June 2013 CTMH SOTM Blog Hop and My 600th post! Wowza!

Welcome to the Close To My Heart (CTMH) stamp of the month blog hop!  Each month we feature artwork using the stamp of the month.  Whether you're starting here, or you hopped over from Alyson Mayo's (my Extravaganza teaching buddy!!!) blog, you're right on track.  Just look for the links at the end of each post to hop your way through all of the blogs.

This month's set is S1306 A Flowering Bunch

I am totally loving this set.  Here are a couple of cards I created using the Buzz and Bumble Paper Pack and the Flowering Bunch Stamp set.

Technique Tip:

Stamp your images on colored cardstock and then sponge to add depth/dimension.  Great for when you don't have time to color...or aren't quite in the coloring mood.

Now it's time to hop on over to Pamela's Blog to see what she has created!

It's almost GRADUATION time!

It's almost GRADUATION time... If you're like me, you'll see all sorts of graduation posts on your facebook feed....nursing school, elementary, middle school, high school, Associates degrees, bachelors degrees, graduate degrees, phd's...and in my house... we are hoping for a Police Academy graduation.

It's never ending.... A great way to save money and personalize the cards and gifts is to stamp them!

I love our A size graduation set because it has individual numbers so it will last for many years and hello...it's only $6.95

Here's a quick and easy graduation card that we made at my last workshop.

Need to order your own graduation set?  Hop on over to my website and it will ship directly to you.

Having fun with the CTMH Tommy Paper Pack at my Workshop

I have been having so much fun with the Tommy Paper Pack!  I have created:

• Pages for my Sunday's with Daddy scrapbook
• Scrapbook pages
• Father's Day Cards

and I still have a few more ideas running around in my head.

Here's a fun photo collage I put together for my card kits.

And here are some close-up versions....

Do you have any projects that you would like to use the Tommy Paper Pack for?

You can order your paper pack here.

Big Picture Classes Pajama Party features Close To My Heart (CTMH)!!

Have you heard the news? Big Picture Classes and Stacy Julian are holding online Pajama Parties.  How fun is that?? The first pajama party is Thursday, May 30th at 6:00pm pst and it features Close To My Heart products.

You can click this link - Big Picture Classes - to get all the info and sign up for the FREE pajama party.

You know that I can hook you up with all the goodies you need, so look over the list below and see what else you need to order.  Then hop on over to my website and add your order to the Big Picture Pajama Party.  When the party qualifies for hostess rewards, I will draw names for FREE goodies!!!

(If you're in San Diego, come to my workshop Saturday and I can hook you up with many, if not all of the papers needed.  I have to check what I have in my stash!)

Here's a list of the products they are using:

• My Acrylix® Frame Flair (D1546)
• My Acrylix® Happy Thoughts (C1536)
• 2" x 3 1/2" My Acrylix® block (Y1009)
• 4" x 5" My Acrylix® block (Y1012)
• My Acrylix® spritz cleaner (1778)
• My Acrylix® stamp scrubber (Z1782)
• Cricut® Art Philosophy collection (Z1790)
• Whisper Exclusive Inks® pad (Z2172)
• Lagoon Exclusive Inks® pad (Z2195)
• micro-tip scissors (Z534)
• corner rounder (Z578)
• paper trimmer
• My Creations® kraft container (Z1833) 
• one sheet of 12" x 12" Crème Brulee cardstock (comes with 24 sheets, X5754)
• one sheet of 12" x 12" Lagoon cardstock (comes with 24 sheets, X5762)
• one sheet of 12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock (comes with 24 sheets, 1385)
• one sheet of 12" x 12" Whisper cardstock (comes with 24 sheets, X5929)
• one sheet Pink B&T Duos® paper from Chantilly paper packet (comes with 6 sheets, X7163B)
• two yards Grey Wool baker's twine from neutral assortment (comes with ten yards, Z1701)
• three butterflies from Color-Ready Trinkets wooden shapes (comes with 57 shapes, Z1844)
• three grey Sparkles from Sparkles black & grey assortment (comes with 108, Z1754)
• 3-D foam tape

Be sure to check out my version of the My Creations kraft container.  I blogged about it here. 

Lava Cake Birthday Jar featuring CTMH Artiste Cricut Cartridge

I have to tell you, I am sooo BLESSED!!!  I have the MOST amazing customers.  Every month it seems like somebody brings me a goodie or a treat.  Many of them know about my Hello Kitty love and they just can't resist it when they see something cute.  They simply have to bring it to me!  While I am truly grateful, I often think "don't they know I am supposed to spoil them?"

My birthday was last Monday and I got so many fun birthday wishes and surprises!  My buddies left me cards and presents on my porch.  When Candace found out there was not a party happening at my office, she showed up with balloons, cold stone cupcakes and lunch. Suddenly everyone at work had to run an errand and we had a fun afternoon party. LOL.  (Obviously I'm the one that plans all the parties in my department. oops)

I asked permission to share one little gift that just blew me away!  I am glad nobody saw me get  out of my car and run up to my porch to check it out.  It looked so stinkin cute sitting there waiting for me!  Hello it even had a spoon on it!! Love it.

My buddy Sandra used the Artiste Cricut Cartridge and the stamps that come with it to create this adorable lava cake in a jar.  The instructions said it had whipped cream frosting and to heat for 20 seconds in the microwave.  I couldn't eat it that night so I put it in the fridge for a couple of days.  (I'm not sure if it had to be refrigerated or not, but I was worried about the whip cream frosting.) Why oh why did I wait so long.  It was sooooo good.  The whip cream frosting really turned lava like. It was some ooey gooey goodness!!

This is one idea I definitely plan to copy.  I felt to special and loved and it was adorable too.

Thank you to everyone that reminded me how truly blessed I am to know so many fabulous people!!!

Artiste Images:

• Banner - Accent 1 pg 35
• Cupcake - Pg. 69
• Birthday Wishes - Accent - Pg. 77