Find Your Style, Friend!

A special friend has a birthday to celebrate!

For her little gift note card box and set of four cards, I used some of my stash of Close To My Heart products:

Card box, Wings paper packet, Find Your Style stamp set, Juniper, Olive, and Smoky Plum inks, Opaque Pearls, Black Button, and Black Hemp. (The "Wings" paper packet has been retired from CTMH. I'm going to be so sad when my scraps are completely used!)

You can see that I love to be creative inside each card as well as outside--why not provide a little surprise to the recipient?

WINGS and FIND YOUR STYLE are some of my all-time favorites! Everyone who knows me, knows that I love butterflies and their symbolism: NEW Life in Jesus Christ because of His resurrection! I love Easter and the joy that only Jesus brings us! 

Because of an infection in both eyes since last summer as a result of shingles, my crafting/reading/driving/anything productive/time has been almost zero. 

Literally, I LOOK forward to getting back to being more productive and creative, and thank my eye specialists for their continued good care. 

In August and September 2012, my vision tested 20/500. That wasn't good! Since my March 2013 checkup, I've made much improvement and now I have eye wear that I'm not quite used to yet, but I can tell that the lenses are helping me. With time, I hope to be back in my Studio Jane getting inky and sticky with some new CTMH products! 

Blessings!

(dizzy but joyful) Jane

La Belle Vie Cards

These are some of the La Belle Vie paper packet cards I made recently. Colors I used include Blush, Bamboo, Smokey Plum, Colonial White, and Black inks.

Rebecca Brown, a CTMH consultant who lives near me, designed a card workshop using many strips of paper, and I fashioned some of these adapting her ideas. I enjoyed spending a creative Sunday afternoon with Rebecca, Debbie, and Loretta.

The die cuts are designs from CTMH's Artiste cartridge for Cricut. 

Thanks for stopping by and browsing! I'm always thankful for comments you leave too!

A Gigantic Joy

Joy comes to us in a variety of people, places, shapes, sizes, sounds, and activities. One of my biggest joy-moments is creating with friends and family. Hardly a day goes by that I don't create something!

Even more joy comes to me when I can create something out of very little or nothing. One day last week, we declared a FUN time! Mom and our friend Connie and I gathered our scraps and adhesives and spent a few hours making cheery cards for people who are sick, suffering, and alone. Out of very little we made nearly 30 cards in three hours. Connie will mail them to the peeps on the church list who are in need of prayers and support.

I just love those smiles on Mom and Connie! Each of them is a gigantic joy in my life too.

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. Proverbs 12:25

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Romans 12:12-13

The JOY of the Lord is my strength! Nehemiah 8:10

Easy Bella Cards

I've been playing with the Bella papers and Stickease and a few embellishments, making sample cards for an upcoming Bella Workshop on the Go. My goal is to show friends how fun, easy, and economical it is to make your own greeting cards from very few materials. Participants will be making scrapbook layouts too.

These card ideas have been adapted from the Wishes book by Close To My Heart's CEO, Jeanette Lynton. Don't have one yet? Click on the link and it'll take you to the Summer Idea Book; then scroll to page 12 and zoom on the page to see the description and order number in the bottom left corner.

It's a great "recipe book" with cutting directions and TONS of creative ideas for making your own cards of all sizes--and it includes the newest circle card directions. It also comes with a CD full of templates.

Need help finding or ordering items from CTMH? Just email me at janehaaspaperart [at] gmail [dot] com.

Saturday's Card Workshop Rocked

... thanks to the 9 participants who came to get inky and sticky-glue-y with me yesterday afternoon! Some made 3 cards, some made 6, and one made 7! One was a very new crafter and others had varied levels of paper crafting experience. The best part was that everyone made new friends and enjoyed using the new papers, embellishments, punches, Liquid Glass, Sparkes, and ribbons.

One thing is for sure: EVERYONE just loves the MyAcrylix stamp sets and blocks! (That's what attracted me to CTMH a year ago when Mom took me to my first gathering!) My friends literally stamped their loving hearts out yesterday making cards for as many of their friends and family as possible. It's always so fun to see each individual's creativity "shine" and see how each adapts the ideas to make them her own.

Things that worked well for me: Having all the papers pre-cut; having each card's directions printed at each of the six "stations" (I'm a learning-center kind of teacher & have used this method for ages 2 through adult for the past 30 years); demonstrating a few techniques to the large group before saying, "Ready, set, create!"

Things that I'll do differently next time: NOT offer so many choices, i.e., limit the card choices to TWO (rather than six...what was I thinking?); divide the group so that the max is six people at my one big table, so I'm not running between two rooms; making sure each person listens and understands the technique directions that I teach (and bribe with M&Ms?); pair people with experience and little experience. (I'm learning by doing!)

While I was busy showing and telling and enjoying my teaching-time, Paula had the honor of taking photos of the group. I'll be sure to post a few when I receive them from her. My downlines Paula and Lori and I are working hard to get a monthly unit of scrappers started to use the great Workshops On The Go!

If you're reading my blog post and already have unit meetings and use WOTG, I'd enjoy hearing from you how your group uses the materials, how you rotate your hostess rewards, and any other details you have to share. My one-year anniversary with CTMH is coming up at the end of May, and I'm continually learning from my CTMH sisters.

I thank you all for visiting my blog, leaving your kind and helpful comments, and helping me to grow and learn!

Two Sympathy Cards

... for special families in our extended family of friends who are mourning the deaths of their loved ones.

Scripture inside:

Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live..." John 11:25

CTMH papers are Key To My Heart and Unforgettable, Fancy Cut Botanicals, Liquid Glass, Comforting Thoughts stamp set, Tulip and Chocolate inks, pop dots for the butterfly

Welcome to CTMH, Paula!

For many years we've lived one mile apart and didn't meet each other until this past November at DH's retirement party! Paula and her husband Gary (who worked with DH) were about to leave when I said, "Oh, I have to show you my art studio we just finished!"

An hour later, I felt as though my new scrapbooking friend Paula and I had known each other for a very long time! We had so much shoppin' and scrappin' in common. :-)

The Lord has blessed us with a new friendship that is blooming where we're planted. Paula has become a CTMH consultant! We're excited to demonstrate CTMH card making and scrapbooking at "It's a Girl Thing" night at Paula's church next week.

Look out, Gary and DH, 'cause your girls are going to get down and glue-y together!

New! 2009 CTMH Spring Idea Book

On January 1, you'll be able to browse the new

Close To My Heart Idea Book and shop online.
You get to see it here:

http://janeehaas.myctmh.com/

Have I mentioned how FUN, easy, simple, and more fun it is

to use CTMH products?

I'd like to show you how!

National Paper Crafting Month

National Paper Crafting Month December 16—January 31

Since May of this year, I’ve enjoyed being a Close To My Heart consultant. The CTMH company has high standards, high quality and timeless products, and fantastic promotions! And the network of paper crafters and support system is the best.

The gorgeous new Key to My Heart Level 2 paper packet features all of CTMH’s luscious new exclusive colors: Tulip, Juniper, Sorbet, and Crème Brulee. The packet is accompanied by the awesome new E-size My Acrylix® Key to My Heart stamp set with elegant, charming designs. It’s a great combo with a retail value of $47.90—and can be yours at substantial savings, or even FREE!

Spend $130 and receive the whole package FREE!
OR- Spend $75 and purchase the kit for just $20
OR - Buy the kit outright for $47.90

You can also earn the kit for FREE by signing up to be a consultant or by hosting a gathering of $400 or more (catalog gatherings are included in this promotion).

These papers and stamps would make pretty Valentines, birthday or anniversary cards for someone special, or simply a love-you reminder to tuck into a lunch box, brief case, or surprise mailing.

My Christmas Season Give-Away: From me to YOU!

A $5 gift card to use for your order from the brand new catalog in January 2009 for any Christmas shopping order placed (for yourself or another person) from the Autumn/Winter Idea Book before December 24.
Shop on my website (click on Products to see the Catalog/Idea Book) or go here to sign up to be a consultant.

Questions? Please phone or email me!

Merry Christmas!