CTMH December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - All You Need is .................Amore!

Welcome to the Close to My Heart December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We are featuring the December Stamp of the Month, Amore, a set of 13 stamps, that is only available during the month of December.

If you have arrived from Traci Godbee's Blog you are on the right path.  This month we have over 60 Close to My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the December Stamp of the Month and other great Close to My Heart products on their blogs.  Following the Blog Hop is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one.  So, here we go!

First, let me share with you that I am not a Valentine type girl.  All of the shmooz drives me crazy and at first when I saw this stamp set, I was at a loss at what to do with it. The stamps are shown below.

My 10 year anniversary is tomorrow (December 1st).  I decided to multitask and make an anniversary card for my hubby.  Usually I give him a card and then take it back to show my customers.  This time I think I will let him keep it!

Well, I used our Christmas Paper, Mistletoe, for an anniversary card and look how cute it came out.  I wanted a masculine type card and I wanted it kind of elegant.  I also wanted to use the pattern from the Heart 2 Heart Challenge this week.  I really liked it and it worked with my card.

The ribbon is from our Cocoa Collection.  I don't think you can see it real well but it is the cordoroy type ribbon.  The ribbon was too light in color so I colored it with my cocoa marker and was surprised how well and fast it took the ink.  The hearts are actually from our Dimensional Elements Hearts Collection.  They are plain white chipboard shaped like a heart and stamped and embossed with the heart stamp from the Amore Stamp Set.  The stamp is larger than the dimensional element heart, but that was just fine because it covered the entire piece of chipboard with one stamp.  Embossing it was loads of fun since there was nothing to hold onto.  I finally covered a piece of cardboard with aluminum foil and then placed the chipboard heart on top to melt the embossing powder with my craft heater without burning my fingers!

Here is the inside of my card.  Check out the red sparkles (can you see them??) on the pattern of the Mistletoe Paper at the bottom of the card.  Believe it or not ............. I did not cut the paper so that the red dots were evenly spaced on the bottom.  That was purely an accident, but I was delighted when I saw it.  I just love it when a card goes together easily.

Products Used

• Stamps: December Stamp of the Month, Amore (D1445) and February Word Puzzle (D1269)
• Paper:  Mistletoe My Reflections Level 2 Paper Pack (X7130B)
• Inks:  Cocoa (Z2114), Desert Sand (Z2118), New England Ivy (Z2135), Bamboo (Z2103) and Cranberry (Z2116)
• Marker  Cocoa (Z2314)
• Embellishments: Ribbon Rounds Cocoa Collection (Z1316), Sparkles, Red, Pink and Purple Assortment, Dimensional Elements Heart (Z1278), Clear Embossing Powder (Z671) and Versamark Pad (Z891)
• Other Products:   Adhesive, sponge daubers, and Craft Heater (Z555)

Now "Hop" on over to Dawn Heuft's Blog  to see her work!  Be sure to visit all of the Consultant's blogs to get some great ideas on how to  use this versatile stamp set.  

Remember that the Amore Stamp Set is only available from December 1-December 31, 2010.  Contact your CTMH Consultant or click here to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free.

Reminder - My Huge Thanksgiving Sale Blowout!

Just a reminder about my Thanksgiving Sale Blowout.  It will be over on Sunday, November 28th at 10 pm.  Here is the link with all of the details.  Mention that you found this in my blog and I will award you two extra tickets for the raffle.

Masculine Zindorf Type Card

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday and are enjoying a few days off.  It got cold here last night and I am refusing to go out of the house.  Not ready for winter!

For my Zindorf Technique workshop last month I wanted to teach the ladies how to brayer a body of water and sponge an island in the water.  I incorporated that in a masculine card.  My husband loves to fish and this retired Close to My Heart Stamp set was perfect for this card. 

Had a hard time signing this card with all of the embossed ferns at the bottom.  With the Zindorf technique, you must sign the card because it is a work of art!  LOL

Products Used (CTMH unless indicated)

• Stamps:  Relax (C1237) and Intrinsic Background (D1335)
• Paper:  Pacifica Cardstock (X5759), Daisy White Cardstock (1385), and Black Cardstock (1386)
• Inks:  Sorbet (Z2164), Buttercup (Z2110), Sky (Z2194), Dutch Blue (Z2119), Star Spangled Blue (Z2149), Creme Brulee (Z2167) and Black (Z2105)
• Embellishments:  Signo White Gel Pen
• Other Products:  Brayer, Lots of 4 x 4 inch post-it notes, Clear Embossing Powder (Z671), Craft Heater (Z555),  Adhesive, Pewter Brads (Z1217) and Cheap Sponges (Sponge Buddies from Dollar Store)  

Thanks so much for looking!

Building My Team

Join My Team!

Looking for new members to join my team.  Please call me at (901) 850-1836 or e-mail me at mkgmt@aol.com for more information.

Close to My Heart has the lowest quarterly minimum of all the stamping and scrapbooking companies.  We also welcome people who do not want to sell but want to receive the 22% discount.  If this sounds enticing to you, please call.  Welcoming new team members from outside the Memphis area as well.

Blowout Thanksgiving Sale!

Blowout Thanksgiving Sale!

Would You Like to Be the Mystery Hostess and Receive Lots and Lots of Free and Discounted Items?

This is my Biggest Sale Ever!!! Everyone who places an order of $25 or more will get a free gift from me AND go into my drawing for a FREE Workshop on the GO Kit or Our new Interactive Scrapbooking Book, Magic Scrapbook Program  PLUS I am going to combine all the orders that I received from this promotion and choose one lucky customer to be the Hostess and receive all of the Hostess Rewards from this promotion.  You can participate in this sale and be the Mystery Hostess even if you live outside the Memphis area.  Your order will be shipped directly to you! 

Here is how it will work:

Call me or e-mail me your order {(901) 850-1836 or mkgmt@aol.com} between 8 am on Tuesday, November 23rd and 10 pm Sunday, November 28th.  You must e-mail or call me with your order.  Ordering directly from my website will not count towards this sale.

1.  Place an order of $25 to $50 and receive a free pkg of embellishments of your choice, or Dye Ink Pad of your choice, or pkg of brads of your choice (up to $5.25 value).  This also entitles you to receive the Stamp of the Month at 25% off!
2.  Place an order of $51 to $75 and receive a free package of Craft Buttons of your choice, or A size stamp set of your choice, or Designer Ribbon Rounds or Creative Basics Mistletoe Collection ($7.95 value).  This also entitles you to receive the Stamp of the Month at 50-75% off!
3.  Place an order of $76 to $100 and receive a free pkg of regular Rub-Ons (not glitter), or Acrylic Album (while supplies last), or any current My Reflections Level 1 Kit (up to $9.95 value).  This also entitles you to receive the Stamp of the Month at 75-100% off!
4.  Place an order of $101 to $149 and receive a free My Reflections Level 2 Paper Pack or B size stamp set of your choice (up to $13.95 value).  This also entitles you to receive the Stamp of the Month for FREE!
5.  Place an order of $150 or more and you will receive $25 in free products of your choice, and either a free My Reflections Level 2 Paper Pack or B size stamp set of your choice (up to $28.95 Value).  This also entitles you to receive the Stamp of the Month for FREE!
Also if you place an order of $100 or more, you can choose any A through D size Stamp Set absolutely free!  So, if you place an order for $101, you will receive up to $59.85 in FREE products.  If you place an order for $150, you will receive up to $84.85 in FREE products!  WOW!

***Don't have an Idea Book to browse through? You can view the Idea Book online here.
If you would like your own copy of the latest Idea Book, let me know. ___________________________________________

Now, How Do You Get to Be the Mystery Hostess and Receive Lots and Lots of Free and Discounted Items?

A raffle!  And you enter the raffle with tickets you earn.  One way you earn tickets is based on the amount you purchase.  But there are other ways as well:
 
1.  First purchase ever from me - 1 ticket
2.  Order $25 to $50 in product - 1 ticket
3.  Order $51 to $75 in product - 2 tickets
4.  Order $76 - $100 in product - 3 tickets
5.  Order $101 - $149 in product - 4 tickets
6.  Order $150 - $175 in product - 5 tickets
7.  Order $176 - $200 in product - 6 tickets
8.  Order more than $200 in product - 7 tickets
9.  First customer to order - 1 ticket
10.  Book a virtual or real gathering (You can book in Dec thru Feb) - 5 tickets
11.  Book a workshop at your house - 5 tickets
12.  Refer a friend who purchases during this sale - 3 tickets
****THE FINE PRINT:  The minimum dollar amount is calculated before tax and shipping.  You will pay tax for your free items when applicable.  This offer is good ONLY through Melinda Everitt, (901) 850-1836, mkgmt@aol.com.

Drawing for raffle will be held at 10 am on Monday, November 29th.  I will need to have your list of free items by 9 pm Monday evening, so start making your list now!
______________________________________________

Shamelessly CASE'd Michelle Zindorf!

Another Zindorf Card!  This one I pretty much CASE'd (Copy and Steal Everything!).  And I am not even ashamed of it!  Here is my card:

Here is a link to Michelle's card.  What an inspiration this card is and I was thrilled that Close to My Heart is now offering the Cardinal in the Harmony Stamp Set so I could CASE it and still stay true to Close to My Heart.  

I used the brayer and Indian Corn Blue Ink followed by Moonstruck Ink to color the sky.  I then sponged Outdoor Denim ink around the edges to frame my pretty cardinal.

Products Used (CTMH unless indicated)

• Stamps:  Harmony (B1363), Beautiful Things (D1298) and Snowflurries (D1384)
• Paper:  Moonstruck Cardstock (1293), Daisy White Cardstock (1385) and Black Cardstock (1386)
• Inks:  Moonstruck (Z2134), New England Ivy (Z2135), Indian Corn Blue (Z2130), Outdoor Denim (Z2140), and Black (Z2105)
• Markers:   Cranberry (Z2316), Sunflower (Z2350), Barn Red (Z2304), Goldrush (Z2323), and Holiday Red (Z2327)
• Embellishments:  Signo White Gel Pen
• Other Products:  Brayer, Clear Embossing Powder (Z671), Lots of 4 x 4 inch post-it notes, Adhesive and Cheap Sponges (Sponge Buddies from Dollar Store) 

Christmas Deer

I recently taught a Zindorf Technique class.  I have been corrected by others that Michelle Zindorf did not "invent" the brayer technique, but few people can deny that she does it better than anyone else.  I took her class last year when it got closer to my home here in Memphis.  I had tried my darndest to use my brayer just by reading her tutorials, but seeing it in person was really better.  Learning to "build the scene" and starting the brayer off the paper as you are brayering the ink onto your paper were better seen in person and  not just by reading her blog.

Here is the first card that we did in the class that I taught.  I have found that simpler is better, especially when you are teaching this technique.

I used one of our new Christmas stamps called Nature's Gift as well as a retired set called Beauty of Christmas.  I absolutely love the snow scene and the sun is gorgeous here.  The trees are stamped second generation with black and then I used a white gel pen to add snow to them.  The sky is brayered with Heavenly Blue and then Crystal Blue.  The horizon line is emphasized by sponging with Spring Iris and the snow drifts are made by sponging Lilac Mist at the top of post-it notes that had been torn to look like tops of snowdrifts. When I was designing my card I made lots of snowdrifts and was quite unhappy with the look.  Once again I discovered that less was more and am quite happy with the way this card came out.

My ladies did an awesome job with this card and everyone was pleased with their work.  Of course we all signed them since they are works of art and the person receiving this card will have to be very "card worthy" indeed!

Products Used (CTMH unless indicated)

• Stamps:  Nature's Gift (C1424) and Beauty of Christmas (B1116)
• Paper:  Crystal Blue Cardstock (1292), Daisy White Cardstock (1385), Buttercup Cardstock (1271) and Black Cardstock (1386)
• Inks:  Sorbet (Z2164), Buttercup (Z2110), Heavenly Blue (Z2126), Sunkiss Yellow (Z2150), Spring Iris (Z2148), Lilac Mist (Z2133), Crystal Blue (Z2117) and Black (Z2105)
• Embellishments:  Signo White Gel Pen
• Other Products:  Brayer, Lots of 4 x 4 inch post-it notes, Adhesive and Cheap Sponges (Sponge Buddies from Dollar Store) 

Check Out the Close to My Heart November Spotlight Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Close to My Heart October Spotlight Blog Hop!  If you have found yourself here from Tamytha Jenkin's Blog then you are in the right place.  This month we are spotlighting Christmas Stamp Sets.  I absolutely love the ease of using a silhouette stamp and wanted to share this one with you.

When I went to Convention this year in DC, there were a few products that I really hoped CTMH would bring out and I was not disappointed.  I wanted a red and green Christmas paper and the Mistletoe paper pack was unveiled.  What a beautiful, elegant paper pack it is.  I was thrilled!  Then I wanted colored bling.  How overjoyed I was to see both the blue and green sparkles and the red, purple and pink sparkles.

I really felt that this card needed to be backed with black to bring out all of the beautiful colors as well to tie into the Santa silhouette.  Don't know whether you can tell, but there are clear sparkles in the middle of the snowflakes on the sentiment and red sparkles on the snowflakes on the Santa.  Also, I like a solid dark black stamped image when I use a silhouette stamp so I stamped the image with our Archival Black stamp pad.  I sponged the edges with our regular black ink. 

Products Used

• Stamps:  I Believe (C1427)
• Paper:  My Relections Mistletoe Level 2 Paper Pack (X7130B) and Black Cardstock (1386)
• Inks:  Archival Black  (44751) and Black (Z2105)
• Embellishments:  Sparkles, Red, Pink and Purple Assortment (Z1326) and Bitty Sparkles (Z1263)
• Other Products:  Adhesive and Sponge Dauber (Z726)

 If you are ready to move on, then head on over to Nikka's Blog.