Last Day of October Promotions!

   HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL MY GHOULS AND GOBLINS! 

  
   Yikes! October is almost over.....sheesh...time is going way too fast! Today is the last day to get your hands on the October stamp-of-the-month, Scandinavian Wishes! You have until midnight tonight to order online or you can contact me and I can get you the SOTM with your order. I need all October orders to be submitted to me by November 3rd in order to qualify, though!

 

   Also, the "Holidays from the Heart" gift guide is NOW available! This cute gift guide is good until December 31st, but act fast if you want any of the products because many of these items are "While Supplies Last" and are on track to sell out early!  

 So don't delay! There are only a few short hours left in the day! Visit Candid Captures Online Shopping Site now to start stocking up on all your favorite goodies! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

October in Review!

   Well....I am still playing catch up! However, I am so close to being all caught up (and even AHEAD of the game) that I had to share these fun pictures with you all tonight!

   I was terrible about getting workshop and class project pictures up ahead of schedule for October, but you get to see them now! :) Better late than never, right? Here are a couple goodies from October's Workshop Wednesday (on the 2nd) which was a special preview party featuring the "Holidays from the Heart" gift guide! We made Christmas tags using some of the new stamp sets from the gift guide as well as some other stamp sets from the Fall/Winter 2013 Idea Book!

Chalkboard paper tag cut out using the CTMH's Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. Then I heat set some clear embossing powder on the snowflake image, and stamped the "Holly Jolly" stamp in White Daisy pigment ink (stamps are from the WOG: Frosted Cardmaking Kit stamp set). I added some more "chalk" effect over the snowflake using a tiny bit of White Daisy ink on a stencil brush, and finished it with some red glitter gel!

Chalkboard paper tag cut out using the CTMH's Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. I first brushed White Daisy pigment ink over the background to give a chalk-like look. Then I stamped the tree (from one of the Cricut Art Philosophy stamp sets) in Olive. The watercolor effect was natural (and a surprise!) since it was dye ink over dried pigment ink (smooth surface), so the ink pooled itself and turned out pretty cool! Then I used gold embossing powder and heat set the "Peace & Joy" phrase from the WOG: Frosted Cardmaking Kit stamp set.

Chalkboard paper tag cut out using the CTMH's Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. I first applied snowflake embellishments that I had in my stash (low tac) then I sprayed Mister Huey's Blizzard ink over top. Before allowing that to dry I quickly spritzed Mister Huey's Calico White over everything! The result was a pooling "blizzard". I heat set it (to dry faster) before removing the snowflakes.

Colonial white paper tag cut out using the CTMH's Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. I stamped the mini "Santa's Greeting" stamp in Black ink then colored it in using CTMH's alcohol markers in Olive. Next, I covered the colored olive greeting with Liquid glass to give it an epoxy look! Lastly, I distressed the edges of the card in Chocolate ink.

White Daisy paper tag cut out using the CTMH's Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. I used the "Love Life" stamp set for the flourish and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. I used used a sponge wedge to add Twilight ink over top of the whole tag, and finished it by distressing the edges in Slate ink.

White Daisy paper tag cut out using the CTMH's Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. I spritzed the entire tag with Chartreuse Color Shine (by Heidi Swapp). Then I stamped the bottom of the tag with the "Celebrate" phrase from the WOG: Sparkle & Shine Scrapbooking Kit stamp set in Black ink. Next, I used the Sparkle & Shine Ruby washi tape in the middle and then wrote a "To" and "From" at the top. Lastly, I added some Cranberry Baker's Twine in a bow!

Colonial White paper tag cut out using the  CTMH's Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. I first stamped the bottom of the tag with the banner image from the "Banner Wishes" stamp set in Lagoon ink. Then I stamped the "Thank you" (from the same stamp set) in Slate ink. Next, I layered the Metallic Silver washi tape and the Honey triangles washi tape toward the top. Lastly, I distressed the edges with Chocolate ink.

Kraft cardstock tag cut out using the  CTMH's Artiste Cricut Cartridge. I first layered the Sparkle & Shine washi tape from the bottom up. Then I wrote a "To" and "From" and added a Cranberry Baker's twine bow at the very top!

Kraft cardstock tag cut out using the CTMH's Artiste Cricut Cartridge. I first stamped the background of the tag with the mini snowflakes background stamp from the WOG: Frosted Cardmaking Kit stamp set in Ruby. Then I used a 1 1/4" circle punch on the Sparkle & Shine polka dot paper, and distressed the edges in Slate ink. Next, I stamped the "25" image from the "Magical Days" stamp set in Ruby ink and did some fussy cutting around the edges. Lastly, I distressed the edges of the tag in Chocolate ink.

   The next event I had in October was a Fall Decor Class (on the 19th)! During this class, attendees were able to choose a Halloween theme or a Fall theme for their Home Decor projects! We made paper pumpkins and matching stamped, drawstring Burlap or Canvas bags! Check out a couple examples of our projects below!

Fall paper pumpkins cut from the Huntington paper pack using CTMH's Artiste Cricut Cartridge. I cut 6 pieces at 5" and 6 pieces at 3" then glued them using the back-to-back method for stability (and a more full look). I distressed the edges with Chocolate ink, and cut 1.5" and 2"  leaves out of Olive paper using CTMH's Artbooking Cricut Cartridge. I then stamped the smaller leaves with the flourish stamp from the "Swirls Around" stamp set, and covered the bigger leaves with an orange stripe paper from K&Company. Lastly, I used my CTMH quilling tool to curl and round strips of olive and chocolate paper into vine-like strips!

Another view of the pumpkins

5" pumpkin up close

3" pumpkin up close

CTMH's Burlap bag with a Colonial tag die cut using CTMH's Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. "Happy Autumn" stamp set used for the sentiment and the flowers/leaves. Stamped images are in Chocolate, Autumn Terracotta, Slate, Barn Red, Creme Brulee, Olive (1st and 2nd generation), and Garden Green (retired color) dye inks. I used CTMH's blending brush to add contrasting colors to some of my flower petals, and then I fussy cut the images out and used Zip Dry wet adhesive to adhere them to the bag. Last, I adhereed a grey Baker's twine bow to the tag! Thank you to Heather Morgen for the inspiration on this project! I loved how yours turned out so much that I decided to something similar!

   The last event I had in October was Croptoberfest, which was last Saturday! I had two ladies (good friends of mine) that came over for a whole day of cropping and crafting! We had a lot of fun, played with some new products, and got a lot of crafting accomplished! Here are a couple pictures from Saturday!

Working hard on our projects!

The ladies received a special Croptoberfest goodie bag for coming all day! The goodie bag was filled with Close to My Heart products like a Halloween paper pack, rub-ons, alphabet stickers, a stamp set, and sparkle gems (Retail Value: $50!)!! Thank you, ladies, for such a fun day!

   Well that's it for a recap on October's events! I hope you enjoyed the overview and a look at all the fun projects we made this last month! I look forward to making more fun projects with you all at one of my upcoming events in November and December!  Until next time: 

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

MIA

   Sorry I have been MIA lately! Once I got back from Seattle on Sunday, October 13th, it was go go go go go! I went down to Wisconsin from the 16-18th to pick up our dog from my parents and to meet the newest addition to our family; baby cousin Landon! Then it was back to Minnesota in time for the Fall/Halloween Home Decor Class that Saturday the 19th! All this last week I have been catching up on orders, bills, cleaning the house, and catching up on decorating for Fall/Halloween! It has been nuts!

   I still have not had a chance to put the newest and upcoming promotions on the blog, but they are coming (hopefully by tonight)! I am still playing catch up with my life! I also have pictures of past projects from workshops and classes to post (again....hopefully tonight)! It has been a ton of fun creating new and exciting projects for these workshops! If you have missed out, don't worry! I have a bunch of workshops and events coming up soon!

   Now for some eye candy goodness! Close to My Heart just released a Workshop On the Go: Sparkle & Shine Cardmaking Kit! These cute designs were made for the Pinners Conference going on now in Utah, and I am so glad they shared the cutting and assembling instructions with everyone so we can make these awesome cards, too! This kit will make 10 cards total (5 of each design), and utilizes the "Santa Claus" stamp set from page 5 in the Holidays from the Heart gift guide!

  
   I love these! They are so cute and easy to make! If you would like to get your hands on the supplies for these cards as well as the instructions for assembling, contact me today for pricing and ordering! Or host a gathering using this kit and you get yours for FREE! Contact me today for more details and available dates!

   I hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying your Friday! Stay warm this weekend, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

TGIF

   Friday Fun Day!!! Whoo ooo! Ian is off early from his medical conference today, so we are going to be out and about shopping and exploring Seattle some more! Tomorrow is our last day in Seattle before we head back to my brother-in-law's for the night! This trip has gone extremely fast (they usually do), but it has been really nice! We have not been able to see everything and everyone we wanted (Russell Wilson anyone?), but we know we'll be back out here soon enough!

   I have been working on some Studio J layouts while Ian has been at his conference, and I cannot wait to work on more projects back at home! Here is a little sneak peek at the layout I am finishing up today:This digital layout uses the "Sarita" paper pack and embellishments! I was able to change some of my background papers around, choose how many photos I wanted on my 2-page spread, and change the colors of all my embellishments. I still have a lot of tweeking and finalizing to do before it's complete, but you get the idea! If you have not played around with our Studio J software yet, you really should! It is so quick, easy, and fun! Plus there are many retired collections and embellishments to choose from while working on your layout spreads (continue to play with those favorite paper packs from a couple years ago!). Here is a link to Studio J. If you already have a Close to My Heart Login for the online shopping page, you use that to also get into Studio J. If you do not have a login, you can register on the Studio J page easily and quickly!

   The other thing I love is the finished digital pages can still be altered when you get them. You can stamp on them, add your own embellishments, flip flaps, etc. I love it because it helps me get caught up on my pages while also giving me more options for paper sets (without having to buy them all). The link above can answer more questions about the program and getting started or you can watch some of the Studio J YouTube videos on my Pinterest page. Plus, when you buy the 5 packs of Studio J layouts (that's 5 two-page layouts for a total of 10 pages!), the price automatically includes printing and shipping and handling! That's less than $4 per page!!! That's amazing when you think of all the products you can use and play with plus the time you save mapping out a 2-page layout!

   The other thing you should check out this weekend is the "While Supplies Last" section on my Online Shopping Page! The inventory has been updated again, and there are some awesome buttons and embellishment packs deeply discounted! You can only order these items online, though, and the inventory goes fast! So make sure and get your goodies today by visiting here: Candid Captures Shop. If you want a sneak at the updated list, check out my "Sneak Peeks" tab for a full view of all the items in the clearance shop!

   Well I better get going, but I hope this finds you all well! Have a great weekend, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Happy Monday!

   Hello from Seattle! I hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying the fall weather! It is beautiful out here! The leaves are starting to change, so the scenery is even more breathtaking! I absolutely love this time of year!

   I also have been working hard on updating this blog and my Facebook page with the rest of the year's events! Check out the "Event Calendars" tab for all the dates and details for the upcoming events in November, December, and January, and contact me to RSVP to any of these events! I also updated the "Sneak Peeks" tab with the latest clearance items, and upcoming project sneaks! Pictures of these projects will be coming once I am back in Minnesota next week!

   There are also some more details listed under the "Crop Stop" tab concerning Croptoberfest on October 26th! I have 3 seats left for Croptoberfest, so if you are interested in attending this all day event, contact me ASAP before the spaces fill up! It's going to be a great day getting caught up on projects and visiting with the girls!

   Lastly, I wanted to share a FREE download that CTMH is featuring for the month of October! It is part of their "Rediscover" series, and this month the theme is "Rediscover Sweet".

If you visit my Close to My Heart Online Shop, you can download a FREE cupcake flags printable! I love this download! I already plan on using the printable paper pieces as faux washi tape on my next project! I will try and post pictures of my latest projects when I am back in 'Sota!

I will be updating and posting new things later this week so stay tuned! Until next time;

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

P.S. Are you looking for some more inspiration and technique savvy tips? Check out my Pinterest boards for quick peeks at Close to My Heart Videos, projects, and more! 

Hello October!

   Wow! October 1st already! Where does the time go? I have been so busy this last month that I almost forgot today was October 1st! Today is a busy, but exciting day! Tomorrow is Workshop Wednesday, so I am busy getting projects done today to prepare for that! If you still want to come, I have seats available, just contact me to let me know! Then on Thursday, I turn 30! Yep that's right! The big 3-0! I'm excited about it! This year is going to be another amazing year, and I'm looking forward to crafting all those memories!

   On Friday, the hubby and I leave for Seattle for a little over a week! We are going out there to visit family, but also to attend a conference for Ian's work! It should be a blast, and I cannot wait to see the nieces and nephews!

   I also wanted to let you know about the exciting new things October is bringing from Close to My Heart! First off is the new stamp-of-the-month promotion! It's super cute, and definitely has me in the mood for getting started on my Christmas decorating and paper crafting! It's called "Scandinavian Wishes", and makes me want to start playing with wrapping paper and tags!

    The other big promotion in October is the official release of the "Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide" on October 15th! I am so excited to be featuring products from this little gift guide during the Workshop Wednesday tomorrow! For those of you that cannot come, though, I will be posting pictures later this week of projects I did using some of the products in this supplement Idea Book!

   If you still have not received a copy of the Holiday Gift Guide and would like one, send me your contact information under the "Contact Me" tab and I can mail one to you! Also, check out the "Specials and Promotions" tab for all the details and information you need about this cute little mini-catalog!

   I hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying this beautiful fall weather! Keep checking back for more updates and more information! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!