you just want the stamp set!

Check out this LINK if you want to follow along on a CTMH BlogHop featuring this stamp of the month...contact me to find out how to get this set for yourself!

Thanks for stoppin' in today!

  

Classes, Retreats and Specials...Oh My!!!

So I have a feeling that I might be back! Grab your favourite beverage because this post is a little wordy! Only because I'm so supercalifragilistically EXCITED to share a couple Campaigns running with Close To My Heart right now!

The first is our Holiday from the Heart Gift Guide!

This mini-catalog is featuring some Exclusive, limited time product which is available right now until December 31st. There are several items in the catalog that have a 'star' and you can earn for FREE with each $100 in your order! I am currently playing with several of the goodies from this little catalog and let me tell you it's packed with goodness!!! I only 'earned' one free item and purchased the rest at regular price but as usual CTMH has some great value packed into this little guide! Contact me for your own copy or follow this LINK to see it for yourself right now online :)

The next exciting Campaign is for any of you that are thinking you'd like to Join My Team! Right now we are working on launching our next catalog (live to customers in February) but we are getting some inside information about what new products are in store! For those of you that have read a post or two of mine, you will know that I have embraced the Project Life philosophy for almost a year now. Both in the Becky Higgins style of recording a week in our life over a two page multi-pocket format AND in integrating my multi-pocket pages in amongst my regular/traditional scrapbooking pages. I have found that I am experiencing a great 'relief' in getting WAY MORE DONE and a fantastic feeling of satisfaction because more of my photos are in my albums!

So that being said, you can only imagine that I was out of my mind with excitement (cause scrappy things do that to me!!!) when I saw our newest promo highlighting our newest product release called 'Picture My Life™'. As you can see from the image above, we are going to be releasing 8 new Picture My Life™ scrapbooking programs. They will be featuring 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 me this means a couple things...I not only get to conitine to work in this multi-pocket, multi-photo format that I've grown to love and appreciate but I also get to offer it to my customers. My customers now have even more options and more benefits with CTMH and the quality of our products and compatibility of it all has just increased exponentially!

The papers in the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program kits co-ordinate with our current paper packs AND stamps and embellishments. We will have the multi-pocket pages available to order separately in various styles and at competitive prices AND the best thing is they will be in the same awesome heavy duty quality that all of our current page protectors are made from!

Not only are we offering these new page protector styles, but we have also added protectors to work with the current Creative Memories pages and albums! We are aware of the turmoil and changes in the CM Company and with their current customers. We want to be able to offer some compatible products to those of you that LOVE the CM album system :)

This is what our future page protectors selection, available in our next catalog, is going to look like:

• Top Load (10 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket and a gutter seam, $9.95)
• Top Load Value Pack (25 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket and a gutter seam, $19.95)
• Side Load (10 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket and a gutter seam, $9.95)
• Side Load Value Pack (25 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket and a gutter seam, $19.95)
• Strap Side Load (25 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket for strap binding, no gutter seam, $19.95)
• Design 1 (10 protectors – 6 vertical 6" × 4" pockets each, $9.95)
• Design 2 (10 protectors – 6 horizontal 4" × 6" pockets each, $9.95)
• Design 3 (10 protectors – 4 vertical 6" × 4" pockets & 4 horizontal 3" x 4" pockets each, $9.95)
• Design 4 (10 protectors – 4 horizontal 4" × 6" pockets & 4 vertical 4" × 3" pockets each, $9.95)
• Design 5 (10 protectors – 3 vertical 6" × 4" pockets & 6 horizontal 3" × 4" pockets each, $9.95)

So as you can see, in a couple months we will be able to help those of you that might not be scrapbookers but do have a shoe box or computer full of photos! You will be able to simple organize and jazz up those photos in a very simple format AND you will have those special moments into an album you can sit down and enjoy! For those of you that enjoy playing with paper and glue, this new program will extend your creativity and ability to get more done in less time AND it will add some more interest into your albums while at the same time allowing you to get more photos and moments recorded and stored for future reference! It's all Goodness on the horizon ;)

Moving onto current events ;) I am working on some layouts for a couple classes at the Ultimate Scrapbook Retreat this November 22-24th...I always look sooooo forward to getting away and getting creative but this month I wanted to offer a class or two with some of CTMH's new Christmas and Winter collections!

I am totally enjoying the new products and our new Artbooking Cricut cartridge...have you seen it in action? Do you have yours yet? Let me know if you want it added to your Christmas Wish List or have your husband/family message me and I can hook you up for the Holidays ;) Remember that with the purchase of your Artbooking Cricut cartridge, you've just earned one FREE 'star' item out of the Holiday from the Heart Gift Guide!!!

Here's a couple sneaks of my upcoming classes...

Thanks so much for hanging out here today, I love hearing from you so leave me a note in the comments below if you'd like :)

Blog Hoppin' with Poster Tidings in September!

Hello! Welcome to our Close To My Heart 'stamp of the month' Blog Hop! Hopefully you've had smooth sailing so far and have arrived here from Nancy Womersley's Blog...if this is your first stop, no worries as this is a circular hop and you will end up back here again once you've hopped on around to everyone's sites!

This month's stamp set is great! I've used the Fall themed one but am looking forward to creating with the Christmas one next...

This certainly was a basic layout design...I wanted to play with the 'Happy Autumn' stamp set and the Huntington papers... I love the rich Autumn tones in the papers and the inks...the sentiment was stamped in Autumn Terracotta, of course, and I've rocked some Red barn from the bottom up to add a little depth to the stamped sentiment. The Huntington assortment with these fantastic wooden buttons and canvas images were the perfect accessory to this page...now just need to take some new family fall photos to fill this page!!!

 Now head on over to Jean McNulty's Blog to see what she's done with this month's stamp, Poster Tidings!

Sizzlin' Summer Sketch#12

Sizzlin' Summer sketches are still coming your way...when I get a chance to actually get them done! I hope you are visiting Scrapbook Challenges to see all the sketches and examples from our Design Team and members in the gallery!

This sketch started one way and ended another, which is fine because I like how it all turned out!

I'm playing with our new 'Frosted' paper collection from Close To My Heart which will work great for Winter or Christmas  themed projects...check out some cards I created at the end of this post using one of our fantastic card kits! 

These glittery sparkles are discontinued now but I'm glad I bought lots when we had them in our catalog! I've just used an assortment of punches for the snowflakes that were in my stamp drawer at home...fast and easy when you are punching it outta card stock! Which is 'Colonial White' by the way :)

I have been featuring CTMH's new 'Artbooking' cartridge from Cricut in the previous few weeks...this project's title and fancy doily on the left side were both cut out of our cartridges...our glitter paper is so fantastic that it cuts like butter on the Cricut machine too! Which makes for some fun embellishments and titles in glitter!

Isn't this great, what an awesome doily huh?!!! Anyways, my goal was to keep this layout simple with simple embellishments and stay within the colours of this paper line...the photos are from 7 years ago when our family stayed at Leavenworth in Washington over the Thanksgiving weekend...this town is so interesting at that time of the year!

Our card kits come with enough product to create 15 cards! We also include an exclusive stamp set and envelopes!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Enjoy your weekend wherever you may be!!!

Sizzlin' Summer sketch #10

Hello again! 

Yes, I have missed a few posts' haven't I? Busy working and organizing some upcoming classes...getting sidetracked to say the least! But I'm back today with another Scrapbook Challenges sketch! 

I was trying to keep this one simple...I kept grabbing items to add to this layout and then I just decided it was finished...I am going to add a Project Life sleeve for the right hand side of the album and add the handful of other pics we took of Marissa's Birthday dinner...

I've used the Close To My Heart Sarita paper collection and embellishments...both the sticker sheet and the assortment of wooden bits. I also cut the doily in the background from the new Artbooking Cartridge...looks even better when it's not covered up!

I also stitched with my sewing machine to add a bit of dimension to these layers...I raised a couple of the card stock sticker flowers as well to make the layering of embellishments easier :)

Here's the sketch:

Thanks for stoppin' in today, I hope you enjoy the sketches this week!

Sizzlin' Summer Sketch #6

Oh Yeah! I'm back...missed a couple sketches...did you notice? I hope you clicked on over to Scrapbook Challenges and got a look at them even though I've missed them here! 

Gah, my weekend and week are just speeding by and as life tends to interrupt our creative intentions...such was the case for me!!!

I seem to be doing some really late night scrappin' but at least I'm getting a chance to play along with all these fun sketches...this one started with an idea in my head around the sketch and then kinda went a little North East from there!!! LOL

Isn't she cute?!!! It's pretty much just me in this household that thinks so...she is when she's taking one of her many daily naps...when she's awake she's not quite as cute and friendly...her teeny tiny size, a whopping 2.5 lbs, means she is quite nervous around short people (AKA. kids!) and so she tends to growl and snap at them! Ooops!

Ok so do you totally love these papers? This is the new Babycakes collection from Close To My Heart and the Babycakes Asst. which are these lovely canvas adhesive backed embellishments! So fun! The tiny type I've used for 'Lucy' is included in our My Crush Besties Asst. pack...a great little package of goodies that you can use with our new My Crush albums for fast/on the go scrapbooking...or to incorporate into your layouts, mini-albums or Project Life pages!

It just so happened that there was a great title already on my Babycakes Asst. sheet...which happened to fit in with this photo of Lucy having her nap :)

These great arrows were cut using the Sizzix 'Note to Self' Thinlits which coordinate with the Echo Park paper 'Note to Self'...it was super fast running these arrows through my Big Shot.

Here's the sketch!

 

Thanks for stoppin' in today! I hope you have some fun with these sketches...stay tuned for tomorrow sketch#7 and perhaps I'll even have a chance to get caught up with the last couple I missed! Fingers crossed ;)

I {HEART} sketches

Greetings Scrappers!!!

It's Monday and that means I've got another great sketch for you. Scrapbook Challenges always has some of the best sketches and I'm enjoying my time on the Design Team there very much! 

I'm not sure if I've mentioned our Sizzlin' Summer of sketches to you all yet?!! If not, let me tell you there are many more sketches coming your way...a total of TWENTY (20) sketches coming everyday starting today until the end of August! Yeah, you read right...TWENTY sketches!!! Phew...that means a lot of layouts from me and hopefully it'll mean a lot of layouts for you too!!! 

Now I REALLY, REALLY want you to try to get at least one done this month and when I say one sketch I mean for those of you double-pagers...you know who you are...I want to see you try to do a single! Yup! a single page layout ladies...come on, you can do it ;)

This sketch is super easy in design, but if you click on over to Scrapbook Challenges and see what some of my fellow Design Team members have done, perhaps it'll spark your creativity...which, after all, is why we are here at Scrapbook Challenges !!!

Here's my take on this sketch using yet another surf photo but this time it's of my eldest daughter and I'm playing with the new Carta Bella papers 'Beach Boardwalk'...I picked up a handful of papers and a sticker sheet which has alphas, images and phrases...perfect for some summertime photos!

This sticker sheet has two different sized alphas and ready to go stickers, which when you want to get your layouts done quick...come in very handy!

Now if you've seen my layouts before, you know I LOVE wood veneer...I will buy it from any manufacturer...I'm not picky! The heart and arrow in this layout are from the 'trinkets wooden shapes' from Close To My Heart! LOVE them...

...57 mini stamp-able, laser cut wood shapes for $6.95...seriously awesome...the circle and bracket shapes are from Maya Road I believe...not 100% sure though as I tend to open the packages and put the bits into my embroidery floss container...

One of my all time pet peeves is getting the true colour of the papers and layouts right before posting here...I almost have it on these papers, but not quite...taking your photos outside during daylight hours out of the direct sun is best but no guarantee that the photos will show the colours perfectly ;( just your best bet in getting the best photos possible.

Thanks so much for stopping by today !

It's August 1st !!! Guess what's new?!!!

Happy Autumn/Winter 2013 Catalog Day Everyone!!!

It's August 1st so that means our brand new catalog is live to all customers today!!! You can click HERE to see it online! Remember to contact me for your own copy!!!!!

I've been busy putting together my BC Scrapbooking Crop for Kids class layouts this past week...after the rush of packing up and coming home from our long stay at Shuswap Lake...I still have loads to do in order to be once again organized! Well, maybe just to keep my head above water, who am I kidding ;)

I've used the 'For Always' paper and embellies and our new Cricut Artbooking cartridge! Can I just say that our new exclusive cartridge is AWESOME!!!! I've only just scratched the surface as the possibilities are endless! Going to work on designing a 6x6 mini-album this week as a surprise to all my class attendees for the Crop for Kids weekend...shhh! Don't tell them, it's a surprise ;)

But I do have to say that this class in September is going to be fantastic! Just sayin' 

There are still spots available to attend this event on Sept. 27-29, 2013...you can click HERE to read all about it and to sign up! I'm not sure how many seats are left so get one while you can as this is an awesome fundraising event and you will come away from this weekend charged! There are always oodles of prizes, even more in the classes and lots of great donated items from all over the Fraser Valley on Silent Auction too! Hours of crop time...what are you waiting for?!!

Stay tuned for sneak peeks of this upcoming class and more creations with all the wonderful new products in our newest catalog!

Oh! I almost forgot! I wanted to show you this month's stamp of the month! Except that this month with every $50 minimum order...you get this month's stamp set FREE!!! 

How mouth watering is this 'A Chocolate Affair' stamp set?!!! 

Stamp set images are HERE

Thanks for stoppin' by!

Let's talk about July's Specials!

For this month only AND while supplies last...we are offering our Canvas art kit for 50% off!!!

Now what you don't see in the artwork below is that there are two different colour schemes you can go with when you get this kit...the one below is highlighting red and blue with brown but with my kit I used the yellows and greens and as you'll see, the end result looks completely different!!!

Now I want to warn you all that last months special sold out before the end of the month, so if you'd like to take advantage of this special you might want to let me know or visit my website now and grab this while you can! Make sure you check out all the 'While Supplies Last' section while you're there for ongoing awesome deals on products on their way out!

Every month we offer an exclusive stamp set...this July we've got the 'Sweet Life'...cherries, apples and peaches, very realistic looking and some great sentiments as well...click on this LINK to see the stamp images or to place an order. Get the 'stamp of the month' for $5 with every $50 purchase or order it on its own for $17.95...but remember that they are only ever available during the month they are featured!

I have orders going in every month, so you can easily message me with what you'd like and I'll be happy to add your order into my current order to save you on shipping costs ;)

Idea Books are going!

When I sit down to create, I need inspiration. I look to my sketches and I look to my CTMH How-to Books for that little creative nudge!

These beautiful books are full of blueprints, paper dimensions and artwork inspiration for cards and scrapbooks. Sometimes I copy a layout pattern exactly from the book, other times I just browse through, looking for embellishment ideas or title inspiration. My collection is within easy reach in my scrapbooking room, I use them often.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Close to My Heart has retired every single one of the How-to Books and they are only available while supplies last. I’m so glad my collection is complete, as I will continue to use the ideas and patterns for years to come.

It’s not too late for you. Although Originals and Reflections are now sold out, there are still 4 how-to books still available.

For scrapbookers: Cherish, Imagine, Magic
For cardmakers: Wishes

Over 120 pages in a beautiful hardcovered-bound book with spiral inside (so they lay flat!), filled with full color artwork and plenty of tips, techniques and ideas to spark your creativity! All for $21.95!!! Incredible price for so much value...

Can’t decide which ones to get? You won't be disappointed with any of them but Magic and Imagine are my favorites for scrapbooking and Wishes is often my card go-to book!

These books won’t be around much longer, so get them while you can!

Shop now!

Spring/Summer 2012 catalog LIVE date....

Countdown to the new Spring/Summer 2012 catalog....

Contact me to get your copy...remember this catalog is LIVE on February 1st and it's loaded with awesome new products and lower prices!!!

CLICK HERE for the link to the online version on February 1st!!!