Holiday Expressions NEW PRODUCT Blog Hop

Welcome to the NEW Holiday Expressions blog hop!  You are going to love all of the new products that Close To My Heart unveiled September 1.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from the amazing Alyson's blog.  From here you'll visit Kimberly's blog next.)

The Boutique collection really called to me and ended up being the perfect compliment to my photos from our recent trip to the High Museum of Art of the E.B. Shepard Winnie-the-Pooh exhibit!  My sketch is based on a layout from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 3.

On the left page, you can see a blend of Complements (heart cut out and flower sticker) and puffy stickers.

My title is stamped on a piece of Linen card stock (lighter side up) with the Bistro alphabet stamp set in Charcoal ink distressed with Peacock ink.

This card was quick to make with the Bunches of Love stamp set on a Linen card stock card base.  I picked a sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4 and then personalized the card base by stamping the splatters (and flowers) with the new color of the year, Sugarplum.  (The outline flower image was stamped with Charcoal ink.)  I used Glacier for the leaves to match the paper pack.  This twine and puffy sticker are also part of the Boutique Workshop Your Way collection.

Thank for letting my share my photos of this great day, heartwarming art exhibit, a quick card, and all new CTMH products with you!  Please leave a comment before you click on over to Kimberly's blog to continue the new product blog hop.  Thank you!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

Holiday Expressions 2018 Highlights: September

Close To My Heart has launched our latest and greatest Holiday Expressions 2018 Idea Book!  We are going back to a triannual idea book beginning right now.  We have five gorgeous paper collections available plus More Magical (only until the end of September).  You can view them all HERE.

We have 10 new gorgeous colors added to our exclusive color palette!

Plus our color of the year is the soft and pretty Sugarplum!

We also have several special offers only available this month:

September Stamp of the Month: Just Treats

You've Got Class

Memories in the Making

What's on your wish list?

September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Just Treats

The Close To My Heart September stamp of the month, Just Treats, will be your go-to stamp set for the next few months!  Check out lots of great ideas on our monthly stamp of the month blog hop.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Gina's blog.  From here you'll visit Kimberly's blog next.)

Here are three fun variations of the same Make It From Your Heart sketch (and I can't wait to make some Christmas cards with some of the other stamps in the set).   Isn't the set cute?

My card features our new Nectarine color along with black shimmer trim and black dots.  To create the cute candy border, I stamped the outline stamp in black and then filled in the centers with the candy spirals.  I cut my sentiment with the CTMH/Cricut Artistry collection.

Thanks for hopping by!  Be sure to leave a comment and then go on to visit the rest of the blog hop participants.  Kimberly is next!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

Bon Voyage Card

The Central Park collection has a bold, vibrant side and a pretty, soft side too.  It is only available through today, so get yours before it's gone!

My card is based on a Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4 sketch.  I began by splattering light blue watercolor paint on my card base.  After it dried, I layered on my pieces of the Central Park paper pack plus silver shimmer trim.  My sentiment banner is from the Basics Fundamentals, with the sentiment from the CTMH/Cricut collection stamped in Pewter.  A pair of silver glitter gems finishes off this simple, uplifting card.

From Me To You Sunshine

The From Me to You special is only available until the end of the month!

To begin, I cut out my sentiment frame with the CTMH/Artistry collection.  Then, I added a pale yellow watercolor paint wash to highlight my sentiment.  When it dried, I painted a layer of gold shimmer paint on top of the watercolor.  Finally, I stamped this sweet sentiment in black on top.  The instructions for th pretty sketch can be found in Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4.

For the Love of Crafting Drapery Card

The Drapery fold makes for such a pretty card!

Once again I'm using the gorgeous Documented collection, this time paired with Bashful card stock and glitter paper and the August stamp of the month, For the Love of Crafting.  (Next time, I will cut my paper at a sharper angle so that you can see more of the typewriter.)

Documented Easel Cards

Even though I try not to have favorites, the Documented collection is my favorite from the current Seasonal Expressions!  Unfortunately, everything is retiring this Friday, so be sure to get your faves before they're gone!

Easel cards are easier than I thought they would be to make!  This one started with a Saffron base.  The sentiment, from the Sending Prayers stamp set, was stamped in Eggplant.  The flowers were cut with the CTMH/Cricut Flower Market cartridge.  The front is based on a sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4.

This side view shows how the card looks as an easel.

For a very special birthday, I made this easel card using basically the same materials (with a Bashful card stock base).  You can see that I rotated the sketch so that the sentiment square is at the bottom to balance the CTMH/Cricut Artistry balloon.  (All of the cuts were made with the Artistry collection.)  Can you see how I highlighted the stars and the balloon heart with the gold shimmer brush?

Here is the easel card opened.

 And from the side...

The easel card is easier to make than you might think.  Let me know if you'd like instructions!

Featured Paper Blog Hop: Documented

It's the third Saturday of the month so that means that it's time for our featured paper blog hop!  Yay!  August's beautiful collection is called Documented.  It will not be available after this month, so be sure to get yours before they're gone!  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Carol's blog.  From here, you'll visit Brittany's blog next.)

All of my projects today have been previously posted, but not altogether.  First is the August stamp of the month, For the Love of Crafting, paired with Documented.  (You can read more HERE.)

This Documented layout worked so well with photos from a family ladies' trip to Gibbs Garden.  (You can read more HERE.)

Finally, you may not see Documented in this card, but I did use a Saffron zip strip from Documented under the gold shimmer trim.  (You can learn more HERE.)

Thanks for letting me share these projects again!  I am swamped with school work right now since it's back-to-school season.  From here, please go visit Brittany next!

Purposeful Plastic (CTMH Technique Blog Hop)

Hopefully this title has intrigued you!  You're going to love seeing the Purposeful Plastic products and ideas along this month's technique blog hop!  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Catherine's blog.  From here you'll visit Darlys's blog next.)

I am using the Pocket Plus Memory Protectors Design 2 to include all of my photos from a lovely visit to Gibbs Gardens with some of the lovely ladies in my family!  I made a two-page 12"x12" layout and added 3 photos with the Pocket Plus Memory Protectors.  You can easily see the left page and the right Pocket Plus.

Now you can see the right page with the left Pocket Plus.

Both of my base pages are based on sketches from the Reflections how-to guides.

All of my papers and embellishments are from the Documented Workshop Your Way, with my base pages from the Basics Fundamentals paper.

Thanks for hopping by!  I'd love a comment before you leave to see what Darlys has made.  (Just click on her name to go to her blog and continue the hop.)

Here's to You Blog Hop

CTMH has a great campaign going on right now with four beautiful stamps and a coordinating workshop kit!  It's called Here's to You, so be sure to check out all the wonderful ideas you'll get along this special blog hop.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Vickie's blog.  From here you'll visit Kathy's blog next.)

I chose to get the Sending Sunshine stamp and knew that I had to add a little sunshine to this sentiment!

I picked a variety of yellow papers (and gold glitter) to make my sunburst.  Can you tell which paper packs I used?  (From top to bottom, Whimsy, Central Park, Canary card stock, Beautiful Friendship, Saffron card stock, gold shimmer trim, Documented, Canary card stock,  Beautiful Friendship, Central Park, and Whimsy!)

Here's a peek at how I added each piece after deciding my pattern.

After cutting the sentiment panel with my CTMH/Cricut Artistry cartridge, I added stripes of yellow water color to highlight the main words of the sentiment.

After drying this piece almost complete with my heat tool, I added painted over the swipes with my gold shimmer brush (and again used my heat tool to help dry/set).

The next step was to stamp in the sentiment in Saffron ink over the painted swipes. Some gold glitter gems finished off this card.

Hopefully my card sends YOU a bit of sunshine, laughter, and hugs!  I'd love a comment before you head off to see how Kathy used the pretty Here's To You collection!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

Craft with Heart Layout Subscription Service

Close To My Heart has launched an amazing subscription layout program called Craft with Heart!  Each month, you will receive all the materials to create TWO double-page layouts!  All you need is adhesive, a journaling pen, and your photos. 

Read the informative CTMH blog post HERE, view the info flyer HERE, and sign up HERE!  I can't wait to get started with this myself!

August Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: For the Love of Crafting

August's stamp of the month is called For the Love of Crafting, and you are going to, well, LOVE it!
(If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Brenda's blog.  From here you'll visit Debi's blog next.)

Don't you love this sentiment?!?  I had to use it on a card (and hopefully a home decor item for my craft room) to share with some of my other crazy, crafty friends!  It was easy to cut using the CTMH/Cricut Artistry cartridge (on Almond card stock, stamped in Peacock).  I used a sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4 paired with the Documented collection.  (I did add the green burlap ribbon from the Fresh Air collection.)  You may not be able to tell from the photo, but I used 3D foam tape to pop the camera (which also helps adhere it over the ribbon).

I'd love a comment before you head off to see Debi's crafty project!  As always, thanks for stopping by!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}