One of the new products introduced in the CTMH Autumn/Winter ‘09 Idea Book are the Glitter Rub-ons.  You get 3 sheets of glitter paper (silver, twilight and olive) and 2 sheets of the rub-ons in each pack.  But when you use all of the rub-ons you still have a lot of glitter left on the sheet.  Here’s a tip on how to use the rest of that glitter.  First “ink” up a stamp with bold lines with a glue pen.  Let it sit for a moment so it’s not too wet.  Then stamp your image on the paper.  Lay your sheet of glitter over the image and rub the glitter on just like you would a rub-on.  Pull back the sheet a bit to see if you got it all covered.  If not, rub over the stamped image a bit more.  I hope you can see the glitter snowflake on the left side of this card. 

Another great tip on this card is to make your own pearl brads.  Use a plain brad (I used silver) and pick it up with tweezers.  (CTMH has a great pair of tweezers that are perfect for this application.)  Heat with a embossing gun.  Then dip in the silver pearl embossing powder.  Heat again with the embossing gun.  That will set the embossing powder and you’ll end up with a beautiful pearl looking brad.  Don’t touch the brad right away as it will be hot. 

Recipe:

Snow Flurries stamp set, Snowflake Kisses stamp set (retiring), Aspen Paper Pack, Twilight stamp pad and textured cardstock, Outdoor Denim stamp pad and textured cardstock, silver brads, silver pearl embossing powder, sandpaper, Glitter rub-ons and glue pen.

Ok, so are your assignments from last week going well?  If you haven’t started, no worries, you have all week to catch up!  This weeks assignments are not nearly as time consuming as last week so you can easily get on board. 
 

• Do you have your prototype card done?
• Do you know how many cards to make?
• Did you update your Christmas Card list? 
• Did you need to add some people?  Take off some people? Make address changes? 
• Did you find a picture from the past year to use for your card or did you get an appointment at a photo studio to get a new one made? 

• Did you have the stamps your wanted for your card?  Do you have a sentiment for the inside of your card?  What about a “handstamped by” stamp for the back of the card?  Lucky for you if you need stamps you can get them this month during Stampaganza (Buy 2, get 1 free!)
•  Do you need any reinkers for your stamp pads? 
• If you are making a standard size greeting card consider the value pack card bases and envelopes.  They are available in both white and colonial white. 

This is the sale you’ve been waiting for all year:  Purchase 2 Close To My Heart stamp sets and receive 1 set FREE!

Time to stock up.  This sale is only good until November 30.    Go shopping here:  www.clearly.myctmh.com

The Simple stitches stamp set is still one of my favorites, especially the zig-zag stitch.  For this card, I decided to make the zig-zag stamp even more realistic by using my piercing tool to make holes on the card.  Makes for a very realistic stitch without pulling out the sewing machine. 

All supplies from Close To My Heart.

Recipe:

Rustic Alphabet, Holiday Commentary, Simple Stitches stamp set, Cocoa cardstock & stamp pad, Cranberry ribbon & stamp pad, Bamboo stamp pad, New England Ivy cardstock, piercing tool and brads.

It’s time to start the Christmas Card countdown!   

If you were anything like me last year you were still working on Christmas cards the week of Christmas and swear under your breath at 2 in the morning that you will NOT let that happen next year.  Well, this year, I really mean it!  Really.  I do.  I will NOT be working on my Christmas cards on Dec. 21.  So, in an attempt to motivate me I will be sending out reminders to you all too each week.  ; – )

I want to have my cards in the mail by Monday, Dec. 14th.  That is a Monday.  7 weeks from today.  7 weeks.  Yes, I can do this.  And you can too!!

Step #1:  Decide which stamps, papers and inks I will use. 

To accomplish this I am looking thru all my old Idea Books, stamping magazines and maybe some websites and blogs too.  I have a nice selection of Christmas cards on my website at:  www.clearly.myctmh.com and also some on this blog. 

Great news for you if you would like to get some new stamps:  starting on November 3rd until November 30th you can purchase 2 stamps and get 1 stamp set for free during our Stampanganza special.  Start shopping here:  www.clearly.myctmh.com.

Step #2:  Then you will need to make a prototype of the card.

I know quite frequently my actual card looks nothing like the card I had intended to start out with.  You may need to add an embellishment, change the colors, or scrap the whole idea and think about a new card design.  So start stamping.  Once you find the card you like you are done for your assignment this week.

Step #3:  How many cards am I sending out? 
Do you keep your Christmas card list on the computer?  I have been doing this for many years now.  I just have a simple list on Excel that I keep.  I have added a column for sent and a column for received.  If I don’t receive one from someone that I have sent to the last 2-3 years I think it’s time to drop them from my list. 

Step 4:  Pictures

Do you like to include pictures of your family in your card?  If so, start looking through pictures you’ve taken this past year to find a good one of the whole family.  I love receiving pictures from friends/family to see how their kids have grown.  I think the best pictures are those taken on a special family vacation.  If you can’t find a great picture then make an appointment at a local portrait studio to have one taken. 

When you accomplish all 4 of these tasks you are done for your assignment this week.  Whew!  Big week. Just imagine the relief you’ll have when you can sit back and relax the last couple of weeks of Christmas, baking and wrapping and not stamping your cards. 

Here are some great links to some websites to help you with all of your Christmas planning: 

OrganizedChristmas.Com: holiday plans, gifts, crafts and recipes!

and
FlyLady.net: Your personal online coach to help you gain control of your house

Scroll down on the home page of FlyLady and print out her Holiday Control Journal.

Good luck!

Welcome to our Blog Hop featuring the Close To My Heart November Stamp of the Month – Around the Block.

This 26 piece stamp set has adorable, whimsical house images and warm greetings. 

The pewter clips from the Pewter Mini-medley’s remind me of a doorplate for a door so I used that for my door.  The door swings open thanks to the  cute hinges and behind the door I stamped the sentiment “Home is where the heart is.” 

Recipe:

November Stamp of the Month – Around the Block, Sweet Home paper pack, Pewter Mini-Medleys, Hinges, pewter brads, Colonial White Ribbon rounds, 3-D foam tape, Barn Red stamp pad and Indian Corn Blue stamp pad.

Now please go to Pam’s Blog to continue on your blog hop journey.  Enjoy!

This card design is from the Close To My Heart card confidence program Wishes, with a slight modification.  I like this design to hold a gift certificate or even cash!  Always a good idea for any teen on your Christmas gift list. 

The adhesive backed pearls on this card are an exclusive reward for Close To My Heart customers who are in the Connections club.  For my club members/customers I keep track of your purchases and then send you your Connections club gift when you have filled up your Connections club card.  This pack of pearls has 3 sizes of 16 in each size for a total of 48 pearls.  What a great reward!

Recipe:

Jingle Paper pack, Holiday Trinkets stamp set, Tulip stamp pad, Juniper stamp pad & waxy flax, White bigger brads and Connection club gift – pearls.

I love the bright colors in the Jingle paper pack.  In fact, one of my favorite color combinations for Christmas is Tulip and Juniper, both featured in this paper pack.  But sometimes you want to tone it down a bit.  So when I need to tone down bright colors, I use black as a neutral to mute it a bit. 

Recipe:  Holiday Trinkets stamp set, Jingle Paper pack, Creme Brulee ribbon rounds, Basic brad assortment, black stamp pad and cardstock, Juniper stamp pad, corner rounder and 3-D foam tape.

Here’s the bday card I made for my sister.  Unfortunately it’s still in my purse and didn’t make it to a mailbox like I wanted to yesterday.  I’ll get it sent today.  Hope you enjoy it! 

Recipe:

Twitterpated paper pack, Grown with Love stamp set, Happy Birthday stamp set, Chocolate mini-medleys (flowers), antique copper brads, Chocolate ribbon rounds, Sorbet stamp pad, Crystal Blue stamp pad, Sweet Leaf stamp pad, corner rounder and Dimensional Elements Booksmart.

Again, I’m stamplifting one of my CTMH sisters.  This time it was Michelle Nist.  She is one of my dearest friends in the whole wide world.

Where oh where did fall go?!! It was here…for one day…and now it looks and feels like winter outside. 

Well, at least it gets me in the mood for Christmas cards!  I love Christmas cards.  It is truly my favorite card to make and receive.  Do you feel the same?  Do you live in Omaha?  Join me and some friends for a Christmas Card workshop at my home on Sunday, Oct. 25th.  Email me at houseostamps@aol.com for details.  We’ll make 5 different cards using different stamp sets and papers and techniques. 

This card was made for a swap with some other CTMH consultants last month.   I love the Jingle paper pack – polka dots on this card and snowflakes on this card. 

Recipe:

Heartfelt Christmas stamp set, Holiday Commentary stamp set, Jingle Paper pack, Blush Ribbon Rounds, Tulip & Blush brads, Tulip glitter brads, corner rounds, tulip stamp pad, juniper stamp pad, glue pen and glitter.