Back from Hawaii - Vacation Day 1 Recap

We've been back from Hawaii for a week today. We returned from the land of sun and sand to unseasonable snow and cold temperatures. I think Washington weather forgets that we are heading into spring. So, I'm holding onto our "warm" memories of Hawaii as long as possible. With Studio J, I'm actually getting this memory scrapbooked right away, I love it!

Day 1 Journaling
Today is our first day in Hawaii, I can't believe we are actually here! We decided to get the lost out of our trip by coming in 3 days  before the CTMH Cruise. Our condo (to the left) is located right on the beach in Makaha. As soon we got our luggage in the room, the boys were out in the sand playing and then we took a fun little hike out to this point that we could see from our patio. 

Could you use a vacation? There is still time to earn CTMH's 2013 Southern Caribbean Cruise and we are having a ROCKIN' special this month for new Consultants. Join in March and receive over $400 in CTMH products for just $99, including a FREE Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge Collection! Already have the Art Philosophy Cartridge? You can swap it out for $100 in select product credit!

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Ends February 29th - Buy a Studio J 5 Pack, Get a 5 Pack Free

Double your layouts with our Five for Free promotion! For each Studio J® 5-pack you purchase this February, you’ll get one free 5-pack. That means you get 10 layouts for just $55—that’s just $2.75 per page, with free shipping!

Studio J 5-packs include everything you need to have 5 two-page layouts (that’s 10 scrapbook pages!) shipped to your door ready for your scrapbook album. Each 5-pack can be redeemed for:
- 5 two-page layouts
- 5 Memory Protectors®
- Free shipping and handling

Whether you’re looking for an affordable gift or a way to save money on your own layouts, Studio J 5-packs offer you convenience and savings. Even if you’re already taking advantage of Studio J’s incredibly low members-only pricing, you’ll save even more when you purchase 5-packs through this special February deal. Keep one for yourself and give one as a gift!

5 LAYOUTS, STEP-BY-STEP : Love the artwork above? Download step-by-step instructions (pdf) for this and other layouts here.

Purchase your Studio J 5-packs and start creating.

*Email all orders over $150 to CreatewithChristine@msn.com to claim Hostess Rewards!

Offer valid February 1–29, 2012. Unredeemed 5-pack codes have no cash value and may not be applied toward any other product purchase. 5-packs are redeemable only once. If the user orders fewer than 5 two-page layouts, remaining layouts are forfeited. See studioj.com/studioj_termsconditions.html for full terms and conditions. Tax may apply.

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Studio J - Baby Love

We've having a fabulous Studio J special this month - Five for Free Promotion! For each Studio J 5-pack you purchase this February, you'll get one free 5-pack. That means you get 10 layouts for just $55 - that's just $2.75 per page, with free shipping!

Whether you’re looking for an affordable gift or a way to save money on your own layouts, Studio J 5-packs offer you convenience and savings. Even if you’re already taking advantage of Studio J’s incredibly low members-only pricing, you’ll save even more when you purchase 5-packs through this special February deal. Keep one for yourself and give one as a gift!

Purchase your Studio J 5-packs and start creating.

Looking for some guidance? Download step-by-step instructions (pdf) for 5 Studio J layouts here.

Awhile back I promised I'd share our the gender of our upcoming arrival - we are very excited to announce that we'll be having a third boy!

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11 Days Left: Rock the Block / Giveaway Extension

Rockin' Specials This Month

There are only 11 days until these specials are no more. Click on the links below for the details on each.

*Scroll to the bottom to for an update on my Party Pennants stamp set giveaway.

Rock the Block  [order now]

Get two new products for just $15: an exclusive My Acrylix Rock the Block E-size stamps set and the My Creations Collage Cube with your qualifying purchase of $25 or more from the Autumn/Winter Idea Book.

Studio J   [create now]

Studio J members score a perfect 10 in January! Members who buy 9 custom-printed Studio J layouts get the 10th free. Not a member yet? Now's a great time to join!

Stamp of the Month  [order now]

With a minimum purchase, get your Stamp of the Month set at a discount!

Party Pennants Stamp Set Giveaway  [enter now]

Enter now to win a free Party Pennants stamp set! *There was an error with the entry form that has been fixed - to make sure everyone who wanted to enter gets the chance, I am extending the giveaway through Weds. January 25th.

If you have any issues with the entry form, please email me at CreatewithChristine@msn.com

 

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Summer has begun! Sample Studio J for FREE

Summer has begun around here. Well, maybe the weather hasn't shown signs of summer, but Conner is out of school and the count down to Close To My Heart Convention has begun. Blogging time has been limited, but I've carved out a few minutes to remind you to get your free sample of Studio J. Until June 30th you can create a layout and download a free jpg of your layout to print if you'd like, post on Facebook,  email, etc.

I know you have photos waiting to be shared!

Get Your Studio J Sample Today
*create a free account to get started

WARNING: Creating your first Studio layout may create an addiction to creating layouts faster than ever before while still enjoying your traditional (paper, scissors, glue) layouts.

You could have this:

Photos sadly lost in folders on your computer...

Or you could have this:

A complete album of your photos to sit proudly on your coffee table (shelf) to share with family and friends and enjoy for years to come! Studio J is so quick that these layouts were all completed in a single day! Plus, I was able to make additional copies for my in-laws and my parents as gifts.

It doesn't have to be SJ or Traditional, the two worlds blend beautifully together.
I added flowers, ribbons and sparkles to the printed version of this layout. 

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Studio J Free for All & 15 Ideas for a Last-Minute Dad’s Day Gift

Thank you for sticking with me during my break. I've been busy working on some top secret artwork for Extravaganza which is as my dear friend Lisa Stenz says "one of the highlights of the Close To My Heart Convention where we have 7 back-to-back, 20 minute, high energy creative classes."

Get a FREE JPG file of your Studio J layout in June! 

Download and save your file so you can post your layout online, email it to family and friends, or print them. Then head over to Close To My Heart's Facebook page and enter their Studio J - Free for All Contest for a chance to win one of three amazing prizes.

If you have a Studio J or a MyCTMH account, just log in and start creating. If you don't have an account, creating one is easy and free. You can access Studio J through my website.

Discover how quick and simple scrapbooking can be with Studio J—and get your FREE JPG layout in Free-for-All June!

* Offer valid June 1–30, 2011. Limit of one free JPG file per account. If you choose to purchase a custom print of your layout or other layouts you create, standard costs including layout price, shipping/handling, and tax, will apply.

15 Ideas for a (Free!) Last-Minute Father's Day Gift
found on the Close To My Heart Studio J Blog

Father’s Day is held on the third Sunday of each June—in 2011, that’s June 19. Do you have a gift idea in mind? Or are you online on June 18 searching for the perfect Father’s Day present, one that is meaningful, enjoyable, and—ahem—cheap? Never fear, we have the perfect idea for a Father’s Day present: a Studio J® layout featuring memories and messages from the heart.

If you order in advance, you’ll have a beautiful 12" × 12" layout to present to him on his big day. But even if you wait until the very last moment, you’re in luck. With June’s Studio J Free-for-All, you can order a JPG file of your layout, and it won’t cost you a dime. What’s more, since the JPG files are delivered electronically, you’ll receive an email soon after you order your layout letting you know that your JPG files are ready to be downloaded. Since no purchase is required to be eligible for your free JPG file, there is no cost to you. But of course, dear old Dad would probably love to have a custom-printed layout to frame and hang on the wall, right?

To get you started, we’ve gathered up twelve different ideas for the perfect Father’s Day scrapbook layout. These journaling prompts can easily be adapted to a grandfather, husband, son, or other father in your life. Add a few photos—they don’t have to directly pertain to your journaling, as long as they capture some element of your relationship with your fatherly loved one—and you’re ready to go!

1. Da-da: Earliest Memories of My Father 
2. Tall Tales: Stories My Dad Tells 
3. Dear Dad: A Letter from Your Kids 
4. Papa’s Particulars: Ten Random Things About My Father 
5. Peas in a Pod: Ways I’m Like My Dad 
6. Daddy Dearest: Nicknames We Use for Each Other 
7. If I’ve Said It Once...: Dad’s Favorite Sayings & Advice 
8. Parenting Lessons from My Father 
9. Father Superior: Why My Dad’s the Best of the Bunch 
10. Aw, Dad! Ways My Dad Embarrassed Me 
11. No Bears Are Out Tonight: Games I Played with My Dad 
12. Love List: Five Things I Love About My Pops 
13. All About My Daddy: Through the Five Senses 
14. Imparting Wisdom: What Papa Taught Me About Life 
15. Favorite Things: What I Think My Dad Likes Best 

Are you ready to start writing? Enter Studio J to create your layout!

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New Close To My Heart Tutorial - Love Your Layout

Recently Close To My Heart released a new program for Studio J called "Love Your Layout." Each month they'll feature a new pattern and show us how to create a stunning layout in just minutes. We were among a lucky few given a preview of Mays episode while at Studio J Bootcamp (a full 2 amazing days of Studio J training for Consultants). I couldn't wait to get home watch the episode again and create my own version. I love how it turned out!

Want to know how to create shadowed text? (see "I love this")

• Use a text/title box to create your desired text.
• Copy and paste text.
• Change text color to a color that will either create a shadow (I used Cocoa behind Bamboo) or make it pop with a brighter color behind if on a dark piece of paper (such as Bamboo behind Cocoa instead).
• Use the arrow keys to nudge the front text to reveal the "shadow/highlight."

Photos by the talented Liz Madsen of Madsen Photography

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Close To My Heart Featured on Creating Keepsakes Blog

Kristine Widtfeldt, one of my many favorite people at Close To My Heart, has an article about my new favorite CTMH tool featured on the Creating Keepsakes Blog. Here is an excerpt of her post:

Raise your hand if you are a busy scrapbooker.

Wow, that’s a lot of hands! I know I raised mine.

I’m Kristine Widtfeldt, Close To My Heart’s Vice President of Marketing, and I’m going to tell you the secret to creating four scrapbook pages, start-to-finish, in just 30 minutes!

I love scrapbooking, but as a working mom of three, my life can get kind of hectic. That’s why I love Studio J®, Close To My Heart’s online design software.

Studio J lets me upload my photos, choose a layout and themed paper kit, and embellish my layout—all in just a few minutes. Then I place my order, and in a few days my 12″ x 12″ layouts are delivered to my door, all ready for my albums. I can do a month’s worth of scrapbooking in just a few hours, and I don’t even have to bother getting my photos printed beforehand! That means I can scrapbook my life as it happens, without falling behind.

I want to share Studio J with you, so at the end of this post I’ll tell you how you can win a free Studio J 5-pack. .... (cont'd)

Click here to read the rest of her article and find out how to win a free Studio j 5-pack.

Then it is time to try Studio J out for yourself, click here to start creating and see first hand why we all all raving about Studio J.

Here are a couple more of my recent Studio J layouts:

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Unlimited Paper, My Stickease & Embellishments with Studio J

Here is one of my favorite layouts from Studio J Bootcamp!

Often I need just one more button, brad, My Stickease or piece of paper in my traditional scrapbooking and need to make another purchase just for that one item to finish my layout. With Studio J, I'll never run out of supplies - the paper, My Stickease, embellishments and everything are all unlimited.

Get your Studio J annual membership for during May for just a little over $5.00 a month 
and save 50% off every layout you order, plus free jpegs, page protectors and shipping!
Find out more...

Technique: filling multiple photo wells with the same photo to create a mosaic/window appearance, layering My Stickease (notice how many diamonds we used, there are only 6 on the printed My Stickease), cropping ribbon so that it looks like it wraps around the paper.

I can't stress enough how easy Studio J is, it really is! But you've heard me say it before, so let me share what one of my customers had to say:

I just tried a sample of the Studio J.....WOW! That was easy! It literally took me like 3 minutes! - Suzanne from Wa

One thing I liked to share about Suzanne, while she LOVES the final results of scrapbooking, she simply is not a scrapbooker. She has limited time as a full time working mom with two active kids. She has been wanting to create layouts to hang on her walls (instead of plain 'ol pictures) and now she'll be able to create those layouts even with the little time she has.

Watch this video and then I challenge you try it out yourself!
Click here to got to Studio J

Get your Studio J annual membership for during May for just a little over $5.00 a monthand save 50% off every layout you order, plus free jpegs, page protectors and shipping!Find out more...

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No paper, scissors or glue required scrapbooking...

Yesterday I returned from Close To My Heart's first ever (and maybe only) Studio J Bootcamp. It was an unbelievable experience. I got more scrapbooking done in just a single day that I have in the last several months. We spent Tuesday learning all about Studio J and you know what, I discovered that the possibilities are endless when scrapbooking the Studio J way.

Over the next week, I will be sharing the many layouts we created showcasing the techniques we learned. Today I will share just a couple...

Remember this layout? Can you believe that this layout uses the same packet? It is called "Take the Cake" and it is an exclusive paper packet for Studio J Members. I already adored this packet, but even more so now.

Technique learned: Paper Ribbons / "Polaroid" pictures

We used the Wings paper packet to create this layout. Really, we did! I know that that kit is full of Juniper and Vineyard Berry. That is just about the coolest thing about Studio J - I can change the paper colors to fit my style!

Technique learned: custom colored paper (adjusting the intensity), shaped embellishments using My Stickease as a template (the cute button heart) and gathered/pleated ribbon.

Bet you wanna try it out for yourself now, hey why not... after all it is free to play and you don't even have to worry about software to down load.  So, go play now...visit my website.

Psst... if you decide that you want to become a Studio J member? Ask me about how you can save $34.50 off the annual membership, discount on every order, and get your albums and some other great freebies and the best membership of all ...being a CTMH Consultant.
 

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Let your Studio J Layouts shine!

Add delightful details to your beautiful Studio J layouts. Self-adhesive clear Sparkles and Opaques Pearls make it easy to get your shine on, and now you can get these adorable accessories FREE! Studio J members get on free package of each for every 10 purchased layotus in a single order.

Check out my completed Studio J layouts - visit my Close To My Heart Fan Page.
While you are there, be sure to "like" my page so you know about upcoming facebook exclusive giveaways, contests and more!

Now see what all the fuss is about first hand, go to Studio J and start creating today!

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Something Funny Happens While Daddy Sleeps - Studio J (online digital scrapbooking)

Before I share my layout, I have to share that this is a BIG day for me! Today marks the end of my FINAL class in my Bachelors of Science: Computer Systems-Web Design program. It has been a very long journey, one that at times I worried I would never complete. I started way back in 2000 before kids and have slowly chipped away at my classes and never gave up. If you have chatted with me any time in the last week, you'll be able to fully understand just how happy I am that it is OVER (well, until I go back for a Marketing degree, lol)!

Now onto my layout...This layout had my hubby cracking up. He swore he wasn't sleeping (while he hadn't seen Blake's face). Proof is in the pictures! I loved that I made him laugh as he relived this moment through my scrapbook page.

Oops! My date is a little off, it was supposed to be January 4, 2011. Easy fix though :)

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My Grandma's House - Studio J (digital scrapbooking)

I've told this story before, but now that I have the pictures scrapbooked I'd like to share it once again. My dear friend and extra special real estate agent, Stephanie Baldwin, took time out of her busy day to walk me through my Grandma's house that was up for sale. My Grandma passed away back in '97 and pretty much all of my memories of her are within this house. I had always wished that I had been in a place to purchase the home. Being just out of high school when she passed away, it was not in the cards. What a treat it was to walk back into "her" home. Even after 13 years, it still felt like Grandma. The owner of the home had change so little.

I have included larger photos of each page, so you can read my journaling easier.

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