Picture This Opportunity!

I've seen them. You've seen them. We've all seen them, liked them and even shared some of them. But, are we leaving them on a social media file or putting them out where our families can enjoy them?

I'm talking about pictures! Your pictures!

I'm very excited to offer the December Kit of the Month, Yuletide Workshop on the Go, which contains everything you need to showcase those beautiful holiday pictures in a lasting album. By buying the kit, you save over $7 on the retail cost of this kit!

Here are the kit contents, up close and personal:

Along with all the papers and embellishments, you get this exclusive stamp set, only available with this kit. Order now so you'll have the perfect place to showcase your pictures after the celebrations are over! Click here to order.

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Totes To Go

Are You Ready for the Deal of the Decade?

Are you ready for the Deal of the Decade? It's here!

We are celebrating 10 years of acrylic stamps! It was 10 years ago that Close To My Heart introduced the acrylic stamp, changing the stamping world forever!

Celebrate with us! With a $50 order during the month of December, you qualify to get a C or D-sized stamp set for only $10! And, you're not limited to one! You can get as many C or D-sized stamp sets as you want, with only one $50 purchase!!

What a deal!

It's the Deal of the Decade!

Click here to get your deal today!

A new month means a new Workshop Kit of the Month! This month I'm featuring the Yuletide Carol Kit. It is filled with gorgeous papers and accessories to add a touch of class to all your Christmas layouts and other projects. Get this deal today! With the Yuletide Kit of the Month, you save $7.85 and you get a kit guide that is not available anywhere else! 

Click here to get your Yuletide Carol Kit today!

And don't forget about the December Stamp of the Month, Cutie Pie!

This set features the cutest little cupcakes and accessories you've ever seen!

Click here to get your Cutie Pie set today! Only $5 with a $50 purchase!

This means you get to double up on the savings since you get the Deal of the Decade for the same $50 purchase!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Ready....Set......CREATE!

It's time to get your Christmas cards made and ready to send! Stay ahead of the rush with our quick, easy Cut Above Card Kits and have your cards ready in a flash! For just a little more than $1.00 per card, you can have custom home-made cards put together! No cutting! No measuring! Just put them together and mail!

This wonderful Christmas card kit comes with everything you need, right down to the envelopes for mailing, to make 10 beautiful cards! Order today and get the jump start you need to make your Christmas stress free and pretty.

Happy paper crafting!

~Tricia

Lucky You!

Lucky for YOU, it's Lucky 5 with Studio J this month!

Are you familiar with Studio J, Close to My Heart's digital scrapbooking program?

Imagine a super high-tech digital software package that is easy, fun and free to use! That's just what Studio J is! You can use the software to design to your heart's content and not pay a dime 

unless you buy your layouts. 

Even then, you win, because during the month of November, your full 2-page, 12 x 12" 

Studio J layouts are only $5.00 each!!  

What a deal! What a steal!

AND THERE'S MORE!

There are 5 ways to win EVEN MORE with Studio J this month!

Every 5th layout ordered receives a free $5 surprise gift in the box!

You might get an even bigger surprise in your box if you find a GOLDEN TICKET in your box! 

A GOLDEN TICKET is redeemable for a D-Ring album complete with 10 page protectors!

You can also win by posting your Studio J artwork on Close To My Heart's Facebook page!

You can also win by uploading your Studio J artwork to Instagram!

Read all about it here and have fun with your digital creations!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

A New Month, A New Kit!

It's a new month, so that means a new KIT OF THE MONTH is being featured! Our Pathfinding Workshop on the Go kit is just what you need for all your fall memories!

The Pathfinding kit has everything you need, right down to the detailed instruction sheet, to make beautiful layouts and cards:

Look at these two beautiful layouts! 

And, look at these wonderful cards!

Get your Pathfinding kit today!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Outside the Box!

This morning, I decorated the outside of my card box! I thought I'd take some pics so I could show you what I did. I loved the process and used 2 of my all-time favorite stamp sets. These stamp sets, one retired and one current, are my favorites because they capture the happy times in my childhood like nothing else has.

First, I started with our plain card box
(This has been redesigned from what's shown.)

Here's a picture of the inside

I used my all-time favorite stamp set, Lazy Days. I know this set is no longer available, but even though it's years old, it's still sticky, viable and very usable! CTMH stamp sets last and last and last!

I started stamping using topiary and chocolate ink

Here's the topiary

I also used ruby and pacifica

I rocked and rolled my stamp right around the corners!

Then I used the Country-Born stamp set

And stamped the top. The words are a little crooked, but I don't care since life is a little crooked.

I colored in some of the barn and the apples in the basket with a marker 

(from another company, Shhh!)

The outside of the box and the inside of the box, filled with cards!

You can make your own box!

~Tricia

"Brushed" Up on Memories

Oh, my word! You have got to see the beauty of the Brushed Workshop on the Go! I did a layout this past weekend featuring my adorable grand daughter, Joy Michele, and these papers really hit the mark!

Look at the gorgeous features:

Not only are these papers beyond gorgeous, you save by buying the kit. The retail value of this kit is over $36.00, but you get it for only $29.95 and it includes much more than you need to make 2 complete 12 x 12" layouts. You can make additional layouts and/or cards with all that is included. This beautiful, "brushed" value can be yours today!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

A Personal Super Hero!

My grandson loves super heros. This coming week, he's turning 9 years old and I thought the perfect card for him would be the Super Hero card from the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge. The super hero on the card literally pops out, making this a fun 3-D card for him to enjoy.

The Super Hero card is found on page 27 of the Artfully Sent cartridge booklet. I used gypsy and honey card stock. In the pictures, the card stock looks more orange than honey, but it's honey. My camera is not always true to color.

I used the recommended size of 7", which means I did not use Real Dial Size. All elements of the card were cut with the 7" setting, and, as you can see, they fit perfectly!

Page 27.

I personalized the card using the alphabet on the cartridge and Real Dial Size at 1 1/2".

Happy Birthday to Cole!
I think he's going to love this card.
You need the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge!
Happy Paper Crafting!
~Tricia

Pathfinding Your Way To Savings!

Do you love to take pictures?
Do you love to save those pictures in breathtaking scrapbook layouts?
Do you love to save money?

Well, with Close To My Heart's Worksops on the Go, you can do all three!!

This month I'm featuring the Pathfinding Workshop on the Go. I love that Close To My Heart makes it easy to not only make beautiful scrapbooks that will last for generations, but we make it easy for you to save money at the same time!

For the entire Pathfinding Workshop on the Go, you pay only $29.95.

The suggested retail price of all items in the kit is $39.80.

You save $9.85 just by buying this kit!

Take a look below at what this kit has to offer:

A main layout (above) and a bonus layout (below).

Here's a pic of the kit's contents:

Here's a list of the kit's contents:

Click here to order and save today!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Get Real - Dial Size, That Is

Today, I want to explain the Real Dial Size button on the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge.

Some customer questions prompted this, as there seems to be some confusion.

No wonder! It's confusing!

The Real Dial Size button is located on the left side of your keypad, toward the bottom, as shown in the picture below:

For this demonstration, I cut images from page 17 of the Artfully Sent Cartridge booklet:

Specifically, I cut the "Icon" image of a boot full of flowers.

This icon is made to fit as a pop-up piece in the card on the left.

Note how they are both labeled 5". 

This icon button is the "U" button, as I'm pointing out below:

This boot icon is designed to coordinate in size to fit a 5" x 7" card, as shown below in the image on the left. It pops up when the card is opened:

As shown in the booklet, in order to coordinate with the size of the card, the icon should be cut at 5" while NOT using Real Dial Size. 

The icons are formatted to coordinate with the size of the card automatically, without Real Dial Size:

As shown below, Real Dial Size it NOT on. Note the lack of the green light. Real Dial Size should be OFF when making an icon to coordinate with a card.

You can use Real Dial Size when you want to make the size of the object custom, not necessarily formatted to fit a card. 

Note Real Dial Size is ON in the picture below......the green light indicator is lit:

When cutting in Real Dial Size set to 5", you will get an icon that is 5" tall, as shown below. It would be much too big to use on the card shown.

The smaller boot was cut with Real Dial Size OFF, making it automatically scaled to the card. 

You can see the stark difference in size in the two icons above.

I placed the icon on a card to show the size and you can see how well the smaller one fits.

You can set real dial size to cut at any size you like, as long as it fits on the paper. 

If making a card or project shown in the book, do not turn Real Dial Size on and your pieces will automatically coordinate in size to fit your project perfectly!

If you're making another project and you need a bigger or smaller icon, simply turn Real Dial Size ON, and set the machine to cut at whatever size you prefer. 

Real Dial Size gives you endless possibilities for all your projects!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Thank You Card Tutorial

I've been keeping my Cricut humming all weekend! Here's a Thank You card I made very quickly over the weekend. 

I started out on page 10 of the Artfully Sent Cartridge booklet, choosing the Pop-Up card:

                           

A customer had a question about cutting, so I'm adding these 2 pics to show exactly which cuts I made. They are marked as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th cuts. 

You may have to click on the pic to get a larger view.

I cut all the pieces in my 2 colors of choice, Gypsy and Honey:

Here's a close up of the "Thank you my friend" cut out. I love it!

Then I referred to page 10 of the Assembly Instruction booklet:

I love that I get these negative pieces to use after my images are cut!

You can see all the 3D pieces cut out here:

Following the instructions on page 10, I folded the card:

After folding the interior of the card, I adhered the outside of the card to the inside of the card:

Then I adhered the centers to the flowers:

One day a few months ago, I made some washi tape by running some decorative tissue paper through my Xyron:

I used the tissue paper to decorate the front of the card, as well as a cut out image from page 10 of the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge.

I cut the image then trimmed the extra paper off to create a small rectangle.

The results are simple, yet pretty!

You can embellish as much as you want, of course. I prefer simple cards that are uncluttered.

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia