Heart2Heart Challenges: Card Creations

 It's time to crank out those creative cards!

I decided to combine two of this month's specials, Christmas Snowflake Mandalas, the November stamp of the month, and a cute little stamp set, A Cup of Cheer, from the From Me To You special.

To create my card, I started with a panel of Cherish patterned paper.  The picture doesn't show it well, but I spritzed White gloss on the front to add to the frosty feeling.  I used a 1.5" square of Mist cardstock which I cut in half on the diagonal for my corners.  I embellished the corners with silver shimmer trim (cut in half) and zip strips from the paper pack.  I used a white gel pen for my faux stitching.  

For the tag, I used a Thin Cut die from the All-Purpose Tags Thin Cuts.  I inked up the snowflake mandala stamp with Seabrook and then rolled the edges in Mist.  The "just for you" sentiment is from the Just for You stamp set (stamped in Pewter).  A little Pewter cardstock for the tag, silver embroidery floss, and a silver gem finished off this card quickly.

Check out all of our H2H designers' card creations and join us before the month ends!

Heart2Heart Challenges: Recipe Exchange

The first Heart2Heart November challenge is a recipe exchange!  You can use a recipe, feature a recipe, or anything else that you think meets the challenge.

I decided to use the Freshly Baked collection (papers, embellishments, and scrapbooking stamp set) to create two cards based on recipes from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4.

My first card uses recipe pattern 14.  I turned the sentiment panel of French Vanilla cardstock to accommodate the size of the sentiment (stamped in Scarlet).  I trimmed down my gold shimmer trim to fit the 1/4" dimensions.  For both cards, I cut the gingerbread man out of Toffee cardstock with the coordinating Thin Cut, stamped in black, then embellished with white gel pens and red Stickles.

My second card uses recipe pattern 15.  I fussy cut the "Life Is Short" banner after stamping in Glacier ink then used 3D foam dots to layer that on top of the Scarlet sentiment.  I embellished this card with Freshly Baked enamel dots.

Be sure to join us at H2H challenges with your own recipe exchange!  We can't wait to see what you create!

November CTMH Specials

Close To My Heart is offering some very fun and festive specials this month!  (You can find them all HERE under the Promotions tab.)

The November stamp of the month, Christmas Snowflake Mandalas

From Me to You tags & stamp sets

Seas & Greetings (with a winter and tropical option)

Carryover specials:

These Are the Days calendar/scrapbook kit

Picture This Christmas card kit

H2H Challenges: Use a Stencil (Product Challenge)

The latest Heart2Heart Challenges challenge is to use a stencil.  Close To My Heart has a lot of great ready-made stencils, but you can also make your own.  I decided to use my new butterfly stencil from the Slimline Card Front Stencil Pack 2.

I sponged many of my distress oxide inks through the stencil to create the card front (Abandoned Coral, Tattered Rose, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, and Vintage Photo).

After sponging the distress oxide inks through the stencil (in kind of a rainbow pattern), I spritzed water to activate the distress pigments.  Next, I blotted the water droplets off of the card front, and then I "flicked" Paprika, Espresso, and Gold shimmer brushes across the panel.  Finally, I carefully removed the stencil to let the panel dry.

I used Mocha ink to stamp the sentiment from the Thankful Autumn stamp set.  I cut a slender piece of Gold glitter cardstock to cross the panel, and then embellished with a wood grain heart that I inked in Mocha ink to match.

After trimming the sponged panel to 3.25"x7.75", I then mounted it on a piece of Mocha cardstock (3.5"x8") for the card front to finish off this fall slimline card featuring our stencils. 

Be sure to check out all of our H2H designers projects HERE and be sure to join us before the month ends!

October Offerings

Close To My Heart has some beautiful specials available this month!  Some are only available through the end of the month while others last longer.

Here are the specials that are only available while supplies last until the end of the month (so be sure to order yours before they're gone):

October Stamp of the Month, Blessings of the First Noel

Fa-BOO-lous! Collection

Card Creativity (National Stamping Month)

Workshop WOW: Flower Shoppe

The other two specials are available now until the end of the year, also while supplies last:

Picture This Christmas (Photo Card Kit)

These Are the Days (Scrapbook/Calendar Kits)

September Stamp of the Month Fall Layout (#4)

This layout was the feature of my September scrapbooking class and features the September stamp of the month, Enjoy These Moments, and the Crisp Air collection.

I had fun coloring the heart with various Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend markers and CTMH/Cricut cuts (I think from Art Philosophy).

Let me know if you'd like to learn more about the classes that I offer!

Crisp Air Scrapbooking Workshop, Layout 1: Grand Canyon 2

 Here's my third layout using the Crisp Air scrapbooking workshop (which is actually the first layout of the kit).  You can find layout 1 HERE and layout 3 HERE if you missed them and want to see them.

I love how these scallops were pre-cut die cuts because they would have been hard to make by myself.  Notice how I used leftover zip strip pieces as "washi tape" photo accents.  It's important to have elements cross over both pages of a two-page layout.

You'll notice that I used less of the fall leaves from this collection since my photos are actually from summer.  I am perfectly happy having leftover stickers, etc., to use on other projects!

Don't be afraid to use these kits and personalize them to make them your own!  They always make such pretty layouts! If you'd like to order your own Crisp Air Scrapbooking Workshop, be sure to grab yours before the month ends and this collection retires.  Learn more HERE!

September Stamp of the Month Card: Let Things Go

This sentiment from the September stamp of the month, Enjoy These Moments, reminds us of the beauty that can be found in change (which isn't always easy!).  I made this card using the Crisp Air collection and a Make It From Your Heart card sketch to create this card to send to our daughter.

I inked up the sentiment in Sundance, Paprika, and Mocha.  After stamping it, I rubbed the edges in Pine and Mocha to match the paper pack and give it some dimension.  I embellished the card with gold thread and a heart from the Crisp Air dots.

Both the Crisp Air collection and the September stamp of the month are only available through the end of the month, so get yours NOW HERE!

Crisp Air Scrapbooking Workshop, Layout 3: Grand Canyon 1

The Crisp Air scrapbooking workshop helps you create three gorgeous two-page 12"x12" layouts, and they aren't just for fall!  (My first post using the second layout in the kit can be found HERE.)  I used the other two layouts to highlight our family's trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon last summer.  (I think I may need to go back and add that as a title to this layout!)

The scrapbooking workshop kits provide a fun mix of die cuts and stickers to embellish your layouts.  I also added some Crisp Air dots.

I think you'll agree that this collection isn't just for fall!

If you'd like to order your own Crisp Air Scrapbooking Workshop, be sure to grab yours before the month ends and this collection retires.  Learn more HERE!

September Stamp of the Month Layout 3: Nothing Finer

Thank you advance for letting me share our daughter with you!  She plays cymbals in the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band (Nothing finer in the land!), which you already know if you follow me.  Here is the layout I made for her album with photos from last year.

Of course I used Candy Apple, Black, and White Daisy to represent UGA.  I also added a Pocket Plus Memory Protector to be able to add more photos to her layout.

Notice how I used both the September stamp of the month, Enjoy These Moments, and the Background Elements stamp sets to embellish my pages.

Thanks for letting me share my girl with you!  Be sure to grab your stamp of the month before the month ends HERE!

Crisp Air Scrapbooking Workshop, Layout 2: Fall

No, you haven't missed the first layout of the Crisp Air Scrapbooking Workshop!  I had to use them out of order to scrapbook some of my photos, so I am sharing them in the order that I created them.  This kit makes three gorgeous two-page layouts.

The cathedral window cut outs are so easy to punch out and fold thanks to this kit!  (You could certainly make them on your own, but it would be a lot more challenging.)

When I work with one of CTMH's scrapbooking workshops, I wait to cut the photo mattes, because my photos don't always fit what they workshop recommends.  That definitely saves me paper in the long run!  I am never afraid to customize the kits as I see fit.

If you'd like to order your own Crisp Air Scrapbooking Workshop, be sure to grab yours before the month ends and this collection retires.  I'll be posting my other two layouts later this week.  Learn more HERE!

September Stamp of the Month Layout 2: Redcoat Band

During Saturday's game (Go Dawgs!), I set up my table to scrapbook my UGA photos from last year.  Here is the second layout that I made. 

In addition to White Daisy, Black, and Candy Apple, I added Pewter to have a little bit more variety.  I decided to create a checkerboard with my 4"x4" photos and carry it onto the right page.

For both pages, I used the Daisy Alphabet and the new Background Elements stamp sets.  I stamped the autumn heart from the September stamp of the month, Enjoy These Moments, and colored some of the elements with two of my Spectrum Noir TriBlend markers.

On the right page, I also used the Celebration alphabet to stamp UGA.  I embellished both pages with black and white dots, white acrylic arrows, and black acrylic arrows and hearts.  (I love using theses!)

While my supplies are out, I plan to scrapbook duplicates of some of these photos for my daughter's album.  I'll be sure to share when I get them completed.