September News from Close to my Heart!

National Stamping Month Every day is cause for celebration! September marks the official end of the golden days of summer and the beginning of autumn, with little golden treasures of its own. Whether it’s enjoying the turning of the leaves or the crisp fall breezes, autumn seems to bring with it countless opportunities for relishing the everyday moments that make life wonderful. This year, the National Stamping Month stamp set gives you the images you need to do just that. The aptly named It’s Your Day stamp set is a double set of D-size stamp sets—two sets in one envelope—that helps you commemorate those simple, everyday moments. It includes 48 images, consisting of phrases, borders, and more. You’ll also be delighted to know that many of the images coordinate perfectly with our new Cricut® Artiste cartridge for even easier stamping, cutting, and layering! At the start of a season that marks the beginning of school, holiday celebrations, and family time, the It’s Your Day stamp set is a must-have to document the wonderful autumn days. The It’s Your Day double stamp set has a retail value of $35.90, but between now and September 30, the It’s Your Day set can be yours for just $5 when you place an order of $35 in full retail products. Our National Stamping Month double-stamp set offer is for a limited time, so act now to make sure you get a set of your own to celebrate every wonderful day of autumn and beyond!

Stamp of the Month: Fall Favorites The best pick of the patch! Find some of your favorite fall images in this adorable new stamp set. With a fun-loving scarecrow, plump pumpkins, and a Cricut®-compatible tag, you’ll find plenty of uses for this month’s Stamp of the Month set. Remember that it can be yours for just $5 with a qualifying $50 purchase. This is a pick of the patch that you'll want to take home!

Cricut® Artiste—It’s a Party in a Box! Artiste jump-starts your party preparations The brand-new Cricut® Artiste cartridge knows how to party! Fifty themed keys with over 700 shapes including cute cards and 3-D projects galore add up to a staggering number of party favors, invitations, and decorations, all at your fingertips when you have the Cricut® Artiste cartridge! As one example, take a look at the coffin-shaped treat boxes above. If you’re planning a Halloween party—or if you just want to make Halloween treats with a spooky flair—these coffin boxes are a snap! Here’s how to do it: First, gather these materials: Z1790 Cricut® Artiste Collection C1462 My Acrylix® All Hallows Eve Stamp Set Z1375 Kraft Cardstock 1243 Goldrush Cardstock Z2118 Desert Sand Exclusive Inks® Stamp Pad Z2105 Black Exclusive Inks® Stamp Pad Z1701 Baker’s Twine Neutral Assortment Z1754 Sparkles Black & Grey Assortment Z1151 3-D Foam Tape With your Artiste cartridge in place, load your Cricut® machine with kraft cardstock and cut the coffin by setting the size dial to 5 1/2" and pressing the “3D Object” feature key, then press the “Eek” key, which is the sixth key in on the bottom row. At this size, you can fit two coffins per 12" × 12" sheet of kraft cardstock. Thanks to the brilliant coordination of elements on the Artiste cartridge, you’ll cut the lid to the box at the same size setting for a perfectly coordinating size and fabulous fit! Press the “Shift,” “3D Object” and “Eek” keys. Two coffin lids will fit on a 12" × 12" sheet of kraft cardstock at this size. Next, before folding the coffin, stamp the diamond pattern image from the All Hallows Eve stamp set several times with Desert Sand ink on the coffin lid. Stamp the cobweb and spider images in Black ink. Follow the easy instructions on page 58 of the assembly booklet to put the box together. Next, cut a 1/2" × 2 1/2" strip of Goldrush cardstock for each coffin and stamp the “Beware” sentiment on the strips. Trim a pennant edge on each strip and then attach it to the lid of your coffin using 3-D foam tape. Finish your coffin by attaching a Black Sparkle over the spider’s body. Ooo! After filling the box with your treats, wrap the coffin lid to the base using a few inches of Black baker’s twine. Give to your favorite goblin or ghoul! This is just one example of how the Cricut® Artiste cartridge can help make preparing for all of your parties and celebrations even easier! Check out the brand new Workshops on the Go® Spellbound Cricut® Kit (page 14 in the Autumn / Winter 2012 Idea Book) for another great Halloween-themed party idea using this fabulous cartridge. So visit my website today to Start Shopping!  And let me know if you have any questions!!