Tuesday, January 31, 2012

February Stamp of the Month BLOG Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

We will be featuring February's SOTM, which is Thoughtful Tidings, a set of 11 stamps.
Feb12SOTM
If you have come here from Wendy Coffman’s Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. I LOVE these blog hops and the inspiration I receive from them!  I can’t WAIT to see everyone’s ideas!!

This Blog Hop is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!

Here we go!
Feb SOTM LucyI wanted to create a simple card this time.  This can be a challenge at times, because of all the wonderful, FUN products that Close To My Heart carries! J 
I started by pulling out my Wishes and Originals how-to-books to help me get a general idea of what type of card design I’d like to create. 

This pattern is from page 39 in the Wishes book.  It is called “Corner Shop” and is a 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 size card.  I hadn’t used the NEW LUCY paper pack yet…so I pulled out Lucy to give it a try.  Right away I realized I hadn’t taken the time to notice how BEAUTIFUL the floral design was!  My daughter noticed the crowns in the print right away!  Very subtle, but if you look they are definitely there too! 



Feb sotm Lucy close upI decided I didn’t want a “plain square card”…so I went to my Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge and found the scalloped square card design!  I set my dial size to 4 3/4” and started to cut. (I wanted to make sure my other squares fit nicely on the card…4 3/4” worked best) Yay!!!  How easy was that?!?! 



I cut the corner edged square with the Art Philosophy cartridge too…and stamped the wording in Cotton Candy ink.  Then, I used Grey Wool ink to sponge distress all of my card pieces.  Next, I pulled out some matching pink crochet ribbon from our ribbon collection and put the card together!

How QUICK and EASY this card was to create…and I plan to create some more of these card designs to give to those that have hosted a home gathering with me! 
 
Now "Hop" on over to Angela Tutton’s Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the FEBRUARY SOTM is only available until Feb 29th!

Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this EXCLUSIVE stamp set at an INCREDIBLE discount!
 
Happy Crafting!!!
 Krista

Sunday, January 29, 2012

2012 Spring-Summer NEW PRODUCT Blog Hop!!! (Footloose)

Don't forget to check out the RETIRING list from an Earlier post! These items will be GONE after Jan 31st!!!   CLICK HERE to see these items!
(and check out the NEW items added to the “While Supplies Last” section of my website! There are some GREAT deals!)

Welcome to our New Product Blog Hop!
Throughout this Blog Hop, we will be featuring New Products that will be ARRIVING at Close To My Heart this Wednesday, February 1st!!! 
2012 Spring Summer IdeaBook-Cover


If you have come here from Judy Garner’s Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants HERE. 





We have 29 Close To My Heart Consultants in this Hop that will be sharing their creations using many NEW products from the 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book!!! Wahoo!

So sit back and enjoy each created item as you venture through this blog hop and get some GREAT ideas to create on your own!!



This Hop is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!


I chose to create a card using the NEW Footloose Paper Pack
Footloose Paper pack
The Footloose papers have a beach theme and will be PERFECT for these summer days!  However, I LOVE the colors in this kit and knew I could use them in a NON-beach way as well! 
I APPRECIATE the versatility that come with ALL of Close To My Heart’s products!!  Close To My Heart’s products COORDINATE  with each other– and because of this it is so SIMPLE and EASY to create!!!









Here is a card I created using NEW PRODUCTS!!!!Footloose   Play Day new product blog hop 
I used Jeanette Lynton’s WONDERFUL how-to book Originals to get me started in my creating! I used the pattern “Always Right” on page 89.  If you notice in the Originals book, this card design is for a 5x7 size card, but I chose to make it work for a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 size card.
 
I HIGHLY recommend this WONDERFUL how to book!!!  Close To My Heart has many how-to books for scrapbooking AND card making.  CLICK HERE to see them all!  Using these books are a HUGE time saver and are soooo helpful in the creating process!!! Who doesn’t like to save time?!?! J

Products I used to create this card…
(the items that are highlight are NEW 2012 Spring products! J)
D1515 Play Day
D1511 Kick Back
Footloose Workshop on the Go (WOTG) stamp set
X7151B Footloose Paper Pack
X5906 Dark Green Shade Pack
X5763 Smoothie Cardstock
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
Z1473 White Daisy Die-Cut Cards
Z1707 Bitty Opaque Pearls
Z1336 Pearl Opaques
Z1710 Paradise Flowers
Z1732 Color-Ready Seam Binding
Ink colors I used
Smoothie, New England Ivy and Bamboo

Now "Hop" on over to Helen’s Blog to see her work!

Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get great crafting ideas and to see a VARIETY of NEW Spring items!!
Remember to take a moment and see the BRAND NEW 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book on Wednesday,February 1st!

CLICK HERE to view this GORGEOUS NEW Idea book (on Feb 1st) at my website!!
Please contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here to go to my website) if you would like to order some of these amazing items for your creating needs.



****To view more details on the card I created, feel free to read on! J ****
Also…feel free to come back to my BLOG throughout the week as I will be sharing MORE new items!!!


Footloose   Play Day new product blog hop closeup girl jumpropeWhen I saw the “Play Day” stamp set…I knew it would be a PERFECT stamp set for the many birthday and baby cards I needed to create! I was excited when I thought of the “happy” colors in the Footloose paper kit and knew I could pair these two items together! 
I sanded the edges of the NE Ivy cardstock to give some texture.  If you notice the Bamboo cardstock on the top of the card…I gave this cardstock a suede look.  It’s VERY easy to do…take your open ink pad and quickly pull the entire ink pad across the bamboo cardstock! You'll get a different patterned/swirl design EVERY time! 



A NEW PRODUCT that I know I will use a LOT …Close To My Heart’s color-ready seam binding ribbon!!!
seam binding ribbon

Footloose   Play Day new product blog hopcloseup seam binding
This ribbon comes in white and that makes me SO EXCITED!!!  Remember anything that is white you can color coordinate for ANY of your creations!!!

I took a sponge, and sponged smoothie ink onto the ribbon. It didn’t take long to dry (LOVE this!), and then I used liquid glass under the stamped image of the girl jumping rope to adhere the ribbon to the card.  I wrapped the ends of the ribbon around the back of the green dotted paper and liquid glassed it to the bamboo cardstock.



Paradise Paper FlowersI was also DETERMINED to include the NEW Paradise Just Bloom flowers in my design!  I love the ease that our Just Blooms products bring to any thing I create!!!  Here is what the flower pack looks like – remember I took this picture AFTER I used all the small flowers on this card ( I created 10 of these cards! J)









Here is a close up picture of the flowers on the card. 
Footloose   Play Day new product blog hopcloseup bitty pearls
I used our NEW bitty pearl opaques for the centers of these flowers! LOVE how they turned out! J

Footloose   Play Day new product blog hop insideFor the base of this card, I used our white daisy die-cut card design.  These cards come in a pack of 10 – INCLUDING envelopes- for only $5.95!  Their bracket shape design on the bottom of the card allows you to add some FUN to this card. 

Here is a look at the inside of the card…I will stamp an image inside the card, but I love how the extra cardstock adds so much to the inside of the card by itself!












I hope you enjoyed the DETAILS of the creation of this card!  I love learning new ideas, tips and techniques as often as I can!!!
 
I LOVE to read your comments and hear any ideas YOU have when creating!!!  Feel free to leave a comment. J

If you haven’t done so already, you can "Hop" on over to Helen’s Blog to see her work using NEW product!

Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get great crafting ideas and to see a VARIETY of NEW Spring items!!
Remember to take a moment and see the BRAND NEW 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book on Wednesday,February 1st!

CLICK HERE to view this GORGEOUS NEW Idea book (on Feb 1st) at my website!!


Happy Crafting!
Krista

Friday, January 27, 2012

Wahoo! My Hawaiian Goodies Arrived!

Don't forget to check out the RETIRING list from an Earlier post! These items will be GONE after Jan 31st!!!
CLICK HERE to see these items!
(and check out the NEW items added to the “While Supplies Last” section of my website! There are some GREAT deals!)

Oh – I’m soooo EXCITED!!!  I received my Goodie Box from Close To My Heart as part of earning the Hawaiian Cruise!!! 

Here is a picture of what I received…
Hawaiin Cruise items
Isn’t this GREAT?!?!  J We fly out on March 2nd for Hawaii…and I LOVE the suspense and excitement that CTMH gives us by sending this box to us BEFORE the trip! 

This is just another perk you receive when you earn a trip with Close To My Heart.  I am amazed at all the “little things” that this WONDERFUL company does for their consultants! 

I received a similar box when I had earned the New Zealand trip two years ago…this box is packed FULL of goodies! J

One of the special things that CTMH does….they create and design scrapbook layouts for each trip and mail it to us PRIOR to the trip!  (that way we can coordinate our clothes with the layouts if we’d like! LOL!!)  Then, the art team at CTMH cuts ALL all the pieces for the layouts and places them in separate bags.  They come shipped to us, pre-bagged and pre-cut ready for us to CREATE!!!  They also include all the embellishments we’ll need on the layouts too!!!  I received a LOT of new embellishments that will be available for purchase on Feb 1st from the NEW 2012 Spring Idea Book!!!

I also was VERY EXCITED to find something NEW in our box…Close To My Heart also included a Studio J 5 pack gift card!!!!  That means I can create 5, 2 page layouts when I get back from the Hawaiian Cruise!!!  The best part – EVERYTHING coordinates together!!!!  Yayy!!!! I LOVE how we can use both our on-line scrapbooking AND the traditional layouts in one album!!!! 

Here are the items I received. J
  • A 12x12 Album
  • an EXCLUSIVE Hawaii stamp set, made specifically for this trip!
  • a beautiful sweet leaf (my favorite green) Hawaiian Cruise shirt
  • Kick Back – new stamp set from the Spring 2012 Idea Book
  • Baker’s Twine
  • Seaside Wooden Shapes
  • Paradise Paper Flowers
  • Wooden Buttons
2012 Spring Summer IdeaBook-CoverYou will be able to see all these items and MORE in person next week on Feb 2nd and Feb 3rd at my home! Remember to check out my previous post about my upcoming Spring Open House!!!! CLICK HERE for details regarding the Open House! J








If you’d like to learn more about how YOU could join me on the next CTMH trip for two, J  please let me know!  I never thought I’d earn TRIPS when I joined Close To My Heart.  I signed up to get my discount on products I love…well, I have been very blessed and it has become so much more than that!  It is TRULY a dream come true to be able to have my husband and I go to New Zealand and now Hawaii – all paid by Close To My Heart!!!

I’d love to share with you and help YOU plan how you can join me on the Southern Caribbean cruise that will sail in Feb 2013!!!  2013 Carribean Cruise Awaits

Have a wonderful weekend and please come back to my blog to see a lot of UPCOMING artwork!!! 

Check back Monday for a peek of some items I created with Footloose (a NEW paper pack!).  Then you’ll want to check in again for the Stamp of the Month Blog hop on Feb 1st – showcasing the Feb 2012 Stamp of the Month – Thoughtful Tidings.

Have a wonderful weekend and may you get a chance to create this weekend! J

Blessings,
Krista


Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Close To My Heart Spring/Summer 2012 Open House

You are all invited to ATTEND my
 2012 Spring Open House
coming up on Feb 2nd and 3rd!

If you are not local, you can STILL join in the fun too!!!
Here are the details!!!!

Close To My Heart
Spring/Summer Idea Book Open House
2012 Spring Summer IdeaBook-Cover_thumb[1]
Thurs., Feb. 2nd from 6-9pm OR Fri., Feb 3rd from 12-5pm
at my home in Elverson!!!
Join me in celebrating the arrival of the NEW 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book!
Come to my Open House & you will receive your very own 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book for FREE!!!!

When you place your order (that day or until Feb 5th) and your subtotal* reaches the $30, $50, & $80 mark
you will RECEIVE a special, new item from the Spring/Summer Idea Book for FREE!!!




Purchase $30 and receive the NEW Bitty Opaque Pearls (100 cream colored self-adhesive pearls)
Purchase $50–your choice of a pack of Baker’s Twine OR the NEW 6x6 flip flaps
Purchase $80– NEW Color-Ready Seam Binding Ribbon

(*subtotal sale is total prior to shipping and tax. This does NOT apply to website orders, unless approved by myself, Krista Hershberger. This special only applies to me, Krista Hershberger - CTMH Independent Consultant, and will not be honored by other CTMH Consultants )

What is included at this Open House Event???
  • NEW product for you to touch and see
  • a BRAND NEW Idea Book for you to take home with you
  • make n’ takes to create
  • Door PRIZES to win(there will be lots of ways to win tickets!)
  • yummy food for your taste buds to enjoy!
Come early so you have time to complete your make n takes AND spend lots of time browsing through the new 2011 Spring Idea Book!

If you can’t be present at my Open House that day, feel free to check out the Online Idea Book - starting on February 1st.

When you call and place your order you are able to earn these special gifts too!
You will also be entered in the door prize drawing for a pack of our NEW embellishments pack even if you RSVP and are not able to be present at my actual open house.

Please RSVP by Tuesday, January 31st to let me know you will be joining me in CELEBRATING this special Day!
 
I look forward to sharing with you all the AMAZING items Close To My Heart has created once again!!!  The artwork in this Idea Book is absolutely GORGEOUS…meaning the new products are just FABULOUS too! J

Blessings to you!
 
Krista Hershberger J
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
610-587-9116
          fun2stampnscrap@dejazzd.com         www.ctmh.com/kristah

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Sneak Peek of a few new items


Don't forget to check out the RETIRING list from an Earlier post! These items will be GONE after Jan 31st!!!
 CLICK HERE to see these items!
(and check out the NEW items added to the “While Supplies Last” section of my website!  There are some GREAT deals!)

Hi to each of you!  I hope you are having an enjoyable day! 

I thought I’d share this card with you…I needed to create a BABY card for a couple in our church who had twins!  J  So exciting!!  Their story is quite a testimony…and their two children (a boy & a girl) are so adorable!

When a CTMH box with NEW spring Items showed up on my doorstep, I was determined to use the Jan Stamp of the Month stamp set along with some new Spring items to create this card! J

Here is what I came up with…
January SOTM 2012 and Play Day
I was excited to be able to use the January Stamp of the Month again…I really have come to LOVE this set!! 

Here is a list of the products used…
  • Elemental level 2 paper pack
  • Footloose level 2 paper pack
  • Just Blooms Paradise collection
  • Play Day stamp set
  • Little Reminder stamp set
  • Cocoa ink
  • Bitty Brads
Hmmm, so do you recognize the products used in this card? J 

If not, you’ll want to make sure you ATTEND my Spring Open House coming up on Feb 2nd and 3rd!  If you are not local, you can STILL join in the fun too!!!

Here are the details!!!!

Close To My Heart Spring/Summer Idea Book Open House
2012 Spring Summer IdeaBook-Cover
Thurs., Feb. 2nd from 6-9pm OR Fri., Feb 3rd from 12-5pm at my home in Elverson!!!
Join me in celebrating the arrival of the NEW 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book!
Come to my Open House & you will receive your very own 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book for FREE!!!!

When you place your order with me (that day or until Feb 6th) and your subtotal **reaches the $30, $50, & $80 mark
you will RECEIVE a special, new item from the Spring/Summer Idea Book for FREE!!!



Purchase $30 and receive the NEW Bitty Opaque Pearls (100 cream colored self-adhesive pearls)
$50–your choice of a pack of Baker’s Twine OR the NEW 6x6 flip flaps
$80– NEW Color-Ready Seam Binding Ribbon


(**subtotal sale is total prior to shipping and tax.  This does NOT apply to website orders, unless approved by myself, Krista Hershberger.  This special only applies to me, Krista Hershberger - CTMH Independent Consultant, and will not be honored by other CTMH Consultants )

What is included at this Open House Event???
  • NEW product for you to touch and see
  • a BRAND NEW Idea Book for you to take home with you
  • make n’ takes to create
  • Door PRIZES to win(there will be lots of ways to win tickets!)
  • yummy food for your taste buds to enjoy!
Come early so you have time to complete your make n takes AND spend lots of time browsing through the new 2011 Spring Idea Book!

If you can’t be present at my Open House that day, feel free to check out the Online Idea Book - starting on February 1st.

When you call and place your order you are able to earn these special gifts too!
You will also be entered in the door prize drawing for a pack of our NEW embellishments pack even if you RSVP and are not able to be present at my actual open house.

Please RSVP by Monday, January 30th to let me know you will be joining me in CELEBRATING this special Day!

Don’t forget about the TWO specials ONLY available until Jan 31st!!!
(in other words, you will NOT be able to purchase these at my Open House! J)
Rock the Block items
1. Rock the Block special!!!!
A E-size EXCLUSIVE stamp set (retail $29.95) AND the ADORABLE set of “My Creations Collage Cubes” (retail $14.95). This is an AMAZING deal and it’s so EASY to receive this special!!!

How can I get this GREAT promotional special??

Purchase $25 in Close To My Heart product and you will qualify to get these TWO items (shown above) for ONLY $15!!!!
Yes, this set has a retail value of $44.90…but when you order items from our current idea book – you only pay $15!!!!

CLICK HERE to place your order to receive your OWN “Rock the Block” special!!


If you’d like to see how I used this Rock the Block stamp set and blocks,

CLICK HERE to check out what I created using our Sonoma paper. Rock the Block family

2.  January Stamp of the Month – “Little Reminderspecial
Don’t FORGET this GREAT deal when your subtotal sales reach the $50 mark!!!
Check out this Cricut compatible stamp set…
1-12 SOM image
This is a stamp set that is ONLY available during the month of January!!!

How can you purchase your own set???
You can purchase this set for the retail price of $17.95 OR save 77% when you purchase $50 of QUALITY, EXCLUSIVE products from Close To My Heart, you qualify to receive this stamp set for $5.00!!!!

CLICK HERE to see how I chose to use this stamp set…of course, there is soooo much you can do with this set!!!

Have a wonderful evening and I love to hear your comments and feedback!! 

Happy Creating!
Krista


Krista Hershberger
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant
610-587-9116
          fun2stampnscrap@dejazzd.com 

        

Friday, January 13, 2012

Studio J monthly “Love Your Layout” video!

Don't forget to check out the RETIRING list from an Earlier post!  These items will be GONE after Jan 31st!!!  CLICK HERE to see these items!
I LOVE these helpful Studio J videos created by Close To My Heart each month. 

Watch this video to see how EASY Studio J is and the BEAUTIFUL results you will achieve!

In this video, you will learn how to…
  • change your papers to a different color
  • create a photo mat
  • color the toggle accents
  • create a cluster of stickease
  • use MyStickease in a variety of ways



Enjoy this clip and if you would like to give Studio J a try,
 CLICK HERE for more details. J

Happy Crafting,
Krista

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Out with the Old...in with the NEW!

The NEW SPRING 2012 Idea Book will be arriving on February 1st!!! 

What does that mean???

When NEW items come in, OLD items must go. 

I know this is sad- however you DO have a chance to purchase these retiring items BEFORE they are GONE on January 31st!!! 

 

Thanks goes to fellow CTMH consultants Kathleen Stoppelmoor and Cassandra Bennett, who put an "unofficial" retiring list together, Also thanks to Tamytha for putting together a slide show of all the retiring stamp sets. 

All of the products are “clickable” (they are the light brown color) meaning when you click on it - it will take you right to my website to see what they look like.  

The stamp sets are NOT clickable – but you can see them pictured in the slide show below.

Check out this list below and if you’d like to order them before they are gone, please email with your order OR you can order directly from my website by clicking HERE. 

2011 Retiring Items – available until January 31st, 2012
You can watch the stamp sets at the speed they are at, OR
use the fast forward button to click at your own speed.
If you’d like to purchase these items BEFORE they are retired, click on the shopping cart below to go directly to my website! 
 
 
I'll be giving away the NEW idea books to all my guests at my semi-annual open house
on Thursday and Friday, February 2nd and 3rd
If you would like to attend, simply R.S.V.P. by clicking here.
 
 
 
If you can't attend, but still want an idea book, I'd be happy to get one to you. I don't charge for the Idea Books, so if you're local just give me a call and you can either pick it up or I can drop it off for you.

If you aren't local and would like one shipped to you, I can ship it to you for $5 and I will include a coupon for $5 off your first order of $25 or more.

Note: I will not mail Idea Books out before January 27th. And again, new items from this book cannot be ordered until February 1.

I look forward to sharing this NEW Idea Book with you and look forward to seeing you at my Upcoming Open house!!!

Blessings to you!

Krista