Holiday Expressions Unboxing!

Reason Number Seventeen!

Why you should be a Close to my Heart consultant!

Do you like cold hard cash? I do! We have a brand new leadership promotion bonus campaign and let me tell you what that means.

As you build a team of friends who love to scrapbook and stamp, you promote in the company. The cash starts flowing with just three people signed up under you. It increases quickly the more people you sign up into the great company. That's more people who gain all the advantages I've been telling you about for the last 17 days! Are you convinced yet?  Sign up here when you are ready!

Reason Number Fifteen!

You should sign up to be a Close to my Heart consultant on the Can't Stop Dreaming Team!

Sign up here!

Reason Number Fourteen!

You should sign up to be a Close to my Heart Consultant, this is a good one!

Click here!

Reason Number Thirteen!

You should sign up to be a Close to my Heart consultant with the Can't Stop Dreaming Team!

Sign up here!

Reason Number Twelve!

Reason number twelve you should sign up to be a Close to my Heart consultant!!  Sign up here when you're ready!

Reason Number Eleven!

Why you should be a Close to my Heart consultant!  

It's just 72 days until the next Close to my Heart convention.  At convention we get training, lots of artwork to make, prizes, giveaways, free products and tons of time with our friends doing what we all love!  We also get to rub shoulders with the people who run Close to my Heart.  I'm always amazed at how many of our names they remember.  There's an awards banquet, Extravaganza where we see artwork from the most talented consultants in the company.  It's amazing, exciting and you wouldn't believe how just a new ink color can make thousands of consultants scream!!!  Below is the video from last year's convention.  Enjoy!

Reason Number Ten!

Did you miss reason number ten?  No worries.   It's Right Here!

Reason Number Eight!

You should sign up to be a Close to my Heart consultant on the Can't Stop Dreaming Team!  Here's where you want to sign up to find your joy too!

My Site

Reason Number Seven!

Reason number seven why you should sign up to be a Close to my Heart consultant with the Can't Stop Dreaming Team.  Sign up here!

Reason Number Four!

You should sign up to be a Close to my Heart consultant on my team!  

Sign up here!

Card Kits by Mail - July 2014

TIME TO SIGN UP FOR THE JULY CARD KITS BY MAIL! Every month I create FIVE cards just for you! They are truly exclusive cards and super special.     You may buy the card workshop for $20.00 by the 15th of each month.     You will not be able to see the cards until you receive the kits. Above is an example of one of the cards from last month! If you've been following my facebook page, blog, and newsletters then you've seen examples of my cards which will give you a good idea of what you'll be getting and you can also look above for examples of some of the cards I've sent out the past four months.    By the end of each month I will sent out your card kits in the mail, the pieces will be cut and stamped for you.  The day I send out the kits I will send out instructions and photos of the card by email.  You will then be able to put the cards together.  For those of you who are consultants, I have no problem with you using my cards in your own workshops.     So, this is the chance you've been waiting for!  Payments may be by credit card (you will call me with the number 989-906-6420), paypal to caldreamin05@comcast.net or you may mail a check to:    Barbra Otten 1247 W. John Beers Road Stevensville, MI 49127    The next cards will go out before the end of the month and your order must be in by the 15th.      IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY CARD KITS BY MAIL IN AN ONGOING BASIS, CALL ME AT (989) 906-6420 WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER AND I WILL JUST RUN YOUR PAYMENT ON THE FIFTEENTH OF EVERY MONTH UNTIL YOU UNSUBSCRIBE.

Card Kits by Mail!

Card Kits by Mail went out which means it's time to sign up for next month's kits. Remember that if you are a consultant you may use my cards in your own workshops. Cards kits are $20 for five kits, directions are sent by email. Payment is due by April 15 and kits are sent around the 20th. You may set up a subscription to the kit club by calling me at 989 906 6420 with your credit card. You may also pay by check, cash, or paypal. Paypal to caldreamin05@comcast.net or use the same email to contact me about my address!!

I love making cards!

Here's a couple of new cards I made this week!  It's so funny that I was the one who said I wasn't interested in making cards at all just six years ago!   

January 2010 blog hop list

Here's the January 2010 Stamp of the Month blog hop list in case you get lost!

Helen Onulak
http://hookedonstamping.com/
Jena DeVries
http://livelovelaughscrapbook.blogspot.com/
Jessica Booth
http://jessicabooth.blogspot.com/
Carla Ironside
http://carlacreates.blogspot.com/
Lori Miller
http://clearlyfromtheheart.blogspot.com/
Misty Jackson
http://misstscraps.blogspot.com/
Jen Patrick
http://roxybonds-scrappin.blogspot.com/
Susan Brooks
http://stampingintheopen.blogspot.com/
Kathleen Androlewicz
http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/
Dawn Ross
http://iamahappystamper.blogspot.com/
Amy McVey
http://clearlystamping.blogspot.com/
Antoinette Herrin
http://godblessyourart.blogspot.com/
Jill Lucas
http://scrapwench.blogspot.com/
Barbra Otten
http://barbraotten.blogspot.com/
Lori Brown
http://savingmine.blogspot.com/
Brae Montgomery
http://thebrae-er.blogspot.com/
Wanda Riley
http://creatingwithwanda.blogspot.com/
Adeline E. Brill
http://adeline-brill.blogspot.com/
Kami Welter
http://scrappin4memories.blogspot.com/
Judy Burger
http://makingtimeformemories.blogspot.com/
Pamela O'Connor
http://cherishyourmemories.blogspot.com/
Cindy Leek
http://paperspadsandpictures.blogspot.com/
Mary Eisen
http://www.mestamp2.blogspot.com/
Sylvia Jacquot
http://stampinsylvia.blogspot.com/
Laura Dame
http://thecroppersconnection.blogspot.com/
Melissa Laverty
http://fancymelissa.blogspot.com/
Haley Dyer
http://inkyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Terrie Dodd
http://my-life-in-real-time.blogspot.com/
Katy Donaldson
http://scrappinkaty.blogspot.com/
Chris Shouse
http://houseostamps.wordpress.com/
Tammy Lea Pinchard
http://mycreativeclubhouse.blogspot.com/
Krista Ritskes
http://kristaritskes-simplycreating.blogspot.com/
Shannon Pelletier
http://mycolorfulworldinvt.blogspot.com/
Deb Young
http://scrapbookczar.blogspot.com/
Amy Edwards
http://paisleysplayhouse.blogspot.com/
Sheila Bennett
http://sheila-bennett.blogspot.com/
Kristie Herdener
http://goofyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Jen Rubio
http://jenrubio.blogspot.com/
Jody Gustafson
http://cre8nmemories.blogspot.com/
Sarita Schraeder
http://blogspot.com/
Laurie Levnik
http://creationsbylaurie.blogspot.com/
Debra Van Patten
http://memoriesoftheheartbydeb.blogspot.com/
Kimberly Smith
http://verykimberry.blogspot.com/
Michelle Nist
http://michellenist.blogspot.com/
Karen Norman
http://gettinscrappywithit.blogspot.com/
Traci Godbee
http://createwithtraci.blogspot.com/
Nancy Brown
http://creativelyartsygallery.blogspot.com/
Maricar Harris
http://maricarharris.blogspot.com/
Nona Davenport
http://nonapearl.blogspot.com/
Laurie Newton
http://scrapsfromthebeach.blogspot.com/
Dawn Heuft
http://stamptildawn.blogspot.com/
Melissa Burch
http://melissaburch.blogspot.com/
Kim O'Rear
http://kimorear.blogspot.com/
Michelle Bourlet
http://michellescreativeconnections.blogspot.com/
Angela Tutton
http://tuttonstreasures.blogspot.com/
Jenifer Benner
http://jensmessystudio.com/
Shirley Ross
http://momnmescrap.blogspot.com/
Latisha Haag
http://domestichomefrontcoordinator.blogspot.com/

Last minute easy gift!

Need another last minute gift, something easy and oh-so-cheap? Get on down to your dollar store and pick up one of those $1.00 2010 datebooks. They have them everywhere, I bought mine at Walgreens. This datebook has the calendar horizontally, you can adapt this design according to how your calendar is positioned. You can see their cover isn't that inspired so take out some of your That's Amore paper, your Save the Date and Precious Alphabet stamps and let's get started.

This didn't require a lot of measuring. I took the datebook out of the plastic cover and pulled the outside cardboard cover off. I'll give you the measurements I used but really you can adapt it to whatever size datebook you have.

You'll want to remove the staples out of the remainder of the calendar so you can restaple your pretty cover on it later.

Lay your outside cover down on a piece of pattern paper and trace around it. Mine ended up being 7" by 6.5". Distress. Cut it out and dump the old cover.

I happened to have some of the little journaling blocks that go with That's Amore paper so I used one of those since it was already decorated but you can use a blush colored cardstock paper cut 2.75" by 2.5" and then mat it in chocolate cardstock cut 3" by 2.75" and distress. Use your Precious Alphabet stamps to personalize. Since I'm using this datebook as my Close to my Heart booking calendar, I stamped "ctmh." I used the Save the Date stamp to stamp 2010, can you believe it's going to be 2010???!! Use tulip and chocolate inks.

Cut a strip of coordinating patterned paper 6.5" by 1.5" and attach about a half inch up from the bottom of the folded cover. Add your title block.

Fit your calendar evenly under the cover and staple it twice right on the seam. I'm using our swivel stapler on this, so easy!

Here's how it should look before you put it in the plastic cover.

Once in the cover you need to take your piercer and poke a hole about an inch from the left hand side of your title.

I didn't want to put my flower under the datebook's plastic cover, I thought it would be too bulky but you can if you wish. Layer two different sized pink flowers over each other and add a twinkle brad in the middle. Fasten it inside the cover and you are finished! This took about 10 minutes to make and that included my designing, you can do this! Make up 10 or so and have handy easy last minute gift for guests. You could even put one at everyone's place sitting on Christmas Day, what a sweet gift that would be!

Happy Sunday everyone!

I'm sorry I've been away from my post(ing) the last couple of days. Yesterday I spent the day with some wonderful ladies at a crop in Athens, Michigan. I was thrilled with their enthusiasm for scrapbooking and stamping. I'd also like to give a shout out to my co-consultants Connie, Sue, Karen and Linda, what fun we had getting to know everyone!

Today I'm doing a home gathering in Battle Creek and can't wait as I have a super cool project for them to work on! I'll be back home tomorrow and will be posting instructions to a neat gift card holder for Christmas. In the meantime, just because my blog candy giveaway is finished, I'd still love to see you on my newsletter list. Remember that my very best specials show up there. Check under my contact info to the right to sign up.

Christmas Melodies

Don't you just love Christmas music? Not too early and not too long but right in the holiday season, it's so nice to have the radio on playing those tunes we've loved since we were children. Well, here's the stamp set for you. Christmas Melodies has 14 stamps that will remind you of those happy & meaningful songs. Again I've used Everlasting paper, can you tell I have been using one of the bulk card making patterns from Wishes? For this card you will also need a couple of flowers from the Gratitude stamp set too.

Cut your paper as follows:

8 1/2 by 5 1/2 colonial white card base, folded in half
5 1/2 by 4 1/4 card front cranberry cardstock
1 by 5 1/x floral pattern paper
1/2 by 5 1/2 striped pattern paper
1 3/4 by 1 3/4 colonial white cardstock
2 by 2 striped pattern paper
scrap colonial white cardstock for stamping

Distress all with desert sand ink if desired.

Despite owning a cuddlebug, I still like to do some of my own dry embossing with my trimmer and dry embossing tool, draw a line down the groove of the trimmer every half inch for this particular design.

Sand the paper with a sanding block.

Glue the floral strip 1/4 inch up from the bottom of the card front.

Just above the floral strip (about 1/8 up) attach the striped piece.

Glue down the striped square 1/2 inch from right hand side. I use the grooves of the dry embossing to help me line it up perfectly.

Stamp the "Let There Be Peace" song title on the colonial white square in cranberry ink and glue it to the striped square.

Add three green brads to the left top of the card. I put one on each of the first three dry embossed lines.

Using the Gratitude stamp set, stamp 2 poinsettias on your scrap paper and cut them out. Attach next to the Peace stamp overlapping slightly. The card is easy and pretty, you can do it quickly and spread a little Christmas cheer by just making it and sending it out. Have fun!

Thoughts of You

Since we're having that fabulous "buy two, get one free" stamp set sale this month, I'm going to be featuring many of my favorite stamp sets to help you decide which ones you are going to order! Yesterday you saw our stamp of the month (which is free with a $100 order) and today I'm going to feature a stamp set called "Thoughts of You." This is a set I just recently acquired and I'm just so thrilled about how beautiful it looks with this Everlasting paper set. This paper set is available only until the end of 2009 so get it now if you've fallen in love with it like I have.

To start you will need to cut papers as follows:

5 1/2 by 8 1/2 colonial white cardstock, fold in half

5 1/2 by 4 1/4 cranberry patterned paper

5 1/4 by 1 7/8 ponderosa pine patterned paper (you can cut this 5 1/4 by 2 and just overlap if you like)

5 1/4 by 2 floral patterned paper

4 by 1 floral

4 by 1 poderosa pine patterned paper

3 1/2 by 2 colonial white

1 3/4 by 1 1/2 colonial white (not all papers shown in first picture)

Distress all if you wish with desert sand.

Take larger ponderosa pine striped piece and glue down 1/4 inch from left edge, top and bottom.

Glue floral piece on other side leaving a 1/4 inch from bottom, top and right side of card even if you have to overlap slightly onto the striped piece.

Take the smaller floral piece and center it flush with larger floral piece as shown.

Now do the same thing with the striped piece, flush up against the smaller floral piece.

Stamp the oh so pretty petals of just one of the flowers on this stamp set in cranberry. Take the stem stamp that corresponds with it and stamp it over the cranberry in ponderosa pine.

Attach that piece to center of card.

Now stamp the sentiment, "If I had a flower..." on the small colonial white piece in ponderosa pine. Attach that to bottom left of the flower. Inside (not shown) stamp the rest of the sentiment.

Now add three cranberry brads on the right lower side of the card and use your Tombow to glue across the top of the card for the ribbon (about 1/4 inch down). Glue your ribbon down and then cut a separate piece, tie it in a bow and glue that on the flat ribbon (so much easier this way). Glue the whole card front to your card base. Thoughts of You has 14 stamps on the carrier sheet including 4 different flowers. You will love this set!

Twilight

Anyone out there a fan of the Twilight books? I am. I really didn't realize there was this big vampire romance obsession going on until right before the movie came out. I started to hear these little whispers about how popular this book was and so I went to see the movie. I have to be honest and say I wasn't impressed. I certainly wasn't thrilled enough to read the books at all.

Then one day, I was reading the Close to my Heart off-topic message boards and noticed a lot of threads about Twilight. That, coupled with a fellow consultant's recommendation made me curious so I decided to order the first and second books.

Well, I couldn't put them down. Within a couple of weeks I'd read both and practically ran to the store to get the third. I'm now on the fourth and I find it so interesting that books written for teenagers could be so fun for an adult to read. (Can you say, "Harry Potter?")

So, why am I telling you all about of this on a scrapbooking and stamping blog? Well, it's simple. We all have interests, for me it's guitar and Twilight and American Idol and Hall and Oates. For you it's something completely different. What I want to know is when was the last time you did a page or two in your scrapbook about one of your interests? Yeah, I thought so. It's been a long time if ever, right? Well it's time.

Your families do not just want to see pages about what trip you all went on or yet another picture of them swimming in the pool. They want to know about you too. Why not share a part of who you are in a page or two this week? I plan to, I'm going to make a page about Twilight, just for fun. I promise to share it when I'm done, how about you?