Friday, April 30, 2010

New Idea Book Cards - Day 2


This card is a 6x6 size and also used papers from the new Splendor kit.  The colors are Topiary, Moonstruck, Goldrush, Heavenly Blue and Colonial White.  I stamped borders from both the Splendor WOTG and A Flitter stamp sets/  I added some silver brads and a lightly distressed Just Blooms flower for embellishment.  Remember to check back tomorrow for another card!

May KOTM Club Layout and Cards

Here's the sample scrapbooking layout and card set that we'll be making in our May Kit of the Month club using the Cherry-O kit.  Cherry-O features Tulip, Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue and Chocolate.  Check out my website to get more details on the KOTM Club: http://allisong.myctmh.com/

Thursday, April 29, 2010

New Idea Book Cards - Day 1


Beginning today, I'll be posting one card per day that I've made with products from the brand new Summer 2010 Idea Book.  This 4.25x5.5 card was made with papers from the new Splendor kit.  The colors are Goldrush, Moonstruck, Heavenly Blue, Topiary and Colonial White.  I also used some Colonial White brads as an accent.  I stamped the dragonfly with the A Flitter stamp set using Colonial White pigment-based ink.  Pigment-based inks sit on top of the paper instead of being absorbed into the paper as dye-based inks do.  On the Colonial White small square, I did some second-generation random stamping with the WOTG Splendor stamp set.  Check back tomorrow for another card!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Tomorrow is the Big Day!!





I am excited to announce the customer release date of Close To My Heart's AMAZING new digital scrapbooking program, Studio J.  The layout you see above (click on it see it larger) was one that I made in just minutes, literally!  Trust me, you're going to LOVE this! 

Studio J is: Real life. Real scrapbooks. Real time.

To answer a few commonly asked questions:


Q:  What is the release date?
A:  TOMORROW, TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2010 at 9:00am pacific time.  Just go to my website (http://allisong.myctmh.com) and there will be a tab added that day for Studio J.  Click there and you can begin playing...for FREE!  You pay NOTHING unless you order some layouts.   Putting them together is TOTALLY FREE!   I love free!  In the meantime, if you haven't watched the Studio J introductory video yet, click here to do it!

 
Q:  I LOVE traditional scrapbooking. Will Studio J take away from that?
A:  Absolutely NOT!  There is room for both in your life. I am totally proof of that.  I love them both for totally different reasons.   I love the artistic feel of hands on paper and embellishments.  I love the speed, ease and professional look of Studio J.  Plus, you can always order Studio layouts and then add a few real embellishments of your own once they come if you have a serious need to do the tactile thing.

Q:  Do I need to download any software to my computer to use Studio J?
A:  Not at all! You only need an Internet connection, and then you simply log in to my website to get started.  Feel free to design to your heart’s content—you are not required to buy anything or provide any personal information to get started!

Q:  I am not a traditional kind of scrapbooker but I have been scrapbooking digitally for years.  Is Studio J something that I will like?
A:  No doubt about it!   I have looked at and tried several different digital offerings out there, and in my opinion, NOTHING can compete with Studio J in quality, concept, cost or beauty!

Q:  Do I need a printer that can print 12" × 12" pages to use Studio J?
A:  No.  Your Studio J layouts are not available for you to print from a home computer.  In fact, we take care of the printing for you.  When you purchase your designed layouts, we print and ship them quickly and directly to you using only top quality printing technology and archival-quality papers.

Q:  So seriously, how much does it cost?
A:  There is NO COST to use the program.  You have no software or hardware to purchase or download.  Unless you make a layout (defined as a two page 12 x 12 layout) and decide to purchase it, there is absolutely no cost.  Once you decide to purchase, each 2 page layout is introductory priced at $12.95.  That is WAY below the industry average!  And, if you purchase 5-9 two-page layouts at a time, CTMH will throw in 5 free page protectors.  10 or more and you get FREE SHIPPING, as well as a package of 5 page protectors for every 5 layouts in the order.  Fabulous!  Once ordered, Close To My Heart prints your layouts on high quality photo paper (I wish you could see the quality of my photographed layouts above in person) and sends them to you.  Mine arrived within days of when I ordered them.

Q:  Can I save what I am working on and come back to it later?
A:  You bet! You can create a customer profile that allows you to save and return to a project in progress at a later time.  Your active projects will be saved for up to 90 days, giving you plenty of time to work on them.  You extend that timeline for your active projects by 90 days each time you make a purchase, and your purchased projects will remain archived for one full year after purchase. 

Q:  In a nutshell, how does this "Studio J" thing work?
A:   In a nutshell, these are the steps to creating an amazing 2 page layout:
  • upload some of your favorite photos
  • choose from one of the 54 awesome My Reflections Kits (including most of your faves from our Idea Books, some that are exclusive to Studio J and some that are retired).
  • choose a layout pattern.  There are MANY to choose from.  They are like the patterns you'll find in our wonderful "how to" books like Cherish, Imagine, Reflections.  The possibilities are endless because all the patterns you can choose from can be rotated 3 ways and flip flopped.
  • now personalize!  You get to drop your photos in, change the photo size, add text, choose cardstock and background and texture papers from the kit, add accessories (just about every accessory item you can imagine!), distressing, titling, My Stickease, and so much more.
  • save and/or buy your layout(s).
Q:  If I'm not the techiest of techies, or even techie at all, will I be able to do this?
A:  YES! This program is great for techies and non-techies alike.  The program is VERY intuitive. 
 
Studio scrapbooking is for EVERYONE: those who already love to scrap with papers and embellishments will love adding this to their repertoire, those who already enjoy scrapping digitally will be blown away by this new program, and those who have never scrapbooked now have a great reason to try! See what I mean...EVERYONE!
 
When the clock strikes 9 am (Pacific Time) tomorrow morning, you can try out this new program by heading to my website by clicking here and then clicking on the new "Studio J" tab that you'll see on my home page.  Feel free to email me with ANY questions (allisong@myctmh.com).  I am here to help!  Also, if you think this is something several of your friends will like, I am more than happy to come and do a demonstration at your home for your group.  Just email me for that as well (allisong@myctmh.com).

I am so very excited about this program!  I know you are going to love it.  You won't want to miss it!

Have fun playing with Studio J!!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Beautiful and Easy Miracle Kit

National Scrapbooking Month is coming up in May, and CTMH is extending the celebration with the gorgeous new Miracle kit available April 15-May 31st!!  This kit couldn't be easier.  It comes with a full-color instructional brochure, beautiful background and texture papers (including two die-cut papers), fun and customizable embellishments and requires no stamping!!  Contact me today or check out my website at http://allisong.myctmh.com/ to get your hands on one of these awesome kits!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Preview of Summer Idea Book!

Here's a sneak peak of some of the cherry-themed products the brand new Summer 2010 CTMH Idea Book!  It's coming soon.  On May 1st, you can order any of the beautiful new products inside.  You're going to love this one!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

April Scrap Club Layouts

 

These layouts are for my April Scrap Club.  They are using the new Caboodle kit, featuring Sorbet, Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf, Buttercup and Vanilla Cream.  I used the new stamp set Springtime and some extra patterned paper from the kit to make the little boots and umbrellas!  I also used some Winter buttons, the new Tiny Tabs and, Pewter brads and Sweet Leaf ribbon.