November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Can you believe November is here already? The cooler temperatures tell me it's true. Yes, it's that time of year again...time for family get-togethers, turkey dinners with all the trimmings and of course, taking time to reflect on all for which we are thankful. Luckily for us, Close to My Heart has a fabulous Stamp of the Month just perfect for expressing your gratitude!

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month blog hop! If you have arrived here from Misty's blog, you are on the right track. If this is your first stop, simply follow the links at the end of each post to hop through the blogs of many talented CTMH Consultants who are sharing their work this month! If you get lost along the way or find links that are not working, you can find a complete list of hoppers at Helen's blog.

As I mentioned above, this month's SOTM set is has everything you need to express your gratitude. A Little Thanks (D1444) is set of 16 stamps - a beautiful mix of sentiments and simple images.


This month I am featuring the gorgeous Olivia papers at my workshops. In addition to Barn Red, Olivia showcases 3 of our 8 new colors...Pear, Sunset and Smoothie. What a fabulous fall color palette!

This quick and easy card uses the fun Sunset polka dot B&T along with Bamboo cardstock for the base. The wildflowers on the sentiment piece are stamped in 2nd generation Sunset ink for a subtle touch that doesn't overpower the sentiment itself.

I have several other fun cards to share using A Little Thanks, so be sure to check back in a few days for even more inspiration!

It's time to hop on over to Georgia's Blog to see what she has to share - it is sur to be fabulous!

Don't forget, A Little Thanks is only available in November, so head on over to my CTMH website to get your set today!

All-You-Can-Create Holiday Card Workshop!

These are just SOME of the fun holiday cards you will create at my new All-You-Can-Create Holiday Card Workshop! I hope you'll join the fun!

What: An unlimited card making session

Date: Saturday, November 13th, 2pm to 4pm

Cost: $15 (pre-paid) for 2 hours of unlimited creative fun!
*Spend $25: 50% savings = $7.50
*Spend $50: 100% savings = FREE

Where: Beth's Home in Camarillo

Bring: Your Basic Tool Kit (preferred adhesive, foam tape/squares, scissors, paper piercer, etc.)

RSVP: Yes! This is limited to 8 spots per session. Pre-payment is required to hold your spot. Email me at beth@MyCTMH.com and I will send you a PayPal invoice for payment.

**FAQs**

How many projects will I get to create?
There are 10 projects to select from. You may create as many projects as the time allows based on your personal crafting speed. Please note that all supplies will be collected at the end of the two hours, so you'll want to arrive on time.

How do the discounts work?
Pre-payment is required to hold your spot. Class discounts will be applied to your order at the end of class. Example when you submit a $25 order at class (saving you 50% on the class fee), $7.50 will be subtracted off the final.

Do you do traveling "All You Can Create" classes?
Yes, I do! They are a great way to get your friends together and create PLUS earn Hostess Rewards. If you are interested in scheduling your own, please email me at beth@MyCTMH.com

Will regular attendees qualify for Hostess Rewards?
Yes! All attendees will be eligible for Hostess Rewards.

RSVPs and pre-payments MUST be received no later than Monday, November 8th!

One Concept...Two Looks!

Those of you who know me well, know I LOVE simplicity! Whether it be a simple card or a simple scrapbook page, I value the beauty of simplicity (of course, if you know me REALLY well, you might be wondering why that only applies to the crafty side of me and not the organizational side of me. Well...me too!!!)!

One thing I love to do to simplify my creating is to take one design concept, be it a card concept from Jeanette Lynton's Originals or Wishes books or a scrapbook layout design from one of our other amazing how-to books, and create it using different papers and embellishments!

I recently did this with my kids' school and class portraits from the last school year. I always like to keep these pages simple with just the 5"x7" portrait and the class photo (which, by the time I trim the somewhat obnoxious border the photographer adds on I am left with another 5"x7" photo). For these two layouts I used the "Charmed" concept from the new Magic Interactive Scrapbook Program (if you don't have Magic yet, you need to get it)!

For Joey's page, I opted for the cool and trendy You Rock papers and My Stickease! I created the fun tye-dye technique on the "3" Dimensional Element with sponge daubers and ink - so simple!
For Jenna's page I chose the Emporium papers to match her outfit (why, of course!). I added some fun elements from our rub-on collections and a Dimensional Element "K" inked to match the papers.
Ironically, as I was typing up this post, my daughter brought me THIS year's school pictures, so I guess I have another adventure in One Concept...Two Looks ahead of me!

Flower Power + Magic = FUN

If you've been around CTMH for a while you are sure to recognize the super cute papers! When we retired the Flower Power kit several years ago, I just couldn't let it go. It took me a while, but I FINALLY got a chance to use it!

When Jenna turned 5 she received her American Girl "Just Like Me" doll and promptly named her Jennafer (she was very specific about how it was to be spelled)! For her 5 year portraits I decided to include Jennafer. In their matching outfits, it is almost creepy seeing just how much they look alike!

This layout is a GREAT concept from the new Magic how-to book by Jeanette Lynton. If you haven't added Magic to your library yet, you must get it! It is filled with fresh, new layouts and lots of ideas and tutorials for interactive elements to add to your pages.

I love that I was able to mix and match the "vintage" Flower Power papers with some of our newest products, namely the Cotton Candy cardstock and the Pear Mini-Medley. The fun Twinkle Brads added a touch of bling too!


More layouts to come over the next few days! Stay tuned! :-)

Happy Scrapping! Happy Stamping!

Studio J - Memberships are HERE!!

Studio J, Close to My Heart’s online scrapbooking design software, just got even BETTER!

Imagine sitting down to create a gorgeous two-page layout for your 12” x 12” scrapbook in just a matter of minutes ANYWHERE you have a computer and internet access with NO creative mess to clean up. It’s all possible with Studio J! Simply upload your photos, choose your “kit” from the CTMH My Reflections kit we already know and love, choose your “pattern” and the hard work is done for you. Adding your precious photos is as easy as dragging and dropping them into place and embellishments can be changed, added or deleted with the simple click of a mouse! And all of this a FREE! When you’re done creating, you can order your custom-printed layout to be shipped to your door or save it to be ordered along with future creations.

As I mentioned above, Studio J is completely FREE to use, the only cost is for the beautiful prints! However, CTMH has just come up with another GREAT option for you.

How would you like to get ALL of your Studio J layouts at 50% off? How about access to EXCLUSIVE kits and patterns? How do FREE shipping each month and FREE Memory Protectors sound? How would you like to get FREE jpeg files of your layouts so you can email them, share them on your blog or reprint them wherever you’d like? Well, it is ALL a reality now with Close to My Heart’s Studio J Memberships!

When you become a Studio J member you receive the following:

• 50% off retail price for custom prints
• JPG files available free or for purchase
• Free Memory Protectors®
• Free shipping
• Exclusive kits and patterns
• Special deals and promotions

Close to My Heart offers two Membership options:

• 3-Month Membership for $30
• 12-Month Membership for $99
  

Looking for the perfect gift or just want to try Studio J at a discount? We also offer a Studio J 5-Pack for $55. Studio J 5-Packs include 5 two-page layouts, 5 Memory Protectors and FREE shipping – and they never expire.

Additional FAQs on Studio J can be found HERE (scroll about 1/2 way down the page)!

Head on over to my website and check out Studio J today and then email me for details on my special offer on all Studio J 12-Month Memberships purchased in October.

Want to see some of the layouts I've created with Studio J? Click on the Studio J link under "Labels" on the right column.

Real Life. Real Scrapbooks. Real Time. Studio J!