20 Years as a Maker

If you missed the email, here's the info on my anniversary give-aways:

November marks my 20th year as a Close To My Heart Maker/Consultant and I sending YOU the presents! After all, if it wasn't for all of you: shopping, cropping, booking, and sharing, I wouldn't be in business. I will be entering people into drawings for random prizes. How are you entered? Let me count the ways!

1. Do something...comment, like, follow, share on social media. For my vanity? No. Because that's how Social Media works. Algorithms and other techie stuff. You can find links to the right (on web page). I'm also uploading and sharing my videos. I made a new page on my blog where your can find my previous classes and links for the CTMH workshops.  If you're on a new platform such as:  Locals, Mewe, Gab, Rumble or Parler, let me know.
1. bonus "tickets" for finding "errors" on my blog
2. Shop. That's always appreciated! Look for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and announcements later this month. The new November/December catalog just started and the new Core Catalog is only a few months old. FYI there were a LOT of items that sold out from September/October. In a few days we'll know if there is anything left (paper, thin cuts, embellishments). You should be able to find September/October stamps in the Online Only section; they are around for about a year. I'm giving out prize drawing "tickets" for almost anything that involves "20" or "anniversary."
1. every $20 spent
2. items from page 20
3. item numbers that include "20"
4.  stamp sets that include the word "anniversary"
5. November/calendar products
6. Stamp of the Month

3. Join. Sign-up, renew, and/or refer a VIP. There are also TWO special products exclusively for VIP members! Don't forget my Stamp and Scrap Club and Create with Heart subscriptions!
4. Donate $20 to Operation Smile. You can go through my website, no shipping, etc. It's only $240/child for surgery that will change, if not save, their life.  Can we raise enough for one smile??

This "special" runs through November 30, 2021.

Sparkle & Shine Technique Blog Hop

If you've arrive from Darlys' blog, you're in the right place! If you've become dazed by all the shiny things, Melissa has a list of all the participants this month.

The calendar may say August but crafters know it really the beginning of the holiday season! Last month my card class theme was Christmas and CTMH gave us a Christmas in July Flash Sale.

But, just like embossing, why do we save the Sparkle and Shine for only once a year?? 

My friends and I often show each other our latest creation and ask, "What does this need?" Sometimes there is a missing element but other times, just changing an element can make a big difference.  Adding a little bling can take your artwork up a notch. Let Me Show You How...

This is a perfectly lovely card. There is nothing wrong with it. 

The Gold Embellishing Thread already adds a little something.

Here is the same card design. I added a little more Shine with the Gold Sequins. I also embossed the sentiment and hearts.

 Then I went for all Sparkle. I replace the cardstock with Sugarplum Glitter paper. On the sentiment and hearts I highlighted them with Shimmer Brushes.







Shimmer Brushes are a great way to add a little more to your project. They are available in a variety of colors, not expensive, and easy to use.

On this sticker from True Love Complements, I accented the diamond with Clear Shimmer Brush.















For the rings on the cut-apart sheet from the paper pack, I also used the Gold Shimmer Brush on the rings.

















The Mint Shimmer Brush was perfect to embellishing the glasses of champagne!


















For the flowers, I completely covered the pink one with Sugarplum, but only accented the grey shading on the white daisy with the Clear Shimmer.

What is your favorite use for the Shimmer Brush?

Which version of my card do you prefer?

You can post your answer below before following the glitter trail to see what Rebecca has to share.

Colors featured: Sugarplum, Sapphire, Ballerina. Other products used:

One Card Pattern, Three Ways

I am loving the September Stamp of the Month!

I started with the pattern from the Grateful Heart Cardmaking Kit, You Got This, and substituted the stamp set and embellishment. That was so painless, I repeated the idea with other stamps from Just Treats and the papers from Oh What Fun and 'Tis the Season.

Going Solo in July

As part of this month's Stampaganza special, we've brought back our popular Solos Alphabet and Number stamp sets.

Here are some cards I made (yes, they're originals!!) using the Solos.

Something inspired me to match up a circle with one a letters, so I turned to Make It From Your Heart, Volume 4 and found design #23. Instead of cutting a piece of paper for piece C, I used the zip strip. The B&T paper and color scheme is from the Central Park creative collection.

I added a large "13" to the inside of a birthday card behind the sentiment from the March SOTM. If you missed out, I have one left!!

Be sure to complete your collection or stock up on things Poppy and Pacifica because they will be retiring at the end of August and may sell out prior to that.

The products used in these cards were:

• Make It From Your Heart, Volume 3
• Central Park paper pack
• Central Park sequins
• WYW Cheers To You cardmaking kit
• White Daisy cardstock
• Poppy cardstock
• Poppy ink pad
• Pacifica ink pad
• Thin Cuts Basic Circles
• alphabet or number Solo stamp set
• White cards and envelopes value pack
• thin 3-D foam tape
• WYW You Are More cardmaking kit (retired)
• S1803 Birthday Time (retired) Contact me to purchase; I have one left!

Products are available to purchase on my website. Or, Let Me Show You How to discover your own creativity!

Join the Club!

Do you know about my Stamp and Scrapbook Club? A new round starts in April so now is a great time to join us!

Club is great for anyone who:

• is addicted to paper
• loves to stamp
• shops online
• doesn't use the Internet
• is starting to scrapbook
• likes to keep up to date with CTMH specials
• wants to host a gathering
• does not want to host a gathering
• lives nearby
• lives far away

Club members order monthly and take turns collecting hostess rewards. Here is a picture from a member's recent hostess haul...

For more detailed info, contact me or look here.

Giveaway!!

I love my customers, so since we just celebrated Valentine's Day, I'm doing a giveaway! Comment, share or follow my blog (let me know) and I'll enter you for a chance to win. I'm giving away a brand new stamp set, Live, Laugh, Love, a popular Stamp of the Month from last May. I'll also include some paper surprises. A random drawing of entrants will be March 17. Are you feeling lucky?

Seasonal Expressions is HERE!!

I'm still excited about the new Annual Inspirations and now it's time for a new issue of Expressions! This one is our Seasonal Expressions as we head into the holidays.

Here are a few of the new products:

ADORABLE Cat and Bats for Halloween and more. Love the origami style images!! There's also matching images in the Cardmaking and Scrapbooking stamp sets (thin cuts available for both). I think the paper also coordinates nicely with the Constellations stamp set from Annual Inspirations. Are you doing an Eclipse layout??

The autumn paper is Falling for You and I can't wait to play with the Cardmaking stamp set...lined leaves designs...Should I emboss, color or maybe BOTH! The Scrapbooking set is similar but with flowers and stems. This paper is also great with the new  Gone Hunting stamp set as well as the September Stamp of the Month Feel So Blessed.

Remember, the next four months of SOTM are always in the back of the Expressions catalog. They are D size sets available for regular price $17.95 or only $5 with a qualifying $50 purchase. Stamp of the Month sets are only available for one month!

The traditional holiday collection is Beary Christmas. The cards below are from the Workshops Your Way Merriest Wishes Cardmaking Kit. Each of the Creative Collections has a card kit. Sometimes they go along with the theme of the paper, sometimes they do not. Remember, each of the cardstock weight Background and Texture Duos are double sided so you have two choices of patterns/colors. Even our single color cardstock now gives you choices: regular shade on one side, a lighter shade on the other.

Here's my favorite new stamp set, The Thought That Counts. So glad we need more tags this year. And I think I know some people on my gift list that may be getting some! 

Have you noticed that the metals are back in the color and design world? Silver and Gold is a great collection to use on its own or as neutrals to mix with colors. Note that the paper pack has 14 sheets as the gold foil designs are single sided.

 Be sure to check out the Events and Specials page for info on Classes and other new products.

I've been busy this week!

I finished my day job early this week so I had time to play. My niece just turned 16 and my uncle will be 80 so I made them both cards (thanks to Pinterest of course). The cake card uses an old SOTM Celebrate with Cake. The balloon card featured the recently retired True Love, last year's Operation Smile set.

Here is an actual original, second one this year! I'll say it came from Divine Intervention because the saying was on a church bulletin board. I used the August stamp of the month "School Year" S1708. I wanted to show how it could be used for less school-type items. I also used some of our new Basics colors. The frame is Toffee. The stamping was done in Heather and everything was edged in Espresso. The Ruby plaid is from the Jack paper pack and the bear inside is from the Jack cardmaking and Thin Cuts set. The inside sentiment comes from one of the sets included with the Flower Market Cricut Collection.

Here are some layouts that feature the Enchantment Fundamentals and All-Star Complements. It's a good thing I am not caught up on my scrapbooking...I was able to find pictures that fit fairly well. They weren't even what I was originally thinking I would use! (This concludes my thinking out of the box for 2017.) The last picture shows the flip flaps I added to "Teamwork."

Give Away Winner and Retired List

And the winner is...Courtney!! I'm sure she'll Celebrate With Cake for winning the stamp set.

The CTMH Corporate Office recently announced a list of products that will retiring These items will no longer be available after July 31, and are available while supplies last.

Here's a printable list that I will update as often as possible as things sell out.

Here's the list in a nutshell...

Page 16 #AllTheAlbums

Page 18-91 All the workshop kits, paper packs, compliments and matching accessories (as expected)

Page 112- 115 all PML cards except gold & silver overlays

Page 120-121 Cricut Collections Art Philosophy, Artiste, Artfully Sent

Page 123 all the embossing folders except Confetti and Confetti Stars

Page 126-127 Instalife albums, cards and roller stamps. NOT the Memory Protectors

Page 129 both Cut Above kits (expected, stamps are on the retiring stamp list)

Page 130-133 all of the Designer Creations and Designed Decor items

Page 137 the four style sheets

Page 140-41 the red hearts, white stars; all the right page items except sequins and bitty sparkles

Page 142 shimmer trim in pink, Aqua, blue, purple, bronze only

Page 143 the older four colors of EXTRA thick twine

Page 144 everything except the calendar

Page 145 the separate envelopes only

Page 150 the three border punches and the two Base and Bling adhesives

Page 153 the Rolling Tote

Here's the list of retiring stamps from a few months ago.