Paper Loft Sketch Challenge

Design Challenges…this is something I don’t typically do.  Not for lack of interest but because I usually miss the deadline.  “Create a layout or card based on this sketch and submit by so-in-so date”.  I make a note about it and by the time I get around to it, the deadline has long since passed.  I have a list of things to do in life and at work, am always getting ready for my workshops and card classes and it’s just something that passes me by. 

The Paper Loft recently posted a sketch challenge and I am proud to say that I’ve actually met a deadline!  Perhaps having time off for Thanksgiving and Christmas has helped!  Let me tell you a little about The Paper Loft.  I was introduced to The Paper Loft at the CK Portland Convention in March of this year.  I signed up for two classes by them because I had looked online and really liked the paper designs.  But the reason I’m mostly jazzed about this company is that the owners are FABULOUS!  I am not kidding when I tell you I went back probably 6 times to make additional purchases.  I kept going back “just to make sure” that I hadn’t missed anything and I’d fine something else!  The price points are reasonable, the designs are classic and I can’t say enough about the spirit of the owners. 

The classes I took featured “Easy Breezy” papers and “Huckleberry Pond” papers.  I purchased just about every other paper pattern they had but I bypassed getting any additional “Huckleberry Pond” papers or “Hooked on Fishing” papers because, my thinking, was my husband doesn’t fish.  Apparently it didn’t dawn on me at the time that I grew up in Alaska and I HAVE FISHED!  And I’ve even taken my husband to Alaska and WE FISHED!  So when I was in my local scrapbook shop in November, they had a few of the coordinating items from the “Hooked on Fishing” papers and I picked them up and that’s what I used on this layout.  I wasn’t able to get the whole collection and have started my wishlist for CK Portland this coming March! 

Here’s the sketch challenge…

And here is my response…

The colors of the papers coordinate perfectly with my mom’s and my outfits!  Which is very important when you are a girl on a fishing trip and inevitably creating a scrapbooking layout.  This picture was taken in August of 2000 when I went home to Alaska and spent two weeks with my mom.  My favorite part about these pictures is that I’ve got my Anne Klein watch on, nails painted red and am in Calvin Klein jeans.  I may be an Alaskan but I’m an Alaskan with style!      

Out with the old...in with the new

 The end of the Autumn / Winter 2012 Idea Book is drawing near—January 31, 2013 to be exact! As with all Idea Books, The Spring / Summer 2013 Idea Book promises the release of some amazing new products! But as we enthusiastically bring in the new, we must reluctantly retire some of the old. A complete list of items that will be retiring is noted below.  

We do our best to keep these products in stock until the end of their Idea Book cycle, but effective immediately, the items on this list are available only while supplies last.

Place your order today!

2012 Autumn/Winter Idea Book Retiring List
Item #	Item Description	Page # Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book
Z1349	Shimmer Designer Brads	127
Z1360	Rhinestone Designer Brads	127
Z1361	Brads Red Assortment	127
Z1362	Brads Pink Assortment	127
Z1363	Brads Blue Assortment	127
Z1364	Brads Green Assortment	127
Z1365	Brads Basic Assortment	127
Z1387	Wooden Designer Buttons	125
Z1391	Buttons Clear Assortment	125
Z1395	Irresistibles™ Eclectic Chipboard Die-Cuts (the alphabet)	130
Z1465	Irresistibles™ Make-It-Count Numbers	130
Z1681	Dimensional Elements  Numbers	131
Z1761	Dimensional Elements Ornaments	131
Z1762	Dimensional Elements Snowflakes	131
Z1765	Color-Ready Arbor Wooden Shapes	130
X7147C	Stella Complements Canvas Shapes	68
X7148C	My Stickease® Pemberley Assortment	68
X7150C	My Stickease® Victory Assortment	69
X7153C	My Stickease® Florentine Assortment	69
X7158C	La Belle Vie My Stickease® Assortment	38
X7160C	Flirty Complements Dimensional Elements	50
X7161C	Moonlight Complements Dimensional Elements	56
X7162C	Pear & Partridge Complements Glittery Rub-Ons	62
Z1464	Milepost Shapes	128
Z1466	Bling Assortment	128
Z1695	Urban Felt Alphabet	130
Z1696	Keepsake Felt Alphabet	130
Z1709	Just Blooms® Petals Paper Flowers	129
Z1460	Foundry® Ribbon Slides	126
Z1711	Foundry® Binder Clips	126
Z1712	Foundry® Number Plates	126
Z1461	Décor Journaling Spots	129
Z1687	Bohemian Assortment	128
Z1689	Timeless Charms	128
Z1692	Tough Tags	128
Z1694	Bouquet Assortment	128
Z1741	Haunted Assortment	128
Z1749	Autumn Lane Assortment	128
Z1763	Boutique Assortment	128
Z1772	Dimensional Elements In Color—Holiday	128
Z1393	Mini-Medley Accents Black Collection	126
Z1316	Designer Ribbon Cocoa Collection	124
Z1385	Designer Ribbon Blue Collection	124
Z1615	Designer Ribbon Red Collection	124
Z1616	Designer Ribbon Green Collection	124
Z1388	Newsprint Rub-Ons	130
Z1700	Dark Chocolate Tapestry Velvet Rub-Ons	126
Z1733	Black Tapestry Velvet Rub-Ons	126
Z1743	Festive Velvet Rub-Ons	126
Z1742	Parlor Velvet Rub-Ons	126
Z1407	6" x 6" Olive Quick Pic™ Album	122
Z1408	6" x 6" Pansy Purple Quick Pic™ Album	122
Z1054	My Creations® Display Album	132
Z1378	My Creations® Banner	132
Z1614	My Creations® Memory Game	132
Z188	Craft Jars	120
Z1352	4 1/2" Colonial White Circle Cards	123
Z1353	4 1/2" White Daisy Circle Cards	123
Z1731	My Originals® Sweet Surprises Card Kit	123
X7147B	My Reflections® Stella Paper Packet	68
X7148B	My Reflections® Pemberley Paper Packet	68
X7150B	My Reflections® Victory Paper Packet	69
X7153B	My Reflections® Florentine Paper Packet	69
X7158B	La Belle Vie Paper Packet	38
X7160B	Flirty Paper Packet	50
X7161B	Moonlight Paper Packet	56
X7162B	Pear & Partridge Paper Packet	62
Z1252	Cutting Knife	135
G1041	Workshops on the Go® Avonlea Cardmaking Kit	22
G1043	Workshops on the Go® Pear & Partridge Cardmaking Kit	66
G1040	Workshops on the Go® Spellbound Cricut® Kit	14
G1042	Workshops on the Go® Scroll Album Kit	23
G1044	Workshops on the Go® Advent Calendar Kit	67
G1045	Workshops on the Go® Avonlea Scrapbooking Kit	21
G1046	Workshops on the Go® Clementine Scrapbooking Kit	29
G1047	Workshops on the Go® Dakota Scrapbooking Kit	35
G1048	Workshops on the Go® La Belle Vie Scrapbooking Kit	41
G1049	Workshops on the Go® Scholastic Scrapbooking Kit	47
G1050	Workshops on the Go® Flirty Scrapbooking Kit	53
G1051	Workshops on the Go® Moonlight Scrapbooking Kit	59
G1052	Workshops on the Go® Pear & Partridge Scrapbooking Kit	65
Item #	Item Description	Page # Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book
A1104	A Tweet	90
A1111	A Tulip	68
A1116	A Melody	94
A1122	Bravo	92
A1128	Quick Cards—Shell	80
A1129	A Rainbow	85
B1365	Spring Up	71
B1369	Rosy Regards	67
B1374	Bee Happy	83
B1397	He Is Risen	74
B1402	My Peeps	72
C1439	Enjoy Life	95
C1440	Take a Picture	93
C1442	Tailor-Made	94
C1450	Eclectic Edges	99
C1452	Delight	71
C1455	Aspire	96
C1456	Heartfelt Treasures	68
C1457	Happy Camper	84
C1458	Paper Lantern	90
C1473	Remarkable Wreath	70
C1474	10 Things	105
C1485	Super Powers	47
C1498	Country Life	82
C1499	Perfect Day	80
D1195	The Works Alphabet	117
D1222	Tiny Typewriter Alphabet	117
D1296	Chocolate Alphabet Small	114
D1301	Hodge Podge Alphabet	114
D1303	Classmate Alphabet	114
D1462	Splendid Day	77
D1464	Card Chatter—Love	106
D1467	Trees & Things	76
D1472	Simple Memories	66
D1478	Bingo Alphabet	113
D1505	Roar!	89
D1508	Diverse Backgrounds	102
D1509	Magic Adventures	78
D1511	Kick Back	81
E1013	Field Trip Alphabet	114

A Holiday Sale!

I love to coupon and I love a good sale...but I'm not a Black Friday shopper because I tend to hate crowds, am not a morning person and like to get a lot of my shopping done long before the Thanksgiving meal or make gifts.  This year, however, I plan to get a new Cricut so I am preparing myself mentally to get up early (or stay up late) and will hopefully come away ahead. 

Regardless if you love a deal and will be out and about shopping or hate the crowds but want the perks of Black Friday...I’ll be doing a BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL which you can take advantage of from the comfort of your own home and don’t have the elbow through the crowds at the mall!  

You will be getting 15% off your order (shipping & tax calculated separately) if you place an order by midnight on November 23rd.  Be sure to email me or call me with your order because it will not be available on my website.  And if you do plan on elbowing through the crowds, send me your order EARLY and it will be placed while you are sleeping in your tent at Target (or snuggled up in your bed at home)!  

And if you place a $50 order, you can get the November Stamp of the Month for $5.00!  This is a D size stamp set that is usually $17.95 and it's yours for only $5.00! 

And that’s not all!  To show support of Red Cross relief efforts, $1 for every Stamp of the Month set sold in November will be donated to Red Cross.

And yet…there’s STILL MORE!  When you purchase a stamp of the month set in November, you get to pick another stamp set for 50% off. 

 

So get your wishlist ready!  Give to your moms, sisters, significant others & kids as well as my email or phone number so you can have a crafty Christmas morning!

Note: shipping & handling will apply, offer valid for orders place between now and November 23^rd at midnight by phone or email to Brandee Sheldrake.  50% stamp offer is valid on A, B, C, D and E size stamps only.  K-size, Workshops on the Go, Cricut Collection and Stamp of the Month set stamps are not eligible for the promotion.  Maximum of one 50% off stamp set per order.  

Pigment vs Die Based Inks

When is it best to use pigment ink and when is it best to use dye ink?  Find the answer along with other helpful hints to make your stamped imaged perfect in this great video.  

Shop Here!

November Special

In November, you’ll get something extra when you buy the Stamp of the Month—50% off another stamp set! When you qualify for and buy the November Stamp of the Month set, Capture the Date, you’ll receive another stamp set* of your choice for 50% off—it’s like two promotions in one! The versatile Capture the Date stamp set is great for any layout, card, invitation, or calendar, and now you can choose another stamp set at half-off for more wonderful papercrafting. Get Capture the Date and then capture the savings today!

* Offer valid for A-E and M size stamp sets only; K-size, Workshops on the Go^®, Cricut^® collection, and Stamp of the Month stamp sets are not eligible for this promotion. Maximum of one 50% off stamp set per order.

To show our support of Red Cross relief efforts for those areas of the US severely affected by Hurricane Sandy, Close To My Heart will donate $1 for every Stamp of the Month set sold as a part of this promotion during November.

Dates: Offer valid November 1–30, 2012

Stamping Across Multiple Surfaces

Spanning the Space features tips and tricks for stamping across multiple surfaces.  

The stamp used in this box is called Casual Expressions.  

And the Dark Chocolate Striped Grosgrain Ribbon is some of my favorite.  It's now available in black!

Check out this great video! 

Happy Crafting! 

D.O.T.S....the way we were

One of my friends recently found a Close To My Heart catalog...or rather a DOTS catalog that, of course, she knew I would want to see!

It's a 1998-1999 Catalog.  

And let me say, we've come a long way! 

 Wood block stamps are pricey.  This clock stamp is $9.50!
That's about the price of a B size stamp now a days!  And a B size stamp set is usually 4-5 images!

Back then...the greatest scrapbooking tool was decorative scissors.
I have a whole stash that I rarely use.

Back when Sponge Daubers were NEW!
These are a staple and still one of my favorite items!

The color palette

Some things are perfect from the beginning...like outdoor denim, Indian Corn Blue, Autumn Terracotta, Smokey Plum.  Still part of the exclusive color palette.

Olive, Cranberry, Goldrush, Hollyhock are also still around!

And Bonding Memories glue...

Betty Johnson is not a consultant anymore...I checked.
The catalog was expensive!  $7.95 back then...it's only $3.95 now.

And hostess rewards have improved!  You can now get $25 in free products when you get to a $150 show. Back then...$250 got you a $20 reward

The best part!?  This image looked familiar - I had picked this stamp up several months ago at a garage sale for just $1.50.  Classic design...it's a DOTS stamp! 

Paint the Town PINK in review!

Along with a couple of other vendors, we recently put together a

Paint the Town Pink - Girls Night Out event! 

The proceeds from several items went to Breast Cancer Research 

but most of the night was about door prizes! 

 Grand Prize 

Door Prizes

 Gold Canyon

Jewel Kade

Pampered Chef

Thirty One

And of course...CLOSE TO MY HEART

  

It was so much fun to give out door prizes all night to the ladies 

 Robyn 

Shopping Shopping Shopping 

Sarah - who looked stunning headed to a cocktail party! 

 

Rachel 

Make a Tag Table 

Close To My Heart

The Grand Prize was won by Jennifer!  

And she is an awesome gal and was SO excited! 

Paint The Town PINK

If you are unable to make it to the, might I say FABULOUS, Paint The Town Pink event tomorrow night, you can still purchase online from Close To My Heart.

Any orders placed from now through Sunday September 9/23, under the Paint The Town Pink link will qualify for the special bonuses I’ll be doing at the event.

You must “JOIN” the event online.  
www.DolceBeeDesigns.ctmh.com
Follow the above link and in the bottom right hand corner under PAINT THE TOWN PINK, click "JOIN" and then place your order right online.  

Some of the specials I will be running tomorrow! 

Cricut Cartridge Special

Purchase either the Art Philosophy or Artiste Cartridge and I will send you a free paper pack of your choice!  You also get three sets of Dimensional Elements that work in tandem with the cartridge and 3 Stamps Sets!  Total retail value is $135 and it's all yours for $99!!  Once you place your order, I will email you about your paper pack selection and it will be shipped separately.  

Check out the cartridges HERE

HollyHock Album Special

For every 12x12 Hollyhock Faux Leather Album purchased ($24.95), 10% will be donated to breast cancer research!!  

Check out the album HERE

It’s Your Day DOUBLE Stamp Set

When you place an order of $35, you can get the “It’s Your Day” DOUBLE Stamp Set for $5.00.  The retail value on this item is $35.90 and it can be yours for just $5!  Seriously - that is a smokin' hot deal.  

Check out the stamp set HERE

Fall Favorites Stamp Set

When you place an order of $50, you can get the “Fall Favorites” Stamp Set for JUST $5.00. The retail value on this item is $17.95. 

Check out the stamp set HERE

AND THE BEST PART? You can combine all or some of these offers!  

Don't forget to check out the WHILE SUPPLIES LAST section and get some real steals! Items purchased here also count towards the stamp set promos!! 

To find out more about the event, check us out on facebook!