Nifty Neighbor Gifts

With just a few crafty products, it's fun and easy to create heartfelt gifts for your neighbors and friends. Find out how simple it is to make these gorgeous gifts filled with delicious delicacies! 


In this Close To My Heart video, we show you how to create the gift packaging featured on page 82 of our Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book. Wouldn't these be cute for teacher gifts, party goody bags or special Valentine's treats?!




With the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge you will have access to unlimited ideas for gift giving, card making and scrapbook page titles and embellishments. To learn more and to see the images that are available go to this post. If you're ready to try out the Art Philosophy Cartridge for yourself go here.

Request for V-day Cards

I don't normally like to send mass requests to people but this cause is so worthy that I hope you will take a moment and make one extra Valentine to share with this little girl. 

Here's her story:

Can you help brighten Valentine's Day for a 6 year old???

Allison is a patient at Cincinnati Children's. She is 6 years old. After 15 months of treatment that had some bumps along the way (big scary bumps), she was found to be cancer free. Everyone rejoiced and celebrated. At the three month scan still cancer free, more rejoicing and more celebrating. However, at the six month scan, just weeks before Christmas, the doctors found more cancer. The type of cancer that Allison has is very fast growing and aggressive because of this it is extremely hard to treat and the doctors give her a 5% cure/survival rate. Through January and into February Allison will have to undergo a very risk type of radiation which should be completed the week of Valentine’s Day!

The pastor at Friendship Lutheran Church in Cincinnati, OH has been visiting with this family for over a year now and the church has sort of adopted them, since they're not from the area, to try to encourage and love on them through their journey Now Allison and her family are back home and we have teamed with St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ironton, OH. With Valentine's Day coming up, they thought it would really brighten Allison's day to get like a bazillions Valentine's cards.

Last year the people of Friendship Lutheran started hoping they would get a 100 or so valentines. Thanks to people from literally all over the world we collected over 10,000 valentines. This year we are dreaming big and hoping to be our record.

YOU CAN HELP???
We're asking everyone we know to consider mailing a Valentine's card for Allison that the church can compile and take to her. If you wouldn't mind picking up a card - or even making one! - and mailing it to:

Valentines for Allison
c/o St. Paul Lutheran Church
PO Box 601
Ironton, OH 45638-0601

Can't get a card in the mail just invite everyone you know.... so they have the chance to make Allison smile too!

Thanks for helping out! I hope this will really help her to feel special and loved as every 6 year old princess should be!

My card will be in the mail soon! Please help brighten this little girls day!  

24 Photos, 1 Layout

I know what you may be thinking...24 photos on one layout?! Yeah right. They are either really small or she needs to go back to school for some counting lessons. I promise you though there really are 24 photos!

How did I do it? Simple. I used the Magic How-To Book and the Deck of Cards design. If you are new to the How-To Books they are essential scrapbook and card making tools. They are different than other sketch books because these ones provide cutting diagrams, beautiful full color examples, and tips and techniques that will teach (or remind) you of new ideas and ways to use your products.

So, how exactly did I fit so many photos? Easy...I used mini pull-out albums. On the right page, behind each 3 x 3 photo I made individual mini-albums featuring Christmas memories of each child. It's neat, tidy and interactive!

I chose to put photos on the front-side of each mini-album. The backside includes journaling of each photo. However, I could have easily fit another 16 photos on this page. Here are close-ups of each mini-album:

Family:

Sofia:

Gino:

Luc:

If you are ready to stop agonizing over your design and start producing I highly encourage you to check out these  How-To Books . They have literally changed the way I make pages and cards. I no longer spend my time searching the Internet for sketch ideas nor do I waste my precious time and paper making cutting and design mistakes. If you want to try one email me or leave a comment with your email. I'll send you a design page to try for free!

Supplies used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted): 
Paper: Believe (retired), Garden Green Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: Trinity Alphabet, Family Love, Authentic
Ink: Archival Black, Garden Green
Other: Piercing Tool, 3D Foam Tape, Mini-Medley Holiday (retired), Mini-Medley Olive

February Creative Club

This month it's all about love as we are alter a wood frame and make a fun gatefold card! The gatefold totally reminds me of a hug which is perfect for the sentiment on the inside of the card! We will also color the new Seam Binding Ribbon using My Acrylix Inks to create a super adorable rolled flower.

Normally my creative club meets the 2nd Friday of the month but conflicting schedules have my club meeting Friday, Feb 3.

If you weren't able to make the live date I have limited kits available for purchase. Each kit is $5. If you are local we can arrange delivery. For those not local there is a $5 shipping charge.

Here's what's included in your kit:

• Wood Frame (I will pre-paint the edges for you)
• 18" of Seam Binding Ribbon 
• Pre-cut papers (equivalent of 2 sheets of cardstock and 1 B&T)
• Pre-stamped images
• Detailed instructions with cutting diagrams and pictures

To order your kit please choose one of the two choices below. As soon as I receive delivery I will get them mailed ASAP!

Options

Local $5.00 USD Ship $10.00 USD

Mojo Monday 226

This week's MOJO Monday Sketch was nice and simple so I'm playing along! I can't get enough of the new Florentine paper so of course I had to use that! Oh, and I have to warn you...you'll be seeing a lot of the stamp set I used too! It's probably my favorite in the new Idea Book.

The card is 4" x 4" which is not my typical size. But, I had a scrap of Vanilla Cream Cardstock in my pile so that's what I used. The pattern paper pieces are 3 3/4" x 1 3/4". The piece covering the seam was cut from another piece of the Florentine paper and then trimmed along the bottom edge to look like lace.


Here's the inspiration sketch:

Supplies used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted): 
Paper: Florentine, Vanilla Cream Cardstock
Stamps: Card Word Puzzle
Ink: Twilight
Other: Sparkles Flourishes, Glitz Gel-Bronze, 3D Foam Tape, Blending Pen

February SOTM

Today is a busy day with the launch of the new Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book and the start of a new Stamp of the Month!

This month features a very versatile stamp set that is perfect for cards or altered gifts. And, it coordinates beautifully with the Art Philosophy (AP) Cartridge making it a blast to create meaningful items quickly!



So, what can I make with this set? Look below for some fabulous ideas developed by the CTMH Art Department.

How do you know which items work with the AP cartridge? Any image that is outlined in red! That applies to any stamp set in the Idea Book.

How do I know what size to cut? On the stamp carrier sheet there is a number next to the images that coordinate with the AP Cartridge. That number is the size you should use.

OK, how do I get my own set? That's easy. You can buy it outright for $17.95 or you can get it for $5 when you spend $50. To order you can get it directly from my website or email me!

New Idea Book Giveaway!

Today is the first official day of the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book!! I have been busy creating some fabulous items with the new products and hope to get them photographed and up on my blog soon.

If you haven't ordered your copy it's not too late. I'm so excited about this book that I want everyone to have one! So, I'm giving the book away...for free! All I ask is that you pay for shipping up front. When you get your book you'll also receive a coupon for $5 off your first purchase.

To order your very own copy go to the left side bar under Current Idea Book and click the pay pal link. I'll automatically send you one. Since the coupon is a "Michelle Only" special and not endorsed by CTMH you will need to email me your order so that I can cover your coupon cost!

If you prefer to preview the Idea Book on-line you can do so HERE. Don't get frustrated if you can't log on right away. The site has a lot of traffic today and things are a little slower than usual.

Now that the new book is live this means that items from the Spring/Summer 2011 book can no longer be ordered. If you still have it and see something you forgot to get let me know. Chances are I either have an extra or I can find someone that does. Also, don't forget to check out the While Supplies Last section of my website. You may find what you are looking for there!