New CTMH Specials

Two new specials are available from Close To My Heart: Seasons in Motion and CTMH Kids Crafts-Feeling Grateful Album Kit.

Let's take a look at Seasons in Motion first.

Seasons in Motion

Seasons in Motion is similar to Creativity in Motion from National Stamping Month. Available are three new animated stamps, a new Seasonal Border Tab stamp set, a 6" x 6" Holiday Stack and Animation Window Thin Cuts. All of the options are on the Seasons in Motion promotions page and you can see some of the creations in this video:

Also available is the CTMH Kids Crafts–Feeling Grateful Album Kit.

CTMH Kids Crafts–Feeling Grateful Album Kit

The CTMH Kids Crafts–Feeling Grateful Album Kit will be used during a virtual event taking place on Tuesday, November 24th. This will be a Facebook Live Event on the Close To My Heart Facebook page. Be sure to head to the event page and mark yourself as going so you will receive reminders closer to the event.

If you have any questions about either special, do not hesitate to contact me via the Contact Form to the right. Have a great Friday and an even better weekend!

Core Catalog New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to the Close to My Heart New Product Blog Hop brought to you from same the group of CTMH Makers who bring you the Stamp Of The Month Blog Hop. Today we are featuring items created with products from the CTMH Core Catalog which was introduced September 1, 2020.

We have over 20 CTMH Makers sharing their creations on this hop. If you stumbled upon my post, clicking the link to the next blog (often found near the bottom of the page) will take you full circle. 

Core Product Catalog Blog Hop

You should have arrived here from ***Krista's Crafty Corner by Krista Hershberger***. 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.

I was having so much fun trying different techniques. So much so that I only have a few cards completely finished; I have the fronts done for a few others so I will share those too.

My first card was meant to be a trial run, but I ran out of time to create a new version. I was practicing with the Distress Oxide™ Inks to create backgrounds and used the background behind the Olive Branches Background Thin Cuts (cut from Julep) to create a card.

Distress Oxide™ Ink & Olive Branches Background Thin Cuts

I used Tattered Rose, Picked Raspberry and Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide™ Inks to create the background. I was not happy with my first attempt at stamping the sentiment so I pulled out the Stitched Ovals and re-stamped with VersaMark™ Ink Pad and embossed with Princess Gold Embossing Powder.

close up Stitched Oval & Olive Branches Background Thin Cuts

Above is a close up of the Stitched Oval with the sentiment. I think the Stitched Ovals and Olive Branches Background Thin Cuts coordinate very well. Despite being retired, there are some Stitched Ovals in stock; it you do not have a set to use with the Olive Branches Background Thin Cuts yet, hurry before the Stitched Ovals are gone.

Distress Oxide™ Ink panel cut with Olive Branches Background Thin Cut

On the card above I created a background using the following Distress Oxide™ Inks: Candied Apple Spiced Marmalade, Fossilized Amber (because Mustard Seed was unavailable at the time I ordered) and Peeled Paint. I swiped some color from each pad on the All-purpose Mat, misted with water then laid the Distress Watercolor Cardstock into the ink to pick up the color. "Grateful" was stamped with Black Pigment Ink and heat embossed with Clear Embossing Powder. I thought about adding some gems or Black Dots, but choose to not cover any of the Distress Oxide™ Inks.

Distress Oxide™ Ink panel behind Olive Branches Background Thin Cut

The above background was created with almost every Distress Oxide™ Ink listed below. They were applied with the Mini Ink Blending Tool. I spritzed with water then used a paper towel to absorb the water and pick up some of the color. "Grateful" was stamped with VersaMark™ Ink and heat embossed with Princess Gold Embossing Powder. I did not add gems for the same reason as above.

embossed and inked Olive Branches Background

Rather than cut the cardstock with the Olive Branches Background Thin Cuts, I used the Cricut© Rubber Embossing Mat to create a deep impression on the lighter side of Avocado cardstock. Then I used a glass cutting mat, metal-edged ruler and craft knife to cut off the edges. I inked with Avocado then stamped the sentiment with Scarlet.

embossed and distressed Olive Branches Background

 Rather than cut the cardstock with the Olive Branches Background Thin Cuts, I used the Cricut© Rubber Embossing Mat to create a deep impression on the darker side of Avocado cardstock. Then I used a glass cutting mat, metal-edged ruler and craft knife to cut off the edges. I used a sheet of sandpaper to distress the cardstock then stamped the sentiment with Scarlet.

The following card was inspired by Krista Hershberger. From photos Krista shared on Facebook I could see that one of the cards at Krista's Christmas Cardmaking Workshop had colored berries. 

Evergreen cardstock enhanced with Liquid Pearls™

The card above was cut from Evergreen cardstock (darker side) then Carnation Red and White Opal Liquid Pearls™ was added to the olives to create a holiday berry feel. I have not ordered a new holiday stamp set that would fit the space yet, so I dug through my stash and used Hand-Lettered Christmas. The die cut is backed with one of the Wood Grain Patterned Papers.

resist Olive Branches Background

When I was reading up on Distress Oxide™ Inks, I read about a Distress Resist Spray. I cut the Olive Branches Background from some scrap cardstock and sprayed with Distress Resist Spray. After allowing time to dry, I used the Mini Ink Blending Tool to add Tattered Rose, Peeled Paint, Candied Apple and Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide™ Inks. I used VersaMark™ Ink to stamp "Thinking of You" from In Your Time of Need then embossed with Princess Gold Embossing Powder.

Blue Belle Olive Branches Background with French Vanilla

This is one of the projects I was unable to complete before the hop, but thought I would share that this Thin Cut, and the other background Thin Cuts look great with just two colors of cardstock.

Olive Branches Background - trimmed to create a label

This is the other idea I had that I was unable to finish prior to the hop. Just trim found the stitched area to create a label to stamp and add to a card.

I hope you like one or more of the ideas I shared today. Before you head to ***Haley Dyer's The Inky Scrapper***, 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: In Your Time of Need (M1278), Sentiments by Melisa Esplin (D1866), Hand-Lettered Christmas (M1127)
  
• Patterned Paper: Wood Grain (X8017)
  
• Cardstock: Julep (X6029), French Vanilla (X6046), Black (X6047), Evergreen (X6030), Blue Belle (X6048), Avocado (X6053)
  
• Distress Oxide™ Ink Pads: Candied Apple (Z3826), Abandoned Coral (Z3825), Picked Raspberry (Z3827), Tattered Rose (Z3828), Spiced Marmalade (Z3829), Antique Linen (Z3836), Peeled Paint (Z3831), Seedless Preserves (Z3835)
• Distress Watercolor Cardstock (Z3885), Mini Ink Blending Tool (Z3886), Mini Ink Blending Foam (Z3887)
  
• All-purpose Mat (Z2045)
  
• Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads: Avocado (Z6523), Scarlet (Z6526), White Daisy Pigment (Z2863), Black Pigment (Z8000)
• Embossing supplies: Anti-static Pouch (Z4220), VersaMark™ Ink Pad (Z891), Princess Gold Embossing Powder (Z2066), White Super Fine Embossing Powder (Z2068), Clear Embossing Powder (Z2088), Heat Tool (Z4252)
  
• White Cards & Envelopes Value Pack (X254)
• Thin Cuts: Stitched Ovals (Z4187), Olive Branches Background (Z3679) also available in the Background Thin Cuts Bundle (Z3758)
• Dual-tip Permanent Glue Pen (Z3440)
• Black & White Dots (Z3314)
• Liquid Pearls™: Carnation Red (Z3799), White Opal (Z3791)
• Die-cutting & Embossing Machine (HB1080)
• Supplies not from Close To My Heart: glass cutting mat, metal-edged ruler, craft knife, Ranger Distress Sprayer, Ranger Distress Resist Spray, paper towels, Cricut© Rubber Embossing Mat
  

If you do not have a CTMH Independent Consultant, you may purchase the supplies I used at my Consultant website.

If you have a few moments, please let me know what you think of my card. I enjoy reading your comments. I hope you are enjoying the projects created with the new products from CTMH. Thank you for hopping with us!

So you do not have to scroll back up, the next stop on the hop is ***Haley Dyer's The Inky Scrapper***.

CTMH Moments like These - sample pages

Yesterday I shared the Moments like These products that are part of a special introduced by Close To My Heart on October 1st.

Moments like These

When I was writing yesterday's post I ran out of time to include photos of a completed project shared by the Corporate Office. Here are the thirteen single 12" × 12" pages that can be created from the kits.

Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page	this space intentionally blank
Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page	Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page
Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page	Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page
Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page	Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page
Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page	Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page
Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page	Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page
Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page	Moments like These 12″ × 12″ page

Because this special is a Cut Above® Layout Kit, there is no cutting or measuring required. Just pop the pieces from the sheet and assemble. The primary supplies needed are adhesives and a journaling pen. I would use a variety of adhesives, including a tape runner and foam tapes.

You can alter or personalize the pages as much as you would like. You have the option to ink, emboss, add Stickles™ Glitter Glue, Liquid Pearls™, Shimmer Trim or any of the many embellishments found primarily on pages 66 to 69 of the Core Products Catalog.

Just a reminder, Moments like These is available through December 31 while supplies last

CTMH Moments like These

As the days grow cooler and shorter here in the northeast, I think we start to think of the upcoming holidays and what items we can create for gift giving. Moments like These will help with creating quick and easy yet beautiful scrapbook pages or a 2020 calendar.

Moments like These

This special includes a Cut Above® Layout Kit and a Base Calendar to create a beautiful 2021 12-month calendar. There is also a My Acrylix® Moments like These stamp set to personalize your calendar pages.

The individual items and bundles are:

Moments like These (CC10205)	Moments like These Cut Above® Layout Kit (CC10206)
Moments like These Calendar Kit (without stamp set) (CC10207)	Moments like These Calendar Kit (CC10208)
Base Calendar (Z3581)	this space intentionally blank

With all of the bundle options you will be able to create 13 single-page layouts.

Here is a flyer with all of the Moments like These details. Click on any of the flyer pages below for more information or download the three page flyer here.

Moments like These flyer - page 1

Moments like These flyer - page 2

Moments like These flyer - page 3

Moments like These is available through December 31 while supplies last.

CTMH With All My Love SOTM Blog Hop - October 2020

Welcome to the October 2020 SOTM Blog Hop featuring the stamp set With All My Love. This month there are approximately 20 CTMH Makers sharing projects created with the CTMH Stamp Of The Month With All My Love. Our blog hop is a circle; visiting the next blog (typically via a link near the bottom of the post) will take you back to where you started.

For My Beautiful Friend SOTM Blog Hop

You should have arrived here from ***Michelle Stewart's Creations With Michelle***. If you get lost along the way, Melinda Everitt also keeps a list of all participants on her blog at If You Bling It.

With All My Love Stamp Set

This has been a crazy week. Unfortunately I was not able to complete all of the cards I had planned. Please stop back later this month to see the cards I started using the reverse stamping technique. In the meantime, here's the card I created using mostly Distress Oxide™ Inks.

card created for the With All My Love Blog Hop

It is hard to see in the photo, but this watercolor paper started out as a really light pink. When I was practicing with the new Distress Oxide™ Ink Pads I hated to leave color on the mat when I was done, so I would spritz the mat with water and drag a fresh piece of watercolor paper through it. I set the paper aside to dry and use on a future project.

I added Victorian Velvet ink (because Tattered Rose was unavailable at the time I ordered) to the edges of the watercolor paper using the Mini Ink Blending Tool. I spritzed with water then dabbed the excess water with a paper towel. That's what caused the splotches around the edges. When that was dry I stamped with black. To add color to the stamped image I touched the corner of a Distress Oxide™ Ink Pad to the All-purpose Mat and used the waterbrush to apply the ink.

Before you head to ***Alyson Mayo's Create with Alyson***, 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: With All My Love — October Stamp of the Month (S2010)
  
• Cardstock: Ballerina (X6036), Sage (X6045)
  
• Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads: Intense Black (Z4189)
  
• Distress Oxide™ Ink Pads: Raspberry (Z3827), Spiced Marmalade (Z3829), Peeled Paint (Z3831), Mowed Lawn (Z3832), Tattered Rose (Z3828) - substituted Victorian Velvet
  
• Mini Ink Blending Tool (Z3886), Mini Ink Blending Foam (Z3887), Distress Watercolor Cardstock (Z3885)
  
• White Cards & Envelopes Value Pack (X254)
• All-purpose Mat (Z2045), Small Round Waterbrush (Z3224)
  
• Supplies not from Close To My Heart: Tim Holtz Stamp Platform

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

I love to hear what folks think about the items I create. If you have a little time, please leave a comment letting me know what you think of my card. I hope you are enjoying the projects created with With All My Love — the October Stamp of the Month. Thank you for hopping with us!

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

October 2020 CTMH News

Happy October. I know I've said it before, but wow, 2020 is flying by. Even working from home it feels like time is moving faster than ever. The winds of change are upon us with cooler temperatures and changing leaves. Not only are the seasons changing, but there are some big (and great) changes at Close To My Heart too–see below.

In case you missed the notice on the right side of this page, Close To My Heart is having an extended downtime today, October 1st, to implement several changes. My shopping site is expected to be available again at 10am EDT.

October 2020 Stamp Of The Month With All My Love

With All My Love (S2010)
available October 2020

With All My Love (S2010) is an exclusive D-size set of 16 stamps that is only available for purchase during the month of October 2020. The stamp set can be yours for $5 when you place an order of $50 or more in qualifying Close To My Heart products (and you qualify for additional sets at $5 for each $50 you spend). Alternatively it is available for $18.95. Recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks for this stamp set are: 1" × 1" (Y1000), 1" × 3½" (Y1002), 2" × 2" (Y1003), 2" × 3½" (Y1009) and 5" × 6" (Y1015).

The Art Department at Close To My Heart created two cards using the With All My Love stamp set.

 

cards created with With All My Love (October 2020 SOTM)

If you would like a list of the products used to create the above cards, you will find the information in the Recipes, a PDF file that lists the products used to make the samples in the September–October 2020 Catalog. I am participating in a With All My Love blog hop this month; you will find my post here tomorrow. Please visit my September SOTM (S2009) With All My Love Pinterest Board for other ideas to use the With All My Love stamp set.

 

Moments like These

 

Moments like These

 

The Close To My Heart special for October is a calendar kit, Moments like These. This special includes a Cut Above® Layout Kit and a Base Calendar to create a beautiful 2021 12-month calendar. There is also a My Acrylix® Moments like These stamp set to personalize your calendar pages. Click on any of the flyer pages below for more information or download the three page flyer here.

 

Moments like These flyer - page 1

Moments like These flyer - page 2

Moments like These flyer - page 3

Moments like These is available through December 31 while supplies last. I will share more about the October special in the next few days.

CTMH Facebook Live Events

It is a work-in-progress, but I created a page for CTMH Facebook Live Crafting Events. As a get a chance I will be moving past events to the bottom of the page with links to the videos on Facebook.

Changes Coming to CTMH

Close To My Heart is also introducing some changes. You will still be able to purchase the same great products you are used to and the Core Products catalog is still valid until August 31, 2021 (and the September–October 2020 catalog is valid through the end of October). My title is no longer "Independent Consultant". It is now "Maker".

Close To My Heart VIP Program

 

However the biggest change that you will see is there is now a VIP Customer Program. Here's a flyer about the VIP Customer Program (click on the image for a better view or download a PDF of the flyer here).

Close To My Heart VIP Program Flyer

A couple of notes about the program. You can save your credit with a larger purchase in mind;  you can even carry your credit over to your second (or more) VIP membership year, as long as you renew your VIP membership within 30 days of its expiration date. Memberships automatically renew and you will receive a reminder 30 days prior to renewal, just in case you need to update your payment information. You spend your credits when placing an order–you will have the option to use them on the shopping cart page.

There are a few limitations what you can use the credits on. The limitations are: Craft with Heart™ Subscriptions, Annual VIP Customer Renewals, Cricut.com purchases, Maker Enrollment, discounted products (including specials and clearance items), and Operation Smile™ donations, tax, or shipping.

The introductory offer, sign up before December 31, 2020 and receive $25 in VIP Spending Credit, rather than the usual $15, works out to be only $10 for an annual membership. You would only have to spend $70 during the next year to earn the cost of your membership back (and this calculation does not factor in the current SOTM for FREE if you spend $50 in one order).

If you have any questions about the VIP Customer Program, please do not hesitate to contact me via the Contact Form to the right.

September–October 2020 Catalog

Cover of September–October 2020 Catalog

The September–October 2020 catalog continues to be valid through the end of October. You can view this catalog online or download a PDF to view anytime you have your device, but no Internet.

Have a fabulous October. I hope the fall foliage is as beautiful where you are as it appears it will be here.