CTMH Cyber Monday Sale Later Today

 The Close To My Heart Cyber Monday sale starts at 5pm EST this afternoon. 

CTMH Cyber Monday Sale

Many details of the Cyber Monday sale are the same as the Black Friday sale, so much of this post will feel like déjà vu.

If you are a subscriber to the CTMH Newsletter, you will be receiving an email reminder when the sale begins this afternoon.

After starting at 5pm today, the Cyber Monday sale will end on Wednesday, December 1 at 1:59am EST (that's Tuesday at 11:59pm MST, the timezone the CTMH Corporate Office is located).

The sale features a selection of current and retired products.

Details that applied to previous flash sales also apply today:

• Sale prices are only available on orders placed on my Maker website.
• The sale features a selection of retired and current products at discounted prices. There is a limited number of current products set aside for the sale. Once CTMH sells through the allotted supply, those items will no longer be available, so shop early!
• Any current items that sell out during the sale will return to availability at their normal price once the sale has ended.
• All discounted items count toward earning VIP Credit.
  
• All discounted items count towards Stamp of the Month qualification.
• If you choose to redeem VIP Credit on sale items, you will be charged the full retail value (so save those credits for a future order).
  
• Shipping and handling is based on the full retail value of the sale items.

While you are visiting my Maker Website for the sales, be sure to visit the other specials. The November SOTM will no longer be available at the same time as the Cyber Monday sale ends (don't forget, to receive the SOTM for $5 or free, if you are a VIP, be sure to add a qualifying purchase to your cart, then look for the green "add to cart" button when you are checking out). There are other specials currently available too: Merry Making, Deck the Palms, Remember Today, January Album Retreat, and for VIP Customers, VIP Flower Shop Card Box and VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop.

Please be patient for your order to ship; the CTMH Corporate Offices were closed November 25 and November 26. I am sure the CTMH shipping department will be busy all week getting orders ready to head out the door.

Have a great week!

CTMH Black Friday Sale Later Today

The Close To My Heart Black Friday sale starts later today–at 5pm EST.

CTMH Black Friday

If you are a subscriber to the CTMH Newsletter, you will be receiving an email reminder when the sale begins.

After starting at 5pm today, the Black Friday sale will end on Sunday, November 28 at 1:59am EST (that's Saturday at 11:59pm MST, the timezone the CTMH Corporate Office is located).

The sale features a selection of current and retired products.

Details that applied to previous flash sales also apply today:

• Sale prices are only available on orders placed on my Maker website.
• The sale features a selection of retired and current products at discounted prices. There is a limited number of current products set aside for the sale. Once CTMH sells through the allotted supply, those items will no longer be available, so shop early!
• Any current items that sell out during the sale will return to availability at their normal price once the sale has ended.
• All discounted items count toward earning VIP Credit.
  
• All discounted items count towards Stamp of the Month qualification.
• If you choose to redeem VIP Credit on sale items, you will be charged the full retail value (so save those credits for a future order).
  
• Shipping and handling is based on the full retail value of the sale items.

While you are visiting my Maker Website for the sales, be sure to visit the other specials: Merry Making, Deck the Palms, Remember Today, January Album Retreat, and for VIP Customers, VIP Flower Shop Card Box and VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop.

The CTMH Corporate Offices are closed today, Friday, November 26, so no orders will ship until Monday, November 29.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Little Birdie Reminded Me

I was reminded that Close To My Heart will be have Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. It is time to set a reminder on your phone for CTMH Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

CTMH Black Friday

CTMH Cyber Monday

Both sales feature a selection of current and retired products. I am told that there will be "incredible discounts on a variety of current and past items". Both sales will last for almost 33 hours. The Black Friday sale begins at 5pm EST on Friday, November 26 and it will end on Sunday, November 28 at 1:59am EST. The Cyber Monday sale begins at 5pm EST on Monday, November 29 and it will end on Tuesday, December 1 at 1:59am EST.

Details that applied to previous flash sales also apply today:

• Sale prices are only available on orders placed on my Maker website.
• The sale features a selection of retired and current products at discounted prices. There is a limited number of current products set aside for the sale. Once CTMH sells through the allotted supply, those items will no longer be available, so shop early!
• Any current items that sell out during the sale will return to availability at their normal price once the sale has ended.
• All discounted items count toward earning VIP Credit.
  
• All discounted items count towards Stamp of the Month qualification.
• If you choose to redeem VIP Credit on sale items, you will be charged the full retail value (so save those credits for a future order).
  
• Shipping and handling is based on the full retail value of the sale items.

While you are visiting my Maker Website for the sales, be sure to visit the other specials: Merry Making, Deck the Palms, Remember Today, January Album Retreat, and for VIP Customers, VIP Flower Shop Card Box and VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop.

I would also like to remind you that due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, the CTMH Corporate Offices will be close and no orders will be shipped on Thursday or Friday, November 25 and November 26. Please understand that your orders may take a little longer to ship.

In case your busy life causes the sales to slip your mind, I will post a reminders closer to the time the sales begin. Just in case I do not get a chance to post again before then, I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Take Care!

Merry Making

Just in time to plan for holiday decorating, Close To My Heart introduces Merry Making, ornaments in four different styles.

Merry Making

Create some new wood ornaments to decorate your home with the Merry Making special. Choose from snowflakes, bells, striped, a shaker circle or a bundles of all four shapes. Each comes with an SVG (pictured in black on the flyer below) you can download and use with any digital cutter that accepts SVG files.

Merry Making flyer page 1

Merry Making flyer page 2

The flyer is also available for download in PDF format here. Merry Making is available until December 31, 2021 while supplies last.

November 2021 CTMH News

November 1?! Only two months remaining in 2021?! I think I've said this before, but I am occasionally still thinking the year should be 2020. I attended an online conference recently and someone wrote in the comments that they still find themselves writing "2019" when writing the date. I am so happy I am not the only one! I guess I need to buckle up - with the November and December holidays coming up, it will be 2022 before I know it.

November 2021 Stamp Of The Month Created to Shine

Created to Shine (S2111)
available November 2021

Created to Shine (S2111) is an exclusive D-size set of 7 stamps. Created to Shine is available only during the month of November 2021. The stamp set for can be free for CTMH VIP Customers who place a qualifying order. Those who are not CTMH VIP Customers can place a qualifying order and purchase the stamp set for only $5. Everyone qualifies for additional sets for $5 for each additional $50 spent on the same order. Created to Shine is also available for $18.95 with no other purchase required. The recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks for this stamp set are: 1" × 1" (Y1000), 1" × 6½" (Y1005), 2" × 3½" (Y1009) and 4" × 4" (Y1017).

The CTMH Art Department created a two-page layout using the Created to Shine stamp set.

two-page layout created with Created to Shine

If you would like to re-create this layout, CTMH creates a PDF they call Recipes, which lists the products used to make the samples in the catalogs. When the latest Recipes document is ready, you will find the Recipes under the page-turner of the catalog here.

Deck the Palms

Deck the Palms

Deck the Palms is a fun collection that can be used to document your tropical vacation, your tropical Christmas or to create tropical Christmas card. There are several options to choose from, the entire product bundle, two scrapbooking workshops, a cardmaking workshop or pick and choose your favorite products. The easiest way to explain everything is to show you the six-page flyer:

Deck the Palms flyer - page 1	Deck the Palms flyer - page 2
Deck the Palms flyer - page 3	Deck the Palms flyer - page 4
Deck the Palms flyer - page 5	Deck the Palms flyer - page 6

Click on any image for a larger (better) view. You can also download a PDF of the flyer here. Deck the Palms is available until December 31 while supplies last.

Remember Today

Remember Today

Remember Today offers a choice between two bundles (one with a stamp set and one without the stamp. Both bundles include a Remember Today Cut Above® Layout Kit and a Base Calendar. The Stamp Set and Cut Above® Layout Kit are also available separately.

Remember Today Flyer - page 1

Remember Today Flyer - page 2

Remember Today Flyer - page 3

Click any of the images above for a better view or you can download the flyer (PDF) here.

The following two specials are exclusive to VIP Customers:

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop

The VIP Hip Hip Hooray workshop kit guides you through creating three two-page layouts and four slimline cards. This flyer has the details of the Hip Hip Hooray Workshop (click on an image for a better view) or download a PDF of the flyer here. Hip Hip Hooray is available until December 31 while supplies last.

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop - flyer page 1

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop - flyer page2

If you would like to participate in the virtual crafting event on November 30 (you will receive details after you order the Hip Hip Hooray workshop), please order as soon as possible. Do not fear, if your workshop arrives after the event, the video will still be available in the Facebook group.

VIP Flower Shop Card Kit

VIP Flower Shop Card Kit

The Flower Shop Card Kit comes with everything you need–except adhesive–to create (and store) 15 cards. The Kit is exclusive to members of the VIP Customer Program. VIPs will find the VIP Flower Shop Card Box under the VIP menu on my eCommerce website once they are logged in with their CTMH Customer Credentials. Additional photos, the flyer and a video can be found on my September 20th post.

November–December 2021 Catalog

November–December 2021 Catalog

A new CTMH catalog begins today. The November–December 2021 Catalog will be valid until December 31. In addition to the Candid Moments collection featured on the cover, there is a soft holiday collection named Wonderland. You can download a Printable PDF of the catalog under the page-turner of the catalog here.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving celebration and have a great November.

Remember Today Calendar

It is getting that time of year...time to make a calendar for 2022. It is so hard for me to believe that the end of 2021 is just around the corner. Close To My Heart created the Remember Today Cut Above® kit to make creating a 2022 calendar quick and easy.

Remember Today

Remember Today offers a choice between two bundles (one with a stamp set and one without the stamp. Both bundles include a Remember Today Cut Above® Layout Kit and a Base Calendar. The Stamp Set and Cut Above® Layout Kit are also available separately.

Remember Today Flyer - page 1

Remember Today Flyer - page 2

Remember Today Flyer - page 3

Click any of the images above for a better view or you can download the flyer (PDF) here.

Here are the product options:

Remember Today (CC10211)	Remember Today Cut Above® Layout Kit (CC10212)
Remember Today Calendar Kit (without stamp set) (CC10213)	Remember Today Calendar Kit (CC10214)

CTMH created this video showing the workshop kit contents, a quick video showing the assembly of one page (by quick I mean the video is played back at a faster speed) and the completed calendar.

Close To My Heart will be creating with this kit on November 12 at 4pm EST during a Facebook Live virtual event. I hope you will join us.

I think calendars like Remember Today make a nice holiday gift; you can personalize them with family photos for grandparents, aunts and uncles, close friends and more. At the end of 2022, the pages can be added to a scrapbook album bringing back memories for years to come.

Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your busy day to read today's post. If you have any questions, please reach me via the contact form to the right.

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop

Close To My Heart is holding another VIP Customer virtual crafting event. The workshop is available for all CTMH VIPs to purchase now. Due to the volume of holiday shipping already increasing, CTMH is encouraging VIPs to order by October 15 so the workshop has plenty of time to arrive prior to the November 30 virtual crafting event.

CTMH VIP Customer Program

The VIP Customer Hip Hip Hooray Workshop includes bright colors and a fun stamp set.

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop

The VIP Hip Hip Hooray workshop kit guides you through creating three two-page layouts and four slimline cards. This flyer has the details of the Hip Hip Hooray Workshop (click on an image for a better view) or download a PDF of the flyer here.

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop - flyer page 1

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop - flyer page2

CTMH created this video to show the workshop kit contents and the completed layouts and cards.

When visiting the Hip Hip Hooray Workshop page (available to VIP customers who are signed in), be sure to check the additional supplies needed; you likely already have them in your stash, but it does not hurt to double-check.

Hip Hip Hooray is available through December 31 while supplies last.

I hope you will join us on November 30 to create the layouts and cards. Thank you for stopping by.

Crafting using bit from the Recycling Bin

I asked this question in a Facebook Group, but thought I would try to start a conversation here. When you craft, do you ever pull anything out of the recycling bin to use? Let me clarify, out of the paper/cardboard bin.

If you regularly visit here, you probably saw three cards I created for World Cardmaking Day (actually I made a weekend of it) where I used images from solicitations for donations; images that were just too cute to end up in the bin. Here are two more cards I created a few weeks ago from other solicitations.

owl card with vine background

All of the papers are from my stash. I used dies to cut the oval and scalloped oval (both from Spellbinders). I used  Distress Oxide™ Ink and a stencil from CTMH Card Front Stencil Pack 2 (Z4342) to create the vine background. I think I used Peeled Paint (Z3831) and tried to apply it lighter on the left and darker on the right. I applied the ink with the Mini Ink Blending Tool (Z3886) and Mini Ink Blending Foam (Z3878).

Here is another card created from the same mailing:

owl card with hello background

Again, all of the papers are from my stash. I cut the rectangles on my paper trimmer. I used Distress Oxide™ Inks and a stencil from CTMH Card Front Stencil Pack 1 (Z4341) to create the word  background. I think I used Peeled Paint (Z3831), Mustard Seed (Z3830) and Mowed Lawn (Z3832). The stamped image is from CTMH For All Occasions (D2052). I think I used Cinnamon ink (Z6522).

I have to admit it is rare that I see an image destined for recycling that I want to create a card with, but I often use something from the paper recycling bin when I am creating. I thought I would share some of the other ways that I use items from the paper recycling bin.

• I use the back of envelopes or paper to sketch out my ideas when I am not using a pattern.
• I also use the back of envelopes to create a list of the products used when creating.
  
• I use paper when I need a simple mask when stamping, stenciling or splattering.
  
• I use open newspapers to catch the mess when splattering.
• When preparing to cut directional paper, especially when I only have no backup sheets, and I am concerned about cutting it wrong, I will draw on or cut a piece of newspaper to verify my cutting plan.
• I use the cello window of an envelope to pool wet glue to tap die cuts in; this is less messy way of adding wet glue to the back of a die cut.

If you have suggestions for other ways to reuse paper recycling before the recycling truck picks it up, please share by submitting a comment.

If you have not used your paper recycling while crafting, I hope I have given you some ideas. Thanks for visiting today.

World Cardmaking Day Creations

Yesterday was World Cardmaking Day so I used it as an excuse to just create this weekend, with no guidelines. Just do whatever when inspiration strikes, sort of like flitting like a butterfly. My goal was partially to bust my stash though I am unsure how much I really busted the stash. I've been creating with paper for years and that means I have enough supplies to open a craft store that has only one (sometimes two) of each item in stock.

I had a some images that I wanted to work with so I pulled them out. I rescued the images from the recycle bin. I am pretty sure I am not the only one who does this; I have seen cards and more created with calendars from previous years.

In case you like something I used to create my cards, I will share the product information that I have, but fair warning, some items have been in my stash so long that I am not sure if they are still available to purchase. You might have to use auction sites or selling groups to find some of the items.

This card includes an image I rescued from the recycle bin. I do not remember who mailed this to us, but the envelope front had this blue jay and the cardinal featured in the next card.

holiday card featuring a blue jay

It worked out that the space around the blue jay allowed me to use a square die (Spellbinders) to cut it out. I used a second die (Spellbinders) to cut a decorative square to layer the blue jay. I used a snowflake embossing folder (Close To My Heart) to emboss the tan card (the tan card was wrapped around a USB case to protect a purchase shipped to me). The two blue cardstocks are from my stash, something I've had for years, that no longer has identifying information. The scalloped edge was created with a large scallop edge square die (The Paper Boutique)–I used low tack tape to hold the cardstock in place while running it though the machine. The snowflakes (Kit 'n' Caboodle) and sentiment (Crafter's Companion) were highlighted with Snow & Ice Lustre Polish (Creative Expressions) and a dot of Picket Fence Distress Stickles™ in the center of each snowflake.

This is the second card from the same envelope. 

holiday card featuring a cardinal

I could not find a die that worked well for cutting out the cardinal so I did my best with a paper trimmer. I used a wood grain embossing folder (Close To My Heart) to emboss the tan card (the same tan card mentioned above). The green and dark red cardstocks are from my stash. The scalloped edge was created with a large scallop edge square die (The Paper Boutique). The holly and sprig (Kit 'n' Caboodle) and sentiment (Crafter's Companion) were highlighted with Snow & Ice Lustre Polish (Creative Expressions). Christmas Red Stickles™ create the holly berries.

The next card is from a different recycle bin rescue.

holiday card featuring holiday-dressed animals

There was a border tight to the top and left of the image so I used my paper trimmer to cut the image and the layer behind it. I used a snowflake embossing folder (Close To My Heart) to emboss the tan card (the same tan card mentioned above). I highlighted the embossing with Snow & Ice Lustre Polish (Creative Expressions). The red and green cardstocks are from my stash. The scalloped edge was created with a large scallop edge square die (The Paper Boutique). The sentiment is from Crafter's Companion.

I had to create this card because I had this background remaining.

holiday card featuring pine cones

When I created my first cards above, I embossed a few extra pieces of cardstock (wood grain embossing folder (Close To My Heart) and tan card (the same tan card mentioned above)). I highlighted the embossing with Gold Treasure Metallic Gilding Polish (Creative Expressions). The green and red cardstocks are from my stash; the Mocha cardstock is from CTMH. The scalloped edge was created with a large scallop edge square die (The Paper Boutique). The pine cones and pine branches (Kit 'n' Caboodle) were highlighted with Snow & Ice Lustre Polish (Creative Expressions). The sentiment is from Crafter's Companion.

I had to create this card because I had the gilded pine cones and pine branches on my desk.

holiday card featuring pine cones

I originally gilded the pine cones and pine branches (Kit 'n' Caboodle) for one of the cards above, but decided they did not stand out enough against the tan cardstock. I used a pine tree embossing folder (Sizzix/Tim Holtz). The green and red cardstocks are from my stash; the Mocha cardstock is from CTMH. The sentiment is from Crafter's Companion.

This card was created because I had the gilded holly leaves and sprigs still on my desk.

holiday card featuring holly leaves

I originally gilded the holly and sprigs (Kit 'n' Caboodle) for one of the cards above, but decided they did not stand out enough against the tan cardstock; I just have too heavy a hand applying the polish. I used a wood grain embossing folder (Sizzix/Tim Holtz). The dark red and green cardstocks are from my stash. The holly berries were created with Aged Mahogany Distress Stickles™. The sentiment is from Crafter's Companion.

I hope you found a chance to get crafty this weekend for World Card Making Day. I hope your busy week ahead treats you well. Thank you dropping by today.

Happy World Cardmaking Day

Happy World Cardmaking Day,

I hate to say it, but this day crept up on me and I am totally unprepared. In the meantime here is a card I created earlier this year and I do not see where I shared it on my blog before today.

Thank You Card

I hope you get a chance to use your crafting supplies today (though the weather report for my area is for better outside weather today). Maybe think about crafting Saturday while you are enjoying this nice day and actually create on Sunday?

My goal is to create a new card or two to share later this weekend. I hope you will come back to see if I reached my goal.

No matter what, have a great weekend!