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February Stamp of the Month FREE Kit

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I’m very happy to unveil the contents of the February FREE kit that goes to anyone that purchases the Stamp of the Month “Heartfelt Sentiments”.

Here is the stamp set. DO NOT be discouraged! I know exactly what you’re thinking: I will never use this stamp set. But take a peek at the two-page layout that will be yours, and how easy it was to incorporate this stamp into the layout.

CTMH February 2019 Stamp of the Month
CTMH SOTM Heartfelt Sentiments Free Layout Kit
Convinced yet? Take a closer look!

And even better? The whole thing (not including colouring the two flowers with leaves) took me about 20 minutes to assemble and colour.

The kit will arrive with a full colour, step-by-step set of instructions, including the technique I used to colour in the large stamped sentiment on the left page.

So. You know that you can buy this stamp set outright for $24.75 (plus shipping & GST), but did you know that if you place a minimum $50 CTMH order with me, any time during the month of February, you can just put $18.75 back in your wallet, because all you have to pay is $6.00! AND you get the kit for FREE? This is the first time I have offered a two-page layout in my FREE kit, so I know you do not want to miss out. To order, you can contact me at [email protected] Or, if you’d like your order delivered directly to your door (except the kit, which comes from me), you can click on the button below to head over to my CTMH shopping site.

I want to shop!

Until next time

Valerie

January SOTM Free Kit!

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Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and made lots of memories to record!

I wanted to start off the year with a FREEBIE!

You’ve probably noticed the picture on my Home Page, of the January Stamp of the Month “Card Captions”

CTMH SOTM JANUARY 2019

Definitely a winner. I can see this stamp set going right into my Evernote database and never leaving!! And to get you off to a roaring start actually using this stamp set, I’ve created three cards for this month’s FREE kit.

“Card Captions” Free Kit

As always, when you receive your new stamp set, you will also receive everything you need to create these three cards, along with colour pics and instructions.

Don’t forget: THIS KIT IS ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 31, 2019!

Until next time

Valerie

CTMH Seasonal Expressions 1 Open House

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The launch of our Close To My Heart 2019 Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book and Catalogue is just around the corner. In fact, the catalogue itself will be going live for everyone on January 1, 2019! Interested in getting an up-close look at all the goodness?

CTMH 2019 Seasonal Expressions 1 Cover
CTMH 2019 Seasonal Expressions 1 Cover

What’s Inside?

On top of four new amazing collections, you will find new layouts in our SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM: Craft With Heart, new Picture My Life collections, new THIN CUTS, more Story by Stacy,  new stamp sets and lots, lots more.

There will definitely be lots to see! Display items and samples, a make-and-take, thank you gift, door prizes, vintage items clear out, Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Books for you to take home, and much more!

Where & When?

I’ve gone back to a two-day format so you have a choice:

Saturday, January 5, 2019 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM or

Sunday, January 6, 2019 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

As usual, I will have everything set up in my studio (well I MIGHT just have to spread out a little😉) in NW Calgary. You can message me for the address, if you don’t already have it.

So, mark your calendars now and call up a friend. If you’ve attended one of my open houses in the past, you KNOW you do not want to miss out!!

R.S.V.P. PLEASE!

It’s a huge help to me if I have a rough idea how many people will be attending. After all, you wouldn’t want me to run out of cookies would you??

You can RSVP right on the event page, which is HERE. Once on the event page, scroll down to just below the image and you can make your selection.

12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style!

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12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style! 

Day 12 – Sunday, December 23, 2018

Christmas Luminaries

Well, we made it! Here we are on Day 12, the last day of my 12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style! It’s been a lot of fun putting these projects together and doing the research. I have especially enjoyed offering you some spectacular offers almost every day. Deciding on the topic for our final day was tough. After looking through A LOT of ideas, I finally decided on Christmas Luminaries (or Lanterns). In my research, I came across many, many types of luminaries, not all paper, so I’ll start with those and then finish off with the paper ones. Just a couple of tips before we start:
  1. If you need to add a bit of weight to your finished project, you can use sand or small stones in the bottom of your luminaries. It’s very easy to place the tea light/votive on top of that layer.
  2. If you are using paper luminaries, please remember to use the battery-operated tea lights/votives. We don’t need any fires over the Christmas Season.
Okay, here we go!

THE HISTORY OF LUMINARIES

I stumbled across an interesting article which talks about the origins of this tradition in the southern states in the US. “The traditional luminary consists of a small brown paper bag, a small candle and a little bit of sand to weigh down the bottom of the bag in case of wind, etc. When entire neighborhoods participate in the tradition, it makes for an elaborate and beautiful visual display…people will come from miles around to drive through our neighborhood and enjoy the experience. The luminary tradition is very popular in the Southwestern states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Historically, the tradition started some time during 16th century as a Spanish tradition of lighting bonfires along roadsides and churchyards to help guide people to Midnight Mass on the final night of the celebration of “Las Posadas.” To find out more, check out the website below: The History of Luminaries

GLASS LUMINARIES

Mason Jar Luminaries Quite a variety of ideas to choose from! Video Tutorial for Hand-Drawn Glass Jar Luminaries Mason Jar Luminaries in White A bit of a different take on the previous idea! Jar Luminaries Using Epsom Salts! You are going to love how easy these are and how gorgeous when they are finished!

5-Minute Glass Jar Luminaries Yup. You read right. 5 minutes!

LUMINARIES MADE WITH OTHER MATERIALS

Clay Christmas Tree Luminaries You can easily save these and bring them out year after year.

Luminaries Using Up-cycled Materials You will not believe how easy these are to make!

Luminaries Made From Cans

   

PAPER BAG LUMINARIES

Luminaria Bags in Red and White This project makes use of punch-anywhere type punches. Flame-Resistant Paper Bag Luminaries Believe it or not, you can actually buy these on Etsy! They are made using white bags that are flame resistant, and come in a variety of patterns.       Paper Bag Luminaries with Clear Windows These are quite different, and kid friendly!   Step-by-Step Luminary Instruction for Paper Lunch Bags

OTHER PAPER LUMINARIES

Paper Luminaries This is a very quick tutorial (under a minute!) … and here is a link for the template:  Luminary Template Mini Luminary with a Template Another kid friendly project, this one supplies a template and step-by-step instructions. The sample is done for Halloween, but it would be very simple to substitute Christmas/Winter themed images! Paper Star Luminaries and here is the template: Download Template Pattern Here Cricut-Cut Paper Luminaries Not much to say about these beauties! If you have Cricut Design Space, you can access everything you need to create them. If you own the CTMH Cricut cartridge “Artbooking”, there is no end to the patterns that you can use to create your very own luminary.   Well that’s it for luminaries! I think you should find something you like within all of these ideas. One last thought: If you have young ones that are restless and don’t know what to do with themselves (already), put them to work making one of the ideas you see here. Now for the fun part! Tonight’s extra-special offer is in two parts:
  1. If you have Design Space (and a Cricut Explore Air or Maker) you will love this. The digital Artbooking Collection is available to purchase on my website, and you can have a look at the details HERE. From now until MIDNIGHT, Monday night, December 24th I am offering you a whopping 40% discount on the advertised price!
  2. Also until MIDNIGHT, Monday night, December 24th, feel free to browse back through any or all 12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style! and revisit the special offer for that/those day(s). THEY ARE ALL IN EFFECT NOW!!! *To find past posts, from the Home page, scroll to the bottom. They are all listed on the left side*
The fine print:
  • You have to order directly through me to get the extra special pricing. You CANNOT order on my shopping site!
  • Shipping, as always, is calculated on the full retail price.
  • You have to order by MIDNIGHT on Monday, December 24, 2018.
Finally, from our (Stephen, Valerie, Ahyoka & Yazhi) house to yours, we wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and hope that your Christmas will be filled with joy, love, health, happiness, prosperity and new memories! Big Christmas Hugs to you all! Until next time Valerie  

12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style!

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12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style! 

Day 11 – Saturday, December 22, 2018

Unusual Gift Tags

One thing I realized when looking for unique gift tags, is that this could be considered an art form! And while I really enjoyed looking through all the beautiful pics, I probably would never actually make a tag this complex, because I WOULD NEVER GIVE IT AWAY!!! Anyhow, I chose my top 11 tags (since we are on Day 11) and then added on some Honourable Mentions at the end. Many of them have links to the directions, which I added wherever possible. Hope you enjoy! Lawn Fawn – Stitched Rosette Snowman   Texture Paste Snow   Embossing with Clear Acetate Shabby Chic Using Layered Heat Embossing & Mixed Media Using Foil With Die Cuts     Using a Punch to Make a Tree   Using Clear Acetate and Layering Using Zip Strips  

Honourable Mentions

Even though these tags didn’t make it into the top 11, they still deserve some attention. Some did not have links to the directions. Others were in a language other than English.   Now for the fun part! If you head on over to my shopping site and search on the word “tags”, you can order ANYTHING that comes up on that list AT A 50% DISCOUNT! No you did not misread. I did indeed say 50%!!! The fine print:
  • You have to order directly through me to get the extra special pricing. You CANNOT order on my shopping site!
  • Shipping, as always, is calculated on the full retail price.
  • You have to order by 8:00 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2018. All bets are off after that!
Until next time Valerie

12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style!

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12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style! 

Day 10 – Friday, December 21, 2018

Thank You Cards for Christmas Gifts

I recently read this on the American Greetings website:

“The Christmas celebrations and festivities are over, you’ve had your fill of eggnog and carols, and it’s time to tackle your to-do list for the new year. At the top of that list? Writing thank you notes for (the) Christmas gifts you received.”

I don’t know about you, but I never really gave much thought to this before, so I read on:

“If you’re feeling tempted to make an informal resolution to procrastinate indefinitely on this task, you’re not alone. But it’s really easier to accomplish than you think. We’ve got lots of ideas for you to pick and choose from, and you can use them as jump-starters for your own personal messages, or find a line or two that work perfectly for your particular situation. With the suggestions offered below, we’ll get you through this in no time!”

Huh. Who knew? Well I spent some more time reading and have discovered a lot of information when it comes to writing thank you cards after Christmas. Want to find out more? Read on!

  1. Here is the link for the American Greetings website. They have A LOT of ideas and information for you to access.
  2. I found thank you cards that kids can make over at Teaching Mama:
  3. You can see personalized thank you cards over at MadinBelgrade
  4. WHAT to write in thank you cards at Hallmark  and The Courier Journal
  5. Free templates for kids’ thank you cards at Genesis Sandbox and Mimi’s Dollhouse
  6. Images you can use on thank you cards on Pinterest
  7. Funny thank you card ideas on Etsy (there is a charge for these!)

So. After reading ALL of this, will YOU be writing thank you cards after Christmas? Tell us in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!

Now for the fun part:

  1. Head over to my shopping site: https://surescrapsalot.closetomyheart.ca
  2. In the search bar type the word “thanks”
  3. Anything you order in the next 24 hours from that list will be 40% off!!!

The fine print:

  • You have to order through me to get the extra special pricing.
  • Shipping, as always, is calculated on the full retail price.
  • You have to order by 8:00 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2018. All bets are off after that!

 

 

12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style!

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12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style! 

Day 9 – Thursday, December 20, 2018

Okay, it’s Thursday. Only 5 days until “C” day!!! I’d say it’s time for a CONTEST! Here’s the deal: First, Check out my website (yes the one you are on right now). You’re looking for my Events Calendar. Once you’re on my Events Calendar you need to find two pieces of information for me:
  1. What is the date of my next Open House which will be the launch for CTMH’s Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book and Catalogue?
  2. What is the technique that I will be teaching during my Technique Time class in February 2019?
Still with me? Good! Now that you have those two VIP (Very Important Pieces) of information, you’re going to head over to my Facebook Page. No Mr. Linky this time. You are going to have to get there on your own! Just remember that it is Sure Scraps (not Sure Scraps a Lot). Once you have arrived at my Facebook Fan Page, leave me a comment, with the answers to the two questions. No other explanation is necessary. Okay. Now comes the good part: FOR EVERY CORRECT ANSWER, YOU WILL GET ONE TICKET INTO A DRAW!  And the lucky person whose name is drawn will receive a voucher that entitles him/her to FREE REGISTRATION for one Sure Scraps a Lot class or workshop of their choice! The fine print:
  • You have to comment on my Facebook Fan Page – NOT HERE! by 8:00 pm on Friday, December 21, 2018. All bets are off after that!
  • The winner will be announced on December 29, 2018 at 8:00 pm during my Facebook Live, which will be on my Facebook Fan Page HERE.
     

12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style!

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12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style! 

Day 8 – Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Teacher Gift Ideas

If you’re anything like me, picking out gifts for people that I hardly know, like teachers, hair dressers, dog groomers, etc. can be a challenge. And that means I always leave them to the last minute. You with me??!! I took some time to search many, many websites to find the perfect teacher gift. In my mind that means that the gift:
  1. doesn’t break the bank
  2. isn’t something the person already has a zillion of
  3. is something that the person will actually USE
So before you now are my ten best teacher gifts for Christmas 2018 (in no particular order)
  1. Any kind of gift card for a fun coffee, treats, or lunch: Starbucks, Tim Horton’s, Dairy Queen, Subway, McDonalds. (Teachers can be like a pack of wolves when it comes to food. Any thing that is somewhat edible and ends up in the teacher lunchroom is sucked up quicker than a Lego in a vacuum cleaner.) An Amazon or Chapters gift card also works well!
  2. Food is always a great choice (see #1 above) or a gift card to GET food.
  3. Fancy markers or Sharpies, or any other fun type of school supplies. Remember we are NERDS!!
  4. Movie tickets taped to a box/can of popcorn
  5. Gas gift card or car wash coupon
  6. Something you can find at the checkout counter of your local hardware store: flashlight, inexpensive screwdriver or hammer, batteries, duct tape
  7. Personalized vase, pencil holder, clip board, lunch tote or note cube
  8. DIY pedicure set
  9. A “Night In” gift basket – you can include things like jigsaw puzzle, snuggle blanket, cozy socks, microwave popcorn, single serve hot chocolate, a movie the teacher has mentioned, etc.
  10. A “White Christmas” gift basket –  You could include anything a teacher needs to survive a day at school, so long as it’s white or comes in a white container! For example, check out this sample from Shaken Together Life
I hope you found some useful ideas tonight, and now for the fun part! Head on over to my shopping site HERE. In the search bar, type in the word “white”. A LOT of items will come up! Order any white thing on the list, and I will give you an amazing 40% discount on those white items. The fine print:
  • You have to order through me to get the extra special pricing.
  • Shipping, as always, is calculated on the full retail price.
  • You have to order by 8:00 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2018. All bets are off after that!
  Until next time Valerie

12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style!

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12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style! 

Day 7 – Tuesday, December 18, 2018

DIY Hot Chocolate Gift Packs

Well, we’ve made it half way and it’s all downhill from here! I can’t believe we are one week away from the celebration, but the calendar doesn’t lie 😉 I arrived in St. Albert, safe and sound, yesterday afternoon, so the rest of my posts will be from the Great North. Tonight I’d like to talk to you about this adorable idea that I found on the Graphic 45 website. They call it Hot Cocoa Gift Packs. This is how the finished project looks. Pretty cute idea, right? They have a short video tutorial available, as well.   I love that they’ve added a couple of extra “bonuses” in the pack. My only thought is buying coffee cup sleeves. If I was going to do this, I would make use of some of my scraps of Kraft paper, and pull my old Crimper! If you love this idea, I found a couple more versions for you to check out. This next one is called Snowman Soup Gift Recipe (love it!) This is how the finished project looks This is just adorable! I found it over on the Oh My! Creative website. She doesn’t have a video tutorial, but she has included instructions, as well as printables. You can check out this version of the project HERE. The last one I found is called Holiday Hot Cocoa Kits with Homemade Stir Spoons. This is how the finished project looks I don’t know about you, but I’d definitely be ready to dip my chocolate spoon in that hot cocoa!!! Again, no video tutorial, but this looks so simple to put together, I think you could just wing it! The site says there’s a free printable, but I couldn’t find it. Maybe you’ll have better luck. You can find this idea (and quite a few, more involved ideas) over on My Coffee Pot HERE. This project idea is about halfway down the page. I also thought, since I couldn’t find the step-by-step directions on this website, to find some instructions for the chocolate-covered spoons. Here is a very short (and sweet) video Now for the fun! If you have made these before, have another idea to add to the list, or you have a terrific diy website that wasn’t included here, add it to the comments. Anyone that comments on this post will have their name entered into a draw for a package of the NEW, soon-to-be-released, Seasons Mix-In Paper Collection, which is pictured below. The fine print:
  • You have to comment here by 8:00 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2018. All bets are off after that!
  • The winner will be announced on December 29, 2018 at 8:00 pm during my Facebook Live, which will be on my Facebook Fan Page HERE.
Until next time Valerie

12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style!

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12 Days of Christmas – Sure Scraps a Lot Style! 

Day 6 – Monday, December 17, 2018

Snow Globe Christmas Tag/Ornament

Here’s another very cute and simple idea that I found! I apologize for the weird angle of the photo. It was challenging to take a picture of the acetate window so you could see everything inside! I ended up invading my stash for a lot of this project, but I think it’s kinda cool how nicely new and old work together. Don’t you? The project ends up being 3″ wide (the same size as one of our standard shaker windows) and 4 1/4″ tall. Tools used:
  • Z4309 CTMH Thin Cuts – Shaker Window & Confetti
  • Cricut cuts – You Are Here (the deer) & Doodle Charms (the snow globe)
  • Sizzix – forest die cut
  • Punches – 1″ and 1/2″
  • Tape runner, pop dots (dimensionals) & glue dots
Materials used:
  • Z4310 Shaker Window Foam & Acetate
  • Z4304 – Loose Sequins Silver
  • Retired paper – Oh Deer
  • Retired paper – Wood Grain (I can’t remember the name of the collection it was in!)
  • Z4198 Gold Sequin Ribbon
  • X6028 White Daisy card stock
If you have the two Cricut cartridges that I mentioned above, you can access the cuts here: https://design.cricut.com/#/design/121545212 As always, if you create one of these projects, please share it on my Facebook page. We’d love to see it!! https://www.facebook.com/SureScraps/ Now for the fun part! If you head over to my shopping website: HERE, and search for the word “shaker”, you will get a whole list of things that make use of shaker windows. If you order ANY of these items through me, I will give you a whopping 35% off the listed price!!!! The fine print:
  • You have to order through me to get the extra special pricing.
  • Shipping, as always, is calculated on the full retail price.
  • You have to order by 8:00 pm on Tuesday, December 18, 2018. All bets are off after that!
Until next time Valerie