Poster Tidings (September SOTM Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop which features the Poster Tidings stamp set from Close To My Heart.   When you place a minimum order of $50 during September, you will have the opportunity to purchase the Stamp-of-the-Month, Poster Tidings, for only $5!  This stamp set contains two large images with multiple words for both Autumn/Fall season and for the Christmas Holiday season.  The spacing of the lettering gives interest to the large sentiment blocks.    

If you have come here from the 'Sweet Aline Designs' blog, you are on the right path!  With over 50 creative Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their projects, you will see a variety of 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 Holiday card with very non-traditional colors is what I decided to create.  After seeing this week's CAS(E) this Sketch #43, I knew it was the perfect design for the Poster Tidings stamp set.  After stamping the large sentiment using Gypsy ink, I then trimmed it down so that no white showed around the image.  Next, I cut the same size White Daisy cardstock and used the Houndstooth pattern included in the Distressed Backgrounds stamp set with Black ink to create the layered texture piece.  Both stamped rectangles were then adhered to a slightly larger piece of colored Glitter paper.  The Houndstooth piece is on Black Glitter paper, and the Gypsy sentiment is on a Gray Glitter paper.  Using a beautiful plaid paper in the Laughing Lola kit, I cut a piece slightly smaller than the 5"x7" card so that the Black card base would frame the card.  Some blingy buttons were added, and the card was complete after adhering the sentiment piece on with some dimensional tape to give a little height to the card.

Now "Hop" on over to Jill's 'Scrap Wench' 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!  

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

	Sheila Bennett Close To My Heart Independent Consultant (913) 485-4355

Sentiment-ally Colors: Lagoon + Pear + Buttercup

Two challenges = One card  

The Heart 2 Heart Challenge this week is "Sentiment-ally Yours".  The challenge is to make the SENTIMENT the focus of the project.  

Over at Color My Heart, they are on Color Dare #56:  Lagoon, Pear and Buttercup.  So I've combined both of these challenges into the card that I created this evening.   

It is a standard 4.25"x5.5" card and the base is covered with a pretty patterned Buttercup paper from the Babycakes kit.  The stamps for the sentiment and frame are from the Laughing Lola Cardmakng Workshop-on-the-Go kit that is currently available from Close To My Heart.  The WOTG kit comes will all the materials and instructions for you to create 15 cards (5 each of 3 designs).  Stamped images on the card include all three of the Color Dare colors:  Buttercup to stamp starburst design behind the sentiment; Lagoon to stamp the edge of the fancy die-cut shape, and Pear for the actual sentiment stamp.  The 'fancy shape' for the sentiment was cut using the Artiste cartridge for the Cricut, and the frame stamp with the Laughing Lola Cardmaking WOTG means the cut fit the frame perfectly.

The basic design for this card was inspired by Pattern 22 (page 43) in the Make It From Your Heart Volume 1.  These books have many templates or sketches of scrapbook pages and cards.  CTMH have several different "How-To" books, and they are all a great way to give yourself a "creative start" by looking at the sketches/templates and imagining what each will look like with the stamps and papers you have chosen to use.

A piece of Pear Glitter Paper was added for some 'sparkle' on the card, and Whisper cardstock was used to mat the sentiment and the Glitter Paper.  The silver metal flowers on the left side of the card are actually Base & Bling Floral Accents for the wearable crafting projects featured in the Autumn/Winter Idea Book & Catalog.

UPDATE:  my card won the Color Dare Emerald award for the week!!

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

	Sheila Bennett Close To My Heart Independent Consultant (913) 485-4355

"One-Way" to Be You (New Product Blog Hop)

Welcome to our New Product Blog Hop, brought to you by the same ladies who participate in the monthly Stamp-Of-The-Month Blog Hop.     

If you have come here from Kathleen's 'Life's like a Bowl of Stamps' blog, you are on the right path!  With over 30 creative Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their projects, you will see a variety of new papers, stamps, and other products just introduced in the CTMH Autumn/Winter Idea Book.  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!

Such a fun card to create using different stamps from the One-Way Borders set. The Goldrush paper behind the stamped images is from the Sarita paper packet, and the colors (Cotton Candy, Goldrush, Lagoon) are used in Sarita papers.  The sentiment is actually from the Sarita My Stickease Assortment, but the card is easily adaptable to any stamped sentiment.  The cute wooden shape is from the Sarita Assortment, and has a small piece of both Lagoon and Sunset Baker's Twine tied in a knot on the top.

Now "Hop" on over to Melinda's 'If You Bling It ' 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!  

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

	Sheila Bennett Close To My Heart Independent Consultant (913) 485-4355

Celebrate Your Creativity! (August newsletter)

Sweetening the Deal

Get a free August Stamp of the Month set

The Stamp of the Month stamp set is already a pretty big treat — it doesn’t get much better than trendy, must-have sets for just $5 with your qualifying purchase.  But this month, we’re sweetening the deal even more!

When you place a minimum order of $50 during August, you’ll receive the Stamp of the Month, A Chocolate Affair, for free!  The My Acrylix® A Chocolate Affair stamp set includes 16 images and sentiments to add some flavor to any layout, card, or 3-D item. Browse the new Autumn/Winter 2013 Idea Book, place a qualifying purchase of awesome products, and score a delicious Chocolate reward free!

Base & Bling

Craft a new look

Prepare to dazzle with our new Base & Bling wearable crafts. These accessory projects are affordable, easy to make, and show off your personal pizzazz. Create rings, wrist cuffs, necklaces, hair clips, and headbands using the many stylish Base & Bling jewel, word, and floral accents — you’ll find just the right mix to complement your look!

Designed Décor Frames

Sturdy displays for all your memories

Show off your artwork for all to see by displaying it with a new Designed Décor frame! With a classic black or white wood frame and decorative clothesline or honeycomb wire, these home décor pieces are ideal choices for displaying your artwork.

And thanks to Mini Clothes Pins and Hook Clips, sold separately, you don’t need to turn a single page to enjoy the memories you’ve preserved. Enjoy the flexibility of swapping out artwork on occasion, or choose to make your design more long-lasting. The Designed Décor frame is a trendy way to share your memories with the world!

"Like" my Sheila's Stamping Stuff Facebook page if you would like to see more artwork using Close To My Heart products and stay up-to date with CTMH specials and announcements.

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

Chocolate Is Good For You

CTMH's special this month is that you can receive the stamp-of-the-month, A Chocolate Affair for FREE when you place a minimum order of $50 during August.  This stamp set includes 16 images and sentiments to add some flavor to any layout, card, or 3-D item.  Browse the new Autumn/Winter 2013 Idea Book, place a qualifying purchase of awesome products, and score a delicious Chocolate reward free!   

Huntington kit paper, stamps from A Chocolate Affair, and a card pattern from the new Make It From Your Heart-Volume 2, were all used to create this card with a cute chocolate-covered strawberry.  The scallop rectangles were easily cut using the Art Philosophy cartridge for the Cricut.  A piece of the new Jute Ribbon was used to accent the card along with a couple of pieces of Color-Ready Seam Binding Ribbon and a decorate brad.

Contact me if you would like to receive a copy of the new Autumn/Winter Idea Book.  Remember, A Chocolate Affair is available only during the month of August 2013 and it is yours FREE with a $50 order.

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

	Sheila Bennett Close To My Heart Independent Consultant (913) 485-4355

Artbooking - Digital Handbook (PDF)

Take your scrapbooking to never-before-seen levels with the new Cricut Artbooking collection!  With oodles of images in each of 15 layout themes, you can create several coordinating pages for each theme using just two keys and one dial size.  Images include accents, borders, titles, overlays, photo mats - in standard photos sizes! - and more.  The Cricut keys are optimized for creating 12"x12" pages in a jiffy.  You'll love creating 10 themed mini books, also optimized for several different sizes using just two keys and one dial size.  Celebrate birthdays, new baby, vacations, friends, sports, Halloween, Christmas, and more.  When you're finished cutting, use the coordinating stamp sets and Dimensional Elements to add even more pizzazz!

The complete Handbook (identical to the spiral-bound book included with the cartridge) is now available for download as a PDF file.  Simple click on the link and save to your computer so you can access the images at any time.  There is also a handy link in the right column of this blog where you can easily find the Digital Handbooks for Artbooking, Artiste, or Art Philosophy cartridges at any time. 

Copied here is the handy seven-page Shape Index which is also available for download. 

Base/Fonts (function)

Title (function)

Photo Mat 1 (function)

Photo Mat 2 (function)

Icon (function)

Border (function)

Overlay (function)

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

	Sheila Bennett Close To My Heart Independent Consultant (913) 485-4355