CTMH Avonlea Mini - Cricut Artiste Album

We have an awesome new Cricut Collection: Artiste

The new Cricut Artiste collection takes your creativity over the top!!  With 700 images, this cartridge features themed projects, interactive cards, 3-D items and more!  From robots and spooks to wedding and Valentines, your cupcake liners, invitations and party favors will coordinate and quickly come together for any celebration!!

Close to My Heart's Cricut Artiste Collection has three coordinating stamp sets and 3 sheets of Dimensional Elements shapes!!  One of those is the Dimensional Elements Album Pages (Z1791) chipboard that creates an adorable mini-album (or wall hanging or use to accent a scrapbook page or other project!).  Since these Dimensional Elements coordinate with the Cricut Artiste, they're super easy to create using any papers you choose...just cut the coordinating shapes (all located on 1 key!!) at 3.75" and embellish as desired!

 This mini-album was created with our Avonlea papers and was one of our Close to My Heart Convention projects!  That's why the cover title is "ME".  It never occurs to me to scrapbook myself or pictures of just me...I'm normally behind the camera taking the pictures...so even finding current pictures to put in this album was a stretch...but since it was designed for "ME", I decided to go with it!

I used a couple 1" rings to assemble the pages, then tied our Slate Satin Polka-Dot Ribbon (Z1802) to decorate it up a bit more (are you picking up on my infatuation with this ribbon?  The photos don't do it justice!)

 Front and back covers.

 Do you see our Silver Shimmer Trim (Z1799)...it's self-adhesive and comes with 5 yards...a quick and easy way to add a little "bling" to any project!!

This photo, just me being silly!  At our Convention, our big Dream Team meeting was a Western Roundup theme, complete with Sheriffs and a Jail!  Great fun and photo ops...and me taking a "page" out of the Puss in Boots Movie!  Such Fun! 

 Some of our Just Blooms Floret Paper Shapes (Z1764) collection which includes 68 paper shapes in Autumn Terracotta, Cranberry, Sorbet and Olive...great for all our upcoming fall projects!!

Okay, I'm guilty...I will get around to journaling something...or maybe I'll pass it around to my family and let them describe me...hmmm, maybe not!

CTMH Avonlea Card Kit

Close to My Heart introduced 13 NEW Workshops on the Go kits in our new Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book!

Two of those kits are Cardmaking Kits providing you the materials and instructions to create 15 beautiful cards (5 each of 3 designs).

The Workshops on the Go Avonlea Cardmaking Kit (G1041) includes a beautiful exclusive stamp set, 5-yards of exclusive grey organdy ribbon, AND a package of Slate Epoxy Bubbles that are only available in this collection (plus after making your cards, you'll still have some leftover for your other projects!)

Since I was making a great stack of cards, I decided to decorate a coordinating My Creations Card Box (Z1647) with the Avonlea papers.  I used some of my extra Slate Epoxy Bubbles and had to include the beautiful Slate Satin Polka-Dot Ribbon (Z1802) and the Brocade Assortment (Z1748) to top it off!  So elegant!

CTMH Shopping Spree for ME!!!!

Have you ever watched Supermarket Sweep?  Oh, I so loved that show and just knew I would rock and roll it if ever given the chance to run through a store grabbing anything I could!!

Can you believe that Close to My Heart gave me an opportunity to run through the CTMH Warehouse to do exactly that!!  Those were 3 of the most chaotic minutes I've ever experienced and you truly don't even realize what you're doing...you're just trying to grab, and grab, and grab!!!

I worked closely with my "advisory team" (my daughter Mandy and wonderful friend Lorri) to design the best possible attire for my shopping spree!!!

 We bought some clothesline hangar wire, but I was concerned it might be a little too flexible, so we added a little "braiding" to give it more stability!

 We found the largest sweatpants Walmart had in stock and wove the wire through to provide me a "hula-hoop" type structure (but flexible so I could stuff it into a suitcase!  (So surprised I wasn't given any issues getting through airport security!!)

 We added suspenders so I could have plenty of "hands-free" shopping...can you envision the old-fashioned clown costumes...but of course mine is wayyyy cuter!

 A little bling and CTMH lettering to add that special "uniform" feel to it!

 And finally some bubble paint to spruce it up (thanks Mandy!!)

Check out the fabulous "video" Close to My Heart put together to commemorate my wonderful experience!!  It was such a whirlwind, but the funnest experience EVER!!!  I totally went in with a strategy to get embellishments, embellishments and embellishments...I could grab handfuls, and they'd be "light" despite hundreds of them!!  But then they gave me a pretty cart, so I felt compelled to go for some paper and such...oh the joy and chaos!  It was a BLAST!!!!


I'll admit, when you're running around like that...you have no clue what you're grabbing!!!  Your hands are reaching into a box and about the time you register what it is you've grabbed, you've already grabbed it so might as well take it!  (So I came home with 9 Snapease 12x12 Album Systems in my collection...so random!!)  But you're not thinking, you're just grabbing!!  I'm sure I ran past multiple Cricut Collections, but didn't see a thing...uggh!!  But hmmmm, over $4,000 in embellishments, papers, Cricut mats, Desk Pads, and more...no complaints!!!

Afterwards, I was taken up to the Executive Conference Room (yes, inside the walls of Close to My Heart...so very exciting!!  And created some layouts and cards designed for me by the Art Department...how lucky can a girl get?

 Do you see all the beautiful Cricut shapes...cut and ready to go...so in love with our products!!!

I was even given a CD of all the pictures taken of my Day O' Fun!!!  And would that finish it off, uh uh...I was able to leave with 2 completed layouts (with pictures), 6 beautiful cards, AND a send-off wouldn't be complete without a fabulous dinner at the Cheesecake Factory...YUMMMY!!!

All of this wonderful experience thanks so much to Close to My Heart...and simply by growing my team and helping them start their businesses successfully!!  WOW!!  Super awesome!!!  Be sure to check out my website, as I'm giving away Cricut Artiste Collections and a Cricut Expression Machine in August...(even though I didn't get any during the shopping spree, LOL!!)

CTMH Avonlea Scrapbook Page & Recipe Box

Avonlea

with Close to My Heart

Our new Avonlea paper pack (X7155B) is absolutely gorgeous and so much fun to create with!!  I love that it can be used for masculine or feminine layouts and turns out beautiful!  I was inspired by the beautiful layout on page 18 in our new Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book, then embellished a little from there!

 The Avonlea Complements (X7155C) are a collection 2 - 12x6 sheets of canvas shapes and I love how they add an extra element of texture to the layout!   At the bottom of both pages, I used a bit of our new Almond Glitz Gel (Z1769) to add some bling and a bit more texture to the layout...I love how well it turned out!

I also included our new Antiqued Gold Mini-Medleys (Z1786) and the Brocade Assortment (Z1748) into the mix!

Our NEW Close to My Heart Essentials Kit for new members includes the Avonlea Workshop on the Go, several stamp sets, ink pads, block and our My Creations Recipe Box.  The Recipe Box is the bonus project for the Workshops on the Go, so here's my version:

Be sure to check out my website:  www.noreenschat.com to see the new Essentials Kit...only $49 but you receive $130 in products/Supplies... PLUS when you join in August (while supplies last), you'll also receive this beautiful Damask Tote FREE!!!

BONUS, when you join my team in August, you'll also be entered into my giveaways for a Cricut Artiste Collection...I'm drawing one lucky winner for every 10 new team members!!  I've given away 3 collections so far!!!  Contact me if you have any questions or would like more information and be sure to visit my webiste at www.noreenschat.com