Monday, January 26, 2015

Artfully Sent Birthday Card


I love all the Close to My Heart Cricut Cartridges but I think Artfully Sent is turning into my favorite!  Between the cartridge and stamp sets included in the bundle I am using this thing all the time.  I'll have a link below if you want more information about this cartridge or would like to purchase one for yourself.  It comes with the cartridge (over 700 images), three large stamp sets, and a pack of 12x12 White Daisy cardstock.

I dug into my scrap box for this card so I can't tell you exactly where the papers came from but the base was cut out of CTMH Daisy White cardstock.  I really love the way this cardstock cuts in both the Cricut and the Cameo.  Once I had cut out the celebrate layer I ran it through a dotted embossing folder for some extra dimension.  For all the different scraps I just rough cut them so they wouldn't show through the neighboring letters and stuck them down with plain old scotch tape.  When it was all finished I adhered the panel to the card base with my ATG.  You will want to make sure and use a strong adhesive due to all those layers and the embossed paper.  This card is a great stash buster!

Supplies:

Darice Dot Embossing Folder
Scotch ATG Tape Dispenser
Various paper scraps from my stash

Saturday, January 24, 2015

New Project



I thought I'd give you a sneak peak of something other than paper crafting that I'm working on.  I just started this sweater and so far it's coming along wonderfully.

Stay tuned for more progress pictures!!

Joy Fold Thanks




I had a lot of fun with this card.  I learned this particular fold from Schell Fabian.  I'll link her video below so you can learn how to do this too!  It's not hard but really turns out a beautiful card that everyone will think you spent hours and hours on!!  Besides...Schell is an awesome teacher and produces really nice videos so you should go check her out!

This is the final card in my big thank you card series for our upcoming cruise.  Although...there is one card that I won't be showing you until April.  That particular card is my absolute favorite but it's using a stamp set that won't be released until April so stay tuned for that one!

Supplies:
Close to My Heart Skylark paper - this paper is unfortunately retired now but we do have some Picture My Life cards featuring these designs still in the catalog.  Check it out here and here.
The Paper Studio Pearlized Cardstock - this stuff is absolutely gorgeous!  I wish the pics would have shown the sheen you get with this paper.
Close to My Heart A Tree A1124 - this stamp set is only available through the end of January 2015 (while supplies last) and then it will be retiring.
Close to My Heart Thanksgiving Wreath Hostess Stamp Set B1454 - let me know if you want more info on how to earn this stamp set.

Schell's Video:  http://youtu.be/l6U3VJezUvI

Bannered Thanks!



I had a lot of fun with this card.  It's so bright and cheery and I was able to use up some scraps and extra die cuts I had laying around.

This stamp set is a hostess only set but it is really easy to earn hostess rewards.  You just need to gather orders that add up to at least $150 and you can purchase this set for $6!  You will also earn $25 in hostess rewards so in reality the set is free!  Our entire catalog is available online and your friends and family can order directly on my website and have their order shipped directly to their doorstep.  You do not have to sort through orders or even clean your house and fix cute little snack food!!  Although if you feel the need to clean and create awesome food, just let me know and I'll come over and enjoy your labors!

Supplies:

Close to My Heart Thanksgiving Wreath Hostess Stamp Set B1454
We R Memory Keepers Simply Spring paper pack
Close to My Heart Sparkles (colored with a Copic G43 marker to match) - I love these little adhesive gems!  You can color them any color you like with an alcohol marker and you get 100 for only $2.95!!

Thankful Wreath




Here is another in my thank you card series!  I kept this one really simple but I like the understated look I got with it.  I used Operation Write Home sketch #33 for this one.  The only thing I did different that the sketch was layer the sentiment panel on another piece of coordinating paper.

Unfortunately this stamp set is retired now but I absolutely love it.  It comes with several pieces so you can build your wreath layer by layer.  We have a similar type of build it wreath set in our Christmas collection called Merry, Merry (C1591).  That set is available at least through July this year.  Not sure what is going to carry over into the new Annual Inspirations coming out in August.  I'm always sad when stamps and paper collections leave but it seems like something new always comes along and soothes me and makes me feel better again! ;-)

Supplies:
Close to My Heart C1473 Remarkable Wreath stamp set (retired set)
Close to My Heart Z2165 Juniper Ink
Close to My Heart Z2111 Chocolate Ink
Momento Tuxedo Black Ink
Close to My Heart Colonial White Cardstock
Close to My Heart Colonial White Card Base & Envelope (these are the greatest deal - you get a pack of 50 pre-cut and scored A2 sized cards and envelopes for $14.95)
The Paper Studio Kirby Teasdale Studio paper pack

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Vellum Anniversary Card



I saw this amazing tutorial from Jennifer McGuire on using vellum to create a shaker card.  It took me a little while to pull this together but that is because I was learning (aka screwing up) as I was going along.

Here are the lessons I learned - hopefully you can learn by my mistakes:

1.  You can barely see glitter behind vellum so save yourself some frustration and just don't use it!
2.  Don't use a really small stitch on your sewing machine because it will just end up tearing the vellum apart.
3.  Go really slow when you are using metallic thread in your sewing machine - I must have broken the thread at least six times before I figured that out (I'm a slow learner).
4.  Don't use washi tape to hold down your edges.  When I took it off it tore some of the pattern paper up as well.  Next time I will use the blue painter's tape and I will test it first!
5.  Use the flattest shaker stuff you can find - the sequins I have in my stash have the slightest cup to them and they don't move very freely behind the vellum.  They will work great with a different type of shaker but not one that lies as flat as this.  They still move but not like I would like them to.

Supplies:

Authentique Down the Boardwalk Pattern Paper
Core'dinations Vellum
Copic BG18
Recollections Detail Snow Embossing Powder
Your Own Kind of Wonderful Stamp Set
Stampabilities Card Phrases Stamp Set
White Daisy Cardstock

Jennifer's tutorial:  http://youtu.be/HxqtWxwZcAM

Tropical Hello!


With all the snow and cold we've had this winter I'm ready for Spring to get here.  I thought I'd try pushing it along with a bright and happy thank you card.  I cut the word balloon out using the Close to My Heart Artiste Cartridge.  The sentiment was stamped in Smoothie Pigment Ink and then clear embossed.  I popped it up on some foam tape for added dimension.  The paper is from The Paper Studio Beach mat stack and the bronze accent at the bottom is actually Shimmer Trim but it didn't show up shimmery at all in the pic.  Trust me it's really sparkly!

Supplies:

CTMH Artiste Cricut Cartridge
D1531 Artiste Word Balloons stamp set (comes with the cricut cartridge bundle)
CTMH Smoothie Pigment Ink*
The Paper Studio Beach mat stack
Z1849 Bronze Shimmer Trim
InkXPressions Clear Embossing Powder

*just a note about the pigment ink I used - it comes as part of a 10 pack of inks that are being retired. It is marked down to $13.95 and will only be available while supplies last.  They are about the same size as the distress ink minis from Tim Holtz.  I love them because it allows me to have lots of colors to choose from at a low price point and the bonus is that I can easily store them in my very small crafting area.  I also really like using colored pigment inks with clear embossing powder rather than trying to keep every color of embossing powder on hand.  Again...cost effective and storage friendly!

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Merci Beaucoup!


Here is another card in my thank you card series.  I love using sketches to this one is based on Operation Write Home's sketch #1.

For this card I used a Stamp of the Month from Close to My heart that is really cute!  I had this paper in my stash (or should I say 'stache) and I thought this stamp was made for it!  Unfortunately this Stamp of the Month is no longer available but here is this month's stamp:


They are a great deal and can be had for either $17.95 regular price or you can get one for only $5 if you spend $50 or more on other items.  This particular set is compatible with our Artbooking Cricut Cartridge Bundle.

Supplies used:

Close to My Heart Autumn Terracotta Ink
The Paper Studio Glasses, Staches, & Ties paper pack
Close to My Heart Colonial White Cardstock
Close to My Heart Black Cardstock
Close to My Heart Colonial White Case Base
Close to My Heart #S1405 You've Got a Friend stamp set


Happy Camper!


I have been working on thank you cards lately and here is one I just finished up that will work for both thank you and just as a general thinking of you card.  I love this stamp set and really enjoyed doing some quick coloring with my Copics.  Normally when I use my Copics I'm doing something detailed with lots of shading and it takes F.O.R.E.V.E.R!  But not this one.  I actually made six of these!  I even took them up to my sewing room and added some zig-zag stitching on my machine.  It was so easy and I love the added dimension.

Some of these cards will be going to Operation Write Home in my next box and others will be coming with us on our upcoming cruise to hand out to staff members we catch doing something special.



Here are the Copic colors I used:
Other supplies:
Close to My Heart Chocolate Ink
Close to My Heart Ponderosa Pine Ink
Momento London Fog Ink
Close to My Heart #C1578 Camper Crazy Stamp Set
Close to My Heart Colonial White Card Base
The Paper Studio Yee Haw Paper Pack