New & Improved Studio J

Big news - Memberships are no longer required to get the lowest price on your Studio J layouts.  This makes Close To My Heart's fabulous online design software more accessible and affordable for everyone.      All users are now able to access: All kits and patterns $6.95  price per double page layout (that's less than $3.50 per page) Free JPEG with purchase $2.95 price for JPEG only (create your cards in Studio J & print using your favorite photo site) Studio J layouts are eligible for hostess rewards - contact me today to have an online party & earn FREE layouts! Studio J Express Collections I'm so pleased to introduce Express Collections!  This new option allows you to quickly and easily create beautiful layouts. Each themed Express Collection includes 10 two-page coordinating, fully embellished layouts, plus a front and back page for your album, that are professionally designed and nearly complete-you simply drag in your photos and add your title and journaling! You can choose to create all 10 layouts plus the covers, or create just a few of the layouts in the collection. It's up to you. Express Collections makes getting your photos off your camera card or computer and into gorgeous layouts faster than ever! (The beta period runs July 12 - September 1.)    Click here to play with the Express Collections and Studio J - there's no cost or obligation to check it out. New to Studio J & need a little guidance? I'm happy to set up time to show you & your friends this amazing tool.

Retiring Colors

With the upcoming new Idea Book launch in August, Close To My Heart has announced we will be moving to a 40 color palette & adding 6 new permanent colors. This means lots of colors will be retiring at the end of the month. If one of your favorites is on this list <Pansy Purple is one of mine> be sure to order soon - these colors (including cardstock, markers, & stamp pads/reinkers) will only be available until July 31 or while supplies last. 


It's a great time to stock up; any paper you purchase will go toward this month's special - place an online order of $75 or more in July and we’ll send you a popular paper packet and coordinating accessory—a Perfect Pair—for free!

Specific pairs are available on specific dates; click here to find out when your favorite Perfect Pairs will be available. Be sure to place your order early in the availability period, as the promotion is while supplies last.

Retiring Colors:

Amethyst Baby Pink Brown Bag Dutch Blue Garden Green Garnet Grey Flannel Grey Wool Heavenly Blue Holiday Red Key Lime Lilac Mist Moonstruck Pansy Purple Parchment Petal Spring Iris Sunflower Sunkiss Yellow Sunny Yellow Taffy Tulip Vanilla Cream Vineyard Berry

New Idea Book - sneak peek

I just returned home from my first Close To My Heart convention...wow!! It was an amazing weekend filled with friends, inspiration & creativity galore. My mind is swimming with a gazillion new projects & products that I can't wait to share with my customers. I wish I didn't have to go back to my "real" job tomorrow. I'd rather spend a day in my craft room preparing a fantastic demonstration board for you. But alas, the real world calls & this data diva needs to return to her database! Here's a quick peek at the new Idea Book cover - the paper pack featured is called Avonlea (as in Anne of Green Gables) & it's one of my new favs. This new Idea Book will be available to customers in August & I'll be having a launch party to introduce you to all our new products.

Fall/Winter 2012

And my other new fav is -- drum roll, please -- the new CRICUT ARTISTE cartridge!!! WOOT! For those of you who've worked with Art Philosophy, this new cartridge is going to blow your mind. Like the AP cartridge, it's got over 700 images; tons of 3D cuts, party favors, card shapes with coordinated envelopes, banners, word phrases.

Close To My Heart exclusive - Cricut Artiste collection

I cannot wait to get my hands on it & start cutting out fabulous items. New cartridge is available to customers on August1. Please come back later in the week, as I'll be sharing more artwork from Convention weekend with you. 

Birthday Present Card Tutorial

Front

Here is the card I made for swapping last week at the Close To My Heart Convention. I was hoping to make 50 cards to swap in Dallas...but I only had enough supplies for 30. 

Thanks again to Split Coast Stampers & LeeAnn for the inspiration for this card!

Supplies:

Cardstock to coordinate with Dotty papers

Dotty for You pattern papers

Baker's Twine Paradise assortment

White Daisy Cardstock

Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge

Sweet Leaf ink pad

Lagoon ink pad

Sunset ink pad

Creme Brulee ink pad

Kraft Color Ready Borders

Party Pennants stamp set

Inside

Instructions: 


Cut White Daisy to 5 ¼” X 8 1/4” scored at 4 1/8”. Fold in half. Mark the folded end at 1/2", 1 1/4", 2 3/4" & 4 1/2" - see below. Using your cutter cut onto the folded edge to 7/8" on the first mark, 1 1/2 on the 2nd mark, and 2" on the 3rd & 4th mark, cutting through both layers. Next, fold each of the cut lines back. Do this both ways using a bone folder to reinforce the folds.

Open the page and push the ‘presents’ into the inside of the card so they pop out as shown below. Don't adhere the white cardstock to the card until later. 

Cut 3 strips of patterned paper at 3/4 x 1 3/4, 1 1/2 x 3, & 1 3/4 x 4. Fold patterned paper pieces in half and adhere to your pop-out areas. Adhere a small bow made from bakers twine with a mini glue dot to the top smallest gift.

Cut cardstock for card base at 5 ½ X 8 ½. Adhere popup to base. For the front, cut white cardstock 3 x 4. Stamp with Party Pennants stamp. Cut Dotty paper 2 1/4 x 4. Adhere both pieces to front. Cover seam with 4 in Kraft border. Using the Cricut AP cartridge, cut a scallop circle that coordinates with the "Congratulations" scallop circle on the AP exclusion stamp set. Use foam tape to make it pop. Finally, tie bows using bakers twine & attach with glue dot to your stamped banners.

I'd love to hear your feed back on this card. Thanks for stopping by!

Dallas, here I come!

I'm attending my first CTMH Convention this week...super excited to learn about the new Fall products   & have some creative time with my team! I learned a few months ago, that an unofficial part of convention is ad hoc card swapping with other attendees. I love swaps! So I was excited to hear about this tradition. But I was also a little apprehensive -- these ladies are PROFESSIONALS, most of them do this full time & spend hours every week being creative. So I'm a little worried that my creation won't be up to their standard? I've seen some past convention artwork & it's truly amazing. I was also concerned about volume; I've never really mass-produced anything more than a dozen...so the thought of making 20+ cards was daunting. Nonetheless, I scanned Pinterest for a week & found the inspiration  for this adorable card (thanks LeeAnn!) from our friends at Split Coast Stampers. Please see the Birthday Present tutorial for my instructions. I think it turned out well & I hope it's a hit in Dallas ;)

July Stamp of the Month