Follow for Fun and Freebies

Follow for Fun and Freebies!

During the month of November, when you sign up to be a Blog follower you'll receive a gift in the mail!  It could be handmade cards, a percentage off a future order, or even  free product!  You will also become eligible to enter into giveaways ONLY offered on Watergirl's Artistic World Blogsite.  So, start following today for fun, inspiration, and freebies.

Grateful Gathering Giveaway

With the coming of November I find myself thinking of all the Blessings in my life and how grateful I am for each and every one. To show that gratitude to you, my customers and friends, I am throwing a Grateful Gathering and giving away ALL the Hostess Rewards!

How it works:

During the month of November, for EACH order you place (whether by shopping my website online, email, mail, or over the phone) your name gets placed in a drawing for the Hostess Rewards and/or the Hostess Rewards Plus! options. 

So, as the order total for November increases so does the giveaway!

One lucky person will win the obtained level of Select Product Credit reached during the entire month of November AND for each Hostess Rewards Plus! option earned there will be additional winners.

 This means that Five lucky winners could be drawn!

To participate send an order by email, mail, over the phone, or by clicking the JOIN link for Grateful Gathering on my website.

This includes While Supplies Last Items starting at $1.00 on my website!

A Flirty and Pemberley Card

I love fall for all it's beautiful colors and changes in weather (yes, even the rain).  It's a time to think about the coming winter, the closing of a year, and the true meaning of the Christmas season.  It is also a great time to reflect on those in are lives who've made it a little more wonderful, and give thanks.  It doesn't have to be much; a phone call, a compliment, or a card.  I encourage you to do a little something today to make someone's life a little brighter.  Be the change in their rainy season.

CTMH Supplies Used:

Card 1:
X7160B Flirty Paper Packet
B1395 So Grateful
Z1760 Burlap Ribbon

Card 2:
X7148B Pemberley Paper Packet
Z1701 Neutral Assortment Baker's Twine
Z1358 Basic Assortment Buttons

Mustache and Moonlight

So while out shopping today, I realized I never scrapped last years pictures.  It didn't really matter, because Mr. B wouldn't go NEAR a costume without screaming in horror.  My solution: eyeliner mustache.  Very Adams Family.

Close to My Heart has a great collection this year for your little spook called Moonlight.  And the coordinating Compliments Dimensional Elements are fabulous.  The colors and patterns are just the right balance of fun and frights. I added a few of the new Sparkles Black and Grey assortment for a little bling and done.

Check out the My Reflections Moonlight Collection and more on my website.

CTMH Supplies Used:

X7161B Moonlight Paper Packet

X7161C Moonlight Complements

Z1754 Sparkles Black and Grey Assortment

Z1393 Mini-Medley Black Accents

Z1734 Persnickety Journaling Spots

Inks

Sketch by Scrapbook Generations

Calling All Ladies to the Lounge!!!

October Layout Club: Moonlight

Halloween is just around the corner, and wouldn't it be great to have your layouts done, waiting for pictures instead of the other way around?!  Come and find out what it's like to be ahead of the holidays by attending a night of Ladies Lounge & Layout Club.  We will be making three 2-page 12x12 layouts using Close to my Heart's frightfully fun paper pack, Moonlight.

There are a couple ways you can participate:

1. Attend in person:  (there are two nights available this month, located at my home in Clarksville)

• Thursday, October 25th at 6:00pm
• Friday, October 26th at 6:00pm

2. Get the kit shipped to you and complete at home.

If you'd like to attend in person please let me know by October 18th (616.406.8312, or kelly.m.maatman@gmail.com), so that I can order and receive the kits in time. 

Below are pictures of the three 12x12 layouts we will be creating using the Moonlight papers and accessories. These papers are so versatile that I was able to create layouts for not only Halloween, but Fall Foliage, and an elegant Wedding or Remembrance page.

Layout #1 (CASED from my upline Jolene McCormick)

Layout #2

 Layout #2 Close up 

 Layout #3 (Inspired by Pamela O'Connor)

Layout #3 Close up

All you need for the class is the Basic Kit Option to participate, but if you'd like to purchase the products used for each highlighted technique to your scrapbooking collection you may do so by choosing the Better or Best Kit Options below. You can also pick and choose other items to add to your Basic Kit as you like, but it is not required.

Remember that you are purchasing complete product packages, so that any left over papers and embellishments are YOURS to take home and create more layouts, cards, or other papercrafting artwork.

Shopping Lists and Prices:

Basic Kit: 
X7161B Moonlight Paper Pack $9.95
X7161C Moonlight Complements Dimensional Elements $4.95
Z1393 Mini-Medley Accents Collections Black $4.95
Z1391 Button Assortment Clear $5.95
Z1754 Sparkles Black and Grey Assortment $2.95
Kelly's Cutting Guide

Total $32.90 (with shipping/tax)

Better Kit: Basic Kit + Following Items

Z1768 Metallics Markers Duo $4.95

Z1798 Black Tulle Ribbon $5.95

Total $45.37 (with shipping/tax)

**Best Kit: Basic + Better + Following Items

Z2105 Black Ink pad $5.25

Z2173 Slate Ink pad $5.25

Total $57.38 (with shipping/tax)

**At this level (when you spend $50 or more) you qualify to receive the October Stamp of the Month: A Very Merry Christmas (Retail Value $17.95), for only $5.00!

Here is some artwork I created with the October Stamp of the Month for Creation Club.  If you would like to create these cards and more, check out October's Creation Club and learn how!

My Craft Channel: Close to My Heart Winners Announced...and it's ME!!!

It's so nice to receive every once in a while.  And when I saw my name as a winner of the fabulous new stamp set Love Blooms I was ecstatic.   

If you'd like a sure way to receive your own Close to my Heart products for FREE, contact me and I'll show you how to make your "wish list" your "rewards list".

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

CLOSE TO MY HEART WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Last week Close to My Heart featured the fun My Acrylix® Love Blooms Stamp Set in the Terrific Two-Tone episode and then offered to giveaway this beautiful set to three lucky winners.  

Congratulations to our winners 

Casandra Bennett, Kelly Maatman, Louise Ray

by Kelly

by Louise

Birthday Card Victory!

What do you call a card designed with the help of Close to my Heart's template book, Make It From Your Heart?

Well, I call it: DONE!

With our hectic lives, sometimes we forget things...like the birthday party we need to leave for in about, oh, 30 minutes.  And do I have a boy birthday card on hand?  No, I'm never that lucky.  That's why I love the new template book by CTMH, Make It From Your Heart Vol. 1.  Making a card just got a little Simpler. Faster. Easier.

CTMH supplies used:

9035 Make It From Your Heart Volume 1

X7150B Victory Paper pack

Z1790 Artiste Collection

Z1705 Durable Studs

Z1701 Neutral Baker's Twine collection

A Little Treat with La Belle Vie

I love to try things outside my box, and so, when a recent hostess asked to do a small gift box for her gathering the ideas just started flowing.

This elegant little beauty is the result, and such a treat to make.  The new Cricut Artiste Cartridge cut everything for us, even perforating the folds.  All we had to do was crease and glue!  It makes 3D projects so easy to make and that's what Close to my Heart is all about.  Faster. Simpler. Easier.  

Don't you just love the black/grey/pink combo?  It's from the La Belle Vie collection from Close to my heart and the black tulle dressed it up nicely.  A little paper butterfly here, a little bling there, and it's a little eye candy anyone would love to receive.  And just to sweeten the pot a little more, I had all the gals put a few hersey kisses inside.  Merci!

CTMH Supplies Uses:

X7158B La Belle View Paper Packet

Z1790 Cricut Artiste Collection

Z1763 Boutique Assortment

Z1612 Foundry Pin Clips

Z1463 Just Blooms Flutter Paper Shapes

Z1798 Black Tulle Ribbon

D1187 For Every Occasion stamp set

CTMH Black ink

Creation Club-October Workshop

Creation Club

October Workshop

October's Creation Club can be attended on:

Thursday, October 18th at 6pm or

Sunday, October 21st at 2pm

We will be working with Close to my Heart's beautiful new paper collection Pear and Partridge to make a Christmas card set that contains 10 cards (2 each of 5 different designs), 10 envelopes, 10 envelope seals, and a mini magazine holder to organize it all.  This set makes a perfect gift or will be just what you need to get your holiday cards out on time this year!

You will learn how to use our new Artiste Cricut Cartridge to make the adorable magazine holder and how easy it is to match Cricut images to our coordinating stamps.  You will also learn how to emboss resist with our elegant new stamp set Sweet Music.

The card workshop kit is $15 and includes all of the following:

• (10) 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 cards/envelopes
• Pre-cut Pear and Partridge papers, and the necessary cardstock for each card
• (1) Pre-cut mini magazine holder
• Pre-cut Cricut images and borders as needed for each card
• 10 envelope seals to stamp
• Misc accessory kit that includes 6 neutral buttons, cranberry Baker's Twine, 2 Cranberry Ribbon bows, 2 Tan ribbon bows, 4 Mocha opaques, 12 sparkles, and 4 1/3 in of Burlap ribbon to be cut in half
• Use of stamp sets from October's SOTM Very Merry Christmas, Sweet Music, and Pear and Partridge Cardmaking Wksp Stamp set
• Long Distance kits will include pre-stamped image and step by step instructions. (Please allow two weeks for assembly of kit and delivery).

EnJOY the evening making 2 each of these 5 designs shown below

Use the exclusive Pear and Partridge Cardmaking Kit Stamp set 

Learn how to Emboss Resist with our Sweet Music stamp set

Learn how to use different sentiments to create a unique one all your own

 Experience the ease of our Artiste images and coordinating stamp sets

All kits/classes need to be paid in advance.  Thanks for understanding.

To order, you can send me a check or pay securely online with a credit card or Paypal account by clicking on the button below.  Make sure you choose the shipping option if your ordering a long distance kit.

Local (no shipping)

Thurs, Oct 18th @ 6pm $15.00 USD Sun, Oct 21st @ 2pm $15.00 USD Local Pickup $15.00 USD

Long Distance (includes $5 shipping)

Long Distance Kit $15.00 USD

  

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or to sign up for this month's class.  Please contact me no later than October 10th if you would like to join us for the class.

Grateful Gift Giving

 I really believe in trying to show gratitude, and not just feeling it.  One of the reasons I joined Close to my Heart was because of how much they give to the community, Operation Smile, their consultants, and their customers.  Showing gratitude is so important, and sometimes can be a struggle with our busy daily lives.  But I encourage you to take a moment each day and think about all the events, all the encounters, all the things, even the little things, that you have to be grateful for.

This gift is for a special lady who recently invited me and a few of her friends over for a wonderful breakfast and craft gathering. She went above and beyond in her role as hostess and as a result everyone walked away with a skip in their step.  I am reminded daily of how amazing my hostesses are!

If you would like to show your appreciation to other by having a get together and creating some wonderful artwork as a thank you, please email me, as I would LOVE to help!

It's Your Day Artwork...Take 2

 I have really enjoyed coming up with new cards using the National Stamping Month campaign stamp set, It's Your Day, from Close to My Heart.  There is tons of wonderful layouts and artwork all over the web, and I wanted to put a little of my own spin on it.

This is my favorite card.  I love the bicycle from the stamp set and after watching America's Got Talent, I thought, I juggle bikes everyday.  It's called my schedule!  And so, I sat down and came up with this idea.

But of course I couldn't stop there.  I had to put a little bit more of my odd humor into it.  Enjoy:)

CTMH Supplies Used:

Z1701 Baker's Twine Neutral Assortment
Z1702 Baker's Twine Paradise Assortment
It's Your Day Stamp Set
Z1686 Cricut Artiste Collection

A Super Thanks!

I know, I know, the Superhero papers are retired.  But I have a friend who loves Marvel Comics and I needed to send her a Superhero's thank you, so I had to pull those papers out again.  The Dimensional Elements Quotes are perfect for this, and you've got to love a man in tights.

CTMH Supplies Used

Superhero papers-retired

C1485 Super Powers

Z1793 DE Quotes

Z1371 Buttons Blue Assortment

Z1751 Baker's Twine Harvest Assortment

D1531 Word Balloons from Cricut Artiste Collection

It's Your Day Artwork

 For me, color, is where a card starts.  If I can find the right combination of colors the cards come together so easily.  And, I'm loving the new color combos I'm seeing for fall in all the fashion magazines. They go great with the fun and funky stamp set It's Your Day.  

This card is a take off of the square blocking that designers are showcasing in their collections.  Bright pops of color and a simple block pattern is all you need to be a card fashionista!

 The Outdoor Denim and Lagoon give a nautical sense.  I've noticed that the colors white and natural browns are used to tie the colors together, so I added a CTMH Wooden Button and love the outcome.  Those fashion people may be on to something:)

Butterflies have a way of making you feel good.  I added a bit of burlap ribbon to go with their soft effect and some sparkle. I love the simplicity of this card.

CTMH Supplies Used:

Inks and Cardstock in Lagoon, Outdoor Denim, and Sunset, and White Daisy
It's Your Day Stamp Set -Sept. Special
Z1387 Wooden Buttons
Z1760 Burlap Ribbon
Z1385 Designer Ribbon Blue Collection
Z1327 Sparkles Blue and Green Assortment
Z1751 Baker's Twine Harvest
Z1701 Baker's Twine Newtral

Country Cute Clementine

It can sometimes be a little hard scrapbooking when your the only girl in the house.  I don't come across very many opportunities to use pinks, sparkles, and flowers.  So, if your one of the many people who gets cards from me in the mail, you'll understand now why I go a little frilly and flirty with my designs.

If your lucky enough to have girls to scrapbook, you need to see the new Clementine collection from Close to My Heart.  It has fabric flowers, canvas stickers, sparkles, and matching baker's twine, oh my.  Did I mention the burlap ribbon? Country girl at it's cutest!  

Don't forget that now through September 30th, you can get the It's Your Day double stamp set for just $5, when you spend $35.

Scrapbooking the Celebrations of Every Day Life Video

I hinted in my sidebar about the awesome double stamp set ($35.90 value...yours for only $5 with a $35 order) that Close to My Heart has created to celebrate National Stamping Month.  And YOU get to celebrate early!  This fun and funky double stamp set is available August 15th-September 30th with a qualifying purchase.  Check out some great ideas using the images in the video below and then go to my website to get your very own It's Your Day stamp set .

A Dakota Card 4U

The rustic country feel of the new Dakota collection from Close to My Heart is perfect for a manly birthday card.  A few black brads, baker's twine, and herringbone dimensional chipboard add to the masculine feel. Check out the Dakota collection and all the amazing new products in the 2012 Fall/Winter Idea Book on my website.

CTMH Supplies Used:

X7157B Dakota Paper Packet
Z1701 Neutral Assortment
Z1779 Houndstooth Alphabet
Z1393 Mini-Medley Black Collection

A Stella Thank You

Stella Card

Beautiful bright summery colors? Fun Canvas Stickers? Wonderful patterned papers by Close to My Heart? It must be the vibrantly beautiful Stella collection!  I love how easy this card came together with the help of the coordinating canvas stickers and my AP cricut cartridge.  I added a little faux stitching with a marker and I love the whimsy feel of the sentiment from the 4 My Friend stamp set.

This card is going out to my Mom's friend Siiri.  She and her husband helped me travel with my toddler on a three hour car ride, then a two hour plane ride, followed by another car ride over four hours.  Hmm, now that I type it out I may need to do more than just this card...:)

A Roxy Wedding Card

 This past weekend I had a funeral to go to for a very dear friend.  It was more of a celebration really.  She had been the mother of five grown children, the wife of her high school sweetheart for 63 years, and friend to countless lucky souls.  I knew more about her family from our daily long talks than any of them realized, and she would be so proud of how they handled everything.

Two days later found me in a church for a wedding celebration.  Another dear friend was getting married after losing a life partner and He the lose of his wife of many years.  With their families around them, two special people had found each other and the start of many years of happiness.  All after the young age of 75.

I'm amazed everyday at how God works in our lives.  You never know his plan, but with how he blesses us, do we really ever want to?

This card is from the Roxy collection from Close To My Heart.  I used the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge to create the flower, label, and swirls.  The sentiment is from a retired stamp set.

Those Precious Few

You ever have those special pictures that you want to scrapbook, but your afraid you won't do it justice? So, they sit.  Collecting dust.  Away where no one can see how amazing they are.

That's me.

I have those few special pictures awaiting their turn to shine on a page full of just the perfect amount of embellishment and pop.  However, I'm not perfect at anything, and why should my scrapbooking be any different?  Sometimes you just have to do it, knowing it may not be perfect. Will I change or add something to this? Probably.  But that shouldn't stop me from starting.

This was taken while watching a waterskiing competition.  I had just come back from getting something from the car and was waiting for my son to notice I had returned.  There are few things that fill me with delight like seeing the expression on his face when he sees me again.  It doesn't have to be 5 hours or even 5 minutes apart, his reaction is always the same.  And so I'll always keep waiting...

 





Supplies:
Cardstock is Core'dinations Black Iris and Buttercup
B&T, Banner, camera are cuts from Echo Park
Jumbo Brads from Making Memories
Blue B&T cloud from Paper Adventures
SMILE alpha chipboard from Cosmo Cricket Snorkel Collection
Balloon Stamp, ink, bling, and Baker's twine from CTMH