CTMH: February Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop

Welcome to another Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop!  If you've come from Vicki's blog, you're on the right track.

As consultants we are all very excited about the release of our new Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book!  I'm sure you'll see lots of brand new product on the hop this month, including my post.  This month's stamp set has four images with lovely sentiments.  Here's what it looks like:

I used the current Retro Sketches sketch for my card.

Here's my card:

Instead of using the extra layer of paper, I drew a black line around the edges of the card.  And since I used this card base, I didn't really have room for the text on the right.  The hemp can be untied to open the card. Here's a closer look at that fabulous new hemp.

Products used:

6x6 Kraft Die Cut Cards & Envelopes

Buzz & Bumble Paper Packet

Wooden Mini-Medley Accents

Black ink pad

Now it's time to hop on over to Lori's blog and check out what new (or not new) products she's used.

Happy Creating!

More Sneak Peeks!

Here we are again, as promised, more sneak peeks!

I've been working on some Workshop-on-the-Go kits because sometimes I just need to follow directions to get inspired to try my own thing.  I have to say that I am in LOVE with the new papers in the Spring/Summer Idea Book!  The accessories packages that go with the papers are amazing, and pretty much all of the WOTGs have them included.

Here's a look:

You'll have to come to my Launch Party to see the full projects, but I hope that gets you excited about what you can expect.  Just a week more and you'll be able to order gorgeous new paper, stamp sets, and accessories!  Or, if you want to see it all a day early, join me at my Launch Party on Thursday, January 31, 3-5pm or 7-9pm.  Just email me at simplycreating@hotmail.com to sign up no later than Wednesday.  You'll get a free Idea Book and get to create a fun little project with some new product.  Can't come but still want an Idea Book?  Just let me know and I'll make sure to get one to you.

Stay tuned here.  I hope to have more photos posted soon!

Happy Creating!

Christmas Wreath, Finally!

I mentioned it in a previous post, but I just have to shout it again.  I'M DONE!  I finally finished my Christmas wreath last weekend and I'm so excited!  I have been getting so many wonderfully encouraging comments about this project, I just can't wait to share.

I hung it up on my door and took some photos on our beautiful sunny winter afternoon ... and then just left it up.  Hee hee.  Yes, Christmas is over and most of our decorations are put away, but my wreath is beginning its display time.  :)  Here is a photo of what it looks like on our door.

Here's a better view of the wreath.

Do you recognize some of those medallions (or yo-yos as some people call them)?  I posted the beginning of this project last month.  You can see that post here.  Here are a couple close ups.

If you know me, you know that the burlap ribbon was my favourite new product in the Autumn/Winter Idea Book.  I just doubled it up before tying the bow, made it much fuller and more pretty.

This banner was cut with Art Philosophy, twice (once in patterned paper and once in Cocoa) to make it sturdier. The letters were also cut on the Cricut, but I can't remember which cartridge, I looked at quite a few of other people's before deciding on these.  I used Cocoa brads to anchor the white hemp and then glued it to the base.  The base!  I need to tell you what I used.  When consultants order bulk paper, there's a sheet of cardboard in the package.  I used two of them, cut the circle shape out, and glued them together with Liquid Glass.  I'm sure you're not really supposed to see the hook when you hang a wreath on one of these hangers, but that's the way it turned out for me.  I used a piece of burlap, stuck to a piece of leftover cardboard with brads and then Liquid Glassed to the back to create a spot for the hook.

The medallions, if you remember, were all cut on the Artiste cartridge.  I have only used Pear & Partridge paper along with a bit of Cocoa cardstock.  I added some Glitz Gel to some of them, either Bronze or Red, along with Wooden buttons and other bling from various Close To My Heart packages.

I absolutely love it!  And I'm so happy to finally have some papercrafting goodness gracing our front door.  

Thanks for dropping in.  Happy Creating!

CTMH Sneak Peeks Part Two!

There are some beautiful new papers in our Spring/Summer Idea Book!  I'm sure you're just itching to see them.  So, here are some quick photos of each new paper packet.

Buzz and Bumble

For Always 

Chantilly

Claire

Tommy

Later Sk8r

 Surf's Up

Which one do you think is my favourite?  Which one is yours?  I'd love to hear.

More to come...

Happy Creating!

Cross Canada Blog Hop: It's Our Choice!

Welcome to the Cross Canada Blog Hop!  If you came from Joanne's blog, you're on the right track.  If you have just hopped onto my blog, you can start here and just follow the circle until you get back.  But, if you want to follow us across Canada, please start at the beginning and join Michelle in Nova Scotia.

This month we got to choose anything we wanted!  This is a free-for-all look at all sorts of our favourite products.  I chose to focus on Studio J.  Have you played with this free to use, completely online, no download needed, program? You can go to my website to get started.  It doesn't cost you a penny until you want your layouts printed, so you can play to your hearts content, try out things and see if you like it before paying a thing.  

There are a number of different levels of artwork on Studio J.  You start with your photos, and you can choose an Express Collection or create your own custom layout.  If you choose your custom layout, you go on to choose a kit, pattern, and then kit mix.  Then you can experiment with all kinds of accessories, My Stickese, titles, journaling, and on it goes.  You can spend as little or as much time you like on this part.  Plop your layouts in the cart and Close To My Heart will print them on beautiful 12x12 photo paper and you can pop them in your existing album alongside your paper layouts.  You'll also get jpgs you can use online or for reprinting.  Here's one of my favourite recent custom layouts.  You should be able to click on it to see it larger.

Fun, right?  I chose the papers, turned some of my photos black and white, added the stitching, buttons, ribbon tree made from ribbon tabs and brads, title boxes and journaling.  It took me a while to do all those things as I played with what looked right.  Here's another custom layout.

All I added with this one was the title and my journaling in a text box that was already there.  I chose colours for the papers, and embellishments that were also already there and I was done in about 15 minutes.  

Want to know how to make one of these layouts in about 5 minutes?  At the first step, choose Express Collections.  Right now there are 6 collections of 11 two-page layouts each, with 1 layout perfect for the front and back of an album.  (But I know there are two more collections coming in February!) You can use the entire collection or just pick and choose layouts that work for you.  You simply upload your photos, change the title if needed, and add your journaling.  Done!  Love the layout, but it's not a perfect colour match?  You can change the colours of the papers to fit.  Just remember that you can't change the embellishments or rotate the pages.  Here are a few pages from the Express Collections.

Studio J is a fantastic way to catch up on those stories you really want to scrapbook, but have lost the time to do so.  I'll never give up scrapbooking with my classic supplies, but I am very grateful for this amazing program.  Again, you can check it out here.

That was a long post.  Thanks for sticking around to read it all!  It's time to hop on over Carrie's blog and see what wonderful product she chose to highlight this month.  

And stay tuned, I finished the wreath I started in my last post!  I'll have a post up in a couple of days with all  the details.

Happy Creating!

Sneak Peeks, Here They Come!

Wow, I can't believe that I haven't posted anything for a month!  So sorry about that.  Life was just more important than my blog, and bad colds got in the way, too.  I've got a bunch of fun posts lined up, though, starting with the Cross Canada Blog Hop going live at 3am!  Not sure if you'll be up at that time, but check it out when you wake up, or if you've signed up to receive my posts by email, watch your inbox!  (If you haven't done that, just enter your email address to the right.)

I promised on my facebook page that I would post some sneak peeks of new product on my blog and well, I've been a bit slow on that, so I'm making it up.  Watch here for lots of great peeks at fabulous product you can begin purchasing on Feb. 1.  But let me get started.  This is what you will see as soon as you get your catalogue from me.

Isn't this a gorgeous cover?!?!  I love the colours in this paper packet, called Chantilly.

Next up is a shot of a beautiful card with some fun new products like glitter paper and the new Perfect Fit-Birthday stamp set as well as some fun new accessories.

As you may have read I got to play with new product this past weekend at my first retreat.  I got 2 boxes full of brand new goodies on Friday, before I left for the weekend.  Want to get in on the excitement earlier than the rest of your friends?  The only way to do that is to join my Simply Creating Team as a Close To My Heart Independent Consultant. 

Why join CTMH?

• As a consultant, you get to order brand new product a whole month before anyone else.  
• You can be a part of a growing, supportive team that loves to have FUN!  Boy, do we have a great time when we get together.  
• You'll get all the training you need, from me, from our corporate office and from our Training Academy, and attend our annual convention (which is at Disney World in Florida this year!).  
• You can make your own hours, fit your business in around your family.  
• And on top of all that, get PAID for doing what you love: stamping, scrapbooking and papercrafting!  

Have I got you thinking?  I hope so.  I'm looking for excited, "ready-to-try-something-new" people to join our team.  Now is an excellent time to do so.  Why?  You will get the brand new Consultant Kit when you sign up.  That means more brand new product in your hands before anyone else!  Here is what is included in the kit:  

(Some items may not be shown. Contents are subject to change without notice.)

• Includes a Read Me First Letter, Current Idea Books (qty. 3), 
• Hostess Order Forms (qty. 5), 
• Customer Order Forms (qty. 5), 
• Close To My HeartColor Swatches (W471), 
• Spring/Summer 2013 B&T Duos® Sampler (W1123), 
• Petite Perks™ Critter Expressions Incentive Stamp Set (W2025), 
• Chantilly Complements Dimensional Elements (X7163C), 
• Workshops on the Go® Chantilly Scrapbooking Kit (G1053), 
• Reflections® Scrapbook Program (9037), 
• Originals Card Confidence Program® (9036), 
• Buttercup Exclusive Inks® Pad (Z2110), 
• Cotton Candy Exclusive Inks® Pad (Z2193), 
• Spinner (Z1832), 
• My Acrylix® Wheel of Life Stamp Set (D1545), 
• My Acrylix® For a Friend Stamp Set (D1542), 
• and a 4” x 5” My Acrylix® Block (Y1012). 

How much does it cost you to start your own business?  Just $49! Think you might be willing to invest just $49?  Email me at simplycreating@hotmail.com and we can either get together over coffee and chat or we can make a phone date.  I can answer all your questions and give you some details. 

I look forward to hearing from you!

Happy Creating.