February Mystery Hostess Special

Happy Month of Love!  I like February because it's a great month to express how much we care about our family, friends, and those we love.  And of course, I do that with paper crafts! 

Brand New 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book!

You can start ordering from this fabulous book on February 1st.  Just go to my website and click on the "Shop" tab.  Simply click on the photo of the Idea Book to get to my website!

February Mystery Hostess Special!!

Place an order on my website anytime between February 1st and February 18th.  On February 19th, I will draw a Mystery Hostess winner!  The more orders I receive, the more Mystery Hostesses there will be!  Doesn't that sound like a GREAT way to kick off a brand new Idea Book?!  Just by placing an order, you have a chance to win $20 in Hostess Rewards!!  (Anyone that placed an order at my Open House will be in the drawing, too!)

I have several Online Gatherings going on in February, and if join one of those to order for a friend's Gathering, you will still be eligible for the Mystery Hostess drawing.  February is a GREAT month!!

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Friendship

Do you know that it's just 

3. More. Sleeps.

until my husband and I leave for the Southern Caribbean cruise?!  

I am not packed (I have always been a "last day" packer).

I don't have my documents printed yet (but I did register us, so it's just a matter of hitting the "print" button).

Instead, I am in my craft room just enjoying some time creating!

Heart 2 Heart has a fancy fold challenge going on, and I was so happy to see that!  I have been thinking about the Joy Fold card lately, and this prompted me to finally sit down and put one together.  I haven't made one of these in years, and I don't know why.  They are so pretty!  

I think the best thing about this card is the ribbon.  I've used Color-Ready Seam Binding and colored it with a Sorbet Alcohol Marker.  Oh, Sorbet is such a pretty color for spring!  The next photo will help you see what it looks like when it's opened.  The paper is just so lovely!

Lest you be worried about me, I really have been preparing for our upcoming cruise!

My hair has been cut and colored.

I've been tanning for a couple of weeks.
Mani-Pedi appointment for Friday afternoon.

My fancy dresses and shoes have been purchased for formal night (and are they ever fancy!).

The house sitter, dog sitter, cat sitter are in place.

And I am over-the-top-cannot-wait-to-get-on-that-ship excited!!

Watch for my post tomorrow because you are going to love my personal special!  

It's just my way of saying a 

BIG. THANK. YOU.

for the part you played in helping me earn the cruise!!

Items used on this card:

• X7156B   Clementine Paper
• X7156C   Clementine Canvas Shapes
• Z1794      Cottage Assortment
• Z2407      Sorbet Alcohol Marker
• Z1732      Color Ready Seam Binding Ribbon
• Z1369      Sorbet Buttons

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Happy Valentine's Day

You have a couple more days to order your January Stamp of the Month, Happy Valentine's Day.  It's such a pretty set, and those roses will be versatile all year round.  I saw this sketch at Mojo Monday this week, and I built my card around the round sketch.

I've colored the roses in the set using Blush and Olive Alcohol Markers.  This discontinued paper, La Belle Vie is just so pretty and romantic that it's perfect for Valentine's Day.  The black striped grosgrain and tulle really add to that soft romantic feel.

The stamp of the month can be purchased outright for $17.95 or with a $50 purchase, you can get it for just $5!  Aren't the fonts beautiful?

I'll also be entering this card into the following challenges:

• ABC Challenges - Valentine's Day
• Pretty Little Ribbon - Flowers and Ribbon

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Thank You!

I want to say a BIG thank you to everyone that took the time to stop by my Open House on Saturday!  I know that it's most difficult these days to find time, and I never take for granted that you choose to spend your time looking at new Close To My Heart products!  I also had 20 croppers spend 12 hours with me, and that was great fun!!!

For those of you in blog land, I wanted to share a photo of the make and takes we did on Saturday.  You'll see a lot more of these gorgeous papers in the months ahead!

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February Card Kit

I bet you think I fell off the face of the earth!  I spent the latter end of last week getting ready my Crop and Open House yesterday.  I kept thinking that I had to create a blog post, and then I would run out of time.  Thank you for visiting today and being patient with me!!

I've got the February card kit ready for you!  I am absolutely in love with the Later Sk8r paper that comes out on February 1st, and that's what I've used for this month's kit.

I wanted to create a kit that would work for men and this is a super fun paper for that!  I've also integrated some background stamping because I wanted to show you how that looks and feels on a card.  In March, I'll be having a background stamping class, so this gives you just a little taste.

My card kits come pre-cut, pre-stamped, packaged in their respective envelopes, and with full instructions.  I make 40 kits, and you can order them through February 15th (or until sold out).  The kits will be mailed out on Monday, February 18th.  I really think you will love this kit!

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A Little Bit of Spring

Even though we have a ways to go till we hit spring here in Minnesota, I thought I'd bring you a little spring with Chantilly.  You'll find this paper starting February 1st on my website!

I didn't know which card I wanted to share with you, so you are getting both of them!  Those lovely sentiments are from a Stamp of the Month you will see in June called A Flowering Bunch.  I will be the first to admit that I am not very good at creating with pastel colors.  But once I added the rich Ruby color, I felt at home again.  So next time you are working with a color that just doesn't sync with you, try adding one of your favorite colors to see if that brings it all together for you!

See you tomorrow for a little sneak peek into Tommy and some great masculine/summer colors!

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Surf's Up and the Sun is Shining!

Well, not really....it's 6 degrees below zero right now with a much colder windchill.  So it's nice to think of the warm sunshine, and that's exactly what I love about this paper and stamp set!

Look at that lovely blue in this paper packet!  There is so much more to the paper packet Surf's Up, but I really wanted the appearance of a blue sky for this card.  The sunshine is from April's Stamp of the Month - My Sunshine.  

I hope you are enjoying these sneak peeks!  Don't forget, if you need a 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book, click here to order.

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Have a Nice Day

Another new paper packet being released February 1st is called Claire. It is such bright and bold paper!

Those flowers are from one of my favorite new sets called Girls Rock.  And take a look at that zipper lace - wowie!

Thanks so much for stopping in for another sneak peek.  Stop back tomorrow because the Surf's Up!

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Love U

I was itching to make a Double Z-Fold card:

I was going to do more with the front, but don't you think the rich patterns of this new paper are enough?  This is called For Always, and you will find it in the 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book.  All I've added are some black pearl flourishes and a big tulle bow.

The inside is a different pattern from the paper along with one of the honey-colored stickease.  So easy, and yet, so elegant!  This card will go in the Color My Heart challenge which is black and white with a pop of color.

Come back tomorrow for another peek into the 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book!

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Sweet as Honey

My Open House is in just one week (see information at the end of post).  Are you excited to see the new Spring/Summer product?  I sure am excited to show you!

Sneak peeks of the product begin today on my blog, so let's start with a card I created using a new paper packet called Buzz and Bumble.  I grabbed the sketch from Deconstructed Sketches to make this card.

Now who can resist vintage bees?  I am in love with this paper!  I've used a new stamp on this card called Honeycomb.  They are all the rage, and the $13.95 stamp set has 12 different honeycombs along with this very sweet sentiment.  

Do you have your 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book yet?  If not, you can purchase one right here for $3.00.  When you do, I will send you a $3.00 coupon to use on your first purchase!

Here is the information for my Open House:

If you are long distance, don't worry!  I will be having a Mystery Hostess online party for you starting February 1st!

When Friends Meet

This is paper I've had in my stash for a long time!  Maybe 5 or 6 years?  It's so pretty and it has a beautiful matching stamp set.  When I just want to create to feed my soul, I often look to these supplies.  I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch as a jumping point.

If you've been reading my blog for a time, you know that one of my favorite color combinations is Smokey Plum and Olive.  They are just so lovely together!!  Of course there are plenty of flowers on this card!

Thanks for stopping by today!

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My Last Day of Re-Runs

You may think that because I am re-running older projects that I haven't created anything new in awhile.  Oh, it's quite the opposite!!  I have been working like crazy with new product, and I can't wait to show it to you!!  You will start seeing new product previews next week because it's my Open House week.  But I do want to make sure that you see the lovely items that are retiring on January 31st so that you have a chance to order them before they are gone.

A Little Moonlight...

Busy scrapping Christmas?  You'll need some Pear & Partridge...

And finally, for Valentine's Day, everyone needs a little La Belle Vie....

Thanks for looking through the re-runs the past few days!  It's been fun to bring some of these projects back to life for you!!

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I Interrupt the Re-Runs to Bring You....

...a couple little sneak peeks of some new product available February 1st!  And these two peeks are very far apart in the spectrum - all boy and all girl!

Look at those little rubber gears!!  Are they every cute!  February's card kit will have Cricut cut gears and the paper on the left called Later Sk8r.  The paper on the right is Chantilly, and the flowers and spring colors are perfect for scrapping Easter!

Wouldn't you love to be playing with the new product a month before it goes "live"?  Close To My Heart Consultants are able to order new product one month ahead of time, and I think that's just one of the things I love about being a Consultant.  It's been awhile since I've told you all the things I love about Close To My Heart, so here goes:

• I get all my scrapbooking supplies at a generous discount!  With a monthly override and select product credit, I am able to have drawings, giveaways, and reward my team members.
• And I am still able to contribute to the household expenses - that makes me feel great!
• Just because I paper craft, I have met people all over the United States and Canada that share my passion for all things paper and stamps!
• Because this is my business, I am able to do exactly what I want to do and teach exactly what I want to teach.  How cool is that?!
• I set my schedule as to when I work, and my job can easily be adjusted so that faith and family always come first.
• I am blessed by an incredible team of women in the Rose Blossoms, and on the flip side, I am equally as blessed with a fantabulous leader!  I am so happy to call each one of these wonderful women my friend.
• I get to travel!  Let's see, here in the US, I've been to San Diego, Orlando, St. Louis, Chicago, and Detroit.  In April, I'll be heading to Chicago again.  I've earned a Mediterranean Cruise, and in just a couple weeks, I'll be taking my husband on a South Caribbean Cruise.  

I could go on and on!  Close To My Heart has opened so many doors for me, and I love being a Consultant.

If you are considering joining my team, I would love to hear from you!  If you are ready to jump in with both feet, you can CLICK HERE to get to the online application.  The application is processed very quickly and your kit full of new product lands on your doorstep before you know it!  

This month when you join my team, you will receive a Whooo's Your Valentine kit free!!  What could be better!

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Flirty...Re-Run

I hope you are enjoying looking back on some of my favorite pieces of artwork from papers that are retiring.  What's around the corner is equally wonderful!

This is a card I created with Flirty.  This card hold two of my favorite techniques - creating flowers with our Cricut cartridges and sponging our color ready ribbon.  I love that ribbon - one reel and 40 different colors!  How awesome is that?!

Flirty is available through January 31st!  Click here to shop before it's gone!

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Victory...Re-Run

 I am continuing on with another retiring paper packet, so today I am bringing you Victory.  This is a wonderful camping, fishing, outdoor, guy paper.  I am so glad that it gets archived into Studio J for me to use in the future!

I have created a lot of fishing layouts with this paper, and I think this is my favorite.  It's a very rugged paper, and I still have a lot of camping pictures to scrap.  I guess I am going to have to order more and stock up on this paper, too!

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A Little Bit of Sunshine....Re-Run

During the next week, I want to take the time sharing some artwork that I've already shared.  The Spring/Summer Idea Book goes live on Feburary 1st, but with that comes the retiring of several packets.  They will be available until January 31st.  (Don't fret, though, wait till you see what is in store for you!!)

Today, I want to share a little Pemberley:

 

I sure do love my rolled flowers.  The Art Philosophy and Artiste cartridges opened up a whole new paper crafting world to me!  I cut the card base and flowers with the Art Philosophy cartridge.  This card really does look like the sunshine to me!

Be sure to click on this link if you need a little more Pemberly in your craft room!

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Magical

Our Convention this summer is at Walt Disney World.  It may be hot, but oh, how much fun!  I have never been to Disney, and I am looking forward to it.  This year, two of my team members are going with me, so I wanted to send them a little "magic" to start the year off in anticipation of this fabulous summer event!

This is Giggles and Grins paper, and it has been discontinued for quite some time.  But it is still available in Studio J!  So I put the patterns I wanted into a pattern called No Limits, and then I ordered the jpegs.  I wanted to be able to print it on cardstock, so that is just what I did.  How fast, easy, and fun!  The stickers are a from a Disney set and matched paper beautifully!  These 4x4 cards can be used for journaling on a page.  The boxes hold a cute little Mickey Mouse necklace.

Yes, I am really excited to go to Disney, and it's fun to share that excitement!!

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Merci Beaucoup

I am always in need of thank you cards, and this morning I put one together using the Mojo Monday sketch.  What could be prettier in someone's mailbox than the beautiful La Belle Vie paper and Jardin stamp set?

I used the Jardin stamp set in three areas on the card - although I think it's hard to tell with the beautifully patterned paper.  The background on the mauve square in the center, the bee and bow were all stamped.  I cut the bow out and covered it with Liquid Glass to make it stand out.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you are having a great day!

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Dream..With the January Stamp of the Month

If you have followed me for a time, you know that my team's name is the Rose Blossoms.  Well, the January Stamp of the Month was perfect for making Christmas gifts for each one of my team members.  I decided to make them post-it note holders.  Before I go on, I have to say that I am thankful that one of my Rose Blossoms, Marg, took photos when she received it.  In my excitement to get them in the mail, I completely forgot!!  (Be sure to visit Marg - she sure has a fabulous blog!)

On the cover, I stamped two of the smaller flowers with pigment ink, colored them with blush and olive markers, and then I used a texture tool to add depth.   The cardstock is from the Flirty paper packet, and the ribbon is color ready seam binding.  The stamp is from a special Consultant set, and I thought the saying was perfect.  I always like to hear what my team members are dreaming about!  Now let's take a look at the inside.

I stamped the inside cover with the large rose bouquet from the Stamp of the Month, and I did the same coloring and texturing.  One thing I forgot to mention is that I used bitty pearls for the inside of the flower on the cover.

I couldn't think of a more fitting gift for my Rose Blossom team members!

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Cricut Artiste Class

Now how fun is that?  A class that focuses solely on the Cricut Artiste cartridge!  If you attend this class, you will be making a 12x12 scrapbook page, 3 cards, and a magazine file to hold the cards.  All that for just $0.  There is little stamping in this class because I wanted to show what this cartridge can do.

We'll be talking about how the Artiste cartridge is designed, and you will be making several of your own cuts.  This will be a really fun class, and I can't wait to share my excitement with you!!  I have room for 6 more people in class, so let me know if you'd like to attend!

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January Stamp of the Month

This is my favorite stamp of the month from the Autumn/Winter Idea Book.  I am quite sure that the art studio at CTMH had me in mind when they created it - don't you think?  I love these roses!!

For this card, I actually used the large bunch of roses.  I colored them with olive and blush alcohol markers, and then I cut them out.  It was a lot of fussy cutting, but so worth it!  I created the card base using La Belle Vie paper.  It is hard to tell this in the photo, but I put droplets of Liquid Glass on the petals, too.  The different fonts and scripts are so pretty on this set!  I finished off the card with black-striped grosgrain, tulle, and some bling.

Thanks for visiting today!

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Picture Perfect

During the past couple of days, I have been organizing albums and I came across this layout that I made and posted a couple of years ago.  The simplicity of it makes me happy.

But the post today is not about artwork.  It's about being a parent and loving our children through all things.  No matter what.  God bestows so much grace upon each and every one of us each day, and it's a fine example of how we need to parent - with grace.  

Shane is having some hard days, and it is a struggle for me to watch him struggle.  We work so hard in our child's growing years to make sure that they don't hurt or suffer any pain.  I know there are other mamas out there who's claws come out really quickly when it comes to their children.  Now that Shane is an adult, it's even harder because the "mean kids" and "bullies" are really life's lessons.  I have no way to really help him.

But what I can do is pray.  And I can give him to the One who can hold him wherever he is and no matter what he is going through.  I can surrender him to the Father and let Him be the parent.  I am grateful for my faith, and I am grateful that I can lean on God in a way that can give me peace through a storm.

Thank you for stopping by and reading my ramblings today.  May your day be blessed!

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January Club Pages - La Belle Vie

I am so excited to be teaching club this month!  We are going to be using the lovely La Belle Vie paper.  This paper is gorgeous!  Lots of Cricut cuts this month as well as some fun stamp use!

My husband really likes these pages so I think I am going to use them for our formal pictures from our upcoming cruise.  I do have a glittery dress that will match the paper perfectly! (No, I didn't so that purposely, but it did work out nicely!)

Class Kit includes:

• La Belle Vie Paper Packet
• Bamboo Base Pages
• Black Flourish Sparkles
• Purple Sparkles

Supplies need for November Club:

• Tape Runner
• 12" Ruler
• Glue Pen (I highly recommend this for this class!)
• Pop Dots
• Scissors
• Quick Stick Gem Tool (optional)

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