Fall Favorites - September SOTM Blog Hop!

 Thank you for stopping by to enjoy our September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop featuring this month's SOTM - Fall Favorites S1209! 

If you've just arrived here from  

Angel's Blog then you are on the correct path.

 First, I've created this standard-size card (above) featuring the Moonlight paper pack. I stamped the scarecrow with Black Staz-on ink and then colored him in with some of our NEW alcohol-based markers (colors I used include Autumn Terracotta, Creme Brulee, Indian Corn Blue, Olive, Outdoor Denim, and Smokey Plum). I also used a few of our old-style markers instead of the new markers for colors I needed that I don't own yet (Desert Sand and Grey Wool). Please note that the sentiment "Harvest Happiness" that I used comes from another stamp set, Harvest Happiness C1463. Dontcha just LOVE that fun Burlap Ribbon?!! I still can't get enough of it! :)

 Next, I'm sharing a "Pie Box" (above) that I made using our

NEW "Artiste" Cricut Cartridge

and the Clementine papers X7156B. 

 

This is what I will be creating with my customers that attend our next

Cricut Creativity Class coming up on Friday, September 7th (6:30pm)!!

 

 Here's a closer view of the tag and embellishing on top!

Stamping is done with Saddle ink on Desert Sand cardstock, then I colored

with Autumn Terracotta, Creme Brulee, Desert Sand, and Olive markers.

I was impressed by how well our new markers worked

on a non-white cardstock base! The true colors shine through

beautifully even on top of the Desert Sand cardstock I used here!

 Finally, here's a side view of the box (above) so you can see the additional

border around the box that I stamped and colored as well.

...and here are all the images (below) that are included in this fun and festive stamp set:

You can purchase this stamp set from me now for $17.95 (full retail price) 

or at the discounted price of just $5 with any order of $50 or more!!

(from September 1-30, 2012 only)!

Now you can continue on with our Blog Hop 

and be inspired by more creativity with this stamp set

by visiting Mary's Blog next!

Enjoy!!

September Events - mark your calendars now!!

THANK YOU to everyone who attended our

Avonlea Workshop last Saturday (8/25)!!

We had a great turn-out and I was so excited to have so many of you join us!

(Barbara, Carolyn, Cathy, Jackie, Jessi & Lyn, Rosann & Kay, Ruth, Susan, and Vicki!)

Cricut Creativity Class

Friday, September 7th (6:30pm-8:30pm)

Come join us to learn how to use your Cricut machine

with our fabulous "Art Philosophy" and "Artiste" cartridges!

We will make one creative project for $2 each...

OR your project is FREE with a $15 or more purchase!

(the purchase can include the pre-order of this month's workshop kit).

Photos of this month's Cricut Class project will be coming to my blog soon!

Moonlight Workshop

Saturday, September 22nd (1pm-5pm)

Pre-payment to reserve your kit is due to me by 9/15 

to guarantee that it will arrive in time for our workshop date.

The full kit is $35

to create 2 layouts and 6 cards (includes stamp set for you to keep).

The basic kit is $25

to create 2 layouts and 6 cards (includes use of my stamps).

The “cards only” kit is $15

to create 12 cards (4 each of 3 designs).

Add the “Halloween Countdown” blocks to any kit for $12 more! 

 

 Moonlight layout #1 - Left side

 

  Moonlight layout #1 - Right side

  

 Moonlight layout #1 (full view)

 

 Moonlight layout #2 - Left side

 

  Moonlight layout #2 - Right side

  

  Moonlight layout #2 (full view)

  

 

 Bonus Project - Countdown to Halloween Blocks (size = 3" x 3" x 3")

Add to any kit for $12 more!

 

 Here's the Moonlight Workshops-on-the-Go stamp set (above) we'll be using!

(You can own this stamp set when you purchase the $35 kit).

 

Here are the embellishments (above) we'll be using!

Sparkles Black & Grey Assortment Z1754 

and Haunted Assortment Z1741 for the layouts only*

*Please note that the "cards only" kit does not include the Haunted Assortment,

 only the Sparkles, half-pack of the the paper, and 12 card bases with envelopes.

    

Finally, here are the 6 cards you will have the option to make with us using
the scraps you will have left-over after making your layouts!

You can also choose the "cards only" kit for just $15!

(create 12 cards total - 4 each of 3 designs).

I'm so looking forward to teaching you some beautiful coloring 

and ink-blending techniques using our NEW alcohol-based marker sets!

One card design...Two orientations!

Tomorrow I will be teaching card-making to my friend Gloria's "teen mother" class. This is a special class of about 20-30 high-school age girls who are expecting or who have recently had a baby and are still working towards finishing high school and graduating with their diploma. Gloria is an excellent teacher! She invites a variety of guests to come in throughout the year to share skills she thinks will interest her girls. This is probably the 5th or 6th year-in-a-row now that I have prepared to teach these girls. Gloria continues to ask me and I really do enjoy and look forward to the opportunity to do this each year...just one way I get to do a little bit of community service and hopefully inspire these young girls to discover their creative side. Creativity and paper-crafting really has been such a big source of joy for me over the years and I sure do love sharing it with others even when I don't get paid to provide the class. 

This is the "thank you" card I've designed that I will be showing the girls how to make. Notice how I've used the same papers cut to the same size/shape for each card, but that I rotated the card and "flipped" the design to work whichever way I wanted the card base to be oriented. I like to tell the girls that this is "their" card so they get to choose how they want to assemble it. I'm providing two examples of ways I used the pre-cut pieces, then it is up to them to decide if they want to copy one of my designs, or use the same paper pieces to get creative and come up with their own design. It is always interesting to see who follows the instructions exactly and who enjoys changing it up to make it their own. I am always amazed at how naturally creative young people can be and know that they are sure to inspire me as much as I try to inspire them.

My standard-size cards (below) feature the Florentine papers

with Champagne, Cocoa, and Twilight inks.

 

My Avonlea Workshop projects for 8/25!

I've been busy doing my final preparations for our

Avonlea Workshop that is coming up

this Saturday 8/25 (1pm to 5pm)! 

I am expecting 10-11 participants to attend and I am so excited about that!! I wanted to share all of my projects with you here finally so you can see exactly what we're making!

Can you believe that we are making

all of this for just $25?!! 

(or $35 if the attendee wanted the exclusive coordinating c-size stamp set to keep).

 

I do have just TWO extra kits left, so if anyone else would still like to plan to join us at the last minute...please let me know now so I can save a kit for you before they are gone!

(full kits are $25 or you can make the "cards only" for $15 - 4 each of 3 designs)

  

 Layout #1

 Photo sizes are:
(2) - 4x6" tall and (6) - 2x2"
(If you don't have photos as small as 2x2" consider using
wallet-sized that you can crop down, OR we can make
two 4x6" wide photos fit in the 2x2 spaces instead if you prefer).
  

 Layout #1 (left side)

 

 Layout #1 (right side)

 

 Layout #2

 Photo sizes are:
(1) - 5x7" tall, (1) - 5x7" wide, (1) - 4x6" wide 
(or two 4x6's that you can crop down to 3x4 or 3.5x4
as I have done on my layout shown above), 
and (1) photo cropped to 4x4"
  

 Layout #2 (left side)

 

 Layout #2 (right side)

 

 My photo/card/recipe Box

 

 Card #1

 

 Card #2

 

Card #3
 
Here is the list of things attendees will want to
remember to bring:

Potluck appetizer, snack, or dessert to share
(keeping it small and simple is fine!)
Adhesive
 (tape runner dispenser and refills - I have plenty for you to buy as needed)
Glue Dots (if you have them)
12' Paper Trimmer (if you have one)
Micro-Tip Scissors
 (or ANY scissors you have, the smaller the tips the better)
Piercing tool kit
VersaMat (if you have one)
Chocolate ink pad
Olive ink pad
Smokey Plum ink pad
E1024 Keepsake Alphabet stamps (if you have)
Avonlea WOTG kit (only if you are a new consultant who already has one!)

I don't expect you to have everything on this list,
just bring whatever you can!!
 I will have all of these items here on hand for you to use/share also!

I am so looking forward to all the

creative fun, friends, food, and prize give-aways!!

National Stamping Month "It's Your Day" Blog Hop!!

To celebrate National Stamping Month in September, we are bringing back our popular double stamp set promotion! You can get this new and exclusive My Acrylix® "It’s Your Day" double stamp set (below) for just $5 when you place a minimum order of $35 or more from August 15 through September 30, 2012.

 

You’ll love this double set —two D-size sets in one envelope— which includes nearly 50 trendy images that makes it easy to capture the everyday moments in your life. The double set has a retail value of $35.90, but you can get yours now for just $5 with your qualifying order in person or online starting on August 15th!

WELCOME to our National Stamping Month "It's Your Day" Blog Hop featuring artwork created by more than 40 independent consultants using this fun stamp set!
If you started the hop elsewhere, you should have just arrived here from Jody's Blog.

 Standard size card I created featuring the "It's Your Day" stamp set with the Avonlea papers X7155B. Stamping is done with Black, Olive, and Slate inks. Embellished with NEW Slate Satin Polka-dot Ribbon Z1802.

 Another standard-size card I made featuring the "It's Your Day" stamp set with the Avonlea papers X7155B. Stamping is done with Black, Olive (1st and 2nd generation), and Slate inks. Embellished with a pearl badge button from the Wrangler Assortment Z1780, pins for antennae's from the Bling Assortment Z1466, and black Opaques Licorice Adhesive Gems Z1335.

I hope you feel inspired by my artwork!
Now you can continue on with the "blog hop" by visiting Casandra's Blog next! Enjoy!!

Creativity shared at our Consultant Team Meeting today!

I  went out of town to attend a CTMH Consultant Team Meeting today at my upline Cindy Baker's house! There were about 30 fellow consultants in attendance. We really had a great time (totally worth the two-hour drive!) and I came home feeling inspired and even more excited about all of our new products again! We had a "delish" potluck lunch, a little business training, socializing, a create-and-take project (that I will share here later), and door prizes! Those who attended also brought their most recently made artwork to display, and I got a few good photos of some of the creativity, but unfortunately my camera battery died sooner than it should have so I didn't get nearly as many photos as I wanted to. I thought you might like seeing some of the pics I did get though! Enjoy!!

 My Friend's Forever Stampers team members that 

attended with me (clockwise top L to R):

Patty S, Cheryl, Paula, Denise, Jen (me), and Patty B.

You can join us at our next team meeting by signing up as a consultant on my team!
We have a great consultant kit sign-up deal going on right now (only $49!)
so feel free to visit my website for details and to join: www.StampwithJen.ctmh.com

 Cricut Artiste box with Pear & Partridge by Cindy Baker.

 

 Cricut Artiste purse with scroll album stamp set by Cindy Baker.

 

 Cricut Artiste box snowman by Cindy Baker...too cute! 

(hat is made with a sock Cindy cut-up)

 

 Cricut Artiste box with La Belle Vie by Cindy Baker.

  

 My Creations Star with Pear & Partridge by Lisa Stenz.

 Card with Clementine and burlap ribbon - artist unknown.
(If you made this please let me know so I can give you full credit!)

 Card with Avonlea - artist unknown.
(If you made this please let me know so I can give you full credit!)

 Top view of Cricut Artiste cupcake box by Lisa Stenz.

 

Variety of cards on display (artist unknown, I believe these were

the ones consultants made at Convention this year).

Scroll albums by Bren Yule. Scroll on the right was made according to the kit directions, 

Scroll on the left was painted, sanded, covered in antique lace (cricut-cut doilie adhered on top). Flower pen also fits inside the hole on top, so it serves as a pen-holder as well! (too clever Bren!!) Bren said it's a great "conversation piece" to add to your home decore!

Of course, I had a few of my own recent creations that 

I shared by displaying them at the meeting as well

(but you've already seen them posted to by blog already 

recently, so feel free to scroll down to past postings if you missed them!)

How GREAT is this FUN ctmh video?!!

I just LOVE this fun video that Close to my Heart shared with us on YouTube today! It features the "Recruit for Loot" consultant contest winner, Noreen Petty, on her timed shopping spree in the Close To My Heart warehouse. Can you imagine how incredible it must feel for her to be allowed this kind of opportunity?! What a dream come true!!

This is just one more reason why I LOVE CTMH so much!

***
I feel so blessed to be able to brag that THIS is the company that I have been a part of for 9 years now and I still LOVE that I get to continue sharing it with others!  I also love the enthusiasm of our corporate staff as they cheer for Noreen and how NEAT it is to have this exclusive peek into what the inside of our corporate warehouse looks like! This video will make you feel so good, you might want to watch it more than once!!

...and if you think you might be interested in joining our Close to my Heart family,

we have an AMAZING sign-up special

going on right now! 

There's still time to join CTMH with me this month for just $49 and get a super cute FREE tote bag with your new consultant kit!! (click here to go to another recent posting to see a photo of it). The bag has a $50 value (available while supplies last!)
and the products in the kit are valued at $130, so...

it's an incredibly GREAT deal and as a bonus...you will have ME to help train and support you in this 

fun new adventure!!

(business-builders and "hobbyists" alike are always welcome to
join my Friends Forever Stampers team! Please know that you can expect "no sales pressure" from me, only a lot of creative ideas, friendship, training, and support!)
Please free to call or e-mail me with any questions/concerns you might have
as I'd love to be of help to you! (my contact info is located near the top-right of this page).
You can sign up online now at:

www.StampwithJen.ctmh.com

NEW Product Blog Hop!!

WELCOME to our NEW Product Blog Hop featuring the creativity of more than 50 Close to my Heart Consultants using all-new products from the Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book and Catalog!

If you started the hop elsewhere, you should have

just arrived here from Melinda's Blog!

 I hope you will enjoy my little creation below:

(and remember you can click on my images to see them larger if you want to!)

 Hexagon Box cut from our NEW Cricut® Artiste cartridge

featuring the Clementine papers X7156B,

Cottage Assortment Z1794, and

bulk Burlap Ribbon Z1760.
The bottom of the box was cut at 8" and the lid was cut at 5.25"
(resulting in a box that Measures 2.25" tall x 3.5" wide).

 

 Top view of my Clementine Hexagon Box (above).

There was absolutely NO STAMPING involved to create this!

The sentiment came from the "zip strip" topper included on the Clementine paper.

Ink distressing is done with a sponge dauber and our NEW "Saddle" color ink (below).

 

 This is the Workshops-on-the-Go Clementine Scrapbooking Kit G1046
(above) that I used to create my Hexagon Box with.

Once you've created both layouts (4-12x12 pages) with this kit,
you should have enough paper and embellishments left-over to make my box
(but you won't have any extra Cottage Assortment embellishments
left to make the Bonus Project Cards). However, I should add that I have
fallen so in L-O-V-E with these beautiful NEW embellishments
that I can't resist the need to order more of them for myself anyway
(and you will definitely want at least TWO or more sets of them also, lol)!

  

The Cricut® Artiste Collection Includes:
1 – Cartridge (700 images: Themed Projects,
Cards, Font, 3-D Items)
3 – My Acrylix® D-size Stamp Sets
3 – Coordinating 12"μ 9" Dimensional Elements
Sheets (Awards, Quotes, Album Pages)
$99 (Retail value of nearly $125!)

You can purchase any of these NEW products from me in person or online now at

www.StampwithJen.ctmh.com

Now you can continue on with the "hop" to see more creativity featuring more all-new products by visiting Vicki's Blog next!

Free Cricut Class 8/3...Avonlea Workshop 8/25...and the NEW Idea Book!!

There's A LOT going on in August and I am excited to share it all here in one post!

First, you are invited to my 

FREE Cricut Class

Friday, August 3rd (6:30pm to 8:30pm)

Join us and I will show you how to create this 

cute little gift bag using our NEW Cricut Artiste cartridge!!

(I'll also give you your FREE copy of the brand-new Idea Book when you attend!)

If this date doesn't work for you, please let me know because I may offer another 

FREE Cricut Class opportunity on Friday, August 10th...IF there is enough interest!

PLEASE RSVP asap to reserve your space now!

 

This 3.75" x 5.25" tall gift bag is made with our new 

Dakota papers X7157B and School Is Here B1407 stamp set.

Here is a close-up of the bow that embellishes the top of the bag 

made with our new bulk Burlap Ribbon Z1760.

***************************************

Next, you are invited to my

Avonlea WORKSHOP

Saturday, August 25th (1pm to 5pm)

Pre-order your kit by 8/15 to reserve your spot now!

This will be the first of my NEW and improved workshops this season,

and I am so thrilled to be able to tell you that my workshops will now include

more food, more prize giveaways,

and more time for creative fun!!

THREE different kit options to choose from:

$35 kit includes 

everything you need to make

TWO layouts (4-12"x12" pages),

and SIX cards (2 each of 3 designs),

PLUS an exclusive C-size stamp set for you to keep!

 (kit is shown on page 21 of the NEW Idea Book)

$25 kit includes

everything you need to make

TWO layouts (4-12"x12" pages),

and SIX cards (2 each of 3 designs),

and the use of my stamp sets.
 

$15 (Cards Only) kit includes

everything you need to make

TWELVE cards (4 each of 3 designs),

and the use of my stamp sets.
 

ADD the Bonus Project

(Recipe/Photo/Card Box)

shown below

 to any kit for just $7 more!

 

Layout #1 (above)
CLICK ON THE IMAGE to see it larger!

Layout #2 (above)

CLICK ON THE IMAGE to see it larger!

The SIX cards - 2 each of 3 designs (above)
$15 (cards only) kits will include enough supplies to create
double of what you see here (for a total of 12 cards)!

You get to choose the sentiments you want to stamp on them, 

so you can customize these cards to meet your needs!
 

This is the exclusive C-size stamp set you get to keep with the $35 kit!

($25 and $15 kits include the use of my stamp sets)
 

You also have the option to ADD this BONUS PROJECT 

Recipe/Photo/Card Box to any kit for just $7 more!!
 
I am also excited to announce that...

I will be giving away some great prizes
at all of my upcoming monthly workshops!

The more guests that pre-order kits, 

the more FREE hostess rewards credit I will have to spend and thus...
the more FREE products I will be able to give away to you!

Earn your tickets to win prizes by doing the following:

Pre-pay for your Avonlea kit by 8/15 = 1 ticket

Attend on 8/25 = 1 ticket

Arrive on time (1pm) = 1 ticket

Bring a potluck main-dish/appetizer/dessert to share = 2 tickets

For every layout you complete = 1 ticket

For every complete layout that includes your photos! = 1 more ticket

 For every 6 cards you complete = 1 ticket

Pre-pay for the next month's kit at the workshop on 8/25 = 2 tickets

Bring a NEW friend you've invited (pre-paid) = 3 tickets!*
 

*I will allow you to share/split your kit with a friend as long as space allows!

Some mom's and grandma's like to share with a teen daughter/son and that is just fine...

so friends are always welcome to come and share with you

(but you will have to determine how you split/share the tickets you earn together)

and you don't get the 3 extra tickets for bringing a friend

unless they have pre-ordered their own kit!
**If something comes up and you have to miss the scheduled workshop date,
I am able to schedule a make-up date with you to come on over and work on it!

***************************************
  

and finally...

The NEW IDEA BOOK IS HERE!!

(and free to view online now!)

You can browse through it and order the new products online from my website now:

www.StampwithJen.ctmh.com

You can get your FREE copy from me when you attend 

any of my upcoming events or feel free to contact me to

request one (I do deliver locally and can mail one to you also)!

I do charge a $5 shipping charge to mail an Idea Book to you,

but this price includes a coupon for $5 off your next order of $25 or more,

(so it is still FREE when you place an order with me!)