Fun at the October Crop!

We got to celebrate a special birthday with Susan!

Venia gave a Cricut workroom demo.

Croppers were busy making scrap book pages.

Anita made a Christmas Tree like the one on the cover

                                                         of the CTMH Holiday Gift Guide!

And I (Nancy, Susan's sister) was glad to be there for all of it!

Posted by Nancy

Snowman Poop!

Using our CTMH Artbooking Cricut Collection, Nancy Durant cut out the adorable snowman!  With the CTMH Chalk Marker, Nancy also added stripes to the scarf and box.  The candy in our CTMH Treat Tube is yogart covered raisins.  The poem reads:

I've heard that you've been naughty,

now listen here's the scoop,

I'm running short on coal this year

so you get snowman's poop!

Holiday Projects - Gift Bags!

These adorable gift bags were created by Nancy Durant using the new Sweet Tweetings kit and a few scraps of cardstock.  You can fill the bags with all sorts of goodies!  Super cute!  The kit includes the bags, the tags, t he string, and the stamp set!

Weekend Crop Class Schedule!

Hi Everyone,
Below is our tentative schedule for the classes next weekend at the Estero Weekend Crop sponsored by Kim of Scraptique.  If you are planning to attend and would like to secure a spot before the crop begins, just send me an email.  I will follow up with confirmation that space is available for you.  Artwork and class descriptions for classes with Susan are posted on this blog (you will need to scroll to previous posts).  All class projects will be displayed Friday at the crop with sign up sheets.  We are hoping the hotel will allow us to set up our class displays in the Board Room Friday beginning at 5 pm otherwise visit our booth to see all the classes offered.  Scraptique Class Projects should be on display too! 

Here is the schedule for the Close To My Heart Classes:

Saturday, October 26

9:00 AM to 10:30 Snowflake Cards $25.00  (Susan Tomaino) $25.00 Kit includes the stamp set and everything you need to create 20 cards.  Envelopes included.

11:00 AM to 12:00 Origami Wreath Class $10.00 (Venia Joray)  This has been a sell out at each crop when offered so don't miss out!

12:30 to 2 PM Christmas Book (Susan Tomaino) $14.00 and you'll have a book ready for pictures.

2-3 LUNCH BREAK

3:30 to 4:30 Event Calendar (Susan Tomaino) $14.00 - First Four participants receive the stamp set for FREE!

5:00 to 6:30 Cricut Craft Room with canvas gift project (Venia Joray) $20.00  Learn about the Cricut Craft Room and create a beautiful project!

7:30 to 8:30 Monogram Card Gift (Venia Joray) $10.00  Gift ideas this time of year are always in high demand!

MORE CLASS times will be determined at the crop.  The two page layouts, Merry & Bright and Anything Goes will be offered too!  Tentatively Merry & Bright will be Friday night and Anything Goes will be Sunday morning.  These two classes can also be purchases and created on your own.

Event Calendar and Cricut Craft Room Class

Back by popular demand!  Create this Event Calendar for your own use or give it as a gift to someone special.  The calendar is designed to be used year after year to remember all those special events!!!

EVENT CALENDAR

$14.00

 

The first four people who sign up for this class will receive the stamp set used FREE! 

Cricut Craft Room with Canvas Gift Project

Venia Joray

$20.00

 Colors may vary.

October Weekend Crop In Estero Florida - Snowflake Card Class

Here is one of the Close To My Heart classes that will be offered at the October Weekend Crop:

20 SNOWFLAKE CARDS

$25.00

Class kit includes:

• 20 Colonial White Cards with matching envelopes

• All the patterned paper and colored cardstock pre-cut and ready to assemble from the exclusive Close To My Heart Frosted Paper pack!

• All the embellishments (ribbon, sparkles, glitter gel, and glitter cardstock)

• AND the Snowflake Stamp!

You will love these cards!  These cards can be used for:

All the Winter Holidays

Thinking of You

Thank You

Get Well

Sympathy

or Happy Birthday

You decide what you want your cards to say!

This class will be offered twice in groups of 4.  There are only a total of 8 kits available, so if this class is for you, email me at JoeSusan@aol.com to sign up.  I will follow up with a confirmation email.

 Supplies needed for this class:

Adhesive.

Optional 2X2 clear block (or use one of mine).

More Classes for the Estero Weekend Crop!

 

Merry and Bright Holiday Layout

This layout includes (2) 4X6 Flip Flaps (shown below layout).

This class will be offered twice in groups of 4.

Cost $8.00

 

Anything Goes!

This layout has a variety of options. Shown - #1 Dad but you can choose 

"Party Time", "My Hero", "You & Me",  "Capture the Details", " Big Ideas" or "Birthday Boy".

Layout includes (2) 3X4 Flip Flaps.  Above the Flip Flaps are stacked but you can use one over each of the two 3X5 photo squares.  Lots of options with this layout!

This class will be offered twice in groups of 4.

Cost $8.00

Watch for our schedule next week!

6X6 Christmas Book

Here is another class project that will be offered at the Scraptique Weekend Crop this month in Estero.

This book has plenty of room for your holiday photos - for this year or past - and you'll maximize your space with the Close To My Heart Flip Flaps!

Everything is included to complete this book!

Below:  Both pages include a 4X4 Flip Flap.  

You can add additional photos, journal, decorate or add other goodies with the extra space 

the Flip Flaps offer!

 

 Below:  Another Flip Flap is under Santa!  This Flip Flap is 3X3.

 

Below:  The ice skates are inside a 2X2 Flip Flap.  

A great place to add a small photo or journal something special.

 

You will be amazed how quickly this book will come together.  We are using Mistletoe paper and complements, embellishments, and colored cardstock.  The featured colors include:  Cranberry, Cocoa, Colonial White, and Olive.

With only 12 kits available, this class will be offered 3 times in groups of 4.  Watch for the schedule here - soon!  $14.00.

Clearly the Best: A Burst of Creativity (S02E01)

Baby Cakes fussy-cutting

I get far too much satisfaction from trimming tiny things from patterned paper. It's oddly calming, so I didn't hesitate to trim this cutie patootie giraffe from the Baby Cakes patterned paper. Some call this technique "fussy-cutting" but I think it should be called "un-fussy cutting" because it makes me less fussy! :)

You can find the Baby Cakes paper, plus lots of accessories and goodies to coordinate, on Susan's Close to My Heart website!

xoxo - Laura

Artbooking Made Easy (S01E05): Halloween Mini Albums

Happy WCMD! {thank you card}

A day set aside, across the world, to MAKE CARDS. Can it get much better than that!?

Even if you aren't making cards today, there are blog hops and inspiration GALORE across the internet today. I hope you can hang around and create {or be inspired} today!

I have a quick and simple card to share with you today! It's been sitting here in my file for a while now, and I didn't realize that I never shared it! GASP! This came together easily with the beautiful Sarita papers and a few stamps.  I made this card at my mom's house, and she actually had that flower all stamped and ready to roll, plus the diecut that I stamped the sentiment on.  I just started playing with what she had laying around, and pulled this together. (It doesn't get much easier than that - thanks Susan, for doing half the work for me!) 

Have a terrific weekend, and HAPPY WORLD CARD MAKING DAY!

xoxo Laura,

I Think You Are:

Hello, hello!

I whipped up a card using journaling cards, and a sticker from the My Crush "Besties" assortment.  These are awesome little bits and pieces to use in a book, but they can be a lot of fun for cards too!

I added some twine, a paperclip, plus some washi tape along the bottom.  (The yellow washi snuck it's way onto this card, but it was from my stash, not from CTMH. Gasp! sorry!) 

Don't be afraid to cover up or alter what doesn't work for you.  The background card, with the stripes along the top actually had text on it, which didn't work with my card, so I simply covered it up.  Make products do what you want them to do! It's okay to cover something up with a sticker, or layer something over it!! 

Thanks for stopping by today!

Artbooking Made Easy (S01E03): Summer Mini-Albums

YOU ARE MY HAPPY

 

This month from CLOSE TO MY HEART

You can purchase this trio of stamps for only $10.00

Have 3 times the fun with our new 

YOU ARE HAPPY stamp set trio—just $10!  

Just purchase $50 or more in Sept. and it’s yours for only $10
(retail value of $47.90 = savings of $37.90!)
 
*Offer valid September 1-30, 2013. One stamp set trio for every $50 spent. Tax and shipping/handling apply.
The stamp set trio arrives on 3 D-size carrier sheets in 2 stamp envelopes:
one carrier sheet in one envelope (like a D-size stamp) and two carrier sheets in one envelope (like an E-size stamp).

Create with Cricut® Collections

Artbooking Made Easy (S01E01): Getting Started with Cricut Artbooking

Find It. Crush It. Love It.

National Stamping Month: September 2013

September Stamp of the Month {Poster Tidings}

When I was in Fort Myers, I had the treat of sneak-peeking all of the Stamps of the Month from the current catalog.  I whipped up some projects to show them off to you, and I am pleased to introduce Poster Tidings, September's SOM.  (Because yes. . .it is SEPTEMBER! eeeks!)

This stamp set is composed of two large stamps, perfect for filling most of a 4.25x5.5 card.  (They would also make terrific tags or layout embellishments!!)

I was going for a chalkboard look on this first card, and I added some of the new Ruby chevron ribbon.   

 And on this second card, using the 2nd stamp set I created a fun fall card.  I added some of the Trinkets Wood Shapes.  You can add color to these cute little embellishments, but I love the look of the bare wood, especially for fall!

Remember you can score the September Stamp of the Month, Poster Tidings, for just $5 when you spend $50 this month!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

-Laura :)

new cards, and new goodies! {featuring Love This}

I'm back home after a few days at my parents house.  I tried to sneak in as much time in the craft room as I could, whenever I could keep my children out of the swimming pool! I  reinked all of my CTMH ink pads while I was there, and pawed through all of the new product my mom has! Woohooo!  And then. . . I came home to a fabulous box of CTMH goodies waiting for me. A CTMH box is like Christmas coming early, don't you think!?

Some of my favorite things from the new catalog. . . .

Aqua Dots

Lagoon Washi Tape

Trinkets Wood Shapes (I'm using them on EVERYTHING!)

Today I'd love to share this card using the new stamp set, called Love This.  This is going to be a FUN stamp set to paper-piece.  I trimmed the bird and flower from cardstock and kept things pretty simple on here but I'd like to go crazy and pop the flower petals up and add some crazy dimension . . . next time!

The font on this sentiment is so lovely, isn't it? With gorgeous sentiments, you often don't need to do much else to make a stunning and simple card!

Thanks so much for coming by today!

-Laura

Introducing the $5 layouts ONLY Available at my All Day Create & Crops!

Here are some quick and easy $5 double page layouts that will be offered in limited quantities at my all day Create & Crop on August 24 and September 21.

Weekend Crop Projects!

This coming weekend, August 16-18, we have another great weekend crop in Estero, Florida.  If you aren't already registered and paid, you can still come for any projects and classes.  All weekend crop space is sold out,but anyone can stop by and shop, attend classes and work on create & take projects.

Here are few of the classes and projects that will be available at the Close To My Heart table, but we have lots more so be sure to stop at our table as soon as you are settled and check us out!

ORIGINALS CARD CONFIDENCE CLASS

Susan Tomaino

CELEBRATE

 

 LIVE 

 FUN and SUN

 LIVE

NEW

CRICUT ARTBOOKING COLLECTION

Only available from Close To My Heart

 Each Cricut key in this collection is optimized for creating 12 X 12 pages in a jiffy!  Just set your dial and everything you want to cut will cut to the right proportion for your base page.  NO MORE GUESS WORK and no more wasted paper, cardstock or time!  It's great!  The layout above was all done with my dial set at 11 inches.  Everything else followed at the right size!

The collection includes 15 layout themes, 10 themed mini books, and oh so much more!  700 images that include fonts, mini books, and layouts.  Lots of images that are great for card makes too!  The collection includes the Cricut Cartridge, (3) exclusive D-size stamp sets that coordinate with this collection, and (3) 12" X 9" Dimensional Elements in coordinating shapes.  All for only $99.00.

Purchase or order your collection at the weekend crop and receive the August Stamp of the Month for FREE (substitutes available), FREE shipping, and a special gift.  

Orders ship for FREE through this special event.

JOIN US ON FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE BOARD ROOM

for a FREE demonstration!  Check with us at the crop for the specific time.

Sightseer

As the summer winds down I thought I'd share a few travel-themed cards. In a few days, I'm off for a quick little trip to my parents, where I will DIVE into my mom's new CTMH goodies from the latest catalog.  I hope to have lots of new cards made, to share in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, here are some cards featuring one of my favorite stamp sets, Sightseer!   

I have two cards to share today, both in one of my favorite color combos - aqua, black, and white!  I used CTMH washi tape on this, and made a fun border with the arrow stamp.

 On this second card, I embossed the camera.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way crisp bold images look, when they are embossed.  I also used an embossing folder to create this dotted background. (And I'm sad to say I have no idea where the embossing folder is from - I borrowed it from a friend, at a crop! And I think I NEED it!!!!) A VERY helpful tip - when stamping on an embossed surface, stamp FIRST, then emboss the dots.  (Something I didn't do this time, but I was able to fix my inconsistently stamped sentiment with a Sharpie!)

I'm looking forward to sharing some NEW NEW NEW goodies with you in the next few weeks.  I promise I'll get busy as soon as I get into my mom's stampy stash!! (After all, her craft room is in MY old bedroom, so that gives me clout. Right?)  ;)

xoxo

Laura,