Remember Today Calendar

It is getting that time of year...time to make a calendar for 2022. It is so hard for me to believe that the end of 2021 is just around the corner. Close To My Heart created the Remember Today Cut Above® kit to make creating a 2022 calendar quick and easy.

Remember Today

Remember Today offers a choice between two bundles (one with a stamp set and one without the stamp. Both bundles include a Remember Today Cut Above® Layout Kit and a Base Calendar. The Stamp Set and Cut Above® Layout Kit are also available separately.

Remember Today Flyer - page 1

Remember Today Flyer - page 2

Remember Today Flyer - page 3

Click any of the images above for a better view or you can download the flyer (PDF) here.

Here are the product options:

Remember Today (CC10211)	Remember Today Cut Above® Layout Kit (CC10212)
Remember Today Calendar Kit (without stamp set) (CC10213)	Remember Today Calendar Kit (CC10214)

CTMH created this video showing the workshop kit contents, a quick video showing the assembly of one page (by quick I mean the video is played back at a faster speed) and the completed calendar.

Close To My Heart will be creating with this kit on November 12 at 4pm EST during a Facebook Live virtual event. I hope you will join us.

I think calendars like Remember Today make a nice holiday gift; you can personalize them with family photos for grandparents, aunts and uncles, close friends and more. At the end of 2022, the pages can be added to a scrapbook album bringing back memories for years to come.

Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your busy day to read today's post. If you have any questions, please reach me via the contact form to the right.

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop

Close To My Heart is holding another VIP Customer virtual crafting event. The workshop is available for all CTMH VIPs to purchase now. Due to the volume of holiday shipping already increasing, CTMH is encouraging VIPs to order by October 15 so the workshop has plenty of time to arrive prior to the November 30 virtual crafting event.

CTMH VIP Customer Program

The VIP Customer Hip Hip Hooray Workshop includes bright colors and a fun stamp set.

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop

The VIP Hip Hip Hooray workshop kit guides you through creating three two-page layouts and four slimline cards. This flyer has the details of the Hip Hip Hooray Workshop (click on an image for a better view) or download a PDF of the flyer here.

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop - flyer page 1

VIP Hip Hip Hooray Workshop - flyer page2

CTMH created this video to show the workshop kit contents and the completed layouts and cards.

When visiting the Hip Hip Hooray Workshop page (available to VIP customers who are signed in), be sure to check the additional supplies needed; you likely already have them in your stash, but it does not hurt to double-check.

Hip Hip Hooray is available through December 31 while supplies last.

I hope you will join us on November 30 to create the layouts and cards. Thank you for stopping by.

Crafting using bit from the Recycling Bin

I asked this question in a Facebook Group, but thought I would try to start a conversation here. When you craft, do you ever pull anything out of the recycling bin to use? Let me clarify, out of the paper/cardboard bin.

If you regularly visit here, you probably saw three cards I created for World Cardmaking Day (actually I made a weekend of it) where I used images from solicitations for donations; images that were just too cute to end up in the bin. Here are two more cards I created a few weeks ago from other solicitations.

owl card with vine background

All of the papers are from my stash. I used dies to cut the oval and scalloped oval (both from Spellbinders). I used  Distress Oxide™ Ink and a stencil from CTMH Card Front Stencil Pack 2 (Z4342) to create the vine background. I think I used Peeled Paint (Z3831) and tried to apply it lighter on the left and darker on the right. I applied the ink with the Mini Ink Blending Tool (Z3886) and Mini Ink Blending Foam (Z3878).

Here is another card created from the same mailing:

owl card with hello background

Again, all of the papers are from my stash. I cut the rectangles on my paper trimmer. I used Distress Oxide™ Inks and a stencil from CTMH Card Front Stencil Pack 1 (Z4341) to create the word  background. I think I used Peeled Paint (Z3831), Mustard Seed (Z3830) and Mowed Lawn (Z3832). The stamped image is from CTMH For All Occasions (D2052). I think I used Cinnamon ink (Z6522).

I have to admit it is rare that I see an image destined for recycling that I want to create a card with, but I often use something from the paper recycling bin when I am creating. I thought I would share some of the other ways that I use items from the paper recycling bin.

• I use the back of envelopes or paper to sketch out my ideas when I am not using a pattern.
• I also use the back of envelopes to create a list of the products used when creating.
  
• I use paper when I need a simple mask when stamping, stenciling or splattering.
  
• I use open newspapers to catch the mess when splattering.
• When preparing to cut directional paper, especially when I only have no backup sheets, and I am concerned about cutting it wrong, I will draw on or cut a piece of newspaper to verify my cutting plan.
• I use the cello window of an envelope to pool wet glue to tap die cuts in; this is less messy way of adding wet glue to the back of a die cut.

If you have suggestions for other ways to reuse paper recycling before the recycling truck picks it up, please share by submitting a comment.

If you have not used your paper recycling while crafting, I hope I have given you some ideas. Thanks for visiting today.

World Cardmaking Day Creations

Yesterday was World Cardmaking Day so I used it as an excuse to just create this weekend, with no guidelines. Just do whatever when inspiration strikes, sort of like flitting like a butterfly. My goal was partially to bust my stash though I am unsure how much I really busted the stash. I've been creating with paper for years and that means I have enough supplies to open a craft store that has only one (sometimes two) of each item in stock.

I had a some images that I wanted to work with so I pulled them out. I rescued the images from the recycle bin. I am pretty sure I am not the only one who does this; I have seen cards and more created with calendars from previous years.

In case you like something I used to create my cards, I will share the product information that I have, but fair warning, some items have been in my stash so long that I am not sure if they are still available to purchase. You might have to use auction sites or selling groups to find some of the items.

This card includes an image I rescued from the recycle bin. I do not remember who mailed this to us, but the envelope front had this blue jay and the cardinal featured in the next card.

holiday card featuring a blue jay

It worked out that the space around the blue jay allowed me to use a square die (Spellbinders) to cut it out. I used a second die (Spellbinders) to cut a decorative square to layer the blue jay. I used a snowflake embossing folder (Close To My Heart) to emboss the tan card (the tan card was wrapped around a USB case to protect a purchase shipped to me). The two blue cardstocks are from my stash, something I've had for years, that no longer has identifying information. The scalloped edge was created with a large scallop edge square die (The Paper Boutique)–I used low tack tape to hold the cardstock in place while running it though the machine. The snowflakes (Kit 'n' Caboodle) and sentiment (Crafter's Companion) were highlighted with Snow & Ice Lustre Polish (Creative Expressions) and a dot of Picket Fence Distress Stickles™ in the center of each snowflake.

This is the second card from the same envelope. 

holiday card featuring a cardinal

I could not find a die that worked well for cutting out the cardinal so I did my best with a paper trimmer. I used a wood grain embossing folder (Close To My Heart) to emboss the tan card (the same tan card mentioned above). The green and dark red cardstocks are from my stash. The scalloped edge was created with a large scallop edge square die (The Paper Boutique). The holly and sprig (Kit 'n' Caboodle) and sentiment (Crafter's Companion) were highlighted with Snow & Ice Lustre Polish (Creative Expressions). Christmas Red Stickles™ create the holly berries.

The next card is from a different recycle bin rescue.

holiday card featuring holiday-dressed animals

There was a border tight to the top and left of the image so I used my paper trimmer to cut the image and the layer behind it. I used a snowflake embossing folder (Close To My Heart) to emboss the tan card (the same tan card mentioned above). I highlighted the embossing with Snow & Ice Lustre Polish (Creative Expressions). The red and green cardstocks are from my stash. The scalloped edge was created with a large scallop edge square die (The Paper Boutique). The sentiment is from Crafter's Companion.

I had to create this card because I had this background remaining.

holiday card featuring pine cones

When I created my first cards above, I embossed a few extra pieces of cardstock (wood grain embossing folder (Close To My Heart) and tan card (the same tan card mentioned above)). I highlighted the embossing with Gold Treasure Metallic Gilding Polish (Creative Expressions). The green and red cardstocks are from my stash; the Mocha cardstock is from CTMH. The scalloped edge was created with a large scallop edge square die (The Paper Boutique). The pine cones and pine branches (Kit 'n' Caboodle) were highlighted with Snow & Ice Lustre Polish (Creative Expressions). The sentiment is from Crafter's Companion.

I had to create this card because I had the gilded pine cones and pine branches on my desk.

holiday card featuring pine cones

I originally gilded the pine cones and pine branches (Kit 'n' Caboodle) for one of the cards above, but decided they did not stand out enough against the tan cardstock. I used a pine tree embossing folder (Sizzix/Tim Holtz). The green and red cardstocks are from my stash; the Mocha cardstock is from CTMH. The sentiment is from Crafter's Companion.

This card was created because I had the gilded holly leaves and sprigs still on my desk.

holiday card featuring holly leaves

I originally gilded the holly and sprigs (Kit 'n' Caboodle) for one of the cards above, but decided they did not stand out enough against the tan cardstock; I just have too heavy a hand applying the polish. I used a wood grain embossing folder (Sizzix/Tim Holtz). The dark red and green cardstocks are from my stash. The holly berries were created with Aged Mahogany Distress Stickles™. The sentiment is from Crafter's Companion.

I hope you found a chance to get crafty this weekend for World Card Making Day. I hope your busy week ahead treats you well. Thank you dropping by today.

Happy World Cardmaking Day

Happy World Cardmaking Day,

I hate to say it, but this day crept up on me and I am totally unprepared. In the meantime here is a card I created earlier this year and I do not see where I shared it on my blog before today.

Thank You Card

I hope you get a chance to use your crafting supplies today (though the weather report for my area is for better outside weather today). Maybe think about crafting Saturday while you are enjoying this nice day and actually create on Sunday?

My goal is to create a new card or two to share later this weekend. I hope you will come back to see if I reached my goal.

No matter what, have a great weekend!

CTMH Wildflower Friendship SOTM Blog Hop - October 2021

Welcome to the October 2021 SOTM Blog Hop featuring the stamp set Wildflower Friendship. This month about ten CTMH Makers are sharing projects created with the CTMH Stamp Of The Month Wildflower Friendship. Keep visiting the next blog (typically via a link near the bottom of the post) to return to the blog where you started.

Wildflower Friendship - October 2021 SOTM

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

Wildflower Friendship Stamp Set

For the Wildflower Friendship blog hop I created this card.

card created with Wildflower Friendship

I stamped the fox on a piece of White Daisy using Intense Black ink. I stamped a second image of the tail and side of the face on some of scraps of White Daisy and fussy cut around them. I colored the images with TriBlend™ Markers and added the fussy cut pieces with Thin 3-D Foam tape. I embellished with Gold Loose Sequins that I attached with Glue Dots® Micro Dots.

My next card is a bit of a happy accident. When I use Distress Oxide™ inks and I see ink on my All-purpose Mat (Z2045) when I am done creating, rather than clean my mat with a paper towel and throw it away, I spritz with water and pick up as much of the color as I can on a piece of Distress Watercolor Cardstock (Z3885). Sometimes I end up with something beautiful and sometimes it is a little too light or "muddy", but is it always interesting.

card created with Wildflower Friendship

As best I can remember (or guess) I think I was creating something with Vintage Photo and/or Antique Linen to get this color. There probably was some Shimmer Brush on my mat as well because I can see a flew flecks of shimmer and a bit of red or orange when I move the watercolor cardstock around. I stamped in Intense Black because I was thinking I might color the image a bit, but I decided I love the background so much that I did not want to take away from it. That is also why I used a simple sentiment and did not embellish.

Before you head to ***Show and Tell with Michelle***, 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: Wildflower Friendship — October Stamp of the Month (S2110)
  
• Cardstock: White Daisy (X6046), Grape (X6054)
  
• Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads: Intense Black (Z4189), Grape (Z6524), Mocha (X6060)
  
• White Cards & Envelopes Value Pack (X254)
• TriBlend™ Markers: Gold Brown Blend (Z2479), Orange Blend (Z2480), Citrus Blend (Z2482), Citrus Green Blend (Z2484), Light Green Blend (Z2485), Dull Green Blend (Z2486), Lavender Blend (Z2493), Dark Red Blend (Z2497), Gold Brown Shades (Z2516), Pale Pink Shades (Z2530) 
• Gold Loose Sequins (Z4235) 
• 3-D Foam Tape (Z2060), Glue Dots® Micro Dots (Z2086)
  
• 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 eCommerce website.

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

So you do not have to scroll back up, the next stop on the hop is ***Show and Tell with Michelle***.

October 2021 CTMH News

Happy first full month of Fall. How can it be Fall?! This is one of my favorite times of year because we are finally putting the heat of summer behind us (mostly - we might have a stray warm day here or there) and we have the colors, smells and foods of fall. Now that it is cooler, we do not avoid using the oven to make dinner and sometimes we will plan to use the oven to remove the chill in the house.

October 2021 Stamp Of The Month Wildflower Friendship

Wildflower Friendship (S2110)
available October 2021

Wildflower Friendship (S2110) is an exclusive D-size set of 8 stamps and is only available during the month of October 2021. Receive the stamp set for free when you are a CTMH VIP Customer and you place a qualifying order. Alternatively, place a qualifying order and the stamp set is only $5. In either case you qualify for additional sets at $5 for each additional $50 you spend on the same order. Wildflower Friendship is also available for $18.95 with no other purchase required. The recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks for this stamp set are: 1" × 1½" (Y1016), 1" × 3½" (Y1002), 2" × 3½" (Y1009) and 4" × 4" (Y1017).

The CTMH Art Department created two cards using the Wildflower Friendship stamp set.

cards created with Wildflower Friendship

If you would like to create cards like this, CTMH creates a PDF they call Recipes, which lists the products used to make the samples in the catalogs. You will find the Recipes under the page-turner of the catalog here.

I am participating in a Wildflower Friendship blog hop this month and you will find my post tomorrow. Please visit my October SOTM (S2110) Wildflower Friendshop Pinterest Board for other ideas to use the Wildflower Friendship stamp set.

Remember Today

Remember Today

Remember Today was created to celebrate the milestones we will experience every day of 2022. Choose between two bundles (one with a stamp set and one without the stamp. Both bundles include a Remember Today Cut Above® Layout Kit and a Base Calendar. You can choose the bundles are the items a la carte. I will post the flyer soon.

VIP Flower Shop Card Kit

VIP Flower Shop Card Kit

The Flower Shop Card Kit comes with everything you need–except adhesive–to create (and store) 15 cards. The Kit is exclusive to members of the VIP Customer Program. VIPs will find the VIP Flower Shop Card Box under the VIP menu on my eCommerce website once they are logged in with their CTMH Customer Credentials. Additional photos, the flyer and a video can be found on my September 20th post.

National Stamping Month—Slimline Celebration

National Stamping Month—Slimline Celebration

Slimline Celebration for National Stamping Month continues through October 31 while supplies last. The special has sentiment stamps and Cluster Thin Cuts sized perfectly for slimline cards. There the three Stamp + Thin Cuts as well. Pick your favorites or choose the Slimline Celebration Product Bundle for a 20% discount. There is also a cardmaking workshop kit also at 20% off.

The National Stamping Month flyer has more information about Slimline Celebration. Click on any of the images in the table for a better view or download a PDF of the flyer here.

Slimline Celebration Flyer - page 1

Slimline Celebration Flyer - page 2

Slimline Celebration Flyer - page 3

If you are picking up the Slimline Celebration Cardmaking Workshop Kit, be sure to download the Workshop Guide; the Facebook Live Virtual event was on September 24, but the video is still available here. Slimline Celebration is available until October 31, 2021 while supplies last.

Boo Crew

Boo Crew

Boo Crew is also available until October 31 while supplies last.

The Boo Crew collection includes an exclusive paper packet available with or without a sticker sheet, coordinating cardstock pack, stamp set, stamp + Thin Cuts, and Boo Crew Sequins. There is a Workshop Kit and a Product Bundle (please see the flyer or product page for a list of included items); both are at a discounted price.

This flyer has more information about the Boo Crew Collection (click on either image for a better view) or download a PDF of the flyer here.

Boo Crew - flyer page 1

Boo Crew - flyer page 2

The Boo Crew special features a Workshop Kit with instructions to create three 2-page layouts and six treat containers. A Workshop Guide is available for download from the Boo Crew Workshop Kit product page. The Boo Crew Scrapbooking Workshop Facebook Live is coming up on October 12 and the Boo Crew Candy Posts Workshop Facebook Live is scheduled for October 13 or 14 (I am waiting on an email for the date). Boo Crew is available through October 31, 2021 while supplies last.

Last month I said I felt like I was forgetting something and I feel the same this month. While pulling this message together I noticed when I worked on something for September I used "2020" for the year. Yikes! I had to look at the date on my computer to make sure I knew what year it was. And I was trying to skip a month and started to type November a could of times. I even started thinking Thanksgiving would be coming up in a couple of weeks. Wow! The past eighteen months have really played with my perception of time.

I hope you have a great October and get a chance to go apple picking or whatever your favorite fall activities are. Take care.