Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Passion For Patterns!

Even though I have more patterned paper than I could ever use in a dozen lifetimes, I continue to buy more. Why? I have a passion for patterns...and colors...and the unique and wonderful combination of the two. The newest Idea Book from Close To My Heart introduces seven brand-new collections, which include patterned paper packs. I can honestly say that this is the first time in my 11 years as a consultant that I have purchased every single paper pack in the Idea Book. These collections are, by far, the best yet - I just had to have them all! If you haven't seen them yet, be sure to head over to my website to take a look!

In the meantime, I have created a card that uses each paper collection, so you can get a peek at some of the patterns included. Each paper packet comes with 6 double-sided cardstock-weight sheets of patterned paper - there are 6 different patterns, so you get one sheet each of every pattern, or two sheets each of the three patterns you like best! Here are the cards I created:

Chantilly:
The Chantilly paper pack is easily my favorite. The colors are so vibrant and "Springy", and most of the patterns are small, which is great for a cardmaker like me. This card uses one of the 6 patterns. The design of this card was given to me by my good friend Judi D. - isn't it adorable?!

Buzz and Bumble:
I love the neutral palette of this paper. It's all browns, with a shot of Sunset & Creme Brulee - talk about versatility! This card shows just one of the six patterns in the set.

For Always:
You can't get more neutral than this paper pack - it's all black & white. I love its sophistication - and you can pair it with any color and have it look fantastic. Two of the patterns are shown here.

Claire:
"Claire" is pinks and oranges paired with Outdoor Denim blue for a fun, down-to-earth-girly set of patterns. You can see two of the six Claire patterns used in this card.

Later Sk8r:
Oh yes - let's get down & dirty with a paper pack that's all boy! These masculine papers are perfect for the men/boys in your life. Lagoon, Pear, Outdoor Denim and Slate all make for a very bright, bold, boyish look. I have used three of the Later Sk8r patterns in this card.

Surf's Up:

This is a fun, bright, retro summery paper pack - three patterns of which you can see between the above two cards. The second card has an interactive element that you pull open to reveal a surprise message.

Tommy:
Ok, you wouldn't know it by looking at this card, which is a testament to its versatility, but the Tommy paper pack is nautical-themed. Bright, bold Cranberry, Honey & Outdoor Denim also make this a perfect paper pack for the summer.

And that's all seven collections in the Spring-Summer 2013 Idea Book! To get a closer look at ALL of the patterns available in these spectacular paper packs, go to my website and browse the Idea Book! You can get there from HERE! Enjoy!







Thursday, March 21, 2013

Best...Day...Ever!

I am so excited to share with you the following post from Jeanette Lynton's blog (Jeanette is the founder and CEO of Close To My Heart). My artwork was chosen to be featured today, which is such an honor! Check it out at: http://www.jeanettelynton.com/2013/03/my-favorite-stamp-set-country-born.html

Thanks!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Creative Chalk Techniques - Part 3

Hello, and welcome to the third and last installment of Creative Chalk Techniques! I had so much fun trying these cool methods - I hope you have, too! The last technique is almost identical to last weeks - just without the dry embossing. You will need cardstock, VersaMark ink (or equivalent clear embossing ink), multiple colors of chalk, and a means to apply the chalk (cotton ball, cotton swab, sponge, etc.) - and a stamp, of course. Start by stamping your image onto the cardstock with the VersaMark ink:
Then, using a sponge applicator (or whatever means you choose), apply different colors of chalk to the stamped image:
This is such a cool & soft effect - perfect for Easter & Mother's Day coming up! Here's the card I created with this technique:
Isn't it gorgeous?! I just love how this came out - and so much easier than trying to ink your stamp up with all of those colors of ink!

I hope you will give these techniques a try. Be sure to send me a picture of what you come up with!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Creative Chalk Techniques - Part 2

Hello! It's Wednesday again, and this week that means another creative chalk technique! For this one, you will need cardstock, a dry-embossing template & stylus, VersaMark ink (or other clear, embossing ink), cotton balls, cotton swabs, or sponges (however you prefer to apply your chalk), and chalk.

The first step is to dry emboss your design into your cardstock. (It's easier to do this if you have a light source behind it so you can see the template under your cardstock. I used a portable light box, but you can also use a sunny window.)
Next, gently run the VersaMark ink pad over the raised parts of your embossed image. The goal is to not get the ink on the un-raised parts, so use a light touch.
Now you can use any number of colors of chalk to make your image "pop". I applied mine with a cotton ball, and used three different colors of yellow & orange.
Again, a light touch is key, so as to avoid as much chalk as you can on the un-raised surface. If you feel the need to erase, a white eraser works great. I did a little erasing around the outside edge of my design.

That's all there is to it! Use the design as is, or cut it out, as I did, and use it on a card or scrapbook page. As with all chalk art, you will want to seal the image with a finishing spray/sealer before using it on your project.
Be sure to come back next week for the third and final installment of "Creative Chalk Techniques"! I created a gorgeous Mother's Day card that I can't wait for you to see!




Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Creative Chalk Techniques - Part 1

So, when is the last time you broke out your chalks? If you're anything like me, you're thinking, "Well, my kids used their sidewalk chalk over the summer...". But, no, those aren't the chalks I am talking about. I am referring to the chalks that you may have in your craft stash - buried beneath glitter and glue sticks - that you may have used to color stamped images to get a soft, pastel look. It's been years since I've even thought about using mine! Then I came across the "Dear Go-to Gals" column in the March/April issue of Paper Crafts Magazine, which answers a reader's question regarding tips and hints on how to use chalks. I was so intrigued that I decided to try some of these techniques myself. I tried three different techniques, so I am going to post them over the next three weeks.

The first one is my favorite, and honestly, when I saw it in the magazine, I didn't believe it would work! Here's what you'll need for this technique: one color of chalk, a cotton ball, VersaMark ink (or any clear embossing ink), and a stamp (as well as cardstock, which is not pictured).
The first step is to use the cotton ball to apply chalk (I am using dark green) to the entire surface of your cardstock:
Next, stamp your image onto the cardstock using the VersaMark ink:
Then, simply chalk-up your cotton ball again - with the same color chalk as before - and rub it over the stamped image:
Voila! Like magic, the image appears - dark, crisp & clean! I did the exact same thing with a sentiment in the upper left corner, then used it to make this finished card:
How gorgeous is that?! I absolutely love this technique, and can't wait to use it again!

So dig out those chalks and try this. I would LOVE to see what you come up with! Check back next week for another cool chalk technique!