Merry Christmas from the Pedersens!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!  We hope your year has also been full of people to love and memories to cherish. We share our witness that Jesus is the Christ.  We testify that he lives and loves each one of us individually. He cares about the details of our lives and is there to lift us when we are low, comfort us when we are troubled, and joy with us in our happiness. We celebrate Him and His infinite gift this Christmas Season.

The Pedersen Family

Handcrafted Holidays Blog Hop - Holiday Blocks for All Year Round

Do you remember not that long ago when I participated in an over-the-top blog hop featuring products from the new Close To My Heart holiday gift guide? Well, that hop was such a success that we decided to do it again, this time with ideas for home decor and gifts for the holidays. We've even added a couple new artists that I'm sure you'll love!

Welcome to our Handcrafted Holidays Blog Hop! We are thrilled to share some of our ideas for the holidays.  If you have come here from Lynn Como's blog, you are on the right path. This blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you'll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

For my project, I decided to use four (4) of our fun and inexpensive My Creations Blocks (only $3.95 each, approx 3" square) to create words to use for holidays all year round. Since we all know that cubes have 6 sides,  I knew that I had the potential of creating 6 different words that could be used throughout the year.  You can see them all below.  

I will be offering this project as a kit soon so stay tuned here on my blog next week for more details.

Now hop on over to Lisa Stenz's blog to see her work!  Be sure to visit all of the Close To My Heart Consultants in the hop to get some great crafting ideas.  Contact me or shop directly from my website to get your products for your holiday projects today.

Some of the products I used to create this fun project are:

My Creations® Block	Cricut® Art Philosophy Collection	Green Glitter Paper	Brown & Tan Glitter Paper	Black & Grey Glitter Paper
Enchantment Cardstock Combo Pack	Adventure Cardstock Combo Pack	Whimsy Cardstock Combo Pack	12" X 12" White Daisy Cardstock	Green & Blue Epoxy Bubbles
Pink Glitter Gems	Sparkles Clear Assortment

InLinkz.com

2 Simple Christmas Cards Made with the Scandinavian Wishes Stamp Set

4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Scandinavian Wishes Holiday Cards

 Hello!  If you go by what you see in the stores, Christmas must be right around the corner. Right?  Well, there ARE 2 months left to prepare but the cool thing about getting going on Christmas right now is that there is not nearly as much rush when Christmas time REALLY arrives. For that reason, I'm glad that this month's Stamp of the Month is one that allows us to be organized and get ahead for the holiday season. Scandinavian Wishes is a holiday themed set with a touch of Scandinavia. Beautiful!

You can get one of these sets for only $5 with every $50 you spend (before shipping and tax).

Here are some of the great products (with links to my website to purchase them if you'd like) I used to create these  quick and simple cards.

Scandinavian Wishes Colonial White Cardstock Slate Cardstock Lagoon Cardstock Smoothie Cardstock 5 1/2" X 4 1/4" Colonial White Cards & Envelopes, Value Pack Smoothie Stamp Pad Slate Stamp Pad Baker's Twine Paradise Assortment Filigree Charms

InLinkz.com

Holiday Gift Guide Artwork Blog Hop - Christmas Projects

Welcome to our Holiday Gift Guide Blog Hop! We are thrilled to introduce you to the BRAND NEW products from our Close To my Heart Holiday Gift Guide, available October 15-December 31 (or while supplies last). I am very honored to have been invited to be part of this hop because as you'll see as you hop from one blog to another, this little hop is full of great artists!  If you have come here from the fabulous Brenda Rose's Blog (I'm also VERY proud to say that she is one of my downline), you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you'll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

It's super simple to hop along with us. Just click on the link at the end of each blog post to move to the next one.

Here we go....

For my projects, I decided to make a set of items that use the Christmas tree from the cute "Trim the Tree" (only $6.95) stamp set. I also love that we have coordinating Sparkle Holiday Shapes that add the perfect extra bit of sparkle to your projects. I chose to create a border with the tree by alternating it in a line right side  up, then upside down.  I did that with my Slate Stamp Pad and then added one tree in a pop of color (either Ruby or Juniper).  I also created the background paper on these projects by using the "Holiday Cheer" stamp from the Season's Tweetings Gift Bag Kit (this kit includes the stamp set, 6 fabric gift bags and 9 die cut tags for only $14.95!). All of the stars on the trees were stamped with Honey ink. I have included complete supply lists for each of the projects following the photos, including links right to the products on my website for your convenience.

You can purchase any of these projects on my website.  You can also view the Holiday Gift Guide page by delicious page here.  Don't forget that for every $100 order (from the Gift Guide, the current Autumn/Winter 2013 Idea Book, or a combination of the two), you get to choose one of the products in the gift guide with a star next to it FREE! Cool beans!

Ruby Tree Card (5 1/2" x 4 1/4")

Juniper Tree Card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2"):

12" x 12" One Page Layout:  Sour Cream Sugar Cookies (this will go in a family recipe scrapbook I've been working on.  I've even included a detail close-up shot of the recipe for the cookies and frosting for you to use yourselves!):

Gift Tag:

Close To My Heart Products used on each project:
Ruby Card: Trim the Tree Stamp Set, Season's Tweetings Gift Bag Kit {stamp set}, White Daisy Cardstock, Ruby Cardstock, Slate Stamp pad, Ruby Stamp Pad, Honey Stamp Pad,  Sparkle Holiday Shapes, Keyboard Kraft Alphabet, Scalloped Border Punch, Round Sponge, 3D Foam Tape 
Juniper Card:  Trim the Tree Stamp Set, Season's Tweetings Gift Bag Kit {stamp set}, White Daisy Cardstock, Juniper Cardstock, Slate Stamp pad, Juniper Stamp Pad, Honey Stamp Pad,  Sparkle Holiday Shapes, Keyboard Kraft Alphabet,  Scalloped Border Punch, Round Sponge, 3D Foam Tape
Layout:  Trim the Tree Stamp Set, Season's Tweetings Gift Bag Kit {stamp set}, White Daisy Cardstock, Ruby Cardstock, Cashmere Cardstock, Slate Cardstock, Slate Stamp pad, Ruby Stamp Pad, Honey Stamp Pad,  Sparkle Holiday Shapes, Sparkle and Shine Complements Dimensional Elements, Keyboard Kraft Alphabet, Scalloped Border Punch, Corner Rounder, Cork Color Ready Alphabet {retired}, Round Sponge, 3D Foam Tape
Tag: Trim the Tree Stamp Set, Season's Tweetings Gift Bag Kit {stamp set}, White Daisy Cardstock, Juniper Cardstock, Slate Stamp pad, Juniper Stamp Pad, Honey Stamp Pad,  Sparkle Holiday Shapes, Keyboard Kraft Alphabet, Scalloped Border Punch, Round Sponge, 3D Foam Tape

Now hop on over to cool  Carolyn Johnston's blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all of the Consultants in the hop to get some great crafting ideas. Remember the Holiday Gift Guide is only available until December 31. Contact me or shop directly from my website to get your holiday products today. Thanks for stopping by! Hoppity, hop, hop, hop!

Sneak Peek! Holiday Gift Guide Card

The Holiday Gift Guide goes live on October 15.  Be watching for a link to it on my blog that day. Also, I am participating in my first ever blog hop on the 15th!  Several amazing Close To My Heart artists have gotten together to form a blog hop with new product from the Holiday Gift Guide.  I was honored to be invited to participate. So, like I said, be sure to check back here on Tuesday, October 15 for that and a link to the guide.

In the meantime, here's a little sneak peek to wet your whistle!  This is not one of the pieces of art I'll be sharing on October 15 for the blog hop, but one I will share later next week.  How 'bout that cute washi tape tree?

October Specials with Close To My Heart

Hello, October!  There are 2 great specials happening in October with Close To My Heart and I'll tell you about both of them today.

1.  October Stamp of the Month
2.  Holiday Happenings Guide and Special

1. October Stamp of the Month: This month, as every month, Close To My Heart has created an exclusive stamp set only available during the current month. October's set is not only holiday themed, but has a hint of Scandinavia rolled in too!  This stamp set has a retail value of $17.95 but is yours for only $5 with a $50 order (before shipping and tax).

Here's a detail shot of the card above as well as a products used list.  You can shop for these, and hundreds of other amazing products on my website, 24/7...even in your jammies!

CTMH products used:  October Stamp of the Month (Scandinavian Wishes), Colonial White Cardstock, Slate Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Smoothie Cardstock, Slate Stamp Pad, Smoothie Stamp Pad, Scalloped Border Punch, 3D Foam Tape.

Carrier sheet actual size is 6" x 6"

2. Holiday Happenings Guide and Special:  For the first time ever, Close To My Heart is releasing a Holiday Gift Guide. This guide is full of GREAT holiday and non-holiday products that go hand-in-hand with our already beautiful products in the regular catalog. This guide doesn't go live until October 15, but  here's a little sneak peek of what it looks like:

YUMMY!  There is also a GREAT special that goes with this little guide of gorgeousness that I'll announce as it gets closer.  Be watching as we near October 15 for that tasty little morsel of savings!

If any of you would like to have me mail you one of these guides for FREE, just email me  (pedermom@aol.com) and let me know. Be sure to include your mailing address and I'll drop one of these in the mail to you PRONTO!