Feet

Jerry and I recently went away for a few days, and I came back with two picture that I absolutely love.  While Shane was handing out Halloween candy tonight, I decided to put them to paper.

These photos immediately reminded me of a portion of a Scripture from Luke 1:79 that says, "..to guide our feet into the way of peace."  That is a constant prayer for me...that no matter what path I choose to walk in life that I will find peace.  I am always so grateful that the Father is my certain guide!

But if we are talking feet, Jerry would prefer his wet.  He loves to fish, swim, and roam about the water - just as he was doing on this fall day.  Yes, he said, the water was cold, but he loved it.  I so love this picture and how I was able to capture the dried leaves on water and his rather contemplative expression.  Now me, I love to be barefoot.  It's a sad day for me when it's time to put flip flops away and socks and shoes take over my feet.  But as I said, it was a warm fall day, and I was able to enjoy the crunch of the leaves bare-footed and in my jammies.  I LOVE vacation days!

This paper is Dreamin', and it's been discontinued for awhile.  I have just enough scraps to put together a matching page.  What I really want to draw your attention to is the stamp that I have used for my words.  It is part of the Trinity Alphabet.  This is an e-sized set (value $29.95) with three different sized fonts.  In my next post, I am going to tell you how you can get this set half-price (or any other set for that matter!).  Thanks for visiting and stay tuned!

Happy Thanksgiving

I have much to do in my office today, but sometimes you just have to stop and play.  That is what I did this morning!  I took out my pigment towers and decided to use alcohol markers with them.  This gorgeous set is called Abundance and without a doubt, the most gorgeous Thanksgiving set I've ever seen.

I stamped the image with Cocoa pigment ink, and I stamped the sentiment with Barn Red pigment ink.  I also sponged the edges with Barn Red and used my stubble texture tool to add a little depth.  The marker colors I used are Autumn Terracotta, Smokey Plum, Eggplant, Ruby, Olive, and Honey.  Because our Basic colors are not available yet (Good thing come to those who wait!!  And aren't we glad that Close To My Heart takes the time necessary to bring us the perfect product?), I mixed Autumn Terracotta and Olive to get brown.  I so love Thanksgiving, and the end result was that this card soothes me...the color, the technique, the thoughts of a turkey in the oven with my apple pecan stuffing.  Sometimes we just need to step back and play with our supplies even if there is work to do!

I am going to enter this card into three challenges:

• 2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Halloween/Fall Colors
• The Ribbon Girl - Autumn Photo Inspiration
• There She Goes - Pumpkin Spice Coffee Inspiration

One of a Kind

Sometime ago, I was a design team member for Sassy Lil Sketches.  I so loved working with Cherie's sketches.  For some reason, they just spoke to me and the way I like to create.  It was very sad for me when Sassy Lil Sketches closed down, and I've been spending a lot of time looking for new sketches that speak to me in the same way.  Don't get me wrong - there are so many amazing sketches out there.  But I think each of us has a style that really works for us individually.  And then I found Iwona's Sketchbook Saturday sketches.  I try to play as often as I can, and I love that they are just for fun.  If I am busy, I can go back to work on a sketch and just leave Iwona a comment.  Please go and visit her!  Not only will you love the Sketchbook Saturday sketches, but her artwork is amazing!

I worked with Sketch #81 today:

Interestingly enough, the banner were a real eye-catcher for me on this sketch (I won't get tired of banners any time soon), but I ended up not using that amongst the snowflakes.  

I used the Snowflakes stamp set for this card.  It has the prettiest border stamp and that is what I used to create the small scalloped edge.  The lines on the bottom and side of the card are actually score marks, and I brought them out a little by lightly inking them.  Sparkles and Glitz Gel finished this card off nicely.  

Thanks for visiting today! 

Christmas Cheer

You have just a couple more days to purchase the October Stamp of the Month!  It is such a wonderful set filled with so many good sentiments and shapes for your Christmas paper crafting.  I created a gift bag using Pear & Partridge paper and the Cricut Artiste cartridge.  What a pretty way to hand someone a special gift!  Five of the stamps on the set having matching Cricut cuts, so it also makes your crafting easy!

Avonlea Clear Cards

If you scroll down to my previous post, you'll see the box that I created for the cards I am showing you today.  Because the box is on the elegant side, I wanted very special cards for the inside so I chose to use clear cards.  I love clear cards, and they are on the "While Supplies Last" list right now.  They come in a set of 8 cards for $3.00.  Yes, I said $3.00!  WOW - that's just 38 cents per card & envelope for a really unique card.  There will be two of each of these cards inside the card box.

If you look closely at this card, you will see that the rounded piece and "thinking of you" layers are on the inside.  The ribbon wrap, circle element, and gems are on the outside.  I've placed the band strategically so that you can write on the mat on the inside.  This is one of the rounded corner cards and there are four of these in the package.  The other four cards have a bracket edge, and that is what I used for the next card.  Again, the ribbon band, square elements and buttons are on the outside of the card. 

These are an extremely durable card, and I love them!  They come with a protective coating over them so that they remain free of scratches.  You may wonder about the adhesives I use for this.  Liquid Glass is perfect!  It dries clear and has a strong hold.

Watch my class calendar.  I will be having a special winter clear card kit available for purchase in November!

My Creations Card Box

I started a project today, and I thought I would share what I have done so far.  This is the My Creations Card Box, and I've decorated it with Avonlea paper.  Everything about this paper feels very vintage to me, and it makes a lovely gift!  I started out by sponging the box edges with Slate ink, and then I covered it with Slate cardstock.  From there, I covered the box with Avonlea paper. (I cut the Avonlea paper 1/8" smaller than the Slate.)

I wanted to show you a close up of the top of the box, so that you could get a proper look a the embellishments.  I cut five rolled flowers from the Artiste cartridge (have you asked me for information about this cartridge yet?), and I put large pearl opaque gems in the centers.  I don't always do that, but I wanted them to be a little fancier for this box.  I added three cardstock and one ribbon banner to the top of the box, and I stamped the lower banner using a sentiment from Family Tree.  That gave me a good base with lots of interest for the flowers, and I mixed in some Slate flourishes (which are super nice because they bend), a Bling trinket pin, and some pearl opaque gems.  I had a little piece of  rosette ribbon cut, so I finished off the whole cluster with that.

I'll be showing you what I will be putting in the box tomorrow.  I do want to tell you that this is one of the items that I will have for sale at the Cross of Hope craft boutique.  Here is the information, and if you are local, I would love to see you there!  (Check back tomorrow because I will have a coupon for you to use at the boutique.)

Cross of Hope Lutheran Church Craft Boutique

5730-179th Lane NW

Ramsey, MN

Saturday, November 10th

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Trick or Treat

With only one week left until Halloween,  I thought I'd better pull out my Halloween goodies and create some more with them.  I was on a little vacation the past few days, and it was really relaxing to get away.  However, by the time we were driving home, I couldn't wait to get my hands on some paper, ink, and stamps!

For this card, I pulled out a few scraps of Moonlight (the stripe and dotted banners) and my Spellbound Workshop on the Go stamp set.  I created the argyle background by stamping with goldrush ink.  I added a little piece of black tulle, a label and a couple cute little bats from Spellbound, and the black cat from the Moonlight Dimensional Elements.  (Big thanks to Jamie for the cat - I have one, but I was hoarding it!!)  I used a pattern from the Make It From Your Heart book.  Such a handy how-to book and such a great price at $7.95!

I will be entering this card into the following challenges:

• Heart 2 Heart - Halloween or Pumpkin
• Color Throwdown - Color Challenge
• Ribbon Carousel - Halloween Spirit 

Discover the Possibilities of the Cricut Craft Room

Today I want to share some wonderful ideas and artwork with you from Close To My Heart and the Cricut Craft Room!

If you love your Cricut^® machine, then you are going to adore all of the fabulous things you can do with Close To My Heart Cricut^®cartridges in the Cricut^® Craft Room. Create layers, cut negative space in the shape of your choice, make borders, and link elements together for a connected look. It’s easy! We’ll show you how.

Here is how to get started with Cricut^® Craft Room:

1. Create a FREE account in a few easy steps.
2. Download and run the application for PC or MAC, depending on the type of computer you use.
3. Connect your Cricut^® machine to your computer using a Type B USB cable. (Note: For more info on this type of cable, see your Cricut^® user’s guide or your local electronics store.) Once you have connected your computer to your Cricut^® machine, the “Load Mat” button is the only button you will ever need to push on your machine in the entire process. Cricut^® Craft Room will do everything else for you.
4. Once inside the application, choose the type of Cricut^® machine you own.
5. Insert your Close To My Heart Art Philosophy or Artiste cartridge into your Cricut^® machine.
6. In the lower left portion of the application there is a tab that is labeled “Images/Cartridges.” Select “All Cartridges” from the dropdown menu. (Note: You must choose a cartridge that you own. You can also purchase individual images from the Cricut^®store.)
7. Scroll to find the Close To My Heart Art Philosophy or Close To My Heart Artiste cartridges you own.
8. The virtual mat in Cricut^® Craft Room is just like the mat you’ll load into your machine. And, it is oriented the same way that you will load your mat into the machine, with the arrow at the top.
9. To drag an image to the mat, simply click on the image in the image selection tool box and move it to the mat.
10. Once the image is on the virtual mat, you can adjust the placement by clicking on the image and moving it to any location on the mat.
11. Now that you know the basics, you can start creating and exploring the possibilities!

Follow these steps to create the negative space on a card base, like you see on this Cheer Up card, featuring images from the Art Philosophy cartridge:

1. Select the “Card” tab in the Art Philosophy images. Find the card base you prefer and drag it onto the mat. (We used Square 1 for the Cheer Up card.) The image will be cut in the exact direction and location that you place it on the virtual mat. At the top of the screen, or at the left under the “Shape Properties” tab, you’ll see size boxes. Enter the width and height for your shape. This is the size it will be cut on the machine, regardless of what size your machine indicates on the flip screen.

2. Choose an image to cut out of your card front. We have chosen a butterfly by going to the Basics tab, clicking the “Show Shift/Lock Images” at the bottom, and then selecting the butterfly. Drag the image to the right side of the card base, position it, and alter the size, as desired. Once the image is in place, you will see a cut-out image in its place. This Weld feature is automatically on unless you disable it, and allows you to see how the card base will look with your images cut out.

3. Select another image, drag it to the card base, and position it how you’d like it. Continue adding images to the card base, if desired.

4. To cut your finished artwork, load the mat into your Cricut^®machine and insert the corresponding cartridge. Next, press the green Cut button at the top of the computer screen and follow the prompts. The machine will cut the shapes as you have prepared them in Craft Room. If more than one cartridge shape has been added to the project, the machine and screen will prompt you with instructions.

Here are so more artwork examples that have been made using Cricut^® Craft Room software. Follow the instructions below to learn some more fun tricks we used in creating this artwork.

Birthday Greetings card

Here’s how to create the bracket frame as shown in this Birthday Greetings card:

1. Drag a card base from Art Philosophy cartridge and size it to be 9" wide and 4½" high.
2. Add a 1½" bracket frame (from the Basic tab) to the center of the right side of the card. So far, all of the shapes have been placed in Layer 1. You can add additional layers using the Layer feature located toward the top of the screen, directly above the mat. Each Layer will be cut from a separate sheet of paper and is indicated by a different color on the screen. Using the Layer feature allows you to fully design your Cricut^® shapes before cutting any pieces.
3. Add a second Layer by clicking the plus sign. Click and hold the Layer 2 tab and drag the tab to the left so it is first in the row. This allows you to see the second Layer on top of the first so you can visualize your finished project. Drag a 3" bracket frame to the card base and position it over the 1½" frame. Then, still using Layer 2, add a 1½" bracket frame in the center of the 3" frame.
4. Maneuver the Layer 2 frames so that they perfectly line up with the Layer 1 frame. Use your keyboard arrows for exactness.
5. Cut the pieces following the prompts on the computer screen and Cricut^® machine. Layer 2 will be cut first, so be sure to load that paper first. Then load a new sheet of paper for the Layer 1 pieces.
6. Embellish the card as desired.

Want to create a border that spans the entire length of your 12" page? It’s easy!

1. In Craft Room, change the mat size to 12" x 24" under Machine & Mat tab on the left of the screen.
2. Drag your selected border to the mat and rotate it so it is vertical.
3. Change the height of the border to 12". It will automatically change the width proportionally unless you click the aspect ratio button between the width and height measurements.
4. Whether you have a 12" × 24" mat or a 12" × 12" mat, you can use this function with a 12" × 12" piece of paper. Simply place the border as close to the top of the Craft Room mat as possible, but not exactly flush with the top.

5. Cut the piece following the prompts on the computer screen and Cricut^® machine.

To create the title with the letters joined together to form one piece instead of individually cut letters…

1. Drag your letters to the mat
2. Overlap portions of each letter to connect them
3. Use the Weld feature to join the letters together seamlessly.
4. Cut the piece following the prompts on the computer screen and Cricut^® machine.

There are so many possibilities to explore in the Cricut^® Craft Room using the versatile Art Philosophy and Artiste cartridges from Close To My Heart! If you have any questions about using Cricut^® Craft Room, visit www.cricut.com where a Cricut^® employee will be glad to help you. Be sure to get your Art Philosophy and Artiste Cricut^®cartridges today in order to create with them in this new and exciting environment!

Clearly the Best: Workshops on the Go Card Making Kits

What a fast and easy way to make cards!!  Three of the card in my Christmas Card Class are right from the Pear & Partridge Card Making WOTG.  I've altered them a little, but can you see which three are from the kit?

I still have two openings for my Christmas Card class - here are the details:

Christmas Card Class
Sunday, November 4th at 4:00 pm - $20

In this class, you will make 20 cards - 5 of each design.  All supplies are included - you just need to bring yourself!  If you would like to order the pre-stamped, pre-cut kit, it is just $5 extra to mail it directly to you!

Clearly the Best: Coordinate with Cricut Cuts

Well, I would have a load of ways to show you how I have coordinated and created with Cricut cuts!  You all know how I love my Art Philosophy and Artiste! (Here's a tidbit for you...the only other cartridge I own is Love You Latte because - well it's coffee!  I guess there is no other because!)  I've decided to show you two past creations to go with this video.

This card was the first project I created with my Art Philosophy and matching stamps.  Isn't it lovely how the stamps fit right in the die cut image?

I also LOVE using Cricut cut with our My Creations products.  Banner cuts to fit and lots of rolled flowers - whatever could be better?!

Clearly the Best: Alcohol Marker Madness

Over the next few days, I want to share some videos with you.  I don't know if you are aware of this, but Close To My Heart is doing a weekly segment on My Craft Channel.  They are so informative that I know you are going to love watching them!  I will follow each video with a piece of related artwork, so I hope you enjoy the next few days!



This is a card I created for the Alcohol Marker class I had last month.

By and far, it was the favorite of the class, and I think that's because it shows good use of base and shade with our sets of alcohol markers.  The intricacy in the design of the stamps helps this card look as though the flowers are jumping off the page.  You will see more of this stamp set, Happy Valentine's Day, as it the January Stamp of the Month.  These markers are SO MUCH FUN to play with, and I look at stamps in a whole new light now!  I love how easily the blend and create a beautiful project.

Thanks so much for visiting, and I'll see you tomorrow with another video!

Cut it Up Gets Spooky!!

It's time for the 4th challenge at Cut It Up!  I am truly inspired by the other designers and all of you that enter in our challenges.  It's just great to see you play with us!   This week we want to see your Halloween creations.  The rules are simple - use a die-cut to give us one great project!

I made a treat box to show you.  This is the paper and one of thestamps from the Spellbound Workshop on the Go.  I used the Cricut Artiste to cut the box, yoyo flower, and the label.  What an easy box!!

Trendy Twine is sponsoring us this week, and one lucky winner is going to receive this great fall bundle.

Studio J Meets the Stamp of the Month

I sat down today to try something that I have been wanting to do for a long time.  I have wanted to combine traditional scrapbooking with our online software, Studio J, to create what is known as a hybrid layout.  Let me show you what I did!

Here is the Studio J layout :

This is such pretty paper, and I am so glad that I can still use it in Studio J!   Here is what it became after adding some traditional supplies:

Can you see where I've used the stamp of the month, Very Merry Christmas?  I stamped the ornaments, circle element on the bottom left page, and the the tag sentiment on the right page.  If you are wondering how I made the ornaments, I stamped the image first with Bamboo and then in New England Ivy. I paper pieced the center and added some gems.  My friend Lynn had created some ornaments last week with glitz gel and they were beautiful.  So I took her lead and thought that the stardust gel would these ornaments the finishing touch they needed.  Truly, they are so much prettier in person!  I've also added some stacked flowers from the Just Blooms Floret collection,  cranberry buttons, and plenty of sparkles.  Those pretty, pretty brads are from the long since retired Mistletoe collection.

So you see, Studio J is marvelous in itself, but it can be even more amazing when you add a few traditional touches.  What I love is that I was able to create an affordable base layout and have all those unique picture sizes.  Then I was able to take it a little further with all the sparkle that I love for Christmas layouts!  Why not give Studio J a try this month - I think you will be pleasantly surprised!  It's a good month to try it because when you buy 9 Studio J layouts, you will get your 10th layout free.  How awesome is that?!!

When I Count My Blessings

Just a simple card for you today...

I've used a die-cut card and the beautiful La Belle Vie paper to make this card.  I think, though, what makes this card pretty is the embellishment.  I love our black-striped grosgrain ribbon ($1.19 per yard) and tulle (60 cents per yard) mixed together.  They perfectly compliment each other.  I used a doily cut from the Artiste cartridge for the flap and finished it off with large designer brad.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope that you are having a great week so far!

Free Studio J Layout!

Now that it's almost mid-month, I thought I should remind you about the AWESOME Studio J special for the month.  Now through October 31st, when you purchase 9 Studio J layouts, you will get your 10th one FREE!  Let me show you a quick and easy layout I did using the Studio J Express Collection.

Isn't it fun?  I love the big title, the banners, and the clustered embellishments.  And guess what - they were already in place for me!  All I had to do was add my photos and journaling.  Could it be any easier to get caught up on pages?

Studio J has six Express Collections to choose from, and each collection has 11 layouts.  The collections are:

• All About Me
• Little Man
• Little Miss
• School Days
• Travel
• Year in Review

One of the unique things that I like about the collections is that their are pages designed to be your front and back pages in an album.  Sometimes I have trouble creating those two pages to finish off an album, so it's really nice to have this idea in place!

Do you have a lot of photos to catch up on?  Why not give Studio J a try.  There is no cost to create an account and no cost to upload your photos and play.  Going in there would help you see just how easy it is to use and how many things you can do!  Have I told you lately that there are 99 paper kits?!  WOW!  Your old favorites are there.  And there are even a few that are exclusive only to Studio J. (You just have to check our Splash Zone for your summer photos.)

If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact me.  I just love helping people see how easy Studio J is and how much it can help them with their scrapbooking!

Merry & Bright

This morning I wanted to sit down an create something beautiful.  I didn't need this card for any particular challenge, class, or design team assignment.  I just wanted to combine the stamps from the Merry & Bright stamp set to see what would happen.  Background stamping is so much fun, and I love the way three stamps can make such pretty patterned paper!

Thank for stopping by today!

My Creations Star Class

Since these stars have been released, I have made several.  I LOVE our My Creations products, so of course, I had to have a class for making a Christmas Star!  You can participate in this class here at my home or long distance.

Sunday, October 28th

4:00 pm

$18.00

(All supplies included - just bring yourself!)

This class will take approximately 90 minutes to complete, and I know that you are going to love it!  If you would like to participate long distance, you can order your kit right here, and it will be shipped to you on November 1st.  There is an additional $5 to cover the cost of shipping.

Happy Mail!!

I absolutely love getting Happy Mail!   

What a blessed girl I am today to have received this beautiful handmade card from a CTMH friend, Alyson.    Isn't it pretty?  I have had a ferocious headache the past two days, and this card was just the "paper medicine" I needed to make me smile!  Look at the ribbon detail and the pretty touches on this card.  I love it!  And then to top it all off, I opened it up and read the kindest, most heartfelt sentiments.  What a blessing! Thank you, Alyson, for being such a wonderful and creative friend!

MONTHLY GIVEAWAY!

The "rules" are really easy! 

• Place an order in October of $50 or more, and 
• Purchase the stamp of the month for $5.

When you buy the stamp of the month, you will be entered into a drawing for $25 in Hostess Rewards!

You can easily go to my online website and place an order.  Or you can call (763.227.0583) or e-mail (girlygirlrose43@msn.com) with your order.

Please let me know if you have any questions!!  

Christmas Poinsettas

Yesterday, I had a 12-hour crop for my customers.  This is the first time I've had less than a full house, so it gave me the opportunity to talk with everyone, look at their work, and get some things done myself.  All in all, it was a great day!  I managed to get five cards made as I was really, really putzy and just took my time.   I managed to make two cards without flowers (which I will show you in the days ahead), but then I saw the Sketchbook Saturday sketch:

Don't you agree that this screamed for flowers?

So I pulled out my Pear & Partridge and went to work making some poinsettas with the Artiste cartridge and Almond glitz gel.  This paper and card are also perfect for the Moxie Fab Christmas Card Challenge!

If you look at this card closely, you will see that I used that grid stamp from Universal Backgrounds to stamp the background of the colonial white place on the card and the tag.  

Isn't that sentiment just wonderful?  It is from the October Stamp of the Month, Very Merry Christmas.  That set is available this month only for $5.00 with a $50 purchase from my website.  In my opinion, there are just never enough Christmas stamps!!  As far as the poinsetta goes, there are six diecuts used to make this flower.  I cut three at 2-1/2" and three at 1-1/2".  Then I outlined them with almond glitz gel.  It only take about 15 minutes to dry, and then you can stack them together.  The antiqued gold mini medley flourishes and button finished off this card nicely.

I will also be entering this card into the following challenges:

• Created with Love - Christmas
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Glitter and Bling
• Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - tag
• Pile it On - Vintage or Shabby Chic

Cut it Up #3

For this challenge at Cut It Up, we'd like you to make any paper project in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Remember to use a die cut on your project!

I wanted to put a lot of pretty detail into this card.  Of course that included flowers, bling, buttons, and several types of ribbons.  I cut the breast cancer ribbon with the Slice Think Pink card.  The other die cuts - border, flowers, and banners - are from the Art Philosophy cartridge.

We would love to see you play along with us!  There's a wonderful "pink" prize package for this challenge.   I look forward to seeing what you create!

I am also entering this into the Link Up For Pink challenge.

Gratitude

I was in the mood to just sit and play in my craft room this evening.  I love when I have the time to do that! So I grabbed my Flirty paper and got busy!

I sponged all the pieces of the card with bamboo ink.  Naturally when I have the time I make flowers. (Does that surprise you?)  For this card, I made a yo-yo and a rolled flower, and both were cut with the Cricut Artiste cartridge.  In order the match the color ready ribbon to the card base, I sponged it with goldrush ink.  (One of my favorite techniques!)  The sentiment is from a beautiful Thanksgiving set called Abundance.

I'll be entering this card into three challenges:

•  Mojo Monday sketch 
• {PIN}spirational inspiration photo
• Moxie Fab Hello/Thinking of You challenge

My Creations Bracket Frame

In St. Louis, we were given one of the lovely My Creations Bracket Frames along with a wonderful pattern.

Isn't this just lovely?  It is going to be perfect for a Thanksgiving family photo!  I tweaked a few things on this pattern because I plan to use this very frame for my Bracket Frame class on Sunday, November 11th.  I was able to keep the cost at $15, and I love doing that for my customers.  What an affordable Christmas gift this will make for someone!!

Watch for my e-mail soon announcing this class.  If you are long distance and would like to participate, please send me an e-mail (girlygirlrose43@msn.com) to be put on my class mailing list!

Items used for this project that can be found on my website:

• My Creations Bracket Frame
• Colonial White Cardstock
• Avonlea Paper Packet
• Chocolate Ink
• Love Blooms Stamp Set
• Basic Buttons
• Chocolate Waxy Flax
• Mocha Gems

October Newsletter

Hello!  As I am typing this newsletter to you today, I am listening to the sound of falling leaves.  What a wonderful sound on a beautiful fall day.  I hope that you are having a good start to the week!

I have a lot to tell you this month.  Here is what you will find in this newsletter:

• October Special 
• October Stamp of the Month
• October Card Kit
• Upcoming Holiday Classes

October Special - Studio J: Buy 9 Layouts, Get 1 Free!

This is a wonderful opportunity for you to try Studio J!  Does this layout look complicated?  It took me 15 minutes - really!  We have 10 brand new collections in Studio J called Express Collections.  They are all ready for your pictures and journaling.  Doesn't that make it easy for you?  I love the Express Collections because they are beautiful, and I can get some pages done quickly.  I have to tell you that this past weekend I was in St. Louis at a Close To My Heart event.  I had taken a photo of the Arch, and I wanted it to be quite large on the page.  That's easy and affordable to do in Studio J!  So I sat down after the event was done and scrapped my pages.  Watch my blog this month to see what my layouts turned out like!

Studio J is membership free, and there is nothing to download.  You simply create an account and you can go on in and have fun making as many layouts as you'd like!  From there, you can simply add them to your cart and purchase the layouts for $6.95 each.  Yep, that's it - $6.95 per two page layout!  You can order from 4 to 50 layouts at one time with one low shipping cost.

Christmas is coming up, and I am already starting gift books with Studio J layouts.  There are over 99 paper kits to choose from, and I just know that are going to be papers and patterns for every single layout that I need!  If you would like help in getting started with Studio J, please contact me, and I can certainly make an appointment to help get you going with this awesome program!

October Stamp of the Month - Very Merry Christmas

This set contains 11 stamps - please Click Here to see the set.  Can you see the tags and cards you can make with it?  Here is a sampling of what I've made so far.  What pretty tags this stamp set makes!!

The stamp of the month is yours for $5 with a $50 purchase!

October Card Kit

This month's card kit is fun for two reasons.  I wanted to show you how to use Moonlight paper for everyday cards, and I wanted to use a lot of fun Cricut Artiste card bases and cuts that you might not otherwise use.  Card kit cost is $6.00 shipped directly to you.  The kits are pre-cut, pre-stamped, and full directions are included.  Kits are available until October 15th, and they will be mailed on October 16th.  If you would like to send a check, let me know, otherwise you can click the "Buy Now" button to make payment.

 

Upcoming Holiday Classes

Because I have so many fun holiday classes coming up, I will be posting and sending individual e-mails for each one.  I will be teaching classes that will not only help you with your cards, bags, and tags, but can serve as gift-giving items for the holidays.   I wanted to give you a heads up on description, dates, and times.  Sign up early when you receive the class e-mails as space is limited!

• My Creations Christmas Star ($15)  - Sunday, October 28th at 4:00 pm 
• Christmas Cards (20 cards for $20) - Sunday, November 4th at 4:00 pm
• My Creations Bracket Frame ($20) - Sunday, November 11th at 4:00 pm
• My Creations Christmas Card Box ($15) - Sunday, November 18th at 4:00 pm
• Perpetual Event Calendar ($15) - Sunday, December 2nd at 4:00 pm
• Christmas Bags and Tags ($15) - Sunday, December 11th at 4:00 pm

Purchase one class and receive an $1.00 off each additional class!

Facebook

Are you on Facebook?  You can keep up with the most current Close To My Heart news and specials through my Facebook group.  Here's a link to find me!  http://www.facebook.com/brendasuerose

ScrapFIT Workout #77 - High Flying Flags

This week we have another fun challenge for you at ScrapFIT!  We want to see you use flags on your layout.  Have you seen them on layouts and cards?  They are such a fun embellishment and so easy to make!

As I was using the last of my Lucky paper, I was so glad that I had it for this page.  What perfect colors!  I made the poles for the flags using 1/8" strips of paper - super easy!  Jerry and I had visited Leech Lake earlier this summer, and it was such a gorgeous day.  I love this fun pictures of Jerry!

A Paper Issues FITKit is up for grabs, so be sure share your work!  I hope to see you play along!!