A summer scorcher is well under way in good ol’ Kansas! Today when I was driving to college at 4:30pm, it was 100 degrees, but 118 degrees heat index! The period of late July to late August in Kansas is what I call “the Dog Days of Summer”. It just gets miserably hot and humid.

On hot days like this, I like to get some crafting in. Since I have a booth at the Diva Crop in Topeka, Kansas, August 29 and 30, 2015, I thought I would freshen up some of my display boards. Display boards are a great way to get ideas and see fresh ways to use Close To My Heart’s coordinating product lines. It is often difficult to find examples of what other Consultants are doing, so I thought I would share what I like to do.

I like to have each display represent one coordinated line of products. This first board showcases the Seaside coordinating products. I like to show a little bit of something for everyone. I usually include a scrapbook layout, a few cards, and something I have made with Picture My Life, such as a tag, or mini album. I try to show a bit of everything from stickers to stamping, from Cricut cut images to embellishments.

I have learned through the years to keep the artwork simple. If the artwork is too complicated, other paper crafters, scrapbookers, and stampers may get overwhelmed and intimidated. I like to display the Workshop on the Go project, because it has a discounted price and therefore, the most value. The layouts can be done with, or without the images from the Cricut cartridges, so both types of crafters can be happy they are getting the best value possible.

The Jackson coordinating products, shown in the display above, was made using the Workshop on the Go and another great tip! Three of the cards displayed, I got participating in a card swap! I didn’t have to make them! A card swap is when a group of gals get together and everyone makes one card several times. In this swap, 10 gals made 10 cards each. One person gets all the cards and gives each participant one of each card. So everyone in the swap ends up with 10 different cards. It is a brilliant way to add variety to your display boards.

One question I get asked a lot is should you add your own personal pictures, or not. Many times, I do not add pictures. On the Pro pictures side, it is nice to see and to have a finished layout. On the Con pictures side, it is nice for other crafters to be able to imagine their own pictures on a finished layout. If I have some really nice pictures that I love and want to share, I will add pictures. If I don’t, I leave the spaces blank or stamp the size on each space.

I am in love with my Cricut. For years my Cricut collected dust, mostly because it didn’t work right…well, I thought it was the Cricut not working right. It was actually the operator not understanding the settings! When I got my Cricut E2, where the machine does the settings for you, I understood I was setting the Cricut to cut all wrong. I thought the thicker the paper, the slower I should be cutting. Well, not true. Thicker paper needs to be cut fast and thinner paper needs to be cut slower! Who would have thought!? Now I love my Cricut!

I am not finished with all of my display boards, but these are looking pretty good. Close To My Heart’s new catalog will be revealed September 1, 2015 for customers, and August 1, 2015 for Consultants. Since I attended Convention, I was able to buy all the new goodies at a great discount! So, I have been playing already. I hope you find some time to get out of the heat and find your happy place in the air conditioning! Happy Scrapping!