Happy New Year . . . and January card class sneak peeks

Wow!  I've been away for too long.  I was sure I added a blog post since the 22nd of December . . . but I guess now.  Let's catch up!

I had a wonderful Christmas and New Years and I hope you all did as well.  I've updated the specials tab for January and the giveaway is going until the end of the month.

To ADD to that, I've added a special January bonus.  Any orders over $35 this month will receive ONE (1) Monogram Stamp FREE!  I just love how elegant these look and there are so many uses for them....

On to the SNEAK PEEKS:
(NOTE:  Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to see these first!)

 

(Note:  I'll have my new Spring/Summer 2013 Catalog at each of the events this month for a sneak peek at what is coming next month as well.)

UPCOMING EVENTS:

TONIGHT:  Craft Swap @ 6:00pm  (Facebook Invite)
TUESDAY 1/15/13:  Card Class @ 6:30  (Facebook Invite)
SATURDAY 1/26/13:  Card Class @ 2:30  (Facebook Invite)

(Blog hops on the 15th and 17th (so far) as well...)

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

"Anything Goes with the Artiste" Blog Hop

Welcome to our "Anything Goes with the Artiste" Blog Hop where we are showcasing  the exclusive Artiste Cricut cartridge which can be purchased exclusively through a Close to My Heart Independent Consultant. This will be our last Artiste blog hop for 2012.

Our "theme" for this hop was to create anything we wanted with the Artiste Cricut cartridge. And honestly, you can pretty much create anything and everything with the Artiste so this was not a difficult thing to do.

If you just happened to come to this blog, you should start at the beginning at Lucy's blog - Love 2 Create.  If you came here from Laura's blog, Scrapping Sweetie's Escape, then you're in the right place!

 My project is ... Christmas Gift Bag

I knot that I've had quite a few Christmas projects but it is my favorite season.  I needed to decorate this gift bag and thought this "Anything Goes" challange would be perfect.

The bag is an olive green so I thought the Pansy Purple would be a great contrast.  The paper is prismatic and provides some sparkle and a little polish to the bag.  The ribbon is some of the May Arts ribbon left over from my rosettes. 

 "Merry Christmas" (Pg 80 - No shift Merry Christmas button)

Wide Ornament  (Pg 53 - Accent 3 - No Shift - top layer, Shift - bottom layer)
Narrow Ornament  (Pg 53 - Accent 4 No Shift - top layer, Shift - bottom layer)

I added pop dots to give it some "pop"!  I also photographed (with my early Christmas gift - a light box!) the ornament (wrapped in brown paper) and a homemade gift certificate envelope using some retired CTMH paper and more May Arts Ribbon.  The gift ends up looking a little rustic but with a hint of class, don't you think?

The next stop on your blog hop fun is Theodora at Celebrate Crafts.

Here's the entire blog hop lineup in case you get lost along the way:

1. Lucy ~ Love 2 Create
2. Darla ~ Caution:  Crafting is Contagious 
3. Diana ~ Diana's Free Moments
4. Jennifer ~ 4 Hearts Scrapboooking
5. Laura ~ Scrappinsweetie's Escape
6. Penny ~ It Makes Total Cents   <You are here!
7. Theodora ~ Celebrate Crafts  <<<< Go here next!

Thanks for stopping by and 
MERRY CHRISTMAS & 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And we have TWO WINNERS! (and a new Giveaway!)

Thank you, my friends, for all the entries in my giveaway.  Although I did not make it to 100 Followers (YET!), I have decided to still give (1) $10 Product Credit and (1) Stamp Set away.  Here are the winners:

$10 Product Credit - Heidi D.

Stamp Set - Heather N.

I haven't decided on a new giveaway yet . . . any ideas?  Completed cards?  Stamp Of The Month Credit? Anyone that gives me an idea for the giveaway will get FIVE extra entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by!  I have another project/blog hop to come on 12/22!   

Family & Friends - Art Philosophy Blog Hop

(IF you are looking for the December "Stitching" Technique Hop, click here.)

Welcome to our "Family and Friends" Blog Hop where we are showcasing  the exclusive Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge which can be purchased exclusively through a Close to My Heart Independent Consultant. This will be our last Art Philosophy blog hop for 2012.

We will be showing you creations made using the Art Philosophy cartridge for our family and friends.

If you just happened to come to this blog, you should start at the beginning at Lucy's blog - Love 2 Create.  If you came here from "Stephanie's" blog, The Quilted Scrapper, then you're in the right place!

 My project is ... "Forever in my Heart" Layout

My daughter means the world to me.  She has many qualities but my favorite is how photogenic she is.  I swear she can't take a bad pic.  This pic inspired the page using my new DCWV Far East paper and combining it with a few left over AP cuts I had.  The frame around the date, the scalloped background (under the two flowers) and the two dragon fly cuts (my favorite) are all from the cartridge.  The leave under the flowers were also cut from the cartridge.  Everything was cut using Cricut Craft Room for a few different projects (but I never throw anything away!).

After the evens of today in Newtown, CT, this page and all of them featuring my daughter from a baby on are even more precious.  I hope that one day she values the time I took to document her precious life and all the moments that I remember so well.

You've reached the end of the hop!  Thank you for stopping by.

 Here's the entire blog hop lineup in case you missed any along the way:

1. Lucy ~ Love 2 Create
2. Darla ~ Caution: Stamping is Contagious
   
3. Diana ~ Dian's Free Moments
4. Jennifer ~ 4 Hearts Scrapbooking
   
5. Laura ~ Scrappinsweetie's Escape
   
6. Priscilla ~ Priscilla's Paperie
   
7. Stephanie ~ The Quilted Scrapper
   
8. Kindred Hearts ~ It Makes Total Cents  <<YOU ARE HERE!

 Thanks for joining us - have a wonderful and safe holiday with your friends and family.

December "Stitching" Technique Blog Hop

(IF you are looking for the "Family & Friends" Art Philosophy Blog Hop, click here.)

Welcome to the December "Stitching" Technique Blog Hop.  Each month, we feature a different technique and this month is is stitching.  You may see some faux stitching, some done with machine, and some done by hand as you hop along.

If you've come from Wendy at My Scrapbooking Blog, your right on track.

Here is my project.  My God-nieces birthday is on the 30th and I was looking for a unique wrapping for her present.  I decided to use brown paper and stamp it.  I'm thinking of using twine to decorate it as well. As this was decided, I thought a gift tag using browns and the twine would fit right in.  I really do not have much experience with true stiching of paper but I have to say it was much easier than I imagined.

For this project I used a stencil and cut a background out of brown cardstock and then three more hearts out of scrap material I had.

Then I cut the scrap paper hearts to make it look like a patchwork heart.  Finally, I whip stictched the edge and covered my stiches with another smaller cardstock heart.

A little stamping and decoration and it's ready to add to my package. Your next stop on the hop is back to the beginning (if you haven't been there already) Debi at Debi Is The Other Sister.  Here's the full list in case you get lost along the way.

1 Debi Barber - http://debiistheothersister.blogspot.com/   <<YOU'RE NEXT STOP/THE BEGINNING
2.Joy McHargue - http://studiowowjoy.com/
3.Rachel Ventura - www.happyscrappinsquad.com
4. Judy Faye Garner - http://judyfaye.blogspot.com/

5. Wendy Kessler - http://MyScrapbookingBlog.com/
6. Kindred Hearts - http://itmakestotalcents.blogspot.com/    <<YOU ARE HERE

Thanks for stopping by. 

PRODUCTS USED:

• Brown Cardstock
• (3) CTMH Scrap paper - coordinating
• Fiskars stencil
• CTMH Piercing Tool & Needle
• CTMH Brown Bakers Twine 

Just in time for Christmas . . . . BIG SALE & free glue!

JUST ANNOUNCED ... 

 At 12:00 AM (MST) on December 1, my CTMH website will have LOTS of  new SALE items.  Go to the “While Supplies Last” to find a wide variety of paper and coordinating accessories, all with a substantial markdown. You will also find that most of the items that are currently available will also see a further markdown at that time.

To sweeten the deal even more, from December 1–31, all $50 or more orders placed will also include a free Bonding Memories® glue pen (Z553)—a $4.50 value! 

Fill your shopping carts NOW because they are only WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!  Happy Shopping!

Just a few other REMINDERS . . . 

1.  The GIVEAWAY has about 16 days left and I'm not to 100 followers yet.  I may still give away some product credit and a stamp set but to see the WHOLE giveaway happen, share, SHARE, SHARE!!!!

2.  The "Capture the Date" special has a few days left...

3.  LOCAL FOLKS ... I will have a table at a local vendor fair on Saturday (Dec 1, Shopko Mall, 10:00 - 3:00).

4.  Retired list for 2012 has been announced!
        RETIRING STAMPS  
        RETIRING EMBELLISHMENTS & PAPERS

 . . . and thanks for stopping by! :)

It's An Artiste Christmas . . . and Giveaway Reminder

Even though there won't be an Artise (CTMH Cricut Cartridge) Blog Hop today, I thought I would still post my project on my own.  I hope you like it!  The Artiste Cartridge is quickly becoming my favorite cartridge!  (Don't forget to check out my Special's page . . . it's a great time to purchase this cartridge!)

My project is . . . A Rosette Ornament.

 

This is my first try using the Artise for rosettes and I think I like it.  I did notice that some of the white core from the topiary cardstock showed through but the dauber and ink took care of that quickly.

The rosette (two pieces) were cut out of the cardstock at 2".  Using my Martha Stewart score-board, I scored the tick marks and accordion folded both sections.  I think I may have assembled it wrong end to wrong end but it worked out okay! ;)

I circle punched the Pear and Partridge paper and backed it with a medallion (Artiste, page 31. Accent 4) was cut from cream cardstock and inked with topiary using the touch up dauber.

I used another circle cut out of the cream cardstock to feed the ribbon through and "sandwich" the rosette.  The ribbon also went through the center of the B&T paper and then tied in a small bow.  I may add some bling yet, too.

Thanks for stopping by.

DON'T FORGET about my giveaway!  I have to get to 100 followers (Facebook, blog, or both) before I can give away some product credit.  See the gadget below to sign up!

a Rafflecopter giveaway