Last days of Holiday Heyday Sale

The Holiday Heyday Sale ends on Dec. 17th (or while supplies last).  There are many great buys still available.  One of the best deals is the Grab Bag.  You can purchase $100 worth of Close To My Heart goodies for just $30.  Here’s a sample of what came in one of the grab bags already shipped out:

* My Acrylix Classic Caps
* My Acrylix Random Thoughts
* My Accents – White
* Chocolate eyelets
* White Sassy Strands
* Summer Carnival Sassy Strands
* Clear Inspirations- Thank You
* My Stickease Floral Tapestry
* Black Base Pages 12×12
* My Reflections Elegant Bouquet Level 1
* Textured Cardstock pack in spring colors

A couple of other great items still available: 

Magic Moments kit – includes 12×12 preprinted pages, ribbon and brads (would make a great calendar gift!)

Sassy Strands for $1.00

Ribbon rounds for $4.00

Level 1 paper packs for $5.00

Card Kits for $6.50

Let’s Play Ball stamp set for $6.00 (orig. $18.95)

Precious Alphabet for $8.00 (orig. $22.95)

Shop here:  www.clearly.myctmh.com in the Holiday Heyday Sale.

Tip of the week – curling waxy flax

Waxy flax is so easy to work with.  I reach for it every time I need to thread a button.  I prefer it over embroidery floss or even hemp because it doesn’t shred when you start working with it.  Plus we have 11 beautiful colors that match our cardstocks and inks perfectly.  For this card I tied two of the HeartFelt die-cut wonder shapes together with waxy flax.  I left the ends rather long – 1 1/2 inch or so.  To give the waxy flax a different look I twisted it so it started curling on itself.  Just keep twisting and twisting to get the achieved look.  You might have to snip a tad bit off the end that didn’t curl. 

Recipe:  Heartfelt Wonder Die-Cut shapes, Many Thanks stamp set, Back Country paper pack, Love Letter rub ons, Chocolate cardstock, brads and stamp pad, Crystal blue cardstock, sandpaper, stipple brush, Olive stamp pad and Bamboo waxy flax

Christmas Card Countdown – just 2 more weeks!

Hope you made some great progress on your cards this past week.  I did!!  But I still have soooooo much more to do. 

 

Your assignment this week is to: 

 

#1) Finish your cards!!!

#2) Stamp a sentiment on the inside (or hand write a note),

#3) Sign your cards

#4) Stamp a “Hand stamped by…” or some other sentiment on the back of your cards.  Include the year also as a lot of people will save your cards for years and it’s nice to see which year they are from.

#5) If you are including a photo, label (with a photo safe pencil) the names and date.  Include ages for your kiddos too!

 

Now, if you are already ahead of the game and want to mail your cards this week, here are next week’s tasks for me:

2) Address envelope

3) Add a Christmas theme postage stamp

 

If you are mailing in a clear envelope make sure you take these to the Post Office and ask them to hand-cancel them for you.  Some of the PO’s are picky about the clear envy’s and might send them back to you if you don’t have them hand-cancelled. 

 

Ok, now what to do if you haven’t even started your cards yet.  DON’T WORRY!!  There is still time to make your own cards.  Place an order today for the Around the Holiday’s Card Kit.  These cards go together so incredibly quick and they are CUTE!  If you want, add some brads to dress it up a bit.  They are just $14.95 (+tax & shipping) and you get the envelopes too. 

 

 

Save 50-80% on Stamps and Scrapbook Supplies

 

Shopping starts at 9 a.m. MST

Online shopping here:

www.clearly.myctmh.com

HURRY for best selection and please be patient as the ordering system will be jam packed.

View the list here:  http://houseostamps.wordpress.com/sale-stamps-paper/

December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Blog Hop featuring the December Stamp of the Month – Notice the Details.  If you came here from fancyMelissa’s blog you are on the right path.  Please follow along below to continue our blog hop. 

 This set of 41 stamps will help you record all the special days in your life.  With phrases like “Marvelously Ordinary” and “Celebrate the Everyday” even your most simple days take on special meaning with this stamp set.  I created a birthday card with the SOTM and also featured the stamp set, Delightful Things.   I particularly like the center of the flower which demonstrates a pewter brad threaded through a button hole. 

Now head on over to Misty’s blog to see what she came up with for the December Stamp of the Month.

Don’t forget the December Stamp of the Month is only available this month.  You can even get one for free with a $100 order.  Or get 25% off with a $25 order, 50% off with a $50 order, 75% off with a $75 order. 

Tip of the week – Circle Cards

In the new card pattern book from CTMH, Wishes, there are a lot of card bases that are circles.  I think these are so unique and really make a card stand out.  I also think they look especially festive this time of year – especially when you add an ornament “top” to it and a ribbon, like I did on this first card.   To make these cards I cut my cardstock into 5 x 10″ strips and scored at 5″.  So you have a 5″ square.  Then I used the 4 1/2″ circle on the (retired) coluzzle to cut my circle.  I laid the template over the card and then moved it a bit so there was at least 1″ for the fold and then cut my circle.  It fits beautifully in an invitation envelope. 

If you don’t want to go that route, there is a CD included in the Wishes book that has all sorts of templates, including a circle!

Recipe:  Jingle paper pack, Holiday Jingle stamp set, Holiday Trinkets stamp set, Just for the Holidays stamp set, Creme Brulee stamp pad, white daisy stamp pad, silver embossing powder, Tulip stamp pad, Twilight stamp pad & cardstock, Green embroidery floss, Twinkle brads, white eyelets & ribbon, sandpaper, circle punch & corner punch.

Same pattern, two different looks

  I made these cards awhile ago and forgot to post them for you.   Duh!  I used a pattern from the book Wishes for these cards.   Obviously one friend had a baby boy and the other had a baby girl.  The boy card looks so whimsical with the Animal Crackers paper and the girl card looks so elegant with the That’s Amore paper pack. 

Boy card Recipe:  Animal Crackers paper pack, Sweet Baby stamp set, white ric-rac, Dutch Blue textured cardstock, brads & stamp pad, foam die-cut numbers, scalloped circle punches (non-CTMH), Summer craft buttons & colonial white waxy flax.

Girl card Recipe:  Tha’s Amore paper pack, Sweet Baby stamp set, Colonial white ribbon rounds, Blush  textured cardstock, brads & stamp pad, foam die-cut numbers, scalloped circle punches (non-CTMH), Clear craft buttons & colonial white waxy flax.

Tip of the week – Nugget treat holder

Here’s a cute little idea that holds the Hershey’s Nuggets candy bars.  (Love those babies! Not too little, not too large.)  These are great to have on hand for friends and neighbors that stop by this holiday season.   It’s a great way to use scraps too.  Cut cardstock into 1.5″ x 6″ strip.  Score at 2 1/2 and 3 1/2.  Cut patterned paper into 1 3/8 x 2 3/8 pieces.   Adhere patterned paper on one side.  Stamp image and adhere to front.  Put a glue dot or other strong adhesive on the bottom and attach nugget bar.  Fold up.  Then punch two holes in top just 1/2″ apart.  Thread ribbon through. 

Recipe:
New England Ivy Cardstock & stamp pad, Evensong paper pack, Just for the Holidays stamp set, Cranberry stamp pad and Colonial White grosgrain ribbon.

Christmas Card Count down – 5 weeks to go!

 How’s your progress coming along on your Christmas cards?  We just have 5 weeks left until our target mailing date.  Time to get busy!

 

Now we need to break your prototype card down into steps. My card has 12 different steps. And I’m not going to tell you what they are cause if you are reading this it is very likely you will be getting this card and I want you to be surprised.  But some possible steps your card
might have are:

• Cut and score your card bases
• Cut your layers of paper for the cards
• Stamping/Embossing the image(s)
• Coloring in the images if necessary
• Attaching layers
• Adding embellishment(s)
• Stamp the inside of your card with message
• Stamping the back of card with “made by…”
• Sign your card

This week your goal is to get two of the steps done. Mine will be cutting
the card and scoring the card.

Close To My Heart Art and Soul videos

Watch Close To My Heart products in action on the CTMH TV channel.  View it here: http://clearly.myctmh.com/MyCTMH/CTMHTV.aspx

You can even get a great price on a stamp set.