And the winner is.....

SHERRY COOK!


December's mystery hostess party had eight scrappers who ordered a total of $360, which gives Sherry $60 worth of free products and (1) half price item!


While the mystery hostess gathering is closed, there is still time to order from the Holiday Expressions catalog.  The Thin Cuts Snowflakes (page 57) and the City Sidewalks digital collection (page 43) are sold out. 

Free Products for Club Members

Hosting a gathering is the best way to earn free products.  You and your friends will create a make and take, place an order, and you earn free products!  If location is a concern for you, my house is always open to host your gathering.
If inviting friends just isn't your thing, then consider earning the same free products all by yourself.  Instead of just ordering products, consider joining a club to earn some free stuff! 
Check out the tab across the top called Clubs for more details.
Also, all events for 2017 have been posted in the Calendar tab.

What I want for Christmas...

Merry Christmas!   Do you have a CTMH Christmas Wish List?  As your consultant, I'd love to help put those items under your tree!


The steps to do this:


1st - Share my information with your family!  You are my only advertisement, and they have to know where to find me, in order to surprise you!


2nd - Make a list!  You can give this list to your family or you can give it to me.  I just need a product number and a short description.  I like the description because occasionally numbers get transposed and I want to ensure it's what you really wanted.


3rd - They buy a gift!  Either a particular item from your list or they can give me a dollar amount and I can fill it from your list.  (I also issue gift certificates.)


4th  - I wrap and deliver the wrapped gift to the buyer (local deliveries - Madison, Huntsville, Harvest, Hazel Green, Owens Cross Roads, Decatur, Lacey Springs and thereabouts.  Sorry, Cairo Ladies, you are a bit far for personal wrapped delivery, yours will come via the mail). 

I have this form in Excel format, if you would like to request it via email!

My Christmas Wish List
These can be ordered through
Dawn Cortner, Independent CTMH Consultant
website: http://decoratingthedaysofourlives.closetomyheart.com/
email: decoratingdays@gmail.com
phone: 334-695-2448
Product Number	Description

Small Gifts of Big Memories

 

Adorable mini albums for celebrating the little things you love!

 

 

 

So often it’s the little things that matter most—and what better way to celebrate the little things in life than with adorable mini albums?

 

Whether looking for a meaningful gift idea or a treasured keepsake, these mini albums are a fast and easy option, and this month you save

 

30%-off the retail price of the products you need!

 

 

* Offer valid December 1–December 31, 2016, while supplies last. Normal shipping/handling & tax apply.

 

 

 

Blue Jean Mini Album Bundle | CC1197

Instalife™ Album—Blue Jean

#Life™ Cards—Enjoy 

#Life™ Overlays—Black

Memory Protectors™ Mini 4" X 4"

Memory Protectors™ Mini 2" X 2"

Retail Value: $27.75

Your Price: $18.95

 

Blush Mini Album Bundle | CC1198

Instalife™ Album—Blush

#Life™ Cards—Hello Gorgeous

#Life™ Overlays—Gold

Memory Protectors™ Mini 4" μ 4"

Memory Protectors™ Mini 2" μ 2"

Retail Value: $27.75

Your Price: $18.95

 

 

Adventure Mini Album Bundles | CC1200

Everyday Life™ Album—Stripes

My Crush® Adventure Calls

Memory Protectors™

Choose 6" X 8" (CC1199), 4" X 6" (CC1200),

or 3" X 4" (CC1021))

Retail Value: $29.85

Your Price: $19.95

 

Mystery Hostess and Thin Cuts Snowflakes

December has arrived! And with it, the Holiday book will be going away at the end of the month.  I am holding a Mystery Hostess Gathering this month.  For every $5 worth of products you order, you will receive a chance to be the hostess.  The last time I did this in July, the lucky hostess received $80 in free products and one half price item!


If there is anything in the Holiday book, the sooner you order the better it is.  As of today, the Thin Cut Snowflakes are sold out - completely unavailable.  As the month goes on, more items will follow. 


The stamp sets are made in house at Close To My Heart's home office in Utah.  They will not become unavailable before the month is over, but all stamps in the book will retire at the end of the month.

More Thin Cuts!

More of your favorite stamp sets now have

coordinating Thin Cuts

Love our Thin Cuts? Then you’re going to love this special,

limited-time offer! We now have coordinating Thin Cuts for the

following stamps sets found in our Annual Inspirations idea book:

My Acrylix® Swirly Seashells (C1664) Thin Cuts CC1155 $18.95

My Acrylix® Sweet Birthday (B1532) Thin Cuts CC1156 $9.95

My Acrylix® Wreath (A1193) Thin Cuts CC1157 $10.95

My Acrylix® School Kids (D1706) Thin Cuts CC1158 $15.95

Subject to availability, through July 2017.

Swan Lake Bells & Whistles workshop

The Bells & Whistle workshop for October is this Friday.  You will be making this layout, which highlights the Swan Lake paper pack.  Can't make it?Check back after Friday to see if there were any leftover kits for sale!

Planning with Creativity

Limited-time Constant Campaign

Discover your inner artist while staying on top of your schedule with our new 2017 planner system. Featuring seasonal designs you can color by hand, this exclusive planner system combines the worlds of work and play to give you a planner you can truly make your own. Choose a bundle with either the Everyday Life™ Sea Glass or stripes album, or purchase just the planner pages if you already have an album—the choice is up to you! The day planner pages are available while supplies last, so don't delay!    
     

Everyday Life™ Sea Glass Album & Planner Pages Bundle

              CC1177 $31.90

Everyday Life™ Stripes Album & Planner Pages Bundle
                 CC1178 $31.90

Everyday Life™ 2017 Planner Pages (no album)

                   CC2017 $16.95

Scrapbooking Retreat

I host two retreats during the year.  The first is the Fundamentals retreat in February, Feb. 9-12 in 2017.  The second is the Put it on a Page retreat in June, Jun 1-4 in 2017.  I have one opening for February and five openings for June.

The retreats are held at The Scrapbook Playhouse in Guntersville.  Cost is $110, plus one meal.  We each provide one meal for all 8 scrappers, then enjoy someone else cooking the others. You will also need to bring your own drinks.  Snacks and snacks to share are optional.

The Scrapbook Playhouse is unique in their Swap Room.  If you need something, or just like something there, you can swap something from your stash for something in their stash.

You have access to a Cricut, multiple cartridges, stamps, punches, a computer with printer and internet. You will need to bring your own Cricut mat.

You can reserve your spot at a retreat by making a deposit of $35.  The balance of $75 is due 45 days before the retreat.

For more details on The Scrapbook Playhouse, you can check out my blog (look for the Scrapbooking Retreat tab) or Google their site.

 

School Pages with Enchantment

School started over a month ago, and with it the memories.  First day of school, projects, events and sports are all underway.  The Enchantment Fundamentals is very school page friendly with it’s grid lines and letters.  The colors are in the darker earthy palette, perfect for fall school days.

There are two sets of compliments that go with the Enchantment Fundamentals paper packs, one for grade K-6 and one for grade 7-12.  Also available is a set of 5 matching ribbons to further embellish your pages.

And check out this CUTE stamp set!

 

Matching Cardstock for your Kits

Something new in the Holiday Expressions catalog is the coordinating cardstock  packs.  With each Workshop Your Way kit, you can separately purchase 12 sheets of matching cardstock for $9.95! 

The coordinating cardstock  (X7212D) for the Swan Lake papers contains 3 sheets each of Black, Glacier, Peacock and Poppy.  You can use these as bases for more pages, matting your photos, or cutting titles. With a kit, an extra paper pack and this coordinating cardstock pack, you could easily stretch your favorite Workshop to complete a fully color matched small album.

If you find yourself choosing a particular color over and over again, you can also purchase a full pack of a single color.  Each color is available in a pack of 24 sheets for $14.50.

 

Class of 2016

This layout uses papers from several of the Fundamental packs.  I used strips from Whimsy, Enchantment and Rustic Home.  Behind the pictures are more squares from Whimsy and the gold polka dot from All About the Gold.  The base sheets are from Memo Fundamentals.

The flowers are from the Flower Market cartridge, and cut from Sea Glass, Gold and White glitter paper.

Free Scrapbooking Products for sending me to Thailand!

My big news of the month is that I REALLY want to go to Thailand.  On an all expense paid vacation.  Courtesy of Close to My Heart.  Each year, Close to My Heart offers an incentive trip to all consultants.  Earn enough points between October 1st and September 30th, and you get to go!

I get points by attending Convention, signing up new consultants and sales. But it takes a LOT of sales to earn these trips.  I have not come close in the past, but I am going to give it my best try this year, because it’s Thailand!!

The trip is an incentive for me.  As an incentive for you to help me, I am offering an additional $20 worth of free hostess credits when you hold a party between October 1, 2016 and  September 30, 2017.

One little catch for the extra credits—you need to reserve your date in the month of October.  You can hold an in home, online or Face Book party any day between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017, but you must reserve the party date in the month of October 2016 to get the extra free credits.

I realize plans can change overnight.  If you book far in advance and as the date gets closer, something causes your plans to change, you are free to adjust your date.  If you cancel then rebook after October, the offer ends with the cancellation.

This is an offer from me exclusively, as an independent CTMH consultant, and is not available from all consultants.

 

Halloween Fun

It's always helpful to have your photos when you are working on your layout, but that doesn't stop me from completing layouts.  The finished blanks go into a book and wait for the right pictures.  Not only does this make finishing a page super easy when the photos do come along, it also helps keep my stash down to a reasonable level!

This layout I did have photos.  I used two different years but they went really well together.  I also added some of the eyeball puffy stickers to the pumpkin stickers for more dimension.

Halloween 2002

How's this for a throwback?  Now that the kids are older they are not in as many pictures.  I will slowly be making my way through the old slide in photo albums and turn them into my scrapbook masterpieces!

The colors for this worked perfectly for Hurricane's costume, even though there is nothing Halloween-y about this layout except for the colors, one zip strip and the title.

This is one of the layouts in the Jeepers Creepers Workshop your Way kit.  Wasn't she cute!

What's in a Crop

The verb to crop is what you do to your photos, when you adjust their size to get only what you want.   The noun crop is what I call a day full of scrapbooking. 

My Saturday crops are just time to bring your own stuff and work on your scrapbooks or other paper crafting projects. I have nice space for 10 ladies to work.  You are welcome from 9am until 9pm or anytime in between.  Lunch and drinks are provided and you may bring a snack for sharing, but it’s not required.  At my house, you have access to an Expressions Cricut and all the CTMH cartridges, as well as a large selection of stamps and inks, Wi-Fi service and a color printer. I stock and sell single sheets of cardstock for $.50 each.  It’s also a great opportunity to check out an item you might be considering—chances are I have one!

This is a perfect day to complete a Workshop your Way kit.  It’s very easy to complete the entire kit during a crop day and walk away with 3 completed double layouts.

I do charge $5 for the crops, or it’s free if you order $10 or more.

 

Bells and Whistles

Beginning in September, I will be holding a Bells and Whistles class.  This hands-on class is designed with the advanced scrap booker in mind.  The Close to My Heart Workshop Your Way kits are a great way to whip out three complete and excellent double layouts, but they no longer incorporate stamping or Cricut cuts.  The Bells and Whistles class adds those elements back into one (1) double page layout.

The Bells and Whistles class will be on the last Friday of every month.  For September, this will be September 30th, from 7pm until 9pm, at my house.

Cost for each class is $10 and includes precut papers and embellishments, access to inks and stamps. You will need to bring your scissors, tape and foam tape.  There will be a limited number of kits, between 7 and 10.  If a layout is popular and I have multiple RSVP's more than 10 days in advance, this number can be increased.  I need the 10 days in order to have enough supplies.

The double layout for each class will consist of:
     several layers of paper
     wells for 4 to 12 photos
     stamping
     Cricut cuts
     multiple embellishments
     a technique of some kind (could be new or tried and true).

There are no surprises for this class.  A photo of the layout will be posted at least two weeks prior to the class.  If you like the layout and can attend, please RSVP early.  If your decision to attend is made less than 10 days before the class, please call or text to make sure there is a spot (kit) available.

Any unused kits will be available for sale, on this blogsite, after the event.

The layouts will be using the paper packs for the featured kit of the month.  September's featured kit is Jeepers Creepers.

Hurricane was born on November 2, the Day of the Dead.  My layout pages will be used to record her 18th birthday party.  Your kit will include a Halloween title. 

If you love the colors but not the skulls, they can be left off, or replaced with some other embellishment from your private stash.  The technique used for this layout is simple - a tear, roll and distress touch to the pages.

Trick or Treat!

So it's just September.  But the Halloween candy is already in the stores, so why not get a jump start (or play a little catch up) with  your Halloween memories?

Catch up is what I did here, pulling photos out of old photo albums for this great layout.  The little monsters paper is just soooo cute!  While I didn't use it, there is a little monster on the Artistry cartridge, page 43.

Loving these bright bold colors but not into Halloween?  The right title can turn this monster paper into decorative layouts for other types of memories.

Cookie Monster
Monster Meltdown
My Little Monster
Monster of a Mess
Monster-ous Fun

And that little garden fairy is a one year old Hurricane, who just moved out into her first apartment last month! Big Sis was still a big part of her life in those good ol' days!

Creating Kindness

Create Kindness is the theme this year for Close to My Heart's National Stamping Month's special.  In the spirit of kindness, I'm turning the Thursday night card class into a party! 

How is a party creating kindness?  By giving away stuff!  But it's not just me giving away stuff - it's you too!

On September 22, from 5:30 to 7:30, come join me for games, food and make and takes.  If  you have purchased the Create Kindness kit, it will be a perfect night to whip out all 24 cards.  If not, you can participate in making some 3x3 cards at the event (10 cards for $5). 

In addition to these normal activities I invite you to help me stock the Lee High School Pantry.  The teachers at Lee High School have noticed a need in some of their students, as well as greater needs in some of their homeless students.  They have set up a 'pantry' to be stocked with donated items that will help these students. For every five items you bring to this Create Kindess event, you can select one item from my goodie box (filled with retired stamp sets, ink pads, paper packs and embellishments).  Needed items include:
pens
pencils
notebook paper
backpacks
canned goods
non-perishable food items
soap
shampoo
deodorant
toothpaste
toothbrushes
clothing (new or used)

So come join me on Thursday, September 22nd, to create some cards, some conversation and a little kindness!

Jeepers Creepers!

The featured kit in September is Jeepers Creepers!  This is a really fun set with brightly colored papers.  The Workshop Your Way includes the paper pack, the compliments, the assortment and the washi tape and 5 sheets of cardstock (1 Pansy, 2 Whisper 2 White Daisy) .  You can now also add on a Jeepers Creepers Coordinating Cardstock pack of 12 sheets of cardstock, 3 each of Black, Lagoon, Pansy and Tangerine. 

Paper Pack, $9.95 X7211B

Compliments, $6.95, X7211C.  (the black cutouts are glitter paper!)

Assortment, $3.95, Z4009

Washi Tape, $3.95, Z4010

Jeepers Creepers its the Saturday Crop!

Open crop at my house on Saturday, September 10th, from 9AM until 9PM.

Cost is $5 or free with a $10 order. 

These crops are simply time for you to work on your scrapbook and paper crafting projects in a nice space in my home, with other like minded ladies.  Several of us will be working on the Jeepers Creepers Workshop Your Way.

You will have:
Space to create
Access to a Cricut and all CTMH cartridges (among others)
Access to hundreds of stamp sets and all the CTMH inks
Lunch
Drinks
Conversation
Helpful opinions about your layout when requested
Admiration for your work from others who UNDERSTAND!

National Stamping Month

September is National Stamping Month!  Close to My Heart is offering this neat little package for $46.95!

It includes
Mini stamp organizer (yes, it all comes in the box you get to keep!) ($12.95)
24 3X3 envelopes, 3X3 printed cards bases, 24 white daisy circles ($9.95)
2"x2" block ($6.95)
Mini Archival black ink pad
8 M sized stamp sets ($2.95 each)

The M sized stamps are available individually but you save $6.50 by ordering the kit!

 




These stamps are only available during the month of September!  You can add a roll of shimmer trim to add a little sparkle for $4.95, to bring your total to $51.90, and your order qualifies to add the Stamp of the Month for just $5!  This Blessed Beyond Measure stamp set can also be purchased individually for $17.95, but again only in the month of September.