Monday, September 30, 2013

Scandinavian Wishes Blog Hop

Welcome to this month’s Stamp of the Month blog hop!  A blog hop goes in a big loop so once you see our 60+ participants, you’ll be right back here.  If you’ve come from {Melissa’s blog} welcome!
This month’s set is Scandinavian Wishes with 12 stamps in the set.  It’s compatible with shapes on the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.  With this adorable set, I created a gift card holder. 
I paired the champagne cardstock with a strip of Crystal Blue cardstock, red shimmer trim, Ruby Mini Medley and Ruby ink.  I love that little corduroy button on the tab.  It’s so soft and fuzzy, not to mention self adhesive! 
Artiste Gift Card Holder with Scandinavian Wishes CTMH SOTM by Lalia Harris
Click here to pin it. 
The gift card holder and the curvy banner on the inside were cut with the Artiste Cricut Cartridge
Artiste Gift Card Holder with Scandinavian Wishes CTMH SOTM by Lalia Harris
Click here to pin it.
This gift card holder was cut at 2.75” from page 57, letter j, Card Feature of the Artiste Handbook.  Did you know you can get 5 of these babies from one sheet of paper?  (4 down the page & one across the end of the paper, Cricut Craft Room isn’t even required!)
Artiste Cricut Handbook, showing one of 3 gift card holders
Flip the page of the handbook to page 58, letter K and you’ll find the banner!  Just use uppercase K and Accent 3 and cut it at 1”.
Artiste Handbook, banner on page 58
Last but not least, I do sell Studio J gift cards!   They are perfect for gift giving.  This is a great way to give the gift of Studio J, our online digital scrapbooking studio.  It includes 5 double 12x12 layouts and shipping for $39.95.  Studio J is our amazing online scrapbooking Studio.  You never pay anything until you are ready to print, and you only pay for printing and shipping.  There’s no software or images to purchase and keep track of, it’s all online and available to you.  (Note: Ordering the gift cards online will give you an gift code that will be provided by email.  If you want an actual gift card, contact me.  They're the exact same price and I have them on hand.)
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You can purchase this set for $17.95 or just $5 with a $50 purchase!  On my project, I used 5 of the 12 stamps in this set.  Here’s a view of the full set!
CTMH Oct 2013 Stamp of the Month-Scandinavian Wishes

Do you love this set yet?  Hop on over to {Nikka’s blog} to see more! 

Friday, September 20, 2013

Mini-Album Mix Up?—Yes, you can!

Earlier this morning, someone asked “Can we mix & match any Artbooking album page?

The short answer is Yes, you can cut the album page at any size.  Your Cricut isn’t going to beep at you if you set the dial size to 7” when the handbook says this is an 8” mini-album.  It’s going to cut.  You could cut EVERYTHING in this handbook at 7.”  The Cricut would not care.  But you might. 

The only problem is the holes for binding.  They won’t line up.  In this picture below, I’ve put 5 albums into Cricut Craft room at 8.” 

Use any Artbooking mini-album page.  But first, hide the binding holes in Cricut Craft Room with the Hide Contour feature.

The first two are the 8” travel & baby albums in red.  They’re a perfect match and fit.  I mixed them when I made a baby album in August. 

The second one in blue is the 8 x 3.5” sweetheart album.  The holes continue to line up. 

The 3rd one in gold is the 10” Christmas album.  The holes do not line up and are a bit smaller than they should be.  They look pretty good but when cut, they’d tear because they aren’t quite perfect. 

The last is the 11 x 8 1/2” elegance album in green.  The holes are way off.  I’m not sure why the middle hole is off, but it is!  You’ll notice the holes are a bit smaller too.  That’s not a good situation either.

There is a fix!  It’s called Hide Contour. 

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Click this button and you will be able to click on any of the lines you don’t want cut.  When you are done, click on the exit button at the bottom of your shape. 

Use Cricut Craft Room hide contour button to create perfect album pages in Artbooking

Hover over a line and it will become red .  That’s the one that’s going to be hidden when you click.  My screen is jumpy.  Sometimes I can’t just click where I think I should.  LOOK for the RED.

How to hide binding holes on Artbooking Album pages in Cricut Craft Room

If you’re not paying attention, you may end up hiding the border of the page.  It will look really strange to see you’re only cutting holes and not an album page.  Below I hid the center hole, the outside cut of the album page and one piece of the damask flourish.  THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED. 

Cricut Artbooking Hide Contour in Cricut Craft Room

The UNDO button will be your friend for this.  You can also go back into the Hide Contour mode but undo might be easier. 

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After you click undo, go back & hide the contours the way you wanted. 

 

As for punching new holes, I’d make a template and do a test punch to make sure they are the way I want.  Then I’d line them all up and punch them together with my Crop-a-dile. I’d do this before embellishing.  That way any mistakes don’t ruin a finished page and you don’t put embellishments where a hole was needed. 

I hope this helps.  It’s going to be great fun mixing & matching album pages! 

 

Don’t have the Artbooking cartridge yet?  Now is a perfect time to order!

You’ll get the Stamp of the month for $5 (you actually qualify for two of them with a $104 purchase $99+$5 from the first stamp of the month). 

You’ll get this month’s special triple stamp set for $10 (And also qualify for two of them in the same way!)

national scrapbooking Month (800x706)

I have additional Chocolate Affair stamp sets left over from last month.  If you purchase the Artbooking bundle from me, (or any other bundle) I’ll send you one ABSOLUTELY FREE when you join my “Happy Customer Club & Wonder Customers” Gathering before checking out. 

Aug13-AChocolateAffair

 

Start shopping now!  Be sure to click JOIN immediately because the website doesn’t remind you

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Have a fantastic Friday!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Artbooking Made Easy 03

It's time for another installment of Artbooking Made Easy!  This weeks installment features the summer mini albums on pages 52 & 53 of the Artbooking Handbook.

If you’re viewing this from an email or blog reader, click here to view it on YouTube.
Close To My Heart's revolutionary Cricut® Artbooking collection will take your papercrafting to a new level! Learn how to use the new collection to turn your themed layouts and mini scrapbooks into beautiful works of art. Be sure to come back next week for the next video. 

It’s a perfect time to get the Artbooking!
With any (any every) $50 purchase you can get the You are My Happy triple stamp set for only $10. That means you can get one for yourself and another as a gift or for a friend when you purchase the Artbooking Cartridge. $99 + $10 for the first set = $109 which qualifies you for the second set. This is a promotional stamp set and only availableSeptember 2013.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

You are my Happy Blog Hop

Hello friends!  You’re in for a treat this month! 

We have a fabulous TRIPLE stamp set for only $10 with any $50 purchase.  That’s right!  3 stamp sets in 1 set.  You’ll get cute icons, fun sayings and an adorable alphabet that all coordinate.  To top off this treat, this blog post is part of a blog hop.  That means a few of you have come from {Carla’s blog}.  Welcome!  If you’re starting with me, you’ll view my friends’ artwork using this stamp set and end right back here when you’re done. 

P1060672
I created my card using the Chantilly & Surf’s Up paper packs.  I used a smaller card base from a set of cards I purchased years ago.  It’s just 3.5” x 5.”  It’s not that much smaller but makes an feels much like a little note card than a “big” A2 card. 
As I mentioned, this triple stamp set is just $10 with a $50 purchase.  It can’t be purchased separately.  But who would want to?  It’s valued at $47.90 so you’re better off getting some great product instead of paying full price for it. Here’s what the whole set looks like.  You should be able to click on each pic to zoom in. 
You Are My Happy Icons for Art Philosophy CTMH Cricut You Are My Happy phrases with Seuss You Are My Happy Alphabet set
If you’re one of my awesome customers, you can start Start shopping now!.  Don’t forget to check out the While Supplies Last area where newly retired items are now available for up to 75% off! 
If you want to keep blog hopping, continue to {Tracie’s blog}. 

Have a great day!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Artbooking Made Easy 02

Here’s the second installment of the Artbooking made easy video series!  Grab your Artbooking cartridge & your paper!  Let’s start creating together.  Now through April 2014 a new Artbooking video will be released each week!  This one features the school themed 12x12 layouts found on pages 68 & 69 of the handbook. 
artbooking-made-easy-logo-from-youtu
  If you’re viewing this from an email or blog reader, click here to view it on YouTube
Close To My Heart's revolutionary Cricut® Artbooking collection will take your papercrafting to a new level! Learn how to use the new collection to turn your themed layouts and mini scrapbooks into beautiful works of art.   Be sure to come back next week for the next video. 
 
It’s a perfect time to get the Artbooking
With any (any every) $50 purchase you can get the You are My Happy triple stamp set for only $10.  That means you can get one for yourself and another as a gift or for a friend when you purchase the Artbooking Cartridge.  $99 + $10 for the first set = $109 which qualifies you for the second set.  This is a promotional stamp set and only available September 2013. 

Friday, September 6, 2013

Celebrate today with Artbooking

Happy Friday!  Here’s one of the cards from last month’s Fun & Fab 4th Friday card workshop.
I used the same stamp and card layout as I did a year ago with this card. 
Celebrate Today:  Card using the damask overlay from Artbooking
Wanting a little different background, I grabbed my Artbooking handbook looked for an elegant overlay.  I found this damask one. 
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I sized it in Cricut Craft Room, but it wasn’t really going to fit on an A2 card perfectly. And then I noticed I was almost out of Smokey Plum cardstock.  To stretch my paper stash for 12+ of these cards I squashed the design so it was only 3” wide while keeping the height at 5.25 inches tall.  This allowed me to save a bit of paper and get the Smokey Plum label shape to fit on the same 12x12 piece of cardstock.  This is how it looks in CCR.
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I was able to fit 6 overlays and 5 label shapes on one sheet of paper!  The 6th label fit nicely on a scrap.  No worries there!
After cutting the overlays on my Cricut, I cut them roughly in half with my scissors.  (Don’t use a paper trimmer!  It could tear the overlay and perfection isn’t needed.)  I lined up each half to the edge of the card and covered the gap with the For Always B&T paper.  Once it’s all adhered together really well, nobody will know that this is what it looks like on the inside!
Damask overlay from CTMH Artbooking split to fit your card
I embellished the Seam Binding Ribbon bow with a new embellishment from the Mini-Medley Accents from the Rosewood Collection.  I love this collection and it has just a touch of pink that compliments the Smokey Plum so nicely!
P1060607

Love this card?  Here’s the Cricut Craft Room & Gypsy files for you!  Please show some blog love by leaving a comment before downloading this file. 
I exported the Gypsy file from Cricut Craft Room.  I did not proof it on my Gypsy.  It should work but I’ve heard that they don’t always convert correctly. 
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Hope you have a crafty weekend!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Save your shapes

A quick little post tonight.  I thought I’d share with you a HUGE time saver for me.  I save my extra shapes that I’ve cut out on my Cricut that go with my Cricut Compatible stamp sets.  Where do I save them?  Right in the stamp envelope! 
Not all my envelopes are quite this padded but there’s a few here and there. 
Save your extra Cricut Compatible Shapes in the Stamp Envelope so you have them on hand.  Casual Expressions is one of my favorite CTMH stamps to do this with.
This stamp set is Casual Expressions and is compatible with the Cricut Artiste cartridge. 

The new You are My Happy that is only available this month has a whole pile of cuts waiting to go in its envelope.



Have a great night!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Artbooking Made Easy 01

Grab your Artbooking cartridge & your paper!  Let’s start creating together.  Now through April 2014 a new Artbooking video will be released each week! 
Artbooking Made Easy!  CTMH is releasing a video each week on how to create with the Artbooking cartridge.
Here’s the first one.  If you’re viewing this from an email or blog reader, click here to view it on YouTube

Close To My Heart's revolutionary Cricut® Artbooking collection will take your papercrafting to a new level! Learn how to use the new collection to turn your themed layouts and mini scrapbooks into beautiful works of art.   Be sure to come back next week for the next video. 
 
It’s a perfect time to get the Artbooking
With any (any every) $50 purchase you can get the You are My Happy triple stamp set for only $10.  That means you can get one for yourself and another as a gift or for a friend when you purchase the Artbooking Cartridge.  $99 + $10 for the first set = $109 which qualifies you for the second set.  This is a promotional stamp set and only available September 2013. 



 
The stamp of the Month works in the same way!  It’s just $5 for each & every $50 you purchase.  You can get two of these sets at $5 each with your Artbooking cartridge!
Sep13-PosterTidings
 
Join my Happy Customer Club & Earn $25 of free Hostess Rewards when you’ve spent $150 with me.  All the details are in the link.  Happy shopping & creating!








Monday, September 2, 2013

You Are My Happy

September is national stamping month!  Not to be outdone by past years where we have had super fun double D stamp sets, CTMH is offering a TRIPLE stamp set for just $10! 

Watch this video to see the details and get inspired.  (Click this link to watch it via YouTube)

Isn’t it adorable???

You Are My Happy Icons.  CTMH brought back the Hedgehog!

You Are My Happy phrases with Seuss

I love that Today you are You, that is truer than true.  There is no one alive who is Youer than You.  --Dr. Seuss. 

You Are My Happy Alphabet set

 

This set is ONLY available in the month of September.  Get it now!  If you love CTMH products, you will want to read all about my Happy Customer Club.  Purchasing the “You are My Happy” stamp set gives you a huge boost in getting a minimum of $25 in hostess rewards!  Sign up now.  It’s free and there’s no obligation. 

Not interested but love the stamp set?  Click here to get the You are My Happy Stamp set.