Fall Favorites (September SOTM Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop which features the Fall Favorites stamp set from Close To My Heart.  An adorable scarecrow, pumpkins, and other Fall images will remind you of crisp, cool days ahead.  

If you have come here from Lisa's 'Stamp Happy' blog, you are on the right path!  With over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations, you will see many different uses for this stamp set.  Blog Hopping is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!

A 'puzzled' scarecrow from the Fall Favorites stamp set is featured on this 6"x6" card.  The fun puzzle pieces were cut using the Artiste cartridge for the Cricut machine and then mounted slightly apart from each other for a 'disjointed' look.   Just select portions of the image was colored using some of the new alcohol-based markers to coordinate with papers from the Clementine kit.  A small piece of Burlap Ribbon adds a rustic touch.  

Now "Hop" on over to 'Tamra's Crafty Paper Creations' blog to see her work!  Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas!  Remember, the Fall Favorites stamp set is only available during the month of September 2012.  The regular price is $17.95, or you can purchase it for only $5 with a minimum order of $50 in other CTMH products.

If you get lost on the Blog Hop or find links that aren't working, there is a complete list of all participating blogs on Helen's 'Hooked on Stamping' blog.

A Sweet Cameo

Finally felt creative enough to participate in the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog.  This week, the challenge is to use the CTMH colors Lagoon, Pear and Sunset.

The cameo images in the Sweet Moments stamp set are some of my favorites.  For this card, the cameo and frame are stamped using Lagoon and Sunset ink, and the patterned paper is from the Stella kit.  To incorporate the Pear color for the challenge, the ink was used to sponge the edges of the papers as well as to dye the Color-Ready Seam Binding Ribbon.  A small touch of green glitter is used on a flower on the cameo and there are green Sparkles on the card.  

Introducing Alcohol Ink Markers

This month, Close To My Heart introduced their own line of alcohol-based markers.  These dual tipped markers are available for all 40 exclusive colors.  Markers come in a 2-pack, with the exclusive color and a coordinating color for shading.  These markers are very nice and fun to use.  Alcohol inks are waterproof.  They can be layered and blended on paper, and also on other surfaces such as fabric and plastic.  

For a good overview of the new alcohol-based markers, watch this video tutorial created by CTMH.    



My first attempt at using the markers was at our Convention last month.  This cute rocking chair image is from the Pun Fun stamp set, and the 'lacey' pieces in the background are cut using the new Artiste cartridge for the Cricut.  Papers from both the Dakota and the La Belle Vie kits are also used.  

If you have any questions or would like a copy of the Autumn/Winter Idea Book & Catalog, please contact me. 

A "Flirty" Purse

In order to introduce the new Artiste cartridge for the Cricut machine, join us for a workshop to create a purse holding three notecards and envelopes.  

Using the vibrant flowered paper from the Flirty paper pack, cut the scalloped purse shape using the Artiste cartridge.  Then, simply cut three scallop edge card bases and three matching scallop envelopes from the reverse side of the same paper.  After stamping some flowers with the Love Blooms stamp set and assembling your cards, your project is almost complete. 

    

The completed cards and envelopes fit nicely in the assembled purse.     

Adhesive is not even required to assemble the purse.  Simply fold at indicated lines and 'interlock' the side pieces together.     

    

All items cut for this workshop are from the "2" key on the Artiste cartridge.  The purse is shown in green on the page and the card/envelope combo are orange.  

The “Flirty” Purse workshop will be offered next weekend - August 24 & 25.  On Friday at 7 pm, and Saturday class at 1 pm.  You will create one purse plus three cards and envelopes for a workshop fee of $5.  Allow approximately two hours to complete your project.  Please be sure to bring your favorite adhesive.  All other supplies are provided with the workshop fee.  All stamps and papers used are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

Everyone who attends will also receive a FREE copy of the Close To My Heart Autumn/Winter Idea Book & Catalog which features some fabulous new stamp sets, papers, and other great items.  As an added bonus, if you place a $30+ order, your workshop fee is waived. 

Please let me know if you would like to attend.  Contact me by sending an email to sheilabennett@comcast.net, or calling 913-485-4355.

It's Your Day (Blog Hop)

Welcome to our It's Your Day Blog Hop.  In celebration of National Stamping Month, Close To My Heart is offering a special "double" stamp set for only $5 when you place a minimum order of $35 from the new Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book & Catalog.  You'll receive two brand new D-size stamp sets in one stamp envelope--it's a double set!  You'll receive nearly 50 trendy images and sayings giving you lots of clever ways to make your layouts, cards, and projects pop with personality.  A perfect project for this stamp set is to capture your life a day at a time. 

If you have come here from Shirley's 'Mom 'n Me Scrap' blog, you are on the right path! There are over 40 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using images from this stamp set along with new papers and products just introduced on August 1.  Blog Hopping is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!

One of my favorite images from the It's Your Day double stamp set is the bicycle.  For this card, some houndstooth paper and some woodgrain paper from the new Dakota kit is used along with two new colors of gray card stock - Slate and Whisper.  The bicycle was stamped using CTMH's new pigment ink in Slate.  It was then heat-embossed using Clear Detail Embossing Powder for a smooth and slightly shiny raised appearance.  

For this card, I really wanted to play with the chevron striped butterfly in the It's Your Day set along with one of the flap cards that can be cut using the new Artiste cartridge for the Cricut.  The fun papers are from the Flirty kit, and some Pink Glitz Glitter Gel is used to outline the butterfly.  Even though the raspberry color of the flowers in the Flirty kit is not available in CTMH inks, using a base of Goldrush ink for the solid portion of the butterfly and topping it with Hollyhock ink for the chevron stripes blends very nicely with the colors of the paper.  

The construction of the card is more apparent in this photo.  

Using the "s" button on the Artiste cartridge, there are nine different flap cards that can be cut, as well as an envelope and a card holder.  

Now "Hop" on over to Haley's 'The Inky Scrapper' blog to see her work!  Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas!  The It's Your Day special double stamp set is available for only $5 from August 15 until September 30, with a minimum $35 order of products from the CTMH Autumn/Winter Idea Book & Catalog.  

Felted Slippers

Finally finished some ballet flat felted slippers which I started in March.  All of the actual knitting was finished months ago, but I was intimidated to sew the pieces together and then throw them in the washing machine to felt.  

I have taken about a dozen photos of them trying to get a good representation.  Have tried inside and outside in shade and sunlight, both modeled on feet and by themselves.  For some reason, the camera keeps blurring the felted fabric, so I finally gave up and decided this is the best picture.  The others are very strange looking.  

All of the pieces before sewing them together and felting.  This is actually a very easy project to knit, and the finished slippers are soft and comfy. 

The Felted Slippers pattern is available online from French Press Knits.  

Pun Fun (Autumn/Winter New Product Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Blog Hop featuring new products being introduced in the Close To My Heart Autumn/Winter Idea Book this month.  If you would like a copy of the new Idea Book  Catalog, use the "Email Me" link on the right side of the screen. 

If you have come here from Lori's 'Clearly from the Heart' blog, you are on the right path! Hope you enjoy your adventure through the Blog Hop where you will see many fun new products including alcohol based markers, pigment ink, many new embellishments, and an outstanding new Cricut cartridge collection named Artiste.  Blog Hopping is simple to do - just click on the   link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!

For a very quick and clever gift card holder, use the Card feature along with the "g" key on the Cricut-Artiste Collection cartridge.  The is shown on page 55 of the Handbook that accompanies the Artiste Collection.  As you can see in the picture below, the cut card is easily folded to form an inner pocket which is the ideal size for a gift card.  A beautiful patterned paper from the La Belle Vie paper packet is used.  The elegant dark pattern is shown on the front of the card, while the pink dotted backside of the paper is on the inside.

To complete the card, I adhered the cut image onto a slightly larger rectangle of card stock with rounded corners.  For the front design, two scalloped tags were cut using Artiste.  The top layer is stamped using my favorite new stamp set - Pun Fun.  This set includes six different adorable images along with "punny" sayings to go with them.   To stamp this image, I used our new pigment ink in Sweet Leaf for the words and Saddle for the cupcake.   For a more finished look, Clear Detail Embossing Powder was sprinkled on top of the pigment ink and embossed.  Then the cupcake icing was colored using our new Cotton Candy alcohol markers.

The new pigment inks are available in all 40 CTMH exclusive colors.  Pigment inks are ideal to be used for non-paper, home decor projects as the ink stays "on top" of the item rather than soaking in like dye inks do.  The ink is slower to dry, and that is why they are also wonderful to use with clear embossing powder on card stock.  It gives a very nice, finished look, is available on all 40 colors, and is not nearly as thick or as messy as colored embossing powders.

The actual image that was cut to create the gift card holder is the red image shown below on the "g" page from the Cricut Artiste handbook.

Now "Hop" on over to Angel's 'Running with Scissors Design' blog to see her work!  Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas!  

If you get lost on the Blog Hop or find links that aren't working, there is a complete list of all participating blogs on Helen's 'Hooked on Stamping' blog.

Join CTMH for only $49!!

Become a CTMH consultant in August for only $49 and receive this adorable Close To My Heart bag for free!  Supplies are limited, so don't wait too long.

August is a great month to join because if you sign up to be a Close To My Heart Independent Consultant during August, you will get a tote bag like the one pictured above for free (a $50 retail value)! You’ll want to be one of the first to sign up because there is a limited number available and they will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you need a little more incentive, Close To My Heart has introduced a super-affordable $49 New Consultant Essentials Kit, containing over $125 worth of products and business supplies to get your new business started on the right foot. You also have the option of ordering a more comprehensive $99 New Consultant Master Kit, which contains everything in the Essentials kit plus additional business supplies and products, including credits for 5 Studio J^® layouts, totaling over $270 in retail value! Whichever kit you choose, you will get this fabulous tote bag at no additional cost, while supplies last!

You’ll love how versatile the bag is with a shoulder strap long enough to go over your head as well as shorter straps for wearing as a backpack. It boasts pockets large enough to hold 12" × 12" paper packets or an album, and has a smaller interior zipper pocket for pens, accessories, or smaller items. This will be your new favorite bag for taking to crops, overnighters, or even on longer trips as an airplane carry-on.

I’d be glad to answer your questions about becoming a Close To My Heart Independent Consultant and tell you the things I love about my crafting career. Remember, the cute bags are only available while supplies last, so you’ll want to sign up right away!

Sign up as a Close To My Heart Consultant »