Third Times a Charm?

Hopefully third time’s the charm. It has been brought to my attention that I need to use a better calendar when planning workshops! I have inadvertently scheduled a workshop on Thanksgiving and sent out a correct workshop flyer only to be told I still didn’t get the days right. Below is the information for the Christmas Card Workshop with corrected dates.

• Choose your paper (Jingle - featured in the kit of month, Aspen - shown in top picture or Evensong - shown in bottom picture)
• Choose your sentiment
• Choose your front design from an assortment of stamps
• All cards include envelopes and embellishment
• Papers will be precut



Is 25 cards too few and 50 cards to many? You can always use extra cards as gift card holders, invitation, and thank you notes.

25 Cards - $20
50 Cards - $40

Workshop Dates:

Thursday, December 3rd at 7 p.m. or Saturday, December 5th at 1 p.m.

Please RSVP by Monday November 23rd by calling 217-384-5059 or emailing brandi.katrein@sbcglobal.net
Payment by Cash, Check or Credit Card due by November 23rd

Its Back! Stampaganza!!!!!

If you love Close To My Heart My Acrylix stamps - now is the perfect time to buy. From November 3-30, 2009, when you purchase any two stamp sets (sizes A, B, C, D, and/or E only) at full retail price you will receive a third stamp set of your choice FREE (of equal or lesser value)- a savings of up to $22.95! Choose from any stamp set offered in any 2009 Idea Book or the current Product Review. Take advantage of this month's great offer to add to your collection.



This is one of the promotions I look forward to all year long.

Homemade Glimmer Mist

Ok - so here is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to make your own custom Glimmer Mist. Using a mini spray bottle, water or alcohol, CTMH Create-A-Shade Pearl Paint, and reinker you can create custom colors of glimmer mist. In a mini mister bottle (the size I used is similar to the Ranger Mini Misters - I got mine on ebay) squeeze a drop of paint into the spray bottle. Fill the bottle 3/4 full of water (or alcohol - I have read the alcohol dries faster but have not tried it). By filling the bottle only 3/4 full you can make adjustments to the mix if necessary or add color. If you don't add reinker you will have a nice pearly shimmer. To create custom colors add reinker to achieve desired color. To create a more direct match to the reinker color use about 10-16 drops of reinker, use less for a lighter color. You can always add more reinker to darken your color. You will have to shake the mist up with each use as the paint will start to sink.



In the picture above the paper flower was sprayed with the mist with no reinker added. Just a nice pearly sheen. The great thing about this is you make small batches of custom colors with little or no waste. How great is that. I have to give the credit for this tip to my wonderful CTMH sisters - they are a great group!

Beware! Halloween is fast approaching......

Over the weekend I got some card making in. My sister and I got together and got a lot of projects going. My first priority was getting Halloween cards done. Using the Beware stamp from Close To My Heart with Autumn Terracotta Cardstock and my homemade glimmer mist I made this card.



Along with the Halloween cards, I made a good start on a memory box for a baby gift as well as my christmas cards - more on those as I get them completed. Untill later - happy crafting!

So, I haven't really been creating lately. I have been attempting to fix up my crafty space and well, let's just say that things don't always go as planned. I hope to be able to get my room done soon - I'll keep you posted!

In the mean time, I have been working on storage and stuff. Along with working on a storage solution for my die cuts, some of my wonderful CTMH sisters have come up with a homemade glimmer mist. Of course I have to give it a try. A little Create a Shade Pearl Paint, some water, reinker, and a mini mister bottle creates your own custom glimmer mist. Leave out the reinker and you can give your projects a nice pearl shimmer. The advantages are custom colors, small batches and very inexpensive!

Virtual Open House

It's that time - a new Idea Book!  Not only are there great new papers, stamps, embellishments and tools, there is a great new workshop program that I am offering as a kit of the month.  Close To My Heart is also announcing the introduction of Studio J!  Studio J is Close To My Heart's very only digital scrapbooking program.  Create beautiful, designer layouts in minutes.  Studio J will be launching in the Spring of 2010 and the best part?  No software to buy.  That's right, create custom layouts that are printed and shipped to you without having to purchase the software.  To learn more about Studio J go to http://www.studioj.com/.

September Specials:  Everyday Celebration Card Kit (purchase for $39.95 or purchase $60 in stamps and receive the card kit free); Stamp of the Month - Treasures (only available during September); Place a $25 order with me and receive a free Exclusive Inks Marker of your choice; Place a $50 order with me and receive a free Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad of your choice.  Also, receive a free Autumn / Winter Idea Book with any order.

To celebrate the New Idea Book and National Stamping Month, I will be having a Mystery Hostess Drawing.  All orders placed with me by September 25th will be entered into the Mystery Hostess Drawing.  The winner will recieve a minimum of $25 in hostess rewards.  Ways to earn entries:

• Every order earns 1 entry
• Every order of $50 or more earns an additional entry
• Purchase the Everday Celebration Card Kit  - earn an additional entry
• Earn the Free Everday Celebration Card Kit - earn 2 additional entries
• Order the Twitterpated Kit of the Month - earn 2 additional entries
• Refer a friend that has not ordered with me before - earn 2 additional entries

Winner will be selected September 26th and will be notified via email.  Hostess rewards order must be placed by September 30th.

If you would like to shop online, let me know and I will email you a link to shop from the comfort of your home.

Click below to view my "Virtual Open House" - Enjoy!

Twitterpated Kit of the Month

Here are some pictures of the Kit of the Month - Twitterpated.  This kit comes with both instructions for cards and scrapbook layouts.  I created 6 cards and 4 layouts with plenty of paper and ribbon left over.  In the pictures, the card on the left was created using only items available in the Basic Kit.  The card on the left shows the same card enhanced with embellishments similar to the "Best Option".

With the layout, I did the same thing.  I did one 2 page layout using only items from the Basic Kit, and then did a second 2 page layout with embellishments to show a "Best Option".   The green spaces represent the suggested photo sizes.

I'm Blogging!!

Well, I'm blogging. With my wonderful sister's help (or nagging) I have finally moved into this century. Please bear with me as I learn to navigate this and I hope to start getting some of my cards and other papercraft items I have created posted real soon.

As well as posting my artwork, I will also post all the great specials from Close To My Heart.