Our New Summer Idea Book is Here Now!

Close to My Heart's newest Idea Book released on 1 May, yesterday, and it is chock full of wonderful artwork and products to inspire your Summer creativity!

There are four new My Reflections paper kits (Cherry-O, Splendor, Zippidee and Passages) and LOTS of new My Acrylix stamp sets, embellishments and alterable items to play with. Cherry-O is shown on the cover here -- screams SUMMER doesn't it!! On one May, visit my website and click on the "Products" link on the left side of the home page and you can browse the Idea Book online. Then select "Shop Online" to place your secure order and have your new goodies shipped directly to your home!

If you want your own hard copy, attend one of my RAFB classes, come to my May club meeting, my National Scrapbook Day Crop or contact me via email.

For more information on our product line, techniques or my calendar of events, email or call me.

And...tada, this is my 100th post...to celebrate, check out my next post.

Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

STUDIO J....It's Here!!

I've been so excited about Studio J since I first saw it last fall at Casey's Team Meeting. It's going to change the way people do digital scrapbooking. I know all of you want to know when you can actually start playing with the program. Well, no more waiting, it is now live, as of 27 Apr. All you'll need to do is go to my website http://debbietaylor.myctmh.com/ and you'll see a link on my myctmh website that will connect you to the Studio J program. **Or you can just click the link on the right side bar on my blog and it will take you right to the program. Once in it, you will be able to choose from some of our most beloved paper kits and even some Studio J exclusive papers, select from our designer layouts, add distressing and our exclusive embellishments, add our stickease stickers and much more. Once you have played with it a while, you will be addicted - so don't go blaming now...I am here to help you! Play with it to your heart's content -- it is all free! You can upload your pictures and create your layouts free of charge. Our software is not something we charge for like some other companies. When you have your LO exactly like you want it, you can purchase your layouts for an introductory price of only $12.95 for a two-page LO. Next best offer: Order five to nine LOs and get five free memory protectors Best option: Order 10 LOs and get 10 page protectors FREE and FREE SHIPPING. I am always watching for deals, especially FREE shipping, so I am sure you will be excited about this "best option" deal too. You can also use Studio J to create and tweak your LO til you have it perfect; then using your digital sample, create it traditionally and delete your test sample; all for FREE! I Have some samples, so ask me and I will show you them. I know that you'll be amazed at the quality of the printed layouts, the easy usability of Studio J and the creative aspects only Close To My Heart's Studio J can provide. Curious? Just click the link here on my blog, to the right, and try it out for yourself. Send me your comments. I think you will love it as much as I do!! Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

Studio J Launches Tomorrow!

Studio J is a free online scrapbooking software brought to you by Close To My Heart. Studio J helps you create two-page layouts using Jeanette's foundational scrapbook patterns and exclusive, versatile colors and themed papers. Your 12 x 12 custom creations are delivered to your door.

I will be sharing more information about Studio J over the coming weeks. But to start today with some initial information, you access the software via my website, debbietaylor.myctmh.com.

You will create an account at my website to use to access and save your information using the software. The software is easy to use and should not take long for you to have a good understanding of it. Once you know the navigation and tools, you will be able to make a double page layouts in 30 minutes or less.

You can order the completed LO as is or you can play with the layout and embellishments til you get your LO just right, and then go make the LO traditionally. "Practice" online first, til you get it right. Save supplies, time and no clean up! If I have picqued your curiosity, then give it a try tomorrow. Then let me know your thoughts about it.

Happy scapping!! Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

June Club Night Information

Do you know this young un? Know one similiar?

I used to be this kid...I would swing for hours. My kids inherited it...the ability to sit and swing for hours, even upside DOWN!

These papers will be the basis for our June product. They are called Caboodle. Don't you have some photograhps that would look great with these Caboodle papers?

Happy scrapping! Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

Happy Birthday to You!

This is a birthday card I made for one of my sweet friends at church. She is a very creative gal and makes beautifullllll cards and gifts. Mine is not up to par with her abilities, but it conveys heartfelt wishes.

Happy Birthday Ellen! Enjoy your day with your parents. I hope you have a wonderful day today and a wonderful year! Love you.

I have given her the card, so it is safe to post. The picture is busy...should have just snapped the card itself. I have been trying to include the Stamp Set with each post so I can later remember what I used, (this is what old age will bring to you Ellen...needing reminders! Lot of good it did me, my aim cut off the label on the SS, silly me!)

The card was created with D1223, Fair Blossoms. I hope it inspires you all.

Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

May is National Scrapbooking Month

In celebration of National Scrapbooking Month, Close To My Heart is offering an exclusive promotion...It's a Miracle. This kit is available starting 15 April, while supplies last, to give ample time for you to order it to use during May. This kit features beautiful Spring inspired colors and papers, "miraculously" coordinated and easily transformed by you into stunning layouts or other creations.

A brochure is included which provides step-by-step instructions for completing two double-page layouts, with sufficient supplies left over, for card making or embellishments, making this kit a wonderful value!

The Miracle kit contains supplies in the exclusive CTMH colors of Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue, Bamboo and Olive and the nuetral is Colonial White. This kit is an AMAZING value and includes: 1 Bamboo Cardstock

5 Colonial White Cardstock

1 Striped B&T

1 Floral B&T

1 Crystal Blue Die Cut

1 Sweet Leaf Die Cut

1 6" x 12" Stickease Assortment

1 6" x 9" Chipboard Assortment

12" Colonial White Waxy Flax

1 Colonial White Mini Medley Collection

3 Flip Flaps

2 Sponge Wedges

1 Brochure

Did I mention great value yet?? And this color combination works well with any other accent color you would want to highlight or bring out of your photos.

This sweet kit is available "miraculously" at discount, great discount or even absolutely free. Between 15 April and 31 May:

1. You can purchase the kit at $19.95 each.
2. Purchase $40.00 in product (before shipping and handling) and purchase the kit for $10.00
3. Purchase $60.00 in product (before shipping and handling) and purchase the kit for $5.00
4. Host a Home Gathering with sales above $300.00 and earn a kit for free!
5. Sign up as a new Consultant between 1 and 31 May and CTMH will include this kit free with your Consultant kit!

This kit can be the start to your National Scrapbooking Month crafting and celebrating.

Contact me if you have any questions. Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

Blog Difficulties...well, actually User Difficulties

As you know or can tell by my blog, my blogging abilities are pretty limited. I have been trying (truly) for 3 months to put our Stamp of the Month (SOTM) on my sidebar. I am just not making it happen. I have read, googled, searched, asked, edited, without results. So on my sidebar is only the title for the Apr SOTM and the link does not work. Soooo...here is the Stamp Set (SS) and info, via text. This set is great for scrapbooking and card making. And here is some artwork created with it. This artwork was made up by our corporate artists. Pretty huh? The papers and colors are from the Caboodle collection. If you have any questions about earning the SOTM at a reduced rate, or free; about the Caboodle papers or about CTMH or scrapping in general, just let me know. I would be pleased to share an answer or more! Happy Scrapping! Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

Caboodle Artwork

Happy Friday. Hope you have some fun activities planned for this weekend. My daughter Amanda, niece, Brianna and I will be headed over to the Air Museum in the morning to help do some grounds upkeep. Then, our reward will be to go the opposite direction, out to Lane's and get some Peach Ice Cream and probably pick some strawberries. Sounds like fun huh? Hope your plans are fun too. Here is more artwork created by our fabulously talented artists at CTMH Corporate. Don't you love it? The papers used are called Caboodle. They were brand new in our Spring 2010 Idea Book. The colors include Buttercup, Crystal Blue, Sorbet and Sweet Leaf. The two new complimentary stamp sets in this artwork are C1386, Boys at Play and C1387 Playin' Hard. If you have any questions about this artwork, or would like to see the stamp sets in person and you live local to me, contact me, I'd be glad to show them to you, as well as some artwork I have created with these stamps and papers. Have fun creating! Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

Amanda's 12.5 Birthday Party

Well, we missed Amanda's birthday in August, so I decided to plan her a SURPRISE 12 and a half birthday party. And boy was I succesful.

She did not believe it was for her. All the guests met beforehand at the Country Inn Suites and we were ready for her. She was so surprised!!

She had 8 guests spend the night...we made mini scrapbook albums, rag flip flops, had pedicures, went to Stevi B's for dinner and had a fabulous time.

Happy Birthday Amanda. We all love you! Peachy Heart Hugs, Momma

You Rock LO Two - "Gone Fishing"

This LO was made using the CTMH pp "You Rock" and the stamp set, C12356, Hook Line and Sinker.

The technique for club this month was "wet embossing". We used Olive and Outdoor Denim embossing powder to random stamp on the White Daisy Cardstock. I did not want the stamping to be too perfect, so we stamped the images lightly or tapped off any heavily stamped embossing powder. It gives the stamping a rougher or more rustic look to me. The random stamping was done on both strips of WD cardstock, however, shows up better on the left half of the LO because that strip of CS has a larger border, something to keep in mind as you place your random stamped images, hehe, not so random maybe, going for placement closer to the edges or between photo mats.

We had a lot of fun making these LOs. The fish idea was Patty's...she is after all our expert fisherman. I loved the fish on a line idea!

I really liked how this LO turned out, pretty simple and clean. It garnered me an invite to go fishing! Oh no, me...in a boat...fishing? Crazier things have happened hmm? Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

"You Rock"

These layouts were our club LOs for April 2010. They feature the CTMH pp "You Rock". I designed one LO highlighting the blues and greens of the kit and the other LO focuses more on petal, a more feminine color scheme.

I used the stamp sets D1403 "Star Power", D146 "You Rock" and C1388, "Rock Star" which compliment this pp perfectly. This LO was purposefly done with minimal stamping to allow my club members versatility in using the LO.

The second LO we made with this pp features a Fishing theme. I demonstrated "wet embossing" on this LO. We accomplished the wet embossing in a smudged fashion to give the designed paper a more rustic or rough look. I will post the second LO tomorrow.

My sweet friend and customer Vicki Lynn won this first LO with her purchase this month - yeah Vicki!!

Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie

Missing In Action? No -- not...

MIA! Not really, just seems that way. Amanda and I were so busy with preparation for our cruise and the Lads to Leaders Convention that we seem to have been MIA...we were just buried under suitcases and shopping lists and puppets and speeches and scripts, and oh yeah, layouts too.

We had a fabulous time on our cruise. We went with two of my sisters and other extended family. We laughed, took pictures, ate, lounged around, took pictures, saw sites, ate, and did I say we ate? We had such a wonderful time and we came back in need of a vacation! Really!

This is one of my favorite pictures. We are in Progresso...it was not sunny that day, but still nice enough to enjoy the beach. Amanda loved playing in the sand and looking for shells. I loved WATCHING her do it! Yep, lazy ole me in a lounge chair enjoying her fun.

Believe it or not, there was TWO Scrappy events on our cruise - wahoo! You know who was the first to arrive for both sessions. This is my newest scrapping buddy, TJ, originally from South Africa. His Mom turned him on to scrapping - go Mom! He shared tips with us, cruise embellishments and some wonderful cruise LO ideas and we had a great time scrapping and sharing while on the cruise - no withdrawl pains for me -- thanks to TJ!!

Now here is my most favorite picture - not sure if you can tell it, but Amanda was so nervous. I was so proud of her though, she pushed off out into the water and by the time our session was

up, an hour and a half later, she was friends with Atlas. Unfortunately, I could not afford to buy all the pictures, only four of them...and hers was the best one. We enjoyed our time at Dolphinaris and would go again in a heart beat. If you ever get the chance to do an excursion with the Dolphins, take it...this is one excursion we will definitely do again.

We went straight from Mobile, our port, to the Lads to Leaders Convention, actually held in five different locations, but we attend the one in Atlanta. We had another wonderful year and all our kids did such an amazing job in preparing for convention. It is really humbling to see what great work and skills our children can develop for the Lord. I was very proud of the kids from our congregation and especially proud of Amanda's speech performance. I know how far she has come and she was totally awesome this year.

I was also very proud of Amanda and Ariana, who both competed in the L2L Individual Scrapbook event. Ariana competed in the 10-12th Grade Division. She earned third place for her cheerleading themed annual album.

Amanda competed with her "Hannah Montana" themed album in the 7-9th Grade Division of Winner's Circle, where she competes with other First Place (in the past) winners. She did not place this year, and she said, Mom, there were so many awesome books, I was just glad to compete with them. Makes a Mom proud. I was proud of both of my girls. Their albums were very well done and will hold memories of their year for them to always look back on.

I hope you enjoyed your spring break as much as we did and took lots of pictures. Now, I just need to scrap them, all nearly 700 of them, LOL. Peachy Heart Hugs, Debbie