MAY SOTM

May Stamp of the Month (SOTM): Cherish the Moment

CTMH Flyers: Studio J & A Miracle Card Kit

                                               Studio J Flyer

Card Kit: A Miracle

Studio J - Questions and Answers

Real Life. Real Scrapbooks. Real Time.™

Close To My Heart’s online design software, Studio J™, helps you easily create two-page layouts using our foundational scrapbook patterns, exclusive color palette, and themed designs all delivered in 12" × 12" custom prints ready for your albums. It’s a snap!

What is Studio J?

Studio J is FREE online scrapbooking software brought to you by Close To My Heart. Studio J helps you easily create custmo-printed two-page layouts using our foundational scrapbook patterns, exclusive color palette, and themed designs all deliverd in 12" x 12" custom prints ready for your albums.


Is Studio J easy to use?

Studio J software is extremely intuitive and easy to use. The program walks you through the five stemps that include:

1. Uploading your photos;

2. Choosing your desired themed kit (think paper pack);

3. Selecting an exclusive layout pattern (these are patterns chosen from the Cherish and Imagine how-to book);

4. Customize by adding photos, embellishments, titles, journaling;

5. Purchase your custom-printed layouts ready to add to a cherished album.


I love Close To My Heart products. Will Studio J use the same great papers, patterns, colors and embellishments?

Of course! And...there are some FUN things you can do too! Like resizing stickers or embellishments - how cool is that!


Do I need to download any software to my computer to use Studio J?

You may have to update a piece of software on your computer...then you'll be able to PLAY! There's no software that you have to purchase. If you can browse the Internet, then you can access Studio J from my website: http://heatherstamps.myctmh.com/.


Can I save what I'm working on and come back to it later?

Absolutely! You'll want to create a customer profile that allows you to save and return to a project in progress at a later time. Your active projects will be saved for up to 90 days...giving you plenty of time to work on them. You extend that timeline for your active projects by 90 days each time you make a purchase, and your purchased projects will remain archived for one full year after purchase.


Do I need a printer that can print 12" x 12" pages to use Studio J?

No. Your Studio J layouts are not available for you to print from a home computer. CTMH takes care of the printing for you. When you purchase your designed layouts, CTMH prints and ships them quickly and directly to you using only top quality printing technology and archival-quality papers.


What is the price?

You are not charged a thing until you place your order for the layouts you designed. You can try all the papers, the embellishments, the stickers and so on to your heart's content...absolutely free of charge.


When you decide to place your order, the price per two-page layout is $12.95. And...CTMH has a GREAT offer for larger orders. You can receive FREE Memory Protectors to protect your layouts in your albums and FREE shipping/handling based on the number of layout prints you purchase in a single order as follows:


For 5-9 Layouts: You'll receive a pack of 5 Memory Protectors FREE!

For 10 or More Layouts: You'll receive FREE shipping/handling PLUS a FREE pack of 5 Memory Protectors for every 5 layouts in your single order.

I LOVE Studio J...is there a way to get a discount?

Yes! If you fall in love with Studio J and want the ultimate in savings...then consider becoming a CTMH Consultant.

Cricut Cake Launch and my Win!

Oh my! I have been out of the loop for a while but I know that I could have sworn on one of the Cake Cook off shows I was watching I saw a Cricut being used.

So last night when I got home from work and having dinner with the fam I religiously got on my computer to check everything out as I usually do, and what do I see on my twitter but something about #cricutcake and it's official launch on HSN with giveaways!

I thought to myself, let me see what Provocraft has done now. I check out HSN and see the Cricut Cake and watch the video and I am floored. I call my Mom in the states without realizing it is 4am there for her, to ask her about this and to tell her she needs to purchase it. She is the baker in the family and already does fab cakes.
As Iwas on the phone with my Mom, I was tweeting, checking out the FB page and sitting on the Circut boards under the giveaways, talk about multitasking!

Can you believe Provocraft chose me as one of the lucky winners! For retweeting, I was so excited, I won the Birthday cakes cartrdige! Woot! 

 Could you believe those cakes from the videos, since I was not able to find HSN for the live launch? WOW! Is all I could say and gee I really need to get back in touch with the cricut board and everything new happening. Although when that  happens I tend to spend more money! I just opened the 7 NEW carts I purchased in 2 months (gasp!)..

Thank you Provocraft and HSN for a wonderful launch and all of the wonderful prizes that were given. Thank you! Thank you! for choosing me as one of the winners, I feel so lucky! I was there with the Gypsy launch all over the place and I will be there for your next launch of whatever that will be!
So... Did you order your cake???

Cricut Cake Give Away by Cuttlebug Challenges & Provocraft

Could you be a lucky winner of a Cricut Cake? Well YES you could!
Check out Cuttlebug Challenges


The prizes are as follows:

Grand Prize Winner: Cricut Cake and Tie the knot Cartridge Donated by Provo Craft, our Sponsor

2nd Prize Winner: Elegant Cake Cart signed by Jinger/Paisley Cartridges donated by Provo Craft, our Sponsor 3

rd Prize Winner: Pink Journey/Straight ...from the Nest Cartridges Donated by PaperPhenomenom



4th Prize Winner: Designer Calendar/ Jubilee Cartridges Donated by Betty Bee Designs



5th Prize Winner: Paper Pack Donated by Celebrity Guest Designer for the month of June, Teresa Collins

How to win? easy!

1.Comment on this post telling us what would you do with the Cricut Cake if you were to be our LUCKY WINNER!!

2. For more chances to win:

a)comments on all the posts from yesterday 'til April 30th.

b)Create a post on your blog or in any forum where allowed,

c)update your Facebook Wall, Twitter about this Giveaway.

3.Become a follower of this blog to be eligible.

Now things to remember.....

Don't forget to leave a link of places you have posted about this contest and become a follower!

7th Grade Math

Ok so it has been almost forever and a day since I have had to look at a textbook and do math problems. My Daughter is trying to catch up on the work missed while we vacationed in Guam annd she is working on calcualting the Percentage Change. Let me tell you what if it was not for the internet and yhaoo search I would be lost alot of times with helping her with her homework. I can tell her the answer but it will not help her I have to figure a way to explain to her how I came up with that answer and this is where the Yahoo search engine comes in for me..

Todays search result was this (search topic: how to calcualte percent change):

Take the old value and subtract it from the new value, then divide by the old value.




Step 2 Multiply by 100. That number represents the percent change.





Step 3 Here's an example:



Brayton School had 16 teachers in 1998. The next year, there were 12. What is the percent change from 1998 to 1999?





Take 16 and subtract 12. That's 4. Then divide 4 by 16. That's .25. Now mulitply by 100 and you get 25. That's the percent change. The number of teachers at Brayton School went down 25 percent from 1998 to 1999.


Isn't 7th grade math wonderful!

Studio J Layouts

Here's a preview of the layouts I did today: (note: I did a screen capture from the layout preview window, the watermarks you see here will not be printed on the layouts)

Guam: Caprice Paper Kit

Sunset Guam: Moon Doggie Kit

Kimono's: Unforgettable Paper Kit

Vacation: Emporium Paper Kit

Girl Scout Volunteer Conference: Moon Doggie Paper Kit

Using Studio J again to create these Digital layouts, faster, easier, simpler this is so much fun choosing papers and pictures. No glue, embellishments to search out etc etc.. this is definitely a new found love I am sure many of my scrapbooks will be digital as well as traditional. I may even try Hybrid scrapping with this program. Keep your eyes peeled for the Hybrid post.  I apologize for the size of the pictures but when I receive them in my hot little hands I will take better photos..

There is no software to purchase and install; instead, simply log in to Studio J and start designing your layouts! You can create and immediately purchase your layouts, or you can save them for up to 90 days in an active folder for later completion and purchase.



No need to fill up your hard drive or use up your RAM. This is an ONLINE program that is FREE to use! You only pay for the layouts you order, and CTMH prints them and sends them right to your door! How's that for convenient?

What is Studio J™?



Studio J™ is free online scrapbooking design software brought to you by Close To My Heart, an industry leader in scrapbooking and stamping products. Studio J helps you easily create two-page layouts using our foundational scrapbook patterns, exclusive color palette, and themed designs, all delivered in 12" x 12" custom prints ready for your albums. It's a snap!

Keep checking back for more information about the launch of Studio J. Visit http://www.studioj.com for more information on studio scrapbooking!

My Vacation in Guam

My first vacation where we did not go and visit family. (Gasp) I know it's hard to believe isn't it? We did it though, 6 nights 7days at the Outrigger Guam, time spent in the pool and on the beach. We each took turns on a different day getting sunburned, lol.. However DH was there for work, had been there for a month prior to our arriving for the 7 days.. We checked out the local Chimorroan Village ate local food, rented pedal boats and I even went snorkeling for the first time ever.

**Side Note**  Soemthing nipped at me and scared the beejebus out of me but I got back out there and looked at all the wonderfully beautiful fish and coral all the while wishing I had an underwater camera or videocam...

Sandy Toes

DH painting my toes.. LOL