Donut Z Fold Card

Who loves donuts on the weekends?  

Not me.  I like them every day. 😜

I created this Z Fold card for my January card workshop.  It's a pretty simple card to put together though there's extra folds.  

This card really is a cinch to put together.  The stamp set is from the Sugar Rush Cardmaking Bundle that includes thin cut dies that diecut the donut circle, frosting and the banner.  The grey "FUN SWEET YUM!" and the green hearts are the coordinating Sugar Rush Washi Tape!

And... this thin cut bundle is on SALE this month for just $17.96.  That makes the thin cuts just $4.01 more than buying the stamp set alone!  What a steal!

Below is an assembly video that gives all the details to create this card.
Below are the cardstock measurements
Cardstock:  5.5" wide and 11" long Score it at 2.75" and 5.5" from 1 end of the 11" wide piece.
Now cut a 1.25 x 11" wide strip from the scored cardstock.  The other piece will be 4.25 x 11 and the card base.
Front Panel 2.5" x 4"
Back Panel (donuts) 5.25" x 4"
White Daisy Cardstock for the Z-strip 5.25 x 1, 2.5 x 1, 2.5 x 1

NOTEs:  I like to score once when I'm making one or two of these cards.  If you like, you can score a 11x11 piece of cardstock and cut it into pieces to make 2 cards.  Either way, I will do all of my scoring before I cut the paper into strips for the card base and the Z-strip.
If you want to really conserve paper, make the base only 4x11 and you'll fit 3 card bases from 1 piece of cardstock and use a part of a second piece of cardstock to cut the 1.25x11 strips for the Z-strip.



This card folds flat for mailing.  It doesn't need any chunky embellishments and that makes my mail carrier so very happy!

For a little extra sparkle, I dotted the sprinkles with our CTMH Clear Shimmer Brush.  

So this month, get any of the CTMH Thin Cuts for 25% off!  

And don't forget, we have a Tea-rrific Stamp of the Month that is just $5 with a $50 purchase!  Sale and Clearance items count towards this purchase!  Isn't that wonderful?

Artfully Sent CTMH’s Newest Cricut Bundle

Yes!  A new cartridge!

It’s a cardmaker’s dream!  Create custom cards at the touch of a button or use any of the 700 images to create your own unique card! 

Here’s a little video about it.  I’ll be sharing some artwork created by Close to My Heart all month! 

Click here to view it on YouTube.com

This bundle will be release “sometime” in August.  Would you like to be the first to get it and receive a free gift from me?  Join my mailing list to be notified!

Floating Your Fancy

Get the most out of your Cricut® Artbooking cartridge with these fun home décor ideas. You and your customers will love these unique ideas to use Artbooking cutouts to create decorative floating frames and functional message boards for your home. These quick and easy projects are pretty and practical—the best kind of craft!

Click here to watch it on YouTube

This is an amazing cartridge!  It’s not just for scrapbookers!  Click here to see more and to order the Artbooking bundle from my website. 

Picture My Life Introduction [Video]

Here’s an overview of what’s included in the Picture My Life kits.  The kit featured in this video is the Later Sk8r kit.

I’ll be featuring the Skylark kit throughout this week.  More details on my kit are coming on Wednesday! 

Click here to view the video via YouTube. 

Picture My Life kits are a tremendous value.  You receive 122 double sided cards and 10 page protectors for $24.95.  Where else can you put together scrapbooks at 2.50 per 2 page layout?  It’s the simplest, fastest and most economical scrapbooking system that I know of!  If you add 10 more page protectors (because you’ll have enough cards for 10 more pages), the price could drop to $1.75 per two pages.  It’s fabulous! 

Click here to shop now. 

Simple Scallops

I’m not a big lover of punches now that I have a Cricut.  However, simple, useful border punches that I can use a variety of ways are something I’ll invest in. 

It’s so easy to create a border of any length with this Scalloped Border Punch from CTMH. Want a 12” border?   The Cricut can’t do it without jumping through a lot of hoops and a 24” mat.  Simple is great! 

Check out these itty bitty borders!  I would cut the strip of paper a bit wider and trim it down after it is punched just so it’s a little easier to hold. 

 

Here’s the full video.  {Click here to watch via YouTube}

 

There’s a ton of great videos on YouTube showing Close to My Heart’s products. There’s a new Artbooking project each week!

Click here to Subscribe to the Official CTMH YouTube channel.

Artbooking Made Easy Episodes 04 & 05 Halloween

I didn’t get a chance to post last week’s video so I’m doing both this week.  I have to say THIS WEEK’S VIDEO IS FANTASTIC!!!!  (It’s in all caps because if you were in the room with me, I’d be screaming!)  Both videos are using the Halloween buttons.  In Episode 5, you’ll get a clear view of this album, I think you could pretty much replicate what they’ve one.  (No more angled camera shots.  We get to see everything!)

First up is last week’s Episode 04 featuring 12x12 Halloween layouts.

 

Now for this week’s fabulous  Mini-Album episode! 

There are so many tips and tricks in this video that will work for any album.   WATCH IT, even if you’re not wanting a Halloween Mini-Album.  I learned a ton and will be using a technique or two from this album in my Christmas Mini Class.   This screenshot shows how she cut a smaller page to make a mini-flap in the middle of her album!  Love it.  I think I’ll do something like that for my Christmas Mini-Album workshop that is coming up in November. 

This mini album was made using the features from pages 54-55 in the Artbooking handbook. 

Here’s another reason to watch.   She shows you that the Halloween buttons are not just for October 31st.  Make a Disney castle from the spooky mansion!

 

I’m offering free product  when you order Artbooking or any of the 3 Cricut bundles.  Contact me for details! 

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.

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. 

  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. 

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! 

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!

 
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!

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???

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

 

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. 

Hook & Loop

Need a temporary closure for your papercrafted projects? Hook & Loop dots are perfect for enclosing memorabilia, sealing a purse, securing a box, and more!
I used them on the purses I created this spring.  See the blog posts here. 
Here’s two more purses: 


Now watch this video featuring the hook & loop dots that I used to secure these bags. 

Can’t see the video?  View online here. 

Purchase the hook & loop dots here. 

Better blending

Learn how to make your stamped images stand out by using the alcohol blending marker and Exclusive Inks^® marker sets for better blending! Watch the video to discover all of the tips and tricks.

If you cannot see the video, click here to view it online. 
Markers are sold 2 per package so you will always have the perfect color to blend with.  See them online.

Cricut Craft Room with Artiste

Monica from Close to My Heart gives some great tips on how to use Cricut Craft Room!  Check out her awesome video and the projects she features

I love using Cricut Craft Room!  It’s a convenient way to create a project that you want to cut over and over. If you have any questions let me know!

Cluster Luster

See how to make this beautiful card in just a couple steps!

Close to My Heart Stamps can be clustered! 

 

The stamp set shown is Card Chatter-Birthday.  Shop now to get your set!

Imagine scrapbooking your entire summer in an hour!

Get your summer memories captured, organized an printed this morning. 

Scrapbook in as little as 10 minutes with CTMH’s Express Collections in Studio J.  Just add photos and text and you’re done!

 

Don’t forget:  October’s Studio J special.  Order 9 layouts, get 1 more free!  (There’s no limit on the free ones so don’t wait until the end of the month!)
Through the end of 2012, when you order 10 layouts, I’ll give you a free 10 pack of memory protectors!

To get started click here ----->>>>>  Studio J

Dauber Dynamite—Getting Perfect Precision from Your Inks

Discover the beauty of sponge daubing. When you ink your stamps with sponge daubers, you can create a soft, shaded look that is perfect for a page or card!

see more.

Shop now for a great selection of inks and our daubers!

A One Stamp Wonder

Create a finished card in a minute with the new series of single-image A-size My Acrylix® stamp sets from Close To My Heart. Use them for quick scrapbook layout titles or easy, one-step cardmaking. Each one is designed to complete your project with a single stamp, and at just $6.95 each, these stamps are super affordable!

June is Stampaganza.  Buy 2 stamp sets, get one free!  It’s a perfect time to get these stamps! 

Click here to shop for these stamps and more!

A Tale of Two Dino-Mite scrapbook layouts

Create a pair of "dino-mite" scrapbook pages for a girl and a boy. Simply by changing up your color palette, you can achieve a masculine or feminine look using the exact same stamp set! In this Close To My Heart video, we show you how to create the scrapbook pages featured on page 89 of the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book.

March Love Your Layout with Florentine Papers

Spring is just around the corner! Use Studio J® to capture this beautiful time of year with fresh colors and simple techniques that come together in minutes! Watch this month's Love Your Layout video for instructions that will show you how to make this darling layout. We'll show you a clever way to add your title and also play with the stitching tool! Log in to Studio J and start saving those memories!

If you would like a personal tour of Studio J, contact me.   

Love Your Layout October Edition

I’ve been tinkering with Studio J this summer but never stopped long enough to learn tricks from the best.  Close to My Heart has release video mini-tutorials for StudioJ which are fabulous.  They give you some simple tips to enhance your digital layouts while saving time.  I’ll be posting some of the older ones in coming weeks.  If you can’t wait, you can go directly to the CTMHcorp YouTube Channel. 

As always, StudioJ is free to try.
If you would like a personal tutorial, I can meet with you at your home or anywhere with Wi-Fi. We can even work together over the phone. In about 30 minutes, you will be well on your way to creating Studio J layouts. Contact me today for your tutorial!