August has Workshops!

This month Close To My Heart has some great offers on getting crafty with Workshops. Whether your a scrapbook crafter or a card maker you will fall in love with the workshop kits that CTMH has to offer! To sweeten the deal you can purchase your second workshop at 35% off regular price.

Before I give you the details on this month's promotion, I would like to share an album I created for my new nephew due to make his appearance in October. This album is an example of what you can create on your own with papers and embellishments offered in a complimenting assortment in the Idea Book. The album was a mini wooden album offered back near Father's Day. It can be purchased individually which is what I opted for then added to the pages with the Into the Wild papers and complements.

As you can see I used many different papers, images from the cut-apart sheet, complements, wooden and chipboard pieces, picture my life cards and some Cricut cut images too! It was a little time consuming and there is certainly no template to follow, purely all out of my own imagination!

Sometimes I can take my time for a project like this, but that is not always the case. If you also struggle to find the time or creativity, but want to get your photos preserved and documented you would definitely benefit from a workshop kit.

On my website you will see this image. Click on more information and it will list all the kits included in this sale. You will find scrapbooking kits at various levels and card making kits that are super easy and fun! Once you try a kit I guarantee you will be hooked!

If you want a mini album kit with all you need and simple instructions included, I recommend you try the Craft On Everyday Life Album.

You’ll learn the fun 3-2-1 scrapbooking technique that focuses on using 3″, 2″, and 1″ paper pieces to build and decorate your layouts. Download the workshop instructions and order your workshop kit plus any of the additional supplies you need directly from my website. 

You will also see the Seaside Bring Back my Pack promotion and as always the Stamp of the Month at a discounted price!

It's Stampaganza Time!

This is always a great sale and the perfect time to get those stamp sets that you've had your eye on!

 During July, buy any two My Acrylix^® stamp sets at the full retail price and get a third stamp set of equal or lesser value free! Choose from stamp sets in the current Annual Inspirations or Seasonal Expressions 2, plus the popular Solos number and letter stamp sets that we've brought back just for July! Solos stamp sets can also be purchased in two different bundles, one for letters and one for numbers, for even more savings! Log onto my website to browse all the stamp sets available for this promotion. Happy shopping!

Don't forget to add the Stamp of the Month to your order also! Highlight Reel will be available until the end of July. Once you spend $50 on qualifying products (which includes stamp sets) you can add this stamp for only $5!

Christmas Card Display

During my Holiday Open house I had lots of cards on display. Some of the cards used some newer stamp sets and products, however many of the cards were made using the newest Cricut collection Artfully Sent. I think the ladies were inspired and got a few ideas!

Here I showed a simple bottom border card {Ho Ho Ho}, the new adorable scooter card with some gold bling and washi tape, a gorgeous deer card and peeking in the left corner a nativity scene card.

Hey look!  There's that Holiday Happenings Kraft mini book that I posted earlier!

On this display I had a couple swing cards and I also turned some PML type cards into full size Holiday cards!

Here is a close up of just a few of the cards.

This cheerful deer card is one of about 20 or so?! This was the card I designed and sent to family & friends for Christmas. The deer comes from one of the images intended to be used in a Holiday pop up card. The antlers cut beautifully even though they were so delicate and those birds were so tiny! I used some older cream paper, but down the center of the card is the gorgeous paper from the new Heartstrings collection. A tiny holiday cheer sentiment and some grosgrain ribbon finished the card perfectly. Oh! Don't forget the red glitter for the bird!

I love how this nativity scene card turned out. It was actually suppose to be cut larger, but it still came together perfectly. I kept it simple with neutral colors and a message stamped inside.

This noel card is intended to be used like a PML {Picture My Life} card for your scrapbooking pockets. However, with some layering, a velvet poinsettia and some sparkles, it becomes a traditional 5x7 greeting card.

Finally, some swing cards. These can be created fairly quickly and can be left simple or dressed up as you wish. I can't decide which one I like better...the adorable snowman or the ornamental tree?!

I hope you found some inspiration here today and will try some of these ideas for your own Christmas cards!

The Graduation Keepsake Book

I decided to create a book for our son's graduation. I wanted to fill it with some older pictures that captured several different memories from our son's life. I also wanted to leave open spaces so that guests attending his graduation could sign it with a personal message. Here is the sign I placed on the table next to the book~

 I used the My Creations Kraft 3-Ring Album for my project. It is a great way to showcase photographs and guests are able to sign the pages still. The albums total measurements are 8 5/8 x 9, so the pages inside are 8x8. The 8x8 pages correspond with the Inspiration Mini-Album found on the Artbooking Cricut Cartridge pages 44 &45.

I ended up with a total of 14 pages {class of 2014}, but you could fit more pages inside this album!

I filled it with photo's of all sizes, flip flaps and several different cards from the Picture My Life Later Sk8r Scrapbooking Program.

My favorite aspect was that the different family members were able to find a special memory with them or their kids and that's where they signed in the book! For example, one of my son's closest cousins signed under a picture of the two of them together.

I was able to incorporate the small & big PML {Picture My Life} cards, as well as cutting out portions of the card like the "hero" sentiment on this page.

How cute is this "then & now" page. One of the most difficult challenges in creating this album is that at the time my son was young there were no such things as digital pictures or SD cards or hard drives that contained all my pictures. Oh no! I was digging through old Rubbermaid boxes searching for old photographs!! Thank goodness I always got double copies so that I had extras!

The last couple of pages are just for sister, mom and dad to sign. I'm wondering if I left enough journaling lines for myself...luckily with all our guests and excitement lately I have not yet let the circumstances truly sink in. There have only been little moments (like watching him walk down the aisle at the ceremony)  that I start to think of it and I come to just the brink of a tear.  Things are winding down now and I'm certain that when I finally sit to write the words my eyes will flood.

My Creations Kraft 3-Ring Album (Z1871) $5.95

 

Cricut Artbooking Collection (Z1906) $99

 

Picture My Life Later Sk8r Scrapbooking Program (Z1945) $24.95

This album is not only great for graduation, but would be awesome for a baby shower or wedding too! You can find these products or similar items on my website here.

Follow Your Happy ~ Mini Album

Today's little album was created all from one key on the Artbooking Cricut cartridge. You can set your dial size and just pick which pages and pockets you want to cut. I used some twine and needle and threaded directly into the spine to hold it all together. Then I decorated with some embossed cardstock, glitter paper, stamping, Washi tape and Lollydoodle Stickease!