Crafted by Grace

This month Close to my Heart is cheerfully welcoming in SPRING! We have tons of new products listed at deeply discounted prices at my website: http://rebeccalaird.myctmh.com Just visit Shop Online tab and look for the Discounted Products section! You won't find a better deal. While you're there - you can share a little love with JAPAN. Purchase this stamp set for $5 (retail value $7.95) and the TOTAL goes directly to help those effected by the Tsunami last month. We're not done yet, though! In April, with your qualifying purchase of $50 you will ALSO receive a FREE Level 1 kit ! This is ANOTHER $9.95 value! Besides that, you'll have already earned our Stamp of the Month at HALF PRICE , too! And I can't wait to tell you all about the Studio J giveaways this month - if you are interested in uploading your way to scrapping happiness, this is the month to start! Contact me for more information on all the new deals for members. It's so incredible I had to j...

Happy Spring! It's the equinox, the first day of Spring today ... but it sure looks gloomy outside. Makes me glad to be working with these very pretty new Bliss papers and our March stamp of the month, Sensational Season! Even better, my post includes good news - with every $25 stamp purchase in March, we are offering a FREE acrylic block!! Visit http://rebeccalaird.myctmh.com to find out more. When I see this stamp set, I immediately think of chalking. It is a beautiful, simple way to add soft color to an adorable old friend. Sensational Season has a lot of sweet images to offer! Besides earning a FREE block with your qualifying order this month, you can also double-dip, as always, to get this Stamp of the Month at a discount or free! Happy Spring everyone!!

Watercolor Stamp Technique If you can believe it, it is already the second month of the year 2011. Does anyone else remember when 2000 and 2010 were just science fiction movies??? Here is a card featuring our new SOM ~ Friendship D1453 . I personally love these images stamped all in rows to create beautiful background paper!! Here's something fun you can try: Ink up the stamp in three colors! I used: Hydrangea, Sunkiss Yellow, and Key Lime. Then, before you stamp ... A mist from our new spray pens would REALLY make this pop! If you don't have a spray pen yet (D1380 $3.95, set of 3), you can use a regular spray bottle with a fine mist ... or even try your own breath. Brush first:) February is a FUN month - our Brand New Six Month Idea Book , filled with all kinds of irresistible new papers, stamps and more is now LIVE! And online, there are many new discounted products from our retiring lines of 2010. Big Pink flowers ... Perfect Day paper packs for $5 ... Where do I...

I am really enjoying the new stamp of the month D1452 Find Your Style . There are beautiful little cutout sentiments throughout the stamps. Simply Incredible! For this card I found paper and ink to match the real colors of a bluebird! Indian Corn Blue and Cocoa papers are perfect here with some Free Spirit paper. I then skimmed the Quick Reference pages of our Originals how-to book and found this elegant pattern, On Your Left (pg. 21), which perfectly supports a 3x3 stamped image. I used sponge daubers (z726 $3.95) to add the blush of color on this pretty bluebird. I mixed Hollyhock (Z2128) and Vineyard Berry (Z2157) for the correct bluebird color. Edges are roughed up with our Edge Distresser (Z1297 $2.50), and some are sponged with the matching cocoa stamp pad (Z2114). I know you would enjoy this stamp set, too - especially for FREE! All you have to do is get our workshop on the go, and four other brand new products, which are already on sale, and this stamp set is your...

I have been away from my normal blogging routine for awhile, and am happy now to get back to work! We have a winner to announce!!! As promised, one name from all the online orders placed near the end of 2010 will be drawn to receive a beautiful Close to my Heart prize! The entries are being shaken up now ... Scott is placing his hand in the box .... AND the winner is - - - LISETTE HECKATHORN !!! Lisette has won a FREE stamp set OR Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad of her choice from my inventory! Congratulations!! Thank you to all of you for doing regular business on my web site. Many discounted, retired products have just been added, and new ones are coming along regularly so check back often to see the great deals at http://rebeccalaird.myctmh.com !!