Sneak Peek - CTMH's new Autumn/Winter Idea Book

Just enough to wet-your-whistle for the new CTMH Autumn/Winter Idea Book going live tomorrow! Eight new gorgeous paper lines, fantastic new embellishments and the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.  Check back tomorrow for the August Stamp Of The Month and two great promotions featuring FREE stamp sets.

Lego-style apartment

This is the coolest space!  But where would I store my crafting stuff?

"When Christian Schallert isn't cooking, dressing, sleeping or eating, his 24 square meter (258 square feet) apartment looks like an empty cube. To use a piece of furniture, he has to build it.

Located in Barcelona's hip Born district, the tiny apartment is a remodeled pigeon loft. Christian says its design was inspired by the space-saving furniture aboard boats, as well as the clean lines of a small Japanese home."

Find the original story here: Lego-style-apartment

Add Cricut® Flair to Any Workshop

Many CTMH scrapbook and card patterns are easy to adapt to include shapes cut using the Cricut® Art Philosophy cartridge. Find out how to incorporate Art Philosophy shapes into the Dreamin' Workshop on the Go™ project; you'll be inspired by this great way to pump up your projects and use your tools!

52 Weeks of Wonder

Back To School…So Soon?

"School may be a month off, but if you’ve got a youngster heading back to class (or a college student off to the dorms), now is a fun time to think about great room décor to get the year started off right. Check out these fun back-to-school makeover ideas complete with a banner, a few Chinese lanterns, a custom white board, a personalized journal (above) and a heartfelt note for good luck.

The wonderful flower shape found throughout the projects was easy to create using Fill in the Blank stamp set (D1465). Create a unique design by stamping a background pattern on a piece of fabric.

Turn the project over then stamp the flower outline image on the back.  Trim the flower from the canvas and use the piecing tool to fray the edges.  Last, sponge the edges and embellish."

Jeanette Lynton

The banner, a few Chinese lanterns, a custom white board and a heartfelt note can all be viewed on Jeanette's blog.  Take a minute or two and go check them out.

CTMH Convention 2011 Happy Face Video

They had way too much fun without me this year.  Maybe I can make 2012 in Dallas, Texas.

The new Silhoutte Cameo

I pulled this photo off the Beach Scrapbooks blog from their post about the new Cameo released at CHA 2011.  I never jumped on the electronic die cutter bandwagon, whether it was the Crucut, Wishblade or Slice.  And even though CTMH just released the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge, I am seriously considering the new Silhoutte Cameo.

Paying for an entire cartridge that only contained a few images of interest, never made sense to me.  And although all the images on the new CTMH cart look fabulous and coordinate with a ton of our stamps sets and Dimensional Elements chipboard shapes, I can not justify purchasing a Cricut for that reason only.  So if I'm jumping on board, I think I'll wait for the Silhoutte Cameo being released in October.

Of course, if you have an electronic die cutter, please feel free to comment and sway me one way or the other.  Maybe I haven't thought everything through, even though I'm referred to as the "queen of research" by my family.  Here's the newest info released on the Silhoutte Cameo machine.

What is the Silhouette Cameo?
Silhouette America has just announced a new larger format Silhouette called the Silhouette Cameo. While this has been announced, it will not yet be available for purchase until later this year (projected October 2011).  The Silhouette Cameo which will offer the following features:

- true 12" width cutting area (with the ability to cut an actual 12" rather than a 11.5" cutting area like other comparable machines)
- will include 13" x 13.5" mat to provide a 12" x 12" cutting area for materials that require a mat
- ability to cut longer custom lengths for materials with their own adhesive backing
- optical scanner for "Print & Cut" applications
- compatible with Silhouette Studio® allowing you to cut fonts and images from your PC or Mac®
- cuts vinyl, paper, cardstock, fabric, etc just like the Silhouette SD
- the machine uses the same size of blade and sketch pen as the Silhouette SD, so all of your current accessories are compatible
- quieter operation during cutting process

What will be the price of the Silhouette Cameo?
 The Silhouette Cameo will be offered at a suggested retail price of $299.99.

When will the Cameo be available to purchase? 
The new Silhouette Cameo will be available for purchase later this year (projected October 2011).
 
Will the Cameo be compatible with my current Silhouette Studio and Silhouette Online account purchases?
The Silhouette Cameo will be compatible with the Silhouette Studio software, though you will be required to update to a newer version once the Cameo is released. Updating to this newer version (once available) will not require you to re-download your images and all previously downloaded content from the Silhouette Online Store or other files you may have created will be compatible with the new Silhouette Cameo model.

Truth

Principles for Personal Change: Truth (by Rick Warren)

“Since you have heard all about Jesus and have learned the truth that is in him, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must put on your new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness—righteous, holy, and true. So put away all falsehood and tell your neighbor the truth because we belong to each other. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.”
Ephesians 4:21-27 (NLT)

Who is the truth? Jesus, and because Jesus is the truth, he will always tell you the truth.

The secret to personal change is not willpower. The secret is to know and face the truth. You must know and face the truth about yourself, your relationships, and your own nature.

Nothing will change in your life until you know and face the truth about your weaknesses, your relationships, your successes and failures, and your past and future.

Nothing changes until you know and face the truth. And that truth is found in Jesus Christ.

Why is it necessary to learn the truth before anything can change in your life? Here’s why: Behind every self-defeating habit in my life is a lie that I believe. If you get in debt, it's because you believed some lies like “I can spend and get away with it” or “I can always pay it back.” You might have overestimated how much you were going to make, or you believed the lie that you needed a much bigger house.

But do you? Are you sure it's the truth? Can you prove it's the truth? Are you absolutely certain that what you believe you've said about your finances is true? What about your relationships? What about the things you say to yourself about yourself? Is the way you think about your past or about some event the truth, or is the truth what God says about it?

The Bible teaches that personal change starts with truth. It is the truth that sets you free. The apostle Paul says, “Since you have heard all about Jesus and have learned the truth that is in him …” (Ephesians 4:21 NLT). Who is the truth? Jesus, and because Jesus is the truth, he will always tell you the truth. His word is the truth. The Bible is his word and that means the Bible is truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Now, what you hear on television isn't always going to help you because it's not always the truth. Have you learned that? And what you read in books isn't always the truth, but what God tells you is always going to be the truth. God's Word shows you how to get back to the life you were created to live, and then it shows you how to stay on God’s path.

This is why it is so important for you to have a daily quiet time in the Word of God: change requires learning the truth. Nothing will change until you get the truth into your heart. As long as you build your life on a foundation of lies, misconceptions, deceptions or half-truths, you will never change. But when you face the truth and respond to the truth, you will begin to see change in your life.