Sunday, August 16, 2015

Ready to Get Your Scrap Life Organized?

Throughout the month of August, Close To My Heart is introducing two new products in their Organization line: a Marker Roll-Up (shown at left, bottom) and an Accessory Roll-Up. 

The Marker Roll-Up (which I just L-O-V-E) has 25 elastic loops -- perfect for holding your collection of 24 ShinHan Touch Twin markers and Blender Pen, available through CTMH separately.  These are bold alcohol markers that are terrific for coloring stamped images.  The Accessory Roll-Up is perfect for holding Base & Bling components (as shown), sticker gems, Pigment Inks (!!!) and even your make-up. 

With a purchase this month of the Marker Roll-Up (Z3120, $17.95), you'll receive the stamp set "Balloon Wishes" (D1667, $17.95) absolutely FREE!  When you purchase an Accessory Roll-Up (Z3121, $18.95), you'll receive two FREE Base & Bling Style Sheets -- perfect for making your own stylish necklaces or keychains.

Both of the Roll-Ups match Close To My Heart's terrific Rolling Tote, which is now back in stock and available to order. Please contact me at cardmonkey@comcast.net with questions, or shop at cardmonkey.ctmh.com. 

But WAIT, before you go -- I have a super-duper special that's exclusive to those who buy their rolling tote from my CTMH business address.

You see, I'm a packer ... an overloader ... a crazy gotta-have-it-all-with-me sort of cropper.  And that Rolling Tote is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, but if you load it as much as our Corporate office shows you can (in this picture, at left), you're going to need some assistance to lift that pretty bag. I've found the perfect solution, and it's called a Strap-A-Handle. I've bought them by the dozen, and I will send you one TOTALLY FREE if you buy your CTMH Rolling Tote through my website. Yup, I'll see that you've ordered it, and the next thing you know, you'll be getting a free strap in the mail to make your using the tote even easier.  How does that sound?  Great, ehhh?  

Check it out -- this handle (strapped either top to bottom or around the tote's middle) truly does help reduce strain on your back because YOU KNOW you pack as much as I do, and helps to lift this bag into the trunk of your car. And YES, it fits beautifully in the trunk of a sedan. I drive a Honda Accord (and when I go to a crop, I WISH I drove an SUV!), and this bag makes my life SOOOO much easier!  You need one. You know you do!

Here's the link to buy your Rolling Tote -- and you'll be getting the free Strap-A-Handle directly from me, in a separate mailing, a CardMonkey special!  



Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Make It A Party: Christening Decorations Done on Commission

Recently, I was contacted by the grandmother of Ari Michael to make these very special decorations for the celebration of her grandson's christening.  She had found similar decorations on Etsy, and had contacted the seller to do a rush order, but the seller was unable to do the project in time. I stepped in and was able to complete this project in just a few days.


I put a little bit of my own spin on the Etsy seller's designs to make this precious banner, flower inserts and door sign. 

Directions:  To make the banner, I cut chipboard pennants using a album scoreboard die by Sizzix and my Big Shot machine.  The background paper is by American Crafts from A.C. Moore; the light blue and white solid cardstock is A.C. Moore's open stock (on sale last week for just $1.00 for 8 sheets!)  I cut the flower inserts (they're like cupcake toppers, on lollipop sticks) and the sign's scalloped square background using my Cricut Explore.

I cut the letters in the inside of a white doily by "attaching" the letters to a Cricut Design Space doily file.  The crosses in the banner and on the top flower insert are cut using Sizzix dies. The other two are printed on my computer. 

If you have a special project that you need help executing -- with or without your own involvement in my craft room -- please don't hesitate to contact me.  I'm happy to help!  Let me help YOU make your next event a little extra special, by doing, brainstorming or helping you make your projects.  I can be reached by e-mailing me at cardmonkey@Comcast.net.

UPDATE:
 
The Christening Party was a lovely event, and Ari's grandmom said that "everyone loved your decorations."  She shared this picture:
 


Sunday, August 2, 2015

Introducing ZOE Blog Hop: Close To My Heart's Newest Designer Paper Suite

It is my pleasure to participate in this blog hop with several of my fellow Close To My Heart (CTMH) independent consultants. If you've come from Emily Evertz's super cute BLOG, you're in the right place.  Or, if you're just landing here and finding the Hop, I encourage you to go to the start at our Hostess Andrea Sherman's BLOG and see all the SWEEEEET projects we've come up with to Celebrate ZOE, and hop along!

We are excited that the day has finally come to release CTMH's newest paper suite, called "Zoe."

Zoe is fun, vibrant and colorful, with a sweet combination of cardstock colors such as Glacier, Whisper, Sorbet and Sweet Leaf. The paper is versatile for both scrapbookers and cardmakers alike.

I'm typically a cardmaker (otherwise I'd be known as "ScrapbookMonkey", I guess), but I have an upcoming papercrafting class in September* at the Scatter Joy Center for the Arts in Horsham, PA, and the students' wish is to have a scrapbooking class.  Here's what I'll be teaching:



One of my favorite classic "Flip Flap" layouts is the Birthday cake layout that several have done before -- but this may be the first one to use "Zoe."  A flip-flap is a mini-page protector; they are available in multi-packs in a variety of sizes from CTMH. The edge of the flip-flap is adhesive, and should be applied to the outside of your larger Memory Protector (page protector), to multiply the number of photographs your layout can hold. 

The cake (at far right) is a series of five 4"x6" stacked Flip Flaps. When each is opened, it reveals the finished page with "Make A Wish" underneath, like this:


I used several of the Close To My Heart/Cricut cartridges to cut the embellishments I used in this layout. I used "Artbooking" for the titles "celebrate" and "happy."  I used "Artfully Sent" for "Make a Wish". And I used "Artiste" to cut the banner at the top left. 

Speaking of Cricut (which has really been chirping a LOT here lately!), did you know that CTMH has issued a brand-new Cricut cartridge called "Artistry"??  With another 700 elements designed as icons, backgrounds and sentiments, Artistry is bound to be a crucial piece of my craft room arsenal. How about for you?  It would be my pleasure if you would purchase your Cricut "Artistry" from my site. The link, active starting in August, is HERE

"Zoe" has beautiful Complements and Accessories designed to match this bright new paper pack. All of the Zoe suite is available to purchase by our Customers in August -- one month ahead of our September release of the new "Annual Inspirations" and "Holiday Expressions" idea books.

You can shop for your Zoe by clicking HERE.

Hop on through this great blog hop to see the other fun projects consultants have made for you to show off Zoe's versatility.  Your next stop is with Julia Clendenen Hammond's blog (<< to "hop", CLICK JULIA's NAME) and her great blog "Create Teach Repeat". 

(* Stay tuned for more details on my scrapbooking class at SJCA.  For now, let me tease, that I'll be hosting monthly classes there on the third Tuesday of every month beginning in September, from 7 to 9 p.m.)

Thank you again for joining us today!
Now, go out and buy your own ZOE and party along.

If you've lost your way on the blog hop, or want to visit the posts after the day of the Hop (8/2/2015), here are links to the participants' posts: