Holiday Magic: October Stamp of the Month

It's that time again...time for a new Stamp of the Month and a fun and inspiring Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! If you've arrived here from Kathleen's blog, you are on the right track. If this is your first stop, simply follow the links provided at the end of each post until you get back here by which time you are sure to be filled with a little Holiday Magic yourself!

Yes, that's right! The holidays are just around the corner and the October Stamp of the Month, Holiday Magic is here just in time for all of your holiday papercrafting. I LOVE the bold, simple images in Holiday Magic.

I also love the new Believe My Reflections Kit, and I'm quickly falling in love with our Kraft cardstock. I have yet to find a paper that doesn't look GREAT with the Kraft cardstock! I think I've told you how much I love just a little bling, like the Red Sparkles that adorn the tops of the trees, and yes, I LOVE the extra wide Sweet Leaf Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon. Okay, so I used many of my favorites on this card!

By popping up the Kraft layer with 3-D Foam Tape, I've given the card a little dimension (and of course, I LOVE dimension too)!

Time to hop along to Gina's blog to see what Holiday Magic she has conjured up!

Remember, the Holiday Magic set is only available through October 31st. It's yours for just $17.95 (plus tax and shipping), or place a $50 order and add Holiday Magic for just $5 more! Head on over to my CTMH website to order yours today!

Lake Tahoe here we come!

Tomorrow morning I head for beautiful Lake Tahoe for our annual Team Retreat...4 days of scrapbooking, card making, sharing, learning, and of course lots of laughing!

Among some fun personal scrapping projects I am planning, I also plan to work on creating some fun workshops for YOU - a Cricut Class, scheduled for October 26th and a Holiday Card Class scheduled for November 5th...and maybe a couple others!

Want the first scoop on these great workshops? Be sure to "Like" my CTMH page on Facebook where I will be posting workshop project pictures as I complete them (I have very limited internet access, if any, while away, so Facebooking from my phone might be my only option).

If you aren't already getting my CTMH Facebook updates, click HERE to visit my page and "Like" it to get all the scoop!

Idea-a-Day (almost) with Pair-a-Phrase

Do you "Like" Close to My Heart on Facebook? If not, you're missing on tons of great inspiration this month!

In celebration of National Stamping Month, Close to My Heart is posting artwork using our awesome Pair-a-Phrase "double stamp set" along with quick tips on their Facebook page. Check out some of what they've shared already and then click HERE to join CTMH on Facebook!

The Pair-a-Phrase set is actually TWO sets in one. That's right, TWO D-sized My Acrylix stamp sets packaged together in one handy envelope (retail value $35.90). And did you know the Pair-a-Phrase set is FREE with a $75 order? Whether you are a cardmaker or a scrapbooker, this is one of those must-have sets!

Head on over to my website - http://beth.MyCTMH.com to place your order and get your very own Pair-a-Phrase set!

Time for a Little Mischief!

When I walked into Target the other day to get those last few items on my kids' school supply lists, I was surprised to find the school supplies were pushed to the back (on clearance - yay!) to make way for Halloween! Really? Already? Of course, this shouldn't surprise me as my own daughter decided on her Halloween costume in July, but it was a not so subtle reminder that Halloween is just around the corner.

At Close to My Heart, that means it's time for a little Mischief! All this month, my workshop groups are playing with the fun Mischief papers. I love the sophistication these papers display...earthy colors and classic patterns make it a definite TREAT for all your spooky Halloween papercrafting!

For my card club, however, I wanted to show the true diversity that can be found in the kit. As it turns out, Mischief is so much more than spooky Halloween...it is elegant, it is autumnal, and it is masculine!

Take a look at the three cards I created for my card club!

We started with this fun card which highlights the Pair-a-Phrase double stamp set available through September only! Simply spend $75 in September and the Pair-a-Phrase set is yours FREE! Click HERE for the details!

Yes, this card screams Halloween! However, my card club ladies pointed out that the fun treat bag could easily become a shopping bag or ladies handbag.

Next, we created an earthy Thank You card using the ticket stamp and die cut image from the Cricut Art Philosophy collection. We also used the new Milepost Shapes - these corrugated Kraft shapes are so fun and add that perfect touch, don't you think?

Did you see the quick and easy, clean and simple card I shared last night? Well, I loved that design so much, I decided to try it with Mischief! If you ask me, there is nothing Halloween about this card!

I'd love to have you join our card-making fun! We typically meet the 2nd Monday of the month, but check the Workshops/Events tab (above) as occasionally we need to adjust that schedule. we always make 3 cards, and your workshop is FREE with a $25 order placed the night of the workshop. Join us on a regular basis and earn Hostess Rewards too!

Don't forget...that Pair-a-Phrase set is only available through September. Head on over to my website to get yours today!

Quick & Easy-Thank You!

If you know me at all, you know that I'm all about quick and easy crafting! I love the clean, simple look that can be created in just a matter of minutes!

Recently, I stumbled upon a card on Pinterest - for you die hard bloggers/blog readers and those who scour the web for ideas, you MUST check out Pinterest - it's one big online bulletin board where you can "pin" all those fun ideas you find online and refer to them just when you need them! Yes, Pinterest is my new obsession!

But, I digress....as I was saying, I recently stumbled upon a card on Pinterest that was just my style - clean, simple, quick and easy! Unfortunately I can't tell who created the original because it links back to Google reader, but whoever you are...THANK YOU for the inspiration. Note to self...start watermarking photos posted online so people know who created it when they want to refer back to it!

When I needed a few thank you notes this weekend, I pulled out one of my very favorite papers, Sophia, and went to work. In no time at all I had whipped out 6 of these fun cards!

I'm just about finished setting up for my monthly card night tonight, so check back tomorrow to see what we create with the Mischief papers!

Extravaganza Artwork: First up...Typeset

As many of you know, I was fortunate enough to be selected to teach at this year's Close To My Heart convention! Extravaganza is an event like no other, and truly a highlight of each and every Convention I have attended. I am honored each time to am selected to teach, and while it is a lot of work and a lot of pressure, it is always a lot of fun!

This year, my Extravaganza class was titled "A Splash of Color" and my product focus was one of my very favorites - our Dimensional Elements chipboard die cuts. My job was to demonstrate all the wonderfully creative ways to turn the fabulous white chipboard elements into works of art. Can I tell you, the sky's the limit with these things! Just about any way you would embellish a flat piece of cardstock you could embellish at Dimensional Element die cut and really make your artwork stand out!

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing the artwork I created for my class (using all NEW products) and some of the fun techniques I highlighted in my artwork!

Today, I'll share my favorite of the three kits I received in advance of the new Idea Book release...Typeset! I just love the color combination of Vineyard Berry, Juniper, Creme Brulee and Black with a little Desert Sand and/or Bamboo. Check out this gorgeous artwork featured in the Autumn/Winter Idea Book.

Now on to some Extravaganza creations...

This 12x12 scrapbook page features our new 10-Things Pocket - what a great way to document a list (10 Things I Love About You, 10 Things I Can't Live Without, 10 Things I Do Everyday, and so many more possibilities!). I decided to document my son's 10 favorite things at 10 years old. He made his list which included his favorite color, books, sports, food, place, and more. I let him do the writing on the tags as I knew it would be fun for him to look back at not only his favorites, but his own writing when he is older!

The TEN is created with our new Dimensional Elements Monogram sets - I just LOVE the big letters in these sets. I inked them with Juniper ink and then random stamped small words in black to coordinate with the Typeset look. The word "AT" is done with our new Color Ready Cork Alphabet. These cork letters are perfect the way they come, or can be inked like I did here! Finally, the "top 10" uses more of the monogram sets and the new Dimensional Elements Numbers!

This simple tag us made using the new Dimensional Elements Tags simply covered in B&T paper from the Typeset pack. I also used my very favorite of the Dimensional Elements line, the Irresistibles Ecelectic Alphabet. Simply add ink to the letters and the resist design just pops!

This little gift card is just my style...simple, simple, simple!

The scalloped circle is from the Dimensional Elements Mixed Shapes set (which also coordinate fabulously with the new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge). I simply inked the scalloped dimensional element and added the fun sentiment piece from our new Typeset Compliments Canvas Shapes. I LOVE these compliments! The little canvas star circles are also popped up on chipboard circles from the On Target set.

I love how the Dimensional Element Tag was easily turned into a pocket watch for this card. The pocket watch itself was stamped with images from the Key Moments stamp set.

Need a super quick and easy gift card? This little one uses two pieces from the Dimensional Elements Banners set. I put two of the banners end to end and covered them with one piece of B&T. Stamp a simple sentiment on the banner, add a little ribbon underneath and you have it - a quick and easy gift enclosure card!

This next card features the Remarkable Wreath stamp set and the Dimensional Elements Monograms. Once again, the Dimensional Element transforms when covers with the beautiful B&T papers from the Typeset kit.

Finally, this fun 6x6 card features our Typeset Compliments Canvas Shapes layered perfectly over the Dimensional Elements Stars!

The more I played and created with all of the new goodies, the more I appreciated the coordination Close to My Heart has presented among our products...Dimensional Element shapes coordinate with so many stamp sets and accessories and of course the amazing new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge!

I hope you've enjoyed these peeks at the gorgeous Typeset kit! Typeset will be the focus of my workshops in December. Check out my Workshops/Events tab above for all of my workshop dates and make plans to join us for a fun evening of creating!