Get Ready, It's Coming!

Before you know it, the new year will be here! The November Stamp of the Month, Cheers - 2016! is all about celebrating the incoming New Year. It's great for scrapbook pages, as well as for making cards for those who don't (or didn't get around to) sending out December Holiday cards. My sister has been sending New Year cards for years now. I keep saying I am going to adopt the idea, but I just love Christmas stamps... anyway... Cheers!

Some images from the Close to My Heart website:

This stamp set just screams for using some glitter paper or shimmer trim, lots of sparkle and sequins.

What a great way to send off some holiday photos to family and friends, or remember the New Year's Day Dreams you plan with your family.

Speaking of PLANNING... Stay tuned... in the next week or two, definitely before the end of the month... Close to My Heart is introducing a Planner! I'm really excited about this. I'm a little late spreading the news (it was on the CTMH Blog on November 2, 2015), but I will surely not be when it's available! It was previewed at the AustralAsia convention to rave reviews, and has been the buzz of the CTMH Facebook groups ever since. There will be a package deal to start with, so definitely mark it in your current planner to be ready to jump on this opportunity!

This month there is a fabulous special going on for scrapbookers! The Simply Fundamental Scrapbooking Bundles are available only the month of November, and will give you a great jump start on your holiday and 2016 scrapbooking. Here's all you get in a bundle ($71.80 USD):

• Album of your choice (D-ring or Post-bound)
• Paper Fundamentals Enchantment (1 pack)
• Fundamental Stickers Enchantment Pack (1 pack)
• Fundamental Assortment Peacock (1 pack)
• White Daisy Cardstock (3 sheets)
• Memory Protectors™ Value Pack (1 pack Side Load or 1 pack Top Load) 

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Today I finally opened my White Pines paper pack and made some Christmas cards. 

I recently got the "Believe in Christmas" My Acrylix Stamp Set, available in the Holiday Expressions catalog. I love all the sayings. After much staring at the paper pack, and Pinterest, I finally came up with this - which was inspired by... nothing I saw, lol. 

I laid all 3 sentiments on one block and stamped them at an angle in Chocolate ink on one edge of Colonial White cardstock, then again down the other side, offsetting them so they were next to a different saying. I used a small pine branch from another set in Fern ink to add a little color to that piece of cardstock, then I layered it onto a piece of Cranberry cardstock. 

I stamped the banner in gold pigment ink on a cut out banner and heat embossed it with antique gold embossing powder (it looks chocolate in this photo). 

I used the "Seasons" stamp set that comes with the Art Philosophy Cricut Collection to stamp the tree. I topped off one tree with a small wooden partridge (or maybe it's a dove?), and the other with a star, just for variation. And I gave one of the trees and the banner some dimension with foam tape. The banner and trees were cut out of Colonial White cardstock using my Cricut Expression and Art Philosophy and Artistry cartridges.

Finally, I doodled around the edge in black (I wish I had used brown), and added some gold sequins for ornaments on the tree.

There are other really pretty papers in this pack, and I plan to create some scrapbook pages soon. The complements that are available are so cute! White Pines set.

October Already?

Oh my, where did September go? I had so many plans of things to make and share... and then I got hit with a cold. The cough from that cold lingered for most of the month, and if you've ever tried to stamp or craft when you are having random coughing fits, you know it's nearly impossible. So the month just slid by and here it is October! I am SO not ready for Halloween! And it is pretty much my favorite holilday!

But, I will share a couple of quick updates from Close to My Heart; the Stamp of the Month (called Twinkle) this month is Christmas themed (because if you make your own cards, or are thinking about scrap book pages, NOW is the time to work on them.. December will be too late!).

And if you've been considering signing up with Close to My Heart, this is a Great month to do so! This month, in addition to the new consultant kit that just started going out, CTMH is giving all newly signed consultants the bag that consultants got when they attended convention!! I am jealous! I couldn't attend convention, and that is one cute bag! If you'd like more information, drop me an email at marion.strauser@gmail.com and I will be happy to tell you more about the opportunity. I'd love to have you on our team!

I've been crafting some recently, mostly for a craft show I participated in last weekend. It was the first time I put my cards up for sale en masse. Let's just say,  it was either too early in the season, or that venue wasn't the right audience. I had a few last minute hiccups with my printer that meant I couldn't promote Close to My Heart the way I planned. But I learned a LOT, and will be much better prepared for the next one, whenever that may be. :)

I saved my new papers though, and all that manic card-making did fuel my imaginative juices, so be prepared to see some fun stuff in the weeks ahead. I need a week to recover, and then I am sure my brain will start to see Cricut cuts and card patterns again. :)

Until next time, I hope you are paper-crafting too!