I have a very good friend who is an extremely talented cardmaker.  Karen -- you are awesome!  We had a fabulous visit recently and she gave me this gorgeous card, using the Pathfinding paper pack and the "You mean the World to Me" stamp set.


I love how she combined small pieces of different papers in the kit and the green dots just add the right pizzazz.  The stamp is so simple, but so meaningful.  It's just an awesome card.  Thank you Karen!  You can see more of Karen's work at Karen's Creations.

Fall officially arrived last week, but here in Toronto, we've experienced some wonderfully warm summer temperatures.  Never fear, we know they won't last.  Especially if all of the leaves that are changing colour are any indication.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving in just a few weeks, followed by Halloween -- which is one of my favourite holidays.  Stews and soups, chilis and of course, turkey, the foods of Fall are so warm and filling in my tummy.  Plus all the family time and reasons to celebrate.

And Pathfinding is perfect for this time of year.  We're finding our way through this season and heading towards winter.  But let's take some time -- don't rush to the snow and the Christmas carols.  Stop and jump in a leaf pile.  Take a walk in the cool air.  Whatever you do, try not to rush down the path towards the end of the year.  Time goes too quickly as it is.

Here is the first layout from the Pathfinding Workshop on the Go.  I added some different things, like sequins, sparkle twine and Base & Bling charms just to boost this already robust layout.

The new Shin Han markers that we're offering at Close to my Heart are great.  The blend nicely, have strong, vibrant colours and are lots of fun to play with.

And you have a chance to play with them at my upcoming workshop.  We'll be making this flighty and fabulous layout together, after I teach you some valuable marker techniques.


This workshop will be held on Sunday, September 21 at 1pm.  For $25, you'll learn some great techniques, and even get 2 markers to take home.  We'll learn about the colourless blender, shading with light and dark, and shading with grey.

To RSVP, email me at justscrapit.ctmh@gmail.com.  Please reserve your space by August 31.

This month's feature paper pack is "Chalk It Up".  I love it!  It's one of the first papers we got to play with at Convention, and it's one I know I'll be playing with all year long.


The graphics on this paper are fantastic!  Funky and iconic, they are great for school layouts, birthday cards, seaside photos, boys & girls, and so much more.  I really see this paper as being super versatile -- it can be used for SO much!

Here's a layout we created at Convention.  It was perfect for my teenage son's Grade 8 grad photos.



I love the embellishments too.  Aren't they fun?

At Convention, we also made a mini album using Chalk It Up Picture My Life cards.  It turned out great!  Take a look:




Now it's your turn.  What different ways can you see yourself using this amazing paper pack?

I love ribbon.

I love shimmer trim.

And I love, love, love Washi tape.

So one of the first pages I turned to in the new Annual Inspirations Idea Book was the embellishments section.  And I wasn't disappointed.

New ribbon in Thistle and Slate, Black and Red.

New shimmer trim in Gold and Pink.

And new washi in fabulous new patterns.


What am I going to use all this for?  So many things!

Adding bling, sparkle and shine to cards.

Taping photos onto my layouts and into my My Crush albums.

Tying knots and bows to add texture and dimension.

Creating my own patterns.

And so much more!

What will you do with your ribbons, trim and washi?

Pocket scrapbooking is a great way to put together an album that looks great, with all the elements of good memory-keeping (like photos and journaling), and complete it in a couple of hours.  And in the new Annual Inspirations Idea Book, there are 13 Picture My Life kits that are IDEAL for pocket scrapbooking.  So that's why they're on my TOP 10 products to showcase.

#8  Picture My Life



Because there are 13 great kits, instead of 5 great new designs, here are 13 reasons why you will LOVE Picture my Life.

1. Fast and easy - you can put together a whole album in a couple of hours.
2. All inclusive kit -- just add your photos -- at an affordable price.
3. Coordinates with our papers and cardstock so you can make your own cards and still match!
4. Add embellishments and stamps to take your layouts to the next level.
5. You can still create "layouts" by sorting and categorizing your photos -- pocket pages create a cohesive look.
6. You don't have to be limited by pockets -- crop and use a 4x6 in 2-3x4 pockets, create a mosaic look, etc. OR Crop a picture small and mount it on a 4x6 card.
7. Can mix traditional layouts with PML layouts
8. It's easy to add even more photos with 4x6 and 3x4 Flip Flips -- can NOW get a whole pack of 3x4!!
9. Got extra cards? Use them on other projects like cards, mini albums and home decor.
10. Want even more value? Split and share with a friend. You get multiples of each card (2-4x6 and 3-3x4).
11. Cards are double sided but you get 2 or 3 of each, so you don't have to worry about "wasting" one side of a card if you like both sides.
12. Because cards are double sided, you don't have to double up. Let one image show through on one side and the other side show through on the next page.
13. The kits are flexible. Make your album as big or as small as you want. You can easily add more pocket pages as you need them.

And here's a BONUS reason:  Get a BONUS pack of 10 Memory Protectors for just $3!

Purchase any of the 13 available Picture My Life™ scrapbooking programs featured in the Annual Inspirations idea book at their full retail price of $27.50, you are eligible to add your choice of 1 of 8 qualifying Memory Protectors™ 10-packs for just $3! 

Each Picture My Life scrapbooking program already includes a coordinating 10-pack of Memory Protectors, so when you add your additional 10-pack for only $3, you will be well on your way to your own picture-perfect pocket scrapbooking adventure!


*Offer valid August 1–31, 2014 while supplies last. No tax will be charged on the free item(s).Shipping/
handling is calculated based on the full retail price of the free item(s) ($10.95). 
Qualifying Memory Protectors include: Design 1, Design 2, Design 3, Design 4, Design 5, Top Load, 

Side Load, and Variety Pack.

Happy Holiday Monday!  I hope you are enjoying some nice weather, putting your feet up and flipping through your new CTMH Annual Inspirations Idea Book!  Ready for another thing that I love?

#9  Nine new paper packs and five new colours of cardstock!

That's right.  The Annual Inspirations features NINE new fabulous paper collections, including paper packs, Workshops on the Go, Complements embellishments and Assortments.  And I will tell you -- I AM IN LOVE!  With 9 different themes, you'd think there would be one that I don't like.  But the selection in this Idea Book is AWESOME.  I love them all (and I'm not just saying that!)!!

Here's just a sneak peek!  You'll have to see the Idea Book to see them all up close!



So much fun!  So much potential.

Can I let you in on a little secret?  One of my FAVOURITE new papers is called "Chalk it up"!  I've already had some fun with it, which you will see next week.

PLUS THERE'S 5 NEW COLOURS!
That's right.  CTMH has updated its Whimsy Colour palette and the new colours are gorgeous!  Rich and warm, these colours have a real vibrancy, even though they are pastels.  Take a look:


OK.  Have I whet your appetite?  Are you as excited as I am to play with these new papers?

Right now, there's nothing trendier than owls and they can be a real hoot.  And when it comes to this amazing stamp set, the owls are super cute too!

It comes complete with lots of pieces to "build your own" owls for whatever occasion you're celebrating.  Maybe you'll even skip the owls and use the other stamps, like I did below.

Supplies: Seaside B&T, Sunset, Honey and Colonial White cardstock, Chalk It Up Assortment, White Enamel stars and Shin Han markers.

Supplies: Chalk It Up PML card, Flaxen and Colonial White cardstock, Chalk It Up Assortment, Teal shimmer trim and Shin Han markers.

Supplies: Confetti Wishes B&T, Outdoor Denim and Colonial White cardstock, Silver sequins, Thistle, Canary, Crystal Blue, Pacifica and Pear inks.

This month, you can get this stamp set for just $5 with a qualifying order of $50 or more.  Contact me at justscrapit.ctmh@gmail.com for details or to place your order.  Or shop online.

It's HERE! This is my favourite time of year because I finally get to share a whole bunch of things I've been keeping secret for the last month.  New products, new artwork, new things to play with!  And I know you're going to love it just as much as I do!

It's the newest Close to my Heart Idea Book, complete with amazing papers, unique stamps, gorgeous artwork and so much more to inspire your creativity!  



This month, I am going to be showcasing my Top 10 favourite things in the new Idea Book.  So join me again and again and let me show you what I love!  

#10  A whole year of inspiration!!

That's right.  This Idea Book good for ONE WHOLE YEAR, from August 1st (TODAY!!) until July 31, 2015.  That means you can plan your crafting according to your schedule, vacations, holidays and special events.  This book includes tons of gorgeous products for different seasons, 12 months of the Stamp of the Month program, and lots of foundational products like albums, tools and embellishments.  

How are we going to keep things fresh throughout the year?  We're also going to have 2 "midi" sized Seasonal Expressions, 32 full-sized pages with ALL NEW products.  The first S.E. will arrive in December (until March) and will feature Spring and Valentines goodies.  The second S.E. (April - July) will have more seasonal fun and ALL NEW product.

Keep coming back for more reasons why YOU should get your own copy of the CTMH Annual Inspirations.  

You can see the Annual Inspirations Idea Book RIGHT NOW online at justscrapit1.ctmh.com  

And if you'd like your very own copy, please email me at justscrapit.ctmh@gmail.com.  We can arrange to meet in person, or I can mail it to you.  However, a shipping fee will apply to all Idea Books mailed.

Today, we celebrated Christmas in July by making some Christmas cards in my Crafty Classroom.  It was lots of fun to dip into my Christmas stamps, both old and new, and make some adorable cards using non-traditional colour combinations.  The ladies were fabulous and are so happy to have gotten a start on their Christmas cards already!


We used Skylark patterned paper, paired with Outdoor Denim, Twilight and Cranberry.  Skylark and Twilight are both retiring in just a few days, so it was good to give them both a nice send off.

Each card was accented with either Red Shimmer Trim and Red&Pink Glitter Gems, or both.

Here are the cards a bit more close up:






Aren't they sweet?  So fun and so cute.  I was so pleased with how these designs turned out.

Want to make them yourself?  I have a handful of extra kits that you can purchase for $40 plus shipping.  Each kit includes all the pieces you need, precut and prestamped, plus full instructions to assemble 15 cards (3 each of 5 designs).  Email me to request your kit.  justscrapit.ctmh@gmail.com

Or if you want to stock up on supplies, including the soon-to-be-retired Twilight cardstock and ink pads, and Skylark paper packs, contact me by email before July 31 or shop online.

• This is a circular hop so you can start here and go all the way around.
• If you came from the spectacular "Stephanie's Creations" blog, then you are going in the right direction.
• Visit Michelle's My Creations blog, for the complete blog list if you get lost along the way. 

Welcome to another Color Dare challenge at Color My Heart.  When I first laid eyes on this week's colors in the Ariana paper pack, it wasn't for me.


But after seeing it in person (instead of on a computer screen) and playing with it for a variety of projects, I have become more and more fond of Ariana.  There's so much you can do -- just see what our DT has come up with.

And see what I came up with.  I had another challenge I was working on -- to create something using CTMH's Stamp of the Month for April, "Bubble Talk".  So I combined those two inspirations into this week's card.


This card looks complex, but it wasn't hard.  Yes, there are lots of pieces and it took time to choose the right papers and put them in the right place.  But it came together so nicely and easily -- and looks even better now than it's finished than it did in my head.  :)


Now it's your turn!  Pull out your Ariana and play!  Then post your creation on Color My Heart's Color Dare blog and share what you've done!  Please have fun and feel free to enter more than once!

Yes, I can say with great confidence that Close to my Heart has changed my life.  It has, in so many wonderful and amazing ways.  But the biggest way it has changed things is with the people who have come into ... and stayed ... in my life.  People who support me.  People who challenge me.  People who come to me for help.  People who inspire me with their talent and generosity.  People who love me, no matter what.

When I look back at my Close to my Heart experience, it's the PEOPLE that I think about and remember ... and will always remember.

So thank you, to each and every one of you who have left a footprint (or an inky handprint) on my heart.  I am so grateful for having you in my life.

These are just a very few of my special friends ...

I'm back.  It was a busy week and I haven't had as many chances to post, but that's a perfect example of my Reason #6 for loving my CTMH business -- FLEXIBILITY!!

For me, flexibility means 2 things.  First, the flexibility of time.  Over the years, I have been able to work my CTMH business around the other things in my life: my family, my corporate job, my commute, vacations, illness, seasons.  I set my own schedule and plan my workshops, crops, customer care, admin time and more around the other events and milestones.  It fits into my life ... I don't have to fit my life around it.

So flexible, there's even time to relax with my hubby (above) and friends at their cottage!

The other meaning of Flexibility is my ability to build my business any way I want.  I have built my business through workshops, crops and retreats instead of the traditional home gathering (party).  That's what works for me.  Others love doing the parties and find it's a great way to meet new people.  And others still like to keep it small, just enjoying the discount on amazing products.

And your business can CHANGE!  Maybe you want to start small.  That's ok.  I started big, but then had to pull back because the demands of my life became too much.  And I've slowly built it up again, managing my time and doing my best to keep a better balance.

As recently as a year ago, I never would have even THOUGHT about making a try for the CTMH Incentive Trip -- never thought that I would even come close to achieving it.  Yet, here I am, just over half way through the earning period and I am RIGHT ON TRACK for getting there.  It will mean that I have to continue to work hard, but I'm okay with that.  That's how much my business has changed in just the last year.

Aloha Donald!  This year's incentive trip is to the Disney Aulani resort in Hawaii! I so want to be there!

Want to learn more about what being a Consultant can mean for you?  Want to see how it can fit into your life?  Give me a shout at justscrapit.ctmh@gmail.com.  Let's talk and get you started.

Plus, when you sign up in April, you get even more!  For just $99, you get over $400 in great products, INCLUDING your choice of 1 of our 3 Cricut Collections.  April is almost over so you want to sign up NOW!