I'm Twitterpated over 'Twitterpated' Paper Packet

Today was a quiet day to work in my scrappin' studio in preparation of the NEW 2009 Autumn/Winter Idea Book release on September 1st. I am not sure I will have one favorite paper packet -- all 4 new My Reflections paper packets are beautiful.


After completing the 2 layouts for our September scrapbook clubs and the 3 September card club cards, I decided to see what other great projects I could complete with the Twitterpated leftovers. The B&T (background and texture or pattern paper) is awesome. Beautiful trees, leaves, dots, and plaids in sorbet, chocolate, sweetleaf, and crystal blue work great in layouts, cards, and more.

A composition book covered in Twitterpated trees B&T makes a great journal gift for a friend, your child's new teacher, a family member. The first of my Twitterpated creations.

Next, I set out to create the mate to the card club cards. The great new club kit brochure includes a cutting diagram to create at least 6 cards. The first three were exact replica of the club kit cards. The second set included a few changes. The sentiment askew, the mushroom cut out and popped up.

Using the September stamp of the month, Treasures (D1375) instead of the card club stamp set, Hello There (B1337 - only available as part of the card kit) or large brads instead of small brads (now packaged in 3 sizes and 4 colors), I love how small changes create totally different cards.

Whether you use paper covered chipboard buttons or not, the same paper, ribbon, and a little change to the stamped image, creates totally new cards, ready to twitterpate whomever receives one.






Enjoy creating your Twitterpated creations.

Need your own copy of the NEW 2009 Autumn/Winter Idea Book -- just let me know!

Card or Scrapbook Club - A great Way to Keep Up

I love to join my friends each month for a quiet time OR NOT!! How about a monthly fun free for all with food (chocolate for sure), scrapbooks or cards, friends and family and MORE!!

It is so much fun to catch up on

• your scrapbook project or fill your card box with new creations,
• the latest fashion trends,
  
• your newest hair statement (formerly called hairdo),
• what has been happening in your life
  
• as well as what is happening in your friends life

Scrapbook and card clubs are the best way to do all these at one time. Throw in a little food and a lot of CHOCOLATE!! And I for one am in heaven.

The newest Close To My Heart Workshop on the Go is the bomb for making clubs so faster, simpler, easier. All you need is a club kit (now with an exclusive My Acrylix stamp set only available in the club kit) and you are ready.

Bump your kit up to the next level with a couple of cool, coordinating, and fun embellishments and you have the makings of a great COMPLETED project and FUN WITH THE GIRLS.

September, we will be Twitterpated (do you remember where that came from?) with a great Fall color scheme, shrooms, hedgehogs, and "Smiles".

Are you READY!! Checkout my Calendar and pick the date you want to start your club or see what clubs are available now!! Have club will travel -- see if the club is available in your neighborhood!

Inspirational Layout - Monthly Challenge

OMG, has it been that long since my last post. Each month I host a layout challenge for my friends, club members and anyone else who is interested. Our layout challenge this month runs from the 15th of August til the 15th of September and the theme, or challenge, is to work with sepia toned photographs.

Those old photos you found in Grandma's photo album have turned the beautiful orange/auburn/Autumn Terracota color and you can smell the age of the photograph. They bring memories filling the mind of sitting at the table while she cooked or watching her do the dishes or as she sat with you reading a book.

Or the photos of Grandpa or Great Grandpa telling stories, playing ball, fishing, or just sitting on the porch taking an afternoon nap.

These memories are priceless.

Earlier I shared a story of my own with you, the story of special times spent with Dad. Here is my version in a layout for my family to have forever. It is never too late to share the stories with your family.

Interested in joining the challenge -- check out My Artwork. This is also one of the layouts for September's scrapbook clubs -- join or start your own today.

Celebrate Everyday

Today starts the celebration of National Stamping Month -- September. This celebration is so big, we have to start it EARLY!!!

Woozers a great new Everyday Celebration card kit for making 16 beautiful cards is being offered and there are 3 ways to get a FREE card kit!

• Purchase a minimum of $60 in stamp sets (includes A, B, C, D, and E-size) between now and September 30.
• Host a Home Gathering with minimum sales of $400 between September 1–30
• Sign up as a new Consultant between September 1–30

You can also buy as many card kits as you’d like for $39.95 per kit (CC1006B). They make great gifts!!

And September 1st brings more fun! Place any order between September 1–30 and you’ll be automatically entered in our daily drawing for a FREE card kit! Winners will be announced on my website and closetomyheart.com. Express your passion for stamping with this pretty new card kit today!

Order one NOW, schedule your party for September and earn a FREE one or more to give as a gifts (or keep them all for yourself)!!

Why I Love My Job

Yesterday, I was privileged to spend the day with my Mom and sister. We ended a day of shopping at the movies. Julie & Julia is an awesome movie and the message hit home -- do what you love no matter how long it takes or how hard it seems!!

Why do I love my job (and it is difficult to call it a job)? It is awesome to do what you are passionate about. It is awesome to go to work happy every day, even when those days are long and the work is hard, and even when others wonder 'what is she thinking'.

Why Close To My Heart? Because it is the first scrapbook company to show me how to scrapbook faster, simpler, easier. Over my years of scrapbooking I collected many tools, papers, embellishments, and more. I spent my days working hard to have my layouts look like the magazine layouts or the the layouts shown on TV and stressed over being behind. And then I found Close To My Heart. I pick my photos, I pick up a how-to book, I pick a paper packet and the coordinating embellishments and I am on my way to sharing a story. Easy as pie! The recipe for a quick, beautiful layout!

As my layouts and albums begin to come together, I find I am not stressed over how much I have completed. I am now savoring the stories. So please let me share one of those great stories.

I love and miss my Dad and I love that he and I were able to share some daddy/daughter time before he passed away. Dad retired from full-time work to part-time work which gave him free afternoons. Every day at 2 o'clock, we would meet at the pool. Here came Dad with is very pale thin legs and his robust (Santa sized) belly, wearing those great big truck tire souled sandals. Being short, his bathing shorts would be knee length and baggy cause he had no behind to hold them up.

It was just Dad and me, swimming and talking for 45 minutes each day. Dad shared his thoughts on our beautiful little city, politics, religion, and more. It was fun listening to his booming voice giving me his advice, his knowledge, his friendship. We would sometimes debate a view point. (I like to call it debate, Mom and my husband, liked to call it the 'they both have to be right' syndrome.) Our 2 o'clock swim date will forever be etched in my memories.

Thank you for letting me share my passion, Close To My Heart, and my stories with you!!

August Club Cards -- Bella is Beautiful

It is time to create cards, cards, and more cards!! Each month card club members create beautiful cards, learn new techniques, talk, laugh, and enjoy the company of fellow papercrafters.

This month Wishes Card Confidence how-to book was the inspiration for 4 cards from one design. Using half of the Bella Level 2 paper packet, you can create 2 of each card and still have left over to create more!!

A few Big Pink paper flowers, Buttoned Together stamp set (presently on sale), circle window charms, and creme brulee ribbon and your cards are taken to the next level of WOW!! Finish these great cards with the great stamp of the month set, It's Your Day, and the stamp set Thank You, and you have a card for every occasion!!

Ready to start your own club or join an existing one -- check out my calendar!! Look forward to hearing from you.

Online Scrapbooking -- Studio J

I am so excited Close To My Heart is moving into the new frontier of online scrapbooking. Jeanette Lynton, Founder and CEO, has once again hit a home run. This is not digital scrapbooking -- this is an extension, an added bonus to our CLASSIC scrapbooking.

Always ready to play with paper, ink, bling, and more, Studio J will add a new dimension to the Classic layout. Need a quick layout to add to your Classic album, upload a few photos, select a great Imagine or Cherish layout, find the perfect paper (WOW -- same My Reflections paper packet choices), add embellishments. The only step left, drag and drop your photographs into the photo wells.

Love to added more to your layouts? Well, once you receive your Studio J layout, take it to the next level with ink, bling and more!!

Now is that not soooo simple == as a consultant our Studio J playdate is coming up, hey what a great time to join my team!!

Would you like to be on the cutting edge and in the know? Sign up for Studio J email announcements at www.studioj.com!

I LOVE MY JOB!!!

Close To My Heart Leadership conference was totally amazing. It is always rejuvenating being amongst all our wonderfully talented leaders.

We laughed, cried, brainstormed, honored, yelled and clapped, and just enjoyed learning how innovative our founder and CEO, Jeanette Lynton truly is! As always, Jeanette remains on the cutting edge of scrapbooking, introducing us to our newest Autumn/Winter Idea Book products (comes to you September 1st) and even some groundbreaking products to be unveiled in the early spring. More on that to follow!!

A weekend filled with classes spiced with moments of creativity. Great meals, games, and, even a little time to sightsee and shop.

It was so much fun receiving so many great gifts from everyone. Jeanette showered us with awesome new stamp sets, paper, new products galore. Cindy Denning, one of my many mentors gave me a new book,The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People," Cindy, recommended chapter 14, "Share with others how important they are to you." And it is true.

"Relationships are built on mutual appreciation, and there is no better way to show that appreciation than to tell someone how much you care."

I love you friends and I love my job!!