December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Can it possibly be December already? It is, it is, and that must mean it is time for another fabulous Stamp of the Month blog hop with many of my fellow Close To My Heart consultants sharing their artwork.

If you've hopped with me before, you know the routine, but if you're new to blog hopping it's really quite simple. After checking out my submission below, just click on the link at the bottom of my post to get to the next blog. Each blog will link you to another and by the time you end up back here, you'll be full of inspiration! So here we go...

This month, we are featuring the December Stamp of the Month set, Notice the Details. This set of 41 stamps is fun and versatile!

For my creation, I chose the Grace My Reflections papers (possibly my most favorite from the Fall/Winter Idea book). The simple card was inspired by a card share by fellow consultant Amanda DesJardins.

I stamped the weekly calendar image. to create the sentiment, I used the phrase "Celebrate the Everyday" which is a stacked title in the stamp set. By masking it and stamping it three times I was able to get the sentiment situated as shown.

A little ribbon knot and some liquid glass on the flowers in the B&T add the finishing touches to this fast and easy card!

Remember, the Stamp of the Month set is only available through December. Get yours for $22.95 or place and order and earn it at a great discount, or even FREE! Details can be found on my website - http://www.beth.MyCTMH.com.

Now head on over to my friend Michelle's blog to see her fabulous creation - I know she won't disappoint!!! If at anytime you get lost along the way (or find links not working) check out Jena's blog for the complete list of SOTM Blog Hoppers.

Thanks for visiting and Happy Hopping!

Creating with Studio J!

Last summer, at the CTMH Leadership Conference, Jeanette and Close to My Heart introduced Studio J, a tool unlike anything else out there! Simply put, Studio J is an online scrapbooking design software. There is nothing to download, no software to buy, no membership fee to pay...Studio J is absolutely FREE to use and create with! When you are done creating you simply order your gorgeous projects and they are printed and shipped directly to you, ready to slip right into your albums...Studio J is Real Life, Real Scrapbooks, Real Time!

This week, along with the other Leadership attendees, I began beta testing Studio J before its initial release in the Spring. What fun I've had! It really is a snap to create a beautiful layout with Studio J in just a few easy steps...

1. Upload photos

2. Select your Kit - you'll find your favorite classic CTMH My Reflections kits in Studio J as well and an exclusive Studio J kit released with every new Idea book!

3. Select your Layout - if you love using Cherish, Imagine and Reflections, you'll LOVE selecting your layout - simply filter by the number of photos you'd like to use and select the exclusive layout design.

4. Select your Kit Mix - just like when you are crafting with paper, you have plenty of options for different paper combinations within each kit - this is where CTMH has truly done the work for you!!

5. Complete your layout - With a simple drag and drop feature your photos are placed in the designated photo wells where you can enlarge and enhance them in many ways. Pre-set accents are included in the layout and with the simple click of your mouse, you can change the color of your ribbon, brads, buttons and more! Add My Stickease, title and journaling. Distress a little if you'd like and you're done!

This is just the simple run-down. With Studio J, the possibilities are endless when you start rotating layouts, swapping out papers and resizing embellishments!

Here are a couple of the layouts I've created over the past couple days on Studio J.

On Wednesday, while visiting my parents for Thanksgiving, we celebrated Jenna's birthday. After the kids were in bed, I sat down with my laptop, logged into Studio J and had completed this layout in a matter of minutes!

I selected the Magic Moments kit as a great compliment to the photos. The Stars Above layout worked well for the number of pictures I wanted to include. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the ability to resize the My Stickease - notice the different sized letters making up the playful title! Jenna was so excited to wake up in the morning and see a this layout using her celebration pictures from the night before!

My next layout used the It's a Guy Thing kit. The colors were perfect for these outdoor photos of my duck huntin' hubby! Notice all of the accents colored to match the layout.
As I continue exploring Studio J, I will be sure to share my creations right here with all of you. Visit the Studio J website for more info and watch for info from me in the Spring about a special Studio J preview I will be holding!