Quick Cards

Create a finished card in five seconds flat with the new series of single-image A-size My Acrylix® stamp sets from Close To My Heart. Use them for quick scrapbook layout titles or easy, one-step cardmaking. Each one is designed to complete your project with a single stamp, and at just $6.95 each, these stamps are super affordable!

Studio J: Embellishing Across Two Pages

Use Studio J® to create a beautiful layout in just minutes by watching this month's Love Your Layout video. You'll use toggle accents and My Stickease® images to help you preserve those special moments. Watch the video and then log in to Studio J to try it yourself!

Blooming Flourishes

Discover how to combine Close To My Heart stamp images to create a fancy border design using the My Acrylix® The Best Things stamp set. Your borders will be so bloomin' cute!

Awesome & Easy Homemade Granola

I stumbled upon a review of The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making (by Alana Chernila) at Baking Bites. I immediately grabbed a copy from my local library, hoping to conquer the never-ending "great granola search". Many months and multi recipes have failed to replace store-bought granola. BINGO! JACKPOT!

Alana's granola recipe was a snap to make and everyone in the family LOVES it! I split the batch in half since some members of my family enjoy raisins in just about everything. I also did not include the sesame seeds ... allergy issues of close friends.

The book has tons of recipes, from homemade butter to toaster pastries (think pop-tarts). The book itself is beautiful, with tons of gorgeous photos, and tips on food storage. Alana's writing style inspired me to step out of my comfort zone, back away from packaged food and discover some easy, delicious homemade alternatives. Pick up a copy and see for yourself.

Featured recipe from Amazon:

Featured Recipe: Chai

Makes 6 cups

• 5 cups water
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped unpeeled fresh ginger
• Three 4-inch cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole cloves
• 4 cardamom pods
• 3 black peppercorns
• One 1-inch circular slice unpeeled orange
• 4 black tea bags, regular or decaffeinated
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup honey, to taste
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups milk (low-fat or whole), to taste

Combine the water, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, and orange slice in a medium pot. Partially cover the pot, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
chai in the refrigerator or freezer without milk, do so now. Otherwise, return the tea to the pot, add the milk, and reheat.
Chai will keep in a covered container for five days with milk and for two weeks without milk. To freeze, omit milk and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to six months. Thaw in refrigerator and heat with milk on the stove.

A Perfect Pair

Create cute banners for any occasion or for any loved one quickly and easily using Close To My Heart's new My Creations® mini banner and our Cricut® Art Philosophy cartridge. It's a perfect pair of coordinating products!

Studio J: Enchancing Photos

This month's Love Your Layout installment is celebrating the sunshine. Watch the video to find out how to make another fabulous layout in Studio J®, using the Pemberley kit. Learn how to add wow to your photos and discover other techniques that will make your layouts shine!

Front and Center

Learn how to cleverly move the stamp images designed for the back of your handmade cards to front and center using Close To My Heart's My Acrylix® Crafted with Love stamp set. It's versatility at its finest!