September SOTM Blog Hop: Fall Favorites

Thanks for hopping over from the fabulous Judy Faye Garner's blog.

Okay, so fall might not be in the air here in Northern Virginia (it's 97 today!), but Close To My Heart's Stamp of the Month for September, Fall Favorites, will surely get you in a "fall" mood.

This stamp set is just waiting for CTMH's new alcohol-based exclusive inks markers.  Since mine hadn't come in yet (why oh why did I take my time ordering them!?), I used one of my favorite tools, the Blending Pen (3174) and my exclusive inks stamp pads to pick up color.  That Blending Pen makes me feel like a real artist!  Here's what I came up with:

 

 

I am just loving Close To My Heart's Cricut Artiste boxes. I cut out this box using the 3D Object feature, cut Fit to Page (2.5") .  Once folded up, I sponged the edges in Black Ink, added a strip of Goldrush Cardstock and a zip strip from the Moonlight Paper Packet.  I stamped the "fall" image on White Daisy Cardstock in Black Ink and trimmed around it.  I used Autumn Terracotta twine from the Harvest Assortment Baker's Twine to attach the tag.  The tag was cut using the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, cut at 3".

The last thing I did was cover that little cut out shape on top of the box.  Funny story, actually.  I was sitting next to Melissa Laverty at her fancyCrop last weekend (so amazingly fun!) and held up the box and a muffin wrapped in plastic.  I didn't even have to say anything; she knew I was planning to use that muffin wrapper on my box!  Luckily, we stopped giggling long enough for her to hand me a plastic zip-top bag that our paper packets come in to use to cover the cut out shape.  So, I cut it into a square and used a little Liquid Glass to adhere it to the inside of the box top.  Much better than a used muffin wrapper!

Here are the supplies I used:
S1209 My Acrylix Fall Favorites Stamp Set, only $5 with a $50 order!
3174 Blending Pen, $3.95
Z2150 Black Ink, $5.25
Z2101 Autumn Terracotta Ink, $5.25
Z2191 Sunset Ink, $5.25
Z2153 Sweet Leaf Ink, $5.25
Z2137 Olive Ink, $5.25
Z2111 Chocolate Ink, $5.25
X7161B Zip Strip from Moonlight Paper Packet, $9.95
1243 Goldrush Cardstock, $14.50
1385 White Daisy Cardstock, $14.50
Z1751 Harvest Assortment Baker's Twine (Autumn Terracotta used), $4.95
Z1790 Cricut Artiste Cartridge, $99
Z1686 Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, $99

Now, go visit the talented Jean McNulty's Stampin' Maui blog!

Two Days Left!

There are only two more days to join my Close To My Heart team and receive this exclusive tote bag!  Actually, they're only available while supplies last and there's only a 7% inventory left.  So, act quickly!

 

Close To My Heart made becoming a consultant so easy and affordable with their new $49 Essentials Kit.  You get almost $130 worth of product, including the Avonlea Workshop on the Go, two additional stamp sets, two exclusive inks stamp pads, my acrylix blocks, embellishments, a couple of business supplies and more.

 

 

So, now you know what CTMH gives you when you become an Independent Consultant.  But, what do you get when you join MY team?   First of all, you get to have a ton of fun.  We're paper crafters who love to socialize and teach people how to preserve their memories.  We get together and gab and share and craft and make pretty things out of paper.  But, it's more than that.  We support one another and we work our businesses. We share our ideas for gatherings, workshops and open houses.  You can work your business as much, or as little, as you want.  But, I'm there to encourage you every step of the way!

Interested?  Email me if you want to talk about this awesome opportunity.  Or, you can visit my website to sign up right away.

Display Tray

Every time I travel to Western New York to visit my grandmother, my aunt and uncle host a family dinner, bonfire or barbeque in their barn.  It's a highlight for us all to gather together, sharing old family memories and watching the youngest cousins create new ones.

We're heading up for a visit this Labor Day weekend, and I wanted to take a special gift to my Uncle Terry and Aunt Donna to thank them for their hospitality.  I took some great photos of their daughter's family a few weeks ago when we gathered at my parents' lake house.  I made this Display Tray featuring Clementine and two very cute children, Addie and Drew.

 

Close To My Heart's Display Tray is such a great value.  At only $19.95, this wooden tray has sturdy hangars and is finished beautifully.  You can't find this quality for the price anywhere!  Contact me today if you'd like to order a Display Tray (Z1750) or click on Shop With Me on the left side of my blog.

2012 National Stamping Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the 2012 National Stamping Month Blog Hop!  I'm so glad you stopped over from Allisa Chilton's blog, Rocky Mountain Paper Crafts.

I'm loving this adorable double stamp set CTMH is giving you for only $5 with your $35 order, now through September 30th.  With a retail value of $35.90, It's Your Day really increases the value of your qualifying purchase.  You'll love the trendy images and musings, and will love even more that many of the 48 images work with your Cricut Artiste cartridge!


It's Your Day

Here's what I came up with using It's Your Day:

First, I stamped that awesome chevron stripe with Ruby to create a background paper on Cashmere:

It was late and I was tired, so it's not perfect, but neither am I.  I like that it's a little wonky in some places.  Here's the finished piece of cardstock:

Then, I fed the now patterned cardstock into my Cricut, loaded up Artiste, and cut out the little box using 3D Object  at 3".

I also cut out the little tab with Accent 1 <7> at 2 1/2".  I created another patterned paper with the tab using the dots image and Outdoor Denim ink.  I used Smokey Plum, Ruby and Outdoor Denim for the sentiments.  A little Burlap Ribbon (Z1760) and a Foundry Pin completed my box.  Hello Life!

Now, head on over to Gina Brandstetter's blog, Gina's Little Corner of Stmapin Heaven to see what cute creations she's come up with.

Avonlea Purse and Mini Cards

My Open House and Craft Sale is tomorrow night!  I'm so excited!  In addition to enjoying conversation, snacks, drinks and artwork, guests will be making these gorgeous (yet simple!) projects.  Thanks to my friend, Melissa Laverty, for the inspiration!

I'll post instructions and supplies used after the Open House.  If you can't wait, then come tomorrow night from 5-10 p.m. to mi casa in Leesburg, VA.  Give me a shout at michellejonesva@yahoo.com if you need an address!

Fall/Winter 2012 New Product Blog Hop

I know you've been enjoying the amazing collection of artwork featuring new product from Close To My Heart.  Thanks for coming from the amazingly talented Tamra Pope's blog.

There are so many gorgeous paper packs in CTMH's latest Idea Book, it was hard to focus on one for this blog hop.  Halloween is a favorite holiday of mine and Moonlight really drew me in.  I created a little purse from the new Cricut Artiste cartridge and filled it with spooktacular cards.  Check it out:

Here's a close up of the bag, don't you just love the "best witches" sentiment from the zip strip?!



I used the the Black/Colonial White striped B&T paper from Moonlight to cut out the bag. Using Artiste, 3D Object feature and I cut Fit to Page <3>.  I also used Artiste to cut out that little Autumn Terracotta circle next to "best witches" with 3D Object feature at 3/4" Shift <2>. 

The cards are all 3"x3" and I just used my paper trimmer for them.  To cut out the "Magic Potions" shapes, I just looked at the Magic Potions stamp set (C1509) and the My Acrylix overlay now tells which Cricut cartridge to use, which page to find the coordinating image and the size to cut it at!  WOO HOO CTMH!!!  Talk about faster, simpler and easier!

To create the frayed/branchy look on the bag and the OWL card, I used Black Hemp (Z282) and just seperated the strands.  I love that they're kind of stiff and witchy looking!

Here's a list of supplies I used, with the new product in bold:

Moonlight Paper Packet (p. 56), X7161B, $9.95

Moonlight Complements Dimensional Elements (p. 56), X7161C, $4.95

Haunted Assortment (p.128), Z1741, $4.95

Sparkles Black & Grey Assortment (p. 127), Z1754, $2.95

Silver Shimmer Trim (p. 124), Z1799, $4.95

My Acrylix Magic Potions Stamp Set (p. 57), C1509, $13.95

My Acrylix Creepy Creatures Stamp Set (p. 58), C1522, $13.95

Cricut Artiste Collection (p. 15), Z1790, $99

Black Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad (p. 9), Z2105, $5.25

Smokey Plum Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad (p. 9), Z2147, $5.25

Colonial White Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad (p. 9), Z2168, $6.95

Baker's Twine Neutral Assortment (p. 125), Z1701, $4.95

Black Hemp (p. 125), Z282, $2.25

Don't stop hoppin'!  Head over to see what the wonderful Mary Eisen has in store for you!

Magic Potions, C1509

Creepy Creatures, C1522

No bones about it...I love my friends who read to the bottom!
Comment that you read this an get an extra drawing for my Avonlea mini album drawing on August 31st!