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Showing posts from 2016

Daily December Journaling

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Christmas is fast approaching and I want to really document it well this year.  Though I had heard of Ali Edwards' December Daily a couple of years ago, I really didn't know what it was.  Last year as I learned a little more, I put together a little (and simple) album.  This year, I am ready to give it a try.  This video gives more information and it also talks about a little giveaway that I'm doing on YouTube.  Be sure to watch it for a chance to win.  My current plan is to update you weekly on my progress so come back soon to see how it is coming together. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

CTMH Cyber Monday

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Cyber Monday is almost here and Close To My Heart is offering a great Cyber Monday special. When you spend $30 on retail-priced product, you can buy one of our Cricut® collections at 30% off! The sale starts Monday, November 28, at midnight (MST). In addition, anyone who purchases this special will receive the Pretty Poinsettia stamp set direct from me.  This stamp set will work with the "Flower Market" Cricut Collection!  Don't want a Cricut collection?  No problem, I will give anyone who purchases $100 in products the stamp set as well.  Simply go to www.djssundries.closetomyheart.com . Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things. 

Small Business Saturday Special

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Today is "Small Business Saturday" and I have decided to offer a special to anyone who places an order with my independent small business.  Anyone who places an order OF ANY SIZE will receive a "Mini Christmas" stamp direct from me.  All you have to do is place an order by 11:59 pm MST tonight on the "November Gathering" and I will mail the stamp in a separate package to you.  If you place an order of $100 or more, I will send out a "City Sidewalks" complement pack.  So head on over to www.djssundries.closetomyheart.com and check out some great supplies to kick your Christmas Crafting into gear. Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Catching Up

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I have a few videos to post today just to catch you up.  I hope you enjoy them.  Come back soon for more fun projects. New Foxy Fix notebook and a small haul. "Oh Deer" handmade inserts and Foxy set-up. 2016 Thanksgiving Place Cards. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things .

Fall Themed "Thankful for You" Card

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This card was actually posted some time ago on YouTube and I just realized that I never posted it here.  I use a lot of thank you cards so I try to keep them on hand.  I love to coordinate them with the season so I knew it would be perfect for this project. Here's what I used Sangria Paper Pack (retired) September 2016 SOTM (retired) Goldrush cardstock   (Or part of the Enchantment pack) Colonial White cardstock Cricut Artbooking cartridge Colonial White cardbase Autumn Teracotta Exclusives Ink (retired) New England Ivy cardstock (Or part of the Enchantment pack above) Wink of Stella glitter pen Xyron sticker maker foam tape Be sure and watch the video to see how this card was made and to get a Cricut tip for cutting the pumpkin. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Swan Lake Workshop Your Way

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Have I ever mentioned how much I love the Workshops Your Way from Close To My Heart?  Okay, you're right and I have.  However,  I just can't get over how great these kits are.  There is so much you can do with them.  When you add items, the kits become even greater.  I have set a goal to use everything in the kit by the end of November.  We will see.  Even after creating everything you see in the video, I still have quite a few pieces left in the kit.  In fact, I think that I may still have an entire piece of paper left of my favorite print of the kit. Here are the items that you will need to complete the kit in the way I did: Swan Lake Workshop Your Way Thankful For You Thin Cut Bundle Page Protectors (Pocket Plus Design 1) Page Protectors (Pocket Plus Design 3) Flip Flaps (4X6) Goldrush Exclusive Ink Pad Whisper Exclusive Ink Pad Poppy Exclusive Ink Pad Peacock Exclusive Ink Pad White Card Bases Foam Tape You will also need some "Page Protectors" (12X

Craftin' & Stampin' Crew Swan Lake Blog Hop

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Welcome to the Craftin' and Stampin' Crew  SWAN LAKE Blog Hop! I and some of my Craftin' and Stampin' Crew members decided we wanted to share  some of our creations on a monthly basis with the  monthly featured paper collections.    If you hopped over from Angela's blog, you are in the right spot.  If you happened by here today, please see the entire line-up below. This hop will be featuring the October Featured paper from Close To My Heart called Swan Lake !  My team has put together TONS of amazing inspiration to help you  get crafty with this AMAZING paper packet and coordinating pieces!! If you lose your way along this hop, please see the line up below: Jessica  Rene Angela Cheri I really didn't think that this paper packet matched my personality, but decided to give it a try anyway.  Boy was I wrong!  It is absolutely beautiful.  The colors are gorgeous and the prints work together so well.  I purchase

New Planner Alert!!!

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I have to tell you that Close To My Heart really stepped up to the plate with this year's planner.  This year you have two binder options.  I purchased the Sea Glass Planner Bundle and it is absolutely beautiful.  I think that the Black and White Stripes Planner Bundle would be super fun too.  You should really check them out.  Of course if you already have your favorite binder, you can also purchase the planner pages alone.  Did I mention the planner pages?  They are perfect for those of you who love to color.  They are doodles, ready for you to give them a pop of style. Simply click on each item mentioned above and you will be able to view them directly in my independent online address. Would you love to have a chance to win a free stamp set?  Simply order the planner on the "Fall into Crafting" gathering and you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win the "Plan On It" stamp set.  Anyone who purchases a planner from me by 11:59 pm MST

2016 Christmas Card #1

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It feels like it's been forever since I posted a project.  Life has been so busy and I simply have not been able to catch up.  I was so excited to spend a little time in my crafty space on a relaxing Sunday afternoon between church services. How many Christmas cards do you typically send out?  Between what I hand deliver and what I mail, I easily need around 100 per year.  It's time to get started on them.  I did find a few very nice pre-printed ones that we used several years ago.  Though I plan to use some of those, I'm still going to need a bunch more.  I can now say that I have 6 done and ready!  Yeah!!!! I absolutely love the new "Oh Deer" collection from Close To My Heart.  The colors are fabulous but they are not traditional Christmas colors.  Here's what I used to make these: Oh Deer Paper Pack White and Gold Twine October Stamp of the Month - Yuletide Joy White Daisy Card Bases Sea Glass Cardstock Versamark ink pad   Non-CTMH produc

Craftin' & Stampin' Crew Monthly Hop Featuring Jeepers Creepers

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Welcome to the Craftin' and Stampin' Crew  JEEPERS CREEPERS  Blog Hop! Myself and some other Craftin' and Stampin' Crew members decided we wanted to share  some of our creations on a monthly basis with the  monthly featured paper collections.  This hop will be featuring the September featured paper from Close To My Heart called Jeepers Creepers!  Our team has put together TONS of amazing inspiration to help you  get crafty with this AMAZING paper packet and coordinating pieces!! If you are interested in purchasing any of the items you see on my project today, be sure to stop by my online store, Cheri's Close To My Heart and pick it up before its gone!  Throughout the post, you can click on any of the items mentioned to be taken directly to my personal online store to get your items. For my project today I decided to challenge myself by creating cards from a scrapbook sketch.  WHAT?  Yes, you heard correctly.  I took sc

Creating Kindness

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I truly believe that we are not on this earth for our own pleasure.  God has given each of us talents to be an encouragement to others and we can always show kindness.  I think this is one of the reasons that I like this month's Close To My Heart campaign so much.  It is a good reminder to take a few minutes to show kindness to others.  This little kit contains EVERYTHING you need to make simple cards.   However, you can spruce it up a bit with watercolors or markers.  Add some shapes from the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge and it steps up a bit more.  The possibilities are endless. I like this so much and I plan to continue the concept through October.  Watch for other ways to "Create Kindness" in the coming weeks. I really would love to have you join me in a Creating Kindness Challenge.  Of course I would love for you to purchase this kit from me here.  In fact, anyone who purchases this kit from me will receive a small collection of the scalloped shape

Holiday Expressions Idea Book

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It's Here!!! The Close To My Heart Holiday Expressions Idea book is so fabulous that I can't wait to show it to you.  Here's a walk-through of the book.  Check back soon to see some of the new items that I purchased.  I think you're going to love this one! Thanks for stopping by today. Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Papercrafting 101

I currently have 2 people interested in starting a Papercrafting 101 club. This is the perfect club for new papercrafters. I am super excited about this because I love to share my love for papercrafting with others. This group would start in September and run for 6 months. We will take December off. Who will join us? I have to have 6 people to make the club work. Contact me at djssundries@gmail.com for more information.

MIA for Now

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I know that I have been MIA for a few days.  Here is part of the reason: After my big crop on the 4th and the 5th, I came home and brought everything in and dumped it in my dining room.  Why?  because I took so much stuff with me that I didn't want to move into the crafting space before getting it re-organized.  Here's the story... We have a nice large family room that houses my craft stuff including my video set-up.  It also houses an entertainment center with a television and the video games for my guys, a stationary bike, a bookcase that is loaded to the gills and a few guitars and mandolins.  Yes, it's a crowded mess.  One corner is dominated with a very large corner desk that became a home for my Cricuts (and a disorganized catch all space).  While wondering through Ikea looking for storage options, I suddenly realized a way we could re-arrange the room and make it more functional for all of us.  At this point, I haven't bought a single piece of furniture o

Watercolor Backgrounds

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Playing with watercolors is one of my favorite things to do in the craftroom.  They are so versatile.  Today we will see two cards using different techniques.  Pairing watercolors with CTMH's Sea Glass paper creates a dynamic duo. Here's what you need to make these cards: Close To My Heart White Daisy Card Base Close To My Heart Sea Glass cardstock Close To My Heart watercolor paints Close To My Heart Bitty Sparkles Close To My Heart Black Exclusives ink pad Close To My Heart Get Better stamp set Adhesives  This video will show you the different techniques. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Florence Scrapbooking Layout

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Close To My Heart's Florence collection is gorgeous.  Several days ago, I showed you what you receive in Workshop Your Way.  Today, I am showing you a layout I made with this paper using the Make it From Your Heart, Vol 2.  Having books to help with measurements is a great way to help you do scrapbook page and card layouts. Here's what I used: Flower Market Cricut cartridge Make It From Your Heart, Volume 2 Florence cardstock Whisper Cardstock and Exclusives ink Ruby Cardstock Let's get started by watching a full video tutorial. Do you like what you see?  Head over to my online business address here to get your own Close To My Heart new products. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Lunchbox Rose Card

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I love little ways to encourage people or to tell them I love them.  These lunchbox cards fit the bill perfectly.  They go together quickly -  especially when you use the new CTMH Flower Market Cartridge. Need some great products to make these cards?  You can find the items you need by clicking on each item description below: Cricut Flower Market cartridge White Daisy cardstock cut to 8"x4" with a smaller piece cut at 3.5"x3.5" square. Fundamentals cardstock cut to 3 7/8" square and coordinating pieces to cut with the Cricut (you will use a pattern, a green solid and the coordinating solid)  I used the Adventure paper but you could use Whimsy or Enchantment . Glitter pen (Currently out of stock.  Check back soon) Black Exclusives ink Hello Friend stamp set Here's a complete walkthrough on how to make this cute little card. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Close To My Heart - Miscellaneous

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This Annual Inspirations is so full of great items that I am sure you will want to pick up.  Here is the last video in the new product videos.  Check back soon to see what you can turn these items into. Do you like what you see?  Head over to my online business address here to get your own Close To My Heart new products.  Check back daily as I will show you close-ups of many of the new items. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Close To My Heart - Stamps

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Today we are getting back to basics with stamps.  I began my paper crafting journey a very long time ago with stamps.  I love them  Close To My Heart has by favorite stamps which is a big part of the reason I became a consultant more than 2 years ago.  Check out a few that you can find in this year's Annual Inspirations Idea Book. Do you like what you see?  Head over to my online business address here to get your own Close To My Heart new products.  Check back daily as I will show you close-ups of many of the new items. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Close To My Heart - Color of the Year: Sea Glass

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Close To My Heart is introducing a color of the year and they have chosen "Sea Glass".  This gorgeous aqua color is perfect for summer crafting.  Pair it with oranges and browns and it will complement Fall.  Don't forget about adding black and silver to move it into Winter. Or, you can add some Whimsy to Spring into Easter.  This is a great color to pair with your own creativity for year-round crafting. Let's look a bit closer... Do you like what you see?  Head over to my online business address here to get your own Close To My Heart Sea Glass products.  Check back daily as I will show you close-ups of many of the new items. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Close To My Heart Fundamentals

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The Fundamentals have received a great makeover this year.  Check it out! Do you like what you see?  Head over to my online business address here to get your own Close To My Heart new products.  Check back daily as I will show you close-ups of many of the new items. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Close To My Heart Flower Market Cricut Bundle

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Close To my Heart has picked a winner with this cartridge! Let's get started with the video. Do you like what you see?  Head over to my online business address here to get your own Close To My Heart new products.  Check back daily as I will show you close-ups of many of the new items. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Close To My Heart New Annual Inspirations

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Who's ready for the new products from Close To My Heart?  As an independent CTMH consultant, I have been enjoying the new products for awhile but now I am free to share them with you.  Prepare for posting overload!  Over the next couple of weeks, there will be daily postings of new product followed by projects that have been made with many of the new products as well as some of the Seasonal Expressions 2. Let's get started. Do you like what you see?  Head over to my online business address here to get your own Close To My Heart new products.  Check back daily as I will show you close-ups of many of the new items. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Florence Workshop Your Way

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Hi everyone.  I am so excited about this Workshop Your Way from Close To My Heart.  I love the colors and the flowers.  Here a few pictures of the cards that I made using this kit.  You may view the scrapbooking pages here.  If you would like to see the Picture My Life layouts, be sure to check out the video. Would you like your own Florence WYW?  Check it out here . And about that video... Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Storage Quick Tip and Reminders

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We are more than half way through the week.  Yay!  It's been a long and busy week but  I just wanted to remind you of a couple of things. 1. It's not too late to join my CTMH team.  For more information click here .  There are still some incentives available, so join with me and we will get you started.  2.  It's also not too late to join the Virtual Crop.  I have started putting kits together and they are looking great.  I am working hard so that I can get them mailed on Saturday so that everyone can receive them before the 5th.  Click here to learn more. QUICK TIP Here is a video with a quick tip.  I hope you find it helpful.   Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Scrap Basket

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To learn about the virtual crop on August 5-6, click here . To learn about my current recruiting special, click here . How many times have you needed a tiny piece of paper just the size of one that went out in yesterday's garbage?  It's nice to have a place where you can drop your better bits and pieces of leftover paper to use on another project. I decided that I wanted to decorate a basket to use for just this purpose.  Here's how I made it work for me. To start with, I purchased a mesh basket at the Dollar Tree.  Have you checked them out?  They have some fabulous things for $1.  I chose lime green because I wanted something bright and cheerful. The next step was to grab some Calypso paper from Close To My Heart and cut it into 1" strips.  To make it go all the way across the bottom and up both sides, I added about 4" to the 12" strips with my Tombow adhesive.  I then wove it into the mesh of the basket.  To finish off the ends, I took 4-5"

The Weekend Lists

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I am working hard on getting ready for the new product reveal and Virtual Crop 'til You Drop event.  I' also working on a local crop and have a ton of stuff to do.  Here's my goal list for the weekend.  Thankfully I don't work on Monday and plan to spend the day with my husband, but think I can get a little crafty time in then too.  My goal is to post all these between now and August 6.  However, unless you are part of the Virtual Crop 'til you drop group on Facebook, you won't see some of them until later in the month.  Check it out here .  Are you ready for posting overload? How does your weekend look? Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Florence Workshop Your Way Scrapbooking Pages

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To learn about the virtual crop on August 5-6, click here . To learn about my current recruiting special, click here . Close To My Heart has such great kits.  One type of kit they offer is Workshops Your Way.  I love these because you have product to make 6 scrapbooking pages and 2 Picture My Life pages.  The instructions are a free download and if you buy a few other items, you can also use the extra paper, PML cards and embellishment to make cards.  They are so much fun to complete.  Today I am going to show you the scrapbook pages I made using the Florence Workshop Your Way. ...And sometimes you goof.  If you would like your own Florence Workshop Your Way, click here . Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Virtual Crop 'til You Drop

I am so excited to offer a Virtual Crop 'til You Drop event on Facebook on August 5th-6th.  It all started when I was working on a local Crop 'til You Drop and I decided to extend it online.  You can join the group here: Virtual Crop 'til You Drop! Everyone who is interested will receive the following: 1. A tour of the new Close To My Heart Annual Inspirations idea book 2. View 3 projects that you can make at home Anyone who registers for just $15 will additionally receive the following: 1. Paper supplies to create the projects mentioned above PLUS one additional project 2. Challenge entries (for a chance at a prize) 3. Game entries (for a chance at a prize) To join the FB closed group, click on the link above or here .  To register to receive your goodies and a chance to play the games and enter challenges, email me at djssundries@gmail.com and I will email you a PayPal address to send the $15 registration fee.  Please note that you will not receive you

Join My Close To My Heart Team

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Close To My Heart is offering a great incentive for new consultants.  With the new Annual Inspirations catalog coming out on August 1st, now is a super time to kick-start your own Close To My Heart business.  Here are some answers to questions you may have: Why Close To My Heart? Great Products Discounts for Consultants Earn Extra Income Free Product Straight To The Top (STTT) Incentive Program What does it cost? The cost to join Close To My Heart is just $75 plus shipping What do I get? New Consultant Kit - contains a medium organizer with lots of items to get started.  Click here to view the contents.  $50 in SPC (products you get to choose) What's the incentive from CTMH? Free Fundamentals paper pack Free Complement pack Is there anything else? The first person to join my team will receive a Fundamentals paper pack, Complement and Ribbon bundle direct from me worth $25.85* The next 4 people to sign up will receive a Fundamentals paper pack wor

Memory Keeping...Vacation Ideas

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One of the biggest memory making times is vacation time.  I tend to take lots of photos on vacation and I want to do everything that I can to preserve those memories.  I also pick up all sorts of tidbits that I want to keep.  Of course, I may have big ideas for scrapbooking those memories, but invariably, I get home and have no time to carry out those big ideas.  I know myself very well and know that I will never remember everything by the time I get to the pages.  Enter vacation journaling.  I have done this on 3 vacations and it works great for me.  So how do you get started? Get a book Now I'm not talking about a big notebook or scrapbook.  I'm talking about getting some small and simple.  Find something that you can take with you without taking up a lot of space. Make it Cute In my opinion, you will use something more if you really like it.  Each one of my books have been prepped before I ever leave.  I use it even when planning because I want to be able to go back an

"Moving Forward" Foxi Dori Insert

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I am so excited about the new Close To My Heart Annual Inspirations that I have taken a step back to re-assess where I am with my CTMH business.  Enter my wonderful uplines, Jessica and Mandy, with a 12 week mentoring session.  This is great timing for me. As I was reading through the first week's assignment, I decided that I wanted to make a new notebook for my Foxy Dori instead of putting the information in my bullet journal.  That's when I remembered that I ALREADY had a book. Woot! Woot! Now all I needed to do was make it pretty.  Of course, I had to use some of my favorite paper from CTMH's 2015 Annual Inspiration book. >>>Don't forget that this Inspiration book will be going away at the end of July and you don't want to miss out on this fabulous paper pack!<<< You don't need hardly any supplies to replicate this cutie.  If I used a Close To My Heart product, you just have to click on the name, and you will go directly to my onli

What's In My BuJo?

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It's been quite awhile since I posted a bullet journal update.  This is working really well for me and I am slowly moving out of my planner into my BuJo.  Come with me as I walk you through my current set-up. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Why Am I an Independent Close To My Heart Consultant?

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I love being part of Close To My Heart as an independent consultant.  If you would like to join me in the journey, click here to see all about it.  In the meantime, here is a video where I explain why I joined Close To My Heart. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

"Feel Better" Card

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Today I have a card to share that I made some time ago but never posted.  This stamp set from Close To My Heart is so great for get well cards.  What beats a bandage and a beautiful font? Close To My Heart Items Calypso Paper Pack  ( click here ) Look to the Light stamp set ( click here ) Unfortunately, "Kiss it Better" is no longer available.  Calypso and Look to the Light will soon be retiring. Here's a tutorial with complete instructions. Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.