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.

June Stamp of the Month - Ice Cream Dream

It's time for Ice Cream!

 Join us in the Close to My Heart

June Stamp of the Month

Blog Hop

If you have arrived here from  Peachy's Blog, you are on the right path.  

This month we are featuring Ice Cream Dream, a set of 7 stamps great for scrapbook layouts and fun summer cards.  The images really come to life when colored with the ShinHan Touch Twin Markers.

This month we are sharing creative ideas from 50 talented consultants.  Sit down with your beverage of choice (or maybe a dish or your favorite ice cream) and get your pinning finger ready since you're in for some really yummy treats.  At the end of my blog post you will see a link to the next consultant in the hop.

I've had fun creating a number of things using this stamp set.  I decided to share a layout that takes its inspiration from the pastor of my church.  No, he's not a stamper or scrapbooker, but he loves ice cream.  We are putting together a scrapbook for his retirement next year, so this is just one of the layouts destined for his book.  Later this year we are having a Sundae Sunday, so I plan to get pictures of him eating ice cream as well as a few other photos of the event for this layout.  If you look closely at the ice cream truck, you'll see his face peeking out at us.  The truck is labeled "Retirement Fun"  and the door is labeled "Fr. Ron."

Here are a few close ups of some of the stamps that were colored with the ShinHan Touch Twin markers.  The ice cream sundae dish was colored with the CTMH silver metallic marker.

Here's a list of the CTMH Products used in this layout in addition to the June Stamp of the month.  Click on any of the products to go to my website to get a better look or to place an order.

Paper Fundamentals - Basic Assortment

Chocolate cardstock

Lagoon cardstock

Canary cardstock

White Daisy Cardstock

Cranberry Cardstock

ShinHan Touch Twin Markers  I used Bronze, Mahogany, Barely Beige, Tender Pink, Carmine and Turquoise Blue.

Silver Metallic Marker

Remember this set, Ice Cream Dream,  is only available through June 30th for $17.95, however, you can purchase it for only $5 with a qualifying order of $50.

The next stop along this blog hop is  Priscilla's blog .  Be sure to visit all the consultants' blogs to view some delicious ideas.  

May Special - National Scrapbooking Month

Taste of Summer

Well, with today's beautiful weather, it does feel a little like a taste of summer!  And here is what Close To My Heart has to offer to get us started with a summery feel for all those wonderful summer pictures that will be popping up soon.

Watch this video to get more information about this special paper pack.

See my consultant Facebook page here to see samples of work created by other wonderful CTMH consultants.  They've inspired me to get my packet out and start creating.

Purchase your own packet for $8.95 here or contact me to place your order,

 and you know I will have a workshop to go with your order.

May Stamp of the Month

Welcome to the May Close To My Heart 

 Stamp of the Month 

Blog Hop

If you have come here from Lauren's blog, you are on the right path.  
This month we are featuring a set of 14 stamps great for scrapbooking or card making.

This month we are sharing creative ideas from over 60 talented consultants.  Sit down with your beverage of choice and get your pinning finger ready!   At the end of my blog post you will see a link to the next consultant in the hop.  Just click there and move on to the next blog. You'll find each participant provides a link near the end of the post so you can enjoy one great idea after another.  

I decided to use this stamp set  for my May Scrapbook Workshop pages 

using the Blossom paper pack.  A closer look at the elements created using the stamp set is posted below the layouts.

This layout was inspired by one done by Brenda Rose on Rose Blossom Legacies with Hopscotch papers.

Here are some close-ups of the elements I created for these layouts using stamps from Just Sayin'.

Supplies used on these layouts:

click on any of the following links to go to my website to see or order these supplies

Blossom paper pack

Blossom Complements

Oceanside Sequins

Coral Reef Sequins

Lagoon and Sunset mini pigment ink pads from the Adventure Mini Pigment Pad Set

Be sure to check out all the other great ideas prepared for you using this fun stamp of the month.  Now hop on over to Paige's blog to see the creative work she has in store for us.  Before you go, though, I'd love if you'd leave a comment for me to let me know you stopped by.  Thanks!

April Scrapbook Workshop

Brushed Paper Pack

3 double page layouts

These are the layouts we completed at our April Workshop (April 20th) using the Brushed paper pack and Brushed complements with a supplement pack of Cricut cut-outs and extra card stock.

           Layout A                                                              Layout B

Layouts A and B are on white base pages.  To get the wavy edges we used a cutter from Creative Memories.  The complements for this paper pack are vellum.  To use them on this layout, we cut them out with the backing on and then used pop-dots to adhere them to the layout.

            Layout C                                                                 Layout D

    Layouts C and D are on Juniper card stock.  The branches and flowers were cut out from the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge and the trellis work is from the CTMH Artbooking Cartridge.  The flowers on the trellis are from the Brushed Complements.  We kept the backing on them since they are vellum and  the background paper would have shown through.  We used the  Pretty Petals Flair (C1599) and a stamp of the month from last Fall, It's the Little Things (S1411)stamp sets for the flowers along the edge of the page.

              Layout E                                                                  Layout F

    Layouts E and F are on white daisy base pages.  With the white background we were able to use the vellum complements without the backing.  The center pattern for these layouts was cut using the CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge.  The word Spring was stamped using Pear ink and the Polka Dot Alphabet Stamp set (D1469).

If you are interested in the supplement pack and the cutting directions for these layouts or the complete kit contact me here.

Here's a look at the paper packet.  

Brushed Paper PacketItem Number: X7190B

$9.95

April CTMH Special

Love a great deal? 

How about 30 days of great deals? 

• During the month of April, you have the opportunity to score a deal every day with Close To My Heart! Each day during April, while supplies last, a random grab bag filled with current and retired Close To My Heart products available for purchase at a major discount. 

• To get your grab your bag, simply place any current, full-priced item in your online shopping cart on my website .  Once you do that, the deal of the day will pop up.   You will then be eligible to purchase as many grab bags as you wish (while supplies last)!  You'll also qualify for a free new Seasonal Expressions 2 catalog.

• Grab bags will be featured at five different price points throughout the month, ranging from $35 to $150. Some grab bags will contain product with more than DOUBLE the retail value of the price you pay! 

• Grab bags will be available for 24 hours starting at 3 pm MDT each day and only while supplies last—so visit often and early! 

• Remember that grab bag tiers will be featured on a random schedule throughout the month, so seize the opportunity to purchase from the grab bag tier you’re interested in when it becomes available because it might not come around again