August Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

 Boy, have I been busy this month! But August is heating up here in Tampa - yuk!! .....and I have workshops and more to offer all of my wonderful customers!  But first everyone has to check out this month's Stamp of the Month - S1308 A Chocolate Affair!

Over 60 consultants are participating this month and showing off their creative artwork!  If you have been hopping with us, then you have arrived from Michelle'blog here  and have checked out her awesome masking technique .

I will tell you this - the entire month I have been working with these stamps, I have been craving chocolate....go figure!  Here is the artwork from corp- great ideas for my "Death by Chocolate Open House!"

This stamp set is such a fun set and there are so many possibilities with it.  I am anxious to see everyone's artwork and how creative they are!

Here is my card that I created - I only know a few people who do not like chocolate - they must be insane!! :)  A few of "The Tomaino Patch team" are participating in a SOTM swap this fall and I will have their cards to share with you here!  So come back on Friday to check out the talented "Patch sisters!"   The colors we were allowed to use were any of the pinks, reds and chocolate, of course!  They could used a current paper pack as an accent.  

Supplies for my card!

S1308 A Chocolate Affair

Cardstock - colonial white, chocolate, cotton candy and ruby

Paper pack - Chantilly B & T

Ruby chevron ribbon and the 2" scallop punch (retired)

Cricut Artbooking cartridge- Overlay pg. 48 at 5"

Card design is from the NEW Make It From Your Heart Volume 2 - pattern #20

I am ready for more chocolate!!!   To stop the cravings, I am going to hop along and move to Maureen's blog here.   Maybe I won't be so tempted from her design, but I doubt it!!

It is August!!

Yeah!  I am getting ready for a busy and creative month with Close to my Heart!  August 1st is the release of the brand new Idea Book with tons of creative ideas for cardmakers, scrapbook lovers AND anyone who loves 3-D designs!


Here is the cover of the book - check out the beautiful layout created with the Cricut Artbooking cartridge - it is gorgeous!!

The background overlay is from pg. 82 of the Cricut Artbooking cartridge and then small pieces of cardstock are inserted behind the design - amazing but tedious...

These beautiful designs are from the Stamp of the Month - S1308  A Chocolate Affair. The special for this month is if you spend $50.00 in product, then you will receive this stamp set for FREE!!  I am so excited because this is one of the stamp sets that I think everyone will fall in love with!

Don't forget the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop starts tomorrow as well!!  So be sure and come back!!

Rediscover Close to My Heart with free designs posted each month on the website.

                              

You will find the link on the Close to My Heart website and today is the last day to download the free "Be Happy" artwork.  Print them out and then use them to embellish your cards and artwork!

Each month they will post another new idea to "Rediscover' Close to My Heart! be sure and visit the page each month so you do not miss a single freebie.

Tonight is the Pajama Party with Stacy Julian.  To sign up go to the website here..

Here is the layout they will be featuring using the Cricut Artbooking cartridge!

Wednesday, July 31
at 6:00 pm PT

You can find the list of supplies here  If you want to join the party, click here to register today!!

So even before the new month begins - we are busy...
Be sure to come back often so you do not miss any of the exciting happenings!

Artbooking in August Blog Hop - so exciting!! 40 consultants are participating in this event.  Each Monday in August, be sure to come back to my blog to check out my artwork and then continue onto the other ladies sites.  It is a circular blog, so you will want visit everyones blog so you do not miss a thing!!

So as you can see August is jam-packed with all different creative opportunities!  SO do come back often this month and get inspired!

'Death by Chocolate' Open House

Welcome to the NEW Fall season with Close to My Heart!  There is so much to see - you are going to love ALL of the new paper packs, stamps AND our new FAB-u-lous  Cricut Artbooking cartridge!

The "Death by Chocolate" Open House is August 4th from 2-5:00 p.m. There will be lots of goodies, prizes and make-n-takes!  The theme of course is chocolate!

Here is the 'sneak peak' of some of the design ideas...

PLUS you may win this awesome door prize - a "Black Cricut Expression! and accessories!!"

Check out the 2 FREE cartridges that are included in this 'sweet' deal...

I will be giving away this Cricut Expression to ONE lucky winner on the LAST day of August (August 31st), so there are plenty of opportunities to win this prize!.  You will be able to receive tickets for the drawing in a number of ways throughout the month!

*  1 ticket for RSVP for the Open House before August 1st!
*  1 ticket when you order the SOTM S1308 A Chocolate Affair.
*  5 tickets when you order the NEW Cricut Scrapbooking Bundle!
*  1 ticket for a $25 order.
*  2 tickets for a $50 order
*  5 tickets if your order is over $100.00!
*  10 tickets if you hold and close a gathering during the month of August - it can be a 'idea book' gathering! (Plus you'll get some awesome hostess reward selections!) P.S.  It must close by August 31st!
*  3 tickets if you attend either the "Artbooking by Addie" workshop OR the Mini-Book Workshop.  8 tickets if you attend both!!

Plus....Social media 'perks'
*  1 ticket when you leave a comment on my August SOTM Blog Hop - starts August 1st!
*  1 ticket when you leave a comment on my Artbooking in August Blog Hop - there will be 4 posts in August!! (Aug. 5, 12, 19 and 26)
*  1 ticket when you leave a comment on my New Product Blog Hop on August 15th!

August is a BUSY month but I will reward everyone for their participation in my 'crazy life'!  If you have any questions regarding this phenomenal giveaway, just send me an email and I will answer them


Good luck to everyone!!

Hoarding Scrappin' Style!

 
Hysterical!!  This could be me but NOT YET!!  Yesterday I threw out a large brown paper bag of paper scraps!! ..... hey - it's a start....

Then I placed all of my retired paper packs in a crate - time to "use 'em or lose 'em"....  You may see some of the Artbooking samples in these retired paper packs..... this cartridge cuts up the paper 'real nice'....

So stay tuned...

Club Scrap Pajama Party!

Woohoo!!  This week I participated in a Club Scrap Pajama Party using the Wisteria kit from this month.  

Here is the sketch that we were given to use as our inspiration!

The papers were a perfect match for my shirt that I was wearing..  you know me!...  It was so funny - I had already picked out these pictures to go along with the paper and Miss Classy Girl had the same idea in mind!  ( I love her picture selection as well...)

Bruce and I retired the same year from teaching in Florida - June 2011 and these photos were taken before the party that we attended...All of the elements just seem to come together.

The cuts- outs are from the NEW Cricut cartridge - Artbooking and you can purchase the cartridge from me starting August 1st!  Psst... I will tell you a secret- I am having a giveaway coming YOUR way very soon...  please check back on this blog for more information!!

Keep checking my posts for 'snippets' of everything NEW and exciting from 

M- E!

My convention bundles arrived today!!

Look what was at my doorstep today when I got home!!

I was soooo excited!!  Here is everything in the box!

Check it out.....

As soon as I send off this post I am cutting from this cartridge!!  How about some more "sneak peeks"?

AND......

AND lastly ....

So now I am off to create!  Check back soon for some artwork from all of my new treasures....

Club Scrap PSL Layout

I am VERY busy - so why did I decided to join the Club Scrap PSL Summer Camp?  To get some layouts done, of course!

Lately it seems that everything I finish has to be on a demo board for at least 6 months and my scrapbooks are crying for attention!  So here is my first finished layout from a WCHS Cross Country Meet in 2000.  My children have been neglected for way too long (P.S. they are boys -they do not care! but mom does!)

      (click on the photo for a larger view...)

The die cuts are from the Cricut cartridge - Sports Mania and the Club Scrap paper pack is the Marathon paper pack.  More layouts are coming...stay tuned..

Here is the next one....

WooHoo ...another one finished and in his sports album!

and lastly - BTW - the paper pack is "all gone"!

I am so excited!  I have layouts finished and into Robbie's Sport album...  they have been sitting around for more than a year waiting to be finished...ta da!!!

July Make It From YOUR Heart Workshop

Ladies, it is July and I have been crazy busy!  I hope you have all received my July newsletter, if not let me know and I will add you to my CTMH mailing list.  Convention was FAB-u-lous!! and I am all excited about the new product.  But the July workshop is at the top of my list right now!

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July and you took lots of pictures.  This paper pack may not resemble any fireworks but it sure does scream red, white and blue!

My layout this month is from the Make It From Your Heart - Volume 1- layout #16.  Yes - there is a Volume 2!!  I am excited to see it and it will be arriving soon...

I had a little help from my fellow consultant, Pam Thorn.  I used her idea for the tag and journaling accent on the lower left.  The pictures are from the Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celeron, NY.  My hometown is Jamestown, NY and it is not far from this landmark.  If any of you have been to Chautauqua Lake, you will recognize some of the sites.

  

I took these pictures on a beautiful summer day in August of 2010.  I guess I have been saving them for the "perfect" paper pack.....

As usual we will be creating a card with the July stamp of the month.  The original design I found during the recent Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.  You can visit Krista's blog here if you are interested in comparing the two....:)

If you love the Tommy paper pack, then you are in luck!  This paper pack is one of the papers that will move forward into the Autumn/Winter Idea book! Unfortunately the   Buzz and Bumble , Later Sk8tr and Claire paper packs are gone!!  But the G1057 Later Sk8tr Workshop To Go ,is still available....just sayin...  If you want a Workshop To Go, you had better order it soon as the Buzz and Bumble AND the Chantilly ones are already gone!  None of the workshops to go move forward into the new Idea Book!

Place you order on http://ctmh.com/SweetAline and select the SHOP tab and add the numbers to your order.  A few of you were lucky last month and ordered the papers before they were gone and they are in your bags!

Please RSVP for the workshop before July 10th so I can cut all the paper and assemble the kits!

July Make It From YOUR Heart Workshop:

WHEN:  July 12th from 6-9:00 p.m.  (Always the second Friday of the month)

WHERE:  My home - email me for directions!

COST:  $10.00 for a 2 page layout and a card

RSVP:  by July 10th Sweetaline@verizon.net

This workshop ends the Make It From YOUR Heart Workshops.  Starting in August I will be offering the "Artbooking with Addie" Workshop (a.k.a. AWA Workshop) on the second Friday of each month AND the "MiniBook Magic" Workshop (a.k.a. MBM Workshop) on the fourth Friday of every month.  You can sign up for both or only one depending on your schedule!

My Fall Open House is scheduled for August 4th from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.  The theme is "Death by Chocolate".  Check out the August SOTM for the reason behind the theme....

So be prepared to each some mighty fine chocolate treats!  More info coming soon on the Open House.

My NEW CTMH Idea Books are Here!!

Yippee Skippee!!

If you attend my Make It From YOUR Heart Workshop in July, you will be able to have a sneak preview of some of the new products!  PLUS you will receive the NEW Idea book absolutely free!

More information coming soon.....