Earn a FREE Monogram Stamp Today

Because I'm such a huge fan of these cute monogram stamps, I'm giving the next 10 people who place an order on my website a FREE monogram of your choice.  Simply use the Secret Santa Sale link to place your order, and then email me your stamp choice.  If the Secret Santa party earns hostess rewards, you will be entered into a drawing to earn more FREE product just for placing an order!  I look forward to being one of Santa's elves and giving away 10 FREE stamps!  Good luck!

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LOAD #3

Our trip to Italy this summer was so fantastic!  This was the first time that my husband and I got to travel alone with my sister and brother-in-law.  We had some great experiences on our vacation, but the best part of the trip was spending time together!  We celebrated my sister's birthday in Athens and my brother-in-laws birthday in Rome.  As Neal and I called this our honeymoon, we also celebrated our 22 anniversary...even though we were married in May...LOL!  All good things come to those who wait...right?

As you know, I'm doing the LOAD Challenge this month, and today's prompt took us to this color combination on The Play Date Cafe.  I really like that the Studio J Express Kits allow me to substitute color in the paper and other embellishments, because I was able to add a bit of Barn Red to my layout.  I think the muted version of these colors really make my photos pop off the page.  It makes me so happy!

I can't wait to get these layouts printed and into my albums.  I want to share the excitement with you, too, so watch my blog for more details on how you can win a free Studio J 5-pack (including shipping and page protectors)!

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Remembering & Grab Bag Giveaway

Memorial Day reminds us to take pause and give thanks for the men and women who serve our country.  Many of my family members have served and are still serving today.  This layout commemorates my most recent visit to my father's grave in Arlington National Cemetery.  

I'm spending my day scrapbooking the memories that matter most, and I want to share this amazing hobby with you.  Starting today through the 31st, if you place an order on my website, you will receive a grab bag of CTMH goodies from me! 

• Spend $10-24.99 and earn a $5 grab bag of embellishments.
• Spend $25-49.99 and earn a $10 grab bag of embellishments.
• Spend $50+ and earn a $50 grab bag of embellishments, papers, and stamps!

I'm cleaning up the craft room and making way for new product, so this is good news for you!  Also, don't forget that when you spend $35 from the current Idea Book, you may purchase the Dotty for You kit for $5.  Spend $50 and purchase the SOTM for $5.

This Memorial Day Grab Bag Giveaway will end at 11:59pm MST on May 31st, so visit my website today! I'll send your grab bag goodies on June 1st.

Speaking of June 1st, that is the start of the CTMH Stampaganza...buy 2 stamps and get 1 FREE!  I suggest you purchase paper, inks, embellishments, albums, page protectors, tools, Etc. this month and wait to purchase your stamps next month for the special deal!

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Celebrate March with Buy 2 Get 1 FREE!

In addition to launching my new website, I’ve added some fabulous members to my team this month, so I am in a celebratory mood.  I want to celebrate March by offering you a special found only on my website.  Buy 2 stamp sets using this link, and I will send you another stamp set of equal or lesser value for FREE! 

You only have a week to take advantage of this special, so don't delay.  You must also follow these instructions to receive your FREE stamp sets directly from me:

1)  Place an order on my website for 2 or more stamp sets.  No Limits!  For every 2 stamps you order, you will qualify to receive 1 free from me!

2)  Email me to let me know which stamp set(s) you would like for FREE.  They must be of equal or lesser value than the stamps you purchased on my website.  Do not place the free set in your cart or you will be charged for it and I can't alter your order once it is placed on my website.

3)  I will send you your free stamp set(s) in a separate order!  Please remember that this offer is only available through Amy Ulen and is not a Close To My Heart corporate special.  This is just me sending my love back out to all you awesome crafters!

Now, a free stamp set is nice, but a FREE Art Philosophy Cricut Collection is even better!  When you sign up to become a consultant before March 31st, CTMH will give you the added bonus of a FREE Art Philosophy Collection or a $100 shopping spree!  There has never been a better time to join my Studio Scrapping team.

Just think, you could buy a full year membership to Studio J with that $100 shopping spree!

Both of these deals expire at 11:59pm MT on March 31st, so act fast!

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Studio J 5-Pack Winner

I’m so excited to start this holiday season by giving away a FREE Studio J 5-Pack!  Watch this video to see if you are the lucky winner.  If you missed the chance to enter the giveaway, be sure to subscribe to my blog, Facebook page, and/or Twitter feed so that you don’t miss my next big giveaway!

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Why I’m Thankful for Studio J #30—Member Benefits

I spent this month sharing with you some of the reasons why I’m thankful for Studio J. On the last day of the month, I’m working on finishing up my layouts so that I can enjoy one of the perks of membership…free shipping! I love that I only have to purchase 4 layouts to receive free shipping but can fit as many as 20 in one box. That’s 40 pages for my albums and I don’t have to pay a cent for shipping. Woo hoo!

Today is also the last day to sign up for my Studio J 5-Pack giveaway by leaving a comment on the blog post that started this entire series, 30 Reasons Why I’m Thankful for Studio J. I will post the winner tomorrow evening!

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #29--Warning Symbols

I'm thankful that Studio J gives me warning symbols when I'm using low quality photos.  When I try to resize a photo that doesn't have a high resolution, Studio J pops up the yellow warning sign.  I'm even more thankful for the fact that I can simply ignore the warnings and that they won't print on my final layout.  Sometimes I don't mind having a blurry photo on my page because it tells a story.  In this example, the images on the right were a screen capture from a TV station aired over the Internet...it's not surprising that the quality is low.  Yet, I'm still going to use the photos, because it is a record of my brief experience on Star Trek: Enterprise!

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).  With only 1 day left, your chances are really good as there are only 19 comments on that post, so hurry up and click on over there!

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #28 ~ Photo in Multiple Wells

Studio J gives us lots of ways to create visual impact with our favorite photos.  A fun technique involves placing the same photo in multiple photo wells to create an enlargement of the photo.  In the Grill Masters layout, I love the focal photo of my husband showing off pans of freshly seasoned beef.  Yet, the story is really about how he and my brother-in-law were in a grilling cook off.  I wanted their photo to carry almost equal weight as the focal photo, so I placed it in four different photo wells to create an "enlargement."  The steps to accomplish this are really easy:

1)  Select the photo you want to "enlarge" and drop into one of the photo wells.
2)  Increase the scale until the "ghost" image covers all four photo wells.  My photos are at 220%.
3)  Move the first photo into place and repeat.
4)  Once all four photos have been resized, you are able to move them around by grabbing the hand/move icon in the middle of the photo.  A "ghost" image will appear that will allow you to line up all four photos.  It helps to zoom way in so that you can really see what you are doing.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).  With only 2 days left, your chances are really good as there are only 19 comments on that post, so hurry up and click on over there!

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Why I’m Thankful for Studio J #27—Changing Paper Colors

Like I showed you yesterday, Studio J gives me lots of creative control.  In classic scrapbooking, if my photos don’t match the paper, I have to turn my photos black and white or sepia.  Not so with Studio J!  In Studio J, I can change my background paper to fit the color of my photos!  I have the entire Close To My Heart color palette to play with…that’s 60 colors!  Now, the only limitation is that we can’t change the color of My Stickease, but with so many other embellishments available to us, I don’t see this as a problem at all.  I would love to see the layouts you create on my Facebook page, so be sure to upload your favorites and show me how you changed the color of the paper on your layout!

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).  With only 3 days left, your chances are really good as only 16 people have left comments on that post, so hurry up and click on over there!

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #26--Creativity

I've talked about how amazing Studio J is when you are short on time or new to scrapbooking.  It really can be as easy as dropping in photos, coloring embellishments, adding a title and journaling.  Yet, Studio J also lets our creativity shine when we have more time to spend.  For instance, last night I decided that I wanted to learn how to make graph paper in Photoshop, so I did!  I used the RGB codes for a Colonial White background and Chocolate grid to create my custom graph paper that will match the CTMH papers in Studio J.  As I look at it now, I wish I would have added a little distressing, but luckily I can do that in Studio J.

So, after creating the paper, I thought about a layout I had seen on page 24 of the November/December 2011 edition of Creating Keepsakes.  I loved the circles that were cut out of the paper.  I did the same on my graph paper and put a little drop shadow behind the circles.  I figured out which photos I wanted to use and created my photo mats.  You can download the layered Photoshop file under my Freebies tab and watch this video to see how to add your own photos.

I really want to see what you create with this file (and my other Freebies!), so please post your completed layout to my Facebook page!

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).

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Why I’m Thankful for Studio J #25—Layers

Like our classic layouts, Studio J lets us layer papers and embellishments to create clusters that enhance the visual impact of our layouts.  The key to successful layering is the right-click button on your mouse!  Right clicking allows you to send items to the front or back of your layout.  You may also send items forward or backward one layer at a time.  It often takes many right-clicks to send items forward or backward, so it does take a bit of patience.  This video tutorial gives you a quick example of layering in Studio J.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog postto have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #24--Everyday Life

I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving with your families and friends!  I spent a fantastic day with my husband and our dear friends, Jan and Eric.  These are the moments that fill my albums--holidays, vacations, and special events.  I rarely took the time to scrapbook everyday life until Studio J.  Now I feel free to tell the stories that matter the most.  I hope you will take some time to scrapbook about your everyday life.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog postto have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #23--Studio J Art Department

I'm really thankful that Close To My Heart has such amazingly creative people working in their Art Department.  I so look forward to scraplifting the layouts they post on the Studio J blog, Studio J splash page and in the Idea Book.  The Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book includes a Studio J layout for every paper pack...I love that!

By scraplifting these darling layouts, I not only get great pages for my albums, I often learn a new tip or technique.  Here is one of my favorite scraplifts from page 11 of the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book.

Today, they posted the "An Attitude of Gratitude" layout on the Studio J blog, and I can't wait to scraplift it this weekend!  I have been wanting to try the Honeycomb pattern, so this is a perfect time to create an awesome layout celebrating all the blessings in my life.

Notice the cute ribbon technique?  I'll share a video tutorial on that later this weekend.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog postto have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #22--Photo Distressing

Have you ever wished you could distress the edges of your photos in Studio J?  Through the magic of text boxes, you can!  Simply add an empty text box on top of your photo and drop in the distressing.  You can give your photos a subtle border or age them by applying sanding or stubble.  At the Close To My Heart Studio J Boot Camp, the fantastic teachers taught us how to create our own background paper by placing My Stickease on cardstock and then layering a text box with stubble distressing on top to blend the two. This is one of my favorite techniques, so here is a quick tip video to help you start distressing your photos today!

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog postto have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #21 ~ Fun with Ribbon

It's so easy to create flowers out of ribbon tabs in Studio J.

Simply click on the Ribbons menu under Embellishments and choose your favorite color.

Scroll down to the flat knot and drag onto your project.

Drag another flat knot onto the first and rotate it slightly.

Continue this process until you have a flower!

You can place a My Stickease on top to finish off the look like I did here or add other embellishments such as buttons or brads.

As you can see, this is a quick and easy way to add a lot of impact to your Studio J layouts.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #20--Customizing Patterns

I love the 63 patterns that are currently available to us in Studio J.  Some of the patterns can be found in Jeanette Lynton's How-To books, but some are exclusive to Studio J.  We can sort the patterns based on the number of photos we have and rotate or swap the patterns to get a variety of looks.  Yet, through the magic of text boxes, we can customize our patterns even more!  Watch this quick tip video to see how you can give a "busy" layout a linear look.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).  As of today, we only have 13 comments on that post, so your chances of winning are really good.

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #19--Family Scrapping

I met with one of my friends and her husband and kids last night to talk about Studio J.  We logged in, started a new project, uploaded a few photos, and created her first layout.  As I was leaving, I told her husband that I expected to see a layout that he created the next time I come over.  I really wasn't joking!  Studio J is perfect for the entire family.  It is neither gender nor age specific.  Studio J is ideal for anyone who takes digital photos and wants to preserve the moments of their lives.  Studio J makes it so easy to archive our photos and record our memories.  The bonus is that we get REAL scrapbook pages in return!

Please leave a comment on this post letting me know about the non-scrapbookers in your life who have tried Studio J.  Better yet, post their layouts on the Studio Scrapping Facebook page!

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping).  As of today, we only have 13 comments on that post, so your chances of winning are really good.

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #18--Hybrid Pages

Studio J is such a fantastic design studio for my hybrid pages!  Nine times out of ten, I know that I'm going to add some form of bling to my Studio J layouts.  I simply design the layout with all the digital elements in place, and then I make a copy of the layout into a "print" project on Studio J.  I remove any of the digital elements that I know I'm going to replace with my classic supplies.  By making a copy of the project, it will allow me to go back to the original design so that I can remember where I want to put the ribbon, brads, buttons, pearls, My Stickease, and more.  Did I mention sparkles?!  I love adding all of our assorted colors of sparkles to my Studio J layouts, but I'm particularly fond of the Bitty Sparkles!  Can't get enough of them on my hybrid layouts!  Here are some close up photos of the bling I added to the Studio J layout above.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping)!

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #17--Exclusive Content

I'm thankful that Close To My Heart provides exclusive content for Studio J users and members.  We have access to kits that can only be found in Studio J.  Some of these kits are for members only, but there are also several that may be used by anyone.

Log in to Studio J today and try it for FREE; I can't wait to see what you create!  

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping)!

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Why I'm Thankful for Studio J #16--Retired Kits

You know how sometimes you love a paper packet so much that you simply can't cut into it?  When the line retires, it feels a bit like losing an old friend, so you buy as much as possible and then hold on to it for dear life?  No?  Maybe it's just me!

Honestly, that is how I felt about Giggles & Grins.  It was one of the first kits I ever purchased as a CTMH customer.  I love theme parks, so I used it for a lot of Disney layouts.  When it retired, I grabbed up as much of it as possible and have been holding on to it since then.  You can imagine my delight...and, frankly, relief when CTMH released the kit in Studio J!  I no longer have to horde my Giggles & Grins paper because I can use it as much as I want on Studio J!

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway blog post to have a chance at winning a FREE Studio J 5-Pack (includes 5 layouts, page protectors, and shipping)!

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