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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Seven Things You Can Do With Watercolor

In today's video Jill shows us seven things that can be done with watercolor.



The CTMH description of the video Seven Things You Can Do With Watercolor is "Join Jill from Close To My Heart as she shows seven fun ways to use watercolors in your scrapbooking and cardmaking. From painting organic lines, splattering color, or shading a shape–we’re sure you’ll fall in love with this art form!."

Some "tidbits" from the video:
  • since painting can get messy, please protect your work surface; the All-Purpose Mat (Z2045) works well because you can use it as a palette, the back is non-slip and the front is easy to clean
  • CTMH Watercolor Paints (Z3132) come in 36 colors; you can use the lid as a palette
  • CTMH Paintbrush Set (Z3188) come with 5 brush ends; 3 round tip and 2 flat
  • you can mix paints to create even more colors
  • CTMH Watercolor Paper (Z3146) is 220 lb.
  • if you have both watercolor paper and White Daisy cardstock on your desk and they get mixed up, you can tell them apart because the White Daisy cardstock is more vibrant
  • watercolor paper cuts well on the Cricut®
  • paints do not spread well on cardstock
  • simple stripes is a great way to start watercoloring
  • once your watercolor paper is completely wet, the paint moves around nicely; this is called wet and wet
  • when the color gets too dark, add more water to lighten it
  • when stamping then painting in an image, use either Archival Black Ink (44751) or Black Memento™ Ink Pad (Z899) so the ink will not bleed when watercoloring
  • some of the Cricut® cuts were done with the Cricut® Artistry Collection (Z3167)
  • for controlled ink splatters, the My Acrylix® Ink Blot stamp set (D1660) was used
If you have questions about the watercolor paints, please do not hesitate to send me an email. If you are ready to place an order, you will find my Online Business Address here.

Please also follow me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts for occasional updates.
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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Embossing Folders and Diffusers 101

Carly from the Close To My Heart Corporate Office shows us ideas for adding texture and dimension to our paper using the embossing folders and diffusers.



The CTMH description of the video Embossing Folders and Diffusers 101 is "Learn about how using embossing folders and diffusers can take your artwork to a whole new level."

Some tips from the video that I want to be sure you do not miss:
  • the embossing folders have an opening in the top so you can emboss larger pieces of cardstock, just line up the edge and emboss again
  • Close To My Heart cardstock has a white core, so you should emboss with the grain if you want to make the white core less visible (at approximately 2:40 into the video Carly shows how to determine the grain of the paper; hold the paper in the middle and look for the natural curve); determining the grain of the paper is also demonstrated in the video Score Big with Embossing which I shared on my post Achieve Great Results with Embossing Folders
  • another way to reduce the white core from being visible is to spritz the cardstock with water before running through the embossing machine; the Spray Pen (Z1380) works well for this
  • the diffuses come with a protective film that should be removed prior to use
  • keep both pieces of the diffuser; use the circle or square if you want a circle or square embossed area on your cardstock; use the rectangular piece, with the circle or square cutout, if you want the outside of your cardstock embossed (with a flat circle or square focal point)
  • when sandwiching your folder, cardstock and diffuser, you typically replace one of the cutting pads; in the Cuttlebug the sandwich would be A Plate, B Plate, Embossing Folder (with cardstock inside), Diffuser (in place of B Plate)
  • CTMH suggests using the hashtag #embossing on social media
If you have questions about the embossing folders or diffusers, please do not hesitate to send me an email. If you are ready to place an order, the Shop Now button will take you there.


Please follow me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts for additional updates.
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Monday, October 12, 2015

Tips and Techniques with ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Markers

In this video, Jill tells us about the markers, there is a broad tip (black barrel) and a fine tip (grey barrel), how to store them and tips for using them.



The CTMH description of the video Tips and Techniques with ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Markers is "The ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ markers can take your artwork to a whole new level. Close To My Heart offers a selection of 24 colors with everything from versatile neutrals to vibrant brights. Follow along to see how you can transform your projects with these markers."

Some tips from the video that I want to be sure you do not miss:
  • there is a broad tip (black barrel) and a fine tip (grey barrel)
  • the alcohol-based formula is easy to blend
  • build up layers to create more intense colors
  • the Colorless Blender (Z2469) has the same alcohol formula allows you to take away some of the color
  • when layering colors it typically does not matter which color you start with except when you are using Black or Grey; when using Black or Grey, always start with them
  • Black (Z2455) and Cerulean Blue Light (Z2449) make a nice denim color
  • Mahogany (Z2456) and Light Orange (Z2446) make a golden highlight in hair
  • Marigold (Z2457) and Pastel Green (Z2459) make a golden blond hair color
  • color embellishments with the markers to create any color you like; in the video Jill colored White Enamel Stars (Z2010) and Sequins Silver Assortment (Z2013)
  • color White Shimmer Trim (Z3024) any color that you need, press lightly and use small strokes so you do not damage the marker's nib
  • store you markers horizontally so the formula remains in both marker tips and does not pool in one end; the Marker Roll-Up (Z2130) is perfect, IMO, for storing the markers because it stores them horizontally and keeps them organized so the right color is easy to find
  • #CTMHShinHan is the hashtag CTMH suggests using when posting your creations on-line; this tag will make it is easier for people to find projects using their product
About 4 minutes into the video, find the cheat sheet Jill created. What a great reference for when you are working with the ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Markers.

Also, please be sure to visit Coloring Time! a post on the Close To My Heart Make It from Your Heart blog where you will find another great reference. You can download a color chart where you will find suggested marker color combinations to re-create exclusive CTMH colors with the ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ markers. Be sure to read all of the tips, tricks and suggestions before you start coloring so you can get the closest possible match.

If you still have questions about the ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Markers, please do not hesitate to send me an email. If you are ready to place an order, the Shop Now button will take you there.


Please follow me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts for additional updates.
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Thursday, October 8, 2015

Picture My Life™ Scrapbooking Program

Have you been curious about the new Picture My Life™ items shown on pages 112-115 of Annual Inspirations 2015-2016? Today's video, simply called Picture My Life™, gives us a better look at some of the Picture My Life™ products and some tips for using the products, e.g., the overlays have a protective film.



The CTMH description of the video Picture My Life™ is "With the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program, documenting your favorite moments is easy. The process is simple and fast, but the memories will last forever."

Products features in this video:
When you share your creations that use Picture My Life™ items online, but sure to use the #PictureMyLife hashtag so others can easily find Picture My Life™ projects. Who knows, you could be the inspiration for someone.

If you still have questions about Picture My Life™, please do not hesitate to send me an email. If you are ready to place an order, the Shop Now button will take you there.


Please follow me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts for additional updates.
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Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Spotlight on the Holiday Expressions Catalog Blog Hop

Welcome to the Spotlight on the Holiday Expressions Catalog Blog Hop. There are about 30 bloggers sharing projects they created with products that are featured in Holiday Expressions. If blog hopping is new to you, click on the link (typically near the bottom of the post) to visit the next blog on the hop and you will be taken full circle back to the blog where you started.


You should have arrived here from ***jd designs by Jennifer Dykstra***. If you get lost along the way, Melinda Everitt keeps a list of participants on her blog at If You Bling It.

For this card I was inspired by at sketch at Scrapbook & Cards Today The Blog: World Card Making Day 2015 - Sketch challenge!


On the pear stamp I used the rock and roll technique on the right side (from the Clearly the Best: Rock & Roll video) and the facial tissue technique for the stem (from the Cricut® Artistry Collection video).

One note about the scalloped background cut from White Pines; I was not happy with how the scallops looked when I unlocked the proportions and changed the cut size so I duplicated the image, overlapped the four duplicate images to create a rectangle approximately 5¼" x 4" (using the mat gridlines to approximate size), aligned the scallops and welded the images.

Since I am not sure I am explaining this well, here is a screenshot:


If you try this yourself and run into trouble, comment below and I will do my best to explain this better.

This next project is, in my opinion, a great gift idea, but I am having trouble finding a night light with a similar shade. I am thinking they would be great for anyone, e.g., teachers, co-workers, book clubs, etc. you need an inexpensive, yet personal, gift to. You could include several stamped images for the recipient to use at different times of the year. You could also use their monogram. This is what the light looks like at night.


Since the above photo does not show the stamps and coloring very well, here are some daytime photos. My goal with this photo is to show you how the insert goes into the shade. You can see it is hanging outside the share on the right side.


Since it still may be difficult for some to see the image and coloring, this is the vellum piece with white paper behind it.


If you know where we can find a similar night light for purchase, feel free to leave a link in the comments below. The light I have operates on a switch and has a clear acrylic shade where I can insert the vellum between the two pieces. I found a similar light at a large on-line retailer, but not the shade. Suggestions for an updated light that uses an LED bulb and turns on automatically would be appreciated; I cannot find one of those either.

Before you head to ***Scrap Stamp Share by Tammy Lubick***, the supplies I used to create my project are listed below.

All supplies are from Close To My Heart except where noted:
If you are not already working with a CTMH Independent Consultant, you may purchase all of the supplies I used at my Online Business Address.

I love to hear what people think of my creations, so if you have a moment I would be delighted if you leave a comment.

I hope you are finding much inspiration on this hop. Thank you for visiting today. So you do not have to scroll back up, the next stop on the hop is ***Scrap Stamp Share by Tammy Lubick***.
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CTMH Nevermore Collection

Now that we are in October, you might be thinking about Halloween decorations or preserving memories of your Halloween activities. This video not only gives us some great ideas for Halloween, but some ideas for using the Nevermore collection to create items that are not Halloween themed.



The CTMH Corp. description of Nevermore Collection Connection is "The Collection Connection paper line features yet another exciting paper pack. The Nevermore Collection gives you some fun and seasonal patterns that also have elegance to meet your papercrafting needs."

Products featured in the video are:
If you have questions about any product or project shown in the video, please do not hesitate to send me an email. If you are ready to place an order, the Shop Now button will take you there.


For additional updates, please follow me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts.
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Saturday, October 3, 2015

Happy World Cardmaking Weekend!

I have seen some websites say World Cardmaking Day is October 3 and others say October 4 so I am just going to call it World Cardmaking Weekend.

Today I am sharing some cards I created last Saturday at Christmas Cardmaking Day - 2015 hosted by Krista Hershberger and her team. It was nice to create some wonderful cards, have a fantastic breakfast and lunch (the Taco Soup was awesome) and have someone else think about the design and cutting. I only had arrive with my basic supplies and assemble. What a treat!

The day went so fast that I am not sure I could tell you the order I completed the cards, but here are all of the cards (and a pillow box) we created last week.



Opps. I forgot to color the hanging ornaments on the card above, but I might prefer it that way. It lets the sentiment be the focus.








As you can see we used a variety of stamp sets and paper packs. I believe we used every currently available CTMH paper pack. I think you will agree with me that Krista and her team created some fantastic cards for their guests to make. It was a long drive there and back, but I think it was well worth it (though I wasn't sure almost 7 days ago to the minute when I was headed home on Interstate 81 near Scranton, PA - I was feeling a little tired). I will definitely watch for an announcement about Christmas Cardmaking Day - 2016.

I hope you like the cards I am sharing. Thanks for visiting today.
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Thursday, October 1, 2015

Twinkle October 2015 SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to the October 2015 SOTM Blog Hop featuring the stamp set Twinkle. This month there are almost 45 bloggers sharing projects they created with Twinkle. If blog hopping is new to you, just keep clicking on the link to the next blog (typically near the bottom of the post) to visit the next stop. Blog hops are circular so visiting the next blog will take you back to where you started.


The SOTM for October 2015, Twinkle, is a D-size set of 15 stamps that is $5 with a qualifying purchase. Alternatively you may purchase it for $17.95. Twinkle is compatible with the Cricut® Artiste Collection (Z3170) exclusive to Close To My Heart. Recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks for this stamp set are: 1" x 1" (Y1000), 1" x 3½" (Y1002), 2" x 2" (Y1003), 2" x 3½" (Y1009) and 2" x 6½" (Y1010). Some of the stamps coordinate with cuts from the Cricut® Artiste Collection (Z3170). The stamps in the Twinkle set are:


You should have arrived here from ***Lela N's Living, Loving, Laughing for Life***. If you get lost along the way, Melinda Everitt keeps a list of participants on her blog at If You Bling It.

My creation was inspired by the Scalloped Money Holder™ pattern on page 58 of Originals Card Confidence Program™ except I used an envelope (#M426D6) cut from the Cricut® Artiste Collection (Z3170). I have the retired cardcover edition of Originals; a softcover version is now available (9036).


The label attached with 3-D Foam Tape is what holds the envelope closed.


Before you head to ***Jean McNulty's Stamping Maui***, a few tips about how I created the money holder and the supplies I used to make it are listed below.

I started by measuring a dollar bill. Then I placed a slightly larger rectangle from Insert Shapes in Cricut® Design Space on my mat. Then I added the envelope shape (#M426D6), unlocked it so I could change the proportions and resized it until it looked like the rectangle would fit inside it. Then I hid the rectangle and cut and scored the envelope from White Daisy Cardstock (when I was originally working on this card I was not planning on using the Watercolor Paints). When painting, I painted the entire bulb once; after letting the bulb dry, I painted a second time using the same color avoiding the filament area of the bulb.

All supplies are from Close To My Heart except where noted:
If you are not already working with a CTMH Independent Consultant, you may purchase all of the supplies I used at my Online Business Address.

I love to hear what people think of my crafts, so if you have a moment I would be delighted if you leave a comment. So you do not have to scroll back up, the next stop on the hop is ***Jean McNulty's Stamping Maui***.

Thank you for visiting today. I hope you are enjoying the hop.
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CTMH News for October 2015

The October 2015 Stamp of the Month is Twinkle


Twinkle (S1510) is an exclusive D-size set of 15 stamps that you can only purchase during the month of October 2015. 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 for this stamp set are: 1" x 1" (Y1000), 1" x 3½" (Y1002), 2" x 2" (Y1003), 2" x 3½" (Y1009) and 2" x 6½" (Y1010).

Twinkle is compatible with the Cricut® Artiste Collection (Z3170) available exclusively from Close To My Heart Independent Consultants.

Items created with the stamp set by CTMH Corporate artists are this card and layout:



If you would like a list of the products used to create the above items, you will find the information in the Recipes for Holiday Expressions, a PDF file that lists the products used to make the samples in the Holiday Expressions so you may re-create projects at home. Please visit my Pinterest Board CTMH 2015 10 Oct SOTM Twinkle for additional ideas using this stamp set.

Please stop back tomorrow for the Twinkle Stamp of the Month Blog Hop. My blog post will be here.

It's In The Bag

If you have considered becoming a Close To My Heart Independent Consultant, October 2015 is the month to join. In October you will receive a 2015 Close To My Heart Convention bag in addition to the kit. The new consultant kit is valued at more than $445, but your cost is only $129 (click here for a list of included supplies). The kit includes the basic business and creative supplies you need to start your journey as a new CTMH Independent Consultant.


The bag was previously only available to consultants who attended 2015 Convention. I do not have one. I wish I could re-join so I could get one. It is a stylish brown faux leather cross body bag complete with faux-antiqued gold clasps. It features an adjustable strap and contrasting fabric panels across the front. The inside of the bag is a striking pink patterned nylon, which is easily wiped clean, and the bag closes with a flap stamped with the Close To My Heart logo. The bag measures 14” x 13” x 3” and is the perfect companion for traveling to crops, vacation destinations, or just around town! The bag is only available while supplies last to new consultants who sign up in October 2015. If you have questions about becoming or being a CTMH Independent Consultant, please contact me.

Holiday Expressions


As I mentioned last month, the Holiday Expressions book is valid from September 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. It includes two new My Reflections collections and a variety of stamp sets which focus on Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. When you place an order on my OBA, and have not taken advantage of the offer for a free copy of 2015 Holiday Expressions, you will be prompted to add a copy to your cart. If you already have a 2015 Holiday Expressions, please take advantage of the offer and share the copy with a friend or family member. Also, please be sure to give them my contact information. I appreciate your referrals.

This month a Spotlight on the Holiday Expressions Catalog Blog Hop will be taking place. Please stop by on October 7 to see what I created. My blog post will be here.

If you are ready to place an order or would like to research any product, the Shop Now button will take you there.


If you have any product or promotion questions, do not hesitate to email me. You will also find me on Facebook at Brenda's Paper Crafts. Thank you for visiting today.
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