Last Chance to get Plenty for Twenty and Retired Items

The Plenty for Twenty campaign ends today and it's also the last chance for you to get the retired items you really want!  Hurry, as of midnight tonight (when you are sipping champagne and watching the ball drop) the offer will end!

Place an order of $20* or more on my CloseTo My Heart website before midnight tonight and you'll be rewarded with a popular, retired D-sized stamp set for FREE!  Talk about getting more for your money - the free stamp set is valued at $22.95!  I'm sure you'll be thrilled with the set that CTMH picks out for you.  You'll also get FREE shipping/handling and tax on your free stamp set.  That's a lot of "Plenty for Twenty!"  Hurry, time is running out, you only have until midnight (Mountain time) to take advantage of this deal!

Grab Plenty for Twenty today by visiting my website and making a qualifying purchase!

Also, don't forget that there are TONS of CTMH products that will be retiring on Friday as well.  Click here to download the 2010 retired list.  Be sure to get your favorites while they last.  Today is the last day that they will be available to you.

*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).

Happy Scrappin'

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas!  I hope Santa is good to you all...

Happy Scrappin'

Even men can paper craft!

I just have a couple of fun pictures to show you today.  I've been gonna post this for a couple of weeks, but just plain forgot about it!

A couple of weeks ago, I got a phone call at work (at break time, of course) from my husband.  He was asking what cardstock from my stash that he could use.  This had me intrigued.  He wouldn't tell me what it was for, just that he 'needed' some for something.  OK, do I have you wondering, too?

Here he is working away.

Remember those paper chains we made as kids in school to count down to Christmas?  Well, he made one counting down to our vacation!  Needless to say, he's watched me work a time or two and had no problem working my paper trimmer or tape runner!  I love it!

Happy Scrappin'

My new favorite cookies...

I was not going to bake anything for Christmas this year (we really don't 'need' it) but I got a bug tonight and decided I had to make at least a couple of things.  My friend Sharon brought these little babies to our Thanksgiving dinner and they are my new favorites!  They absolutely melt in your mouth!

Here is the recipe in case you want to make some, too.  It only makes about 2 dozen cookies, but they are so easy and yummy, it's worth it!

Cinnamon Sticks

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Crisco (I just used all butter)
5 Tbsp. sugar
Cream together and add:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix well.  Roll into about 1 1/2" sticks.
Bake at 350 until lightly brown (10-15 minutes)
While hot, roll in a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Enjoy!

Happy Scrappin'

The top 3 favorite cards I have received this year...so far!

Alright, here they are.  So far, these are the top 3 favorite handmade cards I have received this year.  I absolutely love all the work put into them.  What great artists!

First up is my Mom's card.  She amazes me with her 'over-achieving' work!  I guess the apple doesn't always fall far from the tree!?  Remember this layout I showed you a while back?  That's where Mom got the idea for her card.  She called me up one day and said she had a plan for her card this year but just needed my help in how to make it happen.  We got together, figured out some measurements, and look at what she came up with.  I told you she was talented!

It just goes to show you that whether you are a scrapbooker or a card maker, you can get ideas from each other and make them your own!

Next is my friend Barb from work.  She has really just begun her scrapbooking and card making, but she is a natural and does beautiful work. 

This is the card we made at Krista's party a while back and Barb took the idea and ran with it!  See what happens when you just put your mind to it?  Great job, Barb!

Next is my friend Lynn's work.  Check out her blog here and read her story for yourself.  She made her card using 'scraps' that were leftover from other projects.  What a creative friend she is.  She is also very modest and doesn't think she is creative...let me tell you, she is!

I can't wait to check my mailbox to see what else has arrived!  I love this time of year...getting cards from family and friends (it's a lot better than bills!!)  :)

Happy Scrappin'

240 presents, 360 trees, and 960 sparkles!

That's how many presents and trees I stamped and cut out and how many sparkles I added to one of the trees on my Christmas cards this year!  I am finally done with them and they went out in the mail on Monday.  I don't know where the time is going, but this is later than I have ever gotten them out before!  Maybe what they say about time going faster the older you get really is true!

This is what my Christmas card looks like this year.  If you are on my snail mail list, you should have received it by now.  If not, you'll have to just look at the photo of it, I guess.  :)  It's a simple card this year, but it works for me.

It's hard to see in the pictures, but here is a close up of the sparkles on the popped up tree in the front.

Stay tuned in the next couple of days as I will have to take some pictures of a few of my favorite handmade cards I have received in the mail.  I have been impressed and I'm sure you will be, too!

Happy Scrappin'

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

We are just now getting plowed out and cleaning up after one of the biggest snowstorms we've had in years!  I'm not sure how much of that icky white stuff we got because of all the blowing and drifting, but I would venture to say it was well over a foot!  We have 5' drifts and higher!  What a mess.  My wonderful husband was out plowing most of the day yesterday and by the time he got done, you couldn't even tell he had done anything.  He is in the process of cleaning out our driveway again now.

So, how about a little artwork?  This month's Stamp of the Month, Amore, is sure to put you in a creative mood.  Here is the artwork that I created using this stamp set.

Sale, Sale, Sale.....

Close To My Heart just released a selection of products at a huge discount!  The products can be viewed on my website-  tammyhellstern.myctmh.com.

Some items are up to 90% off.  And... don't forget about the Plenty for Twenty!  If you order $20 or more, you will receive a free $22.95 stamp set or free.

Hurry.... things are sure to go fast.  Also, be sure to check back.  CTMH will occasionally add to this collection of products when we have retired items left in inventory that we know you will love. Because inventory can fluctuate, check my site often to take advantage of these products that are offered while supplies last!
 

Happy Scrappin'

Plenty for Twenty

Have I got a deal for you!  Well, actually, Close To My Heart has a deal for you, but you get to use my website to get it :)

Place an order of $20 or more on my website from now until December 31 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!  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 my website and making a qualifying purchase today!

Happy Scrappin'

My Secret Sister strikes again!

I should have had this posted 2 days ago, but...OK, I have no excuse other than, "I've been busy!"

I came home from work on Wednesday to find a wonderful package from my Secret Sister!  Boy, did I need that.  It had been a long ride home (yes, it snowed again!)  I could not wait to tear into that box.  I bet you are waiting too...how long should I make you wait?

Ok, Ok, alright already, I'll show you!  It was full of all sorts of fun Christmasy stuff.  I do have to warn you, though, that I took lots of pictures!

Just look at the beautiful cards she sent me.

Then there was this tea bag holder card.

And this bag filled with hot cocoa goodies.

The piece of resistance...an adorable mini album.

I hope you enjoyed all that.  Remember, I will be posting pictures of the items I sent to my Secret Sister after our big reveal day in January.  I can't do it now because she might just be stalking my blog in hopes of getting a hint!  Not gonna happen.

Happy Scrappin'

What a great Thanksgiving!

We had a wonderful day yesterday for Thanksgiving.  We made the trek Up North to spend the day with my side of the family.  Now we've been married 25 years and this is probably only about the 3rd or 4th time we've done that!  Usually we spend that day with Dale's side of the family.

It is about a 2 hour drive for us, with the last 10 miles of it the most beautiful.  It is a winding, curvy road through the woods that is just gorgeous.  Here are a couple of pictures I took on the way into the woods.  I know I have posted about this before, but this last 10 miles of road has approximately 75 curves to go around.  I feel like a race car driver every time I travel that road (well, ok, maybe not yesterday as it was too snowy).  Every time I try to count the curves, I end up losing track, but I think 75 is a pretty accurate number :)

We had the big traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy with all the extras (and I mean ALL the extras, plus some!)  If anyone went away hungry, that was their own fault!  I think my favorite is my Mom's pumpkin pie.  Doesn't it look great?  Yes, she goes the extra mile every time she makes a pie and makes them look all 'pretty'!  Maybe Mom is where I get my putsy-ness from (is that even a word??)

It was great to see so many friends that I have not seen in a very long time.  This is the extended "family" from Up North that I practically grew up with.

Art and Sharon are a very special couple that I will never, ever forget.  They are the sweetest and kindest people you would ever want to meet!

I wish I had thought earlier and taken a picture of Den and Peg, but Den left before I even thought about it.  Darn it!  They were like my second set of parents growing up.  I did get a picture wtih their daughter, though!  Kris is a card (just like her Mom).  You will hurt from laughing when spending a day with her!  She has always got a story that will bust your guts!  She is even my downline in this Close To My Heart family!  Love ya, Kris!

Here are the kids (my 3 nieces and Kris' son and daughter).  they were all so good all day.  I think everyone had a great time!

I hope you all enjoyed the day with family and friends like we did!  We sure were counting our blessings!

Are you a Black Friday shopper?  I am not, I am staying nice and warm in my house today, but if you are a bargain shopper, read this post and feel free to give me a call or send an email to take advantage of this deal I have for you!  715-377-6195 or tammyhellstern@myctmh.com

Happy Scrappin'

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

While we have had our share of hardships, we have much to be thankful for!  Today is one of those days that we stop to count all our blessings!

Happy Scrappin'