Create Something Special - From The Heart!

My apologies for not having posted to this blog for SO long. Sometimes life just takes over and gets away from you. But I wanted to make sure that I shared this new card kit with you, because I enjoyed it so much. I wanted to make sure that you saw it and had the opportunity to get a set of your own! I am sorry for it being last-minute, but you still have 5 more days to order!

What I am talking about is the "From the Heart" Card Kit - September's Special from Close To My Heart. What I liked most about this kit was the E-sized stamp set:

There are so many different options and layers of flowers, leaves and greenery, the possibilities are endless. Just wait and see what beautiful arrangements you can create!

Originally, I was just going to purchase the stamp set (that is an option for $29.95), but when I saw that purchasing the whole kit - stamp set, card bases and envelopes - was only $5 more, that was a no-brainer! So in purchasing the entire kit for 20% off at $34.95, this is what you will get:

All of the card pieces need to be punched out (they are all perforated - it only took a few minutes). After punching out all of the pieces, this is what you will have:

The piece with the gold foil is the card base (top in image above). Then, on the bottom from left to right, you have the thin strip, the card front, and the card insert. The first thing you will have to do is assemble the card base. This is as easy as folding the two outside flaps in, applying adhesive, and closing the front of the base on top of the flaps:

Once the flaps are adhered, you'll want to fold the die-cut front of the base as shown:

Next, apply adhesive to the underside of the small bottom fold. Take a card insert and slide it into the card base from the notched top. Keeping the insert centered side-to-side in the card base, adhere the small bottom fold of the card base front to the bottom edge of the card insert, keeping the two flush with one another:

Now you will add adhesive to the top side of that same small bottom fold, right on top of the gold foil:

This is where you will adhere the thin strip, keeping it flush with the fold crease and centered side-to-side (the thin strip will extend a little further than the bottom of the card base front):

Congratulations - you have completed your entire interactive card base! I found it easiest to assemble all of the card bases before I went on to the next step. Now comes the FUN part - stamping your card front! As I said - the possibilities are endless. The first one I stamped, I tried to reproduce what was pictured in the full-color instructions that come with the kit. However, after that one, I just made up my own - one design I did multiples of, then in different colors. Here is the first one:

I already stamped the sentiment, but afterward decided that I would leave all of the sentiments until I knew what card I was going to need - that way, if I need a "Thank You" card, I can just pull one of the pre-stamped cards and add the "Thank You" to the front and inside - easy-peasy! So I stamped the remainder of my cards assembly-line style - it went MUCH faster than just doing one at a time!

After all of your card fronts are stamped, it's time to adhere them to the card base. Apply adhesive to the fold just above the thin strip ONLY. The entire card front will not be adhered to the card base. Align the bottom of the card front to the top of the thin strip and adhere:

Now when you pull the card insert up from the notched top...

Your inside sentiment (which you can stamp after the card has been assembled) is revealed! Push the insert back down into the card base to "close" the card. Here are the other variations of card fronts that I stamped:

Now whenever I need a card for "Thank You", "Happy Birthday", "Thinking of You", or "Congrats", all I have to do is stamp my sentiment. I had so much fun with these cards - I wish that there were more! But 12 cards should be enough to last me quite some time. I hope you enjoy yours, too!

Live Beautifully

National Scrapbooking Month is quickly coming to a close, and with it, the "Live Beautifully" Paper Pack, Stamp Set, Cut Above^® Layout Kit, and Album Bundles. The paper in the "Live Beautifully" paper pack is so rich and versatile - of course I had to use it for cards! Lucky for me, Jacquie Paech, a fellow CTMH Consultant, shared a card workshop with us that makes 10 different card designs from this paper pack! I LOVE it! So I made them all - with a few tweeks here and there, due to my not having the exact same supplies that she did. First, let me show you the Exclusive paper pack and stamp set that is only available for TWO MORE DAYS (provided it doesn't sell out)!

"Live Beautifully" Paper Packet (Item #CC1212B): 16 – 12” × 12” sheets (2 each of 6 double-sided designs and 2 each of 2 single-sided gold foil designs) - $14.95

My Acrylix® "Live Beautifully" Stamp Set (Item #CC1212C) - Eight images - $17.95

There's no qualifying purchase to make - you can simply purchase these items online right from my website! Now, here are the cards:

Beautiful, right?! A couple of the cards use the Quatrefoil Embossing Folder, and the "Happy Birthday" was cut with the Cricut "Artbooking" Cartridge. "A Heartfelt Thank You" is a sentiment from the "Happy Heart" stamp set. I also used Glacier cardstock and ink when the instructions called for Sea Glass - I found that it matched really well. Notice how some of the papers are printed in gold foil? They are so pretty!

I had a lot of fun making these cards - and I still have SO MUCH paper left! I can't wait to dive into my Cut Above Scrapbook Layout Kit with makes 5 2-page layouts that are absolutely gorgeous! I hope that you get yours before it's too late! Live beautifully!

Let's "Flock Together" with April's Stamp of the Month!

If any of you are like me, you're old enough to remember "The Partridge Family" on TV - I watched it all the time (I'm not embarrassed to admit it)! Those of you that remember will really get a kick out of this month's Stamp of the Month from Close To My Heart - "Flock Together":

Oh my gosh! Can you not picture those partridges scooting across the screen to "C'mon Get Happy"?! Funny. This adorable blast-from-the-past can be yours forever in the form of this stamp set. The talented artists at Close To My Heart have created both a scrapbook page and a card using this set:

You can get the Stamp of the Month until the end of April ONLY! Purchase it outright for $17.95, or get it for just $5.00 with a $50 purchase! Find this and so much more at my website http://funforyou.ctmh.com. Happy stamping!

Some Kinda Wonderful!

Previously, you have seen a cute "Hooray! You did it" card that I made with the "Some Kinda Wonderful Cardmaking Thin Cuts Bundle". To refresh your memory, here is the bundle again:

It includes the D-sized stamp set, as well as four Thin Cuts to use in your die-cut machine to cut the images out. Love this! I had also said that I couldn't wait to do a card using the fox image (I love foxes!). This time, however, I used the "Some Kinda Wonderful" paper pack for my patterned paper. Funny thing is, I also ended up using the Picture My Life (PML) card sheets included in the paper pack, the same as I did for the last "Some Kinda Wonderful" card! These cards aren't just for scrapbooking. The black and the green patterned papers on my card are actually cut from two of the PML cards. There are already so many fun patterns in the full 12" x 12" sheets - it's fantastic that there are even more contained within the cards. Check them out:

See what I mean? These patterns are SO versatile! Use them for anything from Valentine's Day to Christmas! They are so fun...thereby making my fox card extra fun:

Hmmm...who will be the lucky recipient of this card? Visit my website for MORE fun products and inspiration: http://funforyou.ctmh.com

What a Rush!

I'm talking about a Sugar Rush, of course! But not the cake and cookies kind - the Close To My Heart kind! "Sugar Rush" is just one of the incredible Limited Time Only themes featured in Seasonal Expressions, which is good through next month. What's even more fun than the delicious papers are the stamp sets - "Sugar Rush - Cardmaking" and "Sugar Rush - Scrapbooking" - both of them are so sweet!

I used the Sugar Rush Paper Pack and the "Sugar Rush - Cardmaking" stamp set to make two scrumptious cards - the designs are straight out of Seasonal Expressions!

There are endless possibilities with this stamp set - and it is available as a Thin Cuts Bundle, making the need for scissors obsolete. Here's a look at the stamp set and papers:

I can't wait to make more mouth-watering cards with this set! I hope you have as much fun as me!

Hooray for Seasonal Expressions 2017!

I love to create. I especially love to create with my fun Close To My Heart products from the Seasonal Expressions Idea Book and Catalog! This week I used my new "Sugar Rush" paper pack and my new "Some Kinda Wonderful - Cardmaking Thin Cuts Bundle" to make a fun card. Here were my supplies:

Notice that the "Sugar Rush" Paper Pack comes with 2 sheets of Picture My Life pocket scrapbooking cards - this is what I used for the base of my "Hooray" card (see red arrow). Also notice that you can purchase the "Some Kinda Wonderful - Cardmaking" stamp set separately, but also as a set with its coordinating Thin Cuts (which is what I did - why wouldn't you?!). This allowed me to run my cardstock through my die-cut machine prior to stamping my image, giving me a perfectly cut-out image without having to pick up the scissors.

So, I just trimmed the 4" x 6" PLM "Hooray" card to fit the front of my 4.25" x 5.5" card (backed in Pomegranate cardstock), stamped the sentiment "you did it!" and a few hearts from the "Some Kinda Wonderful" stamp set, then cut, stamped and colored the bird and the turtle images and adhered to the front of the card with 3D Foam Tape. The result?

Who wouldn't love to get this card?! I used my trusty ShinHan markers to color the animals - quick and easy! I can't wait to use the fox image next...you know I LOVE foxes! Happy stamping and have a wonderful Valentine's Day! Make someone you love a hand-made card - there's nothing better (well, maybe if it came along with a box of Godiva chocolates...)!

Black Friday - SURPRISE STASH SALE!!

Oh, this is GOOD. Love getting a great deal on crafting supplies to add to your stash? For Black Friday this year, you’ll have the opportunity to get amazing crafting supplies at an amazing price with Close To My Heart! For 24 hours only, we’ll feature themed mystery boxes filled with retired Close To My Heart products, all at a major discount! These mystery boxes will have five different price points ranging from $35 to $150, with some mystery boxes being offered at 50% off the retail value! All mystery boxes will be available beginning November 25, 2016 at 12:00 am (MST) WHILE SUPPLIES LAST—so grab a box for your stash before they’re gone!

Need more details? Well, here's more: What's in the mystery boxes?? It’s a big surprise, but we will tell you that the mystery boxes will be filled with retired products grouped together purposefully for certain types of crafters. The scrapbooking bundles will contain products like retired My Legacy™ albums, papers, Complements, Instalife™ mini albums and cards, Picture My Life™ pocket scrapbooking cards, and assorted embellishments like mini-medley accents, washi tape, and stickers! The cardmaking bundles will contain things like retired Cut Above™ card kits, envelopes in assorted sizes, papers, and assorted embellishments. Finally, we will also be offering scrapbooking & cardmaking bundles with a combination of products for those who love it all! Again, these bundles will be inside mystery boxes, so you won’t know which exact products you’ll be getting, but this gives you an idea of what we’ve cooked up.

I am LOVING this!! Keep in mind these THREE THINGS - 1) These surprise boxes are only available for 24 hours - and WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!  2) These will sell out FAST!!  3) You can only take advantage of this Black Friday Deal on my website at http://funforyou.ctmh.com!!

Here are the five different price tiers (and the approx. retail value of what you'll receive!!):
• $35 mystery boxes (on average, a retail value of $70!)
• $50 mystery boxes (on average a retail value of $90!)
• $75 mystery boxes (on average, a retail value of $140!)
• $115 mystery boxes (on average, a retail value of $235!)
• $150 mystery boxes (on average, a retail value of $335!)

AND, you can order as many Mystery Boxes as you like! AND, your total purchase counts toward the Stamp of the Month - spend $50 and purchase the November SOTM for JUST $5!

Be sure to shop EARLY! I can't wait to see what I get! Don't you just LOVE surprises?! :-)

Jeepers Creepers!

I am really getting into the Halloween spirit now that it's mid-October. Halloween is my favorite holiday! Therefore, I really wanted to post something "Halloweeny", so I decided to make this a combination "My Favorite Things - Part 3" post and a Halloween-themed post. I am also going to combine two of my new favorite things - the "Jeepers Creepers" paper pack, and the "This & That" stamp set.

The "Jeepers Creepers" paper pack is my favorite for two reasons - it is Halloween-themed, and at the same time, so versatile! I will show you what I mean. I started by creating a Halloween card:

Being that I don't own any of the new Halloween stamp sets, I used one of the Picture My Life "cards" that comes in the "Jeepers Creepers" paper pack as my image. I absolutely love the little monsters patterned paper - and the fun colors! And just to show you how versatile this paper pack can be, I created another card using different patterns from this pack and the "This & That" stamp set:

See how simple and not Halloween-themed this is? Check out the "This & That" stamp set:

This is more geared toward scrapbooking, but works just as well for cards!

Perhaps next time I will explore some Halloween keys on the Cricut....Bwaahaahaa! Stay tuned!

My Favorite Things - Part 1

With the release of Close To My Heart's new Annual Inspirations 2016-2017 and Holiday Expressions 2016, there are so many gorgeous new things to see! I thought it would be fun to focus a series of posts on some of my favorite things from the newest catalogs. They'll just be quick samples of products and what I created with them.

Today's focus is on the new stamp set, "Emojis":

How cute is this?!? There are 49 images total - perfect for sending that quick, little note that's sure to make someone's day. Speaking of cute and little, that's exactly what I created with this stamp set - little 3" x 3" cards using all seven of the newest colors also found in the new Annual Inspirations catalog (plus Pacifica). I am in LOVE with these new colors in the Adventure color palate (Raspberry, Blossom, Tangerine, Lemon, Willow, Emerald, and Pansy). Here is the entire set:

Don't they just make you want to smile?! I love the bright colors! Here they are up close:

These adorable cards are perfect for slipping into someone's lunch bag, onto their computer, tucked into the bathroom mirror...anywhere you'd like to brighten someone's day.

Next time - "Woodland Critters" takes the stage - a fun stamp set from Holiday Expressions! Stay tuned for "My Favorite Things - Part 2"!

National Stamping Month: Create Kindness!

Celebrate National Stamping Month this month with hand-stamped cards designed to help create a little more kindness in the world. The "Create Kindness" Card Kit contains all of the supplies needed to create 24 beautiful 3" x 3" handmade cards (including the mini stamp organizer!) that you can use to brighten someone’s day. This entire kit can be yours for only $46.95—a 15% savings off the retail value!

Thanks to the pre-printed card bases, these cards come together in no time, leaving you more time to do something thoughtful for someone. Watch Close To My Heart’s blog, Instagram account, and Facebook page throughout the month of September to see what they’ve created with this card kit as well as the acts of kindness it has inspired! This exclusive kit will only be available in the month of September while supplies last, so make sure to get your order in early.

As a special bonus, the exclusive stamp sets and pre-printed card bases with envelopes are also available for separate purchase, but only in the month of September while supplies last!

I loved these stamps and cards so much, that I decided to make more of my own. The new Cricut "Flower Market" Collection just happens to come with eight fun background stamps that would be perfect for the patterns on the cards:

AND, it comes with the Adventure cardstock pack, which includes all seven NEW colors (which I used for my cards). Now I'll show you my versions of the "Create Kindness" cards. First, I gathered my materials:

Of the eight stamp sets that come in the kit, four of them are meant for the 2" white circles on the front of the cards, and four of them are sentiments for the insides of the cards. What I did differently from the kit is that I cut 2 1/4" circles from coordinating cardstock colors to back the 2" white circles with. I liked this much better, because the white circles were further offset from the backgrounds by doing this (you'll see). Next, I stamped all of the backgrounds onto the front of the cards (you can do the backs, too, if you like) using all of the seven new colors (Raspberry, Blossom, Tangerine, Lemon, Willow, Emerald, and Pansy) plus Pacifica, and stamped the four smaller images in black onto the 2" white circles (two times each for a total of eight):

Stamping the images in archival ink is better because it won't bleed or smudge when you color them with your alcohol-based ShinHan markers. However, if you color with colored pencils or are very careful with your ShinHan markers, you can stamp with your regular black dye-based ink. So, after coloring your images any way you'd like, simply adhere the white circles to the colored circles and then adhere to the front of the coordinating card. I kept like colors together, but don't be afraid to mix & match!

Adorable! And SO easy! The last step is to stamp the insides with your sentiments:

These cards are perfect for stashing in a child's lunch box/bag, in a co-worker's desk, on your spouse's computer...the list goes on and on. What a perfectly simple way to brighten someone's day! Create a little kindness and make the world a better place.

Visit my website today! http://funforyou.ctmh.com