It's Stampaganza Time!!!

I know it's only June, but can you hear the fireworks? I can! And it's all because of Stampaganza - our BUY 2 STAMPS, GET 1 FREE all during the month of June!

Beginning June 1st at 11am (EST), score a FREE* stamp set for every two that you purchase. (*Free set must be of equal or lesser value in the entire order.) Stamp sets that count toward the qualifying purchase and available for free include full-priced A, B, C, D, and E-sized stamp sets only. The following do not count as a qualifying purchase and are not available as a free set: customizable (K-size), Worshops on the Go, Cricut collection, and Stamp of the Month (full-priced or discounted).

Offer valid June 1-30, 2012. Tax and shipping/handling may apply. The lowest priced set(s) in the entire order will be the free set(s).

Here are some sample scenarios:

Buy 2 E-sized stamp sets, get 1 A, B, C, D, or E stamp set for free!

Buy 1 E and 1 D-sized stamp set, get 1 A, B, C, or D stamp set for free!

Buy 1 D, 2 C, 1 B-sized stamp set, get 2 A or B stamp sets for free!

Make sense?

And why not add even more bang for your buck? I'm offering the same deal on all of my clearance stamps! Retired and unavailable used stamps are only $5 each and new stamps are only $10! Check out the selection here or click on the clearance stamps tab at the top of my blog.

Or click here to start shopping for current stamps on my website! Sale begins June 1st at 11am EST!

Happy Shopping!

June's Cricut Class is Udderly Irresistible!

In my June's Cricut Class we will go back to the Cricut Craft Room and this time focus on building different mat layers. And in the process of learning you will create this Udderly Irresistible gift set!

We will be using our new My Creations Milk Carton and our Country Life Stamp set. The gift set includes a milk carton, matching card, Udderly Smooth udder cream and moisturizing gloves.

Here is what the milk carton looks like:

Front:

Back:

We will be making the layers on top in the craft room.

Would you like to learn? Come join me on Friday June 15th at 10am or 6pm. Bring your laptop, cricut, mat, spatula, and Art Philosophy cartridge along with adhesive. I'll provide the rest. The cost is only $12.

Aren't able to bring your equipment, but still want to take the class and make the project? Come watch me demonstrate how to use the mat layers in the Craft Room and then assemble your project with all pieces already cut for you! (Be sure to let me know if you want the pre-cut kit so it will be ready for you.)

Want the workshop, but can't attend? You can purchase a pre-cut, pre-stamped kit for $12 plus $5 shipping if you are not local. I'll send instructions for the craft room plus my .ccr file so you can still learn on your own. Plus I will be available for any questions.

Contact me to hold a spot for you and a friend or order your kit below today!

Chirp-Chirp!

Kit Options

Kit without shipping$12.00 USD Kit with shipping$17.00 USD

Dotty For You and You Are Cards

Okay, it might seem like I'm going backwards here, but I needed to make some cards for some "amazing" girls on my team, so I pulled out last month's stamp of the month "You Are" to fit the bill! I LOVE the many fun possibilities with this stamp set - especially paired up with the Dotty For You papers! Here's what I whipped up.

I added some Dimensional Elements stars inked with buttercup and sweet leaf ink then covered with Prisma Glitter.

I got my inspiration from this AMAZING card that Lisa Stenz made me! Her version will take your breath away!

Did you miss out on getting this stamp set last month? Not to worry! Contact me to see how you can get yours AND a Dotty for You paper pack at an AMAZING price!

More Dotty For You and Friendship Bouquet

As promised, here are some more cards using the same inspiration from Margi Gilbertson.

This time I used the Lagoon polka dot paper in the background and added some color to the flower petals using chalk.

Then I added some Prisma Glitter to the center of the flower. I used our blending pen and Lagoon ink to color around the outside of the flower.

Here is another take on the same thing using the Smoothie polka dot paper for the background.

I used chalk again to color the flower petals and then added some bitty pearls to the center of the flower.

These were SO EASY to make! Do you have your pack of Dotty For You Paper? 

24 sheets of various fun patterns with a polka dot pattern on the other side. It has a retail value of $19.95 and you can get yours this month for only $5 with a $35 purchase from our Spring/Summer Idea Book. 

What about our Friendship Bouquet Stamp of the Month?

This beauty retails for $17.95, but it's yours for only $5 this month with a purchase of $50! So you can take advantage of BOTH specials in one order! Purchase $45 in product (at least $35 from the current book, the rest can be from my clearance section online), add on the Dotty for You paper for only $5 which will get you to $50. Then add on the stamp of the month for only $5!

Click here to start shopping or contact me for more information on joining my team! You get a FREE Dotty for You paper pack with your kit and I will give you a FREE gift too!

Dotty For You Cards with Friendship Bouquet

I received a card in the mail from fellow CTMH Consultant Margi Gilbertson that I just fell in love with!

She used the May Stamp of the Month - Friendship Bouquet. But what I love most is the beauty of simplicity!

She brushed the flower petals with some of our Pearl Paint to give the flower a pearlescent sheen.

I want to make a TON of these! Aren't they beautiful?

Here is a monochromatic version using some of our Dotty For You Papers:

LOVE this paper and stamp set together. And LOVE that I can make a bunch of easy, simple, yet stunning cards to have on hand or to give as a gift. 

Do you have your pack of Dotty For You Paper and this stamp set Friendship Bouquet? You can get them BOTH this month for only $5 each! Click here or contact me for the details!

Stay tuned for more ideas - this time in color!

Smile Your Way to a Long Life!

While I was waiting in the Dentist's waiting room the other day, I saw an article that was written in the Los Angeles Times regarding a connection to smiles and a long, healthy life!

The article was written by Shari Roan in March 2010.

People who smile a lot are usually happier, have more stable personalities, more stable marriages, better cognitive skills and better interpersonal skills, according to research. Science has just uncovered another benefit of a happy face. People who have big smiles live longer.


Researchers at Wayne State University used information from the Baseball Register to look a photos of 230 players who debuted in professional baseball before 1950. The players' photos were enlarged and a rating of their smile intensity was made (big smile, no smile, partial smile). The players' smile ratings were compared with data from deaths that occurred 2006 and 2009. The researchers then corrected their analysis to account for other factors associated with longevity, such as body mass index, career length, career precocity and college attendance.  


For those players who had died, the researchers found longevity ranged from an average of 72.9 years for players with no smiles (63 players), to 75 years for players with partial smiles (64 players) to 79.9 years for players with big smiles (23 players). 


This isn't a bunch of psycho-hooey, the authors said. Smiles reflect positive emotion. Positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental well-being. They added a caveat to their study, noting: "The data source provided no information as to whether expressions were spontaneous or in response to a photographer's request to smile." Still, big smiles are more likely to reflect true happiness than partial smiles. 


What I'm wondering is, did they account for each team's winning records? Maybe the non-smilers were thinking about batting averages. 


The study is published in the journal Psychological Science. -- Shari Roan

This article encouraged me to think about MY smile. Smiles transform faces! And now there is proof that they transform lives! I've always touted the life changing surgeries that Operation Smile provides. NOW I can say that a smile can transform ANY life! How about yours?

Say CHEESE!

Dotty For You - Baby Boy Card

As promised, I have a baby BOY card using the Dotty For You papers and the New Arrival stamp set. 

I used one of our new Colonial White Die-Cut Tri-Fold cards for this one! (Love these cards/envelopes!)

I paper pieced the little gator and bird along with the hearts.

For the inside, I decorated the inside flap with paper/ribbon, and pulled a photo from Facebook and added a personal message in a text box right over the photo, then printed it out on cardstock and matted it inside the card.

Then I decided to add some paper to the other side of the card - the inside front cover - just to make it feel complete. Actually, I may remove the sentiment and add a personal note to mom instead.

LOVE how fun these polka dot papers are!!! Have you gotten yours yet? Don't miss out!! Quantities are getting low!! Simply order $35 from the Spring/Summer Idea Book and you qualify for a full pack of 24 sheets for only $5! Click here to start shopping before it's too late!

Dotty For You - Baby Girl Card

Have you heard about our fabulous National Scrapbooking Month Special? With a purchase of only $35 from the Spring/Summer Idea Book, you qualify for a special pack of 24 sheets of cardstock quality paper with lots of fun patterns on one side and trendy polka dots on the other side!!! This pack has both vibrant summer colors as well as soft pastels.

I finally got the nerve to cut into this beautiful paper to make a baby card.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the polka dot sides!!! Here I added some Baby Pink cardstock (embellished with Prisma Glitter) with the Grey Flannel polka dot papers. 

I paper pieced the elephant, and ear - added an opaque pearl for the eye and one of the Bitty Buds sparkle flowers.

Inside is a sentiment from the same adorable stamp set - New Arrival.

I used my Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge to create the 4" square scallop card and accent pieces as well as the shapes inside the card for the sentiment!

Check back tomorrow for a completely different baby boy version with this same stamp set and Dotty For You papers.

Click here to begin shopping and get your Dotty For You Paper Pack for only $5 today!

Adding Dimension to your Studio J Titles

A while back I promised you more cool techniques in Studio J. Here is a tutorial on how to give some dimension to your titles with shadowing and layering!

So cool! I love Amy! She is a Studio J Wiz!

Try out Studio J for yourself absolutely FREE by clicking the icon below! Or ask me about a free in person or phone consultation today!

Cricut Class - Sunshine in the Craft Room

This month's Cricut Class will feature the fantastic FREE online tool - Cricut Craft Room. 

Come learn how to easily resize, stretch, combine, weld, group and perfectly place letters and images using the Craft Room. Bring your Cricut machine, Art Philosophy Cartridge, laptop, and printer cable to be able to play for yourself OR simply watch a demonstration and take turns playing with mine.

While we are playing, we will make the following You Are....My Sunshine Box.

You can put absolutely anything you want inside your box. Even a music box element that plays the song! I chose to use scripture cards in mine. I've had a lot of requests to see these, so I'll post them here. I made these for my "sunshine" Lisa Stenz and included a personal note. You will want to modify yours to suit your recipient:. Below are the cards I included in the box.

You can take the class and make the box for only $15!

You can add on the 10 cards for an additional $5.

Space is limited, so reserve your spot today!

Friday, May 18th

10:00am and 6:30pm

Contact me today and let me know if you want the day or evening class and if you want the cards (if so, what you want the "sunshine" card to say). Until then, keep chirping!! (LOVE my Cricut + AP Cartridge!)

Florentine Family Layout - Crop Gift

Here is another gift my croppers will receive on National Scrapbooking Day - a Florentine Family Layout kit. I've used some of their paper, stickease and mocha pearls on their picture frame, but they get the rest for their layout - plus left over supplies for additional projects!

This layout was also originally designed by Kelly Triggs - and tweeked by Lisa Stenz. 

It incorporates our beautiful Florentine Stickease as well as our Cricut Art Philosophy font for the title, and some faux stitching using our fabulous clear ruler with holes for piercing holes in just the right places!

I'm so excited about the crop. I'm testing out games on my husband (poor guy), and getting food ready (think Cinco de Mayo), and staying up way too late playing with paper! But it will be a blast! Hope you are signed up to be there!

National Scrapbooking Day Crop - Gifts!

As many of you know, May is National Scrapbooking Month. And this Saturday, May 5th is National Scrapbooking DAY! We are celebrating this year with an all day crop filled with workshops, games. prizes, contests, food & fun!

In fact, everyone who attends my crop will receive TWO gifts from me! Both of these gifts were originally designed by fellow CTMH Consultant Kelly English-Triggs. And both feature our beautiful Florentine paper and stickease. The first is a picture frame celebrating family! I've changed very little from Kelly's design.

For the cluster (above) I was limited to the left over stickease and paper from the second gift - which you will see tomorrow.

Are you signed up yet? I only have a couple of spots left open. Contact me asap if you want to get in on the fun!