October Stamp of the Month: Holiday Warmth

Check out the latest CTMH TV Episodes on my website

Go to http://jenlee.myctmh.com and click on CTMH TV

Card Cache
It’s amazing what you can do with a handful of products when you get creative. In this episode of Art & Soul, versatility is the key. We show you how to use the same B&T Duos® paper and achieve completely different looks. We highlight fun features of masculine cards and layouts, showcase innovative ways to use My Stickease®, as well as turn the spotlight on the multi-card workshops in the Wishes Card Confidence Program™. Finally, Jeanette Lynton shares a special themed album she made to capture some of the priceless memories she recorded on her blog: now that’s versatility!

Crossing Borders
In this episode, Jeanette Lynton talks to us about going beyond borders for dramatic looks in our artwork. We used non-border stamp images and everyday techniques to make truly unique borders. We also learn about the new Grace packet, how to use the Soft Set eyelet tool, and ideas for using the Across the Board Rub-Ons in non-traditional ways.

You are invited to The Scrapbook Shop

For my Christmas Waterfall Page Layout Class – Thursday, October 15, 6:30 pm
Lexington Town Center, 9376 Lexington Avenue, Circle Pines, 651.698.7979

Have too many Christmas photos and don’t know how to fit them all into one layout? This class is your answer!

I will be teaching my Waterfall Page Layout at The Scrapbook Shop. Please contact the shop to sign up, cost is $15.

Nativity Stair Step Card Recipe & Instructions

I am extremely excited to share that I won my first Close To My Heart contest this weekend! I entered into the holiday card contest this weekend at the Close To My Heart Regional Celebration in Minneapolis and I won! The CTMH Corporate Staff chose their favorite 5 cards from all of the entries, and then the 300+ consultants who attended the contest voted for their favorite. I won $50 in Close To My Heart products!!! How cool is that?

Thank you to everyone who voted. I received many requests for the recipe and instructions. In exchange, my only request is that upon creating your card, you post and link it back to my blog so that I can see what you were inspired to create. I am constantly inspired by other paper-crafters creations. I found the original idea for creating a stair step card on www.splitcoaststampers.com. They have hundreds posted on their site to inspire us all!

Basic Instructions for a Stair Step Fold Card:
The card can be made portrait or landscape.
1. Cut a piece of cardstock to 10½” by 5”
2. Score the cardstock at 1¼”, 2½”, 4¼”, 6”, and 8¼”
3. Fold and burnish with your bone folder accordion style
4. Decorate your card; you can use dimensional elements, cut-out My Acrylix® Stamps, My Stickease®, etc.

Recipe:
Desert Sand Textured Cardstock
White Daisy Cardstock
Chocolate Cardstock
Dimensional Elements Framed Fun
Natural Hemp
Watercolor Pencils
Waterbrush
Micro-Tip Scissors
Sanding Kit
Sponge
Memory Book Glue Dots®
Liquid Glass
Brown Stazon® Ink Pad
Stazon® Cleaner

Exclusive Inks™:
Chocolate
Cocoa
Créme Brulee

My Acrylix® Stamp Sets:
Christmas Story
Christmas Melodies
Card Chatter—Christmas
Angel Sent
Shining Star
Campin' Fever

Instructions for this stair step card:
1. Sand and then sponge the Desert Sand textured cardstock base with Brown Stazon® Ink.
2. Stamp images with Brown Stazon® Ink on White Daisy cardstock multiple times so you have a few to play with while you are coloring them with your Waterbrush and Watercolor Pencils. Let them dry, then cut out your favorite images and attach them to the card using Memory Book Glue Dots®. For the smaller parts of the images, such as the donkey’s legs, you may want to us liquid glass to attach.
3. Sponge the 7¼” Dimensional Elements Framed Fun frame completely with cocoa ink, then stamp the tree branch image from Campin' Fever using Brown Stazon® Ink to cover the whole surface.
4. To create the back wall of the stable, cut a piece of Desert Sand Textured Cardstock 5” square, sponge heavily with chocolate and cocoa ink. Place a corner of the Dimensional Elements Framed Fun frame in the center of one of the sides. Cut off the top two corners of the cardstock. Cut the edges of the frame about ½” past the edge of the cardstock on both sides, then sand the ends to shape. Stamp the tree branch on white daisy cardstock 4 times with Brown Stazon® Ink, cut them out, and create the side beams, tucking the tops under the roof frame, and cutting off the bottom flush with the bottom of the cardstock.
5. To create the beam, cut the dimensional elements frame to the corners, the remaining pieces from the cut-off corner. Cut one 5” straight edge of the frame. Sand all of the ends to shape. Adhere the 3 pieces together using Memory Book Glue Dots®, and then tie the corners with natural hemp. Use Memory Book Glue Dots® to attach the beam to the card.
6. To create the shining star in the window, swipe the corner edge of your crème brulee ink in stripes randomly starting at the same spot on a scrap piece of white daisy cardstock to create the rays. Then stamp the window image from Campin' Fever using Brown Stazon® Ink with the top point of the rays in the corner of the window. Cut out the window and attach it to the back wall with Memory Book Glue Dots®, this will give it a little more dimension.
7. If your card gets too weighed down, you can create wings to place underneath so that the accordion doesn’t open too far and lay flat. Cut 3-5 pieces ½” by 3”. Fold in half, and then fold the side halves in half the opposite direction creating a “W”. Attach the sides of the “W” to each section on the underside of the base. The inside will fold up into the card when it is closed, and hold it from opening all the way. I also used a 1” x 3” W to place the Baby Jesus image between the accordion folds so it appears in between Mary and Joseph and the animals in the manger scene.
8. Remember to finish the back of the card with a sentiment and an area to sign. I used an angel and the “Glory to God …” sentiment stamped on white daisy cardstock, which was first cut to the size and shape of the backside of the roof. Then I stamped the sentiment from the Christmas Story set, cut it out, matted it on chocolate cardstock, and placed it on the left side of the back piece of the base.

I hope you enjoy creating your card; I’m looking forward to seeing your creations! If you have any questions, leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

Thank you for looking!
Jen

Close To My Heart Regional Celebration - Minneapolis, MN

I am back home from the Celebration and I am exhausted! Somehow we packed a whole week's worth into 2 days. It was fantastic, and the best part, I met my hero, Jeanette Lynton!!! What an incredible woman, from dime-store markers to becoming a pioneer in the scrapbooking industry creating the #1 best scrapbooking and stamping company in the world. She is amazing!

I'll post more about the Celebration tomorrow, or the next day, along with pictures, and some other very exciting news! Now to sleep ...

Close To My Heart Regional Celebration - Minneapolis, MN

Hello from Minneapolis! We are croppin' til we drop or until midnight, whichever comes first. Today has been a fun filled day with business classes and creative sessions. We are having a fantastic time meeting other Close To My Heart Professionals. It's inspiring to hear about others successes and how Close To My Heart began. I love this company!

Lucy's First Day of Preschool

Lucy is a big girl now, she will be going to preschool 3 mornings a week! She has been saying all summer that her teacher would be Suzie. There are several teachers at her school, so needless to say, we were very happy when the official register arrived and she was assigned in Suzie's class!

She loved her first day! I walked her into the room and kissed her goodbye. She picked up her nametag, with Suzie's help, and made herself at home in the class. I followed her for a minute, not as ready to let go of her, as she was of me! Then I realized, wait, we've been practicing separation for her whole life, she's ready, let her go! Wow, was that a hard step for me. I'm certainly glad that Sam started Kindergarten last week, so I had a whole week to prepare for letting go again!

Sam is off to Kindergarten!

Today is a bittersweet day. Sam took the bus for his first day of Kindergarten. He LOVED it - what a relief! I was much more nervous than he was. He acted like a pro! I guess that's one of the benefits of having gone to ECFE & Preschool all his life. The bus was an added bonus to his fun!

The New Autumn/Winter Idea Book is here!

You will be able to order from the new Idea Book beginning September 1. There are oodles of fun new goodies that are sure to inspire your creativity and help you complete your projects … Faster, Simpler, Easier!
Contact me to find out how to get your copy today!

Shop On-line Anytime at: jenlee.myctmh.com

With Grace and Elegance

Join me for this month’s workshop

The Grace Workshop features the elegant My Acrylix® Beautiful Flourish B-size stamp set available only through this workshop. The stylish images paired with the NEW Grace Level 2 paper packet and coordinating accessories are perfect for spotlighting any person or event that’s close to your heart! Grace your memories with this layout by signing up today!

You could either make two of each of the three cards or the exclusive layout pictured. You’ll also have enough materials left to make additional cards or layouts. For more details contact me.