Christmas in July Blog Hop

Welcome to the Christmas in July Blog Hop. This hop is brought to you by the same group of Close To My Heart Makers who bring you the Stamp Of The Month Blog Hop on the first of each month. Today we are featuring Christmas themed creations using CTMH products.

Christmas in July Blog Hop

We have almost 15 CTMH Makers sharing their creations on this hop. If you just happened upon my post, clicking the link to the next blog (often found near the bottom of the page) will take you through the entire Christmas in July Blog Hop.

You should have arrived here from ***My Heartfelt Sentiments***. If you get lost along the way, Melinda Everitt keeps a list of all participants on her blog at If You Bling It.

For today's hop I created a gift bag and a card (click on any photo for larger image).

gift bag (front)

gift bag (back)

The gift bag is up-cycled. I received the bag from the vet when I picked up an order of diet food for my cat Rocky. It was too nice and sturdy a bag to just put in the recycling so I decided to dress it up. I used the hide contour, duplicate and weld features in Cricut® Design Space to create a 9" x 7" frame. I cut "tis the season" with the phrase set to a height of 2.27" (I also covered the cut with Red Shimmer Brush). Rather than look in the Artistry Handbook, I browsed the shapes in Design Space and accidentally selected the wrong one to coordinate with the stamp from Miracle of Christmas. I think it was a happy accident, because I used it anyway, and while it is a little large for the stamped image, the border really lets the stamped image shine near the printed White Pines paper. I accidentally scraped the dot for the "i" into the recycle bin, so I used Christmas Red Stickles™ Glitter Glue in its place.

I also created this card:

card created with White Pines and Miracle of Christmas

I used Glacier cardstock for the background and random stamped the snowflake using Glacier ink. I cut three tags from French Vanilla cardstock using the Artistry collection and stamped using Espresso, Candy Apple and Avocado inks. I used a stamp platform to stamp the sentiment twice using Espresso ink to make it nice and dark. I used a Zip Strip to create a border and a Journaling Pen to draw the wire the ornament is hanging on.

I hope you like the creations I shared today. Before you go to see what fabulous item ***Alyson Mayo*** is sharing with us today, the supplies I used to create my project are listed below.

All supplies are from Close To My Heart except where noted:

• My Acrylix™ Stamp Sets: Miracle of Christmas (CC72114; this was item D1656 when released a few years ago)
• Patterned Paper: White Pines (CC7219) or White Pines + Sticker Sheet (CC72110)
  
• Cardstock: White Pines Coordinating CS (CC72111) or Glacier (X5978), Candy Apple (X6038), Toffee (X5950), Espresso (X5951), French Vanilla (X6046)
  
• Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads: Avocado (Z6523), Candy Apple (Z6509), Espresso (Z2829), Glacier (Z2841)
  
• White Cards & Envelopes Value Pack (X254)
• Stickles™ Glitter Glue: Christmas Red (Z3555)
• Black Journaling Pen (.03) (Z3516)
• Red Shimmer Brush (Z4223)
  
• Cricut® Maker™ (HB1076)
• Cricut® Collections - if you do not have a Consultant, please shop for the digital collections via my Cricut® Affiliate Link, otherwise ask your Consultant for their affiliate link
• Cricut® Artbooking
• Cricut® Artistry
• Cricut® Complete Creativity
• shapes:
• Artbooking - Scalloped Three Frame (#M46784)
  
• Complete Creativity - Tis the Season Single Page
• Artistry - Banner Tag (#M4145C4) - height set to 1¾"
• Artistry - Tag (#M4145B2) - height set to 1¾"
• Supplies not from Close To My Heart: Cricut® Design Space, Tim Holtz Stamp Platform, paper bag
  

If you are not working with a CTMH Maker, you may purchase the supplies I used at my eCommerce website.

I enjoy reading your comments, so if you have a few moments, please let me know what you think of my creations. I hope you are enjoying all of the projects created for the Christmas in July Blog Hop. Thank you for hopping with us!

So you do not have to scroll back up, the next stop on the hop is ***Alyson Mayo***.

Holiday Stories Sale

Today Close To My Heart introduces the Story by Stacy™ Holiday Stories Sale. With the included Stories I Love workbook, this sale gives us the opportunity to sharpen our storytelling skills while preserving special memories.

Story by Stacy™ Holiday Stories Sale

The Story by Stacy™ Stories I love Workshop Kit and the Story by Stacy™ Holiday Stories I Love Workshop Kit are both available at a 10% discount. When you purchase the kits together in the Holiday Stories Bundle, the discount is 15%.

In addition, we are invited to participate in a virtual crafting event on August 17 from 4pm to 6pm EDT hosted by Stacy Julian, the creator of the Story by Stacy™ program. Details of the virtual event will be added to the Events page of the Close To My Heart (Official) Facebook page later today.

The Holiday Stories Sale flyer provides the details about this sale. Click on either image for a better view or download a PDF of the flyer here.

Holiday Stories Sale Flyer - page 1

Holiday Stories Sale Flyer - page 2

A workshop kit includes almost everything you need to complete a 6" × 8" album; just add photos, adhesive and a journaling pen.

This offer is available July 23 through August 31 while supplies last.

July–August 2021 New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to the Close To My Heart July–August New Product Blog Hop. This hop is brought to you from same the group of CTMH Makers who bring you the Stamp Of The Month Blog Hop. Today we are featuring projects created with products found in the new CTMH July–August 2021 catalog.

We have just shy of 15 CTMH Makers sharing their creations on our July–August New Product Blog Hop. If you stumbled upon my post, please join our hop by clicking the link to the next blog (often found near the bottom of the page) until you come back to my page.

CTMH New Product Blog Hop - cover July–August 2021 Catalog

You should have arrived here from the gifted Melinda Everitt. If you get lost along the way, Melinda also keeps a list of all blog hop participants on her blog at If You Bling It.

For our July–August Blog Hop I created cards. This card was created with Smiles from the Garden Stamp + Thin Cuts and cardstock.

card created with Smiles from the Garden Stamp + Thin Cuts

Except for the sentiment and leaf stamp in the background, I inked the stamps with sponge daubers then "huffed" on the stamp prior to applying to the die cut White Daisy cardstock. If "huffing" is new to you, you breath out of your mouth onto the stamp at add some moisture back to the ink before stamping (unfortunately probably a technique that should only be done at home alone during the pandemic).

If you are wondering what inks I used, from top to bottom they are: Green Apple (background); Blue Belle & Desert Rose; Lemonade (inked background with sponge dauber) & Black (sentiment); Blue Belle & Peach; Lemonade & Paprika; Peach & Desert Rose; Lemonade, Nectarine & Cinnamon.

In addition to random stamping the leaf with Green Apple on the light side of Green Apple cardstock, I used a Waterbrush to pick up some Green Apple ink and splattered it on the Green Apple cardstock.

When I was getting ready to cut, I thought I would share something I do when there are many Thin Cuts on a magnetic sheet. Sometimes when there are many dies, especially when a die is stored within a die, I find I have are hard time finding a place for a die and need to re-place a die (or shuffle many dies) to fit all of them back on the sheet.

Thin Cut dies on magnetic sheet

My Acrylix® stamps on White cs

stamped images on White cs

So I started to stamp the images, in approximately the same location they are on the magnetic sheet, on a 5⅞" x 5⅞" piece of White cardstock. This makes it easy to place the die back on the sheet and quickly verify all of the dies made it back to the magnetic sheet when I am finished crafting with the set.

I also created this card using the Wander—Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts and some scraps of Wander paper I had left after cutting for some pages and cards.

card created with Wander—Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts

To make the mountain in the foreground shorter, I built the mountain off the card.

mountain front view

mountain rear view

I placed some Thin 3-D Foam Tape on the back of the pool of water. While the adhesive was still protected, I layered the pool of water over the top of the mountain, aligning the bottoms, to see if any of the mountain showed through the water. I trimmed the corners of the mountain to prevent them from showing then attached the water to the mountain. I used Thin 3-D Foam Tape on the back of the mountain and 3-D Foam Tape on the water edges. Once this was created, I added it to the card.

I used a Waterbrush to pick up some ink inside the Glacier Stamp Pad and brushed it along the top edge of the pool of water. Once the pool of water was dry, I also used the Clear Shimmer Brush in five locations on the card: to add a bit of "reflection" on the water, the edge of the cloud (inside the stamping without covering the ink), the inside of the sun, the "snow cap" on the mountain and the top edge of the ink on the mountain to soften the edge between the snow and the rock.

close-up card created with Wander—Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts

I used both the dark and light side of Evergreen cardstock to die cut the trees and used a combination of Adhesive Runner and Thin 3-D Foam Tape to create dimension. I need more Thank You cards (I am behind in sending them) so I "shopped my stash" of CTMH stamps and found "Thanks So Much" part of Truly Blessed; when the stamps on a stamp set do not work for you, I encourage you shop your CTMH stash too. I love a having a large variety to "staple" sentiments in various sizes and fonts.

Before you head to artistic Gina Brandstetter, the supplies I used to create my project are listed below.

All supplies are from Close To My Heart except where noted:

• My Acrylix™ Stamp Sets: Smiles from the Garden Stamp + Thin Cuts (Z3967) or Smiles from the Garden (D2030), Wander—Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts (Z3959) or Wander—Cardmaking (C1898), Rainbow Bridge (D1862) or Rainbow Bridge Stamp + Thin Cuts bundle (Z4084)–if you have it; Truly Blessed or Truly Blessed + Thin Cuts (Z3528)
  
• Patterned Paper: Wander (X7271B) or Wander + Sticker Sheet (X7271S)
  
• Cardstock: White Daisy (1385), Lemonade (X6035), Green Apple (X6031), Pebble (X5955), Evergreen (X6030), Wander Coordinating CS (X7271C) or Glacier (X5978)
  
• Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads: Green Apple (Z6513), Blue Belle (Z6519), Desert Rose (Z6525), Lemonade (Z6517), Black (Z2805), Peach (Z6502), Paprika (Z6515), Nectarine (Z6510), Cinnamon (Z6522), Glacier (Z2841), Pewter (Z2832)
  
• Slimline Cards & Envelopes (X257), White Cards & Envelopes Value Pack (X254)
• Clear Shimmer Brush (Z3293)
• Small Round Waterbrush (Z3224), Sponge Daubers (Z726) or Sponge Daubers Value Pack (Z1938)
  
• Thin Cuts: Circles Thin Cuts (Z3943)
• 3-D Foam Tape (Z1151), Thin 3-D Foam Tape (Z2060), Adhesive Runner (Z3372)
  
• Die-cutting & Embossing Machine (HB1080)

If you are not already working with a CTMH Maker, you may purchase all of the supplies I used at my e-commerce website.

If you have a few moments, please leave a comment letting me know what you think of the card I created. I hope you are enjoying the projects created with items you will find in the July–August 2021 catalog. Thanks for hopping with us!

So you do not have to scroll back up, the next stop on the hop is Gina Brandstetter.

Christmas in July Sale Continues

The Close To My Heart Christmas in July Sale continues through the weekend, wrapping up at 1:59 am EDT on Monday, July 19 (that's 11:59 pm MDT on Sunday, July 18).

Christmas in July Sale

I searched my blog for projects I shared using items you will find in the Christmas in July Sale and I was surprised how many times I used the Cricut® Artistry Collection (cartridge) (Z3298). This would be a great addition to your craft room if you continue to use physical cartridges. With this collection you will also receive stamp sets that coordinate with some of the cuts. If you would like to look through the crafts I shared using the Artistry collection or any of the items on sale, but sure to use the search box to the right. I cannot say I created and shared something with each of the products, but I've been fortunate enough to use several of the products.

Here are some of my favorites:

created with Geometric Grids Thin Cuts (shop here)	created with Holiday Cheer Tag & Ornament Kit (shop here)
created with Favor Box Thin Cuts (shop here)	created with Spruced Up—Cardmaking + Thin Cuts (shop here)
created with Cricut® Artistry Collection (shop here)	created with Cricut® Artistry Collection (shop here)

Thank you for visiting today. I hope you get a chance to get crafty this weekend.

Christmas in July Sale

The Close To My Heart Christmas in July Sale begins later today.

Christmas in July Sale

Take advantage of incredible discounts on holiday-themed crafting items during the Close To My Heart Christmas in July Flash Sale! You will find amazing deals starting at 5:00 pm EDT on Friday, July 16 and ending at 1:59 am EDT on Monday, July 19 (that's 11:59 pm MDT on Sunday, July 18).

The items featured in this sale are limited in quantity and will only be available while supplies last, so be sure to visit the sale early!

This will be similar to past sales where...

• Sale prices are only available on orders placed on my eCommerce website.
• The sale features a selection of current products as well as retired items.
• Any current items that sell out during the sale will return to availability at normal price once the sale has ended.
• All discounted items count towards earning VIP Credit and the Stamp of the Month qualifying order totals.
• Any items purchased using VIP Credit will be redeemed at the full retail price.
  
• Shipping and handling is based on the full retail value of the sale items.
• There is no grace period for ordering sale items.

At 5pm EDT today, please visit my eCommerce website to see what items are included in this sale.

Also, new items are being added to the Clearance area of my eCommerce website.

CTMH Clearance Sale

Beginning July 15, items in Clearance will be available at discounted prices, while supplies last.

Honestly, it has been long enough since I looked at the Clearance that I do not remember what was there the last time I looked, but I can tell you that I am very happy with the Thin Cuts I have that are now in the Clearance area. I am not sure if the Thin Cuts will be discounted further, but here are a few of the items I have created with some of the Thin Cuts in the Clearance area:

Blossom card created with Party Banners Thin Cuts	Happiness Never Grows Old card using Party Banners Thin Cuts
Sympathy card created with Party Banners Thin Cuts	Sympathy card created with Party Banners Thin Cuts
Slimline card created with Block Alphabet Thin Cuts	Page created with Block Alphabet Thin Cuts

Other than what I shared above, I do not have any additional information about what the Christmas in July Sale will bring or if more items will be added to Clearance since I looked Thursday night. I am looking forward to checking out the sale too. I feel like a young child again anticipating the holiday. (smiles)

Thank you for stopping by today. Have a fabulous weekend.

Strong Roots Slimline Card

I have been enjoying creating with Strong Roots, the July 2021 Stamp of the Month from Close To My Heart. I hope to finish and share my other cards throughout the rest of July. Here is a slimline card I created with the stamp set.

slimline card created with Strong Roots and colored pencils

I used the same masking technique (and masks) I used when I created cards for the CTMH Strong Roots SOTM Blog Hop - July 2021.

On this card I used the following supplies from Close To My Heart:

• My Acrylix™ Stamp Sets: Strong Roots — July Stamp of the Month (S2107), Time to Celebrate — May Stamp of the Month (S2005) - retired
  
• Cardstock: French Vanilla (X6046), Sapphire (X5957)
• Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads: Black (Z2805)
  
• Slimline Cards & Envelopes (X257) 
  
• Cricut® Maker™ (HB1076)
• Cricut® Collection: Cricut® Artbooking Digital Collection - if you do not have a Consultant, please shop for the digital collection via my Cricut® Affiliate Link, otherwise ask your Consultant for their affiliate link; I used the following shape: Rectangle Stamp (#M3F23D)
• Supplies not from Close To My Heart: colored pencils (not watercolor pencils)
  

I have been thinking about it and am really wishing I thought to use some fall colors with this stamp set. I am looking forward to fall not only for the colors and smells, but for the cooler (hopefully) temperatures. I hope you are finding a way to keep cool during these high temperature and humidity days. Thank you for stopping by.

Retiring List Available - CTMH Core Products Catalog

The Close To My Heart Core Products catalog (September 2020–August 2021) retiring list is now available.

Core Products Catalog

The list in PDF format can be downloaded here or you will find the list in Excel format here.

In addition, the list is on the Google Sheet below, just switch to the Retiring List tab. The Sheet also includes any catallog corrections and the unavailable (will not be restocked) and backorder (not ready to ship) lists.

 

The Close To My Heart September 2020–August 2021 Core Products catalog is valid until August 31, 2021. Items on the Retiring List are only available while supplies last.

CTMH Strong Roots SOTM Blog Hop - July 2021

Welcome to the July 2021 SOTM Blog Hop featuring the stamp set Strong Roots. This month we have just shy of 20 CTMH Makers sharing projects created with the CTMH Stamp Of The Month Strong Roots. Keep visiting the next blog (typically via a link near the bottom of the post) to get back to the blog where you started.

Strong Roots - July 2021 SOTM

You should have arrived here from the very talented ***Alyson Mayo***. If you get lost along the way, Melinda Everitt also keeps a list of all participants on her blog at If You Bling It.

Strong Roots Stamp Set

Even though the real estate market is "red hot" in many areas, I do not know anyone purchasing a house right now, so I decided to use the stamps to create Thank You and Hello cards.

I used sticky notes to create masks to stamp a scene on the White Daisy cardstock. Then I colored the cards stamped with Intense Black with TriBlend™ Markers.

card created with Strong Roots and TriBlend™ Markers

I stamped the same scene a second time with Black and colored with Watercolor Pencils (I did not add water). I added some freehand birds using the True Black Marker (Z2498).

card created with Strong Roots and Watercolor Pencils

I think the scenes would also create great masculine cards. Cards for guys is something that I often hear people say they have a difficult time creating.

I had more cards planned, but ran out of time to color and assemble, so I decided to talk about about masking.

If masking is new to you, here is how I approach the process. The easiest way for me to think about it is to stamp the images in the foreground first, mask them (to protect them from the background stamping), and then stamp the images in the background. I did not think to take photos at each step, so I hope you find my comments clearly written. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via the Contact Form to the right or comment below.

To create my masks I stamped each image on a sticky note making sure that some of the sticky will still be on the paper after cutting very close to the stamped lines.

If I had taken photos at each step, you would only see the house stamped on the card above. I would then mask the house and stamp the tree behind the house (the mask would be protecting the stamped house) and stamp the larger tree on the left side.

Because I am not stamping any other images behind the house, I do not need to mask the tree behind the house, but I need to mask the tree on the left because I am going to stamp the shortest tree/hedge between the large tree on the left and the house.

Now I need to mask the shortest tree/hedge so I can stamp the shorter single tree behind the shortest tree/hedge.

When all of the stamping and masking is complete, this is the image I have ready to color. Admittedly it does look like a jumble now, but once the image is colored it will be easy to distinguish all of the bushes and trees. You could color before masking if you would find that easier.

Before you leave to get inspired by the gifted ***Darlys Recker***, the supplies I used to create my project are listed below.

All supplies are from Close To My Heart except where noted:

• My Acrylix™ Stamp Sets: Strong Roots — July Stamp of the Month (S2107), Smiles from the Garden (D2030) or Smiles from the Garden Stamp + Thin Cuts (Z3967)
  
• Cardstock: White Daisy (1385), Black (X6047)
  
• Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads: Black (Z2805), Intense Black (Z4189)
  
• White Cards & Envelopes Value Pack (X254)
• Thin Cuts: Stitched Rectangle Frames (Z4260)
  
• Watercolor Pencils (Z3630)
• TriBlend™ Markers: Ice Grey Blend (Z2474), Gold Brown Blend (Z2479), Citrus Green Blend (Z2484), Light Green Blend (Z2485), Dull Green Blend (Z2486), Brown Grey Shades (Z2511), Earth Brown Shades (Z2515), True Black Marker (Z2498)
  
• Die-cutting & Embossing Machine (HB1080)
• Supplies not from Close To My Heart: sticky notes (3" x 3" temporary adhesive sheets)
  

If you are not already working with a CTMH Maker, you may purchase all of the supplies I used at my eCommerce website.

If you have a few moments, please leave a comment letting me know what you think of my card. I hope you are enjoying the projects created with Strong Roots. Thanks for hopping with us!

So you do not have to scroll back up, the next stop on the hop is ***Darlys Recker***.

July 2021 CTMH News

I know I must sound like a broken record, but where is the time going? I cannot believe 2021 is half over and we will soon be celebrating Independence Day. I hope 2021 is being good to you and your family.

July 2021 Stamp Of The Month Strong Roots

Strong Roots (S2107)
available July 2021

Strong Roots (S2107) is an exclusive D-size set of 11 stamps and is only available during the month of July 2021. Receive the stamp set for free when you are a CTMH VIP Customer and you place a qualifying order. Alternatively, place a qualifying order and the stamp set is only $5. In either case you qualify for additional sets at $5 for each additional $50 you spend on the same order. Strong Roots is also available for $18.95 with no other purchase required. The recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks for this stamp set is: 1" × 3½" (Y1002), 2" × 2" (Y1003), 3" × 3" (Y1006) and 2" × 3½" (Y1009).

The CTMH Art Department created cards using the Strong Roots stamp set.

cards created with Strong Roots

The Recipes, a PDF file that lists the products used to make the samples in the July–August 2021 Catalog, lists everything used to create the cards above. You will find the Recipes under the page-turner catalog here. I am participating in a Strong Roots blog hop this month; you will find my post on this blog tomorrow. Please visit my July SOTM (S2107) Strong Roots Pinterest Board for other ideas to use the Strong Roots stamp set.

Bring Back My Pack—White Pines

Bring Back My Pack—White Pines

It is Christmas in July, with Bring Back My Pack—White Pines, but this is a great winter-themed paper too if your celebration does not include Christmas. White Pines was originally introduced September 2015 in Holiday Expressions 2015. Back then the featured colors were Champagne, Chocolate, Colonial White, Cranberry, Fern and Glacier. For this Bring Back My Pack the papers have been refreshed with current colors: Avocado, Candy Apple, Espresso, French Vanilla, Glacier, and Toffee. There is a Sticker Sheet this time too.

This flyer has more information about White Pines (click on an image for a better view) or download a PDF of the flyer here).

Bring Back My Pack—White Pines flyer page 1

Bring Back My Pack—White Pines flyer page 2

Bring Back My Pack—White Pines flyer page 3

The White Pines special features a Scrapbooking Workshop Kit and a Cardmaking Workshop Kit. Instructions will be available for download from the product page (look for the link below the "add to cart" button). White Pines is available through August 31 while supplies last.

Return to the Happiest Place

Return to the Happiest Place

Making a return appearance is Happiest Place. Happiest Place is perfect for documenting treasured memories with family and friends no matter where those memories are made.

This collection features foil-accented papers and stickers, acrylic accessory, a Happiest Place Cut Above® Layout Kit, exclusive stamps, Thin Cuts, digital SVG shapes, and more! This flyer features the Return to the Happiest Place products available [click on any image for a larger view]:

Return to the Happiest Place Flyer - page 1

Return to the Happiest Place Flyer - page 2

Return to the Happiest Place Flyer - page 3

The flyer can be downloaded here (PDF format). Along with all of the great products that are returning from the original Happiest Place introduction, CTMH has also created a new 12" x 12" scrapbooking workshop kit and a new slimline cardmaking workshop (available in two options).

Return to the Happiest Place Scrapbooking Workshop. This flyer features the scrapbooking workshop and the pages you will create; if you would like to download a PDF of the Scrapbooking Workshop flyer, you will find it here.

Return to the Happiest Place Scrapbooking Flyer - page 1

Return to the Happiest Place Scrapbooking Flyer - page 2

Return to the Happiest Place Cardmaking Workshop. The images below feature the cardmaking workshop and the cards you will create; if you would like a copy of the Cardmaking Workshop flyer, you will find it here (PDF format).

Return to the Happiest Place Cardmaking Flyer - page 1

Return to the Happiest Place Cardmaking Flyer - page 2

The guides for the scrapbooking and cardmaking workshops will be available to download from the product page (look under the "add to cart button") so you may review them prior to purchasing. Return to the Happiest Place is available through July 31, 2021 while supplies last.

July–August 2021 Catalog

July–August 2021 Catalog

The July–August 2021 Catalog was introduced on July 1 and is valid until August 31, 2021. The catalog features two new paper collections, a new Mix-in and many new stamp sets. The catalog can be viewed here. We will have a July–August 2021 New Product Blog Hop on July 18; I hope you will come back then to see our creations using new items from this catalog.

If you have questions about the CTMH promotions or any products available on my eCommerce website, I can be reached via the Contact Form to the right.

Let's hope we do not have another heat wave this summer. I don't know about you, but the heat and humidity has really impacted my ability to get a good night sleep.