Studio J®: Personalize Your Layouts

Here's Day 2 of videos showing you more about Studio J!  Have fun!

Studio J®: Step-by-Step Basics

I decided to spend some time on the consultant page of Close to my Heart today.  Looking at all of my options, I decided to explore the information about Studio J.  I love Studio J and most of the time I do not have access to the internet when we have gatherings so it is hard to share the steps of using this wonderful tool!  So, on the consultant page, I ran across several videos, which can also be found on YouTube and am going to share them on here.  I will post a new video (trying for daily) until I have posted all that are available.  Once you try Studio J, I believe you will fall in love with it too!  It is easy to use and reasonably priced.  The other great thing is that when you go to check out, you will be able to see if anyone is hosting a party around that time and if you click on their gathering, you will be helping them earn credit for free and discounted products!  You can simply click on the Studio J icon on the right side of this blog and get started!  In the video it mentions being a member.  We no longer have memberships...it is free to everyone!  Go on and start an account, upload some photos, play around with it and see what you think!  If you like what you see, you only pay for what you order.  Enjoy!

Last month of the Spring/Summer Idea book so it's time to get in all of those last minute deals and grab those items that will no longer be available in the new book! Follow the link below the photo to see what items are on the retirement list and be sure to order now before they are gone! http://lauriesmith.ctmh.com/Retail/Products.aspx?CatalogID=18

Cricut® Artfully Sent

I can't wait to get this and start playing! Not available until August but I am looking forward to some quality time on my Cricut with this one! If you would like to order your own set, simply click on the "Shop with Me" icon on the right and start shopping (remember, not available until August)! You may also contact me directly at thecountrycropper@gmail.com with any questions or help in ordering. Close to my Heart also has 3 other wonderful cartridges available, Art Philosophy, Artiste and Artbooking. Each cartridge has approximately 700 images and are very easy to use! These 3 cartridges are available now!

While at our little mini crop on Saturday, one of our ladies was busy working on some fabulous cards!  Here is her layered card using Close to my Heart's "Kaboom" June stamp of the month.  I wish I would have taken a photo of the inside.  She glued a piece of white paper inside with the "You're the Bomb!" stamp in the bottom right corner.  So creative!

credit to Julie Davis

I posted this photo before and then taught how to make the card on Saturday. I had several requests for the directions, so I am posting them on here as well as emailing to those of you who attended on Saturday. I have never written up formal directions for making a card, so bear with me on this one! If I am not clear enough on something, please let me know!

 Also, just to be clear, I found the sunburst design and this card layout on-line, but cannot remember where so I don't know who to give the credit to but I cannot take credit for this design. I did choose which papers I wanted to use and the embellishments as well.

 Here we go:
1. Card: I cut card stock at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" then folded in half
2. Large base mat: Cut card stock at 4" x 5 1/4"
3. Smaller base mat (used to glue on sunburst design): Cut card stock at 3 3/4" x 5"
4. Cut out designed papers in the following dimensions:
       Cut 1 strip of paper at 4 1/2" x 1 1/2"
       Cut 1 strip of paper at 4" x 1 1/2"
       Cut 2 strips of paper at 3" x 1 1/2" (use 2 different designs)
       Cut 2 strips of paper at 2" x 1 1/2" (use 2 different designs)
    I used 6 different designed papers for this card. You could use 2 or 3 designs and alternate them for a different look. I might work on some and post as soon as I get them done.
5. Cut all of the strips diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner creating 2 triangles from each rectangle.
6. On the smaller base mat, measure in (on the 4 1/4" side) 1 1/4" and mark a light line. Then measure up from the bottom, 3 1/2" and make another mark that crosses your first line. I used my piercing tool to then poke a hole in the center of these two lines. This is the "center" focal point.
7. I then placed the triangles on the card with all the points pointing toward that hole I poked in the card. You will have to play around with your papers to get them all to fit. Be sure to have the larger triangles placed where there is the greatest distance to the hole. I left a small gap between each paper so you can see the color of the small base mat. Your papers will hang off the ends of your card.
8. I moved all the papers off the small base mat keeping them in the pattern I had just laid out. I then sprayed the small base mat with adhesive making it easier to glue the pieces down.
 9. Next I began placing the triangles back on the mat in the order I had laid out. Remember, the points need to be directed toward that hole!
10. When all pieces are in place, turn the card over and trim off the parts that are hanging over the card. Turn the card back over when done and glue down on the center of the large base mat (4" x 5 1/4")
11. Glue the large base mat onto the front of your card.
12. Embellish! You may choose to have your card vertical like mine or turn it and make a horizontal card. My embellishment to both of these cards were done with the Close to my Heart "Kaboom" June stamp of the month and I also used the Art Philosophy cartridge to cut out the circles and the tickets.

If anything is confusing or you have any questions, please feel free to comment below or send me an email at thecountrycropper@gmail.com

Just realized that it's been awhile since I posted anything and I have a bunch of pictures to share! Here are a few cards and pages that I have been working on this month using the Jubilee paper. This paper was my least favorite and has now become one of my top favorites! I also learned how to make a sunburst card and enjoyed using the June stamp of the month to enhance the cards and pages. Don't miss out on the paper or the stamp this month! The first card shown is the starburst using the Jubilee paper. I didn't order enough of the Jubilee paper so I dug through my stash of big pads of paper and found some fun bright colored paper that we will be using this weekend to make cards at our mini crop! The 2 scrapbook pages are of my son at last year's 4th of July celebration. I was a little concerned about using pearls and bling on a boy's page, but I think it went well with the country look of the papers. The last photo is another card I made using the Jubilee paper and the "Kaboom" June stamp of the month that anyone can get for only $5.00 with a $50.00 purchase!