Cricut Chirp, Chirp!

What a FUN afternoon! My good friend, Katie and I sipped iced tea, and I showed her all I know about the Cricut, which isn't much, but we experimented and used up some old cardstock and managed to make some cute cards and tags, if we don't say so ourselves.

The card shape for this fun Happiness card is found on the Art Philosphy Cricut cartridge and the gnome is from the new stamp set called Gnome Garden C1470. Katie made one just like it, in blue, because we needed a man card. Yes, we know . . . the bow might not make this manly, but we added some of those opaque circle things . . . plus, you know, her brother will just be amazed at the gnome and won't notice the flower and stuff, right? ;-)

We also made this tag to hang in Katie's car . . . to remind her of how cool gnomes can be. I could tell Katie's husband was really excited about the gnome picture. The squirrel is totally making the card, everyone knows that squirrels and gnomes are the real bosses of the forest and definitely good luck!

We also experimented with the rosette flowers that come on the Cricut cartridge. This tag was made using two of the different style flowers. Super easy to make too! You just choose your flower and the size (I did 4" ones) and after it cuts the flower (a spiral shaped circle), you start on the outside of the spiral and roll it up toward the center of the circle (I used a skinny sanding tool but a pencil works too). Once you have it rolled, just glue it down to the center circle. I used a glue dot and then added some Liquid Glass here and there to keep it in place. then I stuck a decorative brad in the middle for the center of the flower. The tag is from the Cricut cartridge. So much FUN! I love the little Cricut bug! :-)

 What have you been making with yours? Let me know! Chirp, chirp!

This witch is NOT wicked!

Life was just never the same after that house fell on Glenda, the Good Witch's evil sister, in the infamous Wizard of Oz movie and that reminds me, the Stamp of the Month program will never be the boring, old same either.  You can still just buy the stamp, if you so desire, or spend just $50 and you can buy it for just $5 more. Pretty good deal, if I don't say so myself, but this month, it's even BETTER!

Spend $50 and buy the stamp set, Wicked for just $5 and get the Typeface (A size) font set for FREE! That's just wickedly awesome and such a great way to kick off the new catalog. But wait. There's more. (I sound like an infomercial now.)

If you go the www.closetomyheart.com and look under the Campaigns and Promotions subtitle and click on Stamp of the Month, It has directions and recipes for the ideas present at the back of the catalog. There's also a card included with the stamp set that has a close up picture of the projects. This is great news for lazy crafters like me, who love a great idea (that may or may not be my idea . . . mostly not) and I just hate having to guess what was used. Thank you, CTMH, for making it even faster, simplier, and easy! Love it!

Have yourself a wickedly witchy day!

This Cricut Cartridge ROCKS!

Wowzer, I am loving this new Cricut cartridge Art Philosophy from Close To My Heart. Not only is using the Cricut to cut out letters and shapes ultra cool and easy, but stamping your design right on the exact size shape is just . . . well, pretty awesome, in the words of my Rachel (17 years old). I stamp lifted (yeah, okay, copied) this card shown here right from the little book that comes with the cartridge. And speaking of that little book, don't lose it!!!! It shows you EXACTLY how to get the images to print, including the fonts, the tags, the cute shaped card, like this oval scalloped card here:

I made this card exclusively with everything that is included with the bundled Cricut cartridge . . . including those 3D flowers! The stamp set too! And in case you were wondering why some of the images in your new CTMH catalog are outlined in red, those are the images that can stamp perfectly onto one of the 700 images contained on the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and you can order it from me, easy as . . . well, easy as stamping with CTMH acrylix stamp sets.

For more great Cricut ideas, check out Jeanette's blog: Jeanette's Blog and the CTMH Corporate how to video: Corporate Art Philosopy YouTube Video

If you have any questions or you want your VERY own Cricut Cartridge and stamps and dimensional shapes, send me an email or shop on my website: http://stampedbyme.myctmh.com

Have a Chirpy Day!
Elaine

New Cricut Cartridge!

I am SO excited! The new CTMH Cricut cartridge arrived in the mail a few days ago and today I can try it out! It came with 3 D size stamp sets that coordinate with the diecuts (they fit right in the images perfectly) and the cartridge comes with some 3 D projects like boxes, special cut cards, and even some flowers! VERY cool!

Here's a picture of the back so you can see what it includes!

The cartridge package is shown and explain in detail on pages 12 and 13 of the NEW catalog! You don't have a NEW catalog? Well come and get one! I will leave some on my porch or email me and I'll get you one ASAP. Here's the link to the online version: Link to the New Fall Catalog!















As always, no order is too small. Let me know if you'd like to treat yourself to something from the new catalog or shop directly from my website at http://stampedbyme.myctmh.com.

Off to play with my new stamps and Cricut toys!
Let me know if you have any questions!

Zoo Inspiration

Yes, we can keep him if he follows us home!

Well known fact: Elaine adores animals and it isn't just animals, she would pet or save or bring home critters of all shapes and sizes, breeds and colors. So when I was trying to think of something to do with Chris that was fun and didn't cost a fortune and would be close, the zoo popped into my mind and I wondered if a teenager, about to turn 15, would think the zoo was cool or dumb. When I announced my desire to go to the zoo I was met with more enthusiasm than I ever though possible. Or maybe I thought it was enthusiasm, maybe he was thinking about his next meal and that was the expression, but needless to say, I started plotting, er I mean planning our visit to the zoo. I even downloaded the map of the zoo and checked out the collection of critters at the zoo.

No stress from this tall guy!

I picked the Oakland one, only because it's closer, and San Francisco traffic can make me crazy and stressed and I didn't want the animals to be stressed by me being stressed. You see I had a plan. And it wasn't just to have fun with the animals, I wanted to take a bunch of pictures . . .

Pictures that would inspire me to get scrapbooking again. I imagine if your photo collection is like my photo collection of unscrapped pictures, you are probably thinking why would she need to go and take MORE pictures when so many are in the boxes and on the hard drive of her computer? Simple: inspiration is sometimes the pictures that are the most recent or something that tickles your fancy and a day at the zoo with 2 teenage boys will do just that!

Look, the elephant is right by me!

And truthfully? I have zoo paper and stickers to use and just needed some zoo pictures. Yes, I have lots of zoo pictures from when the kids were little, this is true, but it seemed easier to go back to the zoo, than to try and find the old pictures. I know, I admit, I need professional organizing help . . . but one thing's for sure! I bet Chris and his friend, Cory, will remember this day and how I appeared to enjoy talking to the critters and snapping photos more than any other mom at the zoo that day in the summer of 2011!

Last Few Days . . . .

Card made by Lori Scott.

The last day to order some of the paper kits from the Summer Catalog is Sunday, July 31st! I posted the list below of what is changing. Also, we have the More Bang For Your Buck where you can get a CTMH product for just $1 (there are 5 to pick from . . . info below).

Any orders emailed to me from now until July 31st will go into one order (a hostess party if it's over $150) and I will enter names in a drawing for the hostess prizing. You could earn lots of free gifts if your name is drawn!

Happy Shopping and Good Luck!

Here is the current retiring list for July 31st.  Order what you need before midnight on the 31st.

Call me or email me. Here's the link from my website in case you can't find your Summer Catalog: stampedbyme.myCTMH.com

My Relections Kits, Papers & My Stickease
All Level One Scrapbook Kits
Bliss Level 2 Paper Packet and My Stickease
Miracle Level 2 Paper Packet and My Stickease
Sweetheart Level 2 Paper Packet and My Stickease
Wings Level 2 Paper Packet and My Stickease
Magnifique Level 2 Paper Packet and My Stickease
Olivia Level 2 Paper Packet and My Stickease
Hooligans Level 2 Paper Packet and My Stickease
Mistletoe Level 2 Paper Packet and My Stickease

Acrylic Blocks
1" x 1 ½" block   (Y1001)
1" x 6 ½" block   (Y1005)
2" x 11" block (Y1007)
2 ½" x 2 ½" block  (Y1004)
4 ½" x 6 ½" block (Y1011)
My Acrylix block starter kit (Y1500)

Embellishments & Tools
Designer ribbon - Cranberry  (Z1209)
Designer ribbon - Buttercup (Z1154)
Designer ribbon - Sweet Leaf  (Z1125)
Sophia Level 2 Journaling Spots  (Z1357)
Mini Medley Accents - Pear (Z1339)
Mini Medley Accents - Lagoon (Z1340)
Mini Medley Accents - Outdoor Denim (Z1277)
Top Coats - Framed In (Z1211)
Rub Ons - Across the Board (Z1231)
Rub Ons - Primavera (Z1265)
Kraft Color Ready Borders  (Z1377)
Red Eye Pen (3501)
Embossing Powders - Clear (Z671)
Embossing Powders - Heavenly Blue (Z647)
Embossing Powders - Pansy Purple  (Z664)
Embossing Powders - Silver Pearl (Z678)
Block Buddy Set  Z1289  121 Pivot Point Stapler (Z1009)
Texture Tools - Foam Tools (Z1090)
Fun Flock (Z263)
My Accents Block Organizer (Z185)

Cardstock
24 pks of Cardstock will only be offered in these colors after July 31st: Kraft,   
   Black, White Daisy, Colonial White, Vanilla Cream, Chocolate, Cocoa, Desert   
   Sand, Bamboo, Sweet Leaf, Pacifica, Smoothie, Creme Brulee, Olive, 
   Cranberry, and Outdoor Denim
Textured Cardstock - White Daisy
We are not retiring any colors and you will be able to purchase the other colors in combo packs.

Inks and Markers
After July 31st, you will be able to purchase our stamp pads and markers individually.  We will no longer offer them in sets of color families.  Order before July 31st so that you can receive the Color Family Set discounted price.

Dimensional Elements
Dimensional Elements - Villa (Z1390)
Dimensional Elements - Miracle (Z1354)
Dimensional Elements - Booksmart  (Z1223)
Dimensional Elements - Borders (Z1156)
Dimensional Elements - Framed Fun (Z1140)
Dimensional Elements - Plain Chipboard (Z1164)
Dimensional Elements - Stars (Z1312)
All Dimensional Elements Monograms - A - Z

Other Items
All Envelope flats - Pg 114
3" x 3" Mini Album (Z1166) - Pg 120
My Creations 3 ring binder (Z1141) - Pg 120

A cutie card

Okay, so our family didn't get a family camping trip in yet this summer, but there's still hope so maybe that's why I had such fun creating this cute 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" little gift card with the Happy Camper C1457 stamp set.

Look at that cute racoon and I used the licorice colored opaques for his eyes! I just want to kiss him, which I do not advise, if you should see a real one on your next camping trip.

This set would be so fun to use on some camping scrapbook pictures, which is exactly why I am calling Mr. Elaine at work right now to tell him we have to go camping. I have the stamps, duh!!!

Happy Creating!