Artbooking Made Easy: All-Star Scrapbooking

More for you from the Artbooking Cricut cartridge. 
You can purchase your cartridge here.

Must Have Monday: Picture My Life

It will always be hard for me to choose my favorite product from the Close To My Heart line, but I can always come up with one of many.  Of the new products introduced in our Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book the Picture My Life Scrapbooking Programs are definitely on my list and near the top of my favorites.  

Picture My Life is pocket scrapping.  A quick and easy way to organize your photos and memories and still have room for personalization, journaling and artistic touches.  I shared the Skylark Picture My Life program earlier in the month but I didn't feel I did it justice.  I've taken new photos and if you click on them, you can see the cards much more clearly. 

Each program comes with one 12x12" page for the cover page of your album.  This photos shows the front and back of the 12x12" page. 

The next photos show all the 4x6" card designs that come in the Skylark PML kit.  There are two of each of the 4x6" cards in each kit. These beautiful cards add an artistic touch to your instant layouts, a place for your remarks and journaling, and many offer great usable quotes.

There are two sizes of cards in each kit and the following are the 3x4" cards.  There are three of each 3x4" card designs. 

Altogether the kit includes 122 cards and 10 page protectors divided in 3x4", 4x3", 4x6" and 6x4" configurations to fit the cards and your photos, plus one 12x12 protector for the cover page. More divided page protectors are available for purchase.  

Here are a couple of pages I put together in just a few minutes using the Later Sk8r Picture My Life kit. 

I presented the Picture My Life programs at a large crop last month and they were a huge hit.  To be honest, I wasn't expecting to like this kind of scrapping but as soon as I got my first (of three, now!) kit I was totally in love and hooked!   I'm sure I'll never leave traditional scrapping behind, but this will go hand in hand with it so easily and perfectly.  

You can see the other kit designs available on my website, here.  Don't be shy, go ahead and order one for yourself and see how fun it is!

New Heights Abound: Art Attack Video

You can see more Close To My Heart videos by clicking on the Tips Tricks & Fun Techniques tab above.


You can purchase these products used in this video here.
Z1934 - Flamingo Dots
Z1936 - Purple Glitter Gems
Z1922 - Pink Glitter Paper
Z679 - Liquid Glass
Z1790 - Cricut Artiste Collection

When Opportunity Knocks? Open the Door!

It starts on April 1st, but it's no joke!  When you join my team as a Close To My Heart consultant, you not only begin a great adventure with your own business, but you will also be rewarded with your choice of one of the Close To My Heart Cricut collections! 

Let me repeat that...

YOU are REWARDED with YOUR CHOICE of a CTMH CRICUT COLLECTION!  

That's a $99 value absolutely FREE!  

Let's examine this. You can choose:

Cricut Artiste Collection

 Or:

Cricut Art Philosopy Collection

 Or:

Cricut Artbooking Collection

 Your consultant kit looks like this: 

And contains all of this:

• Read Me First Letter
• Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Books (qty. 10)
• Hostess Order Forms (qty. 25)
• Customer Order Forms (qty. 25)
• Close To My Heart Color Swatches (W471)
• Spring/Summer 2014 B&T Duos™ Sampler (W1127)
• Petite Perks™ Delicate Wings Incentive Stamp Set (qty. 5) (W2028)
• Reflections™ Scrapbook Program (9037)
• Originals Card Confidence Program™ (9036)
• Workshops on the Go™ Skylark Scrapbooking Kit (G1072)
• Skylark Complements Dimensional Elements (X7177C)
• Skylark B&T Duos™ Bulk Paper (BULK322)
• Skylark Bulk Resin Flowers (BULK340)
• Durables Triangle Studs (Z1928)
• Teal Shimmer Trim (Z1918)
• Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Pad (Z2195)
• Desert Sand Exclusive Inks™ Pad (Z2118)
• Slate Exclusive Inks™ Pad (Z2173)
• My Acrylix™ Hopscotch Alphabet Stamp Set (E1028)
• My Acrylix™ True to Life Stamp Set (C1575)
• My Acrylix™ Believe in Yourself Stamp Set (C1574)
• 3" × 3" My Acrylix™ Block (Y1006)
• 4" × 5" My Acrylix™ Block (Y1012)
• 2" × 6½" My Acrylix™ Block (Y1010)
• Non-Stick Micro-Tip Scissors (Z1836)
• My Acrylix™ Stamp Scrubber (Z1782)
• My Acrylix™ Spritz Cleaner (1778)
• Bonding Memories™ Glue (1512)
• Sponge (Z697)
• Liquid Glass (Z679)
• and Cello Bags (qty. 25) (W1152)

(Some items may not be shown. Contents are subject to change without notice.)
That kit value is approximately $309 but cost you only $99 when you join my team.  Add your free Cricut collection and you are starting your new business with $498 worth of product and essentials for just $99.  

You are paying only 20% of the value of your kit & Cricut reward. 

But wait, there's more!  What can't be measure monetarily is the support you will receive from me, my team, and CTMH corporate offices.  You will gain access to my Facebook team page and get to know the other members of our team.  As a consultant you will gain access to the consultant site at the corporate website.  There you will find online training, and all kinds of tools and help to run your business as well as consultant bulletin boards for even more support. 

You will also be provided a Close To My Heart website where your new customers can shop directly online if they chose to, and it will benefit you. 

And even more...  When you reach your Straight to the Top goal you can select any current Workshop On The Go as my personal gift to you.  

Check out why I am a Close To My Heart consultant by clicking on the Why CTMH? tab above.  I've been doing this for almost 19 years and have loved every minute! 

Now I know you have a lot of questions and I am here to answer them for you.  Simply email me at betsygully@gmail.com and let's chat. 

Throw Back Thursday: Remember D.O.T.S.?

Let's jump into the Way Back Machine and see who remembers these:

L-R: First Ever CTMH catalog, D.O.T.S 1997-1998 Catalog Collection, 

D.O.T.S. 1998-99 Catalog Collection, Vintage (1994?) D.O.T.S. Catalog 

In August 1995 I became a D.O.T.S. demonstrator.  D.O.T.S. stood for Dozens Of Terrific Stamps and it's the company that eventually gave birth to Close To My Heart.  

Our first CTMH catalog. This little sweetheart was just 48 pages of new products and inspiration. I think it was introduced in 1996 at the first convention I attended. Close To My Heart was a separate company at it's inception.  D.O.T.S demonstrators automatically became CTMH consultants.  It was recommended we do parties for one or the other, not necessarily both at one time. While I didn't embrace scrapbooking right away, I did fall in love with the many new products and saw immediate use for my stamping addiction business.  The CTMH catalog had so much new fun stuff - stencils for which I won't even go into the myriad of possibilities they gave me, and so many new alphabet stamp sets I couldn't believe I hadn't died and gone to heaven! 

The D.O.T.S. 1997-98 "Catalog Collection" was one of the original "Big Bertha" catalogs - 192 pages of rubber stamping goodness!  It featured our Calendar Cuties and lots of country styled stamps.  And to assist our consultants with our heavy loads carried to and from gatherings, the CTMH catalog became a section within big Bertha.   It made the Close To My Heart and D.O.T.S. parties so much easier to combine and feature all our great products. 

The 1998-99 D.O.T.S. "Catalog Collection" was another amazing Big Bertha with just 256 pages.  This gem was heavy!  Heavy to mail, heavy to tote to parties and had a hefty price of $7.95.  It was worth it's weight in gold so no problem, but I do recall the days I really had to consider if I wanted more stamps or more catalogs.  This darlin' had more color photos of completed projects and more papers and accessories.  These are some stamps I look back at with great fondness and would use to this day if I'd had room to keep them all.  Love the Easter Bunny and the Chickadee.  

This vintage D.O.T.S. catalog is a tiny little 76 page beauty.  Since the label on the back is neither mine nor my original upline's, I assume it's 1994 or prior. All the stamps with the exception of alphabet sets were sold singly. Two favorites, company wide, were This Much Bear and Frank.  They were $9.25 and $8.25 respectively.  Wow!  Wood is expensive!!  Color in this catalog was very limited but where it was, it was gorgeous!  Even now I want to drool all over that page of glitter, chalks, pens and all the other stuff there.  It's my candy store!! 

I hope you've enjoyed this trip back in time.  It's been fun reminiscing. 

Off Topic Tuesday - My Birthday Present

Off Topic Tuesday is the day I set aside to share whatever pops into my head with you.  It might be craft/Close To My Heart related or it might not.  Today it is craft related and also I'm shining a little spotlight on my Oh.So.Talented daughter. 

My daughter is a graphic designer by trade and for my birthday she made this graphic.  It's all created and designed by her including the lettering.  Can I just tell you how much I love it? It's my one of a kind personal logo! 

I love everything about this.  The frame she picked for it is like old barn wood.  

Rustic.  

Me.  

I'm so lucky!

Artbooking Made Easy: Trailblazing Travel Albums

Another cool video featuring our Artbooking cartridge by Cricut.  This is really the go-to cartridge for the scrapbook enthusiast!


You can view more Close To My Heart Artbooking videos by clicking on the Artbooking Tutorial tab above.  

Need a cartridge of your own?  You can purchase yours here. 

Pure Joy of Washi Tape

A little fun with Washi tape.  Check out the base paper she uses, too.  Awwwesome! *sing-songy voice* 


Shop my website for Washi tape and don't forget to check out the Paper Fundamentals Basic Assortment here.

Follow-up Friday: The Close To My Heart Ruler

Today I am sharing the projects I started on Monday with the Close To My Heart ruler.  If you missed Monday's blog it's right here:  Must Have Monday: The Close To My Heart Ruler.

First is the layout:

I began by showing you how to use the ruler to get perfect placement of the kraft strip.  Once that was attached I was able to place the remaining papers easily using it as my guide.

Once I got to the business of adding a title, I used my ruler again to ensure my title was straight by lining up the grid marks on the ruler with the glitter tape  below the words.  I simply then attached my letters right against the edge of the ruler. 

Using the same measurement on the grid lines, the words flowed easily across the second page in perfect alignment. 

The argyle I made using the stitch guide became the background in this 5x7" card.  I used the stitch guide again to make the stitching around the top, bottom & right edges.  

I absolutely love when the tools I have make crafting so easy and puts an end to so much frustration!  Remember, you can purchase your own ruler at my CTMH website, here.

Supplies used in these projects:
X7177B - Skylark Paper Pack
X7177C -  Skylark Complements
Z3000 - Skylark Assortment
Z1947 - Skylark Picture My Life program
Z1864 - Slate Striped Twist Ties
Z1853 -  Aqua Dots
Z1918 - Shimmer Trim - Teal
C1537 - Honeycomb My Acrylix Stamp Set
Z2195 - Lagoon Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Z2160 - Twilight Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Z2153 - Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Z2103 - Bamboo Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Z2118 - Desert Sand Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Click on the item number to order any of these products.

Skylark and the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

I'm playing along with the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge this week and I thought I would continue using my favorite Close To My Heart papers, Skylark.  You can see the sketch my cards are based on here.  Be sure to cruise around their blog a bit as there is a lot of fabulous artwork there. 

Part of the beauty of the Skylark papers are the exquisite drawings on one of the sheets. I wanted to use the beauty of the paper itself for the focal point of my cards.  Only one stamp was used between the two cards, the "Thinking of you" on the first card. 
  

I have a fascination and love of birds, so the "perfect day" sentiment torn from the zip strip sums up what I feel when watching 'my' birds at the feeders or in flight.  

Hope you enjoy my cards and the other entries at the AHSC blog.  

Supplies I used:
X7177B - Skylark Paper Pack
Z1929 - Topiary Mini Chevron Ribbon
Z1853 - Aqua Dots
Z1850 - Lagoon Houndstooth Washi Tape
D1525 - Casual Expressions (Thinking of You stamp)
Click on the item number to order from my website.

Artbooking Made Easy: Fab Frames

Enjoy another video from Close To My Heart about the many features of the Close To My Heart Cricut Artbooking cartridge.   You can find more of these Artbooking videos by clicking my Artbooking Tutorial tab above.

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Don't own the CTMH Artbooking Collection yet?  You can get yours here.

Must-have Monday: The Close To My Heart Ruler

We all have something in our craft room that we can't live without.  It will come as no surprise that I have LOTS of things in my craft room that I can't live without and I'd like to share some of them with you.  

Although my papers and stamps and inks are my passion, the tools of my trade are what make it all come together in such delightful ways.   One of my favorite tools is my clear CTMH ruler.  Used in combination with my CTMH desk pad which sports a 12x13" grid, I'm able to get everything lined up to please even the best/worst perfectionist.  

Because this ruler is 14" long it easily will lay across a 12x12" sheet of card stock with an inch on either side if you need it to work with the grid in lining things up.  The clear plastic ruler is marked with 1/8 inch grid lines allows you to easily position anything within 1/8" of an edge or other object.  If you want to flow paper across a 2 page layout, your easy to see measurements will help you perfectly align the papers from one side to the next. 

To be honest, I am not a perfectionist. I "eyeball" quite a lot.  But being a teacher with a lot of perfectionist crafters as students, using my ruler makes class time so much easier for my students.  They've all purchased this ruler and when I tell them something is 3/4" from the side edge and 2" from the top, they simply look through the clear ruler to perfectly line up the 3/4" grid with the edge of the paper, find their way down 2" from the top, and they are ready to place their item.  So quick, so easy, so painless! 

Other features of the ruler are a metal edge on one side. Perfect to use when cutting with an exacto knife or to draw a straight line - and edge that stays intact. Along that side you will also note guide holes for marking off stitching or piercing.  So very versatile!

The stitch guide allows you to mark off 1/8" stitches or 1/4" stitches.  Just place the guide where you want the stitch marks, use your piercing tool and you've got perfect uniform stitches.  

See the marks made with my piercing tool?  They are perfectly spaced.

After stitching.  I love argyle and will make something with this sample and post later.  Stay tuned!

To be sure, if you are really into stitching, or even just piercing, we have another ruler, the stitch guide, that offers even more styles done to perfection.  Also marked with 1/8" grid lines and 15" in length.  

Both of these can be found on my website for sale.  Check them out!
 

Z1471 - Clear 14" Ruler with Stitch Guide - $9.95
Z1852 - 15" Clear Stitch Guide - $12.95

Artbooking Made Easy: Happy Springtime

Springtime is always blossoming, and with the springtime keys on the Artbooking cartridge, you can bring new life to all your layouts, cards, and crafts! The shapes, titles, and layouts are perfect for spring-themed projects, but they’re versatile enough to accent almost anything. You and your customers will be buzzing to make your projects bloom using these keys! 



If you don't have the Cricut Close To My Heart Artbooking cartridge, you can pick it up here.  It's your Lucky Day when you purchase Artbooking in March.  Include your email when you place your order and I will send you a current paper pack of your choice!

Save the Studio J Way!

During the month of March, order your Studio J™ layouts for only $5—that’s over $2 off the regular price! Create gorgeous, personalized studio layouts in minutes using our wide selection of papers, collections, patterns, and embellishments. And don’t forget to check out our new Photo Express Collection, which allows you to design layouts entirely using your own photos. You’ve taken the photos. Now keep the memories™.



Still not sure?  Think about this:  No extra printing costs for your photos.  They go directly from your computer to the layout.  No additional cost of exclusive Close To My Heart papers.  They are all right there in Studio J - just pick one and another one and another one- no scraps laying around, and we all know how hard it is to get rid of your scraps.  Embellishments, embellishments, embellishments!  All part of the program, use as many or as few as you want with no limitations or additional cost.  My favorite part?  It's RISK FREE!  Go try it and play with it.  If you decide not to purchase, just close out of the program.  There is no commitment required to give it a try!  *You will need to create an account so they can save your work for you to come back to later.

What are you waiting for?  Check it out here on my CTMH shopping site.

Some of my Studio J layouts:

Skylark Cruises on the Paper Trail

Ooops, not the Buick Skylark! Although it is nice!

Welcome to the Paper Trail Blog hop.  You may be just getting started or you may have arrived from Connie's blog, Scraps & Stories. 

Either way, you are on the right trail.  We are a small circular hop and you will return to wherever you started.  Enjoy!

This month we are featuring the Close To My Heart Paper Pack, Skylark. I won't lie, it's my favorite pack in the new Idea Book.  These are my feel-good, happy colors!  Add birds and I am in heaven!

My two page layout for my March Scrap Class.  I've used the CTMH Cricut Artbooking cartridge in two ways.  The first cut was an overlay centered on the two pages with lovely pops of color in each honeycomb.  The second use was to cut a smaller overlay and use it as a stencil, sponging color onto the lower outer corners of the full layout.

 

Left Page

 

Right Page

 Detail Left Page

Detail Right Page

Next is a My Creations Pennant Frame my daughter created using Skylark.  It was the perfect choice for my family photo.

For information about classes on these two projects, check my "Workshops Classes & Crops" tab above.

One of my new favorite Close To My Heart products is our Picture My Life programs for pocket scrapping.  The next photos are of the Skylark set, a perfect companion to my traditional pages!  

Now I must get back to my craft room as I hear the Skylark calling me back with his song.  You should hop on over to Karen's Inky Fingers blog for more Skylark inspiration. 

Skylark Paper Pack

Products I used:
(click on the item number to go to my website to order)

X7177B - Skylark Paper Pack
X7177C - Skylark Complements
G1072 - Skylark Workshop On The Go (exclusive stamp set)
Z1853 - Aqua Dots
C1537 - Honeycomb MyAcrylix stamp set
Z2160 - Twilight Exclusive Inks
Z697 - Round Sponge
Z1906 - CTMH Cricut Artbooking cartridge

Z1941 - My Creations Pennant Frame
Z2118 - Dessert Sand Exclusive Inks
Z1837 - Mini-medley Accents Wooden Collection

Picture My Life Scrapbooking Programs