Crafted by Grace

Adding Beautiful Embellishments to your Artwork TWO DAYS LEFT!! I sure have enjoyed sharing my art and my heart with you this month. I am still crazy about Christmas. Though there is a lot of stress and commercialism going on, it still seems to be the one time of year that people stop to think of others, to worship, and to actually make sense. What a precious time of year. Our Craft Challenge today will be all about the Details ! If there is anything I have learned through my Close to My Heart experience, it is how to beautifully finish my work through embellishments. With a few simple touches, we can turn a card into a heart-warming piece of art! Many of the details are free, quick techniques that you can add to any paper crafting project. For instance, the torn edges of the tag (above) add wonderful texture. It is also nice to sponge the edges in coordinating stamping ink to just give it that professional, yet hand-made appeal. Here in this 4 x 4 card, I have also added...

Mini Album Gift! Here's another simple way to put together a thoughtful hand-made gift. I used two or three sheets of cardstock, cut to 6" ... then scored again at 6" vertically, which makes four pages for each half sheet of paper! I used a few coordinating pieces of paper cut to 6" widths inches or heights. Our Level 2 paper packs are a perfect match every time!

Don't Forget the December FREE STAMPS Special - - AND y ou can DOUBLE DIP!!! ALL December orders of $20 or more at rebeccalaird.myctmh.com will automatically qualify you for a FREE stamp set worth $22.95! Even AFTER Christmas, this great sale will apply - but don't miss it - special ends Dec. 31st. Wondering what the free stamps might be? I was THRILLED with my bonus stamps - - D1110, Give Thanks is a Thanksgiving/Pumpkin oriented set was one theme I actually did NOT have! YAY! They even cover the shipping on the stamps:) AND here's the Double Dip - - remember that EVERY ORDER placed on my site through the end of this year, 2010, ALSO qualifies you for my personal contest!! One lucky friend of mine will receive a BEAUTIFUL prize from Close to my Heart - drawing to be held for the New Year 2011. I wont' be entering myself in the contest - - but I just might place another order!

Create an Ornament! Last year I was inspired to make a keepsake ornament using my scrapping and stamping supplies. They turned out really cute so I am sharing them with you! I used our Close to My Heart cardstock - cut into two nesting ovals. Using the scissor distressing technique, or an Edge Distressor, I roughed up the outer edge of the background piece, and punched a hole in the top. On my inside White Daisy oval, I stamped this image from our Childhood Portrait D1373 stamp set. I love the silhouette look for these stamps, so I used black and embossed clear on top for a more lasting, decorator look. Then I added a first and second generation snowflake, topped with Liquid Glass Z679 and a sprinkle of Prisma Glitter. I sponged the edge with Ponderosa Pine to match the background and give it a softer look. To assemble - I placed 5 3-D foam squares on the back of my image piece and attached it to the base. Through the hole I threaded Cranberry grosgrain ribbon - and tied it ar...

Take Time to READ! My Inspiration Challenge to you today is to stop everything and read the Christmas story! Over the years we have accumulated several Christmas books, which I now house in a big basket that used to sit unused in my basement storage! I threw a Christmas towel or cloth napkin to line the basket, hanging over the edges, and fill it with all the Christmas stories. Then it sits, along with all the Christmas stuffed animals people have given us, in a handy corner of the living room for the children to enjoy. Each day we pull out different stories - old copies of The Grinch , Mud Flat, Winnie the Pooh, the 12 Days of Christmas I found at the dollar store. Several of them are beautiful old books I got free as library discards! We enjoy them all. BUT don't forget - the BEST and only story that really matters this season. The Christmas Story. We have several versions from toddler board books with lift-the-flaps, to The Manger Where Jesus Lay, but the bible versions...

Set of Simple Note Cards Want a GREAT last minute gift that you don't need to run to the store for?? Here are five simple note cards you can make using just 2 pieces of cardstock and strips of patterned paper. Our B & T duos work great to add color and texture to your note. Upcycle your scraps! It's easy as 1 - 2 - 3. 1. Begin with one 12 x 12 cardstock, cut at 8 inches horizontally and then cut the large piece into three 4" x 8"strips. The bottom piece should now be 4 x 12 - you can fold this into a triple panel card, or cut off the remaining 4x4 piece to make the standard single fold card base. 2. Add a 1.5" x 4" strip of patterned paper. Using the colors in your strip - random stamp or background stamp the large area of plan cardstock to simply beautify your base. 3. Adhere .25'" from the left side (or from the top - variation). Adhere a strip of ribbon with glue dots - tie a second piece around the first for a simple knot. Add ...

Wouldn't you love to arrange a few minutes of inspiring technique demos with a crafting expert, right in your own home, right when you need it most? Art & Soul is just that! If you have not viewed our online webisodes before, this is my Christmas gift to you today! View this month's show: Art & Soul ~ Stencil, Sparkle and Shine! My favorite features of our CTMH TV shows are their brevity (just a few minutes each!), their quality (excellently done), and their ingenuity ( new ways to use what I already have!) Viewing Tip: If your video feed is halting, there is help! Just adjust to a lower bandwidth setting underneath the little viewing screen, where you read, "Need Help Watching CTMH TV?" Through this feature, I was able to view the show even on my old dial-up connection. Enjoy! Don't let the "I"m stuck" winter blues halt your creativity - tune in to CTMH TV through my site to chase those blues away. There is a complete library of sho...

Today's Inspiration is a tiny vellum "green tea" bag. At first glance, it looks like any other tea bag, but look a little closer and you will find a different kind of "green" inside! I created this idea to give a friend some tea, and to hide a financial blessing within the gift. To create your own vellum green tea surprise - simply cut a strip of vellum the same size as a bag of tea - folding to leave a flap. Cut one corner on an angle. Use the cut piece to measure and cut the opposing corner to match. Sew up side seams. (I used embroidery floss). Attach string and a lovely, personalized tag to resemble the tags on tea ... and you're DONE!

Announcing Plenty for Twenty ~ our Gift to YOU! Free Stamps? YES! PLACE AN ORDER OF $20 OR MORE* at rebeccalaird.myctmh.com from December 1–31, 2010, and we’ll reward you with a popular, retired D-size stamp set for FREE ! Talk about getting more for your money—the free stamp set is valued at $22.95 US/$26.95 CAN! We’re sure you’ll be thrilled with the set we pick out for you. We’re also giving you FREE shipping/ handling and tax on your free stamp set. That’s a lot of Plenty for your Twenty! Grab Plenty for Twenty in December by visiting your Consultant’s MyCTMH website and making a qualifying purchase today! *Excluding tax and shipping/handling. Qualifying purchases must include shippable products (Studio J® layout purchases excluded, Studio J memberships and 5-packs will count toward a qualifying order only if shippable items are also ordered). let me show you how®