Close To My Heart - Retiring Stamp Sets November 2009!

With this month's Buy 2 Get a 3rd Free special, I thought I'd post the retiring stamp set with all the links for easy veiwing. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Close to My Heart - Retiring Stamp Sets November 2009
A1083-WHIMSY NUMBERS
A1090-SUMMER' S WAVE
A1094-MAKE MY DAY
A1097-NO GREATER LOVE
A1100-Boo-tiful
B1210-FLUTTER
B1213-LITTLE ANGEL
B1256-ALFRESCO
B1265-WONDERFUL CHARMS
B1270-BELOVED BLOSSOMS
B1271-SUMMER PICNIC
B1274-CELEBRATION BLOCKS
B1276-DINO ROAR
B1279-LIFE IS A PARTY
B1280-BEST OF TIMES
B1281-HALLOW SCREAM
B1282-SENSATIONAL SEALS
B1283 -LITTLE SPOOKS
B1299-SPRING EQUINOX
B1300-LUCKY YOU
B1301-SOFTBALL
B1303-GOLDEN YEARS
B1304-GYMNASTICS
B1310-Volleyball
B1312-Make A Wish
B1317-Shalom
C1190-Believe Lowercase
C1191-CALENDAR
C1205-WHIMSY CAPS
C1206-WHIMSY LOWERCASE
C1247-SIMPLE BLOSSOMS
C1256-LITTLE BOYS
C1259-BECAUSE I LOVE YOU
C1263 -CHARM UPPERCASE
C1265-CHARM LOWERCASE & NUMBERS
C1267-EASTER EXCITEMENT
C1268-VALENTINE EXCHANGE
C1269-FABRIC FINISHES
C1270-PURE LOVE
C1271 -TREASURES OF THE HEART
C1273-AHOY MATEY
C1274-NATURE WALK
C1275-SAFARI
C1276-ADVENTURE
C1279-ROUGHIN' IT
C1280-OUT WEST
C1281-CARD COMMENTARY
C1283-DANCING DREAMS
C1284-WILD THING
C1285-VICTORIAN SNOW FLAKE
C1286-GOODNESS OF LIFE
C1287-CELEBRATE LIFE
C1289-WARM MEMORIES
C1290-MEMORY LABELS
C1294-SWEET TREATS
C1295-WINTER PLAY
C1296-COLOR MY WORLD
C1298-PARTY INVITATION
C1301-THING OF BEAUTY
C1302-BOUTIQUE NUMBERS
C1303-PLACEMENT GUIDE
C1306-Genuine Country
C1309-Decorative Dainties
C1312-United We Stand
C1314-Tool Time
C1319-Laughter
C1320-Just Arrived
C1321-Solos Punctuation
C1325-Wonderful Holiday
C1327-Snowflake Kisses
C1329-Homeward Bound
C1330-Winter Fun
C1331-Santa' s Flight
C1332-Merry Wishes
C1334-The Season Defined
C1335-Ring in the New Year
D1063-SWEET TALK
D1082-MADE BY ME
D1083-Believe Caps
D1085-HAPPY EASTER
D1110-GIVE THANKS
D1131-RITZY RIBBON
D1139-SMALL PLEASURES
D1141-SO SWEET SEASONS
D1151-OFF ROAD
D1154-LOVE IN BLOOM
D1160-FRIENDSHIP FLOWERS
D1164-THE GOOD LIFE
D1167-Halloween Parade
D1168-SCHOOL ZONE
D1169-BIRTHDAY SURPRISE
D1178-CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
D1181-AUTUMN SPLENDOR
D1182-IT'S A PARTY
D1183-ADORABLE
D1184-FLYIN' HIGH
D1186-RUSTIC FLOWERS
D1189-FLORAL DELIGHTS
D1192-NOW AND FOREVER
D1193-VINTAGE VALENTINES
D1199-COME UNTO ME
D1205-NEW HORIZONS
D1209-LOVE FLOURISHES
D1210-MOMENTS
D1213-HUNTING
D1215-GAME NIGHT
D1216-FINISH LINE
D1218-SUMMERTIME
D1220-TYPEWRITER KEYS
D1223-FAIR BLOSSOMS
D1228-CHILLIN'
D1229-FABULOUS FALL
D1230-CELEBRATION FEAST
D1231-LOVELY BUCKLES
D1232-NATURE' S VEIN
D1233-POWER PLAY
D1234 -TAKE FLIGHT
D1235-TICKET FOR ALL SEASONS
D1236-NURSERY BASH
D1238-A BIRTHDAY WISH
D1240-DOODLE ART
D1241-WINTER WONDER
D1246-SWEET LOVE
D1253-FRIENDSHIP' S FLIGHT
D1256-ALL STAR
D1264-ANGEL WHISPERS
D1268-JANUARY WORD PUZZLE
D1269-FEBRUARY WORD PUZZLE
D1270-MARCH WORD PUZZLE
D1271-APRIL WORD PUZZLE
D1272-SLUMBER PARTY
D1273-TEE TIME
D1274-BELIEVE IN ME
D1277-Touchdown
D1278-Best Shot
D1279-Shootin' Hoops
D1282-He Said, She Said
D1287-May Word Puzzle
D1288-June Word Puzzle
D1289-July Word Puzzle
D1290-August Word Puzzle
D1291-Celebrate Canada
D1295-Vintage Canada
D1310-September Word Puzzle
D1311-October Word Puzzle
D1312-November Word Puzzle
D1313-December Word Puzzle
D1314-Friendship Patch
D1318-Uniquely You
D1321-Festivities
D1323-Happy Christmas
D1325-Argyle Backgrounds
D1328-Post Marked
E1001-Essential Alphabet
E1003 -BOUTIQUE ALPHABET
E1004-COBBLESTONE ALPHABET
E1007-HOMESTEAD ALPHABET

Technique Blog Hop!!! Resist Embossing

If you've come from Rita's blog you are moving right along!

This is sooo cool. It's the latest blog hop and it's based on stamping techniques. Just hop along to the next blog at the end of this post for more fun techniques to add to your tool box.

My technique is called Resist Embossing and uses the "collector's edition" of the Grace Workshop Basic Kit exclusive stamp set!

Supplies Required (click each item if you need to know what it looks like or to order!):

Craft Heater

Versamark Ink Pad

Clear Embossing Powder

Craft Tray

Exclusive Ink of your choice

Rubber Brayer

White Daisy or Colonial White Cardstock

Stamp Set from 'Grace' Workshop Basic Kit

1. First, ink up your stamps with Versamark and randomly stamp them onto White Daisy or Colonial White cardstock.

2. Next, cover the versamark images in clear embossing powder and then dump the excess in your craft tray. You can even lightly flick the back of the paper to get stray powder off. I also like to use my blending pen to clean up the images for more precision.

3. With your craft heater, moving evenly over your powder, but not too close as you can burn the paper, evenly set the embossing powder. You will see it turn from a powder to the slick embossed image right before your eyes!

4. Once cooled (about 10 -15 seconds), you can then place the embossed paper on a desk pad or other scratch paper protecting your work surface.

5. Evenly ink up and roll the brayer in your ink of choice.

6. Brayer ink over the embossed images. It may look uneven in ink distribution and show lines, but continue to re-ink your brayer and provide more coverage where needed.

7. Give your paper several minutes as the paper soaks in the ink - you will notice those lines disappear.

8. Using a paper towel or tissue, lightly rub off excess ink from your embossed images. The White Daisy or Colonial White daisy should now be clearly showing through where you embossed giving you a beautifully patterned paper.

Here's the finished card!

Now, please visit Shirley's blog next!

If you get lost or the link doesn't work for you, here's is a complete listing of the round robin hop so you can check out everyone's techniques!

Shirley Ross - http://www.momnmescrap.blogspot.com/

Debi Barber - http://www.debiistheothersister.blogspot.com/

Heather Snow - http://www.snowfilledhearts.blogspot.com/

Rita Mefford - http://www.istamphearts.blogspot.com/

Teri Baxter - http://www.themidnightartist.blogspot.com/

I'm offering a fun Online Club using the new Basic Workshop Kits! If you'd like to become an exclusive Club Member and get $25 of free product, new ideas each month as well as completed layout and cards to match AND free Idea Books three times a year, contact me for more information! I'd love to spoil you and your friends :)

Stampaganza - Buy Two Get One Free Stamp Sets!

You are NOT going to want to miss this great sale on Close To My Heart Acrylix stamp sets! Not only are they the best on the market, but you're also contributing a portion of your proceeds toward our charity, Operation Smile!

Get your holiday shopping done early... or better yet, tell your Santa what's on your stamp set Wish List and they can order for you from my website this month and be done early with the perfect holiday gift for you!

Please pass it on to your friends. I would hate for them to be mad at us if they found out about this great deal after the fact :)

Grace Cards using Workshop On The Go Kits

I know, I know! It's been more than 2 weeks since I've posted anything new... but I promise, I actually have a good excuse. We are officially homeless and living in a hotel for the next 3-4 weeks. So, while I won't have access to my beloved stamping and crafting supplies, I can probably fill you in on any adventures we are experiencing as well as some saved pictures of artwork I have hiding on my laptop.

Here are some fun cards I created a few weeks ago to help one of my team members prepare for clubs in November. I used the Grace Workshop On The Go Kit (one of my fav's) and the stamp set that comes with it for all three of these cards. And, I used a fun technique called resist embossing. I'll show off the cards first and do a quick "how to" in a few days!

Here's a quick 'ditty' on the new Workshop On The Go's if you haven't heard about them. I LOVE these scrapbook/card making kits all rolled into one. Just click on this link to see what the kit looks like for only $29.95 (a $5-$6 savings over purchasing separately) Plus you get all-inclusive instructions for new patterns not in any of our 'how to' books AND an exclusive 'collectors' stamp set not available in our Idea Book/catalog!

Here's the scrapbook layout

Here are the cards (you make 2 sets of each)

Grace Workshops on the Go™ Basic Kit Contents

Grace Level 2 Paper Packet

My Acrylix® Beautiful Flourish B-size Stamp Set

Edge Anchors™ Rustic Assortment

Workshop Guide

Follow the included step-by-step instructions to create the two workshop projects featured in the workshop guide: a two-page layout and six cards (2 each of 3 designs). Layout and card patterns are Jeanette Lynton originals created exclusively for this workshop. To create the fully embellished projects, purchase the following accessories (sold separately): Crystal Blue Waxy Flax (Z1247), Basic Craft Buttons (Z1206).

World Card-Making Day Blog Hop!

First, Happy Seventh Birthday to my first baby, Ryan! I can't believe he's seven years old already. As most mom's wonder... where has the time flown? He's so smart, patient, curious, funny, and great fun to be around. He's a wonderful big brother, too. What a special boy... I am such a lucky mom.

It's also World Card-Making Day and to celebrate, I've joined my first blog-hop. If you've never hopped before, you're in for a treat. What you do is follow the links on each of the CTMH consultant's pages to the next page. So, if you've come from Shirley's blog, just keep hopping along and visit Camy's page next! This is a round robin hop, so you can just keep linking until you come back to me or wherever you started. Please leave comments along the blog... we love fan mail!

So, here's my card. I created this for our Leadership Conference card contest this past July. It was so much fun to create and uses the "Extreme Happiness" stamp set, Emporium Level 2 paper and My Stickease border.

I used the 3-D foam tape to raise the frame and border, then dotted liquid applique sprinkled with prisma glitter for the paper pieced flower centerpiece. The word Paradise is clear embossed.

Here's the list just in case you get side-tracked along your blog-hopping journey:

Haley Dyer http://inkyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Jena DeVries http://www.livelovelaughscrapbook.blogspot.com/
Antoinette Herrin http://www.godblessyourart.blogspot.com/

Tresa Black http://www.fabulouslyartsy.blogspot.com/
Debra Van Patten http://memoriesoftheheartbydeb.blogspot.com/
Wendy Kessler http://www.myscrapbookingblog.com/
Kathleen Androlewicz http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/
Shirley Ross http://www.momnmescrap.blogspot.com/

Teri Baxter www.themidnightartist.blogspot.com/
Camy Eisentrager http://www.camyscorner.blogspot.com/
Jessica Booth http://jessicabooth.blogspot.com/
Jamia Bankhead http://papermadnessinc.blogspot.com/
Kristina Baldwin http://sunnydaymemories.blogspot.com/
Debora Quigley http://livingbetterforless.blogspot.com/
Laurie Flannery http://westmanscrapbooks.blogspot.com/
Penny Kentosh http://cardmakinginparadise.blogspot.com/
Deb Young http://www.scrapbookczar.blogspot.com/

Create a beautiful day!

World Card-Making Day... blog hop on Saturday!

Visit my blog on Saturday and join me for my first blog hop to celebrate World Card-Making Day! We have some very talented artists online... I hope you'll join me for your viewing pleasure :)

The Newest Member of KISS!

Did you know that KISS is going to go on World Tour to celebrate 35 years in the business? My husband and I love watching Gene Simmons on his reality show... he is a huge supporter of the military and really a great guy. If they come to Vegas, guess who is going to the show?!!!

Well of course, being the KISS fans we are, we pulled a few strings and somehow got lucky! I HAD to post because I am so excited to announce who the newest member of KISS is going to be.... my very own 2-year old son, Tyler! I know that if he finds out one day that I did this, I will probably never hear the end of it. Hopefully, you all won't tell him. LOL!

Last weekend when we were packing up to come home from the OBX, I though Tyler was happily sitting on my bed watching cartoons while I was drying my hair and packing up toiletries. When I was done with my dryer, I turned around to put it away and couldn't find my bag. Thinking my husband had taken it already to pack into the car, I went in search of it.

Apparently, my dryer was on so loud, I didn't hear Tyler come in and grab this HUGE bag filled with shampoo, etc hanging on the towel bar behind me. I came into the bedroom to find ... THE NEWEST MEMBER OF KISS!

I get a litte teary eyed when I see this picture because I know he got scared when I brought him upstairs to wash him off. He saw Daddy's look of utter SHOCK and distress at the situation and knew he was in trouble without us saying very much. Tyler of course was very happy when I first found him with my tube of mascara. Thankfully, he did not poke his eyes out, it was not waterproof and cleaned up easily. Can you imagine what he could have done if he had a few more minutes of playtime?

As you can see.... creativity runs in my family genes!!!

House Update - Jingle, Jingle, Jingle...Holiday Warmth

Believe it or not, we actually put in an offer for a house today (sight unseen - just a little scary and maybe something to prep you for getting in the Halloween spirit!). I won't tell you where it's located or what it looks like because there's only 50/50 chance we'll be accepted and I don't want anyone else to know it exists - LOL! But if you'll cross your fingers and say a prayer for us, maybe it'll lean us in the positive direction and I would be forever in your debt if we go it!!

Yes, I realize that it's not nearly close to Christmas time, but I'm working my little hiney off to prep for the next few months before we move 1 November!

Here are the 4 cards my club members and Card Confidence ladies will get to make in October for just $6! My friend and team member, Carolyn, will be taking over the clubs, but I have lots of other team members in the area if you'd like a referral to someone close to you!

These cards are using the October Stamp of the Month: Holiday Warmth and our new Jingle paper... love these! Oh, plus a few other fun embellishments like our new Twinkle Brads and my all time favorite Clear Sparkles! We'll be using watercolor pencils and the waterbrush, too!

Oh yes... there is a SUPER MOVING SALE at my house this Saturday - everything is 50% off or more. I'm cleaning office space out for downsizing and while I'd love to be able to tell you everything there is and save stuff for you, I'm just too crazy busy right now, so come by and check it out (door opens at 1pm sharp... and now sooner - so stand patiently in line and make some new scrap & stamp friends). Oh, and bring 5 friends with you and you'll get an additional 10% off your purchase that day!

Remember... just a few more days to get the Everyday Celebration kit for only $39.95 or free with a $60 stamp order! Visit my website @ http://scrapbooking.myctmh.com!