Welcome to the 1st Hearts of the West Blog Hop!

I am super excited that our Hearts of the West team has decided to begin a blog hop!!  Each month I tour many blog hops, and I am thrilled to be a part of this monthly endeavor with so many amazing ladies!

Our fearless leader Nancy Klein chose our first color challenge:  Buttercup, Sorbet, New England Ivy, Gypsy and Lagoon as well as the basic color pallet.  This is a circular blog hop, so it doesn't matter where you start.  If you keep going to will end back where you started and you can find a full list at the end of this post, just in case.

If you came from Freya Dunbar's blog, then you're in the right order!

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Since this blog hop was such a spontaneous idea, I decided to keep this project quick and easy by choosing to do a card. When I learned about this first challenge, I quickly realized something:  I NEVER use more than four colors when I am making a card!  When given FIVE colors for this challenge, I really struggled.  I wasn't sure how I was going to make it work.  It took a bit, but here is the end product. 

 I changed up the colors of the base card and it made for a brighter (more Spring-like) combination.

 Don't forget to decorate the inside of the card and the envelope.  The smallest addition can make a big difference.  The Lots of Love stamp set is perfect for that -- I just LOVE the little bird and envelope stamps!

Dimensions:

Card Base (White): 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"

1st Layer (Sorbet): 4-1/4" x 5-1/2"

2nd Layer (New England Ivy): 4" x 5-1/4"

3rd Layer (White): 3-3/4" x 5"

Hearts :  Page 26 (Art Philosophy); cut at 3/4"

Supplies (all are CTMH unless otherwise noted):

Paper:  White, Sorbet, New England Ivy
Embellishments: Bitty Sparkles (Z1263)
Stamps:  Lots of Love (A1151), Oodles of Doodles (B1449)
Ink: New England Ivy, Lagoon, Sorbet, Buttercup, Gypsy
Cartridge: Art Philosophy

To order any of these products, please follow this link and shop online!  Thanks for stopping buy and please feel free to comment . . . we just love reading them!

Your next stop is Corinna Murphy's blog!  Head on over and see how she worked her magic with this color challenge!

See you next month for our next Hearts of the West Team Challenge.  Remember you're welcome to join our amazing team, just contact one of these consultants to get you started! If you need help just message any of us and we will direct you to the closest consultant to you!


Hearts of the West May Blog Hop

Here is the list of all the incredible consultants participating in this month's blog hop in case you get lost along the way!

1. Nancy Klein
2. Chelsey Vorosmarty
3. Linda Pekrul
4. Diane Fischer
5. Chantal Pearson
6. Christine Marshall
7. Freya Hall Dunbar
8. Michelle Marciniw Olson
9. Corinna Murphy
10. Janet McCormick
11. Donna Digby

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Best Promotion - EVER!

 
In all the years I have been with Close to my Heart, I have never seen a sign-up promotion this FANTASTIC!  If you are a hobbyist who loves scrapbooking/cardmaking or looking to build a business/make money on the side, you MUST take advantage of this offer!

During the month of April, you will receive over $400 in products for only $99!!  When you sign up as a consultant and purchase the $99 starter kit, you will receive the Cricut Cartridge bundle of your choice for FREE!!  



PLUS if you sign up with me,
I will give you a stamp set of your choice (up to $15 value)
for FREE!

If you are a visual person (like I am), you may want to see what you will be getting :)  You will receive all the items pictured below as well as the Cricut Bundle of your choice.  The business supplies you will receive (bags, forms, paper sample swatches, etc) are not pictured below, but you get those as well!

$99 Starter Kit

Artbooking Cricut Bundle

Art Philosophy Cricut Bundle

Artiste Cricut Bundle

You get to choose the Cricut bundle that is your favourite.  You will receive over $400 in product and supplies for only $99!  The starter kits includes a fantastic assortment of our products:  stamp pads, acrylic blocks, three stamp sets, five mini stamp sets, an alphabet stamp set, various embellishments (triangle studs, shimmer trim, resin flowers, twist ties), two of our incredible layout idea books (one for cards, one for scrapbooking), CTMH paper (solid and patterned), tools (such as micro-tip scissors, glue pen, sponge, stamp cleaner and brush pad) - and of course, your FREE Cricut cartridge bundle!!  After that point, you are able to place your orders at a consultants discount.

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For more information, follow this link to my webpage.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this offer, signing up is a super easy process.  It is all done online by following this link: 

http://michelleolson.ctmh.com/ctmh/what-we-do/be-a-consultant.aspx

Once you have signed up through my website, send me an e-mail letting me know which stamp set you would like for FREE!!

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If you have any questions, please give me a call or send me an e-mail.  I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

This offer is only available during the month of April.  This promotion is super hot so act quickly to be sure to get the Cricut cartridge you love most!!

To help you decide which cartridge you like best, links to pdf versions of the cartridge handbooks can be found below; or check out my blog post "Which CTMH Cartridge is best?"  

Art Philosophy

Artiste

Artbooking

WHICH CTMH CARTRIDGE IS BEST? Art Philsophy, Artiste or Artbooking?

This post includes links to the pdf versions of each CTMH cartridge handbook.

Which CTMH Cricut Cartridge is the best??  This is a question I get asked again and again.  The Close to my Heart Cricut cartridges are WHY I signed up as a consultant!  

Here is the story --  I was researching which Cricut cartridges are the most popular, as I didn't want to buy cartridge after cartridge.  Time and time again, I kept hearing about the Art Philosophy cartridge.  It didn't take me long to learn that you could only get Art Philosophy through Close to my Heart.  After seeing the images on the cartridge, I was SOLD!   I had previous experience with Close to my Heart product and LOVED it (the clear stamps were also a favorite), so I decided to sign up.  Since then, they have released two more cartridges which are equally impressive.

So, which cartridge is my favorite?  Unfortunately, the answer is, they ALL are! Each one is my favorite for a very different reason.  I love the basic elements of the Art Philosophy cartridge (ie. flower, oval, banner shapes, labels, etc.  I love all the 3D items (gift card holders, rosettes, boxes) on the Artiste cartridge.  I love the background images and how easy it is to do an entire scrapbook layout with the Artbooking cartridge.  I should also mention that I love all three cartridges because I have stamp sets that co-ordinate with each of them.  Don't forget, as you look through the catalogue, any image that is outlined with a red line, means there is a co-ordinating cut on one of our cartridges.  If you look at the bottom of the page in the catalogue, it will tell you which cartridge the "cut" is from.

To help you decide which cartridge you like best, I have included a brief description of each below.  I have also included links to pdf versions of the cartridge handbooks.  I find it really helpful to see all the images on any cartridges I may want to buy in order to decide if I will use it.   Click on the cartridge name or the picture of the handbook below to get to the pdf of the handbooks.

Art Philosophy 

 This cartridge includes many basic shapes and images.  Each image on the cartridge also has a co-ordinating card and a co-ordinating tag cut.   There is also an assortment of borders and backgrounds.  This cartridge includes a variety of seasonal items some of which include a snowflake, christmas tree, stocking, hearts, acorn and cupcake.  The only 3D items that can be made with this cartridge is an assortment of six flowers.  The font included on this cartridge is a standard, slightly-formal font.

Artiste  

This cartridge includes basic shapes as well as shapes which are more detailed.   There is a wide variety of seasonal items such as a turkey, mitten, leaves, spider, skeleton, hearts, and snowflakes.  It also includes shaped cards, gift card holders, ready-made mini-books, phrases and words (ie. "thank you", "it's a girl", "Happy Birthday", "family", "Merry Christmas", etc.  One of the main features of this cartridge are the 3D items you can make such as milk cartons, file folder boxes, cupcake holders, rosettes, decorative boxes, gift bags, french fry boxes, etc.  Because of this feature, there is an assembly guide included.  The font included on this cartridge is very clean, straight-edged and basic.

 Artbooking 

This cartridge is a little different because it includes a very special additional feature.  In addition to a number of detailed and basic shapes, you can make an entire, co-ordinating scrapbook layout using one key on the overlay.  This allows you to quickly and easily create an entire perfectly sized layout-- using just one key/page on the cartridge.  This cartridge includes lots of backgrounds, borders, picture frames and phrases (ie. "always and forever", "capture the details, "fun and sun", "think grow learn", "party time".   There are no 3D items on this cartridge.  The font included on this cartridge is the most formal and a little "curly". 

  

I hope this helps you determine which cartridge you put at the top of your wish-list.  And don't forget, each cartridge comes with three pages of co-ordinating chipboard elements as well as three co-ordinating stamp sets.  In my honest opinion, all three are must-have cartridges -- not only because they are a great value, but they are also sure to be your "go-to" cartridge for any project you tackle!

Once again, here are the links to the pdf of the handbooks for each cartridge:

Art Philosophy

Artiste

Artbooking

 

 

Artbooking Made Easy Video - Fall Layout

CTMH has put out a series of videos specifically for our new Artbooking Cricut Cartridge. I love this video series because it helps with understanding how the cartridge is set up and the use of the "Real Dial Size" button.  It also walks you through how easy it is to complete a beautiful layout!

Here is the first video in the series which goes over the cartridge details generally.

Here is the newest video on creating a beautiful Fall Layout using the Artbooking cartridge.  I couldn't get the video to load on my page, so just follow this link.

If you are interested in purchasing the new CTMH Artbooking Cricut Cartridge, come and shop with me here.

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October Stamp of the Month

You can purchase this set for only $5 (reg. $17.95) with any $50 purchase.  This is a fantastic seasonal set which includes holiday sentiments.  It also coordinates with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  You can start shopping by clicking here.

Get Organized with the new Large Organizer!

In our last catalogue, we introduced another piece to our line of storage/organization tools - the Large Organizer!  This is one of my FAVORITE  items!

I have A LOT of scrapbooking supplies and this has been a great way to put them all in their place.  I love that it is portable.  I love that it is stackable with our other sizes of organizers.  I love that it has removable divided sections.  It can be used for stamp sets, tools, stamp pads, etc.  It fits MY needs perfectly.  Check out the video below!

Don't forget -- it's National Stamping Month!!  For the month of September only, with a $50 purchase, you can qualify to purchase ALL 3 of these amazing stamp sets for only $10!!

The "You are my Happy" stamp set trio is a fantastic value -- not to mention versatile!  This offer includes a stamp set of sentiments, an alphabet stamp set and a set of seasonal icons! Don't miss it!

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One of My Favorites - Hinged Display Tray!

One of my closest friends recently lost her Dad.  My heart went out to her as I recalled how we all felt when we lost my husband Jason's Mom.  She had posted a few of her favorite photos of her Dad on Facebook.  When I saw them, not only was I moved to tears, but I was also inspired.  Using the hinged display tray, I used her photos and made her a gift.

I used the Tommy Paper Packet as well as the Tommy Complements Canvas Shapes.  I simply cut strips of one of the patterned papers to cover the outside edges.  I could have left it black, but I found that adding the paper around the frame allowed for a little more contrast and added to the overall "nautical" feel.  Here are a couple of close-ups:

I also used one of my favorite all time CTMH alphabet stamp sets -- Token Alphabet.  What I love about this stamp set is that you can punch out circle pieces using a 1" or 1-1/4" punch and the letter will fit perfectly.  You can then use of the background stamps included with the set and create a custom-colored background for the letter.

In keeping with the theme, I also made her a quick card.

Supplies (all are CTMH unless otherwise noted)

Paper:  Tommy Paper Packet (X7169B), Colonial White Card
Embellishments:  Artisan Studs (Z1816), Outdoor Denim Chevron Ribbon (Z1808), Cranberry Bakers Twine (Z1751), Tommy Complements Canvas Shapes (X7169C)
Stamps:  Family Love (D1506), 4 My Friend (D1510), Token Alphabet (E1020)
Ink:  Outdoor Denim, Cranberry

To order any of these products, please follow this link and shop online!

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Don't forget -- it's National Stamping Month!!  For the month of September only, with a $50 purchase, you can qualify to purchase ALL 3 of these amazing stamp sets for only $10!!

The "You are my Happy" stamp set trio is a fantastic value -- not to mention versatile!  This offer includes a stamp set of sentiments, an alphabet stamp set and a set of seasonal icons! Don't miss it!

Celebrate National Stamping Month -- Do not MISS this one!

For the month of September only, you can qualify to purchase ALL 3 of these amazing stamp sets for only $10!! 

The "You are my Happy" stamp set trio is a fantastic value -- not to mention versatile!  This offer includes a stamp set of sentiments, an alphabet stamp set and a set of seasonal icons!  See the video below for some great ideas using each of these sets.

With any $50 order, you qualify to purchase these stamp sets for only $10!  If you would like to take advantage of this fantastic offer, follow this link.

Don't Miss Out on the January Promos!

I know it has been a while, but after the hectic holiday season followed by a fantastic, spontaneous family getaway, I am eager to get back into a routine!  With the February launch of the new catalogue, I am SUPER excited!  You are going to LOVE the new products!!

I just thought I would put out a reminder not to miss out on the January Stamp of the Month and the super-cute Whoo's Your Valentine Promo.  There are only a few days left to take advantage of both offers (ending January 31).  They are both very different in style.

The January Stamp of the Month, Happy Valentine's is full of love and can be used in a number of different projects, and as always is only $5 with any $50 order.
 

Project Ideas

January Stamp of the Month Set

The Whoo's Your Valentine Promo is SO cute!  The treat tubes are so versatile and are a little peak at the new product coming out in the new catalogue.  I know I will be using the stamp set in this promo for a number of projects -- I love the little owl!  And for just $10, it is an incredible steal!  It includes twelve die-cut boxes (in four colors), three sheets of colored cardstock, one sheet of silver glitter paper, twelve treat tubes with lids and the Whoo's Your Valentine Stamp Set. 

Project Idea for the Kit

Stamp Set Included in the Kit

Each of these promos is available with any $50 order.  You can even take both!!

New Catalogues are Here!

I have been completely "captured" by summer!  Between holidays, yard work, running with children, etc, my blog postings have taken a bit of a hit!  I hope to get back into the routine of regularly posting some "creative motivation".

My shipment of new catalogues has arrived!  It is IMPRESSIVE!!  If you'd like a copy of the idea book, send me an e-mail or give me a call and I will get one to you.  There are so many wonderful new items!  

Foremost though, we have a new Cricut cartridge!  It is called Artiste, and it is an amazing collection of images.  

Like the Art Philosophy cartridge, it is offered as a collection, complete with three co-ordinating stamp sets as well as chip board shapes.  Have a look through the idea book here. It is loaded with a ton of creative inspiration!

Also featured in the catalogue are 8 brand new paper packs, new Workshop-on-the-Go kits (some specifically for card-making and some specifically for scrapbooking), 6 new colors (our color palette has changed from 60 to 40), over 50 new accessories (including burlap ribbon, new wood shapes, glitter gel, chalkboard shapes, journal spots, etc.), new my creations albums and project kids, as well as workshop kits for home decor projects.  Incredible!

Mother's Day Card using Art Philosophy Cartridge and Florentine Paper

Yes, I know it's a little late but I wanted to share this quick and easy card I made for my Mom on Mother's Day.  I spent the weekend scrapbooking with my sweet friend Nancy, and I couldn't help but set a little time aside to making this card.  My Mom is a gardener, so flowers were definitely "in the mix", not to mention the Florentine Paper!  I actually purchased a gift and card with my siblings, so it wasn't necessary for me to even give her a homemade card, so I kept it very simple. 

I cut the card base using the Art Philosophy cartridge.  It is 4" x 4".

Inside Shot

Supplies (all are CTMH unless otherwise noted)

Paper:  Florentine Paper Packet which includes Colonial White Cardstock
Embellishments: Just Blooms Paradise Paper Flowers (Z1710), Filigree Charms (Z1269), Bohemian Assortment (Z1687), Opaques Pearl Gems (Z1336).
Stamps: Trinity Alphabet (E1021), Mad About You (Dec. SOTM)
Ink:  Creme Brulee, Desert Sand

Friendship Card using Footloose Paper and May Stamp of the Month

I was determined to make a friendship card using the new May Stamp of the Month - Friendship Bouquet.  This set can be purchased this month ONLY for $5 with any $50 order, or for $17.95.  Please pardon my fingers and the shadows in the photo.  I really wanted an outdoor shot, but the wind was NOT co-operating!  Supplies and exact dimensions can be found at the bottom of this post.

I generally add color to stamped images by using a watercolor pen or blender pen with chalks or ink pads.  When you do that, you have to make sure you stamp your initial image with something that is not going to smear when you add your color.  Usually, I use  my Staz On ink pad, but I didn't have mine handy.  I opted to stamp with Versamark and then emboss with black embossing powder.  I actually prefer this method when adding color, as the embossed image then has a slight border.  When I was a kid, I disliked coloring a picture and "going out of the lines", and this definitely helps prevent that.

To do my coloring on the sunflower image, I just pushed the lid of my stamp pad against the stamp pad.

  Then, I used my blender pen to pick up the ink off the lid and color in my image.  I don't use copic markers, so this is my way of adding color to an image.  I enjoy using this technique as it is very forgiving, and you end up with a "watercolor" like image.

 

 When choosing my paper, I thought I would grab the Florentine collection, but after looking through  my "stash",  I decided that using any floral paper with this image would take away from the sunflower.  I decided on the Footloose paper!  I love the yellow B&T paper in that pack-- it is casually elegant.  I kept the layout super simple, and I am happy with the result.  Don't forget to distress the edges of each section with a sponge and some ink.  It disguises the seem between each paper piece quite nicely.

Paper Dimensions:

Colonial White Card Base:  4-1/4" x 5-1/2"

Yellow B&T paper: 4-1/4" x 1-1/2"

Sweet Leaf (green) paper:  1-1/2" x 4"

Speckled B&T paper:  2-3/4" x 4"

Colonial White (for image): 2-1/2" x 3"

Supplies (all are CTMH unless otherwise noted)

Paper:  Footloose Paper Packet (X7151B)
Embellishments:  Pearl Opaques (Z1333), Color-Ready Seam Binding Ribbon (Z1732)
Stamps: May Stamp of the Month - Friendship Bouquet (S1205A)
Ink:  Olive, Desert Sand
Embossing:  Versamark, Black Embossing Powder, Craft Heater

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May Stamp of the Month

This set is gorgeous and can be easily used for both cards and scrapbook pages.

 You can purchase it for $17.95, or only $5 with any $50 order!

You may ALSO take advantage of the Dotty for Your Promotion!

Dotty for You!

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month in May by mixing and matching to your heart’s content with our new Dotty for You paper packet! The trendy patterns on the front of the papers coordinate perfectly with the dots on the reverse side, giving you lots of options for crafting colorful layouts, cards, and other projects. Dotty for You includes 24 specially designed, coordinating B&T Duos^® sheets (2 each of 12 patterns) and an artwork idea insert to get your creative juices flowing.
There are three ways to get this exclusive Dotty for You paper packet, valued at $19.95:

• Place an order of $35 or more in products from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book between April 17 and May 31, and add the Dotty for You paper packet for just $5*.
• Host a Gathering with a sales total of $400 or more (excluding tax, shipping/handling, and Operation Smile^® donations) between April 17 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.
• Join Close To My Heart as a new Consultant between April 1 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.

 

Florentine Birthday Card

I think the CTMH Floretine paper pack is absolutely beautiful - so delicate and pretty!  This card came together very quickly as I had my sewing machine sitting nearby! I chose my two favorite papers and made the four strips, glued them together and then stitched around the perimeter.  I then added some stitching between each piece so the seam wasn't so obvious.  I used the CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge to cut sentiment frames, flourishes and flowers.  I also added a Paradise Paper Flower (Z1710) and some Pearl Opaque gems (Z1336).  I popped some parts up using 3D foam tape to add some dimension.  The sentiment is from a set that comes in the Cricut Art Philosophy Collection.  Voila!  I will also be entering this card in one of the H2H Challenges.

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May Stamp of the Month

This set is gorgeous and can be easily used for both cards and scrapbook pages.

 You can purchase it for $17.95, or only $5 with any $50 order!

You may ALSO take advantage of the Dotty for Your Promotion!

Dotty for You!

Grab a Dotty for You paper packet at an incredible discount or even FREE!

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month in May by mixing and matching to your heart’s content with our new Dotty for You paper packet! The trendy patterns on the front of the papers coordinate perfectly with the dots on the reverse side, giving you lots of options for crafting colorful layouts, cards, and other projects. Dotty for You includes 24 specially designed, coordinating B&T Duos^® sheets (2 each of 12 patterns) and an artwork idea insert to get your creative juices flowing.
There are three ways to get this exclusive Dotty for You paper packet, valued at $19.95:

• Place an order of $35 or more in products from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book between April 17 and May 31, and add the Dotty for You paper packet for just $5*.
• Host a Gathering with a sales total of $400 or more (excluding tax, shipping/handling, and Operation Smile^® donations) between April 17 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.
• Join Close To My Heart as a new Consultant between April 1 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.

Gift Card Holders - Quick and Easy! Video Included

When I first saw this idea, I just fell in love with it!  These gift card holders are super easy to make and are a fantastic way to present a gift card.  I love how you can personalize them and change them up depending on who you are giving it too -- much like a card!  Instructions can be found below, dimensions can be dowloaded as a pdf here, but I also created a brief video with instructions (lovin' this little web cam!).  If you have trouble clicking on the youtube video box below, here is the link. 

These are the supplies you will need (pictured below) as well as the dimensions for each of your pieces.

Base: 
4-1/4” by 10”
(scored at 3”, 4”, 5” and 8”)


Patterned Cardstock or Co-ordinating Color:
4 pcs. 2-3/4” by 4”
2 pcs. 1-3/4” by 4”


Band:
1” by 7”
(scored at 2” and 5”)

One of the trickiest (not really difficult at all, but requires a pause and extra thought) is creating the slot for the gift card to go into.  Once you have scored your cardstock and folded it accordingly, be sure to apply your double sided tape to the correct spot as shown below.  This allows you to trim the top of your gift card "mountain" and thus creating the gift card "slot".

 

 Once your tape is on, flip this piece over and push the gift card "mountain" together. 

 

Only the tiniest, little strip needs to be trimmed off the top to create the slot.

 Once all the pieces are assembled, your finished gift card holder should look something like this:

 Here are a few more examples I have recently created.

The sky is the limit here!  Using a variety of embellishments, patterned paper and even corner punches, you can make your gift card holder unique and personalized.  If you have any questions, you can send me an e-mail at mystudiowithaview@gmail.com or comment below.  Have fun!