Picture My Life ~ Get Yours First!

Picture My Life™ Scrapbooking Program

Preserve your memories in minutes!   Each Picture My Life program is a $24.95 value, and you can earn yours FREE when you sign up as a Close To My Heart Consultant between November 1 - December 15. 

  Email me for more information, or visit my Close To My Heart Store.

Scrapbook dozens of photos in no time at all with the new Picture My Life™ Scrapbooking Program, designed with signature Close To My Heart design flair.  Select from eight charming themes, each featuring 122 double-sided cards plus 10 unique Memory Protectors to capture life as it happens.  Whether you choose to embrace a single theme in your album or mix and match for a truly unique look, you'll love the ease, affordability, and beauty of the Picture My Life programs, each based on a popular My Reflections paper packet.    

Avonlea

Each program has a theme, from childhood to friendship to travel, but be causes we have ensured sufficient variety in design and style of each, you can easily apply the cards to other themes.  

Baby Cakes

Laughing Lola

Each program includes 122 double-sided cards plus 10 unique Memory Protectors to capture life as it happens, and their versatility and gorgeous designs will transform your albums into masterpieces.  On one side of each card is space for journaling, and on the other you'll find artistic sentiments and icons.  Each program is designed to accommodate approximately 100 photos in your included Memory Protectors, so with a balance of photos and cards, you'll finish with about 20 remaining cards.  That means you have plenty of choice and flexibility in which cards you choose to include, making it uniquely yours!  Of course, you can easily use more or fewer photos in your project to suit your story's needs. 

Chantilly

Surf's Up

Unique to Picture My Life is the included 12"x12" double-sided cover page with each individual program, using a beautiful My Reflections pattern.  True to Close To My Heart standards, the cover page offers a finished and cohesive look to your project with its featured high-quality design.  The Picture My Life program is so versatile that you'll find dozens of other ways to incorporate it into your paper crafting.  Use the cards to expand other projects you've started!  For example, if you just got back from the trip of a lifetime and wonder how you will capture all the details, mix the Picture My Life cards with your photos to extend your scrapbook pages.  Choose your very favorite photos to scrapbook on 12"x12" two-page layouts then use coordinating Picture My Life cards and your remaining photos to document the rest of your trip in minutes.  

Later Sk8r

This program is yet another new, fresh addition and option for memory keepers to preserve their memories.  The cards enhance the scrapbooking experience -- making it even more fun -- and they work brilliantly in mini albums, My Crush books, as journaling cards on your 12"x12" classic scrapbook pages, or as gift cards and tags. 

Holidays From The Heart Reminder

Don't forget to check out the new Holiday Gift Guide!  If you haven't gotten a copy from me, you can always view it on my website or stop by and get one. I've mailed out copies to all my long distance friends - check your mailbox!

Some items are while supplies last so don't hesitate.  I've listed them here:

 "While supplies last" products include:

• Sparkle & Shine Assortment (Z1860)
• Sparkle & Shine Washi Tape 3-Pack (Z1907)
• Workshops on the Go^® Sparkle & Shine Scrapbooking Kit (G1071)
• Season's Tweetings Gift Bag Kit (Z1913)
• Season's Tweetings Gift Bags (Z1914)
• Sparkle Holiday Shapes (Z1910)
• Party Washi Tape 3-Pack (Z1908)
• My Creations^® Hip Pics Album Kit (Z1915)

  And remember - if you order $100 or more (from any current idea book) you can choose a star item for FREE!

The “star” items are the products in the gift guide that have a circled star image next to the product’s item number and include:

• Sparkle & Shine Paper Packet (X7176B)
• Sparkle & Shine Complements Dimensional Elements (X7176C)
• My Acrylix^® Magical Days Stamp Set (D1552)
• My Acrylix^® Santa Claus Stamp Set (C1567)
• My Acrylix^® Mary and Babe Stamp Set (C1562)
• My Acrylix^® Trim the Tree Stamp Set (A1149)
• My Acrylix^® Charming Chevrons Stamp Set (A1150)
• My Acrylix^® Lots of Love Stamp Set (A1151)
• My Acrylix^® Angel Friends Stamp Set (B1435)
• My Acrylix^® Lifting Spirits Stamp Set (C1570)
• My Acrylix^® Banner Wishes Stamp Set (B1438)

Halloween Project #2

So do all you little ghosts and goblins remember the hint from last night? I believe it was a chocolate bar renamed for Halloween to "Coffin Crisp". Are you ready for project #2? Have a "Boo" at this:

Everything was cut using my Cricut and the CTMH Artiste Cartridge - easy peasy!! 

All the pieces are on page 76 of the handbook.

I cut the coffin top and bottom at 7.5 inches out of black cardstock then cut the coffin top a second time out of last years Halloween B&T paper at 7 inches. I bent the flaps back and forth to get a good crease and then tore off the side pieces to make the inlay on the top of the coffin. I left the rough torn edges as is to give it the aged look.

Both the tombstone and RIP overlay and the skeleton were also cut at 7.5 inches. I distressed the edges overlay with black ink and lightly pounced the sponge all over the creamy colored piece again to give it the aged look. I used a ton of pop dots to lift it off the base. The skeleton was also edged in black and adhered to the side of the tombstone with glue dots. The little ghost is the only non-CTMH addition simply because hes so cute!

I adhered the tombstone assembly to the coffin so that I didn't have to make a stand. This makes the top of the coffin not quite fit but who wants it closed where there are such yummy goodies inside! The last thing I cut was another 2 tombstones for the tag. The grey one was cut at 3.5 inches and the orange at 3 inches. Of course, I used the August SOTM to put the "deadly" message on the tag. A bit of orange ribbon holds the CTMH black Tulle Ribbon on the tag which I adhered with a glue dot to an snipping of our Black Striped Grosgrain ribbon.

Go ahead.....reach in and get a chocolate.....if you dare!!!

Halloween Project #1

Before I get to my first Halloween project look what is available as of today!!! Yes it's finally here! Check out the Holdays from the Heart Tab above for more information on what this lovely mini-catalog contains. I will be posting projects through the coming weeks showcasing what beautiful projects you can make with this limited time catalog.

Now onto the 1st project - A Pumpkin Candy Holder

I saw this darling project out in YouTube land and had to make my own version of it. I'm also sharing the instructions with you so you can make your very own treat holders.

1. Take a 12" x 6" piece of patterned paper or card stock and cut it into 5/8 inch strips. You will get approximately 19 strips from this piece. I decided I wanted multicolors for my pumpkin so I cut 12 patterned strips and 7 solid card stock strips. I know 5/8ths is not a common measurement so here is a picture of where you would cut. It is right between 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch.

2. Punch a hole 1/2 inch in from each end in the center of the strip. I used my mighty Big Bite. I love this tool as I have weak wrists and I find this brute works like a charm for me. I punched all 19 strips at once!

3. You now have all your strips prepped and ready to "thread" onto a brad. The picture above shows 2 small shaft brads but I ended up using a longer shaft brad for the top part as my strips kept popping off the shorter one!

4. Place the strips one by one onto the bottom brad and fan out the prongs securely. Fan out your strips and you are ready to start forming your pumpkin. Looking at the bottom, start with the first strip next to the brad and "thread" it onto the top brad. Make sure the large part of the brad is to the inside. Then take another strip that is across from the first one and add it to the brad. Continue to add strips to the brad until you have all of them on the brad and open it up to secure your pumpkin.

Here you can see the longer shaft I had to use to prevent my strips from popping off the brad as I placed all of them on. Now you are ready to decorate your pumpkin!

5. I used some miscellaneous paper flowers, leaves and a bit of gingham ribbon adhering all the pieces with glue dots. Be careful when adhering the elements to make sure you don't stick the strips together. This is a treat holder and you want to be able to get inside to add the candy!

Front View

Back View

6. Spread apart a few of the strips and fill your pumpkin with yummy treats and Viola! you are done.

Did you notice the little chocolate bar's name? Coffin Crisp!! Isn't that just darling? Gets the creative juices flowing along with the mouth-watering yen for chocolate.

My little Coffin Crisp bar is a hint to the next project. Can you guess what it is?? Come back tomorrow to find out. In the meantime, why don't you make your own pumpkin and share it with me by leaving a comment below with a link to your picture?

Halloween is on the Way!!

So the family all piled in this weekend and I got to spend time with the people I love the most. We also did a ton of yard work and installed the final 2 new windows in the house..YIPPEE!!! What a joy it was, after a lovely turkey dinner complete with THREE pies, to look around at my family and know how truly fortunate I am. 

I have a supportive fiancee, beautiful children and their spouses, a healthy happy grandson, a home to shelter me, a good job to sustain me, and many many wonderful friends and neighbors. What more could I ask for? I am thankful to the Spirit above for all that has been given to me this Thanksgiving day and every other day.

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In 3 short weeks, Halloween will be upon us. Most people think of Halloween as a time for the little ones to get dressed up and get some free candy from their neighbors. There is more to this holiday than free tootsie rolls and superman costumes. Here is a little history of the origin of Halloween and what it means to many people in the world today:

In the Pagan faith, this is the most important day of the year. It is the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. It's considered a Sabbat to honor the ancestors who came before us. Many of the faith have a meal just like Thanksgiving only they include their departed family members by having their pictures out. They remember the departed fondly and honor the good things that family member did while alive. What a wonderful way to cherish a loved one who has passed on.

At sunset on Halloween is the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The old year has passed, the harvest has been gathered, cattle and sheep have been brought in from the fields, and the leaves have fallen from the trees. The earth slowly begins to die around us. This is a good time to look at wrapping up the old and preparing for the new in our lives. Think about the things you did in the last twelve months. Have you left anything unresolved? If so, now is the time to wrap things up. Once you’ve gotten all that unfinished stuff cleared away, and out of your life, then you can begin looking towards the next year.

Now, let's get prepared for Halloween - no matter what it means to you - with a video showcasing the newest Cricut cartridge in the CTMH family - Artbooking

Spoooky times are ahead!!

 

Color Dare Challenge #64

As a start to the Thanksgiving weekend, I decided to participate in my first challenge in several years. This one is a color challenge and it comes from the blog Color My Heart: Color Dare Challenge #64

 

The challenge is to use Cranberry and one other color. I looked through my card stock stash to see what colors I have never combined with Cranberry before. I chose to use Honey and then grabbed the Oct SOTM - Scandinavian Wishes which just arrived on my doorstep yesterday.

My card is 6x6 and incorporates the stripe pattern paper from the new Sparkle & Shine paper line featured in the Holidays From The Heart mini-catalog. 

It turned out to be an interesting color combination don't you think? Leave a comment below - like or dislike?

Clearly the Best: A Burst of Creativity

Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas oh my!! What a busy time of year for us crafters. 

With the frenzy of holiday crafting happening at this time of year, we all end up with bits and pieces of leftover paper. If you're like me, you store it away. We can't possibly throw out that 2 x 3 inch square of cardstock or that 1 inch strip of the perfect patterned paper. We paid good money for it and it would be a sin to throw it in the garbage!! Come the new year, there they sit...flat...alone...forgotten...

Well drag out that scrap box or basket because good paper should never be a forgotten treasure sitting on a shelf.

Here is a short video showing you how to make the most of your crafting dollars - using up those precious scraps to create another beautiful project.

Share the  love ~ make a card!





Let's see YOUR scrap-tastic creations. Add your blog link in the comments section below!

Tada!! Here are the three cards I promised you. If you would like the recipe and instructions for these please leave a comment below and I would be happy to provide them.

Here is another project I was working on last night. This is part of the "Sneek Peak" I've been showing so it's time to reveal! CTMH has come out with a special holiday mini-catalogue just for the holiday season! Available October 15, 2013

Sparkle and Shine is the special paper pack in this issue. Here is the WOTG I completed.

Sorry, my photo just doesn't do this paper justice. 

Since there isn't a card kit associated with this paper pack, I'm creating one just for you! 

 Pop by later today to see where my creative juices head to.

I absolutely love our new card kit - Frosted. I made a minor change to my kit by substituting Twilight cardstock for the Olive that is inclided with the kit and the results are stunning. Take a peek below:

WCMD Card Completed

Here is an adorable card created by Shandel Bombay for one of the many FB activities going on. Shandel is participating in Justine Hovey's Virtual Crop and this is her entry for Challenge# 1. 

Please leave her a comment below!!

 

Start Your World Tour Here

Take a trip through 75+ welcoming spots full of cards, cards, cards!

 Are you itching to make a card of your own?

Then come on over!!

 There's coffee to savor, cards to be created, and a new friendship to be made.

Click below to

Email me for directions

8th Annual World Cardmaking Open House

Here are the 2 choices all attendees will get for stopping by my Open House tomorrow.

Choice # 1 - A pretty autumn card

Choice # 2 - a spooky Halloween card

Oh yes and in case you were wondering where the next sneak peek is

well..........

it's at my house tomorrow!!

See you then

Sneak Peek #2

Oh My Gosh I am so excited about the new.......sorry I can't say just yet!! BUT as promised here is Sneak Peek #2 just for you!!

My oh my! Look at the texture and color! Are you getting excited yet? I can hardly wait to share this with you in October. 

Stay tuned for the next sneak peek.

While you are waiting here is a new video for you.

Feeling a little wary of adding stitching to your papercrafting? Did you know it doesn’t require a sewing machine? Our new stitch guide makes stitching simple to do—and the look it gives is simply stunning! See it for yourself in this video.

October Sneak Peeks!

First of all, CTMH is coming out with something very very special this October. Here is the first of the sneak peeks.

Oooooooo and Aahhhhhhh!! Sorry but that's it for today. Stay tuned for more reveals from CTMH.

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Mark your calendars and get your supplies ready for a full day of cardmaking!!

CTMH is partnering with PaperCrafts magazine in the 

8th Annual 

I will be holding an all day Open House at my place in conjunction with this world event. Come on over and join the card making fun.