The Whole Kit and Caboodle

The video The Whole Kit and Caboodle gives us a quick look at the seven My Reflections™ Paper Packets available in the Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book as well as some projects created with the paper packets.



The CTMH Corp. description is "No matter your style, there's something in the new lines of paper from Close To My Heart just for you! Watch the video to get an eyeful of these fun and colorful packets, along with awesome artwork you can create with them!"

Each paper packet has a lead paper which CTMH likes to call a Hero. You can easily coordinate the Hero within the kit. There are also more muted papers that make it easy to coordinate across the kits.

Level 2 artwork is typically created with the paper packets and coordinating Complements and Assortments. Level 2 also means there is no stamping so layouts are typically quickly created. You can find photos of additional Level 2 artwork at Jeanette Lynton's post New Idea Book, New Level 2 Artwork! Be sure to click on the photos to get a much larger view. You will also find a supply list under each layout. Happy creating!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Artbooking Made Easy: Top Secret Mini Albums

The latest in the video series Artbooking Made Easy is Artbooking Made Easy: Top Secret. Each week until April 2014 (except occasional breaks for holidays) Close To My Heart will release the next video in the series. Each video has tips, tricks and project inspiration for using the Artbooking collection.



This week's video is Artbooking Made Easy: Top Secret. The CTMH Corp. description of the video is "The secret is out! We love the Cricut® Artbooking cartridge from Close To My Heart. The shapes on the top-secret--themed mini album keys are perfect for scrapbooking your big ideas and big adventures!"

A few points I want to be certain that you do not miss while watching the video:

• there are two 7" x 5" Top Secret mini album keys on the Artbooking cartridge
• you will find the keys on pages 42 and 43 of the Artbooking booklet
• the pocket on the cover was cut from B&T Duos™, which is double-sided so it looks like the pocket was created from two pieces of paper; the pocket is on page 43 and is the Photo Mat 2 plus the shift key
• the notebook paper is on page 42 and it is the overlay, it was cut at 5 1/4" using Real Dial Size to make it a little smaller
• the pocket pages are on page 43 and it is Photo Mat 2
• the smaller bracket edge pocket is on page 42 and is the Photo Mat 2 with Shift
• the keys are not limited to mini albums, on the I Adore You layout the overlay on page 43 was used to create the title
• also on the layout you can see the notebook paper was used for journaling and the pages that would create the mini album were cut in half to become photo mats
• in Jeanette Lynton's post, Artbooking Made Easy: Top Secret Mini Albums, you will find so much more detail, cut sizes, closeup photos and a list of supplies used for each album

If you have missed earlier videos in the Artbooking Made Easy series, I am maintaining a list so they are easier to find. Just look for CTMH Cricut® Artbooking Collection in the green bar above.

Contact me if you would like to learn how you would be able to purchase the Artbooking collection at 1/2 off by hosting a Gathering either in-home or on-line.

Thanks for visiting today

Springtime Studio Savings

Springtime Studio Savings is the CTMH promotion for March 2014.

During the month of March, order your Studio J™ layouts—including ones using our new Photo Express Collection—for only $5 each!

I am posting news of this promotion today so you can start choosing the photos you may want to use on a Studio J™ layout or the photos you want processed.

I say processed because "Studio J layouts are processed, not printed, using a silver-halide process considered the highest standard in the photo developing industry. Unlike printed papers or images you might print from a home photo printer, the silver-halide process yields “100-year+ quality” that has long been tested and used by the top photo labs in the world. We use the same papers and equipment used by leading labs to produce long-lasting photo prints, so you know your layout will be reproduced with high fidelity and will last throughout the years." (Source: Studio J Frequently Asked Questions)

In addition, JPEG files are available for free with your Studio J purchase and are available as a stand-alone item at $2.95 for each layout.

Even if you are not interested in digital scrapbooking, please continue reading this post because you can use Studio J to "print" your photos. You can create custom photos wells as described in this video:



Or you can use the new Photo Express Collections to "print" your photos in a variety of sizes. To find the new Photo Express Collection templates, go to Studio J and sign in (if you do not have a CTMH/Studio J account yet you will be prompted to create one). I am going to guess that you have not tried Studio J yet, so we are going to "Create a new project". You will be prompted to name the project and then will be prompted to upload photos. After you have uploaded photos, choose "Continue" in the lower right. You will then be prompted to select a layout type. If you want to create custom photo wells as shown in the above video choose "Create Your Own Custom Layout", but if you want to use the Photo Express Collections, choose "Start with an Express Collection". Scroll down until you see "Photo Collections (7 layouts)". Click on it once and choose Continue. Then choose the size photos you would like and Continue.

The Photo Express Collection choices are:

• 2" x 2" photos; you will have 72 photo wells to use
• 3" x 3" photos; you will have 32 photo wells to use
• 3" x 4" photos; you will have (12) 4" x 3" horizontal/landscape photos wells and (12) 3" x 4" vertical/portrait photos wells to use; this is the perfect size for Picture My Life™ scrapbooking
• 4" x 4" photos; you will have 18 photo wells to use
• 4" x 6" photos; you will have six (6) 6" x 4" horizontal/landscape photos wells and six (6) 4" x 6" vertical/portrait photos wells to use; this is also the perfect size for Picture My Life™ scrapbooking
• 6" x 8" photos; you will have two (2) 6" x 8" horizontal/landscape photos wells and two (2) 8" x 6" vertical/portrait photos wells to use and two (2) 6" x 4" vertical/portrait photos photos wells and two (2) 4" x 6" horizontal/landscape wells to use
• 5" x 7" photos; you will have three (3) 5" x 7" horizontal/landscape photos wells and three (3) 7" x 5" vertical/portrait photos wells to use and two (2) 5" x 5" photos wells, one (1) 3" x 2" photos well, one (1) 2" x 3" photos well and four (4) 2" x 2" photos wells to use

You can start a Studio J project and save it to come back to later. The save button is a little small so I want to be certain you can easily find it: save is located in the gray bar just under "Purchase" in the upper right corner.

In the past I shared several videos featuring Studio J. If you are new to Studio J you may want to start with these videos:

• Introducing Studio J®
• Studio J®: Step-by-Step Basics
• Studio J®: Photo Editing Tool
• blog posts labeled "Studio J®"

You can immediately start uploading photos, creating layouts or using the new Photo Express Collections and save your projects so you can order them right after March begins.

The "fine print":

*Offer valid March 1–31, 2014. Studio J layouts ship in a protected box that can hold from 4 to 50 two-page layouts. Minimum order of 4 layouts. Free JPEG of every printed layout. Shipping/handling rates for Studio J™ layouts are a flat rate of up to 50 layouts in a box for $5.95 USD. Studio J® purchases cannot be shipped with other CTMH products.

**It is recommended that the matting feature not be used with the photo-only templates, the Photo Express Collection, as matting may cause photos to appear misaligned. Close To My Heart does not assume any liability for photos and Photo Express Collection layouts that have been created using the matting option and will give no reprints or refunds in such cases.

If you do not have a CTMH Independent Consultant, I would be happy answer any questions you may have about Studio J® or any CTMH product. If you have decided to try Studio J® to create layouts or to "print" photos, click the Studio J® icon below.

Please contact me if you have questions.

Last Week the E2, This Week the Imagine

I love scrapbooking tools even when they make me want to pull my hair out (well maybe I do not love them all of the time). I would like the opportunity to try all different types of tools. I wish I could afford to try them all. Someday I would like to go somewhere (retreat maybe?) where I can try the tools I have not had an opportunity to use yet.

That said, I decided to pull out my Imagine and use it. It has been a few months since I last played with it. The last time I used it I had to apply the last of the firmware updates that Cricut provided. Now I can use HP print cartridges with it. The Imagine can print wonderful edge-to-edge paper. I will continue to use my Imagine for that if nothing else. I recently purchased several mats so I have a stock on hand (and they work in my Expression).

The first thing I created was the milk carton cut from the Artiste cartridge after printing it filled with content from the All Wrapped Up cartridge. I am thinking of items I can use to hold candies for little gifts or "bake sale" items.

The next thing I created was the Movie Ticket card and envelope (on the M key) from the Artiste cartridge. I cut the envelope at 5.9 inches after filling it with this great floral print from the All Wrapped Up cartridge and the ticket card at 3.9 inches and they fit perfectly. I had forgotten to create them relative to each other so my first ticket card was too large. I think I will use that on a layout in the future.

Here is what the set looks like when the card is not in the envelope. It is not a traditional card; that is there is no fold so there is an inside and outside.

I need to finish the card. I am thinking it would make a bold Easter or Welcome Spring card. I need to browse through my stamps and make a decision. I will try to remember to post when I complete it.

I hope I have given you a glimmer of inspiration today. Thanks for stopping by.

Embossing is Boss Ends February 28

The February 2014 Promotion, Embossing is Boss, will be ending this coming Friday. I cannot believe how fast the month of February is coming to an end.

As I told you at the beginning of February, when you purchase any two colored cardstock packs (single color or combo packs; see exclusions below), you can choose one embossing folder for free. The embossing folders come in a variety of patterns: Chevron (Z1925), Damask (Z1927), Dot (Z1924), Quatrefoil (Z1926), or Stripe (Z196) and are 7 inches by 5 inches. The patterns are also repeatable for those times when you want to cover a larger piece of paper.

Mid-month I shared this video, Score Big with Embossing, which shows many great tips for achieving the best results with embossing folders.You will learn a lot about paper and embossing in this video - it is 4 minutes well spent.



To aid you with planning your purchase you should know that the Kraft, White Daisy, Colonial White, and Paper Fundamentals Basics Assortment cardstocks are excluded from this special. In addition, the embossing machine is not included, but the folders will work with most embossing machines currently on the market.

If you do not have a CTMH Independent Consultant, I would be happy answer any questions you may have about CTMH products. If you have decided which products you would like to purchase, click the Shop Now link to place an order.

If you would like to learn how you can earn free or half-off products, please contact me to schedule a Home or On-line Gathering.

DIY: Base & Bling Style

Following up on yesterday's video, Base & Bling at Its Finest, in today's video, Base & Bling Style, Kristine gives us many wonderful ideas for creating different pendants with new items in the Base & Bling line. She also gives us a great idea for presenting the pendant as a gift. You will find the new Base & Bling items on pages 79 through 81 of the CTMH Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book.



Base & Bling Style has the CTMH Corp. description "Who doesn't love elegant, affordable, custom-made bling? With countless options from Close To My Heart's expanded Base & Bling line, you can create unique, sophisticated wearable crafts in just minutes."

Products featured in the video:

• Base & Bling Chains (Z1940, Z1954)
• Base & Bling Pendants (Z1962-Z1965)
• Base & Bling Glass Covers (Z1966, Z1967)
• Base & Bling Charms (Z1957-Z1959, Z1955, Z1978)
• Base & Bling Style Sheets (Z1973-Z1976)
• Liquid Glass (Z679)
• Cricut® Artiste Collection (Z1790)

Details in the video that I do not want you to miss:

• in addition to the images from the Style Sheets, you can use photos, embossed cardstock, embellishments under (Aqua Dots were used in the video) and on top of the Glass Covers
• if you choose to use something other than the Style Sheets (photo, B&T or cardstock, fabric or different embellishments) in your pendant, it is recommended that you test that item with Liquid Glass or the adhesive you are using because adhesives can alter some colors; also when creating a project like this you should use a copy or scrap so your original unique item is preserved
• if you use the Style Sheets, testing with Liquid Glass is not necessary because they have a special coating
• if you are creating a circle pendant cut the image from the Style Sheet (but do not remove the backing yet) and lay the Glass Cover on top to select which part of the image you want to show then draw a line around the Cover and cut right on the line; do not worry about the circle being perfect as the Cover will cover the edges, remove the backing and insert into the pendant
• please note - some of the Style Sheet images were designed to work best with the square pendant
• be generous with the Liquid Glass to ensure there are no dry spots or air bubbles; push the Cover down; some of the Liquid Glass with seep around the edges; use a non-alcohol baby wipe to wipe up the excess and keep the Cover clean and clear
• make your creation uniquely your own by looking at the other embellishments in the Idea Book in a new light, for example, the bows in the Ariana Assortment (Z3002)
• the carrier sheet the pendant is presented on was created from the Artiste cartridge with the gift card cut on the J key; you will find it on page 57 of the handbook; it was cut at 2 1/2 inches using Real Dial Size
• at both the left and right side of the card, cut a short notch at the inside of the first scallop to "hold" the chain in place; hide the extra chain inside the card securing it in a bag or with washi tape

I still think the Base & Bling line would make wonderful Mother's Day gift especially after watching the video. They are quick and easy to put together. Since no tools are needed to add the Pendants or Charms, you could give extra Pendants and Charms with the gift so the recipient can mix and match to coordinate with their outfit or mood. I hope today's video inspired you to try create a unique pendant for yourself or as a gift. If you are ready to place an order the Shop Now button will take you to my Online Business Address.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

The Expanded Line of Base & Bling

Base & Bling at Its Finest is one of the latest videos Close To My Heart posted on YouTube. In the video Monica and Kristine tell us about the new items in the Base & Bling line. You will find the new Base & Bling items on pages 79 through 81 of the CTMH Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book.



Base & Bling at Its Finest has the CTMH Corp. description "The expanded Base & Bling line from Close To My Heart is more sophisticated than ever. With four distinct styles of classy, customizable elements, you're sure to find the perfect bling for your unique personality."

Products featured in the video:

• Base & Bling Chains (Z1940, Z1954)
• Base & Bling Pendants (Z1962-Z1965)
• Base & Bling Glass Covers (Z1966, Z1967)
• Base & Bling Charms (Z1957-Z1959, Z1955, Z1978)
• Base & Bling Style Sheets (Z1973-Z1976)

Some details in the video that are worth sharing again:

• the chains and pendants come in faux antiqued silver or faux antiqued gold; gold and silver are not mixed in the same package
• the charms come in faux antiqued silver and faux antiqued gold; gold and silver are mixed in the same package; you will receive two each, one gold and one silver, of the three designs for six charms total; in the Rhinestone package you receive three gold and three silver charms
• if you choose to put a photo, fabric or different embellishments in your pendant, it is recommended that you test that item with Liquid Glass (Z679) or the adhesive you are using because adhesives can alter some colors; when creating a project like this you should use a copy or scrap so your original unique item is preserved

I think the Base & Bling line would make wonderful Mother's Day gift. They are quick and easy to put together. I hope today's video inspired you to try create your own unique pendant. If you are ready to place an order the Shop Now button will take you to my Online Business Address.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Artbooking Made Easy: Nursery Rhymes

Artbooking Made Easy: Nursery Rhymes is the latest video in the Artbooking Made Easy series. Each week until April 2014 (except occasional breaks for holidays) Close To My Heart will release the next video in the series. Each video has tips, tricks and project inspiration for using the Artbooking collection.



The CTMH Corp. description of this week's video Artbooking Made Easy: Nursery Rhymes is "The nursery-themed keys on the Cricut® Artbooking cartridge from Close To My Heart will have you singing nursery rhymes, reliving childhood memories, and reminiscing about your baby's first years. Watch the video to see these two keys in action."

A few points I want to be certain that you do not miss while watching the video:

• there are two nursery layout keys on the Artbooking cartridge
• you will find the keys on pages 84 and 85 of the Artbooking booklet
• as Jill shows us on the "hello world" layout, do not be afraid to experiment with Real Dial Size; the overlay shown on page 85 were cut at 2 inches using Real Dial Size and used to create a tone-on-tone background; the overlays were attached with stitching on point (see Jeanette Lynton's blog post for a better view)
• on the "sweet" layout the overlay was cut at 11 inches without Real Dial Size and was backed with buttercup cardstock; the simplest way to cut the buttercup backing cardstock is in Cricut® Craft Room using the hide contour feature; read more about hide contour/hide cut line on Cricut®'s Craft Room Getting Started website under Edit Images
• to create the banner (page 85 of handbook), use scraps of cardstock to fill in the color
• when Jill was pointing to the owl I believe I saw a reflection which leads me to think that the base of the owl was cut from the Paper Fundamentals Basics Assortment (Z1939)
• if you are a cardmaker you will also find many uses for the Artbooking cartridge; the card base for "baby boy" card was notched at the top to keep the shape over the overlay used
• in Jeanette Lynton's post, Artbooking Made Easy: Nursery Layouts, you will find several closeup photos and, while all supplies used to create these project are not listed, the post confirms my suspicion that the Paper fundamentals Basics Assortment was used on the owl :-)

If you have missed earlier videos in the Artbooking Made Easy series, I am maintaining a list so they are easier to find. Just look for CTMH Cricut® Artbooking Collection in the green bar above.
Contact me if you would like to learn how you would be able to purchase the Artbooking collection at 1/2 off by hosting a Gathering either in-home or on-line.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thanks for visiting today.

Party Favor Favorites

While I do not enjoy being the hostess, I do enjoy a good party. You may recall that a few months ago I mentioned that my cousin and aunt like to have parties; I think I need to show them these ideas. Project Inspiration: Party Favor Favorites has some great ideas for a circus themed party and we will learn how the popcorn boxes and invitations shown on page 110 of the CTMH Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book were created.



Today's video, Project Inspiration: Party Favor Favorites has the CTMH Corporate description "Use small party favors as invitations to a celebration! Watch the video to learn how to make your own perfect party favors using Cricut®-cut shapes and the My Acrylix™ Big Top stamp set from Close To My Heart."

Products used in the video:

• My Acrylix™ Big Top Stamp Set (C1580)
• Cricut® Artiste Collection (Z1790)

Some of the tips mentioned in the video:

• the popcorn box is from the Artiste cartridge; it is the 3D object on the m/movie night key found on page 67 of the handbook
• the handbook shows cutting the box at 4 inches, but the box in the video was cut at 6 inches
• start with White Daisy cardstock (1385) as your base and create as many popcorn boxes as you need, but do not assemble them yet, you will assemble them after applying the "circus strips"
• the "circus stripes" on the popcorn boxes were created by cutting additional boxes in the colors of your choice then using the scallops as your guide to mark the strips (see about 2:30 minutes into the video for the demo); you will not be able to use the entire box cut from colored cardstock because you are cutting straight strips and will be recycling every other strip you cut; you will need about 12 strips for each popcorn box
• attach the strips with Tombow® Adhesive (1514) then assemble the box
• to complete the popcorn box as shown in the Idea Book and online - the "sun ray" label and the "A Celebration" stamp are from the Big Top Stamp Set and are stamped on additional die cuts from the Artiste collection; you will find them on pages 77 and 58 of the handbook; cutting sizes are listed on the stamp carrier sheet and in the Recipes for the Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book (this link is a PDF that will open in a new window)
• the invitations are stuck on the top of a toothpick; they are the "Card" (with and without shift) on the m/movie night key; the exact size used was not noted in the video, but you will find cutting sizes and a list of supplies used in the Recipes; although you may want to make the invitation larger or smaller depending on your theme and how much information you need to provide to guests
• the "You're The Tops" box shown at the beginning of the video appears to be the 3D Object from page 34 of the handbook, I believe the "roof" of the box was created similar to the "circus stripes" on the popcorn box (except on this box the paper stripes are graduated) and the "pompom" at the peak was created from Baker's Twine, it also appears the Scallop Border Punch (Z1851) was used to create the trim where the box starts to peak, I believe the "belly band" was created with the In The Background Stamp Set (D1540)
• the dumb bell cupcake topper was created using the 3D Object from page 62 of the handbook (see page 40 of the Assembly Instructions guide), they might have cut a slit in the top to "anchor" the elephant that was stamped with the ball and cut by hand from cardstock; unfortunately I do not have the Big Top Stamp Set to try recreating the topper exactly

Here is my attempt to cut the box to create the dumb bell cupcake topper (the one in the video with the elephant and ball on the top). I am sorry the photo is not great, but it shows the shape and the height, which I definitely want you to see.

I cut the dumb bell at the recommended 2" in the handbook, but I think if I were creating these for "normal" sized cupcakes I would probably cut these at 0.75 or 1 inch; the size printed in the handbook would overwhelm even a jumbo cupcake. Please note: if you are using Cricut Craft Room, when setting the default height (found at the bottom of the window) to 0.75 in, do not be surprised when under Shape Properties the size is listed as 3.569 (width) by 1.819 (height).

I think these favors could be adapted for other party themes as well. For an Oscar Night or a movie themed party I might use Reel Life (B1431) and mask the wording (or use the retired stamp set with a film strip - as soon as I remember the name I will post it). If you were hosting a baby shower the animals in Wild Wonders (C1558) would be adorable on the cupcake topper. For a group that enjoys video games, you could use Tech Speak (C1566). Just look though your stamps

I hope today's post inspired you to create your own party favors for your next gathering. If you are ready to place an order the Show Now button will take you to my Online Business Address.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Trying to Fall in Love with my E2 Again

I had some problems with Cricut® Craft Room and my Expression 2 communicating with each other. To make sure the machine is working properly (and to try to justify to myself ordering the new Cricut® Explore™) I am trying to use both tools more frequently.

Here are two cards I created with no specific purpose in mind. I used digital-art in CCR that I purchased with a gift card I received: Father's Day Card - Argyle and Father's Day Card - Plaid. Since this was the first time I used these images, I used cardstock I had lying around (I try to use inexpensive "bulk" cardstock for my first attempt cutting an image so I am not disappointed if the project does not work out).

You probably can see that I did not have the paper firmly attached to the cutting mat and it got a little wrinkled on the above card; from shifting on the map it also had a small cut on the back that did not belong there. I completed (at least partially) the card anyway. I might come up with more ideas for disguising the "problems".

On the card I also used the retired Cotton Candy polka-dot washi tape and the My Acrylix® Cloud Nine Stamp Set (D1596); the also retired Cloud Nine stamp set was part of the Cloud Nine National Papercrafting Month Promotion in January 2014. The heart die cut is from the Cricut® Artiste cartridge - all images from the Cloud Nine stamp set coordinate with an image on the Artiste.

This is the second card I recently cut. I have not decided how I am going to finish this card, who I will give it to or for what occasion. Maybe it will become a Mother's Day card and I will find a flower stamp to color and fussy cut and attach to the front. If you have any additional ideas, I would love to hear them.

By the way, I'd like to remind you that CCR lists the cards as "Father's Day Cards", but as you can see they can be used for any occasion. Thank you for making my blog one of those you read today.

No One Has Time to Craft?

I cannot say anything. :-) Well I can, but I won't. :-) I am very sorry that you were unable to find the time to create a layout to be entered into the drawing for a stamp set. I know, I have time fitting crafting in too. Every day I dream of winning a pot of money so I do not have to keep my day job, but every time I play the numbers just don't go my way.

So there will not be a winner's name posted on Monday, but that's OK as you will have another chance in March. I recently committed to participate in a blog hop to celebrate Julie's 2nd anniversary of blogging. I will post more details later, but the hop will be the weekend of March 7 and I think there will be prizes on more than one blog. So mark your calendars.

Thanks for stopping by my blog occasionally. I hope you had a great Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day

My town's public library has a bake sale fundraiser on Valentine's Day. Since I am not much of a baker (other than box mixes), I created little gift bags of candy to contribute to the sale. The other great thing about creating the gift bags is I could prepare them a few days prior to the sale (not that they were completely finished until the wee hours of this morning).

To create the gift bags I purchased clear treat bags in the cake decorating section of my local big box craft store. The bags came with the silver metallic twist ties which gave these great pop of bling.

I used scrap cardstock for the tags and the Artiste cartridge with Cricut Craft Room (CCR) to cut the hearts. The hearts are Accent 2 (with and without shift) found on page 51 of the handbook. In CCR I removed one the the cut lines so I only ended up with the outer scallop and the inner heart (saved for a future project). I used Liquid Glass (Z679) to adhere the hearts together after I stamped them with My Acrylix™ Holiday Tags (D1560) and Angel Policy Stamp Set (A1086) using Chocolate (Z2111), Cotton Candy (Z2193) and Ruby (Z2170) Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads. I used the Piercing Tool Kit (Z1114) to create the holes to thread the twist tie through. I first pierced the hole then I used the tip of the tool to "slit" the top and bottom of the hole until the twist tie would fit though. I created the loops on the twist ties by wrapping them around the handle of a crochet hook.

There are three CTMH Cricut® Collections: Art Philosophy, Artist and Artbooking. If you would like to learn more about the collections, you will find a summary at CTMH Cricut® Collections (in the green bar above).

Contact me if you would like to learn how you would be able to purchase your choice of the CTMH Cricut® Collections at 1/2 off by hosting a Gathering either in-home or on-line.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I would love to know what you think of my bake sale item. Thanks for visiting today.

Adding Artistic Details with Tools

Project Inspiration: Tools for Tasteful Pages gives us tips for using CTMH tools to add details that will help us create gorgeous artwork. The layout where some of these tips were used is shown in the video is features on page 105 of the CTMH Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book.



Today's video is Project Inspiration: Tools for Tasteful Pages. The CTMH Corp. description is "Close To My Heart's stitch guide helps you quickly and easily add a little "oomph" to your projects. Watch the video to see how we've added the popular hand-sewn effect to the stamped images in the My Acrylix™ Windy Day set using just three tools."

Products used in the video:

• My Creations™ Windy Day Stamp Set (D1579)
• Baker's Twine Neutral Assortment (Z1701); unfortunately this assortment is no longer available, you could substitute Bake's Twine Neutral Metallic Assortment (Z1921) or embroidery floss for your stitching
• Stitch Guide (Z1852)
• Foam Mat (Z1859)

Not listed, but I think should be, is the Piercing Tool Kit (Z1114). The piercing tool has a wooden handle which makes it much easier to grip than a needle when piercing holes. The kit also includes a smaller push pad and two different needles.

Some of the tips mentioned in the video:

• two different stamps from the Windy Day set were combined to appear as one embellishment; the kite was stamped and cut out and placed on the layout; the girl was stamped directly on the layout and colored in; the two images were connected with stitching
• Alcohol markers were used to color in the stamped images; they were also used on the edges of the clouds and title to add dimension
• a back stitch was used to create the kite "string" and "join" the kite and girl into one embellishment, lightly pencil in a line to follow while stitching (stitching will cover the line)
• get ready to stitch by piercing along the line in equal increments then thread a needle with the floss or baker's twine and put a knot in the end
• backstitch - with this stitch a continuous line is created and you see thread between every hold that you created (see the diagram below if you have trouble visualizing how to backstitch)
• skip (or running) stitch - with this stitch a continuous line is not created, you only see thread between every other hole you pierced
• the flourish that gives movement to the kite is from the stitch guide
  

This quick drawing I created shows how I was taught to backstitch:

The numbers across the top correspond to the pierced holes and the red squiggly line is the paper; what appear above the red line is what you will see on the front of your layout. From the back of the layout bring your needle through pierced hole 2. Then put your needle through hole 1. Bring your needle up through pierced hole 3 and put it down through hold 2. Continue until you reach the end of your line. Your needle will only pass through the first and last hole one time. To secure your stitching at the end weave your needle through the thread on the back of your paper. If this is on a card, you may want to secure with some tape of a very small dot of Liquid Glass.

I hope today's video inspires you to add some hand stitching to your next layout or card. If you have decided to order any of these tools, the Shop Now button will take you to my Online Business Address.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Achieve Great Results with Embossing Folders

I learned so much from today's video Score Big with Embossing. When I speak with others who have watched the video, they say the same thing. I hope you have about 4 minutes to watch Score Big with Embossing.



The CTMH Corp. description of Score Big with Embossing is "Check out Close To My Heart's exclusive embossing folders, available in five trendy and classy patterns, and get some tips on the best ways to use them."

Products used in the video:

• Dot Embossing Folder (Z1924)
• Chevron Embossing Folder (Z1925)
• Quatrefoil Embossing Folder (Z1926)
• Damask Embossing Folder (Z1927)
• Stripe Embossing Folder (Z1960)

Some of the tips mentioned in the video:

• for best results, determine the grain of the cardstock by holding your hand out flat, place a piece of cardstock across your hand and watch for the bend (think of an arch); the grain is parallel with the ends of the arch
• when using an embossing folder and you go "with the grain" less of the white core will show; when you go "against the grain" more of the white core will show, but either is a personal preference and you may want to choose different looks on different projects
• the grain really does matter on on straight patterns like the Stripe Embossing Folder; when you go with the grain, you get nice clean lines, but when you go against the grain the embossing really breaks the fibers causing the cardstock to crack
• you want to make sure the paper is no wider than the folder, when using paper that is too wide, the pressure will warp and bend the edges of the paper
• you can use paper that is longer than the folder; there are slits at the top of the folder that allow you to create longer embossed strips
• if the indention in your paper is more than you would prefer (you would like a softer looking emboss), add another piece of cardstock to your "sandwich" to be a shim to help absorb some of the "bite" from the embossing folder; the impression will not be as deep; use scrap cardstock for your shims and you can use them over and over
• sand the embossing to expose the white core to highlight the embossing (or ink it)

I hope today's video inspired you to try the CTMH embossing folders. If you would like to see the embossing folders in action, contact me to schedule a Home Gathering where we can create a project with embossed cardstock. If you are ready to place an order the Show Now button will take you to my Online Business Address.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about embossing or any other CTMH product.

Artbooking Made Easy: Baby Mini Albums

The latest in the video series Artbooking Made Easy is Artbooking Made Easy: Baby Mini Albums/Sweet Smiles. Each week until April 2014 (except occasional breaks for holidays) Close To My Heart will release the next video in the series. Each video has tips, tricks and project inspiration for using the Artbooking collection.



This week's video is Artbooking Made Easy: Baby Mini Albums/Sweet Smiles. The CTMH Corp. description of the video is "Watch the video to see how using the Cricut® Artbooking shapes, icons, and borders to scrapbook memories of your sweet baby will have you grinning from ear to ear!"

A few points I want to be certain that you do not miss while watching the video:

• there are two Baby mini album keys on the Artbooking cartridge
• you will find the keys on pages 50 and 51 of the Artbooking booklet
• everything cut for the Baby album is cut at 8 inches (Real Dial Size off so the images cut relative to each other)
• to create the lion, cut the body once in slate and the face twice; once in cocoa and once in sorbet
• to create dimension, outline the shapes with a pen
• to get a different color flap on the envelope, cut the piece a second time and cut the flap part off the second cut and attach it to the flap of the first cut
• to create the card, use Real Dial Size to cut the title at 1 1/4 inch
• the giraffe's body was cut from sorbet and the topper cut from crème brulee; foam tape was used between the layers
• go to Jeanette Lynton's post, Artbooking Made Easy: Baby Mini Albums, to find the details on how to create the album with photographs of several pages

If you have missed earlier videos in the Artbooking Made Easy series, I am maintaining a list so they are easier to find. Just look for CTMH Cricut® Artbooking Collection in the green bar above.

Contact me if you would like to learn how you would be able to purchase the Artbooking collection at 1/2 off by hosting a Gathering either in-home or on-line.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thanks for visiting today.

Hip Pics Album

Do you always look for something unique to give to your mother for Mother's Day? If so, the project shared in Project Inspiration: Hip Pics Album might be the perfect inspiration for you.



Today's video is Project Inspiration: Hip Pics Album and the CTMH Corp. description of the video is "Create a heartfelt Mother's Day gift complete with photos, embellishments, and sweet sentiments using the My Creations™ Hip Pics album and the My Acrylix™ Mother's Day stamp set from Close To My Heart."

Products used in the video:

• My Acrylix™ Mother's Day Stamp Set (C1577)
• My Creations™ Hip Pics Album (Z1956)

Some of the tips mentioned in the video:

• to make it easier to slide the photos into the Hip Pics Album, mount the photo on a 6 inch x 4 1/4 inch cardstock mat
• when attaching the photo to the mat, center the photo so about 1/8 inch of the mat will show on each side (the height of the photo will fill the mat); you do not see the mat when the photo is slid into the album
• alternatively you can use smaller photos and allow some of the mat to show through the window in the album
• you do not have to use photos on each page, you can fill the space with stamps or journaling that complement the photos

Another great stamp set for a Mother's Day themed album is the Hostess Rewards Stamp Set A Mother's Love (B1447) shown on page 8 of the Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book. This album would also be a great Father's Day project when using the My Acrylix™ You're the Best Stamp Set (C1571) or the Hostess Rewards Stamp Set My Hero (B1448) shown on page 9.

I hope today's video inspired you to try a My Creations™ Hip Pics Album. If you would like to host an Online or Home Gathering to earn Hostess Rewards so you may get your own A Mother's Love or My Hero Stamp Set (or any other Hostess Rewards qualifying product), send me a message. If you are ready to place an order, the Show Now button will take you to my Online Business Address.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Stamp Transformation

It is so ironic that the video, Project Inspiration: Transform Your Stamps, was uploaded within the past week and I just watched it on Tuesday, February 4. Over the weekend I was looking at the Yosemite layout shown at the beginning of this video (and on page 88 of the Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book) and deconstructing how they created the "to something special" in the upper right of the photograph. Jill did not mention it in this video, but that phrase is from the My Acrylix® Funky Blossoms Stamp Set (B1452) on page 90 of the IB. Only part of the phrase was stamped. If you look closely at the right side of that layout, you will see the border stamp from Funky Blossoms was also used. I did not think I needed that stamp set, but over the weekend I decided I do.



The CTMH Corp. description  of Project Inspiration: Transform Your Stamps is "Think outside the stamp set theme! Watch the video for ideas on transforming your icon stamps into borders, embellishments, and backgrounds using the My Acrylix™ Do Your Best stamp set, and then contact your Close To My Heart Consultant to purchase the necessary supplies."

Products used in the video:

• My Acrylix™ Do Your Best Stamp Set (C1573)
• My Creations™ Kraft 3-Ring Album (Z1871)

Some of the tips mentioned in the video:

• create your own B&T™ papers with the animal stamps from the Do Your Best Stamp Set
• when you random stamp use a triangular pattern
• you can stamp very close together or further apart, just keep it consistent throughout your stamping
• go off the page a little to make it appear random and to fill the entire space
• you can also sponge or distress some of the pages for more unique B&T™ papers

I hope today's video inspired you to take a second look at stamp sets you thought you would never use.

If you are ready to place an order the Show Now button will take you to my Online Business Address. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Giveaway Reminder

A couple of days before last week's Big Picture Classes Pajama Party I posted that I would be having a giveaway. It is very easy to enter - just create a one-page layout inspired by the layout Christine and Stacy showed during the Pajama Party:

The full details for how to enter are on my post Create a Layout & Your Name Gets Into My Drawing. I do hope that you will find a chance to play along. You still have more than one week to find some creative time.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Artbooking Made Easy: Sugar & Spice

Artbooking Made Easy: Sugar & Spice is the latest in the video series Artbooking Made Easy. Each week until April 2014 (except occasional breaks for holidays) Close To My Heart releases a new video in the series. Each video has tips, tricks and project inspiration for using the Artbooking collection.



This week's video Artbooking Made Easy: Sugar & Spice has the CTMH Corp. description "Add a little sass and pizzazz to your teen girl layouts using the Cricut® Artbooking cartridge from Close To My Heart! Watch the video and contact your Independent Consultant to learn more."

A few points I want to be certain that you do not miss while watching the video:

• the projects were created with the teen layout keys
• you will find the keys on pages 80 and 81 of the Artbooking booklet
• the "10 Things" layout was cut at 11 inches with Real Dial Size off
• two different half overlays were used on this two-page layout
• the heart border was embellished with scribble stamps (see yesterday's post)
• the heart photo mats have a slit which the Cricut® will cut for you so you can slide your photos in - no adhesive needed
• the "Giggles & Grins" layout uses overlays from the same key, but one is a full overlay and the other is a half overlay, both were cut at 11 inches with Real Dial Size off; the overlays were not backed with cardstock to allow the base B&T™ to show through
• the photo mats come from both keys
• these keys were used to create a cards too, the half overlay for the "butterfly card" was cut at 2 3/4"with Real Dial Size on; the green focal is a photo mat and cut at 2 3/4 inches; the heart border was cut at 11 inches and cut to fit the card (save the extra border for another project)
• in Jeanette Lynton's post, Artbooking Made Easy: Teen Layouts, you will find even more detail, closeup photos and a list of supplies used for each album; I love the idea to use the "10 Things" die cut as a key for labeling photos (or other elements) on a layout
• also on Jeanette Lynton's post is the chance to win your own Artbooking collection - the winner will be announced next Monday (Feb 10) so be sure to head over there now to leave a comment

If you have missed earlier videos in the Artbooking Made Easy series, I am maintaining a list so they are easier to find. Just look for CTMH Cricut® Artbooking Collection in the green bar above.

Contact me if you would like to learn how you would be able to purchase the Artbooking collection at 1/2 off by hosting a Gathering either in-home or on-line.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thanks for watching today's Artbooking video.

Scribble Sensational

To be honest with you, I was not aware of the scribble trend until it was mentioned in the video. I searched Pinterest and, wow, there are a lot of project ideas out there, but I did not need to see those ideas to love the stamp sets shown in the video. I already have one, one will be arriving at my house any day and the other is on my wish list (admittedly it has moved up the list after seeing this video).



The CTMH Corp. description of today's video Project Inspiration: Scribble Sensational is "Join in on the scribble trend with these super cute images from the My Acrylix™ Oodles of Doodles stamp set. Watch the video to learn more about this playful stamping technique, and then contact your Close To My Heart Consultant to purchase the necessary supplies."

Products used in the video:

• My Acrylix® Oodles of Doodles Stamp Set (B1449) - page 100 of S/S 2014 Idea Book
• My Acrylix® Charming Chevrons Stamp Set (A1150) - page 100
• Sparkles Chevron Shapes (Z1909) - page 123

Some of the tips mentioned in the video:

• the My Acrylix® Oodles of Doodles stamp set coordinates with the Cricut® Artiste cartridge
• a similar stamp set is My Acrylix® Doodle Signs (A1158) - page 7, but it is only available as a Hostess Reward; contact me if you would like to host a Home or Online Gathering to earn rewards to acquire your own; Doodle Signs coordinates with the Cricut® Artbooking cartridge
• use the stamps with the included sentiments or hand-in-hand with other stamps to create a focal point or embellishment, the choice is yours

I hope today's video inspired you to try scribbling. If you are ready to place an order the Show Now button will take you to my Online Business Address.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thanks for visiting today.

3-D Effects from Flat Die Cuts

Do you love to have dimension in the projects you make? Then this video might contain your next bit of inspiration.



Today's video is DIY: Easy 3-D Effects. The CTMH Corp. description is "Ever wanted to turn a flat Cricut® shape into a 3-D element but didn't know how? Watch the video to learn how easy it is to create beautiful 3-D embellishments from flat Close To My Heart Cricut® Artbooking shapes. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3-D!"

Products featured in the video:

• Cricut® Art Philosophy Collection (Z1686)
  
• Cricut® Artiste Collection (Z1790)
  
• Cricut® Artbooking Collection (Z1906)
• Bone Folder (Z1204)
  

Some of the tips mentioned in the video:

• center your die cuts over the groove in your Surecut™ Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer (Z1783) and use a Bone Folder (Z1204) in the groove to score the paper and create crisp folds
• the ornaments were created with four flat shapes scored down the middle and glued together using Liquid Glass (Z679)
• the heart garland has nine hearts along the length of twine and each was created with three flat shapes; some hearts were stamped before scoring; only score two of the die cuts as the third will be used as a base
• place adhesive (to the wrong side of the paper) on one folded side of a heart and attach the other folded heart
• lay the flat heart (base) on your table, add some adhesive, lay the twine on top and attach the folded hearts
• the film strip book on the mini album page is from the Artbooking cartridge
• cut two film strip die cuts
• before scoring the film strips, back the squares with cardstock in a color that coordinates with your project
• score between the openings on the film strip and where you have it backed with cardstock you may need to score a little harder
• staple the film strip book along the back edge (single layer, fold, single layer, single layer, fold, single layer) after embellishing
• in the middle of the completed film strip book, add some washi tape over the "binding" to give it a more finished look

I don't know about you, but this makes me look at banners in a fresh light. And I cannot wait to try the film strip idea.

If you do not have a CTMH Independent Consultant yet, I would be happy to be your Consultant. If you are ready to place an order the Show Now button will take you to my Online Business Address.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

CTMH February 2014 Stamp of the Month: Wild About Love

The Close To My Heart February 2014 Stamp of the Month is Wild About Love. Today also marks the first day you may make a purchase of new items from the Spring Summer 2014 Idea Book.

This stamp set is so cute it created a lot of chatter among the CTMH Consultants that participate on the Consultant Bulletin Boards. You will find a larger image of each project shown in the above photo, a list of the products used and some hints for recreating the samples above on my OBA > Promotions > Stamp of the Month page. Another place to look for ideas using this stamp set is my Pinterest Board CTMH 2014 02 Feb SOTM Wild About Love.

Wild About Love is an exclusive D-size stamp set of 9 stamps that you can only purchase during the month of February 2014. The stamp set can be yours for $5 when you place an order of $50 or more in qualifying Close To My Heart Products. Alternatively you can purchase it for $17.95.

Recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks: 1" x 1" (Y1000), 2" x 2" (Y1003), and 3" x 3" (Y1006).

February also brings us the Embossing is Boss! event.

During the month of February 2014 when you purchase any two colored cardstock packs (single color or combo packs), you can choose one embossing folder for free. The embossing folders come in a variety of patterns: chevron, damask, dot, quatrefoil, or stripe and are 7 inches by 5 inches. The patterns are also repeatable for those times when you want to cover a larger piece of paper.

Just so you know, Kraft, White Daisy, Colonial White, and Paper Fundamentals Basics Assortment cardstocks are excluded from this special. In addition, the embossing machine is not included, but the folders will work with most embossing machines currently on the market.

Picture My Life™ is a new line from CTMH. It is pocket style scrapbooking. As a new scrapbooker you may like the ease of using the cards just as they are in the package. Alternatively, an avid scrapbooker may like to add these to their traditional albums to add more photos without the need to create several more 12" x 12" pages. You could even make the included cards "your own" by stamping, doodling or writing on them. Your only limit is your imagination.

Be sure to check out my Picture My Life™ tab above. On that page are photos of each PML collection as well as a list of coordinating colors. The photo above depicts the Babycakes collection.

Finally, you can view the Spring/Summer 2014 Idea Book online. Just go to my OBA > Products > Idea Books. This year you can purchase your own copy from my OBA. Just search for item WC1141. The cost is $3.95 plus shipping (and tax if applicable in your area).

If you do not have a CTMH Independent Consultant yet, I would be happy to help you learn more about CTMH products. Click the Shop with me link below to place an order or contact me if you have questions about any CTMH product or promotion or to schedule a Home or Online Gathering.

Thank you for visiting.