Smiles All Around

Most of you know that for the past several years Close to My Heart has partnered with an amazing organization called Operation Smile. If you've ever bought raffle tickets at my Open Houses, rounded up your order to the next even dollar amount or simply purchased a My Acrylix stamp set, you have helped make a difference in the life of a child!

Operation Smile is an international children's charity that provides life changing surgeries for children born with cleft palettes and other facial deformities. For as little as $240 and 45 minutes per surgery, Operation Smile has literally brought smiles to the faces of over 200,000 children around the world. 

Close to My Heart is a proud supporter of Operation Smile, and as consultants we work all year to gather donations for this wonderful organization - and we don't take a break during Convention either!

A few months ago, I was again once asked to create artwork to donate to a Silent Auction benefiting Operation Smile held at our annual convention in Dallas, TX. It is always such an honor to among the handful of consultants invited to donate, so of course, I accepted the challenge. After much deliberation on what to create, I decided to make my first pennant banner.

I selected the My Creations Mini Banner and since I couldn't decide between a pretty feminine banner or a more masculine banner, I chose to make this one reversible! Yep, that's right! It's two banners in one!

The first side uses the Stella papers along with Dimensional Elements Monograms and Hearts, Color-Ready Garden Wooden Shapes, Clear Sparkles and the Cocoa Designer Ribbon Rounds.

The reverse side features the fun camo paper from the Victory set, more Dimensional Elements Monograms along with Stars, Durables Round Studs, and Tan Hemp.

Of course the cutting was a breeze with the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge which has the coordinating cuts for all of our banner shapes!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who bid on this banner. I never saw the winning bid, but I believe it made over $70 for Operation Smile. Our Silent Auction in total raised of $4400 and when added to consultant donations throughout Convention and an amazing live auction at the close of our three days, we raised almost $17,000 in just three days to bring smiles to the faces of 70 children who desperately deserve to smile and laugh like our very own children! I couldn't be more proud to be apart of Close to My Heart, an company who truly cares and knows how to give back!

Gift of a Smile!

As most of you know, Close to My Heart is a big supporter of Operation Smile. This amazing organization brightens our world by literally creating smiles on the faces of children through corrective surgery. You can find out more about Operation Smile here.

Like last year, CTMH sponsored a Silent Auction to benefit Operation Smile and invited a number of CTMH Consultants to contribute. I was honored to be invited to participate, but honestly, a little stressed over what to create. Many, many ideas crossed my mind and were started at my crafting desk, but in the end I opted to create this fun home decor piece!

Using coasters (yes, the coasters you get at your favorite bar and grill!), our gorgeous Grace papers, Dimensional Elements Monogram letters and some fun accessories this "coaster frame" was born!

Unfortunately, I missed the very end of the Silent Auction, so I do not know the winning bidder, but I hope she will enjoy adding her family photos to it and displaying it in her home.

Thank you CTMH for giving my another opportunity to bring a smile to the face of a child!

Hearts for Haiti-Give & Get Back!

We have all been touched by the devastation and suffering caused by the recent earthquake in Haiti. Like so many of you, Close to My Heart is eager to help those in need. And helping has never been easier!

During the month of February, purchase any pack of 12" x 12" Textured Cardstock and you'll get a second pack FREE AND Close to My Heart will donate $2 to Operation Smile's Haiti Relief efforts. That means that for only $14.95 (plus tax and shipping) you get TWO packs of Textured Cardstock and you help this urgent, important cause.

Our Textured Cardstock comes in 5 fabulous combo packs, so choose your two favorites or get some of each! Visit my website to order yours today!

To learn more about Operation Smile's Haiti relief efforts visit http://www.operationsmile.org/haiti.

And the Winners Are...

Note: If you're looking for the Stamp of the Month Blog hop post, please scroll down to the next post.


A big thank you to everyone who purchased tickets for my Operation Smile Raffle! Together we raised $200 for Operation Smile, THANK YOU for helping to bring a smile to a child's face.

We kept the basket of tickets out on the dining room table and everytime someone would walk by, we'd give them a little shuffle. As you can see from these pictures, Jenna was more than happy to help draw the winning tickets!

Three lucky winners are now the owners of three fabulous prizes!

Congratualtions to the following winners...
Grand Prize-Rolling CarryAll - Paddie Hawkins
1st Prize-Tickled Pink Project Pack - Jennifer Rollo
2nd Prize-Just Because Card Kit-Bree Janowski

Cards for Operation Smile

As many of you know, Close to My Heart is an active supporter of Operation Smile. Operation Smile is an amazing children’s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults. Since its founding, Operation Smile volunteers have treated more than 130,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities. Did you know that only $240 can pay for a surgery which will bring a beautiful smile to a child's face? Last year (July 2008 - June 2009), through your donations and simple "rounding up" of your orders. we were able to donate almost $650 to Operation Smile. Further, through all consultant contributions and purchases of My Acrylix stamp sets, Close to My Heart donated $150,000 to this incredible cause.

At our Leadership Conference last week, we held a Silent Auction to benefit Operation Smile. A handful of consultants were asked to create something to donate to the auction which also included items made by our amazingly talented corporate Art Department. I was honored to receive a phone call asking me to contribute to this fun Silent Auction.

I chose to create a Magic Moments Card Set! Cutting and designing 20 cards was a snap using the one of the three workshop guides in the new Wishes book. Embellishing each of the cards took a little more time as no two cards in the set are alike. All 20 cards were put into a fun altered tin complete with dividers to keep the cards organized by theme.


The bidding on my item was beyond my wildest dreams! Thank you so much to everyone who bid on my card set. A special thanks to Marie for your very generous donation to Operation Smile - enjoy those cards!!

I've shared some of my favorite cards from the set below.

For this fun card, I cut the paisley accent out of the paisley print B&T paper from the Magic Moments paper packet.

A simple little Sparkle can make a big difference! That cute flower and the sentiment are both found in the Dainty Thoughts stamp set (C1350).
Liquid Applique and a touch of Prisma Glitter on the Sunflower star really makes this card shine. Stamp sets used are Thoughtful Seasons (D1299) and Magic Moments (B1318).
For this card, I stamped the cute paisley from the Magic Moments stamp set (B1318) in three different colors (Hollyhock, Indian Corn Blue and Sunflower) and then pieced together the elements to create a multi-colored paisley! An Antique Copper Brad adds the finishing touch.


Super simple card! I used the Thank You stamp set (D1361) and the Magic Moments set (B1318). After stamping the sentiment, I covered it with a Circle Window Charm and placed it on the card with a foam square - love that dimension!
Two more simple cards! The Celebrate card uses two stamp sets; Magic Moments (B1318) and It's a Party (D1182). The simple knotted ribbon adds a great finishing touch! The Thank You card uses Thank You (D1361) and lots of fun buttons!

Once again, I paper pieced the fun paisleys for these two cards. For a little extra kick, I added Liquid Applique to the dots in the center of the paisleys. FUN!
Who doesn't love flowers?!!? I use the Big Pinks Just Blooms for this card. Notice the Hollyhock and Garden Green brads in the center of the button. Such a simple card! If you love flowers how about a whole garden of them? This last card was created using our White Daisy Just Blooms paper flowers and Sweet Leaf Ric Rac for the stems and leaves. The centers of the flowers were created by cutting out circles from the circle print B&T paper in the Magic Moments paper packet and covering them with Circle Window Charms.