Jump On It - July Special bloghop

For this hop, we are featuring a variety of stamp sets you can usually only get as a hostess item.  I've explained the July special promotion, Jump On It, below.  

In this blog hop, if you are coming from Pam's blog you are on the right track.  The hop is one big loop of blogs.  If you are starting here, just look near the end of my post to see the name (in red) of the blog you are to visit next.

I used the hostess set, Paper Bird, a hostess set from the Seasonal Expressions 2 for this layout.

I have lots of fun photos from my garden and other gardens I visit, so I thought I could use this layout for the first page of a garden scrapbook or I could frame it with my favorite picture from my own garden this year.  My color choice was inspired by this week's Color Dare #150 using Sunset, Sweet Leaf, Slate, and White Daisy. Often I tend to use the same old favorite colors and supplies, but when I work on blog hops, I like to challenge myself to use different techniques or supplies I don't normally use.  The Close To My Heart Color Dare prompts are always a good place to start.  I also used washi tape and our spray pen which I don't use too often.


Supplies used   click on any of the links below to see the products on my website
Stamp Sets: Paper Bird and Distressed Backgounds
Washi Tapes: Sunset chevron, Silver Geometric
Ribbon: Slate Diagonal Striped
Cardstock: White Daisy, Sunset, Slate, Sweet Leaf
Inks: Sunset, Slate, Sweet Leaf
Other supplies:  Spray pen with Sweet Leaf re-inker,  the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge 

So here's the deal
During the month of July, when you purchase $25 in current, retail priced stamps, you qualify to receive either :

• the July Stamp of the Month, My Acrylix® Life Is Wonderful, FREE 
• or any one of the Hostess Rewards stamp sets featured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015 or Seasonal Expressions 2 for only $5.

Wow -- what does that mean for you?

• A savings of up to $17.95  
• You can get one of those special Hostess stamp sets you’ve had your eye on for only $5 without hosting a gathering.

To get your FREE Stamp of the Month stamp set or your $5 Hostess Rewards stamp set, simply place an order for $25 of any current, retail priced stamps. This offer is available only during the month of July and applies only to the July Stamp of the Month and current Hostess rewards stamp sets, so jump on this deal before it’s gone! 

Be sure to visit other consultant blogs to see what you can do with those great stamp sets you've had your eye on.  There are over 30 consultant's participating in this hop.  Next blog to visit on this hop is Tracey's blog.  Have fun!  

Contact your CTMH consultant to place your order or visit my website to place your order for one of your favorite stamp sets.  There's a July order tab in the lower right hand corner.

News Flash

Hey!  

Look what I found on the

While Supplies Last 

page of my website!  

My Boo-boo fixer-up tool!

We can still get that great texture brush I often use for texturing scrapbook pages or covering boo-boos on my cards.  It comes with a few other items, but they're all great additions to anyone's scrapbook/stamping tool bin.  It's only $7 for the set.

Here's the link to the item on my website.  You need to order it on-line since it is only available to order that way.  There is an open July order on my website page, so if you order, that puts your name in a drawing for the hostess items for this month.  Just join the order in the lower right hand part of the page.  Choose smart post  ($4.95) for your shipping option to save a bit on shipping.

If you don like to order on-line, let me know and I can order it for you.  Now, get them before they're gone!

6 page Scrap Workshop

Seaside Scrap Workshop

Quick reminder

Thursday, July 16 

Doors open at 5:30 

Bear with me on the posting of these layouts as I am trying to learn something new using PicCollage.  I will post bigger pictures for you, just want to see how this works.  

Layout A and B

Layout C and D

Layout E and F

Retiring Products List

Get your favorite CTMH products 

before they're gone!

The new Annual Inspirations is waiting in the wings for release on September 1.  Lots of fun new papers, stamps, and products are coming I've heard.  (I didn't go to convention this year, so I haven't seen them yet, but I'm hearing great things.)

In the meantime, many CTMH products have been added to the retiring list.  As of August 31st, you will no longer be able to get them.  Some of the more popular ones will be gone long before that, so if you have a favorite paper packs, stamp sets, washi tapes, embellishments etc. NOW is the time to get them before they sell out.

Be sure to note the following COLORS will be discontinued, so if you have some projects going where you will need these colors of card stock, ink, or re-inkers, order now.   You can click on each of these colors to go to the page on my website to get a better look.

Outdoor Denim
Smokey Plum
Autumn Terracotta
Olive    (re-inker is already sold out)
Barn Red
Ponderosa Pine


I have a July orders tab open now on my website where you can order on-line.  It is down in the right hand corner of the page.  Just click and order.  I will be choosing a mystery hostess from that order, so you may have a chance to win free product as well if you order there.

You can contact me if you'd rather order through me.

Here's a link to the entire retiring list if you want to see what else is going.  (18 pages, so there's a good chance that your favorite is on there.)

This link takes you to pictures of products on the retiring list -- even better!

Life is worth capturing

Life is worth capturing -- Let me show you how!

Close To My Heart Mission Statement

 As you watch this video you'll get a sneak peek as some of the new products coming in the new catalog to be released this September.

July Special Promotion

July Special Stamp Deal

Jump on it only during July

During the month of July, when you purchase $25 in current, retail priced stamps, you qualify to receive either 

• this July Stamp of the Month, My Acrylix® Life Is Wonderful, FREE 

• OR any one of the Hostess Rewards stamp sets featured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015 or Seasonal Expressions 2 for only $5.

Wow -- what does that mean for you?

• A savings of up to $17.95  
• Get one of those special Hostess stamp sets you’ve had your eye on but haven't been able to get without hosting a gathering.
• Order online and get a chance to receive hostess benefits if my July online orders reach $150 minimum.

To get your FREE stamp set or your $5 Hostess Rewards stamp set, simply place an order for $25 of any current, retail priced stamps. 

This offer is available only during the month of July and applies only to the July Stamp of the Month and current Hostess rewards stamp sets, so spring into action and jump on this deal before it’s gone! 

Click here to go to my website to shop for your stamp sets and this special deal.  

1. Join July orders in the lower right hand corner to get in on a chance to earn other hostess credits as a mystery hostess. 
2. For the best shipping rate, choose FedEx Smart post.
3. Just order your your $25 worth of current stamp sets, and then the special offer will appear as you check out.
4. If the July online orders reach at least $150 during July, I will randomly choose a mystery hostess to receive the hostess benefits.

July Stamp of the Month

Welcome to the Close To My Heart 

July Stamp of the Month

Blog Hop

If you are coming from Traci's  blog for the CTMH stamp of the month blog hop, you are on the right track.  This month we are featuring a set of 6 stamps, Life is Wonderful, which is wonderful for  creating cards, scrapbook pages, or other home decor.  

After viewing my work, just hit the red link at the end of my post to move on to the next blog.  You will find that most consultants will have a similar link at the end of their posts.  So sit back, relax, and cull the many creative uses for this stamp set.  

I have been wanting to start a scrap project about myself for quite a while now.  So using the My Crush book, Wildwood, along with some Hopscotch Picture My Life cards and a previous Operation Smile special stamp provided the impetus to get this project going.  
(I just love how participating in the various blog hops inspires me to explore materials I've had for a while and start projects that have been on the back burners.  Even better yet, it often inspires my scrap group to get some of the same materials to get their own projects going.)

The small word wonderful is from You're the Bomb, an Operation Smile stamp set which is no longer available.

I plan to use these pages for journaling a number of wonderful things that I have experienced in my journey through life.  It is amazing that so many wonderful things have happened after some pretty troubled times.  It's time to record those and hope that they will prove helpful and supportive for any troubled times in the future.

Here's a close up of the top of the journaling page.

Products used: Blue items are links to these products on my website.

My Crush Book: Wildwood Book

Inks: Juniper and Outdoor Denim

Card stock: Colonial White, White Daisy, and Outdoor Denim

Accessories: Flowers cut using the Art Philosophy Cartridge, Aqua Dots

Picture My Life: Hopscotch Scrapbooking Program (sorry, no longer available)

Stamp Sets:  Life is Wonderful (July Stamp of the Month) and You're the Bomb (Seasonal Expressions Operation Smile Stamp set - No longer available).

Normally, I try not to use retired materials in my blog hop posts.  This time they fit my needs for this project so well, I needed to use them.  

Remember, the stamp of the month is only available until July 31st.  It sells for $17.95, however, with a qualifying order of $50, you can get it for only $5.  Visit my website to order yours or contact me.

Your next stop along the hop is Jenny's blog for another creative spin with this stamp set.

My Crush Constant Campaign Blog hop

Welcome to 

Close To My Heart's 

June Special of the Month

My Crush Albums

If you are coming from Brenda's blog on the My Crush blog hop, you are on the right track.  This month we are featuring various projects using the My Crush albums.  There are so many different ways to use these wonderful albums.  Beside using the albums as designed, you can take the pages out of the book to use on traditional scrapbook pages, to make cards or any other paper project you might think of.  So hop on board and see the creative ideas of over 30 consultants.


For my project, I've decided to start the garden journal I've been wanting to do for the past several years.  My intent is journal what I've done so far in my perennial garden and yard this year and and continue throughout the summer and fall with notes, thoughts, and pictures.  My first few pages include some of my favorite pictures from last fall as well as pictures from this spring.

Materials used in this project are:
My Crush Bluebird Book
My Crush Favorites Assortment
Canary, Smoothie, Slate, and Flaxen cardstock
Oceanside Sequins
Coral Reef Sequins
The buttons and brads used are retired CTMH products.

This link will take you to my website to see samples of the various My Crush Books, assortments, and coordinating stamps sets available.

Don't forget to take advantage of the special this month -- buy your favorite My Crush Album, the matching assortment package, and get the coordinating stamp set FREE. ($9.95 value).  I will add a free workshop for anyone who lives in my area that orders this special and would like to start an album or journal project of your own.   

Your next stop on the hop is Michelle's blog.  Enjoy!

If you get lost along the way, you can find the complete blog list on Melinda's blog.

My Crush™ on Crafting

My Crush Books -- What are they?

My Crush Books -- I'm working on one now --- using it as my garden journal.  I'll be following up with pictures in a few days for the special blog hop featuring these wonderful little scrapbooks.

Remember the CTMH special this month features all the different my crush books. 

What are they? 

Take a peek here to see.

June Newsletter

Kathy's Calendar of Events See the calendar on my calendar tab to get more information on each of these events. Tuesday, June 9 - 2 page scrap workshop - 6:30 Friday, June 12 - Open Crop - 5:30 Thursday, June 18 - 6 page scrap - 5:30 Monday, June 29 - Technique Time Card Workshop - 6:30 Tuesday, June 30 - Technique Time Card Workshop - 1:00 Special Offers for June Redeemable only through me Buy three embellishment packages (all of the same $ value) and get a fourth one of equal value 1/2 off. Buy three shimmer trims rolls (@ $4.95) and get the fourth one 1/2 off (@$2.48) Buy a Paper Fundamental package (@$19.95) and get your choice of a Glitter Paper pack 1/2 off (@2.98) To get these specials, you will need to order through me, not my website.  Prices quoted here do not include tax or shipping costs. Stamp of the Month Just think of all the fun cards and scrapbook pages you could create with inspiration? Just click on this link CTMH bloghop starting with my entry to visit and see what others have done. Remember this set is only available through the month of June for $17.95. Although, with a $50 qualifying order, it's yours for only $5. During the month of June, when you purchase any My Crush® book and its accompanying assortment pictured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015, pages 150 - 157, you will receive the coordinating stamp set FREE! That is a savings of at least $9.95. Choose from five lovely My Crush book offerings that will provide  a ready made background for your favorite memories. From family reunions to camping adventures to holiday count-downs and much more, you'll love the ease of creating in these books. I'm starting one of my own for my garden journal this week. This offer is only available while supplies last* and once they’re gone, these books are gone for good, so put your orders in early to get your summer romance rolling today! See samples of the My Crush books here. Card Workshop - Techniques Beginning this month, I am changing the format of my card workshops.  Each month I will teach a new stamping technique or card fold and we will use that to create 5 - 6 cards using that technique.  You will still be able to create cards for various occasions, they will not all have to be the same design, but they will just have a common technique.  This month I will be presenting the Bokeh technique as featured in this simple notecard.  Please register for this workshop by June 22nd.  If you have your own white pigment ink pad, please bring it along.