CTMH Closeout Sale

Hello crafty friends.

If you are subscribed to receive emails from Close To My Heart, you probably received a message Thursday evening about the CTMH Closeout Sale that begins later today, Friday, May 3, 2024 at 5:00pm EDT.

CTMH Closeout Sale

The CTMH closeout sale to clear out all remaining inventory will start later today at 5:00pm EDT. Take advantage of incredible discounts on everything from papers and stamps to embellishments, Thin Cuts, organization products, and more!

Be ready to shop early to get the best deals! All items will be available while supplies last, and all sales are final.

Go directly to the Close To My Heart website to shop. The same username and password you used to shop with me works on the Corporate website.

If you are a former VIP Customer, remember that you will still be able to redeem any VIP Credit that you had saved up (VIP Credit must be used by 1:59am EDT on June 1 (that's 11:59pm MDT on May 31) or it is lost). Shop during the closeout sale to make your credit go even farther during this incredible clearance sale!

Please be patient with regard to shipping. The folks in the shipping department have been working very hard to keep up with the larger than usual order volume.

If you have previous orders that you would like to check the status of, go to the CTMH website, getting there is similar to finding your Digital Library (this is a good time to remind you to download any digital files that are in your library - remember some of the monthly specials and Black Friday/Cyber Monday items included digital files), and sign in. Click on your name in the upper right and choose Account. Then select Order History on the left. Click on an order (you may need to disable pop-up blockers) to open a new window that provides order details. You will be provided a list of what was ordered, and, if the order shipped, a tracking number will be listed under the Shipped To block.

When you are checking those orders, if you purchased any cardmaking or scrapbooking workshop kits, there will be a link under the product item number/name to the workshop instructions. Alternatively, all guides released since January 2020 can be found on the website under More > Workshop Guides. Please be sure to download the workshop guides and digital files by June 15, 2024.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Starting a New Chapter

Beginning May 1, 2024 I am now an Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator. I am still trying to learn all of the terminology and policies, so I am a bit nervous, but also excited.

When we learned that former Close To My Heart Makers would have the opportunity to become demonstrators with Stampin' Up! someone suggested that we purchase a few products so we could become familiar with them. I was lucky enough to choose stamp sets that are making an encore! appearance in the Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog May 2024–April 2025.

card created with Thoughtful Expressions Stamp Set and Dies

To create this card I used the Thoughtful Expressions Stamp Set (162815) and Thoughtful Expressions Dies (162821). I cut the floral spray and hummingbird from White Daisy and the leaf dies from Evergreen (from my CTMH stash). I colored with Colorista by Spectrum Noir™ pencils. I used the Thoughtful Expressions Dies to cut labels from Bubble Bath and Soft Sea Foam from the Subtles 12" × 12" Cardstock Assortment (161714). I used second generation stamping with Pear Stamp Pad (from my CTMH stash) to create a background paper. I used a combination of liquid glue, flat adhesive and foam tape to assemble the card. I have not decided the occasion for sending the card, so I have not selected a sentiment yet.

As I hinted at earlier, a new catalog with new products are available from Stampin' Up! on May 1. If you were a VIP Customer with Close To My Heart, you will receive a free Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog May 2024–April 2025 when you place an order.

In addition, there is a May 2024 Product Release of Exclusive CTMH™ Products.

Cover May 2024 Product Release Exclusive CTMH™ Products

The collection for May 2024 is Enjoy the Ride and the featured colors are Rosy, Pumpkin, Honey Butter, Limeade, Jade, Harbour, Bluebird and French Vanilla. There is a paper packet, enamel dots, paper with sticker sheet, coordinating two-tone cardstock, cardmaking and scrapbooking stamp sets with Thin Cuts, and scrapbooking and cardmaking workshops. In addition there is a Baseline Alphabet Thin Cuts and cardstock and stamp pads in the featured colors. All items are very limited and are likely to sell out quickly, so be sure to shop early. This brochure/flyer (in PDF format) provides all of the product details. 

The products are only available to CTMH Makers and Customers who had an email address "on file" with CTMH. The products will be available at 12:01am MDT on May 1; you will find the items on the Stampin’ Up! website. Go to menu > Shop Products > CTMH™ Product. Please also go to Find a Demonstrator (in the upper left) and search for my name.

I hope you will join me on this new creative journey. Until next time.

My Journey with CTMH is Coming to an End

Hello everyone. I hope you are enjoying the unseasonably warm weather we have been having.

Today is the last day of my journey with Close To My Heart. I really appreciate the experiences I've had and everyone I've met during my last twelve years as an Independent Consultant/Maker. I've made memories that I will treasure forever. Thank you to everyone I've gotten to know on this path. All of you have had a positive impact on my life.

I also want to share my latest card with the April 2024 Stamp Of The Month Little Hedgehogs.

Little Hedgehogs Birthday Card

This card was created for my great-niece. In addition to the April 2024 SOTM (S2024), I used paper from the Storybook collection (January–March 2023 catalog), Seabrook cardstock and ink, Blending Brushes and Julip Shimmer Brush. The stamped images were colored with Colorista by Spectrum Noir™ pencils. I mixed and matched stamp sets for the sentiment, but unfortunately I do not remember which sets I used.

If you are a CTMH VIP customer, today is your last day to earn VIP Credits on your orders placed before 11:59pm MDT. Any VIP Credit in your account needs to be spent by end of day (11:59pm MDT) on May 31, 2024.

Also, if you need any Workshop Guides, either for scrapbooking or cardmaking workshop kits featured in catalogs, or from many of the promotions Close To My Heart has offered since January 2020, please visit Workshop Guides and download any instructions you may need by June 15, 2024.

If you purchased any SVG files, they too need to be download by June 15, 2024. If you need help downloading the files, I posted some information about accessing you Digital Library on March 25, 2024.

Thanks again for being part of my CTMH journey. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Little Hedgehogs Birthday Card

Hello crafty friends!

I thought I would share this birthday card I created a couple of weeks ago.

Little Hedgehogs Birthday Card (Front)

This card was inspired by project 3 from the Love Notes Card Workshop. Rather than using a square near the card center, I sized a rectangle behind the hedgehog. I used an older paper I have been hoarding Craft On (from the Seasonal Expressions 2 2019 catalog). I love black backgrounds where the colors pop.

Little Hedgehogs Birthday Card (Inside)

The stamped images hidden inside behind the hedgehog are from previous (retired) Craft with Heart™ Cardmaking subscriptions. I think I've told you before that I keep the stamp sets from the subscriptions nearby at all times because I like to have a variety of sizes and fonts of the sentiments I use most when cardmaking.

I used Carolina, Clover and White Daisy cardstock in addition to the Craft On patterned paper and I colored with the Colorista by Spectrum Noir pencils.

Little Hedgehogs is the April 2024 Stamp Of The Month and it is available with or without Thin Cuts.

Thank you for visiting today! Have a great rest of your week.

April 2024 CTMH News

Happy April Fools! What a month March 2024 was! Despite the big announcement at the end of February, CTMH continues to bring us some wonderful new items to spark our creativity! First up is the new stamp of the month. Isn't this an adorable set?

Little Hedgehogs—April Stamp of the Month

Little Hedgehogs—April Stamp of the Month (S2404)

Little Hedgehogs (S2404) is an exclusive D-Size set of 15 stamps. Little Hedgehogs is available only during the month of April 2024. The stamp set can be free for CTMH VIP Customers who place a qualifying order during April 2024. Those who are not CTMH VIP Customers can place a qualifying order and purchase the stamp set on the same order for only $5. Everyone qualifies for additional sets at $5 for each additional $50 spent on the same order. The April 2024 SOTM is also available for $19.95 with no other purchase required. The recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks for this stamp set are: 1" × 1" (Y1000), 2" × 2" (Y1003), 3" × 3" (Y1006), and 4" × 4" (Y1017).

Little Hedgehogs—April Stamp of the Month + Thin Cuts (Z7148)

If you select the Little Hedgehogs—April Stamp of the Month + Thin Cuts (Z7116), you receive the same D-Size set of 13 stamps plus 10 metal dies to cut the shapes shown. The Stamp of the Month + Thin Cuts is only $19.95 with a qualifying order; the Little Hedgehogs—April Stamp of the Month + Thin Cuts is also available for $34.95 with no other purchase required.

The CTMH Art Department created cards using Little Hedgehogs:

cards created with Little Hedgehogs

Little Hedgehogs is available only during the month of April 2024.

Joy in the Journey

Joy in the Journey

Introduced a little early (this past Friday, March 29), is the April special Joy in the Journey. The special features exclusive products, Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet and coordinating cardstock (some with resist and foil) featuring the Color of the Year Journey and a stamp set. There will also be discounts on existing Journey products. For your planning purposes, you should know there is a limited number of bundles available at the beginning of the sale, but CTMH will be making more available as soon as possible.

Joy in the Journey Flyer - page 1	Joy in the Journey Flyer - page 2
Joy in the Journey Flyer - page 3	Joy in the Journey Flyer - page 4

The Joy in the Journey flyer (PDF format) can be found here. Joy in the Journey will remain available through April 30, while supplies last. 

April 2024 Supplement

At 5pm EDT Friday, March 29 the new products pictured below were made available on my eCommerce site. 

April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 1	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 2
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 3	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 4
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 5	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 6
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 7	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 8
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 9	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 10
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 11	this space intentionally blank

The products would have been in the May-June 2024 Catalog if CTMH were not closing later this year. Soak Up the Sun (May 2024 SOTM) appears to be held until May, but that may change after the Corporate Office opens later today. It is my understanding that Summertime Borders would have been the June 2024 Stamp Of The Month; instead it available now with Thin Cuts without a qualifying purchase. Click on any of the images above for a better look; the same eleven page flyer (PDF Format) with the new products can be found here.

With the announcement the Close To My Heart is closing, be sure to check the Clearance section of my eCommerce website regularly. Who knows when a new group of products will be reduced and posted in the Clearance section?

VIP Customers, please keep in mind that April 2024 is the last month to earn VIP Credit and you will need to redeem any VIP Credit in your account by May 31, 2024 at 11:59 pm MDT. Any unused credit will expire on June 1, 2024.

All customers, please download any Workshop Guides you may need by June 15. Also, you should check your Digital Library for any Digital Art (SVG files) that were added to your account. I wrote a post about how to check your library and download the files about a week ago. Please download Digital Art as soon as you can so you have time to verify you are able unzip the zipped file and view the SVG file(s).

Thank you for your support over the past twelve years. Also, thank you for your patience while the shipping department catches up on the increased number of orders that the closing announcement prompted. 

Have a fabulous April!

Last Day for March Specials & Systems Maintenance April 1

Good morning! If you are celebrating Easter today, Happy Easter, and I don't want to take up too much of your time. 

Today is the last day for Cardstock Carnival.

Cardstock Carnival

Cardstock Carnival was one of the specials I always looked forward to. As of Saturday evening, all of the colors are available to purchase including the die cut strips.

If you were waiting for the Just Chicken In SOTM + Thin Cuts to be restocked, they were back as of Friday, March 29 and are still available as of Saturday evening,

Just Chicken In—March Stamp of the Month + Thin Cuts (Z7141)

If you are planning to purchase the SOTM or the SOTM + Thin Cuts, be sure to be logged in and add your selection from the green area of your shopping cart to get the correct pricing. Be sure to purchase by 11:59 pm MDT on March 31 to be sure to receive SOTM pricing ($5 stamp set when you make a qualifying purchase or free (stamp only) if you are a VIP, make a qualifying purchase and have not received taken advantage of the SOTM pricing before).

A Gnome for All Seasons—Spring

A Gnome for All Seasons—Spring

The Spring Gnome special is ending. If you are interested in any of the Gnomes for Spring options, be sure to purchase by 11:59 pm MDT on March 31 to receive the promotional pricing (please see my March 1 post to view the flyer).

Systems Maintenance Scheduled for April 1

The next CTMH systems maintenance window is scheduled for Monday, April 1, from 12:00–4:00 am MDT (that's 2:00 am to 6:00 am on the East Coast). During this maintenance period, some of online systems, including ordering on my Maker website, may be unavailable. Many product images and links on my blog will not display or redirect you correctly during this time.

If you are celebrating, have a Blessed Easter with your family and friends.

March 29 CTMH News

Buckle up!

At 5pm EDT today (Friday, March 29) new products will be available on my eCommerce site. To prevent early product outages, the items will be limited to 1 per person for the first 24 hours of ordering.

April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 1	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 2
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 3	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 4
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 5	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 6
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 7	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 8
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 9	April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 10
April 2024 Stamps + Thin Cuts Flyer Flyer - page 11	this space intentionally blank

Click on any of the images above for a better look; the same eleven page flyer (PDF Format) with the new products can be found here.

Joy in the Journey

Joy in the Journey

Also available at 5pm EDT is Joy in the Journey. This special features a variety of exclusive products featuring the Color of the Year Journey. There will also be discounts on existing Journey products. These special offers will remain available through April 30, while supplies last. We have been warned that "due to some interruptions in the production process, we will have a limited number of bundles available at the beginning of the sale, but we will be making more available as soon as possible".

Joy in the Journey Flyer - page 1	Joy in the Journey Flyer - page 2
Joy in the Journey Flyer - page 3	Joy in the Journey Flyer - page 4

The Joy in the Journey flyer (PDF format) can be found here.

Finally, additional inventory for several items in the March-April 2024 Catalog (and some from the Core Products catalog) are back in stock. They will orderable at 5pm EST as well.

I will post photos and flyers as soon as I can.

Accessing Your CTMH Digital Library

Hello! Thank you for stopping by today.

Yesterday I created a list of tasks that CTMH Customers should do prior to Close To My Heart closing in June 2024. 

I mentioned that one of the things to do is download (and backup) any digital assets purchased (some digital files might have been included with a special promotion–I encourage double-checking before thinking you do not have any digital files). Digital files are listed in the Digital Library.

Here are the steps to find the Digital Library:

Visit my eCommerce website, click the Sign In link, then enter the email address and password you use when you purchase from Close To My Heart.

screen snip of my eCommerce Website with Sign In location highlighted

Once you are signed in, click on your name, then choose Account.

screen snip of my eCommerce Website; Account location highlighted

On the left side of the screen choose Digital Library; if you are using a mobile phone click the arrow to the right of Account.

screen snip of my eCommerce Website; Digital Library location highlighted

All digital assets that you have acquired are listed in your Digital Library. Some of the items could be gifts like the VIP Happy Birthday file shown in the example below. Other files could have been bundled with Black Friday, Cyber Monday or other previous CTMH promotions, or perhaps you purchased a Digital Art Collection that coordinates with one of the Paper Collections. The date the file was added to your Digital Library is included to help you identify when you acquired the digital art and what the file may correspond to.

Click on the Download button to the right of each description to download the file to your device. Where the file is saved depends on your type of device, the browser you are using and if you changed the browser setting for what folder downloads are saved in.

screen snip of my eCommerce Website; Download Button highlighted

Once the file is downloaded to your device, you will need to unzip it. Since there are many different devices in use by CTMH Customers, I encourage to you use your favorite search engine for a how-to article for unzipping. Once unzipped, you will have *.svg files. Use the software for your digital cutter (Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Studio, etc.) to look at the file.

If you do not have a digital cutter, I still encourage you to download the digital art from your Digital Library. Who knows where your crafting journey will take you? You might be gifted a digital cutter from someone who no longer uses it or you might receive one at a gift giving occasion. You can still double-check the file by opening it in Microsoft Edge. Just double-click on the *.svg and you can see the image in the Edge browser. For the Apple users out there...please use your favorite search engine to learn how to view an *.svg. Alternatively, you could install Cricut Design Space. The software is free, you just need to create an account.

Some of the Close To My Heart Promotions that had a digital component are:

Holiday Cheer (Oct-Nov 2019), Easter Traditions Wood Banners (Mar 2020), Happiest Place (Jul 2020), These Are My People (Mar 2020). I will try to make a list over the next few days and add it to this post. Unfortunately I know any list I create will not be comprehensive since I did not purchase all of the products that had a digital file (Countdown to Christmas in Nov 2023 comes to mind).

I know it is a daunting task, but ideally you will find time to download the digital files you may have purchased as well as any Workshop Guides you might need by the end of April 2024. This will give you an opportunity to verify all of the files are working before Close To My Heart removes access to them on June 15.

Have a good rest of your week.

CTMH Closing and Dates to Remember

As you know Close To My Heart sent an email to all Makers and Customers on February 27, 2024 announcing that CTMH will cease operations effective June 30, 2024.

This has been some hard news to process. We take for granted that our favorite products and brands will be around forever. I will fondly remember my time as a CTMH Maker, but look forward to seeing what is next for the craft industry.

As I've read (and reread) the Closure FAQ that CTMH prepared for Makers. From that FAQ I created this list of dates that VIP Customers need to keep in mind. Further below is information for all CTMH Customers.

Key CTMH VIP Customer information.

• If you paid your VIP renewal or signed up between June 1, 2023 and February 29, 2024, you should have received an email around 9pm Eastern on Friday, March 15. This message included information about a prorated refund or VIP Credit Refund amount, with a link to choose a your refund selection. If you have not acted yet, please make a selection by March 31. If you do not specify a preference, VIP Credits will be deposited in your account by April 15.
• If your VIP membership was set to renew March 1 or after, you were not charged the renewal fee, but you will remain a VIP Customer through April 30, 2024.
• You can continue to earn VIP Credit through April 30, 2024 (orders must be submitted by 11:59 MDT).
• You can redeem VIP Credit through May 31, 2024 (orders must be submitted by 11:59 MDT); unused VIP Credit expires on June 1, 2024.
• As of March 1, 2024, VIP Credit may be used on just about everything—including CC items that are part of current and ongoing specials. The only item VIP Credits may not be used on is  the Die-cutting & Embossing Machine (Z5038).

Some details that apply to all CTMH Customers.

• Stamp pads, re-inkers and albums started selling fast and some have already sold out. Some inventory of stamp pads and re-inkers are expected to return, but many other products have retired completely.
• Facebook groups for past Album Retreats are archived. Archived groups can still be accessed, but no new posts can be made, and no new members can be admitted into them. If you do not have the groups bookmarked, you can find the groups you are a member of by searching in the upper left corner. If you purchased an Album Retreat and are having trouble finding/accessing the Facebook group, please contact the Maker you purchased the Retreat from. That Maker can look up your order number and assist you with contacting the Corporate Office to get you added to the Facebook group.
• Due to the Closure announcement, CTMH anticipated in-house turnaround times would increase, and they have, though CTMH continues to make every effort to process all orders in a timely manner. I have orders from the beginning of March 2024 that I am waiting for too, so you are not alone. Thank you for your patience.
• There is a new stamp of the month coming on April 1. The set is called "Little Hedgehogs" (S2404) and there is an option with Thin Cuts (Z7148). 
• There is a new special beginning on March 29. The 2023–2024 color of the year, Journey, will be featured: the Joy in the Journey! Exclusive new Journey products, including a paper packet + sticker sheet and specialty cardstock will be featured. During the special, all other Journey products will also be available at discounted prices. The exclusive items and special prices will be available April 1–30, while supplies last. I posted more information on March 29.
• April 30 is the last day to order on my eCommerce website at https://brendalapp.closetomyheart.com/; after April 30 you will be able to place orders directly with CTMH at closetomyheart.com
• There is a new stamp of the month coming on May 1. The set is called "Soak Up The Sun". There is a version with the word "vacation" (S2025) and a version with "holiday" (S2405E) in place of "vacation".
• As of May 1 all sales will be final.
• June 15 is the last day to notify the Corporate office (ctmhoffice@closetomyheart.com) if you received a defective item or if something is missing from your order.
• June 15 is also the last day to download Workshop Guides from https://www.closetomyheart.com/ctmh/products/workshop-guides.aspx
• I did not see this addressed formally in the Closure FAQ, but I double-checked with the staff at the Corporate Office. June 15 is the last day to download Close To My Heart Digital Content (SVG files). You may have digital content in your account and not realize it. Some specials that came with digital content are the Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar and Deck the Halls ornaments. I suggest downloading SVG files from your account as soon as you can so you can verify they work with your cutting machine.
• Content on the Close To My Heart Blog, http://blog.closetomyheart.com/, Instagram, YouTube and other Corporate social media pages will be available until June 30.
• Some images on my blog will disappear as product images are removed from the CTMH website. Photos of my completed projects will remain as long as the blog remains free for me to update. I will eventually do some clean up to remove broken CTMH image and video links. At that time, I will also remove flyers from past specials.

I encourage you to download any Workshop Guides you need and and Digital Art in your account (see my March 25 post if you need help finding the Digital Library) as soon as you can. When the  downloads are complete, please make sure you can open the PDF files and unzip the Digital Art. If you do not have a cutting machine with software yet, you can double-click on SVG files and view them in Microsoft Edge.

As I receive new information I will update this post, but I will not try to keep up with when products return to, and leave, inventory because inventory changes are happening with lightening speed.

Thank you for being Close To My Heart customers.

Let's Eat Cake Birthday Card

Hello. I've been working on organizing photos and I came across this slimline card that I have not shared to date. It is a birthday card from March 2023! Since the Let's Eat Cake Stamp + Thin Cuts (Z4637) are on the Clearance page of my CTMH website, I thought you might like to see one way to use the stamp and Thin Cuts.

card created with Let's Eat Cake Stamp + Thin Cuts

In addition to Let's Eat Cake, I used Life's a Hoot paper, Grape cardstock and watercolor pencils to color in the image after stamping with Intense Black ink. I stamped the Happy Birthday "banner" with Lagoon ink. It is a little difficult to see in the photo, but I used the Thin Cut to cut a second time and slightly offset it with the colored image to create more definition. 

As I posted yesterday, scheduled systems maintenance is taking place this evening from 10:00 pm to midnight EDT. If you to take a closer look at the stamp set online, you may need to wait until tomorrow.

Thank you for visiting!