Debbie's Crafting Corner

Rock the New Year!

2012-01-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! The Christmas season was full of activities in my household and being from Puerto Rico meant that it was not finished until "the Wise Men visited" my home on January 6th - we celebrate "Epiphany" or "Wise Men Day" in Latin cultures. So now that it's behind me, I can wish all my crafting friends my first greeting of the New Year 2012: may it bring you great joy and many blessings from God!
Now, on to crafting - he, he, he! There is always a great Close To My Heart special in January and this year it's especially good!

I know many of you really like to make altered items, especially to give away, and the "Rock the Block" special is just fabulous for that! It comes with a huge 8.5x11" or the "E-size" stamp set and a sneak peek product from the Spring 2012 Idea Book: nine 2" square white chipboard blocks in their own little tray!

8.5 x 11" E-size stamp "Rock the Block"

Most of the images you see fit in the 2" square space and can you see using them everywhere - a great stamp set to have on hand to send love and encouragement to your loved ones! This is the set we'll be using for my Annual Valentine cards, by the way.

Look below where I've included the video CTMH made to give you a close up view of the kit (it's only 3 minutes long) and let your mind start thinking about what you could come up with!

This kit is on sale for just $15 with any purchase of $25 from the current Idea Book. Note: this stamp set will only be available through this promotion so if you like it this is the only opportunity to obtain it! An E-size stamp alone is regularly priced at $29.95 and the cubes will be $14.95, for a retail value of $44.90 - that's a savings of over $30!

January Stamp of the Month "Little Reminder" D-size

I know I love after Christmas sales so how about an even greater value?
This month the Stamp of the Month "Little Reminder" (which is a D-size stamp) is a great set as well - look at the great numbers that come with the set - and it's only $5 with any $50 order. So, if you order the "Rock the Block" special and bump up your total order to reach $50 then you can add it to your purchase and if you added up all the savings with these two specials, you are looking at $97 in products for $55 - $42 in savings! These are two great stamp sets to have and it's a great time to get them. Contact me and we'll get your order right away!

Making memories with you in the New Year,

Specials to end the year with

2011-12-28T01:46:00.000-05:00

Christmas Day was great at the Tuggle home, with family celebrations all day, and I hope yours was as well! And maybe "Santa" left you some crafting cash to spend so here are reminders for two fantastic specials CTMH has right now.

This month's Stamp of the Month, "Mad About You," has hearts, swirls and "love-ly" sayings that are always good to have, but we know that Valentine's Day is coming. Look at it here:

Remember this set can be purchased at full retail for $17.95 or for just $5 with every $50 purchase you make.

In addition we have a GREAT new kit, with a big "E-size" stamp set and a sneak peek product from the new Idea Book, called "Rock the Block" for just $15 with every $25 purchase from the Autumn/Winter Idea Book.

Look at all these images - the squares are 2" big because they are designed for the 9 color-ready blocks that are included in the kit, the "Collage Cubes" that will be in the new Idea Book. Together these items would retail for $45 so that's a great deal!

Plus if you purchase one of these two specials before the end of the month you can select your choice of Opaques or Sparkles for free as my end of the year gift to you! So call or email me soon to place your order or to answer any questions you may have.

Making memories with you,

So easy an 8 yr. old can do it!

2011-12-06T19:27:00.001-05:00

Lots of you have used Cricut machines but it's only been a recent addition at my house. A few days ago I was crafting so I took it out to the dining room area and left it there for a few days. One morning I hear the familiar Cricut "chirp" sound before I'm out of bed so I get up to see what's going on. There's my 8 yr. old and her 12 yr. old sister loading the mat! They turn around and say, "we're making our Christmas cards!"

The CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge contains over 700 images and comes with a little spiral bound handbook with all the images. Well, I took that little handbook and scanned it all in and re-printed all the pages in 8.5x11 in. pages, placed them in page protectors and in a binder, and boy, I am glad I did! It's funny to watch them page through the handy (and much more durable) binder and decide and find the images they want.

I teach them how to use the book's image to determine the size of the cut but they did all the thinking themselves. They came up with cards with stars and their decorative overlays, cut out tags with little stars already cut out, and learned to use the punch out to enhance their design! My 8 yr. old decided on using the scalloped oval that has Christmas trees cut out cut on white, with the solid oval underneath cut in green so it would look like ... get this ... a "thought" cloud where someone was dreaming of Christmas trees!! Well, it made me laugh!

I can't tell you just how versatile this cartridge is so if you are a Cricut user (or hope to be one) you should consider getting this one - you will use it constantly! For each of my customers, I got permission from CTMH to give you the file I created with all the images for you to make your own binder like I did. I can even help your loved ones get that special gift as a "surprise" for you - just give them my email or address and I'll work with them! Here's a couple of projects I made with the AP cartridge, the Dimensional Elements and the stamp sets that all come in the AP bundle for $99! The first is a 5x7 Christmas card using purple and green shades and the other is a small, purse size album using tags and extra pagesthat match the chipboard tags - hope they inspire you! Email me and I can tell you how I made them!

Last Day to order "Holiday Wishes" & "Cherish the Day"

2011-11-30T17:06:00.001-05:00

These two beautiful stamp sets are olnly available through today since they are special item only for the month of November. Please call or email your order in to me by tonight - yes, I AM up quite late! :-)

Three Holiday Cards and Black Friday countdown

2011-11-23T12:43:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! While in Florida we don't have the changing leaves so much it's still such a pretty effect that I had to make a card in honor of the Fall season! I am thankful for so many things but especially for knowing that the Maker of all Creation loves me! This card uses the November stamp of the month "Cherish the Day" tickets and numbers plus "Harvest Happiness" for the leaves - all cut with the Cricut. Thanks to Annette Green for the inspiration for the card.

The next 2 cards use "Holiday Wishes" stamps and the Cricut, too. The gold card uses heat embossing for the stocking and sentiment (the gold paper is not CTMH). Simple and elegant but soooo easy! Thanks to Allisa Chilton for the idea. The stockings on the mantle card was inspired by Marie Flayer. The stockings were cut with the Cricut and then stamped with the matching stamp image from the "Holiday Wishes" stamp set.I used gold brads with a little brown Staz-on to dull the shiny effect and make them look like nails - nice, right? I hope you enjoy these and feel inspired to make your own.

Don't forget to click on the November Specials tab above to get all the details on the current sales:

While Supplies Last - get your specials before they are gone!
"Holiday Wishes" special stamp set for only $5 with every $25 of stamp purchases!
** 5 DAYS left ** in my 2nd Annual Black Friday Special Sale that runs through Cyber Monay - Nov. 28th with a Mystery Hostess!

With these special offers now is a good time to get your Cricut cartridge - in time to help you make all those holiday crafts! Contact me if you have any questions or if you need some help deciding - I'll assist you in getting the best package and price as possible!

Updated the blog - check out the November Specials tab above!

2011-11-21T14:51:00.001-05:00

Slow computers make keeping up with the blog a <<loooooong>> process but I think I've got it done! And just in time to offer my ... drumroll, please ...

2nd Annual Black Friday Special Sale

with lots and lots of what I love best - overlapping sales opportunities! Just take a look ...

November Stamp of the Month for as low as $5!
Exclusive Christmas stamp "Holiday Wishes" for only $5 with $25 in other stamp purchases!
Mystery Hostess with a chance to win at least $25 in FREE products!
FREE Shopping Rewards - the more you shop the more FREE products you get!
Additional savings when you purchase the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge!
Retiring products at up to 80% off in "While Supplies Last" sale!
Includes purchases of Studio J memberships in the Black Friday sale for more value!

Believe me, I know how to stretch my family's budget dollar and I can help you do it as well! Just click on the "November Specials" - "Stamp of the Month" - "Studio J" tabs right below my title/header to see all the details!

Did you miss me?

2011-11-07T10:23:00.005-05:00

I don't know about you but where did October go? There are at least 5 birthdays in my family in the month of October so I know that October was here but it just went by too fast! Or is it true that the older you get time just seems to fly faster and faster by you? Either way, I am still here and will update you all soon about this month's crafting opportunities. Talk to you soon!

Stamping in September

2011-09-26T20:23:00.001-04:00

There's only a few days left in September - National Stamping Month - and for you to get a fantastic stamp set for FREE from Close To My Heart!

This card below was one that I made with one of the images and sentiments of "Pair-A-Phrase" - the DOUBLE and FREE stamp set that CTMH is offering this month:

It is so very easy to choose a sentiment and stamp image for any occasion and holiday that it's a great one to have in your stash. Just look at the images: - aren't they cute? And they color SO easily!

Here's a beautiful one that was posted by CTMH on their Facebook Pair-A-Phrase Album/photo page:

You will get this great set FREE with every $75 purchase you make. Add $5 to that purchase and you will ALSO receive this month's Stamp of the Month, "Limited Edition" - here's a card I made with that stamp set.

If you decide that you want the great, new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge -

and here's a card I made with several Cricut cuts and the matching stamp - then you would get a grand total of 6 D-size Stamp Sets, plus the exclusive Art Philosophy Cartridge and 3 packets of matching chipboard Dimensional Elements for $104 - that's a great bundle price!

You have just four days left for this special so contact me today to get your own fantastic bundles!

Cricut and Cards Tonight 7-10 pm

2011-09-24T11:14:00.002-04:00

Busy days just fly by, don't they? I had a couple of free evenings at the last minute so I've opened the house up if you would like to take a look at the new Cricut cartridge and also if you would like to make some of my cute and quick cards. See the pictures below of the designs which include new papers and products AND some Cricut cuts!

Tonight's event will be from 7 pm to 10 pm. Like last night, if you want to make all 4 cards you'll need about 1 1/2 hrs. of time and they'll be just $5. If you just have time for one card, it'll be just $1.50 and you'll need a little less than 30 minutes to complete. Call ahead if you can (727-2519) but feel free just to drop by!

FOUR Stamp set discount event

2011-08-18T10:34:00.004-04:00

Whenever "National Stamping Month" (NSM) comes around, you can guarantee that Close To My Heart will have a wonderful kit to celebrate. This time is no exception and for the next two weeks it is even BETTER: with a $70 purchase you will receive a total of 4 MORE stamp sets for only $5 - three of our D-size stamps and one A-size stamp - that's $60 worth of stamps for only $5! Here's the details:

Purchase the D-size Stamp of the month, "Wicked," for only $5 and receive an exclusive A-size stamp set, "A Typeface," for FREE. Even if you don't do the halloween thing there are lots of great art to be made with this stamp set and the alphabet is so versatile with its small type!

Then you will receive the special NSM DOUBLE stamp set "Pair-A-Phrase" full of phrases and beautiful images that can be used for all special occasions throughout the year ... for FREE!

This 4-stamp special is only good through August 31 so don't let it pass you by!

It’s Finally Here!

2011-08-04T20:42:00.000-04:00

The new Autumn/Winter 2011 is finally out and it is SO great! Of course, I had to tell you ahead of time about the Cricut but there is much, much more to tell you! Let me now give you some of the other big highlights.

New lower pricing on My Acrylix sets!! Need I say more?!?! Here they are: A-size $6.95 B-size $9.95 C-size $13.95
D-size $17.95 E-size $29.95

WOW!!! The high-quality you know and love has not changed – still made in the USA – just at a better price! And just introduced - you can view the stamps in the Idea Book at 100% - FULL SIZE! A lot of the new artwork includes many more stamped projects that can be great inspiration as well.

Say “Hello” to the new Stamp of the Month program!!

You know that each month you can enjoy a new D-size stamp set, available for one month only. Now you can receive that set for just $5 when you place an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products, you qualify for this special Stamp of the Month pricing! While it will no longer be available for free, at this price it’s very easy to add to your order.

PLUS, in celebration of the newly updated Stamp of the Month program, CTMH is throwing in a little something extra: a FREE* bonus stamp set! In August, when you place an order of $50 or more in products and purchase the August Stamp of the Month set, ”Wicked”, for just $5.00, you’ll receive the My Acrylix® ”A Typeface” bonus A-size set FREE (retail value $6.95)! Think of it as two

promotions in one—qualify for and purchase the discounted August Stamp of the Month set, and CTMH will throw in a second stamp set FREE! It’s Extra! Extra!

Heavy Weight B&T Papers!!

All our Background and Texture papers are now cardstock weight and feature a different design on the front and the back. The new “Zip Strip,” a coordinating strip at the top of one side, that can be used in your projects is included as well! At this new weight, the B&T papers can now also be used as the bases for your cards and layouts!

Lower Prices on Level 2 Paper packets!!

In an effort to help you make projects and not collect so many leftovers, CTMH has made the packages a little smaller but has lowered the price! The B&T papers are heavier and can be used as bases. Instead of including the neutral colors, all the included cardstocks will be colored, with more color selections included!

New Color Sets of Cardstocks!!
Cardstock sets in color families and complete sets of the different color ‘seasons” have now been provided - all to give you more selection and great value with just the right amounts for most projects!

Well, this is a lot of information to digest and it’s easier to see in person and in the new Idea Book so I will be hosting a couple of days for you to come by and see lots of the new things that I’ve purchased from the new book plus some projects I’ve made with them. Keep checking your emails for the news!

Before I quit tonight I'll show you an album constructed out of 3 of the new 6x6 Kraft cards that I made at Convention - you may be seeing this down the road as a workshop if enough of you like it so let me know!

Front view - cover page

2 of the 10 album pages

complete view from the top

Can you chirp like a "Cricut"? See a 5 minute video

2011-07-22T20:02:00.002-04:00

Boy, is there a lot of good stuff to share with you about what's coming up! I could just fill up an entire page of all the things I learned, the projects we made, the innovations that are going to make things so much easier for all of us to preserve our memories and share with others, BUT, just let me give you the BIG NEWS ...

You are going to love the brand new partnership of CTMH and…. wait for it, wait for it ….. CRICUT!!! Yay!!! You should have heard the ballroom erupt when our founder and CEO, Jeannette Lynton, announced the exclusive, fully loaded (700 images and all function buttons) cartridge that Close To My Heart is rolling out for the Cricut die cut machine – works with all of them from the “Baby Bug” to the newest Expression2 and Imagine! We will be able to stamp on already precut shapes that match exactly – can you say no more cutting curve of those beautiful bracket shapes? How about beautiful window cards, boxes and more?

We are going to have so much fun with this!! CTMH will sell a bundle that includes:

the cartridge plus
three D-size stamp sets that have the image shapes for the Cricut to cut AND
chipboard shapes that coordinate as well – all for just $99!! Wow!

Close To My Heart has already included a special page on their website dedicated to this cartridge so just click here to go read all the details. Last but not least here is a video CTMH put together about the Cricut cartridge:

I'll be getting my preliminary new stuff to play with and, so, needless, to say, stay tuned for more as we get closer to August 1^st. Remember to get your calendars out to see when you would like to host a fun party at your house so you can qualify for some of these great goodies for FREE!!

Back from Disneyland ...

2011-07-20T17:29:00.007-04:00

Yes, Disney LAND not Disney WORLD J Close To My Heart’s annual convention was held at the Disneyland Hotel and it was both an exhilirating and exhausting event! The fun of being in a place full of people who enjoy a lot of the same things is a wonderful thing: pictures of friends and families, beautiful handmade projects, gadgets and gizmos, bright colors of papers and ribbons, silly jokes and good food, and the list goes on and on! That’s all involved when Close To My Heart hosts a meeting to showcase the year that’s coming and review the year that’s past. However, staying up to eat dinner at 7:30 pm Pacific Standard Time, even if it's good – not so much – ha, ha,ha!!

Lots of us consultants go a little nuts among so many crafters and we do card swaps, kind of like kids used to do with baseball cards – trading them with others and it gets kind of crazy! Here’s the card I designed for swapping and managed to make 18 of them to swap – lots of fun and it was over in about 10 minutes! Got some real pretty ones in exchange!Here’s a picture of my roommate, Tamra Pope, a fellow CTMH consultant from here in Melbourne, and I in our Disneyland Hotel room and behind us is a black and white photo of Sleeping Beauty’s castle with Walt Disney in front. We were registered under “Jasmine” so my mom and I made some rhinestone sparkly shirts in purple that we wore on the first day (my parents and I have a t-shirt making business together).

Got lots of great comments about it! Even bigger news was that Tamra entered this year’s Album Contest and won twice! She received the highest honor among consultants - the Consultant’s Choice Award - and placed third in the company’s awards – it is a gorgeous work of both Art and Heart!

Here’s a shot of me with other consultants of a team I belong to – Legacy Leaders – most of us from the Central Florida area. Love the Mickey Mouse! There are lots of great announcements but you’ll need to wait a little bit – let me just tease you with one of the most exciting announcements ….

What’s the name of the little insect makes annoying noises but also the name of a great crafting machine? Can you guess? Just ask “Jimminy …” for help! Can you guess?

I’ll tell you in my next post!

IMPORTANT NOTE: It’s a good time to look through the current Spring and Autumn/Winter books and see if you are interested in anything from this catalog that will not be offered anymore once the next one comes out – particularly the Workshops on the Go kits. If you have questions as to what will or will not be available (such as the Christmas or Fall papers) please call or email me and I’ll let you know. I can also tell you that due to rising costs, CTMH is changing how it packages its cardstock and the prices will be going up slightly. If there are certain colors that you would like to stock up on, either by complete 24 sheets or combo packs, you might want to get some before the end of July when the price will change.

Don’t miss the current sale – Bang for your Buck where you can get a special item for $1 when you place an order of $50 or more. You get a choice of several including a couple of 12 Card kits, regularly priced at $12.95, for $1.00! Please call or email me with questions.

I’ll “talk” to you soon! Making Memories with you,

Only 10 days for your FREE digital 2 page layout!

2011-06-20T22:28:00.001-04:00

Have you tried Studio J yet? In as little as 30 minutes, you can create a beautiful 2 page layout and get the digital (JPG) image of them for FREE!

To help you, CTMH has produced a series of YouTube videos so I've shared here some of those links. For example, the first one is called the "Basics of Studio J" video. It's only 7 1/2 minutes long and it can show you just how quick and useful Studio J can be in creating beautiful layouts, complete with your photos in a variety of sizes. Check these out:

or just check out the entire list of CTMH videos by going to their "Channel": http://www.youtube.com/user/CTMHcorp

There are only 10 days left to take advantage of this special offer and I really urge you to try it out. You can upload pictures and work on it from ANY computer with internet access.

NOTE: I am making myself available starting this Thursday, June 23, to have one-on-one demonstrations of how Studio J works. Please call me to schedule yours!

Lastly, don't forget the special paper and stamp kit, "You & Me," being sold to help the storm victims in our Stronger Together campaign. I put my kit together in just 2 hours - 4 beautiful pages! We will be scheduling at least 2 gatherings to put these kits together so get yours today - for only $15 (regular price $34.95)!

Thanks again and as always, making memories with you,

Father's Day Cards and more

2011-06-14T19:34:00.001-04:00

I've been working on these Father's Day cards this past week but baseball games and other family events haven't allowed me to finish until today, so, here they are:

What do you think? I had lots of fun making these and I'm offering you some time this Friday to come and make one or more of these. Now, if you don't have time to make it I can package a little "to-go" kit for you with instructions for you, If you come to my house to make them, it will be $1.00 per card while pre-packaged kits wil be $2 per card and you need to let me know ahead of time so I can make these up for you before you come.

For those of you who would like to I also have designed 2 birthday cards that you can make during that time in addition to or in place of the Father's Day card(s). Here's one of them:

So, feel free to drop by the house during these "open" hours. I'd like to offer others of you some Saturday or evening time slot, but I won't know until my son's baseball games are determined tonight or tomorrow. For now, here are the card-making hours:

Father's Day Cards & More

Friday, June 17, 2011

10 am - Noon or 2:30 - 4:30 pm

Call, email or leave me a comment with any questions. Have a great evening!

While Supplies Last (30-80% off!)

2011-06-09T14:41:00.002-04:00

Wow! I love discounts but these are REALLY good! There are Stickease packs for $1-$1.50, ribbons from $2-$4 (some are over 10 yds!) and paper packets for $2-$3, including matching ribbons! Here are some of today's "While Supplies Last" products but click here to go to my online store to view the complete list.

Bella Stickease $1

Emporium Creative Basics $2

I'm placing a group order for all local customers (to save us all on shipping) so if you want to get in on this opportunity, email me your order as soon as possible because at these prices, these items will not last long! Feel free to add the special "You & Me" kit to help the storm victims as part of this order, too!

Helping Tornado and Flooding victims

2011-06-08T16:00:00.001-04:00

Our hearts hurt for those many families still trying to recover from these recent disasters. Close To My Heart is offering to help the American Red Cross raise funds for them with a special offer. The special kit "You & Me" offered last month has been reissued for only $15 and no other purchase required. Part of the proceeds from these sales will go to the relief effort. So I hope you'll consider buying one or more of these adorable kits to help.

As an added bonus, in July I will host a FREE workshop for all those who purchase this kit and would like to put their pages together PLUS make some added cards with your leftover scraps. Stay tuned for date and time and purchase your kits soon as they are only available while supplies last.

Got digital pictures? Free layout!

2011-06-03T02:45:00.001-04:00

Oh, my goodness! Close To My Heart's June special is to give you a 2 page digital scrapbook layout for FREE!!

I've written and shown you pictures on my blog of Studio J, the online digital scrapbook tool that CTMH has. There is never anything to purchase until you want a printed copy of your layouts. Well, one of the latest upgrades is that you get high resolution JPG images of your layouts that you can then take anywhere that prints 12x12 size. To give you a chance to see the absolute great quality of Studio J, CTMH is giving away the JPG images of one layout to every customer for FREE!
Here is one of my layouts:

Here are some screen shots showing the papers you can select from, with the predesigned pages all you do is upload photos, select paper and pattern and arrange your photos!

Aren't these great? Yes, yours can look just as nice without too much work! All you need is 30 minutes to create 2 beautiful pages complete with photos, journaling, and "doo-dads" that will make your pages look so beautiful!

To get started without any obligation follow these steps:

1.Go to my CTMH website: http://debbietuggle.myctmh.com/ and sign in or click on "Create an account" if you don't have one already - this is just so your photos can be saved under your name and to make getting your free layout and future shopping experience easy should you ever decide to shop online.

2.Click on the left hand area link "Studio J Online Scrapbooking" then click on the "Enter Studio J" on the next page.

3.Then click on "Create a New Project" and follow the easy step by step instructions - that's it!

Close To My Heart believes in making scrapbooking Faster, Simpler and Easier so they have a YouTube channel with how-to-videos for Studio J as well - here's one of them on Studio J Basics:

One last tidbit about how great this tool is: if you create an account and upload your photos at home then you can access Studio J from any computer and work on it from wherever you are!

The Studio J "Free for All" promotion is good through the month of June. Contact me with any questions, ok?

Bliss Album - 10 pages worth!

2011-05-24T15:48:00.001-04:00

Well, here I am again finally finished with a very wonderful but time-consuming project. My dear friend's daugther will be getting married in a couple of weeks and I've known her since birth so I just couldn't see myself going down to Target and getting her something from the registry. So what did I do? Made her a handcrafted wedding album! It is such a wonderful feeling to give something made from the heart and have it come out so nice! CTMH papers and embellishments made it come together in ways I could not have done on my own so let me show it to you. It was made with the new "Bliss" paper kits, level 1 and 2, with Stickease and mocha Pearls all over the place! Hope you enjoy! Leave a comment or email me any questions you may have.

I designed these pages using the "Reflections" how-to book. The right page is actually a "pocket" page.

This layout and the next were made from the Blilss Level 1 kit, designed by my upline, Annette Green.

These pages and the next were made from a Level 2 kit using the "Magic" and "Imagine" how-to books, also designed by my friend, Annette Green. There are 2 "folders" as part of the layout, too!

Can I make it up to you?

2011-05-05T09:57:00.000-04:00

Is it possible you will forgive the fact that I've left you bereft of my posts for almost two months? How about if I post a couple of great videos to make up for my absence? Well, since I will be celebrating my 2nd daughter's graduation from college this weekend I cannot post much but let me leave you with a couple of great YouTube videos from CTMH's channel. To all the moms out there - you make the world go round so give your kids and grandkids a good push in the right direction! Happy Mother's Day!

Annual Make-A-Valentine was wonderful!

2011-02-14T00:25:00.001-05:00

Hi! I sent emails but did not update my blog to announce my Annual "Make-A-Valentine" card event. Please accept my apologies if you did not get the invite - just email me so I can place you on my email list for future email only invitation events, ok? Well, here are pictures of those cards:

The box pleat in the first card can be a challenge at first (as my participants found out) but you soon get the hang of it and create a lovely "skirt" look! That bird is from the "Find Your Style" stamp set that was offered in January as the Stamp of the Month. Under the bird there is a matching stamped image in black cardstock used to create the shadow effect. The second card features an emboss resist technique plus random stamping using this month's Stamp of the Month, "Friendship." These card fronts were then attached to a regular 5 1/2" x 4" card folded up to be an easel. I don't have a picture of that to upload yet but they turned out pretty indeed!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I John 4:7 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God."

P.S. For the inspiration behind these cards, I thank my friend and upline, Annette Green!

Start the year with beautiful "Style" and "Inspirations"

2011-01-04T01:18:00.003-05:00

Did you know that January is considered to be “National Papercrafting Month”? Those of us who love paper crafts are going to really love the new kit and stamps that Close To My Heart has unveiled to celebrate!

A complete brochure called Inspirations has been created with loads of beautiful artwork showcasing the new “Wings” papers and coordinating products. Click here to see it in my website. The beauty of Close To My Heart is that we are dedicated to not just showing beautiful papers and more, but showing you how to create beautiful things with them. The Workshop on the Go (WOTG) kits include complete instructions on using your papers and the basic products you’ll need to complete them! The “Wings” WOTG is no exception and it is an especially creative one. Here’s what you can make:

And, here’s a picture of all that’s included in the WOTG: how-to workshop guide, complete Wings paper packet, special stamp set, new Spray mist pen and embellishments.

In addition, an absolutely beautiful Stamp of the Month is being offered at an extra special incentive price. Here is a copy of it (remember that the carrier sheet it comes on is about 6x6 to give you an idea of the size of these stamps) and cards made with it:

Normally you need to spend $100 to receive the Stamp of the Month for free but this January it can be yours free for as little as $50 (before s/h/tax) in purchases from items in the Inspirations brochure. That's right - only $50 and you can receive the SOTM for FREE!

Here’s how I got that math figured out and all the products you would receive:

Wings Workshop on the Go Kit (G1016) - $29.95 (includes a complete Level 2 ”Wings” paper packet, the special “Wings” B-sized stamp set, the new Spray mist Pen, black embellishments and the How-To guide brochure for making 2 layouts and 6 cards!)

Wings Level 2 My Stickease (X7135C) - $4.95 (2 sheets)

Black Mini-Medley Collection (Z1393) - $4.95 (brads, buttons, ribbon, etc.)

Wings Level 2 Pleated Ribbon Assortment (Z1398) - $4.95 (3 colors pleated style!)

A Game stamp set (A1113) - $5.00 (cute Tic-Tac-Toe game pieces and board!)

Subtotal: $49.80 WOW!!!

Then the Stamp of the Month, “Find Your Style” (a D-sized set), is yours FREE and that’s a deal!!

This is just my suggestion for how to receive the SOTM for free at the lowest price with the Inspirations promotion. However, there are other extra special prices on absolutely gorgeous new stamp sets that can also be purchased at a discount throughout the brochure. The Workshop How-To also includes a bonus project: the directions for decorating the new “My Creations Banner” – a set of 8 chipboard pennant pieces.

I hope you'll be inspired to create with beauty and style at great prices, and let me show you how with Close To My Heart’s wonderful products!

1-1-11 ... How's that for a date!

2011-01-02T22:41:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite Bible passages is the short and sweet Psalm 121 and it was great this morning to attend my church's services to hear the first sermon of the year based on this passage.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. "

May you find comfort in knowing that while we don't know the future, you can always trust in the One who holds the future!

Have a Joyous New Year 2011! ~Debbie

Special sale extended to include "Cyber Monday"

2010-11-28T23:14:00.000-05:00

My daughters are telling me I need to get more linked in with everyone's use of the internet so I thought I'd join the Cyber Monday crowd and extend the very special Black Friday Weekend Sale one day! See my previous post for all the details, ok?

See you in Cyberspace ...
~Debbie

R U Tired? Black Friday Weekend Sale from the comfort of home!

2010-11-27T00:18:00.000-05:00

Black Friday shopping is great but it's tiring! You have to be a very smart shopper in today's economy but all that walking and hunting up and down aisles of merchandise can be exhausting! Well, let me offer you some help by offering you my special "Black Friday WEEKEND" Sale. You can shop from home and take advantage of great products at a special discount.

Click on the flyer to see all the details but in case you can't see it here are the basics:

All orders receive absolutely FREE shipping
Orders of $25 and up receive an item valued at $2.95 or less for FREE
Orders of $50 receive an item valued at $2.95 PLUS the Petite Perks stamp set for FREE
Orders of $75 receive any item(s) valued at $4.95 PLUS the Petite Perks stamp set for FREE
Orders of $100 receive any item(s)valued at $7.95 PLUS the Petite Perks stamp set PLUS the November Stamp of the Month PLUS another stamp set of their choice all for FREE

Do you need a gift for a crafter? Try our CTMH 'how-to" books which include either a CD or DVD with special patterns! Digital photographers may appreciate a membership in our Studio J online scrapbooking system. Members can purchase two 12x12 page layouts, beautifully designed and color coordinated with our classic scrpabooking products for just $6.50 - that's just $3.25 per page including photo processing! Our new 12x12 albums in faux leather are sturdy and beautiful, functional and elegant and come in a variety of colors.

Well, I hope you will take advantage of this sale and give your feet a shopping break! I am always available to answer questions and to give advice to help select the right products for your needs, whether now or in the future. Contact me here by leaving a comment or shop online 24/7 at debbietuggle.myctmh.com

Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

~Debbie~

Christmas Shopping Market

2010-11-20T19:57:00.000-05:00

Just got back from participating a very neat event: a Christmas Shopping Market. Those of you on my email list got the flyer about it but for those that did not here's what it consisted of.

The event was hosted by a lady in her home and she invited several different companies besides Close To My Heart to show and demonstrate their products. Pampered Chef was there, Usborne Books and others that I had not heard of before. I think it's really a good idea and I'm considering something similar.....
hmmm ..... hmmm ..... "wheels in my head turning..." ....
Does anyone have a nice ClubHouse that could maybe hold guests and a few display tables??? Just wondering! :-)

I did a Make-n-Take for this event plus some simple gifts that attendees could purchase. I'llpost some pictures later. It was fun but tiring!

Talk to you later,
~Debbie~

Just in Time for Thanksgiving ...

2010-11-05T01:18:00.005-04:00

I've posted below a cute project I made for a friend - the pictures are what makes it cute but before I do, let me tell you some good economic news: Close To My Heart has announced a great Customer Appreciation special for this month - "A Little MORE Thanks."!

With every purchase of $100 you know that you get the Stamp of the Month for FREE, right? Well, this month you will ALSO receive another stamp set (size A, B, C or D) of YOUR choice for FREE - that's right, for FREE! My friends, that is worth up to $45.90 in free stamps as a thank you for your $100 order - almost 50% of added value to your purchase. I sense it's a great time to stock up on some gift giving before this month is gone! You can Click here to see the flyer for more info on this great promotion and here's a larger picture of the November Stamp of the Month.

And as promised, here's a picture the tri-shutter album I made for a dear friend of her "oh, so cute" grandchildren!

Thanks for all your kind comments and for being a part of my CTMH family! May God bless you this day!

~ Debbie ~

Christmas Stamp of the Month available in October only

2010-10-21T23:32:00.001-04:00

Hi again! I can't let any more time go by without reminding you to get your Stamp of the Month for October - it's Christmas style!! Isn't it cute! (Click on the images for larger view)

Remember it is only available through October 31, 2010 and you can get it for the full retail price by itself or with other purchases the price is discounted or even FREE! Here's some artwork made with it:

Get a head start on Christmas ideas ... this set will definitely get you in the mood! Contact me or shop online by clicking the link on the left hand side for shopping 24/7 on my website. Thanks and I'll "blog" again soon!

Making memories with you,

~ Debbie ~

Been offline for a bit...

2010-09-06T23:52:00.002-04:00

We're taking our summer break a little later than others so I've been a bit out of touch. Hope your summer went well and are now looking forward to Fall. That means different things to many people, most involving a lot of work. So, before you do that, check out another great early Fall activity from CTMH - National Stamping Month and the Fall Idea Book!

On the left you'll see the announcement for the special triple album kit available in celebration of National Stamping Month - you can get it for as low as $5! Click on it to view all the details.

On the right you can click to view the fabulous Fall Idea Book online - check out eight new colors, "pearl" embellishments, new "Flip Flaps" to add more space in your layouts for pictures, and a lot more!

I hope you'll take advantage of these online features while I'm finishing my family summer - - - and to keep you inspired here's another project I made - a wedding card/gift card holder:

Be back with you soon!
Making memories with you,
~ Debbie ~

School is back - got lists?

2010-08-17T15:14:00.000-04:00

Most students are back to school and with it come activities galore. Do you need a place to keep your to-do list without losing that paper? And, of course, the prettier it looks the better, right? Well, I've been gathering pictures of some of my creations that I had not posted and came across a memo dry-erase board I made for a friend. Here it is:

This is made from a regular 11x14 inch frame and papers from the "Sasparilla" packet. You can write on the glass with a dry erase marker so you can get ready for each week. Isn't that a neat idea? By making it yourself youc an choose papers that match your decor and change it out when you feel like it or to match a season of the year. If you need help putting one together let me know and I'll walk you through how I did mine. Hope you are having a good day!

Making memories with you,

Debbie

Last Two (2) Days of $2, $4, $6 for 8

2010-08-10T03:26:00.006-04:00

I'm so excited about this sale and I hope you've had the opportunity to check it out. The deals are fantastic! Let me show you how great these deals are:

** Level 1 Kits: For $4 you can make 4 easy, coordinating scrapbook layouts and

still have some leftover paper to make cards, too!

** Level 2 kits: I have made 16 complete scrapbook pages AND

still had leftover papers and these kits with over 20 pages are available for $6!!

** What about Stickease? For $2 you can get some beautiful, sturdy and

colorful embellishments for cards OR layouts!

These deals are only available for TWO more days and only through my website (click here). Take advantage of this great opportunity to own great products at over 50% off! If you have any questions, please call, send me an email or post a comment here and I'll get back to you quickly.

Making memories with you,

~Debbie~

Quick - a great promotion but for only 8 days!

2010-08-01T00:22:00.003-04:00

I just got word of a very special but very quick promotion Close To My Heart is featuring beginning THIS Wednesday, August 4th, for only 8 days!

$2, $4, $6, for 8…It’s YOU We Appreciate!

$2 for Stickease (regularly $4.95) - 60% off (very thick sticker-like products, 2 full sheets!)
$4 for Level 1 kits (regularly $9.95) - 60% off (Pre-printed 12x12 pages plus additional coordinating papers AND Stickease!)
$6 for Level 2 kits (regularly $12.95) - 54% off ( 6 different 12x12 B&T papers plus coordinating cardstock =24 sheets!)

The products featured are a mix of newer and older paper kits, and are available while supplies last, I have a list that I can email to tell you what specifically is on sale so you can look at them ahead of time! You can look through current and older Idea Books to see the variety of patterns and colors that are being included in this special sale. You can also see them online by going to my website to the Shop Online area and entering the name of the kit (such as Moon Doggie).

This promotion is only available through my CTMH website, DebbieTuggle.myctmh.com, and one way to expedite your shopping is to go ahead and create a customer account. That way your name, shipping information, etc., is ready and filled out, and will make placing your orders that much faster, simpler and easier! Simply go to the website, click on the upper middle section where it says "create an account," fill out your info and save it. You'll be good to go anytime you want to shop on my site. Your username is simply your email address and then create a password you'll remember to shop with. Again, it's just a tip to expedite your shopping experience - not needed to browse, though!

Also, you are not limited to just these products when you shop! All your purchases count towards the August Stamp of the Month, "Something Splendid." With the large variety of products to choose from, there's something sure to fit into your scrapbooking or cardmaking needs so I hope you can take advantage of this fantastic sale. Please email me to get your own copy of the PDF files and contact me if you have any questions!

Making memories with you,
~Debbie~

I'm back from Convention ...

2010-07-16T15:17:00.003-04:00

Wow! What a busy few days I had at Close To My Heart's annual convention. It was packed with fun, friends, learning, new products (which I cannot share just yet), new techniques, and just fun! While I can't share the new stuff just yet, let me share with you a little bit of the fun we had. My daughters and I love the piano and we've known of pianist John Schmidt for a few years so imagine my excitement knowing I would get to hear him play live! Here's a YouTube clip of a song he played for us; he and his cellist, Stephen Nelson, are really worth listening to!

A great comedienne, Anita Renfroe, entertained us at our closing banquet.

Here's a picture of her and a couple of links to her newest "spoof" songs, the one John Schmidt is playing above, "Love Story," especially for younger moms, and one that's, well, for the ones beyond preschoolers: "All the Wrinkled Ladies."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaruNs_7okY

Well, I'm still recovering but thought I'd share little with you. Talk to you soon!

Making memories with you,
Debbie

I am so excited!

2010-07-03T01:19:00.002-04:00

This coming week a lot of Close To My Heart Consultants (including little ol' me) will be enjoying the annual CTMH Convention in ...

Washington, DC! Three days of non-stop art, fun, friends, cropping, cards, swaps, NEW CTMH products coming for the Fall, and so much more! I can hardly wait! Later in the month of July I hope to have at least one card workshop so I will post about that but, for now, I'm just excited about my trip!! I may post from there and let you in on some of the fun if I can. Prayers for a safe trip are appreciated!

As always ...
Making memories with you,
~Debbie~

Last Day of June Jackpot and it's the BIG one!

2010-06-30T11:37:00.002-04:00

Yes, indeed, it's the BIG Box!

Today is the last day of "June Jackpot" and Close To My Heart is offering a "goodie box" filled with popular products worth over $300 for just $125 - that's more than 50% off! Last year I got this value and it had paper packets, stamps, embellishments and it was great! I hope some of you can take advantage of this value and there's even more - discounted shipping as well! So it's a great time to buy and stock up! Because the offer is only valid through my website, http://debbietuggle.myctmh.com, you will actually have until midnight Mountain Time tonight (2 am Eastern!) to place your order (but only while supplies last!).
I will also be placing a regular order in late tonight so if there's something you need, big or small, and would like to be added to the order please let me know.

Making memories with you,

Debbie

Another Mini-Album workshop

2010-06-27T22:16:00.001-04:00

By popular request, I will be teaching the tri-shutter mini-album again on MONDAY (yes, tomorrow) and there are only 3 spots open for this one. Since I've not had time to take a picture of mine, here's a link to a picture of one made by a fellow CTMH consultant, Lorrinda:

and we will be using the "Bella" papers: I hope you can make it! Since there is no pre-cutting for me to do, you can call or email me to reserve your spot as late as tomorrow afternoon. You will need to bring your favorite adhesive and scissors and if you can, bring your trimmer and an embossing stylus.

Making memories with you,
~ Debbie ~

Saturday's "Manly" Cards and Gift Day

2010-06-18T21:30:00.000-04:00

Last call for tomorrow's TWO crafting opportunities:

   10 am - Noon  :: Drop in anytime to make a "handsome" Father's Day
                  (or any occasion guy) Card; cost $1.50

   2-4 p.m. :: Make 2 Manly cards and a mini-album suitable for desktop/table viewing; cost $8.00

We'll be making the origami shirt fold for one card and using the heat embossing tool for the other card plus learn to use your trimmers in a way you had maybe not tried before!

Hope to see you then ....

~Debbie~

Jackpot June and Father's Day "Manly" cards and gift

2010-06-16T15:00:00.001-04:00

I know, I know ... June's half over and I haven't posted once! Well, there are things going on everywhere because that's what happens in summer, right?

JACKPOT JUNE
See the great promotion here on the right - Jackpot June! I hope you'll check it out - only through my website can you access these great deals! Like today, where a "Mystery Goodie Box" is being offered full of $250 worth of CTMH products for ONLY $100!! I got some during last year's clearance and they really are great values!! Check every day to see what the special is and it could be your Jackpot Day!!

FATHER'S DAY "Manly" Cards and Mini-Album
This Saturday, June 19th, I will have a double crafting opportunity for you. If you just want to come by and make a Father's Day card, drop by anytime between 10 am and Noon and make a "manly" card for only $1.50 If you have more time, from 2-4 pm I will be having my "Manly" Workshop where we will make 2 cards suitable for Father's Day and other occasions, PLUS a mini album that can be displayed on a table/desk! Cost for the workshop is $8.00. Just bring your adhesive, paper trimmer and, optionally, an embossing stylus if you have one. Try to call so I can have adequate amount of supplies cut out.

As always, call me with any questions, ok?

Making memories with you,
~Debbie~

May is here and so is the new book and online scrapboking with Studio J!

2010-05-05T14:18:00.001-04:00

It's here, it's here! The new Summer Idea Book is ready for viewing - whether you like it online or in print. For online viewing, please click on the icon on the right hand side. To get your own printed version, please send me an email and we'll make arrangements! There are new products, of course, but in an effort to serve us better Close To My Heart has lowered the prices on many items as well - saving money is always a good thing! But the biggest news has got to be Studio J - CTMH's online digital scrapbook studio tool! Click on the Studio J image to view it and try it out! Here is a copy of the first one I made. Yes, it was ALL DONE online! Isn't it amazing! I hope you will try it out and see how fast you can create a layout!

Making memories with you,
~Debbie~

And the winner is ...

2010-03-29T21:26:00.000-04:00

My first ever "Mystery Hostess" contest is now over and the winner is ... Gloria Hile! She is right now looking through the Idea Book and making her selections which is always exciting! Thank you to all who participated and I will contact you soon about your delivery dates. Good night!

~Debbie

Down to Day 3 ... and a little easy gift project

2010-03-26T20:17:00.000-04:00

We are approaching the end of our March game and I hope you are enjoying the tips and ideas I've been posting! While the weekend may be filled with chores and "honey-do" lists, I thought I'd give you another project - a fun, crafty one that can be used as a practical yet thoughtful gift!

We all are always writing notes and if it's not the pen we've misplaced it's something to write on, right? (pun intended!) Why not make a pretty holder for our ever-useful post-it notes? Here's my creation that I made as a thank you for someone who likes frogs:

Isn't that cute? The frog and mushroom come from a stamp set called "Happy Endings" and the paper is called "Daydream" AND they were designed to go together which is another one of the details that I like about Close To My Heart's products! This little "easel" is one of those $1 acrylic frames for a 4x6 that have a kind of "L" shape to them. Look at this picture of other similar ones by another consultant to see the side details:

All you need to do is cut a piece of your patterned paper to fit inside the frame (approx. 4x6), choose a location for your 3x3 post-it note cube and adhere it to the frame. I'd use some strong adhesive or double sided tape. Then embellish the front with flowers, stamped images, etc., and you're done! In mine I placed a small "thank You" sentiment stamped image on a piece of black cardstock and attached it my patterned paper before sliding it into the frame. The frog and mushroom are adhered to the frame on the outside with foam tape (love that stuff) to make it "pop" out 3-D style. Fast and easy and sure to please!

Well, don't forget our game! Remember that the only rule is that you place any size order by Sunday evening, March 28th. Maybe you will be crowned "Mystery Hostess" and win $25 in your choice of Close To My Heart products!! Leave a comment her or send me an email. Good night and God bless!

Making memories with you,
~Debbie

Countdown to Crown Mystery Hostess (5 Days) & Tip of the day

2010-03-24T11:19:00.001-04:00

We're coming down the home stretch with only 5 days to go in our fun Mystery Hostess game. Now, I haven't had many to play with me but that simply increases your chances to win! Again, the prize for our Mystery Hostess is $25 to spend on her choice of CTMH products - who wouldn't want that freebie? Remember to get your order, of any size, in to me by Sunday, March 28th, to be entered in the drawing and it could be you who gets crowned as the March Mystery Hostess!!

You know, especially on busy days, we say, "Oh, I'd really like to make a card for so--n-so but I just don't have time." Then we rush out, spend and hour between driving, shopping and purchase a flat card that's nice but doesn't have that little extra we would like it to. You know, a handmade item doesn't have to be elaborate! It can be beautiful in its simplicity and also much more cost and time effective than buying a card. Here are a couple of cards showcasing that idea from a fellow CTMH consultant, Lisa Stenz:

Thefirst one is a favorite of mine because of the flowers. They can nest one into the other and give a 3-D look so easily! They are actually made out of paper so you can take a little sponge and color them whatever you like to match your project. The next one is also easy because you can take one flower image, stamp it at different heights and voilá you have a bouquet! Well, I hope you enjoy this tip. If I can ever be of assistance just let me know!

Making memories with you,

~Debbie~

March Madness continues... Random Stamping tip

2010-03-19T00:33:00.001-04:00

Okay, ladies! I have one order in the pool (who will receive the "Bee Mine" Petite Perks stamp set) but we need a few more so that we can crown a winner of the March Mystery Hostess contest and $25 in CTMH products of her choice! Don't forget to get your order in by Sunday, March 28th, in order to qualify for the special stamp set and extra chances for the grand prize (see the previous post for details).

I'd like to share another tip with you that I really enjoy - random stamping! You can create your very own, one-of-a-kind paper with your stamps and inks! Because the CTMH stamps are clear and stamp so well, you can place a variety of images on your blank paper and create a beautifully patterned paper yourself. Here's a sample of one of my first attempts, only using 3 stamp images and one color of ink on white cardstock:

While I have gotten better at it, it was pretty simple and fast to make it. Select your biggest stamp image and use a "triangle pattern" to stamp the image around your paper: stamp once and then go up or down to the left and then to the right. It is easier to show than to explain but I hope you can deduce it from the picture. Remember to stamp off your paper to give it that look of a printed pattern. Then follow with the other images in descending size order. Here's a picture of how I used a piece of that paper in a layout:

Here's a picture (from another consultant) showing a layout with multi-color random stamping - gorgeous and I love that stamp set for a beach layout!

I really enjoy that technique and I hope you do, too. If you need more info on random stamping, call or email me and we'll talk. That's all for now - good night and God bless you!

Making memories with you,

~Debbie

March Madness - a CTMH version

2010-03-15T00:28:00.005-04:00

I decided that I wanted to enjoy a little March Madness game time like my husband enjoys with his college basketball TV viewing, but do it the Close To My Heart way! I invite all of you to join me in this contest, where you can earn FREE product if you are chosen as the March Madness Mystery Hostess plus a bonus prize for your purchase. Email me and I will send you the complete details!

For the next couple of weeks, I will posting some ideas for crafting that I hope you will enjoy so stay tuned! To get us started I thought I'd post a card I made as a "thank you" for my daughter's physical therapist. It's a design called an "easel card" because the open flap of the card sits like an easel on the back side of the card. Here's a link to a wonderful step-by-step tutorial on how to make it and a picture of my card:

Making memories with you,

My Acrylix Stamps funny videos

2010-03-01T00:42:00.003-05:00

You know when I found out about CLose To My Heart about 3 years ago, I was totally impressed by the clear stamps: how easy they were to use, how beautifully they delivered the image and how easy it would be to store them. I wondered about their long-range ability to stay sticky on a block and overall durability - I thought only time could tell. Well, CTMH had already intensely tested this product - it is a patented process and STILL made in the USA! And they put together a cute video of the prototype stamp, "Sticky Boy," to show its true "toughness." See it here in thisYouTube clip:

Now, I hope you don't subject your stamps to quite all those conditions but you can be assured that your CTMH My Acrylix stamps are up to almost anything that comes their way!
We just had a contest among CTMH Consultants to see who could produce the best video about the My Acrylix stamps.Tresa Black, who has a blog I like to follow called "Fabulously Artsy" and who is simply a "fabulous" crafter, won the category for both the best video and the most views on YouTube. She really showed the great qualities of our stamps in really funny parody of the "Sham Wow" commercial. Here it is and I hope you enjoy!

~Debbie

Pictures of Valentine Cards

2010-02-11T17:35:00.007-05:00

Here are the pictures of the 4 designs for Valentine cards. What do you think?

I hope you can make one of the Open House time slots! Also, my days are right but the "dates" were wrong - sorry!

Open House

Friday Feb. 12 2:30-4:30 p.m. or 7-9 p.m.

and

Sat. Feb 13 from 10 am - Noon

Making memories with you,

~Debbie
P.S. I wanted to thank the consultants who inspired me in these cards. Paige Dolecki designed the last card and inspired the 1st one, while Jeannette Lynton and anothe CTMH Consultant "Amy" inspired the cute kids cards and Tracie Brown helped me with the black, red and beige card. Thanks to them for the great ideas!

Valentine Card Open House

2010-02-11T10:30:00.001-05:00

Good Morning! Brrrrr it's cold today! But would a Valentine Card making event make it feel a little warmer? I hope so because tommorrow and Saturday, I will be hosting my 3rd Annual Valentine Card Open house. If you still need a Valentine card for your "sweetie" or a friend (or two), come on over and make one! Each card you make would only be $1.00, with 4 designs to choose from, and all are easy and quick to complete. Here are the times I'll be "open":

Friday, Feb. 11, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 12, from 10am - Noon.

I hope one of those times will work for you. No RSVP is necessary, just come on by. NOTE: I will be postng sample pictures by this evening so check back, ok?
Making memories with you,

Don't miss "Felicity"

2010-01-07T23:51:00.006-05:00

The new "Felicity" Collection is such a great paper pack! You can make your projects using this set from frilly to simple, all the while making beautiful crafts that coordinate so well! Here's a card and a recipe binder:

If you go to the special "National Papercrafting Month" (NPM) blog you will also get some tips and recipes for making projects! Do you see the pretty flowers on the card above? Go to the January 3 blog entry and you are given step-by-step instructions (with pictures!) on how to do it - paper piecing that's as easy as can be! To see how to make the recipe binder go to the January 6th entry; there's lots more to view and learn at the blog which is updated every day. Here's a picture of the kit, including the "D" size stamp set complete with the alphabet used for the projects in the pictures:

If you are already loving this, let me tell you the 6 ways to get the collection and only one of them is buying the kit itself!

Option 1: Buy it outright for $34.95 US/$40.95 CAN.
Option 2: Get it for FREE by buying $60/$70 of stamps*
Option 3: Get it for FREE when you order $125/$145 on (almost) any Close To My Heart products*
Option 4: Get it for FREE by hosting an event (gathering) at your home and having sales of $400
Option5: Get it for FREE when you join my team as a consultant in the month of January!
Option 6: Win a kit by posting a comment on the NPM blog everyday and enter a chance to win one of the daily drawings! (*Some restrictions apply)

Well, I hope you visit the blog and enjoy all it has to offer. Remember you can call me to place an order (if you live locally since it saves a little on shipping charges) or order from my CTMH website, debbietuggle.myctmh.com to have it shipped to you directly. Please feel free to call, email or leave me a comment here ...

Making memories with you,

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T22:58:00.002-05:00

"So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom." - - - Psalm 90:12

The older I get the faster time seems to travel; does it seem that way to you? As usual, the Bible has wisdom to impart if only we would read it! I pray that 2010 may be a year where I take time for the important things and not waste it on the trivial things that seem to eat up my days. Preserving my family's memories does matter and hopefully I can make better gains in that department in the coming year! May your year be full of blessings and joy!

Take a look at all the new items featured here for Close To My Heart and let me know if I can help you in any way!

Ta-da! I have a CTMH website for your convenience!

2009-12-31T14:50:00.001-05:00

I am so excited to announce that I now have a Close To My Heart website for you to access and use called http://debbietuggle.myctmh.com/ ! It will allow you to see all the features that are available on the official CTMH website like Art & Soul episodes on CTMH-TV, Stamp of the Month, etc., PLUS ...

view my very own artwork and preview class projects
browse my calendar of events
AND also SHOP online!

Throughout the year, Close To My Heart has web-only specials that I will now be able to make available to you, including the upcoming great online scrapbooking software suite - Studio J - click here to preview it!
I hope you will browse the new website and tell me what you think!

Have a safe and merry New Year's Eve! Lord willing, I'll "talk" to you again next year! God bless!

Three projects

2009-12-14T16:59:00.003-05:00

Hi, again! I had promised to post some of my other projects so here they are. The variety of crafts that CTMH allows me to do with their great coordination of colors, patterns & embellishments is one of the reasons I am really "sold" on their products!

Here's a stationery holder with monogrammed cards that I made a while back. It uses "Life Delights" paper, the "Eastertime" stamp set that has a basket weave stamp, and the Baroque Alphabet set for the monogram (I love that set!).

I went to a crop in October and planned the layout below, using a really versatile paper called "Backcountry." It's really fun to use this paper for outdoor-sy pictures. Some of the stamps used are "Backwoods" for the trees and the camera is from "Pitcure Perfect."

I also made a really fast card that taught 3 techniques: stamping on chipboard, masking a stamped image, and edge distressing for a 3-D look. The swirls are made with "Western Flourishes" and the sentiment is from a truly useful set called "Gracious Greetings." The 2 little brads in the upper corner were placed using a "brad buddy" technique a friend taught me. If you will leave a comment, I'll let you in on my "secret" for perfect brad placements :-) !

May this Christmas season be one of unforgettable memories, especially as you remember that Jesus is the real Reason for this Season!

Making memories with you ....

Candy gift project

2009-10-23T23:48:00.002-04:00

Hi again! Just thought I'd share a little project my daughter and I did to celebrate her one year anniversary as a full-time journalist. We used stamp set B1309 "Fun Times." I thank Lisa Stenz for posting her pretty version and then crediting Karen Werner with the tutorial. I had to edit their measurements to fit the Hershey candy bar that we used. I didn't take a picture of another slider I made - the GIANT Hershey bar - yup!

Turned out nice, didn't they? I'll be posting a couple of other projects I planned for my 2nd crop as a vendor but I'll post those later. Until then, have a sweet day and God bless you!

One of my "pride and joy" ...

2009-10-16T13:34:00.004-04:00

Here I am again - now it's been almost 3 months since I posted! I've got to get with the program - ha,ha,ha!! Real quickly, the majority of my time is occupied by my family. As most of you know I have 8 children, 3 of which are college or older age. My oldest, Jessica, is a journalist (graduated Suma Cum Laude from UCF) with the Hometown News group. She works for the Indian River County edition so here in Melbourne you don't get to see all her stories (about 4-6 per week). However every so often there's a story that overlaps the local interest of counties and her story will show up in our Brevard Edition. Well, today there's one about the Space Coast Ballet company which is her's. It may be out this week or next so pick up your free copy, unless it's already delivered to you, or read it online now by clicking on the title here below (here's the opening paragraph) - enjoy!

Ballerina twirls her way to Big Apple
SEBASTIAN - Though she only stands 4-feet 9-inches tall, Emily Slawski is reaching new heights in the world of ballet. The 13-year-old Sebastian girl has been chosen to dance the part of Clara in "The Nutcracker" this holiday season with the Radio City Rockettes ...

Another little project

2009-07-19T22:20:00.002-04:00

I thought I'd share with you the other make-n-take project I made at the crop last weekend. It is a little 3x3 card that can be used as a gift enclosure. Of the many things that the clear My Acrylix stamps can help you accomplish the "clearest" is shown in this one: lining up your images to place it exactly where you want and to do multiple stamping. The "thanks" is stamped on a twill ribbon so you can place it exactly on the ribbon and not miss by going off the edge. The flower is actually done with 3 stamps! One is the solid inside done in the beautiful pinky-orange "Sorbet" color, the outline and the center are then done in Chocolate. This little card says a lot in a little space!

Stamp sets: Aspiration (flower), For Every Occasion ("thanks")

Paper: Unforgettable

Other materials: Chocolate and Colonial White cardstock, Twill ribbon, stylus for dry embossing, sanding block, Sorbet and Chocolate inks

It's been 2 months!

2009-07-14T11:19:00.011-04:00

Wow! A lot of activity has been going on in my life and just no time to update this bloggy thing! Well, I just got back from my 1st ever multi-day crop as a vendor (or as anything, for that matter). What an experience! It was fun and exhausting at the same time! Here's a couple of pictures of my display area:
My friend, Becky, and I shared the experience and we did a make-n-take each day. We were honored to have received some very positive feedback from the ladies who attended!

Here's a picture of my 1st make-n-take and the matching 2nd page:

Materials used (all CTMH)
Stamp sets - Daydream and Footprints, Homestead alphabet
Desert Sand and Spring Iris Inks
Desert Sand Carstock for matting and border
Colonial White Cardstock for bases
Majestic Blue B&T

All in all it was a great weekend!

Get "Tickled Pink" before it's too late!

2009-05-14T20:08:00.009-04:00

The pretty promotion kit, "Tickled Pink," ( see left column) is so popular that if you want to get one, you'll need to act soon because it is only while supplies last! It can be yours FREE when you purchase $60 worth of stamps (not including the Stamp of the Month or custom stamps). For example, I purchased one of the large alphabets (E-size) plus 2 of the Solos (B-size) that totaled $62.85. By making that purchase & getting the kit free I now have 4 stamp sets (kit comes with a D-size stamp set), coordinating 12x12 sheet of textured die-cuts, 6 sheets of cardstock and 4 sheets of coordinating papers PLUS embellishments, a foam tool and instructions for layouts! It is really a great deal! Call or email me to order yours!

Summer '09 Idea Book ...

2009-05-04T21:05:00.006-04:00

A brand new Idea Book is now out and there is absolutely something for everyone in it - from camping to flowers to children to teens! You can see an online version of it at the Close To My Heart website under "Products" - click here. Any one who comes to one of my events will receive a printed copy of their own!

Comments are working!

2009-05-01T00:08:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Deb and Darlene for helping check out my "Comments" problems. You may now post a comment and I will be able to see it! On another note, we had a good time doing the Easter Layout, each lady with their "tweaking", making the layout truly their own. If you missed tonight, I'll be hosting another get together to celebrate the new Summer Idea Book debuting today, May 1st. Now, however, it's time to rest ... God bless!
~Debbie~

Checking out comments

2009-04-29T21:53:00.001-04:00

Seems like my comment area was not working right so this is a test post ... would some of you try to post to see if this is working? Thanks!
~Debbie~

Updated Layout with Photos!

2009-04-27T22:45:00.006-04:00

My previous photos needed some"help" so I finished the layout completely including my girls' pictures. What do you think? (layout, I mean!)

Well, not to brag or anything but my girls are cute, too!
Some of the how-to's I'll be showing include: making scallopped edges using the corner rounder; using liquid glass for glossy look to the flower centers and to adhere the buttons; popping stamped images for a 3-D look; using stamps to create background paper & embellishments.If you're in the area, I'm doing this layout for free with only limited seating available, so call or email me to let me know you'd like to come!
God bless you tonight! ~ Debbie ~

"Easter" Themed Layout

2009-04-24T15:00:00.008-04:00

Recently someone commented that I had done a lot of cards and projects but not a layout. I decided that Easter photos would provide great inspiriration for a layout to get me back into the swing of these type of workshops. THIS COMING Thursday, April 30th, from 7-10 pm I'll be hosting this get together and it will be at NO COST to you! I need to get back into layouts so you can help me by coming and doing it with me! Space is limited to the first 12 that RSVP so call or email me ASAP.

The pictures are not the best buthere are both pages. They do look better in person - LOL! On the left you can put one vertical 4x6 plus journaling or another small picture. On the right you have room for a vertical and a horizontal 4x6, 2 3x3's, and a journaling spot ot another small picture. You can post here to let me know your thoughts but please RSVP by email at debbietuggle@gmail.com.

God bless you tonight!

April's Stamp of the Month

2009-04-23T14:03:00.003-04:00

Just thought I'd encourage you to look closely at the Stamp of the Month for April, World's Best Dad, in case you like it. I'll be placing an order on April 30th, the last day it will be available. Click here for how to order it at a discount, even for free, depending on other purchases!

New kit - "Tickled Pink" - for National Scrapbooking month

2009-04-16T22:27:00.014-04:00

Hi, everybody! I thought I'd try one more thing before bringing my new blog-learning to a close for the evening.
The newest promotion that CTMH is doing is called "Tickled Pink" and it is fabulous! I just got mine today! Glitter paper, textured cardstock, die cuts,

embellishments, a great tool, PLUS a D-size stamp set that coordinates perfectly with the die cuts - WOW!! Here's a picture showcasing a sample layout made with the kit. You can't see the glitter but most of the the flowers are actually die cuts stamped with the included stamp set but the white ones are crocheted flowers! You can click here to download a PDF file that details the kit's contents and how you can get it for FREE! It is available now through the end of May, while supplies last. I think you'll love it!

Still working on getting this "blogging thing" going!

2009-04-16T20:59:00.004-04:00

You know, computer communication is great, but it sure does take time; especially when you are someone who can't let it go until it's ... just... right...! Ha, ha, ha! Anyway, I wanted my blog to be a place to share and display my "Close To My Heart" creations, cards, layouts plus any other "crafty" thing I do. Card making and scrapbooking are just my latest in a long list of crafting likes but it has really gotten me hooked! I do machine embroidery as well with my mom. We have a website of rthat which you can reach via this link: MD's Unique Creations I am also trying to get a "pretty" newsletter going and you can subscribe to it by going to the right hand side of my blog page and entering your email address.

Well, I know its a lot of things to do in addition to my family's going's on but, like a lot of you, crafting provides me a creative outlet and CTMH has given me some beautiful stuff to add on to my love of crafts! That's all for now .... God bless you!

Valentine's Day cards

2009-02-19T12:02:00.004-05:00

Here are pictures of the cards I designed for Valentine's Day this year. I used the stamp sets "Soul Mates" and "Heartthrob."

Welcome to Debbie's Crafting Corner

2009-01-27T14:59:00.002-05:00

Welcome to my blog - my attempt at trying something new in cyberspace! It is my desire to share my creations with you, primarily my new love for stamping, scrapbooking, cardmaking, and other"-ing" that primarily involves the wonderful products from Close To My Heart.