Dry Embossing - Three Ways!

I have had so much fun playing with this month's Stamp of the Month from Close To My Heart, "Life in Pictures". You saw it in my last post about the embossing resist technique. This week, I am going to use it to show you three different ways to showcase your dry embossing - so let's get started!
First, you will gather your materials - a machine that you can crank your embossing folder(s) through, embossing folder(s), white-core cardstock, a piece of sandpaper or sanding block, and a coordinating ink pad.

I have gathered three different CTMH dry embossing folders for the three different techniques - Dot, Chevron, and Quatrefoil. Place a piece of your cardstock inside of one of the embossing folders, place the folder between the proper plates (according to your machine's recommendations), and crank/run it through.

How beautiful! (I love dry embossing.) Do this for each piece of cardstock.

Nice. Now we're going to kick it up a notch! First, let's use the sandpaper/sanding block. This is where it becomes really important to use cardstock with a white core, which is a special feature of CTMH cardstock! Simply rub the sandpaper across the top of the embossed piece:

Wow! That sure does make the design POP! A very simple way to really bring out the pattern of your embossing - much less subtle.

Speaking of less subtle, let's try a different way of accentuating that embossed pattern - ink. This direct-to-paper technique takes a very delicate hand and some trial and error, but with a soft touch, it can work really well for you. Otherwise, you will simple have a very shabby-chic looking piece - nothing wrong with that! Simply swipe your ink pad across the top of the dry embossing to transfer the ink to the raised portion of the design only (hence, the light touch needed):

I used Honey ink on Honey cardstock. This technique is not even or perfect, so don't expect it to be! What might be fun is inking sections of the design with different colors of ink...oh, I just might have to try that next.

So, now that I have three pieces of very different dry-embossed/sanded/inked cardstock - let's see what I did with them! Straight dry embossing first:

As I stated earlier, the stamps are from "Life in Pictures", April's Stamp of the Month, and there's just a hint of the "La Vie En Rose" paper pack snuck in there. Now the sanded piece:

Oh, how fun! I used the same pattern of paper from "La Vie En Rose" to match the Quatrefoil embossed pattern, along with a strip of Silver Shimmer Trim. And lastly - the inked piece:

What a great accent piece that makes! And did I mention how much I LOVED this stamp set?! I am about to do another post right after this one (unheard of!) that will simple showcase more cards that I created with the "Life in Pictures" stamp set - so stay tuned for it!!

I hope you enjoyed learning new ways to ramp-up your dry embossing. If you want to have as much fun with this stamp set as I have, you'd better HURRY! There's only two more days to get your set - pay full-price of $17.95 OR pay only $5 with a $50 purchase! Go to http://funforyou.ctmh.com to order directly online. And if you have other fun dry embossing techniques that you've tried, please share!

Emboss Resist - A Second Look

I know that I have done a blog post before on the technique of Emboss Resist, but after getting my hands on the April Stamp of the Month, "Life in Pictures", I just couldn't "resist" doing it again! (See what I did there?) This incredibly fun stamp set lends itself to ir-resist-ible focal images, as well as diverse and retro-feel backgrounds.

I urge you to pick this one up! Here's what I did with it - just the first of many!

Emboss Resist:
Step 1 - Gather your materials.

You will need your stamp, a clear embossing ink (like VersaMark), clear embossing powder, your card, scrap paper to catch your excess powder on, as well as a heat tool and, later, sponge daubers, ink, and a paper towel or tissue.

Step 2 - Ink your stamp.

Step 3 - Stamp image onto front of card. I stamped the image multiple times down the left side.

Step 4 - Sprinkle/pour embossing powder over the stamped image(s). Make sure all stamped areas have been covered. (Tap excess powder off onto the scrap paper when all of the image has been covered, and pour powder back into original container.)

Step 5 - Emboss. Hold heat tool above image and slowly move back & forth until you see the powder start to melt and turn clear. Move the heat tool around the entire image, small areas at a time, until the entire image has melted and turned clear.

Step 6 & 7 - Apply Ink. Now comes the fun part. Now we are going to make the image "pop" from the page by adding color with ink. First, ink up a sponge dauber with your choice of ink. I chose "Slate" for my first color. You don't have to use more than one color, but for this example, I chose to use two.

Next, using a circular motion, apply the ink to the cardstock. As you do, the embossed image "magically" appears - and resists the ink that you are applying!

Repeat Steps 6 and 7 for any other colors you may be using. (My second color is Sapphire.)

Step 8 - Wipe off excess ink. You can really brighten up your image by wiping it with a paper towel or tissue after you have finished inking.

Step 9 - Complete your card!

I absolutely LOVE this stamp set - it brings me back "to the good ol' days"! I can't wait to use it some more...in fact, I think I will do that right now. Thank you for reading & have and ir-resist-ible evening!

****Purchase your "Life in Pictures" stamp set during the month of APRIL ONLY for $17.95 or ONLY $5.00 with a $50 purchase. Shop on my website at http://funforyou.ctmh.com.****

Say Goodbye to Studio J

This is a sad, sad month for me. Close To My Heart has announced that they will be discontinuing their Studio J® online scrapbooking program, which has been the only way I have scrapbooked for the last several years. I know that without it, I will not get nearly the amount of scrapbooking done that I have in the past - if any at all. They are ending the program for good on April 30th, or when their photo paper runs out...so it could be sooner!

Knowing this, I scrambled to get some layouts done last month. Our family traveled to Niagra Falls last summer, and late in the summer, I had a catastrophic hard-drive failure, causing me to lose months of photos that had not been backed up. I was, and still am, devastated, being that our Niagra trip was one of the sets of photos that I lost...or so I thought. Come to find out, months later, I discovered that all of the Niagra photos were still on my husband's camera! Alleluia! So, after backing them up in 3 different places, I wanted to make sure I got them scrapbooked as well. Studio J to the rescue! I thought I would share just a few of my favorite layouts:

I love the fact that I can now add photo wells and/or rotate existing photo wells to suit the orientations of my photos - you could never do that before!

I love everything about Studio J - I have had so much fun with it over the years, and am so sad to see it go. Hopefully I will get a chance to squeeze just a few more layouts into this month before their paper runs out!

Thank you, Studio J and CTMH, for giving me the tools to record my memories - I never would have done it without you!

It's Stampaganza 2016!

Buy 2 Stamp Sets, Get 1 FREE!

March is going by very quickly, so it will be very easy to miss out on Stampaganza 2016 if you don't act SOON! Have you seen the amazing new stamp sets in Annual Inspirations & Seasonal Expressions? OK - I have to show you my two favorites! Check out the adorable little cards I made with the Operation Smile "Animal Greetings" set:


Here is the entire stamp set:


SO stinkin' cute, right?! I LOVE it! And talk about cute - here is my next favorite, "Spring Critters":


I absolutely LOVE foxes, so I had to have this stamp set! The best part - this set coordinates with CTMH's brand new Thin Cuts, which you run right through your Sizzix machine or equivalent to cut these critters out. Amazing.

There are SO many more delightful stamp sets to choose from on my website at http://funforyou.ctmh.com. I could REALLY use your help this month in reaching my sales goal, so please check out the fantastic stamp sets in both catalogs - but two stamp sets at full-price and get the third of equal or lesser value for FREE!

Thank you all & Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Picture My Life - Live Your Day!

Pocket Scrapbooking is all the rage - and SO fast and easy! Close To My Heart has LOTS of different Picture My Life Scrapbooking programs to choose from - even whole sets of overlays - black, white or gold...gorgeous. However, in honor of National Papercrafting Month - this month - CTMH is offering a special set of PML cards called "Live Your Day!" They coordinate with all of the Everyday Life products that were introduced last month and can be found in the new Seasonal Expressions Idea Book. Monica has done a video highlighting the "Live Your Day" set which is ONLY AVAILABLE this month!!!

You can order your set on my website at funforyou.ctmh.com for just $8.95. The set features twenty 4" x 6" and thirty-six 3" x 4" cards with the same design on both sides - one side is horizontal, and the other vertical for maximum versatility.

Have fun with them!

"Planners Gonna Plan" - TWO DAYS LEFT!

I realize I have been absolutely HORRIBLE at keeping up with my blog - I apologize. Working full-time has really thrown a huge wrench into my Close To My Heart business - you and I are missing all the FUN!! I am making a New Year's resolution to try and be better about getting things posted, though - really, I am. I just hope it doesn't go the way of the "eat healthier and lose 20 pounds" resolution!

Anyway, I just HAVE to let you all know that the "Planners Gonna Plan" Campaign will be OVER in JUST TWO DAYS! This special is only good to the end of this month, so be sure to get yours. And here's a special sneak-peek spoiler for you - in January, there will be an exclusive "Live Your Day" Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program (4" x 6" and 4" x 3" cards), available in January ONLY, that not only coordinates with, but was specially designed to go with the products in the "Planners Gonna Plan" Bundle!

Need more incentive? Watch Monica in the video below to get a good look at ALL the new planner album products, then get to my website at funforyou.ctmh.com and order yours today!

Experience the “Fun” of Fundamentals!

Experience the beautiful Simply Fundamental Scrapbooking workshop—available only during November! This workshop has been created using all the items featured in our campaign exclusive My Legacy™ album bundles, available during November for $71.80 each! Just wait until you see all that you will get! When you purchase the album bundle, you will also qualify to receive a value pack of side load or top load Memory Protectors™ FREE—a savings of $19.95! Along with the album style and design of your choice, each bundle includes one Paper Fundamentals Enchantment pack, one Fundamental stickers Enchantment pack, one Peacock Fundamental assortment, and three sheets of White Daisy cardstock. You will then be set to turn these beautiful products into fabulous layouts using the new Simply Fundamental Scrapbooking workshop featuring five layouts you can make using all the supplies in your bundle (click the link to see the workshop!).

 Purchase the album bundle and you get:

• Album of your choice (D-ring or Post-bound)
• Paper Fundamentals Enchantment (1 pack)
• Fundamental Stickers Enchantment Pack (1 pack)
• Fundamental Assortment Peacock (1 pack)
• White Daisy Cardstock (3 sheets)
• Memory Protectors™ Value Pack (1 pack Side Load or 1 pack Top Load)

This is a phenomenal value, and just in time for the holidays! You can create this album as a unique and treasured gift, or give the entire bundle as a gift for the scrapbooker - or want-to-be-scrapbooker - in your life! Choose your bundle on my website at funforyou.ctmh.com. But HURRY! There's only ONE WEEK LEFT!!