Happy Halloween!

   Happy Halloween, everyone! We love Halloween at my house, and this year we get to experience trick-or-treating with our little guy for the first time! We know he won't get it and most likely won't care, but we're excited to take him to a few of our neighbors' houses and say hello!

   Since it is Monday and Halloween, I thought I would share a couple quick and easy Halloween projects for you today. I know it might be a little late to make these now, but you can always have them in store for next year (or maybe that last minute card you wanted to make but now need it immediately)!!

   First up is a super cute paper box using CTMH Jeepers Creepers paper from the Holiday Expressions Idea Book. I made this 4x4 box using my WRMK 1-2-3 Punch Board (love this tool), and some adhesive! It was super fast and easy to do! The only difference I made was instead of using the flaps to close the box, I glued them to the sides so you could see the double-sided paper detail. I then cut the "Boo" from the CTMH Artbooking Cricut Cartridge in Tangerine cardstock. This project is perfect for holding cards, treats, and other fun little gift items.

   Inside my Boo Box I had 3 Halloween cards I made. These little guys were inspired by projects I had pinned on Pinterest a while back. I don't know who to give credit to, though, since the pins took me to other re-pins or posts.

   These cards are super simple, too, and only require scissors and a couple circle punches! I used a 1 1/2" punch for the eyes and eyelids then added 1" circles as pupils, noses, etc. I even used a 2" circle to make Dracula's hairline! Pretty sneaky, right? These were so much fun to do, and I think kids would love making them, too, on paper bags or as a banner!

   Lastly, I made this super quick and easy Halloween garland for my house. I planned on using it as a countdown, but it was too cute and I wanted to leave it up! I used the new stamp set, "Monster Crossing", and Jeepers Creepers papers, both from the Holiday Expressions Idea Book, to make the rings of this garland. I stamped the images in lines across a 12x12 paper then cut them down to 6" strips and added adhesive and a mini staple to each one to help it hold. Super easy and fast, which is definitely up my alley!

 

   I hope you enjoyed my Halloween projects for you today! Check back later this week to see what else I have in store for you, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Make It Monday!

   Welcome back to Make It Monday! I hope you all are having a great start to your week! Today I want to share with you a fun fall card using the new CTMH collection, Swan Lake, from the Holiday Expressions Idea Book!

   I love the colors in this paper collection, and wanted to make a generic Fall themed card that I could use now or even closer to Thanksgiving! I used the main pattern paper from the Swan Lake collection (swans on one side and the floral background on the other), the new Black Shimmer Ribbon, and the Autumn Wishes stamp set. My card base is Kraft cardstock, and I matted my image with Glacier cardstock as well.

   To get the dimensional look on the pumpkin, I paper pieced the two middle sections from a Saffron stamped pumpkin onto a Goldrush stamped pumpkin. I also paper pieced a Chocolate stamped stem onto the Goldrush stamped pumpkin. The sentiment was stamped in Peacock ink, and both of the Colonial White cardstock pieces were ink distressed using Desert Sand.

   This is a quick and easy card to do, and looks elegant and warming at the same time! If you have any questions, please let me know! Otherwise, I hope you are able to get crafty this week and possibly make this card for yourself!

   Enjoy the rest of your week, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Artfully Sent Cards

   Hey everyone! I have some more artwork to share with you today! I am hoping that I can make more time to get creative this last month of pregnancy, and maybe even start our little bundle's scrapbook to get ahead! We'll see, though! We still have a lot to do to prepare for our little man's arrival!

   Today I am sharing some cards that I made last month using the Artfully Sent Cricut cartridge. I have had a lot of fun playing with this cartridge lately, and I have also had a lot of greeting cards that needed to be sent out the last couple months! So here are a couple of the cards that I made and sent:

This one you might have seen already on my blog and/or other social media! I made this card using Blossom papers, matching cardstock, and the "Variety of Thanks" hostess stamp set from the Seasonal Expressions I idea book.

I made this Mother's Day card for my Grandma and mother-in-law last month. It was very quick and easy to put together, and I loved that I could make a matching envelope liner as well! The papers I used were scrap papers from my stash!

I recently purchased a paper pack from Michaels that had watercolor, ombre-style pattern papers in it! I love the possibility of this paper pack and knew I had to use it with some of the gorgeous cards from Artfully Sent! This card is a pocket-style card that I cut from black shimmer paper. I then backed the image with the ombre paper, and tucked a journaling card in the pocket to act as my "letter". The size was perfect for 4x6 photos, so I included recent photos of my nephew in the pocket, too, before sending it to my sister for Mother's Day.

Here's another version of the same card with different colors behind it! I sent this card with recent pictures of my niece to my other sister for Mother's Day. I used the left over scraps from the paper to make the envelope liner, and my ShinHan markers to color the sparkles to match the card!

I made 3 versions of this card since I had so many anniversaries to acknowledge last month. I used up scrap papers from my stash, and scraplifted the design from CTMH corporate.  I love the simple elegance of this card, and the fun combination of pattern papers that I used!

This card was quick and easy to make, but also the perfect card to send to my nephew for his birthday! I used a "Boyhood" paper pack that I have from DCWV to back the letters I then added black star stickers to the front to give it just a little added interest.

This is the inside of the card to my nephew. He really like pirates, so I had to include this fun paper in his card and as the envelope liner. The sentiment came from a Hero Arts stamp set I have in my stash!

   I hope you all enjoyed viewing these fun greeting cards! These were super fast and easy to put together, too! I made 8 cards in one sitting in less than a couple hours! It was also a great way to use up my scrap papers, and break out some new supplies! Plus the Artfully Sent cartridge makes it super easy to come up with stylish and trendy cards in just minutes!

   Have a great rest of your week, and if you have any questions on these projects or need to order you own Artfully Sent cartridge, please let me know! I would love to help you out! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Artwork Spotlight: Jackson Cards

   Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend celebrating you and all you do!

   For today's Sunday Funday I want to share with you some cards I made using the Jackson paper pack and newly released stamp sets from the Seasonal Expressions II Idea Book!

   This first card was made at my Seasonal Expressions II Preview Party in March as a FREE make-n-take! I used the Jackson papers and the "Finding the Words" stamp set, and accented the card using the new Oceanside sequins and Flaxen thick twine. I love the colors on this card! The sentiment was stamped in Cocoa and Barn Red inks.

   The second card I'm sharing today is one that was made at last week's Workshop Wednesday! This card also featured the Jackson papers and "Finding the Words" stamp set. However, this time I decided to edge distress the glacier cardstock to give it a little added texture!

   The third card today was also made at last week's Workshop! This card featured the Jackson paper with the new "Dizzy Circles" stamp set! I embellished the card using Glacier thick twice and a brown marker (for the stitched edges). The circles were stamped in Juniper and Barn Red inks.

   The last card I'm sharing today was one of the cards from last week's Workshop as well, but this card featured the awesome May SOTM: Just Sayin'! I love this stamp set! It's so versatile and fun, and the possibilities with this set are completely endless! I can't wait to play with it some more!

   I also used the new "Treats of Friendship" stamp set for this card! The images were stamped using Archival Black ink on the patterned Jackson papers. The background is stamped in Flaxen ink, and the sentiment in Barn Red and Black inks! I was inspired to create this card by a fellow consultant, Brenda Rose, who used the coffee stamp set on the patterned papers for her card on her blog. I loved the look, and knew I had to try it!

   There you have it! Some fun artwork to get you inspired this week! You can always play along with my Jackson projects this month by getting your hands on this amazing collection for yourself! Just hop over to my Online Shopping Site to get all the goodies you need today! Don't forget orders placed this month can qualify for the mystery hostess drawing at the end of the month to win FREE CTMH goodies of your choice! You can get all the details about this special under the Steals & Deals tab!

   Thanks for checking out my cards this week! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Artwork Spotlight: Seaside Cards

   Happy last day of April! Today is the last day to take advantage of April's steals and deals!! Including the awesome and popular grab bags! I loved all of mine that I received, and hope that you got a chance to get your hands on one as well!

   Today, though, I wanted to share some recent cards that I made! These were all made using the Seaside paper pack and current stamp sets! You can order the Seaside paper pack for yourself if you would like to scraplift any of these projects to play along with me! Here's some of my creations from this month:

This card was a make-n-take at the recent retreat weekend I attended! My downline, Ellie Lundstrom, created this card to share with us, and I was so excited to be able to re-create it with her! The stamped images all come from the April SOTM, though, which is only available until midnight tonight!

This is one of the cards we made at my workshop at the beginning of the month! We used the Seaside paper, the "Have a Happy Day" stamp set (D1616), the "Distressed Backgrounds" stamp set (D1544), and the newest Operation Smile stamp set from the SE 2 Idea Book, "Happy Everything" (D1653).

This is another one of the cards we made at my workshop this month. We used the same paper and "Have a Happy Day" stamp set from the Annual Inspirations Idea Book.

This was the last card we made at my workshop this month! We used the same papers and stamp set as before, but I also added some Slate Diagonal ribbon to the card, too! These were so fun to make with my ladies this month!

   Let me know if you have any questions about these projects! Otherwise, I hope you're having a great week, and enjoying this weather! Don't forget today is the last day to take advantage of April's deals! So make sure and get your order in for all your favorite goodies!

   I will see you back here tomorrow for the announcement of May's specials! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Artwork Spotlight: Hopscotch Cards

   Happy Friday, everyone, and Happy First Day of Spring!!! Woohoo!! Winter is officially over, and I'm ready for sunshine and nice weather!

    I have had a busy week of prepping projects, finishing taxes, and finalizing our remodeling plans for the basement! It's been a lot of fun, but definitely chaotic around here!

   It helps that I can "get away" to my craft room for a little bit throughout the week to de-stress and work on upcoming workshops, though! There's just something about playing with paper that is so therapeutic!

   Today I want to share a couple of cards I made using the Hopscotch paper pack! You only have 11 more days to get your hands on this paper pack before it's gone forever! Here are my cards using this super fun paper collection:

I scraplifted the idea for this card from the Seasonal Expressions I idea book pg 22. I substituted some of the paper choices, and then used the November SOTM: "It's the Little Things" and the "Love This Story" hostess rewards stamp set, Smoothie Striped Washi Tape, and Tan Sparkles to embellish it.

This was a quick and simple card I put together using scraps from the paper pack, the Junebug puffies (also retiring), Pixie Extra thick twine, and the "Happy to Be Friends" stamp set.

   All the supplies you need to make these cards and more are on my Online Shop now! Don't forget that some of the collections and embellishments from the Seasonal Expressions I idea book will be gone in less than 2 weeks! Make sure and get your favorites before it's too late! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday Tidbit: Artfully Sent Pocket Function

   It's already time for another Tuesday Tidbit! I am LOVING this warmer weather that we're having today! It's suppose to get up to 61 degrees here in Hastings today! Woohoo! I am hoping I can get my puppy out for a nice walk and soak up that sunshine!

   Today I want to share another awesome video demonstrating the Artfully Sent cricut cartridge! Today's video is about the Pocket function key! This is an awesome key for all of you Picture My Life scrapbookers! There are so many options and fun cards to create on this key! Check it out for yourself:

   Do you need to get your hands on your own Artfully Sent Collection? You can shop my Online Page now and get all of March's deals and steals as well! Have a great rest of your week, friends, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday Tidbit: Artfully Sent Sleeves

   It's Tuesday Tidbit time! Sorry I missed last week's post! We were out of town getting our Iowa house ready to put on the market! Little did we know that our realtor was going to sell it before we went live, though! Yay!!! That's one thing scratched off the super saturated to-do list!

   Today I want to share another awesome video demonstrating the Artfully Sent cricut cartridge! I can't get enough of these videos! I learn something new every time I watch them!

   This video is about the Sleeve function key! I love using the die cuts from this key! There's so many options and fun designs! Check it out for yourself:

   Do you need to get your hands on your own Artfully Sent Collection? You can shop my Online Page now and get all of March's deals and steals as well! Have a great rest of your week, friends, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday Tidbit: Sentiment Cards

   I am officially back from our Florida vacation, and all I can say is "BRRRRRRrrrrr". I wish I would have brought the warm sunshine back with me! When we boarded our flight in Orlando it was 63 degrees. By the time we landed in Chicago it was -5 degrees. Yeah talk about "shock"!

   It feels great to be back, though! I have a ton to do, of course, but there's something about sleeping in your own bed that's so comforting!

   Today's Tuesday Tidbit is another awesome video in the Artfully Sent series! Have you been enjoying these as much as I have? These videos are so helpful, and I love getting new ideas from all the artwork they show! So without delay, here's today's video demonstrating the "Sentiment" key on the Artfully Sent cartridge:

   What did you think of this latest video? Each time I see these I fall in love with this cartridge more and more!

   Do you need to get your hands on your own Artfully Sent Collection? You can shop my Online Page now and get all of February's deals and steals as well! Have a great rest of your week, friends, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday Tidbit: Scene Cards

   Welcome back to another Tuesday Tidbit! I am still in sunny Florida this week, but I will be back in Minnesota on Valentine's Day! I will try and bring the warm weather with me, northern friends!

   Today's Tidbit features another amazing Artfully Sent video, but this time we're exploring the Scene Card function key! Here's Monica's video from CTMH:

  
   Don't these look awesome? These types of cards are really "trendy" right now, and you can see that on Pinterest and other crafty online forums! Who knew it could be so easy, though!?!!?

   This cartridge is available now for anyone looking to add it to their collection. Simply shop on my Online Page, and you can get yours today! I hope you've enjoyed these fun videos showing off the amazing cards in Artfully Sent! Make time to get crafty this week, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday Tidbit: Pop-up Cards

   Hello from Florida! It's another Tuesday Tidbit time, and I wanted to share another awesome video with you showcasing the Artfully Sent Cricut cartridge!

   Have you had a chance to play with the cartridge yet? One of my favorite features on this cartridge is the Pop-up card button! These cards are amazing and so easy to make! You're going to love this video showing off the Pop-up feature! Check it out:

  
   Sooooo fun! I love these super cute cards! Which one is your favorite? I think I need to make a bunch of these to have on hand at all times! :) If you need one of these Cricut cartridges for yourself, visit my Online Shop today and start shopping! Have a wonderful day, friends, and make time to get crafty! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Tuesday Tidbit: Artfully Sent Basics

   Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today I wanted to share with you a video that CTMH did about the new Cricut cartridge, "Artfully Sent". If you haven't had a chance to check this out yet, you need to! This cartridge is so much fun to play with! Here are some Artfully Sent basics for you today:

   I just love this cartridge! Would you like to get this Cricut collection for yourself? It's easy!! Shop my Online Page today, and get this amazing cartridge straight to your doorstep! Have a wonderful rest of your day, everyone, and hope you can make time to get crafty! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Creative Challenge: January #2

   It's that time again!! CTMH released their second creative challenge yesterday on their Facebook and Instagram pages. They also released a creative Bingo board to help kick start your creativity this week!

   I love creative challenges! They help me get focused and give me a goal toward completion! That's why I highly encourage you to participate in these weekly challenges! Even if you don't share them with CTMH....it will at least help you make time getting crafty each week while also working on your own projects!

   Here is this week's CTMH post for the creative challenge:

This week, I asked our talented Marketing Manager, Carlie Robertson, to create a card to reflect the weather. Although we have been without snow lately in Utah, we are wishing for some white sometime soon! Carlie used “Flakey Friends” to create this adorable card. 

Your challenge is to create a card that reflects your weather and let us know what products you use. Post your creations to Instagram or Facebook by midnight on Friday and be sure to use the hashtag ‪#‎jrlcreativechallenge‬
Happy crafting! 

   Make sure and post your projects to CTMH's Facebook and/or Instagram pages with the hashtag #jrlcreativechallenge by Friday (1/23) for your chance to win another amazing prize! 

   Last week's winner won the "Charming Chevrons" stamp set for her interpretation of the layout challenge! So there are definitely awesome prizes to be had!

   The second creative challenge this week is CTMH's Bingo Board! I love playing creative Bingo! It's very inspiring, and makes you think outside the box! 

   Here’s how to play: Close your eyes and spin your finger around the board until you feel the draw to put it down. Open your eyes. Which box did your finger land on? Survey your position and then choose to follow either the vertical or horizontal row of the space you landed on. Now heed the guidelines of each box in the row and get crafting!

   You can post your project(s) to CTMH's Facebook page if you feel like sharing, but this is just a bonus challenge. There are no prizes for participating in this one! It's simply to jump start your creativity this week!

   You can download your own Bingo Board to print at home and play along by clicking on the picture and downloading the document to your computer! Let me know if you have any issues with this, and I can always help you out and email you a copy instead!   

   I hope this has inspired you all to get crafty this week and start making some amazing artwork! Have fun with these challenges, and enjoy your week! Until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Creative Time

   This week I finally made some time to get creative! It had been a long time since I worked in my craft room, and I missed it! There are so many projects and things that I have been wanting to do, but the holidays and post-holiday craziness had to come first!

   So today I want to share with you a couple of the projects I have been working on this week! First thing I worked on were the cards that I made for this month's workshop called "ShinHan Coloring Class". We practiced basic coloring techniques, shading and shadowing, and blending! It was a lot of fun, and we were able to get a lot of fun coloring done!

   The first card was made using the "Heartstrings" paper pack and the "Rainy Day" stamp set. I then colored the stamped images with CTMH's ShinHan markers: Pastel Green, Golden Yellow, Peony Purple, Lavender, Clay, Warm Grey (WG4), and Marine Blue.

   I ink distressed the White Daisy cardstock with a Chocolate Distress Ink pad for added texture. I didn't add any embellishments to this card yet, but I'll probably add a little something to "finish" it before I send it to anyone!

   The second card I made using the "Heartstrings" paper pack again only this time I used the "Your Own Kind of Wonderful" stamp set! I stamped the larger butterfly and sentiment in "Black" ink first. Then I stamped the two smaller butterflies in "Gypsy" and "Canary" inks.

   I used ShinHan markers to color in the butterflies and add detail over my sentiment again. This time I used the following colors: Golden Yellow, Marigold, Carmine, Turquoise Blue, Peacock Green, Lavender, and Warm Grey (WG4).

   I added a couple clear sparkle gems and some hand-drawn edges to embellish and finish the card, and ta-dah! Another fun and colorful ShinHan card!

   I wanted to keep these cards simple so that the coloring would stand out more! Have you had a chance to play with the new ShinHan alcohol markers? Well if not, I hope you get a chance this weekend! Thanks for checking out my projects today, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

12 Days of Christmas: CTMH Style

   Happy Saturday everyone! Today is officially 12 days before Christmas! So I thought why not celebrate CTMH style! Starting today I will be sharing Christmas crafty projects and some of my favorite CTMH products for this holiday season!

   Today I want to kick off the 12 days of Christmas by sharing my favorite color palette this holiday season! This year I am loving the look of metallics in Christmas home decor and crafty projects.

This is a card I made last year for an embossing workshop I had last December, but I love the look of mixing silver and gold embossing powders and White Daisy ink!

A Christmas card by consultant Vicki Wizniuk that is absolutely breathtaking! She used the gold polka dot washi tape (Z1920), tan glitter paper (Z1830), gold shimmer trim (Z1985), gold sequins (Z2012), and gold embossing powder (Z2066) on this amazing card!

Vicki also made this awesome card using simple embossing and stamping

The new CTMH Holiday Happenings My Crust book (Z2098) has touches of gold throughout the book as well! Plus who doesn't like a vintage holiday look?? I love this book!

A peek at all of the pieces in the Holiday Assortment pack (Z2062)! I spy gold accent pieces! Love love love this whole collection!

   Do you love the look of metallics this holiday season?  What crafty projects have you made this holiday season using metallics? I would love to see what you all have been up to this year! 

   If you can't wait to get your hands on some of these amazing products to make your own metallic decor, shop my Online Shop today to get all of these goodies and more! Happy 12 days of Christmas everyone, and until next time:

Here's to live, love, and creativity!

Fun Card Technique

   Good Morning, everyone! I have had a fun creative week so far! I had the second installation of the Christmas Card Buffet yesterday at my house, and it was a huge hit yet again! Everyone loved the new cards that I added, and all of them walked away with a decent handful of finished and fun greeting cards of all types! Thank you to all the fabulous ladies that came yesterday! I love having creative time with all of you!

   I also have been working on getting my projects finished for the craft fair next weekend! I'm nervous that I won't have enough stuff done, but hopefully I can buckle down these next few days and crank out a bunch of projects! If you need me I will be in the my craft room with a coffee! If you're around the Hastings, MN area, you should stop by and see me next weekend at Regina Hospital-Chapel Lobby! I would love the feedback on my booth and projects!

   Today, though, I wanted to share with all of you a super fun technique that CTMH put on their blog yesterday! Some of you might have seen this already, but it is just too fabulous not to share! I also love that they broke the technique down for us and showed every step in creating this amazing card!

   Check out how to make this card and others like it on the CTMH blog! You definitely can have a ton of fun creating with this style!

   If you would like to order the supplies needed to make your own color splat cards, make sure and visit my Online Shopping Site! You can get all the tools, inks, embellishments, and stamp sets that you'll need to recreate this perfect fall art!

What Tools You’ll Need:
D1604 My Acrylix® Season of Thanks
C1589 My Acrylix® Lifetime of Happiness
Z2123 Goldrush Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z2118 Desert Sand Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z2137 Olive Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z2191 Sunset Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z2101 Autumn Terracotta Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z2162 Honey Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z2643 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z2172 Whisper Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z2642 Flaxen Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z2641 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Pad
Z1380 Spray Pen
1778 My Acrylix® Spritz Cleaner
Z697 Round Sponge
Z2045 All-Purpose Mat

   If you have any questions, please let me know! I would love to help you get crafty this week! Have a wonderful Thursday, everyone, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!

Brrrr....November's Here

   I hope you all are staying warm on the 1st day of November! Brrr brr brr! We haven't had any snow like some of you, but I know it's coming.....and all too soon!

   Last night's trick-or-treating went really well! We were told our house was the "best" in the neighborhood, and second best in Hastings (although we didn't get to see the "spook house" to see which one some kids were calling the best)! It was cold, but most of the kids came out early and went home before 8pm. We definitely didn't have as many kids as we usually do , but we still had a decent turn out (maybe a little less than 100 kids)!

 

   We had the outdoor speakers set up, too, and played spooky music during the trick-or-treating! It was super fun! I didn't get all the little things done that I wanted to for decorating, but it still turned out pretty awesome! 

   Well with a new month upon us I have a ton of amazing things to share with you: new specials, new products, giveaways, and so much more! Let's jump right in, shall we?

  

November Stamp-of-the-Month: It's the Little Things!

   A new month means a new SOTM! This month's SOTM is called "It's the Little Things", and it features perfect images to layer, fussy cut, and create backgrounds on all your projects! I love how versatile this stamp set is and how simple and beautiful the handwritten phrases are on this set!

   This stamp set is only $5 with any $50 purchase this month! Check out some of the SOTM artwork to get inspired:

Card scraplifted from Vicki Wizniuk of Wizard's Hangout.

Studio J Anniversary Sale!!!

 
   November marks the five-year anniversary of Studio J, CTMH's digital memory keeping program, and that means it’s your lucky month! There are five amazing ways to win through Studio J and Close To My Heart social media this month!
 

5 LUCKY WAYS TO WIN BIG:  

1.) Throughout the month of November, all layouts purchased in Studio J are only $5! That's over 25% off!

2.) Your second chance to win big must come by sheer luck: every fifth order placed in Studio J during November receives a FREE surprise Close To My Heart accessory in its shipping box! The accessory has a retail value of $5 or more!

Could be any accessory! Surprises are so fun aren't they???

 

3.) If luck doesn’t smile on you in that way, you might stumble upon it by finding a little extra something in your Studio J box. Five “golden tickets” will be sent out during the month of November with randomly selected Studio J print orders! This “golden ticket” is redeemable for one of Close To My Heart’s new D-ring albums* loaded with 10 Top Load Memory Protectors. 

4.) For a fourth way to win, simply create new, gorgeous layouts in Studio J, select your favorites, and then post pictures of them on Close To My Heart’s Facebook page using the hashtag #ctmhlucky5. After November 30, five lucky winners will be selected from the entries based on their artistry and creativity. Each of these winners will receive their own D-ring album loaded with 10 Top Load Memory Protectors!

 

5.) The last way to win is to take your new Studio J artwork and post a picture of it on Instagram using the hashtag #ctmhlucky5. Just as it is with Facebook, after November 30, five lucky winners will be selected from the entries to receive their own D-ring album loaded with 10 Top Load Memory Protectors!

    And to make things even more exciting, starting November 1, five brand new kits from the Annual Inspirations Idea book will be made available in Studio J, so you can create new artwork using the latest papers and embellishments from Close To My Heart. With so many ways to win, five may be your new lucky number! Log in to Studio J and start creating today!!!

*Offer valid November 1–30, 2014. Pattern and color of new D-ring album to be given to winners will be at Close To My Heart’s discretion based upon availability. New kits available in Studio J® on November 1 include Confetti Wishes, Snowhaven, Seaside, Pathfinding, and Scaredy Cat. No tax or shipping will be charged on the free item(s). Studio J layouts ship in a protected box that can hold 4 to 50 two-page layouts.

Close to My Heart 's Clearance Items now Updated: 

CTMH just released new products in their While Supplies Last section! Shop early and shop fast for the best selection because these new items will not last long!

Shop these items and more in my Online Store!!!

 

New Products in November: 

   This month is jam packed with so many awesome new things! Not only are there new Steals and Deals this month, but there are also new products! Starting this month you can take advantage of being one of the first to get these newly released products:

 

Picture My Life A la Carte:

      
   Starting November 1st you can now get any of the Picture My Life kits a la carte style! This means you can purchase just the pack of 4x6 and 3x4 cards without having to get the page protectors and cover page, too!

   The new a la carte option includes 122 pre-printed, beautiful cards in both 4x6 and 3x4 sizes, and is only $14.95!!! Check out all the Picture My Life kits and cards on Candid Crafter's Online Shopping Site today! 

New Albums in D-ring and Post Bound Styles:

   They are finally approved and being shipped for availability as we speak! The brand new CTMH albums are gorgeous and the perfect addition to the memory keeping family! I think you all are going to love these! There are 3 new designs to choose from: Lagoon Chevron, Ruby Floral, and Black! They are all canvas covered, 1 1/2" non-expandable, durable albums that are sure to excite any memory keeper's style! 

   I do not have an official release date yet, but CTMH has assured us that they will be available for purchase this month! So keep your eyes open and check back here often for updates!

 

 

Organizational Must-Haves:

 

   Starting in mid-November, CTMH is releasing a brand-new rolling tote and matching shoulder bag for all your organizational needs! I cannot wait to get my hands on these awesome new additions!

   The rolling tote is designed to store the CTMH Organizers in the center, 12x12 products in the front pocket, and other small tools, adhesives, and products in the side pockets! However, the possibilities are endless! It's durable material and functional storage make it the perfect addition for crafting on the go!

 

   The shoulder bag complements the rolling tote perfectly! It has the same style and durable material, but in a shoulder bag option! It's big enough to fit all your 12x12 projects, kits, and books, but also has room to store your embellishments, tools, and so much more! This super cute bag will be available at the same time the rolling tote is available, and believe me.....you're going to want both!

 

Upcoming Workshops, Classes, & Crops:

 

Christmas Card Buffet Part II

    
   Back by popular demand....the Christmas Card Buffet is here and with new cards added! Come create as many Christmas cards (fall, everyday, and spring ones, too) as you can in 2 hours for only $12!!!

    This awesome workshop will be on November 5th from 12-2pm or 6-8pm! You can sign up for whichever works with your schedule!

    I am suggesting that each regular attendee bring their own "Basic Workshop Kit" with them since I have limited supplies. A list of the "Basic Workshop Kit" can be found on my blog and on the event page (or you can contact me with questions)!

   Please RSVP NOW for the return of this fun and exciting workshop! Feel free to invite friends and family, but please make sure they RSVP, too! This is a popular workshop, and will fill up fast!

 

Regina Craft Fair: 

   I will have a booth at the Regina Craft Fair the weekend of November 13-15th! I will be there from 7AM-4PM on Thursday and Friday, and from 9AM-4PM on Saturday!

   I will be selling homemade paper crafts like Christmas cards, home decor, mini albums, and lots of other fun goodies! I will also have some of most recent projects on display to show off upcoming workshops and classes!

   The Craft Fair is located in the Chapel Lobby at 1175 Nininger Road in Hastings, MN, and is FREE to attend! So come stop by and see me and check out all the fun projects I have!

Crafting with Cricut

   The next Crafting with Cricut Class will be November 14th from 6:30-8:30pm at my house in Hastings, MN! We will be exploring and combining Artbooking and Artfully Sent in this exciting new workshop!

   Please bring your Cricut Expression, laptop, cords and plug-ins, Cricut mat, Cricut spatula, adhesive of your choice, and a pair of scissors! A complete supply list will be updated on the Facebook page closer to the class!

   This class will fill up quickly so please RSVP by November 7th to save your seat! I can't wait to see you there!

Seasonal Expressions I Preview Party:

   It's almost here! The Seasonal Expressions Idea Book is set to release December 1st, but here's your chance to get a glimpse at this amazing new supplemental book before it goes live to the public!

   This book has 40 pages packed with all new products, tools, and fun new collections! You're going to LOVE all the new items this book has to offer!

   The Seasonal Expressions Preview Party will be November 19th from 12-2pm and again from 6-8pm at my house in Hastings, MN! This event is FREE and will showcase the new products, show off fun new artwork, and will have a FREE make-n-take featuring the new products from the book!

   You definitely do not want to miss this special event! Invite your friends and family along, too! Tis the season to be sharing! I can't wait to see you all there!

   Please RSVP by November 12th to get your preview spot set!!

   Whew!!! I think that's everything! November is an awesome month, and you definitely do not want to miss out on any of the amazing things going on this month! Let me know if you have any questions or need assistance placing your CTMH orders this month!

   Have a great weekend, everyone, and until next time:

Here's to life, love, and creativity!