Happy New Idea Book!

It's here, it's here!  I just received my copies of the brand new...

 Close To My Heart Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book!  

I can't wait to share some of the wonderful and exciting new things that I discovered on it's pretty pages. You are going to absolutely love, love, love all the new papers and coordinating accessories.  Papers are just the start; CTMH is now offering fabric!  Yes, I said fabric!  The Chantilly and For Always collections have matching cotton fabric to really take your creativity into another dimension.

Here's a little sneak peek....

The delicate Chantilly collection featuring spring like shades of Champagne, Twilight, Buttercup and Cotton Candy...

Got a summer vacation to the beach planned?  Then the Surf's Up collection is just what you need to scrapbook those vacation memories.  Check out the Sorbet, Surf's Up Teal, Chocolate and Surf's Up Gold colors used in this fun paper packet...

Believe me, this is just a small taste of the fabulousness enclosed between the pages.  I hope you are just as excited as I am!  

Save the date:  FEBRUARY 1, 2013 (the first day orders may be placed)

Until that time, the current Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book is still available to order from.

Don't forget to be sure to get everything on your current wish list no later than January 31, 2013 as many of the items will be retired and are while supplies last.

Shop Now!

More Crazy For Clementine!

Close To My Heart Clementine Scrapbooking Layout of Bok Tower

I'm still paper crafting with the same $21.15 of new supplies from Close To My Heart!  I love the Clementine collection.  Peach is one of my favorite colors and this paper packet has lots of peach, orange, brown and blue tones.  I just love it and I know that you will too!

Today I did a 2 page scrapbooking layout to show off my recent pictures from a trip to the Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL.  Bok Tower is an amazing landmark that was created and donated to the state by a Dutch immigrant named Edward Bok (1863-1930).  Mr. Bok arrived in this country a very poor boy, but was able to make his fortune in publishing, becoming editor of the Ladies Home Journal.  He won a Pulitzer Prize and was a strong advocate for world peace.  The Tower is crowned by a carillon (a musical instrument with bells) that is played throughout the day.  The gardens surrounding the tower are incredibly beautiful and peaceful.  So many different kinds of flowers were in bloom and the weather was perfect.

In my layout, I wanted to highlight the main focus of the visit, which was the gorgeous tower, so I printed out the photo as a 5x7 and centered it on the page to create visual interest.

CTMH Clementine Page 1

For the second page of the layout, I chose 3 smaller photos (two cut at 5" x 3" and one cut at 3" x 3") of the same event and added a block for journaling.

CTMH Clementine Page 2

My inspiration for the layout came from the Close To My Heart publication "Make It from Your Heart Volume 1" by Jeanette Lynton.  This is an amazing book with 16 two-page layout pattern blueprints that are a great starting point to create your own artwork.  Pattern 07 on pages 18-19 is what inspired me today.

Here's how I did it:

From the Clementine Paper Packet I used the Saddle cardstock as my base.  I used 2 sheets of the coordinating B&T patterned paper and cut four strips at 1 1/2" x 8".  Then a piece of Champagne cardstock into two pieces of 6" x 8" each.  I matted my photos with Sorbet card stock.  Then all pieces were inked around the edges with Saddle ink.

I accented the pages with adhesive canvas shapes from the Clementine Complements Canvas Shapes that coordinate with the paper packet.  That is the strip that runs across the bottom of both pages as well as the flower shapes.

To finish it off I used a few supplies that I already had on hand:  Antiquated Copper Brads,
Sorbet Buttons, and White Hemp.  For the title "Bok Tower" I used Sorbet ink on Color Ready Canvas Alphabet stickers.

I am really enjoying this paper packet and I hope that I've inspired you with my layout.  Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Crazy for Clementine!

Close to my Heart Clementine Thank You Card

Over the next few posts, I am shining the spotlight on the lovely Clementine paper collection from the Fall/Winter CTMH Idea Book.  I'm challenging myself to make as many different projects as I can using just $21.15 of new supplies.  

Here is what I've purchased:

Clementine Paper Packet - $9.95 (Item # X7156B)
Clementine Complements Canvas Shapes - $5.95 (Item # X7156C)
Sorbet Ink - $5.25 (Item # Z2164)

For my first project, I made this super cute thank you card.  I just love the orange hues in this collection. They really brighten up a dreary winter day!

I used my Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge to cut out my card base <square1> at 4 1/2" using the Cashmere cardstock from the paper packet.  I cut three strips of coordinating B&T Duos paper at 1 1/3" wide by 4" long.  For the two strips on the outside, I used a corner rounder punch to make the top and bottom corners match the card base.  I then inked the edges using the Sorbet ink and adhered them side by side to the center of the card.

Across the center I glued a strip of 4" by 1/2" paper in another coordinating paper from the packet.  For the center emblem, I used a shape from the CTMH Dimensional Elements that came with the Art Philosophy cartridge and covered it with another piece of Cashmere cardstock cut at 1 1/2" <shape1>.  

In Sorbet Ink, the Thank You sentiment was stamped.  This sentiment is from the "For Every Occasion" stamp set (Item # D1187).  I finished it off with 2 Antiquated Copper Brads.

So with just a few extra supplies that I already had on hand, I was able to make this cute and easy card.

Stay tuned for more Clementine in project #2, a scrapbooking layout.

CTMH Pear & Partridge Candy Holders

For me, the holidays and chocolate just somehow go together.  Okay, actually everyday and chocolate go together!  So, because it is the most wonderful time of the year, I wanted to show you a simple project to bring two of my favorite things together.  Allow me to introduce you to my version of the Close to my Heart Pear & Partridge Candy Holders!

CTMH Pear & Partridge Candy Holders

Hershey Nuggets Embellished with Close to my Heart Pear & Partridge

I saw this idea on fellow CTMH Consultant Pamela O'Connors blog and have modified them a bit based on the materials that I had on hand.  Here's the recipe:

To cover the Hershey's Nuggets - Cut strips of CTMH Pear & Partridge B&T Duos paper into 1" x 3" pieces.  Wrap candy and adhere ends of paper strips.

To nestle your candy - Create a paper tray by cutting a piece of Cranberry cardstock into a 2 1/2" x 4 7/8" strip.  Score at 5/8" from edge along each side long ways and fold up to create a tray.

Top it off - Use your Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge to cut out the shape <Rectangle6> at 2 1/2" and fold in half.  If you don't have a Cricut, cut a 3" x 2" rectangle with a paper trimmer.  Then I cut a 2 1/4" scalloped circle <Circle2> and a 1 1/4" circle <Circle1>.  I then stamped the larger scalloped circle with a stamp from the Perfect Fit-Frames in New England Ivy and the smaller circle with a snowflake from the Perfect Fit-Holidays in Holiday Red.  Center a clear sparkle in the center of the snowflake.  Adhere all pieces from largest to smallest using double sided foam tape to make it pop up.

Enclose in a Wilton Pretzel Bag.  Cut off about 2 inches from the open top end, fold over and staple. Adhere topper with glue dots and share with a friend!

Here are the item numbers of my supplies:

X7162B - Pear & Partridge Paper Packet

D1527 - Perfect Fit Frames

B1412 - Perfect Fit Holidays

Z1686 - Cricut Art Philosophy Collection

Z1752 - Clear Assortment Sparkles

CLICK HERE to shop for the ingredients for this recipe!

I had so much fun making these candy holders.  I really hope that you like them and recreate them for your friends and loved ones.  They make great party favors or stocking stuffers.  It's a great way to give a personalized treat!

A simple gift can be so much more when you "Create with Care"!

Scrapbook, Stamp and Socialize in JACKSONVILLE, FL!

Calling all Jacksonville paper crafters!  I've organized a group through the cool website www.meetup.com. Scrapbook, Stamp and Socialize is a group exclusively for individuals that like to play with paper in the Jacksonville area!  Our first get together is scheduled for this Saturday, December 15th from 1pm - 5pm.  Bring a snack to share plus whatever project that you want to work on.  I'll provide a free "Create & Take" for us to do together as well as providing drinks, paper products and of course...chocolate!!

Click here for more information and to RSVP.  I hope to see you there!

The Magic of Monograms

mon·o·gram noun /ˈmänəˌgram/  monograms, plural A motif of two or more letters, typically a person's initials, usually interwoven or otherwise combined in a decorative design, used as a logo or to identify a personal possession

The classic, crisp monogram never goes out of style.  It is elegant, timeless and distinctive.  Close to my Heart has designed a beautiful new series of monogram stamps that I know you will love and use in so many different ways.  For just $2.95 you can create items such as personalized stationery and desktop accessories or buy the whole alphabet to spell out titles and greetings.  Use one stamp over and over again to create your own background paper or just stamp once to make a classy looking envelope seal. This is such a versatile stamp!  How will you use it to personalize your artwork?  Check out these videos for great ideas and how to instructions.

Clearly the Best: The Magic of Monograms

Monogram Stamps - A Personal Touch

Are you ready to put your personal stamp on your next project?  Click here to order your own monogram.

Cyber Monday Deal - Free Paper Packet with Cricut Artiste Collection Purchase!

Happy Cyber Monday!  Today is the day to take advantage of some fantastic deals by doing your shopping online.  So to do my part in stimulating the U.S. economy, I'm offering a great deal here on my blog.

Today only (Monday, 11/26/12) get a FREE Close to my Heart Paper Packet with the purchase of the new Cricut Artiste Collection.

If you own a Cricut, this will be your new go to cartridge.  The Close to my Heart Artiste cartridge will take your creativity to the next level by giving you the power of 3-D!  Make gorgeous gift boxes, interactive greeting cards, amazingly coordinated party favors and much more!  The collection also includes three sheets of coordinating Dimensional Elements as well as three coordinating My Acrylix Stamp Sets.

Here's how you take advantage of this special promotion:

Click here to order your Close to my Heart Artiste Collection

Once your order has been placed I will contact you by email and you must reply back with the name of the paper packet of your choice within 24 hours.  I'll have it shipped out immediately to you.  It's super easy to take advantage of this special offer just for Create with Care readers.  Contact me here with questions: createwithcare@att.net

Happy Cyber Shopping!

Calling all Jacksonville, Florida Scrapbookers!

And the winner is....Jacksonville!  I know, I know I thought it was going to be Tampa, but alas, JAX is calling us.  It's the biggest city in the contiguous U.S. of A. and has lots of culture, sports, outdoor activities and most importantly great jobs.  The city is huge with so many neighborhoods to pick from to live in.  We took a reconnaissance trip yesterday to check out places to live and barely scratched the surface.  We are leaning toward the south part of the city, which is only about 15-20 minutes away from the beaches on the Atlantic Coast.  I'm so excited that we will be living the "Florida lifestyle"!

Prior to our decision to go for Jacksonville, we have spent the past two weeks driving around the Gulf side of the state exploring several cities of interest.  The best part of that for me was finding fun places to eat.  So for those that are considering a Florida visit anytime soon, here are a few recommendations:

St. Petersburg - Kopper Kitchen
http://www.kopperkitchenfl.com/kopperkitchen/Home.html

This was a total accidental find!  We set out from our base of operations in Lakeland to check out the Sanding Ovations sand sculpture competition on Treasure Island.  We knew that we'd be passing through St. Pete around lunch time so we took a look at restaurants featured on Food Network's Diners Drive Ins and Dives.  We picked out a place to eat that was not too far out of the way of our route.  Well, when we found it, we turned right around!  I won't mention the name of the place, but it was very scary looking!  So we got back on the main road towards Treasure Island with our stomach's growling ferociously.  Low and behold, on the left side of the street, my husband spotted the Kopper Kitchen.  There were quite a few cars parked outside (a sure sign that it is popular), so he made a possibly illegal u-turn in the middle of the street and squeezed into one of the remaining parking spaces.  I can't tell you how glad I am that he did!  The food was so amazing.  Most everything was made from scratch including the corned beef and thousand island dressing on hubby's Reuben sandwich to the tomato sauce on my lasagna.  You must eat here if you are ever anywhere near the Tampa Bay area.  Triple D should have stopped here instead.

Lakeland - Cuban Delight Cafe
1039 East County Road 540a, Lakeland FL  33813
(863) 701-0190

We're in Florida, so in my mind, it goes without saying that we must have Cuban food.  I love Cuban sandwiches, black beans and rice as well as chicken and yellow rice.  So how did I find Lakeland's best?  I Googled!  Not only was it authentic, but it was very reasonably priced; only $5.75 for a half a Cuban sandwich and a bowl of black beans with rice.  The portions were huge.  Their idea of a half a sandwich was bigger than the average slice of white bread.  Even though we were stuffed, we had to try an dessert!  We shared a warm guava filled puff pastry that was fantastic.  Give this small restaurant a try when in Central Florida, you won't be disappointed.

We hope to be moved during the early part of December, so I will keep you posted as to my new location.  Once I get situated, I'll be looking for a place to hold crops and get togethers.  Don't forget the new Close to my Heart Idea Book will be coming out in January with lots of new papers and accessories to play with.  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

An Update From Florida

Happy November, dear friends!  I hope that you have kicked off the holiday season in a wonderful way.  I've noticed that Christmas decorations are starting to appear at the mall and holiday music is being played all around.  I'm getting into the spirit and working on making Christmas cards using my Pear &  Partridge paper collection from CTMH.

On a personal note, we have started looking for jobs here in Florida.  We feel that the Tampa area may best suit our needs right now, so have applied there first.  We have interviews scheduled over the week ahead and have high hopes for quick placements.  

We have our business suits pressed, new haircuts and our resumes updated.  Wish us luck!

I'll post again soon with news as it happens.

A Temporary Move and November CTMH Specials

Well, dear friends and customers; it looks like Lakeland, Fl may be just a temporary move.  My husband may be transferring in the very near future to another Florida city for his new job, so we remain living out of boxes for the next few weeks until we know for sure.  Fortunately we have been staying with family while we looked for a new residence, so we haven't signed any contracts or leases as of yet.  Therefore, we can go anywhere the career takes us!  Since it's just the two of us, we are very mobile and ready for new adventures!

I'm actually very excited about the possibility of a new hometown and can't wait until we find out what is next for us.  Close to my Heart is such a mobile "business" for me, that I plan on finding new scrapbooking and stamping buddies wherever we end up!

Fortunately, I have internet access, so I can keep you all updated with the latest specials and promotions from Close to my Heart.  So even though I'm not there to personally demonstrate, you can still take advantage of the latest great deals.

Here are the details of the two November promotions:

Stamp of the Month:  "Capture the Date"

When you place an order of $50 or more, you can purchase this full size stamp of the month for just $5!

 

*********** "But wait...there's more!" ***********

 

 

In November, you’ll get something extra when you buy the Stamp of the Month—50% off another stamp set! When you qualify for and buy the November Stamp of the Month set, Capture the Date, you’ll receive another stamp set* of your choice for 50% off—it’s like two promotions in one! The versatile Capture the Date stamp set is great for any layout, card, invitation, or calendar, and now you can choose another stamp set at half-off for more wonderful papercrafting. Get Capture the Date and then capture the savings today!

 

Take advantage of this great offer right away by clicking HERE!

 

Thank you everyone for all of your support and prayers as we find our way to our new place on the planet! I appreciate all of you so much.  My email remains: createwithcare@att.net

 

With love,

 

Karen

 

 

 

 

 

Boxes, Boxes, Everywhere

I am surrounded by boxes!  Boxes to take to the donation center, boxes to fill for storage, and boxes to move to Florida.  I've moved before, but this time, because it is to another state, it needs to be much more organized and less haphazard then past local moves.

We've slept on an air mattress for the last two nights as our bed has been taken down and put into storage.  Just two more nights of sleeping so low to the ground!  Thursday is the big drive south and we are very excited.

Please forgive my lack of communication over the next week or so as we get settled in.  I'll post again soon and have more details about our new location, new artwork and when I'll be hostessing get togethers.

In the meantime...

If you would like to place an order, please click here.

If you would like to contact me, please click here.

Thank you so much!

Saying Goodbye Saturday

The countdown to our move to Florida is quickly ticking by.  It seems that everyday is filled with last times and goodbyes.  Last times and goodbyes to not only friends but also local sights and scenes.  We decided that before we move we want to make sure that we see and do as much as possible in the local area so that when we get to our new home, we don't look at each other and say, "Gosh, I wish we would have (fill in the blank) before we moved away!".  No regrets of  "I wish we would have eaten there", "I wish we would have seen that", or most especially "I wish I would have spent more time with them".  So this weekend we took a break from packing and organizing for some Fall sightseeing and fun. 

Saturday was devoted to the sights and tastes of Cherokee, NC.  Cherokee is located about an hour west of Asheville, NC and is the home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. There are cultural sights and attractions, outdoor activities, lots of shops, restaurants and a huge Harrah's Cherokee Casino and Hotel. 

Welcome to the Cherokee Indian Reservation

Our first stop was the amazing Museum of the Cherokee Indian.  The artifacts and exhibits in this museum are first class; detailing the story of the Cherokee from the Paleo Period thru the Trail of Tears.  I'm so glad that we made time for this visit as it not only taught important lessons of history, but brought the stories of real people to life.  Do not miss this museum if you take a trip to Western North Carolina!  The best shopping for locally made arts and crafts is right across the street at Qualla Arts and Crafts.

We drove around the area looking for a restaurant that called our name to eat lunch.  We thought we found the perfect spot at Granny's Kitchen.  There were lots of cars out front and people were streaming in and the smells that wafted from the door were very tantalizing.  However, the wait was just a bit too long for our growling tummies.  We needed food quick!  Harrah's was just a short distance up the road and we knew that they had several restaurant choices on property.

My husband, the mystery diner!

Round One at the buffet!

Let me tell you, we hit the buffet jackpot!!  Did you know that the first lady of southern cooking, Paula Deen has a restaurant in Cherokee, NC?  She sure enough does and let me tell you it is fabulous!  It's called Paula Deen's Kitchen and the fried chicken was life changing!   Oh, and my husband couldn't get enough of the fried catfish.  There were so many sides to choose from: macaroni and cheese, green beans, hoe cakes, roasted potatoes, pinto beans and more.  We could have chosen an entree from the menu, but why pick just one thing, when you can have a taste of so many types of delicious foods? 

See, half my plate consisted of vegetables!  I admit to a second plate, but that was just for small tastes of things that wouldn't fit on the first one.  

As you can imagine, we needed to do a bit of walking after this meal, so we explored the rest of the hotel and casino.  Harrah's has a very large selection of slots and table games and was quite busy on the day that we visited. 

We took a more scenic route on the drive back home and had to stop to take in this breathtaking view of where we had just came from.  I will never, ever get tired of scenes like this.

NC Hwy 19 / Old Soco Road

I'm Moving to Lakeland, FL!

I'm so excited to share my news with you that I will be moving to Lakeland, Florida at the end of this month!  A great opportunity has come our way with regards to my husband's career, so we are stepping out on faith and heading south  I am looking forward to meeting new people  (especially paper crafters!) and putting down roots in a new place.

We have lived in Florida before, but it was many, many years ago and in different part of the state.  I know a lot has changed since then and it will be a different experience from the previous.  I have to admit I won't miss the snow and cold winters of Western North Carolina!  However, I will miss the beautiful mountains; and of course, this goes without saying, my best friend!  But, I know that friendships outlast geographical boundaries, so I know that we'll always be close.

The packing and boxing up of possessions has just begun, but we are making good progress already.  We downsized quite a bit during our previous move, so this time it is much easier.  Plus, I have to admit, I'm a bit of an organized person, so I have the original boxes of a few things still around like my Cricut and iMac! I guess I knew that we wouldn't be in our current place forever, so I kept things at the ready.

Today, I packed up my Close to my Heart products and other crafting supplies so it will be a few weeks before I am able to post any original artwork.  However, I will still post CTMH videos and specials that are going on.  I will also keep you up to date on where I am in the relocation process.  It's looking like we will be leaving Asheville the week of October 22nd.

So here is what I would love...if you are in the Lakeland, FL area and enjoy paper crafting such as scrapbooking, card making or stamping, let me hear from you!  Send me an email and let me know if you would like to get together to Create with Care!  

Birthday Tea, Brunch and Dinner

Today is my birthday!!  I have been treated like a Disney Princess this whole weekend by both my wonderful, loving, and generous husband as well as my kind, caring and generous best friend.  

My friend Jennifer knows just how much I love the ceremony, celebration, and joy of an English tea.  So for my birthday she treated me to a scrumptious afternoon tea at the amazing Chelsea's Tea Room here in Asheville, NC.  It was so much fun, and because I love to blog, I took pictures every step of the way so I could share with you.  

Birthday Tea at Chelsea's in Asheville, NC

It was such a beautiful, clear and crisp day that we sat on the patio for our treat.  We ordered a pot of Earl Grey for two and had a great time giggling and people watching.  When the two tiered afternoon tea plate arrived we were taken aback at the assortment of goodies that awaited us.  There were savory treats such as deviled eggs, spinach and artichoke spread on toast, hummus with feta and cucumber on crackers, and sample size portions of Chelsea's quiche of the day.  Then for sweets we were served peanut butter cookies, portions of English trifle, banana cake, pumpkin biscotti and coconut macaroons.  Plus we  each received a full size maple walnut scone with strawberry jam and cream.  Oh my goodness it was feast for both the eyes and the tummy!

The Afternoon Tea Plate

Sharing a pot of Earl Grey

The celebration continued into today, with more dining out treats from my husband.  No cooking for me today!  I had a lovely birthday brunch at the famous (written up in Southern Living and appearing on Food Network) Tupelo Honey.  If you come to Asheville, I insist that you eat here!!  I swear, the sweet potato pancake tastes like Autumn on a plate!  And per my special request, I had the amazing chicken parmigiana at Black Bear Pizza for dinner.  

The above mentioned dining establishments are not paying me to brag on them, I just thought ya'll should know so your life could be as enriched by them as mine has been.

Thank you for letting me share my happy weekend with you.

Monarchs in the Mountains

Earlier this week my husband and I took a "field trip" to Transylvania County, NC to visit the Cradle of Forestry, which is an amazing place that is known as the birthplace of forest conservation in America.  It is located on 6,500 acres in the Pisgah National Forest and is home to a great exhibit on what happens in the forest as well as many hiking and walking trails and picnic areas.  We had a really fun time wondering on the trails and seeing the historic buildings, logging train and learning about conserving and maintaining the forests of the United States.

From there we took a short drive up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is a road that we enjoy immensely! We didn't have time to drive very far, but wanted to take a few pictures overlooking the Pisgah National Forest that we had just hiked in.  It didn't take long at all to reach the perfect spot; the Pounding Mill Overlook was exactly what we had hoped for.

Milepost 413 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Take a look at this amazing view!  If you click on the picture below to enlarge it, you will see a gorgeous monarch butterfly floating by just to the right of center!

View from the Pounding Mill Overlook

It turns out that single butterfly was not just a single butterfly, there were hundreds not only floating past, but perched in bushes and flowers all along the overlook.  It was a spectacular sight!  Other sightseers were snapping pictures as fast as we were and oohing and ahhing over the beauty of it.

Monarch butterflies are unable to survive the cold weather of northern winters, so they migrate to warmer temperatures.  According to experts, if a monarch lives in the eastern United States, they head south to sunny Mexico in early October to hibernate. 

I'm so glad that we took that short detour instead of heading straight home!  It was truly a blessing to see these amazing creatures up close and in such a large quantity.  Thank you letting me share my Monarch in the Mountains adventure with you!

October Stamp of the Month

Are you ready for Christmas?!  You've probably just answered "Heck, NO!" and laughed out loud!  Well, I'm here to help you out.  The Close to my Heart October Stamp of the Month is called Very Merry Christmas and it's going to make you and your holiday gifts the stars of the season.  I adore this stamp set!  Five, yes FIVE stamps in this set, coordinate perfectly with Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge!  Your holiday tag making will be done in super fast.  And the best thing...?

It's only $5.00 with any order of $50.00 or more!

Close to my Heart October 2012 Stamp of the Month

Don't want to make tags?  Check out what it can look like on a scrapbook page.  Adorable!

HELPFUL HINTS

To create the techniques featured in this artwork, follow the helpful hints outlined below. Then use the pattern (Reflections: Front & Center—Trio™) found on page 70 of our Reflections^® how-to publication for inspiration.

• Cut the title phrase at 3" <Christms>, found on page 80 of the Artiste booklet.
• Cut the large ornament at 3" Shift+3D Object <HoHoHo>, the snowflake at 1 1/2" Shift+Accent 1 <HoHoHo>, the two red snowflakes at 1 1/2" Shift+Accent 4 <HoHoHo>, and the two mittens at 2 1/2" Accent 2 <Noel>, all of which are found on page 79 of the Artiste booklet.
• To create the paint splatter look, add a few drops of Colonial White re-inker and pearl paint to the spray pen and shake until combined. Spray as much as desired and set aside to dry.
• Embellish with stamped accents, paper accents, and accessories, adding dimension with 3-D foam tape as desired.

Click here to start shopping!

Thank you for stopping by!

Layered Card to celebrate World Card Making Day

Did you know that this Saturday, October 6th is World Card Making Day??  I was so excited when I found out!  I can just picture paper crafters all around the globe gathered together with  paper trimmers, adhesive and piles of paper being creative and crafty this coming Saturday.  I want to be one of them and you should be, too!  So, if you are in the Asheville, NC area, please feel free to join me.  Click here for the details of my get together in celebration of World Card Making Day.  I would love to see you.

The project that I will be teaching uses a really great layering technique.  I was inspired after seeing this done by another Close to my Heart Independent Consultant on her blog.  Check out Mandy Leahy's website and video for the gorgeous Layered Heart card that got me excited to try this technique.

I decided to celebrate both fall and Christmas with the two cards that I made using this fun technique.  I used my Close to my Heart Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge to cut out the oval shape for the pumpkin card and the tree shape for the holiday card in varying sizes both in black and white card stock.  I stamped the images using Exclusive Inks in Black, then colored the images using CTMH Water Color Pencils blending them for a softened effect.  For the holiday card, I mounted the tree image on CTMH Pear & Partridge B&T paper.

CTMH "Give Thanks" stamp (Item # D1110)

CTMH Pear & Partridge Paper

I hope that you have been inspired to "Create with Care" a handmade card for World Card Making Day!  

Free CTMH Paper Packet with $99 Purchase

What's your favorite new paper packet from the Autumn/Winter Close to my Heart Idea Book?  

Is it the sweet and timeless Avonlea (Item # X7155B)?

Do you love the fresh crisp colors of Clementine (Item #X7156B)?

How about the country look of Dakota (Item #X7157B)?

But wait, perhaps it's the romantic and beautiful La Belle Vie (Item # X7158B)?

Maybe you want to celebrate your best student with Scholastic (Item #X7159B)?

Or do you love the Autumn blooms of Flirty (Item # X7160B)?

Would you like to make something mysterious with Moonlight (Item # 7161B)?

Or get in the holiday spirit with Pear & Partridge (Item # 7162B)?

The choice is all yours!!  In appreciation of your business, I would like to say THANK YOU with one free Close to my Heart paper packet (a $9.95 value) with a purchase of $99.00 before tax and shipping.  The paper packet includes 6 sheets of 12"x12" B&T Duo paper and 6 sheets of 12"x12" coordinating cardstock.  This offer is only good from 9/26/12 and ends at midnight 9/30/12.

Click here to shop my online store or contact me directly at createwithcare@att.net.

Once your order has been placed I will contact you by email and you must reply back with the name of the paper packet of your choice within 24 hours.  I'll have it shipped out immediately to you.  It's super easy to take advantage of this special offer just for Create with Care readers.  I'm looking forward to seeing what your favorite collection is!

CTMH Art Philosophy bag in Dotty For You

Do you have a Cricut?  If so, the Close To My Heart Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge is a must have!  Since I got mine, I haven't taken it out of the machine.  It has been the only cartridge that I've used in months!!  It does so many different and wonderful die cuts.  In the past, my cartridges have been have been themed oriented, so that once I've used them for the project that I bought it for, it sits collecting dust.  Which really is a waste of money.  The CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge changed that for me.  I love that it makes cute little gift boxes as well as tags, letters and seasonal shapes.  

Yesterday, I had so much fun hostessing a meet up at Atlanta Bread Company here in Asheville, NC.  I showed my guests how to make adorable mini albums out of a manilla file folder.  Check out the post about those here: File Folder Mini Album

As a thank you for coming, I made them these cute little gift bags using paper from the CTMH Dotty For You paper pack.  I cut the bag shape out at 5 1/2". Then the dimensional flower at 3".  I used the half circles that were left over from the handle cut outs and glued them under the flower as leafs.  That's it!  2 shapes cut out from this cartridge made these fun little bags.  I then filled them with mini chocolates, because chocolate is a very important part of scrapbooking!!

The Art Philosophy Cartridge also comes with 3 coordinating My Acrylix stamp sets, as well as 3 sheets of coordinating Dimensional Elements for just $99!  Click here to have this amazing collection delivered to your door:

Order the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge

Or sign up to hostess an Online Gathering/Catalog Party and earn your cartridge for FREE by clicking here:

Earn FREE product!!

I hope that I've inspired you to make an easy and fun project today.  Thanks for visiting!