Have a Holiday Hey Day and Save 50-80%!

SIT BACK AND RELAX. It's OK to start your holiday shopping a little late this year, because the best deals start in December! You can buy everyone on your list a gift and stock up on much-needed supplies, leaving you time to enjoy the festivities! Beginning December 2*, you’ll want to get in on the amazing deals like My Acrylix® stamp sets from $2 and My Reflections®
paper packets from $5. But that’s not all—we have “grab bags” for $30, each filled with over $100 in retail products! Plus, great shipping deals on orders over $100. These products are only available while supplies last, so mark your calendar and be the first to fill your shopping cart!

*Sale continues through December 17 or while supplies last. Shipping/handling: $100+ have a flat rate shipping of $5. Orders $99.99 and under have weight-based shipping. Tax is charged based on discounted amount.

You're Invited to a Sweet Holiday Workshop!

Want to spend a day laughing with friends, munching on yummy food and creating sweet & luscious projects? Then join me for a Sweet Holiday Workshop!

The day includes:

· All the supplies for two fabulous projects! (see details below)

· A delicious lunch, along with delectable desserts

· A special surprise gift for everyone who attends

· Prize drawings

· 8 hours of fun…and more!

When: Saturday, November 21st from 10am until 6pm

Where: Party room at Four Chairs Furniture, at the corner of 2000 North & State Street, Orem

What to bring: scissors, adhesive, snacks, and any unfinished projects you may want to work on between projects!

RSVP: Space is limited to 20 people, so sign up right away! Your spot is reserved when you pay your $35.

Projects:

· a sugary memory keeper box filled with all of the supplies for a cooking making party (yes, the ALL the contents of the box are provided as well!). These boxes make great gifts!

· 12 beautiful holiday cards & envelopes that are just sweet!

There will be free time as well so you can bring unfinished layouts or projects to finish. Or if you missed a workshop like our Family album or scrapbook nights, kits for a variety of fabulous projects will be available that day on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Stampaganza Starts Today!!!

WOOHOO!!! My favorite special of the whole year starts today!! It's Stampaganza time! From November 3–30, 2009, when you purchase any two stamp sets (sizes A, B, C, D, and/or E only) at full retail price you will receive a third stamp set of your choice FREE (of equal or lesser value)— a savings of up to $22.95! Choose from any stamp set offered in any 2009 Idea Book or the current Product Review. To order, visit my online shopping site at: tracy.myctmh.com or email me your order at: tracy@myctmh.com.

Take advantage of this month’s great offer to add to your assortment of these beautiful stamps today!

Happy November!

I can't believe that it is November already! Where did October go? My daughter Janica informed me yesterday that there were only 55 days until Christmas! Eeek!

To celebrate the arrival of November, here are a couple of cards designed with the November stamp of the month set. They were created by my talented friend, Karen Pedersen. Isn't she talented? This stamp set is really darling. Enjoy!

Thank You for Your Thoughtfulness

I have a dear friend who is fabulous at always writing thank you notes. She is very observant of people around her and often thanks people for ways they have influenced her life. It is a real inspiration to me. There is never an inappropriate time to thank someone! And a heartfelt thank you card always makes someone day. I have tried to learn from my friend and take more opportunities to thank people. It feels good to be grateful! Here is one of my latest Thank you cards that I've made to keep on hand for those grateful moments.

Supplies:
Grace paper Packet
Card Chatter - Thank You stamp set
Cocoa ink pad
Sanding kit
Basic buttons
Waxy flax

Inspired by Nature

Last week our kids had fall break and we went to one of our favorite places in Utah...Zion National Park. It was positively beautiful! The leaves were changing colors in the canyon and it was beautiful. I love fall leaves! I made this card while thinking about the beautiful changing leaves. To make the leaf look like it was changing colors, I first inked the stamp in Sorbet ink and then rolled the edges in Chocolate ink. Presto! It looks like it is changing colors! And each time I make a leaf it looks unique...just like real leaves in nature. So even nature can inspire our cards and layouts! :)

Happy stamping!

Want to Win a Free Scrapbook Album?

Love digital scrapbooking? Check out Close to My Heart's new online design software called Studio J coming out in the Spring! Go to StudioJ.com for details. Sign up for email updates, and you will automatically be entered into a weekly random drawing for a My Legacy® Dark Cocoa linen album!!! Woohoo!! If you didn’t get the album that week, don’t worry—your name is still in the drawing for the next week. I have my fingers crossed that you will win!

Record Breaking Scrapping Weekend!

This was a record breaking scrapbooking weekend for me! In just 2 days I created 20 scrapbook pages! WOW! I was really on a roll. Usually, like most of us, I squeeze in the time to put together a page here and a page there. But this weekend I started going and kept going! It felt so good! One year ago today I was in the Mediterranean on a Close to My Heart cruise I earned free (I LOVE this company!) and it was those pictures I was scrapbooking. It was so fun to relive that great trip while creating the pages. I loved it! There are still more pictures and memories from that trip to scrapbook, but here are just a few of the pages I did. :)


Here's to more scrapping time for all of us! :)

Workshop Fun!

You’re Invited to the Family Album Workshop!

When: Saturday, October 10^th from 1-4pm or

Tuesday, October 20^th from 10am -1pm and 7-9pm

Where: Tracy Liu’s home (288 Gold River Circle, Orem – email for directions)

Cost: $17 All of the supplies will be cut and ready for you! All you need to bring is your favorite adhesive!

RSVP: Please RSVP by Saturday, October 3^rd specifying which date you would like to attend. Email me at: tracy@myctmh.com. If you are interested in attending the workshop, but these dates are not convenient, please let me know.

If you are interested in getting together a group of friends, I would be happy to come to your home to teach the workshop at a time convenient for you! And you receive fabulous hostess gifts as well! For more information email me at tracy@myctmh.com or call me at 801-224-6995.

For the Love of Chocolate!

I was telling a friend this weekend that chocolate should be part of the food pyramid with a daily recommended number of servings a day. She laughed and asked, "You mean it isn't?" Ha! Ha! I admit it...I love chocolate! And I love it even more that Close to My Heart has an ink color called "Chocolate!" And surprise, surprise....it's one of my favs. :) So, to celebrate everyone else who loves Chocolate (both the candy and the ink color!), here is a recipe for one of my favorite Chocolate Cakes! My friend Cindy made it for me and some friends one day when we got together to stamp. See...another reason why chocolate and stamping are a match made in heaven! Enjoy!

1 chocolate cake mix (I like fudge or milk chocolate)
1 egg
1 stick of butter

Preheat oven to 350. Combine ingredients. Pat into lightly greased 9x13 pan. Prepare filling (below).

8 oz soft cream cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick of butter, melted
16 oz powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Add butter, then powdered sugar. Spread over cake mixture. Bake for 40-50 minutes. You want the center to be a little gooey, so do not overbake.

National Stamping Month Idea

Here is a little National Stamping Month idea that I thought you all might love! The fabulous kit we are offering this month is so stinkin' cute! And it makes 16 beautiful cards. Why not keep half the cards for yourself and give the other half as a special gift? Here is a little card keeper that will fit all 8 cards and envelopes inside and really makes a great presentation when you give to someone dear. It's so easy to make...all you use is an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of cardstock. Email me for directions and diagram. Enjoy National Stamping Month!

Twitterpated

I just wanted to share the fun and easy card we are making at the Women's Expo at UVU this weekend! Thank you card just have to be quick and easy because you are normally making more than one. :) Happy stamping!

Treasures

I love the September stamp of the month called Treasures. It reminds of playing with the dandelions and blowing them as a child! I'm sure my parents loved that! LOL! That memory was the inspiration for this simple bookmark I made with the dandelion and little pieces blowing across it. I embossed them in white to make them pop. You could easily use this same design as a long narrow card (to fit in a long envelope) instead of a bookmark. Enjoy!

Visit me at the Utah Valley Women's Expo!

Come visit my booth at the Utah Valley Women's Expo at the UVU McKay Events Center in Orem, Utah on September 11th and 12th! There will be free make and take projects, prize drawings, expo specials, and peeks at fabulous new fall products! It will be a ton of fun! If you would like free tickets, email me at: tracy@myctmh.com and I'll hook you up!

See you then!

It's Your Day!

I've been playing with the August Stamp of the Month and just LOVE it!! I always need birthday cards and this set is a fabulous birthday set for fun, whimsical cards. And I love to make matching bags. So, here is a picture of birthday bag I made...and there is a card to match that looks just like it! I added glitter on the candles on the birthday cake for a little extra bling!

Free Card Kit!

To celebrate National Stamping Month in September we are giving you 3 ways to get a FREE Everyday Celebration card kit for making 16 beautiful cards!

• Purchase a minimum of $60 in stamp sets** (includes A, B, C, D, and E-size) between
August 18–September 30
• Host a Home Gathering with minimum sales of $400 between September 1–30
• Sign up as a new Consultant between September 1–30

You can also buy as many card kits as you’d like for $39.95 per kit. And there’s more fun! Place any order between September 1–30 and you’ll be automatically entered in our daily drawing for a FREE card kit! Winners will be announced on tracy.myctmh.com and closetomyheart.com. Express your passion for stamping with this pretty new card kit today!

It's a Thanks-a-bration!

You do so much for everyone else; Let Close To My Heart do something for you! This August 3–17, place a minimum order of $100 and you not only get the August Stamp of the Month, My Acrylix® It’s Your Day stamp set, for FREE, but we’ll throw in a My Reflections® Level 2 paper packet as well (a total retail value of $35.90)! How about even more thanks? We’ll also cover the tax and shipping/handling on the free products! Act fast, time is already running out. This Thanks-a-bration only lasts until August 17!

Leadership Buzz!!

I just returned from our FABULOUS leadership conference in beautiful Long Beach, California. It was so much fun! And the new product releases and specials Close to My Heart has are the most exciting! Here are just a few:

• New online scrapbooking software called Studio J and it's free to use! It will be coming out to customers in the spring. And I'm so lucky to have been able to test the program! It will be the best product on the market!
• Brand new look and feel to our Idea Book, with stamps shown at 75% of real size so you can get a better feel for how they really are.
• New products such as: Snapease album system to help you put your pages in and out of our post-bound albums in a snap, gorgeous flexible papers, glitter brads and rub ons, and a fabulous quiet eyelet tool, just to name a few!
• New organizational tools like a beautiful bag (you will want to use it all the time and not just for carrying craft supplies!) and new rolling tote

That's just a taste of what was unveiled. I can't wait to tell you more...stay tuned!

Happy stamping,
Tracy

Last Deal-a-Day special is WOW!

Today is the very last Deal-a-Day special and Close to My Heart has saved the best for last!!!! You can purchase a goodie box worth $300 for only $125!!! That's over 50% off. Plus, shipping is only $10 (in the continental US). WOW!!!! Visit my website at tracy.myctmh.com and click on the Deal-a-Day special. This is a great time to stock up on fabulous stamps and accessories for yourself or as gifts for other crafters you know!

Happy saving!
Smiles,
Tracy

Unforgettable Hong Kong

I love to travel and have been fortunate enough to be enjoying a fabulous trip to Hong Kong with my family. I can't wait to scrapbook all of the thousands of photos we have been taking! Of course I need some fabulous Asian themed papers and stamps for this album. :) As we have been snapping pictures and I have been planning an album in my head I keep thinking about our pretty papers called Unforgettable. How perfect for an "unforgettable" trip! :) Here is just one card made with our stamp set called "Kanji Phrases" and the Unforgettable papers. When I return from Hong Kong and download the pictures, I'll post some of the photos and some scrapbook pages too!

Wishes coming true!

I love our fabulous new card idea book called Wishes! I have had so much fun making really easy cards using the simple directions, templates, cutting sizes and everything! I was talking with a friend the other day about how much we love Wishes, Originals and all of our idea books....using these card layouts make you look so creative! :) I'll be posting some of the cards I've made as I have been playing so stay tuned! :)

Deal-a-Day Specials in June!

Love a great deal? How about 30 fabulous deals? Every day in the month of June Close to My Heart has a new deal for you!

Specials include a free item with purchase of a My Acrylix stamp set and goodie boxes priced at least 50% off retail or more – available only that day and only while supplies last. Plus get extraordinary shipping rates with these specials! You’ll want to check back daily for terrific deals.

Just visit my website at tracy.myctmh.com and check out each new special as it is announced daily. A new special starts every day at 9am MST and lasts for 23 hours. Just a couple of notes to make your shopping easier:


• There is plenty of stock available so you don’t have to “rush the doors” and shop right at 9am MST. Shop at off-peak times or whenever is convenient in your day and you will still be able to take advantage of the great deal of the day!

• For specials with a qualifying purchase of a stamp set required to receive a free item, please put the stamp set in the cart BEFORE the free item.

• To give you the best possible deal on shipping, Deal-a-Day purchases must include Deal-a-Day items only (e.g. the goodie box, or the qualifying stamp set and free item)…nothing else. If you add other items the system will not recognize the special or the discounted shipping.

• What’s in the goodie boxes? That would ruin the surprise and spoil the fun! There will be not be pictures of the surprise boxes, but we can tel you that they are filled with a variety of fun products including stamp sets, paper packs, embellishments and more. CTMH has made every effort to vary the contents of the boxes by days so you can take advantage of the goodie box specials on different days and get a variety of favorite products. As another sneak peek the value of these boxes will range as high as $300!!!

Scrapbook Night Out!

I love Scrapbook Night Out! One Friday night each month everyone is welcome to come and scrapbook the night away! It's a ton of fun as we laugh, relax, and scrapbook!

This Friday, May 29, we are making layouts with my very favorite kit from the new Summer 2009 Idea Book called Moon Doggie! Gotta love these fun beachy papers! If you'd like a scrapbook kit or want to come and scrapbook with us, you are more than welcome! Email me for details. :)

Creatively Yours!

I have some pretty creative children. Some times it's creatively trying to get out of trouble for doing something wrong (ha! ha!). But in this case, it's creatively designing a card. My oldest daughter designed this card for me without a stitch of help! I gave her the stamps and papers and she just dived right in and came up with this card. It's pretty fun to sit back and watch my children create and experience the joy of saying, "Hey! I did that!" I think we all need to experience that joy from time to time.

Thanks for Playing!

WOW! Thanks to the many, many people who played Website Scavenger Hunt! What a great response! I'm so glad that so many people had fun playing. Congrats to the first 10 winners:

Grace C.
Katie A.
Amy P.
Sandy S.
Deborah S.
Emily R.
Gail K.
Tiffine D.
Cherrie G.
Kim M.

We'll have to have more fun games like this in the future. :) So, I hope you keep coming back to my blog, and watch for more fun!

Play Website Scavenger Hunt!

Website Scavenger Hunt!

Like to play games? Well, I have a fun scavenger hunt for you! Simply go to my website at: www.tracy.myctmh.com and find the answers to the 5 questions below. Email the answers to me at: tracy@myctmh.com. The first 10 people who email me the correct answers win a FREE PRIZE!!! Let’s play!


1. Did you know that on the second Tuesday of every month there is a fabulous new episode of Art and Soul? What is the name and featured technique of the March 10, 2009 episode of Art and Soul on CTMH TV?

2. How many stamps are in May’s cute stamp of the month called Be Yourself?

3. I love to add new artwork regularly to my website so you can always find fresh, new ideas. Name 3 of the 4 new products used in the latest scrapbook page posted to My Art page.

4. You can browse through our new Idea Book online! Woohoo! Flip through the Idea Book and tell me 3 of your favorite new products! Would you like to have an idea book of your own? Just email me!

5. I LOVE being a consultant! Flexibility, great discounts, fabulous friends, and time spent doing something I love…it’s all great! What page on my website can you find out more information about being a consultant?

May Stamp of the Month!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new May stamp of the Month! It's called Be Yourself. These fun silhouette girls stamps are fab! Here's a card I made just to give you a taste for how cute it is.

Tickled Pink!

I'm really tickled pink to announce that Close to My Heart's Tickled Pink scrapbooking kit is available beginning today! You can purchase this fabulous kit for only $34.95 or earn it free! To get your Tickled Pink kit, email me or visit www.tracy.myctmh.com.

And it gets even better! As another fun way to celebrate this special month, Close to My Heart has created a website, www.scrapbookandshare.com, that you can visit to share your artwork and win Close To My Heart products. To participate in the Scrapbook and Share contest, simply send us a JPEG image of a two-page layout that highlights you in some way to scrapbookandshare@closetomyheart.com. Along with your submission, you’ll want to share why the layout highlights you. At the end of May, finalists will be selected from all of the entries, and you and your customers will be able to vote for your favorites. The winners in each category will receive $150 US retail in Close To My Heart products.

Wish

I made this cute card a few weeks ago at one of Close to My Heart's Regional Celebrations in Phoenix. It was a ton of fun spending the day stamping and scrapbooking with 150 other women who love what I love! What a great feeling!

I love the letters on this card, because they are one of our Color Ready alphabet stickers! Just sponge them any color you want and stick them on! So stinkin' cute!

Celebrating Relationships

Let me share a story, if you don't mind me sharing something personal. My grandmother passed away last week. She was 103! Can you believe it? She was a sweetheart and we love her a lot. This is a picture of my dear Grandma. She didn't have a lot of possessions left, and had already given away many of her belongings when she moved into a nursing home. But do you know what she kept close to her? Photos of her loved ones and a scrapbook that our family had made for her years ago. All of the families and grandchildren had made simple scrapbook layouts (many of them are not scrapbookers) and put them together in an album. And it was one of her dearest possessions. That scrapbook celebrated her relationship with her family. I have been thinking about these scrapbook pages we make and how they truly are priceless they are. Each layout is more than just paper, a photo and some journaling. It is a memory made special and long-lasting for others to share and treasure always.

Stardust Scrapbook Night!

It's scrapbook night out this Friday, March 6th at my house! I LOVE scrapbook night! We have so much fun creating and laughing together. Here is one of the layouts we are making this week...you could use 4 smaller photos instead of my 8x10 if you wanted and it would look just as cute! I still need to do my journaling...eek!

In the area? Come and play with us! Want a kit of all the products you need for these layouts? I'd be happy to help!

Happy scrappin!

March Forward!

Now is the perfect time to become a Close to My Heart Consultant and start living your dream of flexible work hours, unlimited earning potential, product discounts, travel opportunities, and more. When you enroll between March 3–31, 2009, you can take advantage of a fabulous sign-up bonus: You can choose up to two premiere organizational products at half off retail price!* That’s a savings of approximately $129 on items that will help you get your business off to an organized start. Choose from our most popular items to help you arrange and store your scrapbooking and stamping supplies.
Forward, march… to the front of the line today and enroll during our Forward, March campaign for super savings. Ask me today about joining the Close To My Heart family.
*Offer valid March 3–31, 2009. Shipping/handling and tax apply.

Just in Time for Valentine's Day

Here's a little Valentine Idea if you are looking for a last minute gift idea! We made this at one of my clubs tonight and had a blast! Each little milk carton closes with a flap in the bottom so that you don't have to ruin it to open it and find the goodies inside. It's made with our fabulous That's Amore paper and the Damask Tiles stamp set.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Celebrate Our Anniversary with Free Stamps!!!

To kick off our 25th anniversary as a leader and innovator in the stamping business, Close To My Heart is giving all of our stamp purchasers a fabulous gift! When you spend $25 in stamps (Customized Name and Stamp of the Month excluded), you’ll receive a custom-designed B-size My Acrylix® Good Times stamp set (retail value $13.95), packed with fun and versatile party-inspired images, for FREE! Gotta love free stamps! To get your set free, go to my website at: tracy.myctmh.com or send me an email!

Happy stamping!
Tracy

And the Winners Are.......

It was so fun to hear everyone's posts about their favorite new products! There are so many great products and goodies in just one Idea Book! Thank you all for sharing what your favorites are.

As promised, I drew two names from everyone who submitted their favs! And now is the big moment to announce the winners! Woohoo!!! The winners of our new product poll are.....

drum roll, please......


Colleen I. and Meika B.!

Congratulations ladies! I will be emailing you and getting your fabulous prize to you! Enjoy!
Check back often everyone for lots of new artwork, polls, contests and more. I've been busy stamping and can't wait to post all of the fun new projects I've been working on!

Happy stamping!
Tracy

Unforgettable Layout

When I opened the Spring Idea Book for the first time, I immediately fell in love with the new paper packet called Unforgettable! It's so warm and pretty! Here's a layout I made using the Creative Rhythm layout idea in the scrapbooking guide Cherish. Love this book! It makes scrapbooking so easy!

What's Your Favorite Product?

What is your favorite new product in the Spring Idea Book? Is it the Unforgettable paper packet? Or perhaps one of our fun new "Family Ties" stamp sets? Or our new Blush ribbon collection? There are so many fabulous new products to choose from! I'd love to hear what is your favorite new product! Just leave a comment on my blog between now and January 30th with your favorites and I will randomly pick 2 lucky winners who will receive a fabulous prize package! I'm not allowed to post on the blog what the prize package is, but email me at: tracy.myctmh.com and I'll tell you what it is and send pictures!

Don't have a catalog to look at? No worries! Head on over to my online shopping site at: www.tracy.myctmh.com and click on "Products" and you can flip through a virtual Idea Book and drool all you want at the fabulous stamps, papers, and ideas! :)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I love New Years. It feels like it is full of promise and new opportunities. :) I also love New Years because it brings a new Idea Book! Our brand new Idea Book is full of beautiful new papers, stamps, ribbons and more! To flip through the Idea Book, email me for a free copy or go to www.tracy.myctmh.com to view it online.