This Week In My Happy Planner: January 25-31

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 

When I first saw the new CTMH Stuck On You Stamp Set and matching Thin Cuts Dies in the new CTMH Seasonal Expressions Idea Book I knew I had to have them.  My husband & son had a trip to Arizona planned for this month and I wanted this set to decorate the week in my Happy Planner.
 And of course, I will be using them in my family album when I scrap their trip.

I haven't been doing as much decorating these last few weeks in my Happy Planner - mostly just stamping with either Washi Tape or Shimmer Trim. 

I pulled out some pencil crayons that were left over from when my kids were in school.  The cacti were stamped in CTMH Pear then coloured in.  I stamped the big pot with CTMH Autumn Terracotta (retired) and I used the rock'n'roll technique on the small pots using CTMH Goldrush and CTMH Autumn Terracotta (retired) Exclusive Inks.  The heart was stamped in CTMH Pixie and the sentiment in CTMH Cotton Candy.

On this pot I used CTMH Goldrush Exclusive Ink and the heart was stamped with CTMH Cotton Candy.   

I also used Planner Stamps from Sweet Stamp Shop & Studio L2E on this page. 

In Canada? You can purchase these products on my CTMH website:

http://nancyhelmer.ctmh.com

Or start your own CTMH business for just $149. 

Drag Race Scrapbook Layout with CTMH Urban

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 


Finished a layout this week using the Urban Paper Packet from the current Annual Inspirations Idea Book.

This paper pack is one of the best that I have seen out there for doing masculine layouts - it's got such a variety of patterns and really great colours and doesn't look childish at all.

This is the first layout in my new CTMH Lagoon Chevron Album.  It's been a long time since I bought a post bound album so I used my Hostess Rewards and got it for 50% off.  It is a really nice album, great quality, and the page protectors have the "lay flat" seams so once I have it filled up they will stay flat when opened.  It is nicer than the post bound albums I've seen in the local big box craft store and the price even without the discount is comparable to store prices.

I cut the Gears from the CTMH Artiste Cricut cartridge in Whisper & Slate.  The Speech Bubble was cut from the new CTMH Artistry Cricut cartridge, stamped in Saffron Ink with the coordinating stamp from the Hello, Life stamp set and the edges sponged with Desert Sand Ink. I wrote the date with a CTMH Silver Metallic Marker.  I stamped the small tag with the Hello, Life stamp in Peacock then cut it and used it for at bit of journaling and just tucked it off to the side of a photo. 

I added Whisper Thick Twine along the top of the Saffron patterned paper and stapled the ends with CTMH Mini Staples.   The stars are from the Hello, Life stamp set and were stamped with Peacock Ink. 

I designed my page title in the Cricut Design Space App.  I duplicated the shadow layer of the drag car and welded the words Mission & Races to it.  Then I cut out the Drag Car layers and glued the Colonial White shadow layer over the black one to hide it.  The car is cut from Saffron Cardstock and I distressed both pieces with Desert Sand Ink.   

The Drag Car image is from the Cricut Nifty Fifties Cartridge.  The title is from Cricut Everyday Fonts - Big Day

I used a 4x6 Flip Flap on this page to add in a non-related photo from the same day.  

By adding a 4x6 and a 4x4 Flip Flap to this page I was able to just do one 2 page layout for these photos.

You can see the album post showing to the left in this photo,  I've added in a whole pack of page protectors (25) behind this layout so I will be able to get a lot of layouts into this album.  

Close To My Heart Products Used:

CTMH Urban Paper Packet

CTMH Peacock Cardstock

CTMH Saffron Cardstock

CTMH Whisper Cardstock

CTMH Slate Cardstock

CTMH Black Cardstock

CTMH Colonial White Cardstock

CTMH Peacock Ink

CTMH Desert Sand Ink

CTMH Whisper Thick Twine

CTMH Mini Stapler & Staples

CTMH Silver Metallic Marker

CTMH Artiste Cricut Cartridge (Gears)

CTMH Artistry Cricut Cartridge (Speech Bubble & Tag)

CTMH Hello, Life Stamp Sets (retired)

CTMH Lagoon Chevron Album

CTMH 4x6 Flip Flaps

CTMH 4x4 Flip Flaps

CTMH Memory Protectors Side Load Value Pack

Cricut Cartridges Used:

Nifty Fifties

Everyday Fonts - Big Day

Spectacular Savings on Cricut Explore Air™ Machine and Bundles!

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it's the perfect time to start thinking about making personalized cards and gifts. Instead of cramping up your hand muscles cutting out hearts and cute designs with clunky scissors, save yourself time and elevate your design by using a Cricut Explore Air. Without a doubt, this is the best crafting device available. 

It's not only versatile and easy to use, it's also on sale right now at Cricut! You'll be able to get:

✂ $50 off the Cricut Explore Air 

✂ $129.95 off the Cricut Explore Air™ Machine + Deluxe Starter Set

✂ $138.94 off the Cricut Explore Air™ Machine + Ultimate Machine Set and 

✂ $257.78 off the Cricut Explore Air™ Machine + EVERYTHING Starter Set

The Explore Air Machine's Bundle of Benefits

With the Cricut Explore Air™, you can cut over 60 different types of material, including paper, fabric, plastic and vinyl to name a few. The Explore Air also features Cut Smart™ technology, which allows you to cut a wide range of shapes and sizes with exceptional precision, from ¼" tall up to 11½" wide x 23½" tall. 

This Cricut Explore machine is called the Air because it has built-in Bluetooth® capability. This means you can use Cricut’s free iPad app and design anything you want from your iPad, just like you would on your home computer, but with the convenience of being able to take your projects with you anywhere. Then, you can just wirelessly send your project from your iPad to your Explore Air to bring it to life.

While the Cricut Explore Air is impressive on its own, purchasing it with one of Cricut's bundle offerings makes it even more valuable. Each bundle comes with different accessories that allow you to expand your creativity and make your crafting projects even more simple and fun to create. Plus, by purchasing your Explore Air with a bundle, you're able to save a bundle in the process! 

This Week Only at Cricut: $9.99 Cartridges & 30% Off Valentine's Day

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 

Free Shipping on all orders of $50+.
Enter JANUARYSHIP at checkout.

$9.99 Cartridge Sale
Save on select titles through 1/26

30% Off Valentine's Day Cartridges
Show your love with DIY cards, party decor and more

Cricut Explore Air Bundles
Save on the ultimate DIY cutting machine and all the essentials

Stock Up and Save
Save on supply bulk sets

The Best Value & Variety
For $9.99/month, get unlimited access to over 30 000 images, projects, and fonts

Free Cut of the Week: Elegant Edges

25% Off Photography Fundamentals Classes at CreativeLive

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

If you set a resolution to learn more about photography in 2016, or you simply want to get some fundamentals under your belt, CreativeLive has the classes for you! Now through January 31st, you can get 25% off photography fundamentals classes at CreativeLive!

Master the fundamentals of photography and sign up for a class today!

Also, be sure to check out the free Scrapbooking, Paper Crafts, Stamping and More Workshop by Close To My Heart on CreativeLive.

Design Space App How-to & Sizing Cheat Sheet for the New All Occasion Box Cards Cricut Cartridge

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.


 This morning I made the Thanks A Bunch Card from the new All Occasion Box Cards Cricut Cartridge that was released earlier this week.  The cartridge is by Lori Whitlock and has 30 All Occasion Cards with coordinating envelopes.

 It was pretty easy to put together once I adjusted the sizing in my Design Space App.   All the images needed for each card are grouped together - including the envelope.

I have a few other cartridges that come like this so I thought I would put together a How-to for re-sizing with the Design Space App.

 The handbook has this card sized at 5.5 inches high.

Here's the project right after I selected it in Design Space.  It came in really small and the measurements shown are for all the items grouped together not the card base. 

Leaving everything grouped together, I opened the layers panel and started hiding all the pieces that I didn't want. 

  The layers panel to the right shows everything hidden except for the card base.  

By selecting the edit icon, I can see the current size of the card base.   

Here I've changed the height of my card base to the 5.5 inches shown in the handbook. 

Opening the layers panel again, I bring back all the images that I had hidden.  

Here is the final size of the grouped project.

I can see by the guidelines that my card base is sized correctly at 5.5 inches tall. 

I assembled the flowers and Mason jars then folded the piece by following the picture in the assembly section of the handbook.    This is a really new cartridge (I bought the digital version) and the only place I ran into a bit of trouble was the front flower stems.  I had to cut the bottom piece in order to line up my stems, it was just a bit too wide. Then I covered it with another strip of green even though it gets hidden.   The actual size of the stems was perfect so I figured it was just a bug in the software and Cricut will update it when they catch it.  

The instructions were pretty easy to follow - if I was going to do this card again I would cut an extra tall piece of patterned paper to cover the back too.   You can also add additional items if you like the box to be really full.  There are tons of great box card ideas on Pinterest.

The box folds flat to fit into the envelope.  

Perfect fit!

Finished card and envelope - I added a bit of bling to the heart on the Mason Jar.  

I love how it turned out - such a fun cartridge!

Here is a Sizing Template for the All Occasions Box Cards for Design Space.  

 If you look at the size for this card you will see that it is exactly the same size that I ended up with after going through the steps.    You can use the steps above for any card in Design Space that includes an envelope - that way your images stay sized together and if you are using an SVG that isn't from Cricut you might not have a handbook or instructions to go with it.

Products Used In This Project:

Pink Paislee - Hello, Sunshine floral patterned paper

Rhinestone from my stash

Close To My Heart Products Used:

Ruby Cardstock

Hollyhock Cardstock

Canary Cardstock

Glacier Cardstock

White Daisy Cardstock

In Canada? You can purchase these products on my CTMH website:

http://nancyhelmer.ctmh.com

Or start your own CTMH business for just $149. 

 Receive regular updates of upcoming Classes & Workshops 

by signing up for my Monthly Newsletter.  Link in right-hand column.

Discounted Holiday Expressions Items

If you love shopping the deals after the holidays are over, then we’ve got great news for you: We have now made several of the items from our Holiday Expressions idea book available at a 40% discount while supplies last!


Get great deals on festive Base & Bling charms and style sheets, the Cut Above™ Deck the Halls card kit, the Nevermore paper packet, complements, and assortment, the Picture My Life™ White Pines scrapbooking program, and more!

White Pines Picture My Life

Base & Bling Jolly Holiday Style Sheet

Nevermore Paper Pack

Nevermore Complements

Nevermore Assortment

Find these and other items on the While Supplies Last shopping menu on my CTMH website.

This Week In My Happy Planner: January 4-10

We had some snow at the beginning of this week, just a light dusting, but my dogs had fun in it and I figured it was a good theme for starting off the New Year in my Happy Planner.

This is the first week that I have switched over to the new CTMH Everyday Life planner for my CTMH Business.  I was finding that there was stuff that I wanted to keep track of in my Happy Planner but didn't have enough space.  I have divided the last box into three so I can keep track of my dog training and record what we've done and for how long.  

I used some Recollections paper scraps that I had leftover from making pocket scrapbooking cards (post here), with some CTMH White Shimmer Trim and some EK Success Snowflake stickers that I got at Michael's.  

I used SU Brocade Blue Ink (retired) for my stamping.  

These stickers are really pretty - they are vellum and have some shimmer to them.

Sweet Stamp Shop (non-affiliate links)

Plan Pet

Plan To Clean

Studio L2E (non-affiliate links)

Financial Plans

List It

Last Week In My Happy Planner with CTMH Charlotte

Last week was the first time in a while that I was able to take some time and decorate my weekly spread.  I had been working on the new Charlotte Workshops Your Way layouts and used some of my scraps with the coordinating inks.

I kept it pretty simple - just a few pieces of cardstock and a little bit of shimmer trim.

 I love this stamp from Sweet Stamp Shop - I inked it first in Champagne ink, then inked just the top area with Sorbet (always ink your lighter colour first so you don't transfer dark ink onto a light ink pad)

Sweet Stamp Shop (non-affiliate links)

Love Life Stamp

Plan Pet

Plan To Clean

Studio L2E (non-affiliate links)

Creative Plans

Financial Plans

List It

Close To My Heart Products

Charlotte Paper Pack

Champagne Ink

Sorbet Ink

Black Shimmer Trim

In Canada? You can purchase these products on my CTMH website:

http://nancyhelmer.ctmh.com

Or start your own CTMH business for just $149. 

 Receive regular updates of upcoming Classes & Workshops 

by signing up for my Monthly Newsletter.  Link in right-hand column.

Cricut January Mystery Box

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. 

Get 10% off everything, excluding subscriptions, and free shipping at Cricut.com with code HAPPYCRAFTING

 January Mystery Box

Mysterious Part: the contents

Non-mysterious Part: This is a really amazing value. Stock is very limited. All Mystery Box sales are final.

$139.95 $39.99

CTMH Charlotte Workshops Your Way

With today's launch of the new Seasonal Expressions Idea Book comes a new Workshop Program called Workshops Your Way.

It's a little different than the current Workshops on the Go Program.

This new program includes all the supplies needed to make three 12x12 layouts, one Picture My Life Pocket Scrapbooking Layout and nine cards. The instructions are available to download from my CTMH website.

 There are also coordinating My Acrylix Stamp Sets and the new Thin Cuts dies available separately for each kit.

This is the Charlotte Workshops Your Way Kit, it comes with this gorgeous patterned cardstock, some solid cardstock and a bunch of accessories, including some gorgeous black ribbon with gold running through it.

No ink or stamps needed to complete the scrapbook layouts.

The card instructions show the new Springtime Wishes Stamp Set &  Springtime Wishes Thin Cuts   metal dies.

This is the first layout from the Charlotte Workshops Your Way Kit.  It was perfect for my cousin's wedding reception photos.  Too bad I had forgotten my camera at home and didn't get any of the outdoor ceremony.  

Since I didn't have many pictures to choose from I added an extra Picture My Life Card and will probably add a Cricut cut with a title on that upper floral spot.  

The journaling card is also one of the Charlotte WYW Picture My Life cards.  

This is the coordinating Springtime Wishes Stamp Set which is available separately.  I'm happy they decided to offer it like that sometimes I have wanted just the stamp set and not the whole Workshop Kit. 

This is exciting!! We now have coordinating metal dies!  

They come in the same packaging as our stamp sets but are on these great magnetic sheets.

I'll admit it - I have spent the same amount on my Big Kick and all the plates and platforms as I did for my Cricut Explore.  I used my magnetic platform for the first time cutting out the new Thin Cuts. 

I will probably be using it a bit more with these new Workshops. 

I stamped my images first with Archival Ink then ran them through the Big Kick.

I used CTMH Watercolour paints on them but you can also use and Ink Pad with a sponge dauber and get really nice soft colour on the cut pieces.   

 These are the three cards from the Charlotte Workshops Your Way Instructions.  

I had enough scraps left to do the nine cards and a little bit more.  

If you added in some extra solid cardstock you could really stretch out the patterned cardstock and make a lot more layouts or cards.  

Consultant January Special!

This month I am offering an exclusive Consultant Special - a 10% discount for anyone who orders the new Charlotte Workshop Your Way Kit (G1104) the Springtime Wishes Stamp Set (C1641) and  Springtime Wishes Thin Cuts (Z3201) - a savings of $6.53!

Local customers ordering directly with me will have the 10% taken off at the time of their order. 

Online Canadian customers will be reimbursed by me for the $6.53 once your order has been processed.

This Introductory Special is only available through me and is not a Close To My Heart offer. 

In Canada? You can purchase these products on my CTMH website:

http://nancyhelmer.ctmh.com

Or start your own CTMH business for just $149. 

 Receive regular updates of upcoming Classes & Workshops 

by signing up for my Monthly Newsletter.  Link in right-hand column.