Get ‘em before they’re gone! Retiring items list

Close to My Heart’s new Spring/Summer idea book will be debuting on February 1, and in order to make room for all the fabulous new stamps, papers and accessories, there will be a lot of items that are leaving forever.

January 31 is your last chance to order any of these retiring items. If you’re a visual person, you’ll appreciate the slideshow above. Special thanks to Tamytha at Paper HeArtist for sharing her slideshow.

To order or view the individual items, use the links below.

Level 2 Paper Packs and Stickease
Believe Paper Pack
Believe Stickease
Dreamin’ Paper Pack
Dreamin’ Stickease
Fanfare Paper Pack
Fanfare Stickease
Lucky Paper Pack
Lucky Stickease
Mayberry Paper Pack
Mayberry Stickease
Mischief Paper Pack
Mischief Rub-ons
Sophia Paper Pack
Sophia Stickease
Wonderland Paper Pack
Wonderland Stickease

Workshops on the Go
Believe
Dreamin’
Elemental
Mischief
Roxie
Sonoma
Typeset
Wonderland

8 1/2 x 11 Cardstock
Black
Colonial White
White Daisy

Dimensional Elements
Flurry
On Target

Ribbon, Floss and Waxy Flax
Colonial White Ribbon Collection
3/8” Cranberry Grosgrain Ribbon
3/8” Cocoa Grosgrain Ribbon
3/8" Colonial White Grosgrain Ribbon
3/8" White Daisy Grosgrain Ribbon
Wings Level 2 Assortment
Blue/Purple Embroidery Floss 
Green Embroidery Floss
Red/Pink Embroidery Floss
Cranberry Waxy Flax SOLD OUT
Crystal Blue Waxy Flax 
Juniper Waxy Flax
Sorbet Waxy Flax

Accessories
Antiqued Copper Mini Medley
Colonial White Mini Medley
Colonial White Brads
Pewter Decorative Brads SOLD OUT
Black and White Daisy Soft Set Eyelets
Chocolate and Colonial White Soft Set Eyelets
Bliss Level 2 Assortment
Fanfare Level 2 Assortment
Foundry Metal – Bookplates
Harvest Charms
Holiday Pockets
Just Blooms Spring Blossom Paper Flowers
Just Blooms White Daisy Variety Pack
Lucky Level 2 Assortment
Lucky Level 2 Journaling Spots
Midnight Felt Shapes
Sweetheart Level 2 Assortment
Top Coats Icing Overlays SOLD OUT

Color-Ready Alphabets
Hodge Podge
Oxford

My Creations Items
Board Book
Journal
9x9 Memory Showcase

Supplies/Tools
Rubber Brayer
Soft Set Eyelet Tool
Eyelet Tool Replacement Punches

My Acrylix Stamp Sets
A Hop
A Little Buzz
A Little Everything
A Love
A Paisley
A Posey
Adoption
Adorning Corners
Always In My Heart
Ambiance
Around The Block
Baby Love
Backgrounds & Borders
Beary Best
Beary Busy
Beautiful Butterflies
Beautiful Things
Believe In Your Dreams
Beloved
Birthday Blast
Birthday Boy
Bless This Nest
Blooming Layers
Bon Appetit
Boom!
Bunny Love
Campin' Fever
Carefree
Catching Waves
Charmed
Cherished Flourishes
Ciao
Circle Around
Circle of Love
Circle Together
Connections
Cruisin'
Cupcake Sprinkles
Daydream
Down By The Sea
Dream Big
Dreams Come True
Enjoy Every Moment
Extreme Happiness
Family
Family Ties – Adult
Family Ties – Children
Family Ties – Pet
Fill In The Blank
Flower Pot
For Every Occasion
Friendship Blessings
From My Heart
Fun Times
Happy Holidays
Happy Moments
Hero
His and Hers
Horizon
Hot Diggity
Howdy
In The Month Of April
In The Month Of February
In The Month Of July
In The Month Of June
In The Month Of March
In The Month Of May
It's A Zoo
Just For Boys
Just For Girls
Just The Ticket
Kanji Phrases
Let's Go Camping
Little Princess
Love Always
Love Birds
Love Ya
Magic Tabs
Makin' Waves
Ms. Chillin'
Ms. Scrapbook
Notice The Details
One Of A Kind
On The Edge
On This Day
Over The Rainbow
Paisley Praise
Piece of Cake
Play Day
Post Card - Travel Series
Precious Love
Priceless Love
Recipe Box
Retro Tech
Royal Birth
Salutation Seals
Shining Star
Smiles
So Lucky
Soul Mates
Springtime
Star Power
Summer Breeze
Summer Days
Sweet Baby
Take Luck
Tasty Treats
Tea Time
Thank You
Thrill Ride
T.L.C.
Togetherness
Treetops
Trellis
Two-Step Backgrounds
Unity
X-Treme
You Did It
You Rock
You're Great
You're Sweet

Why yes, it did take forever to add all the links above. Thank you for asking. But I did it all for you, dear reader.

Now, go shopping!

Spritz and Spring

We’re just digging out from a big snowstorm here in Washington state, but that doesn’t mean I can’t dream of spring.

I created this layout for Lindy’s Stamp Gang’s CHA booth. They’ll be there, showing off their fabulous shimmery two-tone products.

I used lots of Glitz Spritz, mixed with Close to My Heart reinkers for custom-colored sprays. I also used several of LSG’s Starburst sprays to add even more shine. Click the photo above for a larger view.

It may be snowing outside my window, but it’s all flowers and butterflies in my studio!

Hip to Be Square

I’ll have a pear and cocoa smoothie please. Okay, maybe not the most delicious food combo, but put together Pear, Cocoa and Smoothie cardstock and you’ve got a yummy treat! Faux stitching and the Rock the Block stamp set complete this little bit of eye candy. 

You can still purchase the Rock the Block promotion until January 31. A huge stamp set, 9 white chipboard collage cubes in a matching tray, just $15 with a qualifying $25 purchase from my website.

As a special bonus, anyone placing an order on my website this month, for any amount, will also receive my 7 page instructional to create the Magic Cube using the Rock the Block collage cubes. SWEET!

Whatever Wednesday–Phone Stacking

Can’t put down your phone? They’re addictive, and we’re used to checking them all day long. Facebook updates, tweets and texts, we’re connecting to people all day long through our phones. But what about when you’re out with friends?

I’m sheepishly raising my hand, color me guilty. Time out with friends should be about face-to-face time, and real people are more important than cyber-people.

That’s way I love the idea of this new “game” suggested by the Brian Perez, from his tumblr blog. He has a rather colorful name for the game, but the idea has gone viral and a much more family friendly name has emerged, phone stacking.

The rule: stack your phones, or place them on the table when you’re out with friends. First person to pick up their phone, picks up the check. That should be a pretty strong incentive to keep your attention on the real people in front of you, not the ones that aren’t there with you.

Love it. Stack me up.

Wise Words

Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
- Thomas Edison

photo: my husband, hardest working man I know.

Faux Stitching with the Paper Piercing Tool

The paper piercing tool is so versatile, it’s not just for poking holes for brads!

I love the look of stitching on my paper projects, but it’s not always practical to drag out the sewing machine, and hand-stitching can take forever. With a couple of tools from Close to My Heart, including the paper piercing tool shown above, I can create faux stitching in half the time!

In order to create this look, you’ll need to use Close to My Heart’s exclusive colors cardstock, or any other cardstock with a white core.

Check your cardstock for a white core by tearing a bit at the corner. As you can see below, the color is on the surface of the cardstock, but the center is white.

I’m going to create a square of faux stitching, so first I like to mark my cardstock, so my corners will meet nicely. Use a straight edge and a pencil to lightly mark your lines.

Dry emboss the lines with an embossing stylus and the groove of your paper trimmer.

Tresa Tip: Tracing over the cardstock several times lightly, rather than one heavy pass, keeps the cardstock from tearing through.

You can also use a scoring board for this step.

Flip the cardstock over so that the embossing is “mountain,” not “valley.”

Use a sanding block, or a piece of sandpaper to expose the white core of the cardstock. Keep your sandpaper flat to sand only the raised areas on the cardstock, so it won’t scratch the rest of piece.

Place the paper piercing foam mat under your cardstock. To create perfectly spaced stitch marks, use Close to My Heart’s ruler. Line up the desired stitching holes over your white scored line.

Hold your paper piercing tool vertically, poke through the stitching holes. You want to pierce deep into the foam mat in order to make larger sized stitching holes.

Continue until done!

Rock the Block Special

I’ve been waiting for YEARS to make a magic cube. Really. And now Close to My Heart has come out with the perfect product to let me do just that – the My Creations Collage Cubes! They are the perfect size and weight to make this interactive photo-art display.

See it in action! Click the video.

Join me on January 4 at 7 pm PST for a free class on ustream to create the magic cube. Place an order on my website for detailed instructions emailed to you, with tips, cutting information, and step-by-step assembly.

The magic cube class will be recorded, so if you miss it or can’t follow along, you can watch it later.

You will be able to order these versatile cubes with matching tray in the spring/summer idea book, beginning February 1. They’ll be $14.95 – but guess what? You can get them NOW, plus an exclusive $29.95 stamp set together for just $15 with a qualifying order on my website!

Just place a minimum $25 order on my website on items available in the Autumn/Winter idea book and you can add the Rock the Block special for just $15!

Items must be from the Autumn/Winter idea book (clearance items don’t count, but hey, there are some fabulous deals!). Tax, shipping & handling apply. Magic cube instructions will be emailed to all customers placing orders for any items through Jan. 31, 2012. Please include your email address when placing online order.

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