January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the first blog hop of the new year!  I hope you have had a wonderful holiday season with your family.  I don't know about you but I am ready to get into my creative groove again and this hop will fill me with inspiration to get started.

So here is how this works.  If you have come from Angela's blog, you are on the right track.  When you are finished viewing my artwork, you will hop on over to Justine's Blog.  The hop is one big circle so just keep going and enjoying all the art you see.

The stamp set is call This Moment and includes the ever popular arrow images with additional sentiments and graphics!  Very fun!

When I begin to create, I usually need a stepping stone for inspiration.  Sometimes it is a card pattern, sometimes a full design, and other times, I need a new color palette.  This month, I wanted to play with some new color combinations so I took the color palette from the new Heartstrings paper packet and started playing.  Here's what I made!

 I ended up focusing on just two colors with a touch of black, lagoon and cranberry red.  These are not too colors I would usually put together but I love how it turned out.  I kept the cards clean and simple...a style I am not always comfortable with but am trying to use. 

As I photographed these cards, although I like the clean and simple look, I also saw some details that could be added if I wanted.  With the first card, I used the arrown embossing folder to add a touch of detail and texture.  I also added one of our new "puffies" to the bullseye to emphasize the heart.

On the second card, I just added three black puffie arrows, again to add texture and detail.  Simple yet a different look. 

I enjoy having a new stamp set to create with each month.  You can purchase this D-size stamp set, available for one month only, for just $5 — that’s over 70% off retail! When you place an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products.  When you qualify for the stamp of the month special, you will also qualify for the National Paper Crafting month special, "Year Noted". 

To learn more about this stamp set and the January special, contact your  Close to My Heart consultant or me.  And don't forget, you are now on your way to hop over to Justine's Blog.

Finally, here are the products I used to create my cards. 

Happy New Year,
Michele

January Seasonal Sampler

It is time to order your kit for the January Seasonal Sampler.  Whether you will be creating this at a workshop or purchasing the kit to go, now is the time to place your order.  Just think of the lovely new artwork you will have for your home after you have taken down all the holiday decorations.

This month we are using the Snowhaven paper packet and creating a sampler with the chilly winter but warm home ahead.

The kit is $19 (includes shipping and tax) and if you are ordering the kit to go, you will receive illustrated instructions in your email.

Dates for the workshops include:

• Monday January 5th 7 p.m.
• Friday January 9th 9:30 a.m.
• Sunday January 11th 7 p.m.  

Contact me to order yours today and RSVP for your workshop time.  

Here's to a warm and cozy winter,
Michele

Hey there cupcake!

Just can't get enough of this cute stamp of the month. 

And now for the instructions for this final card.

Cut three pieces of lagoon cardstock measuring: 

• 4.25 x 5.5
• 3.25 x 4.5
• 2.25 x 3.5

Set these aside

Cut three pieces of white cardstock measuring:

• 4 x 5.25
• 3 x 4.25
• 2 x 3.25

Layer these three pieces, with re-positionable adhesive.  It will look like this:

I stamped my focal image first so I would make sure to have space.  Then random stamp the cupcakes, overlapping all the white cardstock layers.  After random stamping, separate all the layers and re-layer inserting the lagoon cardstock squares.  For the upper layer, I used foam squares and added a wrap of ribbon to highlight the focal image with more dimension.

That's it!  Try your hand at this card!  

Remember, this stamp set is available through Dec 31st for $5 with a $50 qualifying order or $17.95.  You can also use your qualifying order to get the Deal of a Decade, "C" & "D" size stamps sets for $10. 

Happy stamping,
Michele

Product spotlight: New albums from CTMH

Close to My Heart has a new line of albums, created with detail and thought to display your special memories.

Watch this video to see the highlights.



Let me know if you have questions or would like to order your album.

Happy Holiday Season.
Michele

Thank you! And for the news...

To all of you who were able to take advantage of the 12 Days of Christmas special, thank you and I hope you are enjoying all your goodies!  Now for good news.  I have $160 in free product AND four half price products to give away! 

And the winner...

Lorene Norris!  Merry Christmas...and contact me for your shopping spree!

Merry Holiday Season.
Michele

On the 10th day of Christmas CTMH gave to us...

An new rolling tote!  This beautiful carry all makes getting to your crops and retreats faster, simpler and easier.  Watch this video to see all the details and thought that went into developing this great product. 



You can order yours today on my website or by contacting me. 

And because we are celebrating the 12 days of Christmas until Dec 10th, your purchase will qualify you to earn tickets to win the mystery hostess rewards which are currently a total of $130 in free products and 3 half price products! 

As a reminder here are the specials you can take advantage of:

Mystery Hostess

With every $25 purchase, you get a ticket entered in a drawing for all the free loot!  One person will win!

Album Special

• Order one album and get a free pack of flips flaps and a ticket for mystery hostess rewards.
• Order two albums and get free pack of flip flaps, a package of label holders, and two tickets for the mystery hostess drawing.
• Order three albums and get free flip flaps, label holders, the stamp of the month for free and four tickets for the mystery hostess drawing. 
• Order four albums and get flip flaps, label holders, stamp of the month AND $25 in hostess rewards, no ticket needed.  

 Let's get together!

You can choose a gift of either a My Reflections Scrapbook Kit or a My Acrylix stamp set(s) up to a $10 value.  Free product?  Yes! Just for meeting with me? Yes!  Not a crafter but still want to meet?  I will let you choose 10 handmade cards from my collection for your personal use.  Email me today or before Dec 10th to set a date. 

Deal of the Decade!

With a qualifying purchase of $50, you can order "C" and "D" size stamp sets for $10 saving up to $7.95 per stamp set.  (Discounted stamps sets from the 2014 Annual Inspirations book.)  Shop at MRowley.CTMH.com

Free Annual Inspiration and Seasonal Expression idea books
Receive one free copy of Annual Inspirations and Seasonal Expressions 1 when you place an order. 

Seasonal Sampler Club
Join the Sampler club and purchase eight sampler kits with a frame, and get the ninth for free.  Cost of each kit is around $15.  

I hope you are enjoying your days of Christmas!
Michele

 

Seasonal Expressions Blog Hop

Have you seen it?  The fresh new products from Close to My Heart? Seasonal Expressions 1 is here and it is beautiful.

This 38 page supplement to the Annual Inspirations is filled with two new paper packets, about 25 new stamps sets, two new Picture My Life Sets and some shimmer you will definitely want to see.

You have joined the consultant blog hop featuring all these fun new products.  If you have come from Nikki's Blog, welcome.  You are on the right track.  After you have seen my artwork, you will continue to hop along to Michelle's Blog to see what she has created with these fresh new products.  So here we go!

Hopscotch was my paper kit choice and I used the new "You're the Bomb" stamp set.  I created this gate fold card and embellished with the adorable June Bug Puffies.  Perfect hint of the spring to come.

My second card was inspired by the colors of the Hopscotch paper packet, using Juniper, Smoothie and Flaxen ink, I created this clean and simple card layering white on white.  Fun and easy!

Now here's what is awesome about the "You're the Bomb" stamp set:  when you purchase this set from Close to My Heart, they will donate $3 to Operation Smile.  You can read more about this special organization and how it changes the lives of people with a simple surgery.

If you don't have a copy of the Seasonal Expression 1, contact your consultant or me.  And as a bonus, through the month of January, when you place an order with your consultant, you can get an Annual Inspirations Idea book AND new Seasonal Expression included in your order for free!

If you have come this far, remember to hop on over to Michelle's blog and see her artwork, then keep hopping along to see what these super creative folks have made.

Enjoy the blessings of this season,
Michele

5th, 6th and Day of Christmas Special!

I am playing a little catch up!  I am still celebrating with specials until Dec 10th. 

Now you are probably getting started in the holiday decorating mode! I know I started with a little bit of purging Thanksgiving weekend, taking down the fall decor...but I am ready!

I love decorating for the holidays but I do not love the "bare" feeling of my house when I take them all down!

Give the gift of home decor (to yourself and/or a friend) by purchasing the January Seasonal Sampler kit.  If you are local, you can attend my workshop and assemble your kit in early January.  If you are not local, order a "kit to go" and you will receive your kit in the mail plus an email with illustrated instructions.

 This kit uses the SnowHaven complements and Ruby mini-medley accents.  In addition, you can order our beautiful designed decor black shadow box frame to display this 3-d piece of artwork. 

Want to create a sampler for different seasons and holidays.  Join the Sampler club and purchase eight sampler kits with a frame, and get the ninth for free.  Cost of each kit is around $15. 

And remember the preceding offers are still available!

• Album special
• Free Annual Inspirations and Seasonal Expressions idea book
• Mystery Hostess Rewards Drawing

Enjoy the season!
Michele

Fourth Day of Christmas!

On the fourth day of Christmas...the gifts just keep coming. 

Starting today through January 31, 2015, you will receive one free copy of Annual Inspirations and Seasonal Expressions 1 when you place an order. This one-time bonus will be available to each customer. The option to add the free idea book will appear on the website or I will add it to your order.  Everyone should have a copy of our idea books, because they do are such a wonderful display of beautiful artwork, provide creative inspiration and offer tips and techniques. 

Want to make it just like you see it?  Did you know we have "recipes" for each piece of artwork featured?  You can access the "recipe" book here. 

And, the artwork shown in the idea book often has an italic print below it referring to the Close to My Heart "how to" pattern?  They make it faster, simpler and easier for you to create beautiful artwork on your own. 

Finally, the idea book is full of tips and techniques to help you get the most from your CTMH products. 

Don't forget, the first days of Christmas...you can still take advantage of the special offers including the Album offer, Deal of the Decade offer, stamp of the month, AND mystery hostess tickets for free product drawing. 

Happy Creating,
Michele