Makin' Some Happy Cards

If you're like me, you often find that you need a card or two on hand at all times. With this in mind, every once in a while, I sit down in my studio and make cards like a crazy woman. Here's a look at my latest batch. For each card, I used images from Close To My Heart's Artfully Sent and Artbooking Cricut Cartridges, along with some thin cut dies from Michael's.

I love the look of this one with what I call window grids. 

It's like peeking out the window and seeing the edge of beautiful shrubbery:

This one (below) says COUNTRY to me all over the place. 

Imagine some gorgeous greenery in a grouping of Mason jars!

I have already sent this one to someone.

This one makes me think of Blake Shelton's song, Honey Bee, every time I see it!

This one has all the feels of fall! 

The patterned paper is from Close to My Heart and is my all-time favorite.

This one (below) is simple but very elegant looking.

You can send this one to a beautiful friend just to say, "Hi!"

This last picture is a grouping of the rest I made that day. 

I already sent one of these to someone!

I make them blank on the inside so I can stamp an appropriate greeting when I want to send a card. 

What have you made lately?

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Close To My Heart HAUL and New Flower Market Cricut Cartridge

I've uploaded my latest video, this one of a Close To My Heart Haul which includes the new Flower Market Cricut Cartridge. Just look what I did with the handbook!

Check it out here: https://youtu.be/spt66JDjISc

Thanks for watching!
Happy Crafting!
~Tricia

A New Month Means New Specials for You

Welcome to March! I must say, March has come in like a lion with an ice storm, which was preceded by a snow storm. But, this week promises milder temperatures with the promise of spring on the way.

Speaking of promises, Close To My Heart makes good on its promises and this month, you can take advantage of a fabulous few! First of all, our new March Stamp of the Month is rockin' happy! The stamp set, Choose Happy, is versatile and delightful and you will find yourself using it in your card making as well as your scrapbooking! Click here to learn more! This exclusive stamp set can be yours for only $5.00!

Speaking of card making, this month I'm featuring the Heartstrings Card Making Kit on the Go. This is the last month you can get this kit! It's disappearing after March, so grab this kit while you can. It contains everything you need to make 15 gorgeous cards! Your friends and family will love receiving your homemade cards this year. No more stops at the drugstore to pay $3.50 for a card. You can make your own from the comfort of your living room! Click here to get this kit while you can.

Speaking of grabbing things when you can, grab the opportunity to become a Close To My Heart consultant and get our new Tote absolutely FREE! This fabulous new tote matches perfectly with our new Rolling Tote, which you can also get for FREE if you submit $300 in orders during your first 40 days as a consultant. Click here to find out more about becoming a consultant!

This month, March 2015, marks my 10 year anniversary with Close To My Heart! I can't believe it's been 10 years! More to come on this! Stay tuned!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Have No Fear, We've Got You Covered!

I was recently scrapbooking in public and a lady nearby commented on the beauty of my pages. I thanked her and told her that she, too, could create beautiful layouts with the right material. She declined further discussion, saying she is not creative and cannot stand all the mess and fuss of doing it all.

I didn't get the chance to tell her that I can help her with that, too! Even if you're not a scrapbooker, even if you're not a paper crafter, even if you are creatively challenged, Close To My Heart has what you need!

Pair our gorgeous new albums with our page protector sleeves and you'll be preserving your photos in a safe, acid-free environment, fuss free!

Our albums are buy one get one half price this month only!

Don't miss out on this amazing deal!

Stock up!

 Our pocket page protectors, found here, are perfect for getting your pics off your hard drive or phone and into an archival quality album. 

You will enjoy them for decades to come!

Click here to see the Album Allure special this month. Buy one, get one half price!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

Happy 2015! Happy National Paper Crafting Month!

Happy 2015! I'm excited about 2015, aren't you? Close to My Heart has so many exciting things going on, it's hard to know where to start!

Of course, a new month means a new stamp of the month and this month's stamp, This Moment, is designed to capture all your special moments of 2014 as well as those coming up in 2015. You can get this exclusive stamp set for only $5 with a $50 purchase!

Click here to order.

A new month also means a new Kit of the Month! 

This month I'm featuring Hopscotch. Look at the wonderful layouts you can create!

Here's the entire kit:

Click here to order.

It's National Paper Crafting Month! To celebrate, Close to My Heart has made a fabulous kit available for only $5 with a $50 purchase! 

Year >>> Noted is a unique, exclusive paper kit that allows you to celebrate all that you love!

Here's what you get with this kit - and keep in mind it's only $5 with your qualifying purchase!

And, I'm still not done! January offers a plethora of specials and you'll love the fact that you can DOUBLE your hostess rewards in the month of January! If you host a party at home or have one online, you can earn double hostess rewards when your party reaches $350 in sales! 

So, get started today! Make 2015 the year you get your photos off your phone, off your hard drive and into beautiful albums to last for generations!

Click here to get started!

Happy Paper Crafting!

~Tricia

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

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

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

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