2016 Holiday Expressions is Here!

The new Close To My Heart Holiday Expressions is here!

All of our Autumn holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas can be found in this special edition. Sixty-eight pages of festive ideas for scrapbook pages, handmade cards, and home decor.

Make sure to get your hands on these items in the next couple months, because they are while supplies last and won't be available after December.

Contact me for your copy of the Idea Book!

Last Flash Sale!

News flash! During the month of June, we’re offering great deals on bundles of discounted Close To My Heart products every weekend! Check my website, inkysquid.ctmh.com, each Friday during June to find a new set of bundles. There will be lots to choose from, but you’ll need to snatch them up quick, because they’re only available through the following Monday while supplies last! Bundles will be available at various discount levels and price points throughout the month, so check every weekend to see the new offerings. Remember, these discounts won’t last forever, and some will be gone in a flash, so act quickly to score the best deals!
 
Dates:
Friday, June 24, 2016 at 3:00 pm (MDT) – Monday, June 27, 2016 at 3:00 pm (MDT)

Get Organized!

During August, you can get your hands on the latest and greatest in organization products from Close To My Heart—with a few perks thrown in! For the August campaign, we are making the brand new Marker Roll-Up and Accessory Roll-Up available for purchase and throwing in some freebies when you and your customers purchase them.

When you place an order for the new accessory roll-up at full retail price, you’ll receive two new Base & Bling style sheets, Affirmations and Lovely Blooms, FREE! With multiple zipper pockets in a variety of sizes, the accessory roll-up is an ideal storage solution for all your Base & Bling pieces and other accessories!

 

Also, when you place an order for the new marker roll-up at full retail price, you’ll receive the new D-size stamp set My Acrylix® Balloon Wishes FREE! This is a brand new Cricut®-compatible set that really lends itself to coloring with the Shin-Han™ Touch Twin™ markers, which are a breeze to store using the new Marker Roll-Up.

You're a Charmer

Dimension on cards and scrapbook pages add interest and pizzazz. CTMH has many choices for charms. This month's feature kit, Seaside Assortment has ocean themed charms. The Base and Bling section has many additional themes, such as mustaches, anchors, owls and keys. Use the charms for jewelry, handmade gifts and decor, scrapbooks and greeting cards. Just about anything you can think of, add a little charm.

Convention 2015: Roomie Gifts

While I'm at convention, I thought I'd share the gifts I gave my roomies this year.  Normally, I try to make something, and I had grand plans this year too.  That didn't really work out.  My other fun job, studying the ocean, got in the way.  But, I did have fun putting these super bright fun goodies together. 

 

A container is good way to start off the gift.  I found these super cute (and bright!) shaker containers. I'm not sure what they are supposed to be used for in the normal world, but in the crafting world, I think they could be used for glitter or empbossing powder dispensers.  And with the nice cap on top, you can prevent any accidental spillage.

 

Every year I choose a charm that goes with the theme or destination for convention.  A few weeks ago, Corporate announced this year's theme will be based on Disney's movie, Up.  I found these awesome charms on Etsy, made by Mint Marbles.   Aren't the balloons clever?  She makes lots of really neat jewelry, so head on over to check out Nicole's store.

Even though I have only two roomies, a lot of the same group coordinate plans for months beforehand on Facebook.  These gals will get one of the buttons below.  I got a mixture of buttons from the Etsy shops of Artemis Accessories and Cool Pin Buttons.

Small Gifts with Tons of Color

When you are looking for an idea for a small gift or thank you, you can make a card with a small tea bag, like the card above.  If you want to give away something bigger, try decorating using a large coffee cup and fill with your favorite coffee or tea.

If you're having a party this spring and summer, check out the ideas below.  This card is super easy to make, filling in all the details of the party.  Then, fill little jars with homemade sugar scrubs as cute little treats to take home.

Have you checked out the Deal of the Day? Don't forget, we have a new Deal everyday during the month of April.

Quilling Tool

Even though it is the middle of winter, and most things are hibernating or dead, flowers remind us that everything is not dead.  Decorate your house with lovely variations of paper flowers using the Artise Cricut cartridge and the quilling tool.  Check out the video below to learn how to roll flowers to add to your projects.

The Quilling Tool from Close To My Heart helps you create gorgeous rolled paper projects and embellishments that are simply stunning. The tool comes with two sizes - one on each end - to help you achieve as tight or as loose a roll as you would like. The Quilling Tool makes rolling up and curling cut flowers, like our Cricut-cut shapes, quick and easy, so your flowers stay tightly would before you release them and add your adhesive. Take one end, slip it on to your paper and roll away. Just like that. Now both ends of the tool feature tapered ends so that as you roll, the completed portions ease onto the barrel without ripping, of course. Then you simply slide the completed flower off of the end and apply adhesive to both ends and add to your projects.

Sweet Halloween Treats

Wednesday was the quarterly meeting for my lab at work.  We usually order pizza and pop to munch on while we update each other on what's been happening and what's coming up in our field work and research.  I thought it would be fun to give out a little Halloween treat to everyone.  We have several great kits in this year's catalog to help.  This super easy, really fun Halloween treat bag made the perfect gift.  

 

 The kit comes with 10 pre-cut paper bags, 10 plastic bags, 10 paper circles, several sticker sheets, and 3-d Adhesive.  The kit suggests using the Stamp set Sweet Salutations, but I used the Halloween set Perfect Fit-Halloween.  The reason that a stamp set isn't included with the kit is the idea that if you buy several of these kits, you don't have multiples of the same stamps, and it makes them more cost-effective.

 

I used Rolos as my candy.  I think any round candy will work, like Hershey's kises.  I looked at Peppermint Patties, but the packaging has changed since I remember.  If you buy off brand, you might find the more traditional foil wrapped mint chocolate candy.

School's In

 

School is about to start or is already back in session for many of you.  Check out this cute little box, created with the Artiste Cricut Cartridge.  This example uses the Chalk It Up Paper pack.  Our B&T paper is cardstock quality, so it makes a great base for boxes.  Tie up the goodies inside tightly with a Cranberry Stripped Twill Ribbon.  The fun little White Enamel Stars are brand new.

Lovely Spring Box

 

Sometimes I find a little treat or surprise that I want to give to a friend or loved one.  I want to wrap it up, other times I need something a little heftier like a little box.  But sometimes boxes can be so boring, and industrial looking. 

Enter the CTMH Artiste Cricut Cartridge!  You can create a cute box using cardstock and our awesome patterned B&T paper.  Top the box off with great rolled flowers which are really easy to make.  This box, using the Skylark B&T and Kraft CS was created by Denise from Inspired by D.  She was my roomie at convention this year.

 

  Don't forget the quilling tool and larger adhesive dots!  The quilling tool will help you roll the flowers and the larger adhesive dot will help you hold it all together.