CTMH Perpetual Calendar: July, August, and September!

Hmmmmm, I was browsing my picture folder tonight to see what I have left to post and realized I never shared my Close to My Heart Perpetual Calendar pages for July, August, OR September!  Sorry about that!  A lot of what I used is retired product, but you can still use the general idea if it inspires you!  Plus, I have a feeling I am not the only one who still has a few older CTMH products sitting around...lol.

July is a combination of old chevron embellies, part of an overlay cut from the Cricut Artbooking Cartridge, and a beautiful Picture My Life Card.  The Brave Enamel Shapes  and Sparkle Chevron Shapes are available on clearance now!

This particular month of the year I happened to receive one of the best gifts ever!  One of my sisters!  :)

August turned out to be pretty simple and fabulous!  I used an old stamp of the month (June 2015, Ice Cream Dream) along with black glitter paper!

I adore the simple chalkboard look!  And I sort of fell head over heals for the whole "hashtag" thing too, lol!

 September is another easy-peasy design using one of the CTMH Picture My Life cards, some retired (waaaaaaaah!) teal shimmer trim, and a CUTE little retired Chalk It Up puffy sticker.

Bueller.....Bueller.....Bueller...........classic!

Thanks for popping in to read my blog today!  Hope you were able to get some good ideas for your own perpetual calendar!  :)

Throwback Scrabble Card for Moms

You just never can tell when inspiration will strike...and last night it hit me hard!

I was cranking out projects for not only Mother's Day, but also for Teacher Appreciation Week.  First, let me show you this super-easy, super-cute card I made with the retired Typeset Paper Packet from CTMH.  It has long been a fave of mine for school themed paper crafts--this one just happens to be for Mother's Day.

I have been telling my kiddos for YEARS that MOM, spelled upside down and backwards is WOW.  If you don't get the connection, try it again until your mom is synonymous with all the wow feelings you can muster, lol.  ;)  This is actually called an Asymmetrical Ambigram in our crazy English language--now you REALLY learned something today! 

All the adorable puffy stickers not only make me nostalgic for my 80's style sticker album, but they are also a perfectly simple addition to the scrabble letters that were found in the now retired Footloose Paper Packet.

A strip of teal shimmer trim was REQUIRED as per my design manual.  ;)

I'll be back to share the rest of my inspiration tomorrow!  Don't forget to make the MOM in your life say WOW this weekend!  :)

Taste of Summer is only available in May! 

Stamp of the Month for May only!

Tag (You're It!) Tuesday Heads to the Beach in Protest

THAT'S IT!!!  I cannot take another second of winter, so I am protesting with a beachy themed post.

*crosses arms over chest and stomps foot*

Who wants to join me in warm thoughts?  Let's go!

I created this little package for a pair of earrings my daughter and her friends are giving a classmate who is moving to Florida...and I am so jealous!  ;)

I took one of our retired paper pouches, and covered it with the retired Footloose Paper.  Yes, there is another theme her...retired people go to FL, and I used a lot of retired products because I want to go too!  ;)  (Yes, I am pouting, and if you are stuck in an endless winter like Anna, then you would too.)

Here is the tag!  This is one of my favorite shapes from the Artiste Cricut collection!  It is thankfully NOT retired, lol.  The stamp I used for the swirly outline is actually from the Artbooking Cricut Collection, though, and I just love how it fits this shape!  The To and From are found on the Holiday Tags My Acrylix.

I attached the Sunset button with a glue dot to the flap, and strung the Paradise Baker's Twine through two holes punched to the back to keep the pouch closed in a neat and tidy way.

 The Footloose Workshop on the Go My Acrylix set was perfect to complete my beachy theme.  I used the rock and roll technique to ink my stamps with the lighter color all over and then rolling the edges in the darker color before stamping...LOVE the result!  I used Creme Brulee rolled in Sunset  for the starfish and Sweet Leaf rolled in Lagoon for the seahorse.  There is a strip of Teal Shimmer Trim sparkling behind them...

Now, don't we feel better after that refreshing visual trip to the beach?  ;)

Sigh.  Spring break cannot come fast enough...

Makeover Monday Valentines with the Close to My Heart Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit with Video

Are you having a good time with my Makeover Monday posts?  I am having a blast making the cards, so I hope so! 

Today I have some valentines to share with you that I made with several different paper packs along with the Close to My Heart special purchase for National Papercrafting Month--the Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit.

I just love the variety possible with our cutting guides!  All I had to do was swap out the patterned paper that came with the kit to get several different looks...unfortunately, the papers are disappearing fast from our warehouses with the end of our Autumn and Winter Idea Book so the Chantilly and For Always are no longer available!  :(

Chantilly Paper Packet

For Always Paper Packet

Laughing Lola Paper Packet

The good news is that you can use ANY papers on this layout to create the same look by following the cutting guide included with the kit!  Here is a short video I made to tell you about the three brand new products coming out in the Close to My Heart Spring and Summer Idea Book that you receive with this kit:

You can only get this kit in January while they last, and supplies are halfway gone!  Visit my website to fill your cart with $35 in regular price products to be able to add this kit for only $15!!!  It had a retail value of $46, so it is quite the bargain!  The best part is that you will have plenty of product left to play around with your other papers!   Here is another peek at the My Acrylix set that is included:

Want to earn the kit for FREE?!?!

Check out the details HERE to see how you can do that AND invest in your creative side for FREE!!!

Makover Monday Feature: the Close to My Heart Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit

Welcome back to the start of a new week, AND the new Makeover Monday Feature on my blog!

Today I wanted to share a few different papers that I mixed and matched using the same patterns from the AWESOME Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit that is available from Close to My Heart for National Papercrafting Month!  This super-versatile kit is only $15 ($46 retail value!) with a $35 purchase on my website HERE.  Ready, set, GO!

The first two are made with the soon-to-be-retired (and now out of stock since I created these cards, boo) Chantilly Paper Packet...it is always so hard to say good-bye to favorite papers!

The next one features the Laughing Lola Paper Packet...

You can see that there are lots of different ways to mix and match your papers with these patterns after (or before!) you use the ones included with the kit.  The stamps match up with the shapes in the Cricut Artiste Collection, so you can create an endless supply of these fun cards!  :)  You can only get it this month, though, so don't wait!

Know what else is around for JUST this month?  The Stamp of the Month!  ;)

Cloud Nine Gets a Mustashe Makeover

Hey everyone!  Monday is back, so let's get on with it...why don't we call this one Makeover Monday.  I like that, how about you?  Mondays should be like a fresh start just like the first of the year, don't you think?

THIS particular Monday I have a Makeover from the awesome Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit available this month on my website from Close to My Heart.  It comes with five card designs...but I tweaked one of them since that's how I roll.  I guess after this weekend I should say, that's how I dance!  ;)

What do you think?  I flipped the card on its side and angled the mustache for a completely different look from the pattern in the kit.  I love how the piece of Honey CS looks covered in the Gold Dot Washi!  :)

Here is a pic of the full size D My Acrylix stamp set that comes with the kit. 

You can get the ENTIRE kit for only $15 with a $35 qualifying purchase on my website all this month!  Say WHAT?!  The retail value of everything included is $46!  What an amazing deal!  Here is everything you will receive:

• 1 – My Acrylix™ Cloud Nine Stamp Set (D-size)
• 1 – Cloud Nine B&T Duos™ Paper
• 1 – Lagoon Cardstock Sheet
• 1 – Honey Cardstock Sheet
• 1 – 9" × 9½" White Daisy Die-Cuts Sheet
• 1 Roll – Gold Polka-Dot Washi Tape
• 1 Roll – Teal Shimmer Trim
• 1 Package – Durables Triangle Studs
• 10 – Card Bases & Envelopes
• 1 – Instructional Brochure 

I still can't believe it...but I love it!  The stamps coordinate with the Artiste Collection, so you can cut out the shapes in just the right sizes to stamp on after you run out from the kit.  Awesome! 

I will have more makeovers to show you with this kit coming later this month!  :)

New Year=One Word

Happy Weekend, everyone!

I know that some of you are cozied up for a long winter's nap right now with some pretty frigid temps...ME TOO!  ;)  I am always amazed at how low the temp can go.  I believe it already!  No need to prove it any longer, lol.

Now, back to my blogging business at hand.  Please take a moment to read this...I know there are a lot of words, but I promise it is worth it!

I wanted to start off the year fresh, you know, that whole clean start, yada, yadda.  But I don't make resolutions.  Period.  If you recall the beginning of 2013, I was supposed to be rolling out a measly scrapbook layout a week, but that lasted about oh, 6 weeks if that!  If it happens, so be it.  Real life is just not scripted by you and me.

If you were with me at the start of 2013, you also might remember my word(s) for the year:  Never let anyone dull your SPARKLE!

remember that old watermark?  sigh...

I wanted to do a better job of keeping that ball rolling last year, I really did.  I sparkled, you all sparkled and left me lots of sparkle here which I thank you for!  I just wish I had spread it a bit wider.  Well, this year, I intend to keep on sparkling, so don't you worry!  I just have another little bitty word to throw in with it.  DANCE!

No, I am not taking dance lessons, lol!  In the days leading up to the New Year, I was in the midst of searching for my one word for 2014 when I happened to pull out my new Bible study called Make Over by Jen Hatmaker.  As I finished up the day's reading, my word hit me smack between the eyes!  Jen was talking about attitude and motivation when she said that it all really boiled down to one simple question...who are YOU dancing for?  The implications of that little sentence really hit me hard, and I knew that I had finally found my new word for 2014.  DANCE.

Here is the card I was inspired to make as my one word happened to coincide with the CAS-ual Fridays challenge: In A Word.  (Coincidences always happen when you are on the right path, my friends!)  I used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches 117.

The background is stamped in Whisper Ink with the retiring (but still available until the end of January) My Acrylix Universal Backgrounds.  I use this set ALL the time! I used the pretty papers in the Laughing Lola Paper Packet, and my trusty Black glitter paper!  See that little touch of teal?  That is the brand new teal shimmer trim that is only available right now in our Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit.  It will be available February 1st in the new Spring and Summer Idea Book!  :)  The word dance is welded together in the Cricut Craft Room using the font on the new Cricut Artbooking Cartridge.  LOVE!!!

Would you believe I actually, physically stitched the line of black waxy flax on this one?  I cannot believe it either! I used my piercing tool and ruler like this...

I needed a sentiment for the inside since I have no stamps with just the right words.  I used my Close to My Heart Glamour Glitter Alphabet stickers to make my own...

Not your neighbor's beat.  Not that gorgeous supermodel's beat.  Not the beat of your grandmother.  YOUR beat.  Maybe your beat will be similar to mine if we are dancing for the same reason, but it sure won't be the same dance!

Well, my crafty friend, I hope you stop in to see what I am up to frequently this year, and no matter what, I hope you dance!  And if you happen to sparkle while you're dancing, then you just might be dancing for all the right reasons!  :)

My upline is having another month of daily challenges, #projectaday, and this one fit right along with today's--Use Scraps!  My banners are all scraps from previous projects.  Scraps are your friend!  ;)

Jump Into the New Year on Cloud Nine!

Happy 2014!

I left my Facebook Followers a sneak peek last night of the big reveal today, so I know you are hanging on by a thread!  If you missed it, look over to the right where you can like my page on Facebook to get all the latest info and surprise announcements!   Like THIS ONE!

Starting TODAY you can get your hands on THREE of the brand new products being released in our Spring and Summer Idea Book!  That's right!  Starting today, you can purchase the Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit for only $15 with a $35 purchase of regular priced products from my website!!!  It is true!  Take a look at what is included in this amazing kit that makes 10 cards with plenty of leftovers to make more!

• 1 – My Acrylix™ Cloud Nine Stamp Set (D-size)
• 1 – Cloud Nine B&T Duos™ Paper
• 1 – Lagoon Cardstock Sheet
• 1 – Honey Cardstock Sheet
• 1 – 9" × 9½" White Daisy Die-Cuts Sheet
• 1 Roll – Gold Polka-Dot Washi Tape
• 1 Roll – Teal Shimmer Trim
• 1 Package – Durables Triangle Studs
• 10 – Card Bases & Envelopes
• 1 – Instructional Brochure

This is a combined retail value of $46!!!  What a steal for only $15!  Here is the versatile My Acrylix set that comes in the kit and coordinates with the Cricut Artiste Cartridge!  Like all of the Close to My Heart Cricut compatible stamp sets, it tells you exactly what size to cut the images.  :)

As a consultant, I had the chance to get my hands on these last month, and I have to tell you, I love them!  I know you aren't surprised a bit about me liking the Teal Shimmer Trim, lol!  This is the first card I made with the kit...

The Close to My Heart colors that coordinate with this kit are Lagoon, Honey, Sunset, and White Daisy.

Guess what else?

New consultants who join my team between now and January 31st, and meet a minimum total sales of $300 by June 30th, will receive this kit for absolutely FREE!!!  Are you kidding me?  You will be able to receive it as soon as your sales total $300, but you have all that time to reach the goal!  What a fabulous incentive to get your business off the ground!  It is totally in the bag, and you will be on Cloud Nine!  ;)

There is also a most amazing new consultant kit filled with new Spring and Summer products!  You can now start your business with only $99 and receive the following brand spanking new Skylark Papers and Embellishments!  Can you spot the other new products?  :)

Contact me for all the details!   Who's excited?!?!

I will be back with more about these kits soon!  Have a great rest of the week and a very blessed new year!!!  I don't know about you, but 2014 is looking pretty sparkly to me! 

My Creations Box for the Birthday Girl

Happy birthday to my sweet middle girlie today!

I used one of Close to My Heart's fantastic My Creations 3D items to make the perfect gift box for her present...the Ring Box.  Can you spot the sneak peek of two brand new products coming out in the 2014 Spring/Summer Idea Book?  ;)

This sturdy little ring box is perfect for a small gift--like the necklace I am giving!  I made a rosette cut from the Artiste Cricut Cartridge with Crystal Blue CS and placed a hand trimmed Single Snowflake stamped in Lagoon on top.  See those shiny silver triangles?  They are a BRAND NEW product in the new Idea Book called Triangles Durable Studs.  I adore how they accent the corners of the box top.  I also added a sprinkling of Bitty Sparkles.

The sides of the box were a lot simpler.  I just used strips of Silver Washi Tape, Surf's Up Zip Strip, and Teal Shimmer Trim.  Wait a minute!  TEAL shimmer trim???  Yep, another BRAND NEW product in the 2014 Spring and Summer Idea Book from Close to My Heart!

The little tag in the shape of a mitten is cut with the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge on the sweet chevron pattern in the Frosted Paper Packet.  Just a leftover cut from a past project--save those scraps, I tell you!  ;)  I added a bow of white baker's twine and attached it with a Slate Striped Twist Tie! 

Stay tuned to my blog to find out how YOU can get your hands on these two new products, plus another one, before they are released in the 2014 Spring and Summer Idea Book!

Now, off to celebrate the birthday girl!  :)