Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Typed Note April 2015 SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to the Typed Note April 2015 SOTM Blog Hop. There are almost 60 bloggers participating in this hop. If you are new to hopping, just keep clicking on the link (typically near the bottom of the post) to visit the next blogger. The hop is circular and you will eventually arrive back on the blog where you started.


The SOTM for April 2015, Typed Note, is a D-size set of 19 stamps that is only $5 with a qualifying purchase. Here is a look at the stamps in the set:



You should have arrived here from ***My Flights of Fancy by Michelle Johns***. If you get lost along the way, a complete list of participants is always listed at Melinda Everitt's If You Bling It.

My card was inspired by the Lucky Layers™ pattern on page 27 of Wishes™ Card Confidence Program™.


I have to admit I was a challenged by this stamp set since there were several greetings and only the two icons. I thought many people would be inspired by the typewriter and the cards in Annual Inspirations so I wanted to try to be a little different. I hope in your opinion it worked.

Before you visit ***Papercrafting Princess – art by Tracey Pierce***, additional information about how my project was created is below.

All supplies are from Close To My Heart except where noted:
If you are not already working with a CTMH Independent Consultant, you may purchase all of the supplies I used at my Online Business Address.

I love to read comments so if you have a moment, please let me know what think of my card. So you do not have to scroll up, the next stop on the hop is ***Papercrafting Princess – art by Tracey Pierce***. Thanks again for visiting today.

CTMH April 2015 Stamp of the Month: Typed Note

The Close To My Heart April 2015 Stamp of the Month is Typed Note.


Typed Note (S1504) is an exclusive D-size stamp set of 19 stamps that you can only purchase during the month of April 2015. The stamp set can be yours for $5 when you place an order of $50 or more in qualifying Close To My Heart Products. Alternatively you can purchase it for $17.95. Recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks are: 1" x 3½" (Y1002), 2" x 2" (Y1003) and 4" x 5" (Y1012).

Items created with the stamp set by CTMH Corporate artists are this card and box with cards:



If you would like a list of the products used to create the above items, you will find the information in the Recipes (clicking the link will open a PDF in a new tab), a booklet that works hand-in-hand with the Idea Book to provide details to re-create any projects at home. Also check my Pinterest Board CTMH 2015 04 Apr SOTM Typed Note for additional ideas using this stamp set.

Please stop back tomorrow for the Typed Note Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.

April 2015 also brings us Deal of the Day


April is the month for mystery and grab bags. Each day in April a new random grab bag filled with current and retired Close To My Heart products will be available at a drastically discounted price. The grab bag will be introduced daily at 3:00pm MDT, that's 5:00pm Eastern, and is available while supplies last; once they sell out on a given day you have to wait until the following day to purchase a grab bag. To get your own grab bag, just put any current, full-priced item in your online shopping cart at my Online Business Address and you will able able to purchase as many grab bags as you wish upon checkout.

Five different price tiers will be available randomly throughout the month:
  • $35 - on average the value will be $70
  • $50 - on average the value will be $90
  • $75 - on average the value will be $140
  • $115 - on average the value will be $240
  • $150 - on average the value will be $325
Tax and shipping will be calculated on the price paid for the grab bags. The amount paid for the grab bag(s) do not count toward Gathering totals and Hostess Rewards, however the qualifying purchase(s) can be linked to an EZ-Invite via my OBA. Grab bags also count toward earning the discounted Stamp of the Month.


April 1 is also the first day you may order from Seasonal Expressions 2. There are two new paper packs, Blossom and Jackson, in this book. There are also new stamps and embellishments. On April 1 you may view this book online and download a PDF of the book. When you place an order April 1 or later you will be able to add a free copy to your order. Seasonal Expressions 2 is valid from April 1 to August 31, 2015; some of the items will only be available for the duration of the book, while supplies last (look for the clock icon), and others will be available longer.

If you are ready to place an order or would like to research any product, the Shop Now button will take you there.


If you have any product or promotion questions, do not hesitate to email me. You will also find me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Choose Happy Swing Card

When I was creating something for the Choose Happy March 2015 SOTM Blog Hop I was testing a few ideas and this card was the result of one of those ideas.


I started by creating a 6½" x 5" side-fold card from Colonial White cardstock. Then with the Score Board I marked the side-to-side midpoint at the very top and bottom of the card front. I took this photo since I am not sure I am describing what I did very well:


After scoring the very top and bottom I placed my cardbase on the Versamat™ aligning the short score lines with a line on the mat to aid with where to stamp. Then I stamped my image and cut around the right side with a craft knife cutting only to the approximate midpoint. Then I finished the score line from the top to the cut and then the cut to the bottom (you may need to extend your cut to the score line or your score line to the cut; it's better to cut or score a little at a time).

All supplies are from Close To My Heart except where noted:
The SOTM for March 2015, Choose Happy, is a D-size set of 14 stamps that is only $5 with a qualifying purchase. It is only available until March 31, 2015.

I hope you like my card. I love to read comments so if you have a moment, please let me know what think of my card. Also let me know if the instructions for how I handmade the swing card made sense.

If you are not already working with a CTMH Independent Consultant, you may purchase all of the supplies I used at my online business address.


Thank you for visiting today. If you have any product or promotion questions, do not hesitate to email me. You will also find me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Blog Candy Winner - Julie's 3rd Blogoversary - Celebrating Friendship Blog Hop

I want to thank everyone for hopping with us for the 3rd Edition of "Julie's Blogoversary Blog Hop". If you did not find a chance to hop last weekend, the posts are still available and the permalinks are on my contribution to the hop.

Here's my card again:


Here is the (surprise) blog candy I put together. I tried to keep with the Celebrating Friendship theme; the larger stamp set is "A Friend Like You".


To determine the winner I numbered the comments from top to bottom and used the True Random Number Generator at Random.org to select the winner:


Sixteen happens to correspond with...


Congratulations! Please send me an email with your mailing address and I will get your new crafty supplies in the mail ASAP. If the prize goes unclaimed before then on April 1 I will draw a different name.

UPDATE: I have heard from Chris so I will not be "drawing" an alternate name.

Offers Ending March 31

On March 31 some specials are ending and some products in Seasonal Expressions 1 will no longer be available.


The March 2015 SOTM, Choose Happy, will no longer be available when April arrives. Additional details about the SOTM are posted here. If you are looking for "Pinspiration", please see my Pinterest Board CTMH 2015 03 Mar SOTM Choose Happy where you will find my SOTM Blog Hop creation pinned.


Also coming to an end is the Recruiting on a Roll new consultant incentive. Details are available here.


Once the clock strikes 11:59pm Mountain time on March 31, 2015 the items with a clock icon, indicating a seasonal product, will no longer be available and since I am writing this a bit in advance, some could already be sold out.

Your comments, feedback and purchases provide me with the encouragement to continue to publish updates, create samples and post tips and tricks. If you would like to make a purchase, the Shop Now button will take you to my Online Business Address.


If you have any product or promotion questions, do not hesitate to email me. You will also find me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Julie's 3rd Blogoversary - Celebrating Friendship Blog Hop

Welcome to the 3rd Edition of "Julie's Blogoversary Blog Hop". We're so glad you have joined us! Julie has gathered together her friends and tons of sponsors to make this a GREAT event! You should have arrived here from Amy's The Amy Doodle Of It All . . ..


You'll be inspired by each stop of the hop. The theme, "Lucky to Call You Friend" will be evident in the projects of Julie and her friends. Many of the talented ladies have blog candy to give away on their blogs, so watch for that, and follow the individual rules on their blogs for how to win it.

Do you want to know about the prizes, and how to win them? Leave a comment on Julie's blog, with your email address, so she can send you the free digi paper that EVERYONE gets! Leave a comment on each hop along the way. Prizes will be hidden along the hop.


Here are our wonderful sponsors and the prizes available!
  • The Cutting Cafe -- any 3 sets
  • DigiStamps4Joy -- 1st prize - $10 gift certificate and a Guest Designer spot on a challenge
  •                             2nd prize - 2 digis of choice
  • Fitztown -- 3 digis
  • Snapdragon Snippets -- $15 gift certificate
  • SVG Attic -- $15 gift certificate
  • 3 Girl JAM -- $20 gift certificate
  • QKR Stampede -- 3 images
  • Eureka Stamps -- 3 images
  • Timeless Twine -- $20 gift certificate
  • Aurora Wings Stamps -- $15 in digis
  • Julie -- Close To My Heart Stamp Set
  • Julie -- Unity Stamp Company grab bag of stamps
  • Julie -- Large box of blog candy I've been collecting (stamps, 6x6 papers, embellishments, ribbon)
  • Unity Stamp Company -- 25 random stamps
  • Decosse's Dynamite Doodles -- free digi paper for each participant
  •                                                3 mini sets of papers - grand prize
  •                                                3 individual sets for 3 other prizes
  •                                                Mini Heartland paper set
  • Creative Bugs -- 5 images
  • Amy Doodle's Stamp Co. -- free image for everyone, plus 40% off of entire purchase for one lucky winner
  • The East Wind -- 3 digis of the winners choice
Please enjoy this free image from Amy Doodle's Stamp Company -- Nerdy Girl!


I created a card for this hop.


(You are not crazy if you were here earlier and you think my card looks different. I retook the photo with a different background and added the close-up photo.)

Here's a close-up of the flowers shaped with Susan's Garden Tool Kit by Sizzix.


If you would like more information about my card, the inspiration for it and the supplies I used to create it, you will find it at the bottom of this post.

I also will be offering blog candy to someone who comments on my blog. Everyone that comments prior to 11:59pm EDT on Sunday, March 22 will have their name put into a hat and I will draw one name. Honestly I am not certain what it will include, it has been crazy the past couple of weeks, but it will contain at least one current Close To My Heart stamp set. I will post the winner's name here on Tuesday, March 24 (updated - I looked at the wrong week of March when I said I would post the winner's name on the 31st; due to my error I will wait until the April 1 to draw a different name should the prize go unclaimed).

It's time for the next stop on the hop! Have fun, and thanks so much for participating! Off you go to Paula's Blog!

Here is the complete hop list (with permalinks):


Full disclosure: I am a Close To My Heart Independent Consultant and I recently received some new products to create with. I was inspired partly by the cover of a My Creations™ Mini Mix Album shown in the CTMH Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book (pg 17) and by the pattern Aubrey's Invitation™ in Originals Card Confidence Program™ (pg 81).
Supplies used to create my card: Originals Card Confidence Program™ (9036), My Acrylix™ Smiles Begin with You (A1172) - available April 1, 2015, Blossom Paper Packet (X7196B) available April 1, 2015, 5 1/2" X 4 1/4" White Cards & Envelopes, Value Pack (X254), Adventure Exclusive Inks™ Mini Pigment Pads Set (Z2501) - Lagoon, Ranger™ Clear Super Fine Embossing Powder (Z2088), Craft Heater (Z555), 12" X 12" White Daisy Cardstock (1385, 12" X 12" Lagoon Cardstock (X5762), 12" x 12" Pear Cardstock (X5764), 12" x 12" Smoothie Cardstock (X5763), 12" x 12" Sunset Cardstock (X5758), Scallop Border Punch (Z1851), 3L® E-Z Dots® Adhesive (Z3022), 3-D Foam Tape (Z1151), Thin 3-D Foam Tape (Z2060), Memory Book Mini Glue Dots™ (Z341), Black & Grey Epoxy Bubbles (Z1935), Sparkles (Z1104 - retired), Junebug Puffies (Z3038 - retiring March 31, 2015) and the Cricut® Art Philosophy Collection (Z1686). The Design Space codes for the die cuts I used are:
    • #M3EBFF - Label - pg 53
    • #M4356A - Flower - pg 29
    • #M403C0 - Flower - pg 50
    • #M4346F - Leaf - pg 59
Supplies not from Close To My Heart: Cricut® Design Space, Cricut® Explore, a "pouncer" to prevent embossing powder from sticking to the paper where you do not want it, Susan's Garden Tool Kit by Sizzix to help shape the flowers and leaves

Here is a link to the Cricut® Design Space file I used. This file will only work if you have the Art Philosophy cartridge linked to your account



Thanks for hopping with us today. So you do not have to scroll back up to find the link to the next blog, off you go to Paula's!

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Spine Expanders for My Legacy™ Post-Bound Albums

Close To My Heart's scrapbook albums are available in post bound and D-ring styles.

The D-ring album style is easy to use and can be filled with any style of Memory Protectors™ until you can no longer fit any more. The D-ring is ideal for Pocket Style scrapbooking like Picture My Life™ and work in progress pages.

Most of today's video focuses on post-bound albums, including assembly and using spine expanders in them so the layouts fit side-by-side seamlessly.



The CTMH Corporate description of the video is "Close To My Heart’s My Legacy™ post-bound albums have great features, including a nice, finished look for your cherished memories. To top off that look, try using spine expanders between layouts. Curious as to how they work? Take a look at how to assemble your post-bound albums using this nifty product."

Items featured in the video are:
You may want to review the videos I shared on my post Scrapbooking Albums in December 2014 for additional images and information. I also posted about Unpacking and Assembling a CTMH My Legacy™ Post-Bound Album in February 2015.

If you would like more information about the available albums or the Spine Expanders, feel free to send me a message.


Click the Shop with me link if you are ready place an order. If you would like to learn how you can earn free and 50% off products, email me with your contact information so we may discuss your hosting an in-home or on-line gathering.

You will also find me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Card for 41 Weeks Until Christmas 2015

Happy St. Patrick's Day. It seems a little strange posting a Christmas card today. And no green used on it either.

Fortunately when I had an opportunity to cut this card again Cricut® Design Space was working like a charm. Between my post last Friday and the time I cut the card, I decided to add another layer and move the sentiment. I think it improved the card and I hope you do too


Supplies I used to create the card:
If you would like to purchase any of the Close To My Heart Cricut® Collections, the Shop Now button will take you to my Online Business Address. You earn $25 Hostess Rewards when spending or hosting a gathering with sales of $150; if you have other items you would like to purchase or friends that would like to place an order, contact me and we can work together to help you maximize your dollar.


If you have any product or promotion questions, do not hesitate to email me. You will also find me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Coming this Friday - Julie's 3rd Blogoversary - Celebrating Friendship Blog Hop

I planned to share my completed 41 Weeks Until Christmas 2015 card today, but Cricut® Design Space was not cooperating with many crafters when I sat down to cut, so I decided to let you know that I am participating in a blog hop this coming Friday.


It is the 3rd Edition of "Julie's Blogoversary Blog Hop". Julie has gathered together her friends and tons of sponsors to make this a GREAT event!

Here are our wonderful sponsors for this event:


I am sure you will agree that Julie did an excellent job getting the sponsors lined up. I hope that you will have some time to hop with us the first weekend of Spring.

Friday, March 13, 2015

41 Weeks Until Christmas 2015

I cannot believe how fast this year is flying by. March is almost half over, but the past few days we have had beautiful weather. Temperatures have been in the 40s and I have been able to take the liner out of my coat. It has been wonderful and I hope the trend continues.

I have had this card on my mind and partially designed in Cricut® Design Space for a few weeks. Last night I think I finalized how I want it to look, but I just could not keep my eyes open to actually cut and assemble it. I will finish the card and post it before the weekend is over.


Supplies I used to create the card:
If you would like to purchase any of the Close To My Heart Cricut® Collections, the Shop Now button will take you to my Online Business Address. You earn $25 Hostess Rewards when spending or hosting a gathering with sales of $150; if you have other items you would like to purchase or friends that would like to place an order, contact me and we can work together to help you maximize your dollar.


If you have any product or promotion questions, do not hesitate to email me. You will also find me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Cricut® Artfully Sent: Pocket Function

The video this week focuses on the Pocket Function key on the Cricut® Artfully Sent cartridge (Z3017). The Pocket Function key is very versatile because it can supplement Picture My Life™ layouts or be used on cards, home decor and traditional layouts.



The CTMH Corp. description of Cricut® Artfully Sent: Pocket Function is "The Pocket function of your Close To My Heart Cricut® Artfully Sent cartridge will spice up so much more than just your layouts."

Some tips shared in the video:
  • there are two sizes of pocket cards: 4" x 6" and 3" x 4"
  • a 4" x 6" and 3" x 4" solid pocket card can be found on the base key; they are to back your cut-out pocket cards
  • the 4" x 6" solid pocket card is #M17D25D in Cricut® Design Space and is found on page 50 of the handbook
  • the 3" x 4" solid pocket card is #M17D261 in Cricut® Design Space and is found on page 50 of the handbook
A page from the handbook identifying the pocket cards:


The pocket cards shown in the video (with Cricut® Design Space codes) are:
  • Baby Carriage Pocket Card - #MCBA82  - pg 23
  • Sweet New Baby Sentiment Card - #M100D20 - pg 23; this sentiment card was cut down to become a pocket card, but you could edit the cut in Cricut® Design Space
  • Sweet Pocket Card - #MCC1F5 - pg 23
  • Happy Pocket Card -  #MCB9CF - pg 3
  • Home Pocket Card -  #MCBA60 - pg 19
  • Noel Pocket Card - #MCC236 - pg 46
  • My Friend Pocket Card - #MCB99B - pg 10
If you would like to purchase the Cricut® Artfully Sent Collection, any of the Cricut® collections exclusive to CTMH or any other product offered by CTMH, the Shop Now button will take you to my Online Business Address. I would like to remind you that you will earn $25 Hostess Rewards when spending or hosting a gathering with sales of $150. If you have friends that would place an order or have other items you would like to purchase, contact me and we can work together to help you maximize your rewards.


If you have any product or promotion questions, do not hesitate to email me. You will also find me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts.

Friday, March 6, 2015

42 Weeks Until Christmas 2015

While keeping with my plan of creating at least one Christmas card each week, this is my card for 42 Weeks Until Christmas 2015.


It was fairly quick and easy to make. If I create this card again it will do something different with the Glacier base. Maybe I will find a coordinating background stamp to use and will stamp with Glacier ink so it does not take away from the ornament focal.

Supplies I used to create the card:
If you would like to purchase the Cricut® Art Philosophy Collection or any other current CTMH product used, the Shop Now button will take you to my Online Business Address. You earn $25 Hostess Rewards when spending or hosting a gathering with sales of $150; if you have other items you would like to purchase or friends that would like to place an order, contact me and we can work together to help you maximize your dollar.


If you have any product or promotion questions, do not hesitate to email me. You will also find me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts.