3/31/2014

Balloon Talk - CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop


Welcome to the April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! 






This month I am following {Adeline Brill's Blog.}   We have over 50 Close to My Heart Consultants participating in this month’s Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.   If you lose your place while traveling through our blog hop, the complete list of participants can be found here.                                                                                                              

The April Stamp of the Month is entitled Balloon Talk (S1404) (Set of 24). Here is a picture of this stamp set:





Such a fun stamp set!  My grandson always calls himself awesome, so I have to make him some cards using that sentiment.

But for the Blog Hop I needed a thank you card and this owl caught my attention.  Here's my card.


I just purchased a new Cricut Explore and am having a ton of fun cutting out images from our Close to My Heart exclusive Cricut Cartridges.  I placed this owl from the Artbooking cartridge over a piece of Cotton Candy cardstock that I embossed with our new polka dot embossing folder.  Love, love, love!

I had to decorate the inside of my card as well.  I used a piece of the Lollydoodle patterned paper from the front and then edged it with part of a zip strip from the same paper packet.



Thank you for visiting my blog.  I would love for you to leave me a comment and then please go to our next artist, {Kami Welter's Blog.}

The Balloon Talk Stamp Set can be purchased for $17.95 or if you purchase $50 in CTMH products, you can add this stamp set to your order for an additional $5.  This stamp set is only available between April 1 – April 30, 2014. 
You can purchase this stamp set as well as any of the above supplies  on my website.  



3/20/2014

Join Me in the Close to My Heart Emboss It Blog Hop!


Welcome to the Close to My Heart Emboss It Blog Hop! 






This hop I am following {Adeline Brill's Blog.}   We have about 25 Close to My Heart Consultants participating in the Emboss It Blog Hop.   If you lose your place while traveling through our blog hop, the complete list of participants can be found here.                                                                                                              
Close to My Heart introduced our new Embossing Folders with the Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book.  I had never used embossing folders, though I did own a Cuttlebug.  I have been surprised at how easy they are to use.  I especially like that they have an opening at the top that allows you to emboss a piece of paper that is as large as 4" x 12".  

Here is my artwork:



I am working on a Paper Fundamentals card workshop and decided to see if I could combine the embossing folder with the Paper Fundamentals paper.

Once again I went to my go-to How to Book, Make it From Your Heart, Volume 2.  I used Pattern #28, pg 46.  LOVE the way this pattern goes together and showcases the paper and the stamp set.

I also used our Skylark paper pack and actually embossed the patterned paper.  The strip with the sentiment was kind of blah so after I stamped the sentiment,  I ran it through the Cuttlebug with our damask embossing folder.  Look at a close up of it now.  Can you see the embossed pattern on the patterned paper?  Now it has gone from blah to super cute.



I inked the edges of my card with our pigment ink mini pads because I wanted a stronger inked edge.  The sentiment and the flower came from the Funky Blossoms (B1452).  I stamped the flower on Sweet Leaf cardstock and then stamped it again on the striped patterned paper.  I cut the striped flower out and popped it up with 3D foam to add dimension.  In the center of the flower is some very elegant bling from the Rosewood Mini Medley.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I would love for you to leave me a comment and then please go to our next artist, {Brae Montgomery's Blog.}

You can purchase the supplies used  on my website.  


Supplies Used



3/14/2014

Want a Free Cricut Cartridge?




I am getting desperate and am pulling out all the stops!  I need 3 new Consultants to join my team so that I can keep my title of Director.  Please contact me if you have ANY interest in becoming a Close to My Heart Consultant.  No selling required and you get a 22% discount off of your own orders PLUS be the first 3 to sign up as a Consultant and get a FREE Close to My Heart Cricut Cartridge collection of your choice.  

*This offer is good only through Melinda Everitt, Director, CTMH Independent Consultant and you must email me at mkgmt@aol.com or call me at (901) 218-1847 if you would like to sign up in order to qualify for the FREE Cricut Cartridge.

Thank you so much for your consideration!

3/09/2014

Stampers with an Attitude Focus on Paper Fundamentals Blog Hop


Welcome to the March Stampers with an Attitude Focus on Paper Fundamentals Blog Hop .  This month I am following  {Catherine Nowak.}  Our blog hop is a circular hop.  You just click on the link to the next blog on the bottom of this post and go visit the next blog.  If you get lost, I have all of the participating blogs near the bottom of my post.  Hope you enjoy seeing what our team has made for you.

This month our Stampers With an Attitude is featuring artwork with a Focus on our new Paper Fundamentals from the Spring/Summer 2014 Catalog. Paper Fundamentals is our fun to use new paper pack that has 10 different designs.  One side is cardstock and the other side has a glossy, embossed resist pattern.  There are 20 double-sided 12" x 12" sheets (2 each of 10 designs).

Right now, Balloon Ride is my favorite paper pack in this new catalog.  The colors are so spring-like and muted - very vintage and shabby chic.

For this card, I pulled out my Close to My Heart Wishes How to Book, page 27, called Lucky Layers.  I turned it on its side for this card.  I used our new Stamp Set called Give a Lift (D1581), which I colored with our Blending Pen and inks.  I added some embellishments from our Rosewood medley (my favorite as well), and then used the embossed side of the Paper Fundamentals that reminded me of an Art Deco pattern.  I think it went well with the feel of the era pictured in the stamp set.

Here's my card:








The Eiffel Tower is cut out of our Bronze Glitter Paper with the Cricut Artiste, pg 42, Accent 1, 1.25".


The Colonial White oval is cut with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge, pg 42,  , 2.75" and the Saddle oval is cut at 3.0.  The entire card is 5" x 7".  The rose is cut with the Art Philosophy, pg 70, 2.5". I put a brown sparkle in the middle of the rose.  The edges if all the paper and the rose are sponged with Saddle Ink using a sponge dauber.

See the bronze scallop?  It is our Bronze Glitter Trim cut with our scallop punch.


Supplies Used




See something you like?  Well I would love it if you would head on over to  my website and see what Close to My Heart has to offer!  I am sure that you will love our products as much as I do. 


HTML tutorial

Now, hop on over to our next Blog hopper, the very talented, {Denise Elliott} and see what she has made for you to see!


If you get lost, here are the links to our participating blog hoppers.
  1. Kimberly Moss ~ http://kimspapercrafts.com
  2. Sheila Bennett ~ http://sheila-bennett.blogspot.com
  3. Catherine Nowak~ http://catscrapbooking.com
  4. Melinda Everitt ~ http://ifyoublingit.blogspot.com
  5. Denise Elliott~ www.inspiredbyd.blogspot.com
  6. Keeley Kirwan ~ http://keeleyskreations.blogspot.com

3/06/2014

Rediscover Home with Close to My Heart


Close to My Heart is running a campaign this year called Rediscover Close to My Heart.  Each month there is a downloadable file that you can print onto cardstock with your printer and make some cute projects.

This month the project is these cute circle labels.

Click Here to Download

Aren't these useful?  I am going to print them onto white cardstock, cut them out and replace the labels on my worn out spice organizer.  It will be nice to have something new and fresh.

3/05/2014

Tutorial on How to Use Flip Flaps


One of the most popular products at my crops is our Flip Flaps.  They come in all different sizes and allow you to add extra pictures to your layouts instead of having to add pages.  One of my sister Close to My Heart Consultants, Lynn Como, made this video showing how she uses Flip Flaps in her scrapbooks.



And did you know that Flip Flaps can be used in Mini Albums and to even make cards?  I have got to show you a card that I made using a Flip Flap.



A very special one-of-a-kind card!  My granddaughter has already "called" this card.



3/04/2014

Troubleshooting My Cricut Expressions and Expressions 2


I decided at the end of last year that I was going to take a few weeks off to fix up my scrapbook room, kitchen, living room and dining room.  I intended to paint the walls, pick out curtains and hang them, find some cute towels.  That shouldn't take more than 3 weeks, right?

Well 3 weeks turned into 2 months, but it was time well spent.  I will share some pictures of my scrapbook room once I get my Open House mess cleaned up.

Anyway, during this time I purchased a new laptop.  I wanted a laptop with a big screen so that I could actually see Cricut Craft Room when I used it with my Cricut.  My hubby bought me an HP with a 17.3" screen.  But along with the big, beautiful screen came Windows 8.

My notebook with its itty bitty screen used Windows XP and I knew it like the back of my hand.  I turned on my new computer and it instructed me to update to Windows 8.1 and I did.  That was my big problem.

So ....... a couple of weeks ago I was in a big hurry to get my Close to My Heart Ivy Lane Scrapbooking Workshop cut and I fired up the new computer, attached it to my Expressions 2, loaded Cricut Craft Room, opened up my CCR file and hit cut.

Nothing happened ..........  Absolutely nothing.  It refused to recognize that my mat was loaded.

That led to 2 days of  trying to figure out what was wrong.  I brought out my Expressions and tried to update it with my new computer.  It loaded the update overnight but still wouldn't install the update.  I really thought that it was my internet connection.  Crazy, huh?

Not until my husband asked me the next day, "When was the last time your Cricut cut anything?" did I realize that it was probably my computer.  I pulled out the notebook with its itty bitty screen and the Cricut jumped to life and cut like a pro.

That was when I realized that the Villain was WINDOWS 8.1!  I Googled my problem and found this from Cricut.com: We have now released an update to the Cricut Craft Room program that should make the program compatible with the Windows 8.1 operating system. This fixes issues like:

-Getting Stuck on Initializing/Accessing Account when trying to log in.
-Not being able to complete Firmware updates.
-Loaded mat not being recognized/Checking Mat Status
-Issues linking Cricut cartridges to the Craft Room.

To complete this update process, you will need to visit http://www.cricut.com/home/usemini. You will then see a screen, please select the green bar that says 8.1 Update for PC. This will install the most current build of the Cricut Craft Room program (Build 185).

If you do not see the Windows 8.1 button, please clear cache and cookies or try another browser. If you still can’t see it, use the link below. This will go directly to the update.

http://craftroom.cricut....cricut-craftroom_185.exe

This fixed my problem and now both of my Cricuts are once again chirping away.  Fingers crossed that I won't have problems with my new Cricut Explore and Windows 8.1.

3/03/2014

March Promotion - Studio Savings - Try It, You'll Like It!


Have you ever tried our free to use, online digital scrapbooking program called Studio J?

  • 135 different free paper kits to use for your layouts, some exclusive to Studio J
  • 79 gorgeous Close to My Heart patterns to choose from
  • 93 Express Collection Layouts
  • As well as 11 layouts used for photo developing
You don't have to purchase any "paper kits" to design your layouts.  Studio J is completely free to use.  No hidden costs.  No software to buy or load onto your computer.  You sign on to my website and set up your account.  Upload your pictures.  Choose a kit and then design your layout.  Or use one of our professionally designed Express Collections.  You only pay for the layouts you wish to purchase.  And in March that already low price is going down.



After creating layouts in Studio J™ online design software, you can purchase your layouts, including the new Photo Express Collection templates, for the special, discounted price of $5. Studio J layouts are processed, not printed, using a silver-halide process considered the highest standard in the photo developing industry. Unlike printed papers or images you might print from a home photo printer, the silver-halide process yields “100-year+ quality” that has long been tested and used by the top photo labs in the world. We use the same papers and equipment used by leading labs to produce long-lasting photo prints, so you know your layout will be reproduced with high fidelity and will last throughout the years. As always, JPEG files are available free with your print purchase and are available as a stand-alone item at regular price during this promotion.

The March promotion run from March 1 - March 31.