Thursday, September 29, 2016

Thoughtful Thursday September 29, 2016

I think this is a good quote to end the month of September with.  Warm fuzzies are always a good thing.  Kind words, listening, a high five, a note.  You don't have to receive anything monetary to feel appreciated.  Cookies won't hurt though.  : )


To me, this also goes along with the adage of praise in public, criticize in private.

Big hugs for those at home!  

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Beyond Blessed - I LOVE This!


I have to share this artwork from corporate using the September Stamp of the Month.  I haven't gotten around to duplicating it, but I want to make sure you see it...

It could be easily made into a card too.


The stamp set used to create the above:












All good things must come to an end.  This stamp set is only good through the end of the month.  Just one more thing you should seriously consider buying before Sept. 30, 2016 (10:59pm Pacific Time)

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Thoughtful Thursday September 22, 2016

Most of the time I prefer not to be found out.

I just wish I would follow through with all of my intentions.  I have things I want to do, words to say to others.  They just don't happen.  How do I change that?!

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Create Kindness Campaign 2016

The month is ending soon.  Here's a quick video on how our Create Kindness Card Kit can lift someone's spirits.




At the end of the video, it shows what comes in the kit.  It's a great deal at 15% off.  It includes everything you need to create cards - stamps, bases, ink, block.  The only things you need to add is your adhesive and if you want to color.

Order today, or before September 30, 2016 (10:59pm Pacific Time)!

And any order over $20 (subtotal) will put you in the running to be the hostess for this gathering!  Because all this month I'm celebrating my 20 years with Close to my Heart. : )

Monday, September 19, 2016

In June 2016, I created a card using the now retired Calypso paper packet. When I created that card, I also created another one and moved the saying.  Take a look...
You wouldn't really know I changed the saying without looking at the two cards side by side.  I also changed the accessories I used.  This card capitalized on the now retired sequins.

One other thing to note.  I masked the stars on the saying so that I could make them a different color than the rest of the saying.  I masked them with a post it note.  Inked the saying with Lagoon ink, removed the post it note, and stamped.  After cleaning the stamp, I used it post it notes to cover the words and inked the stars in Pear.  Upon removing the post it notes, I knew exactly where to put the stars.  Too cool!



Friday, September 16, 2016

Beyond Blessed - September 2016 Stamp of the Month Sample

Here is my latest creations using Beyond Blessed (S1609).  I was making cards for a team meeting swap.  I started with the simplest of the three.  It was okay for me, and for most people.  But, as I looked at it, I thought it was missing something.  I thought I'd add some vines.  That's my second (middle) card.  I was happy with that one!  And that's the card I made for my exchange.

However, while I was assembling those cards, I thought how neat it would be to add some leaves.  I admit that the third card is a bit over the top - and I'm okay with that because I love the way it turned out!

Let me tell you a little more about each one.  The three cards have a few things in common.  First, the card pattern came from Make it From Your Heart volume #2 and is pattern #20.

The card bases background is from the Rustic Home Fundamental pack (Z3262).  You can see two different sheets were used, both equally pretty.  I embossed the saying in Gold embossing powder (Z2066) - VersaMark ink (Z891) to hold the powder - on New England Ivy cardstock (1282).  That was then sponged distressed with New England Ivy ink (Z2835).  The Colonial White(1388) mat was stamped in Saffron ink (Z2751) for the leaves and Goldrush ink (Z2223) for the berries.  The mat was then sponged distressed in Goldrush ink.

The accessories you see once were clear sparkles (Z3274 (middle sized), Z1263 (bitty sized), and retired for the large sparkle).  But I didn't want see through, bright accessories.  So I colored them.  I found that by first coloring them with Marigold ShinHam marker (Z2457) then the  Metallic Gold marker (Z1768), the Gold looked a little more rustic.

Each pumpkin was stamped twice.  The first time I used Saffron ink.  I waited a little bit (maybe 5 minutes) and then applied a rolled Goldrush ink layer.  I can do this because of the awesomely clear stamps and blocks!  I just lined up the image and pressed.  : )  Now, I rolled in Goldrush to give the pumpkin some dimension.  That was good.  I waited about 5 minutes because the Saffron and Goldrush are so close together that when I inked in Saffron and rolled in Goldrush, then stamped, the color difference was lost.  Not good.  By waiting the 5 minutes, it allowed the Saffron to dry and be absorbed into the Colonial White cardstock.

My simple card's pumpkin was cut out from Artbooking Cricut Collection (Z3169).  It's found on page 73 of the booklet or row 4 column 6 (R4C6) on the keypad.  It's also under the ICON key.

I colored the top of the cut out image with Sap Green (Z2463), using both the fine tip and broad tip of the ShinHam marker.

I added some Thin Foam Tape(Z2060) to the back of the pumpkin, and placed it on.

The background mat is Ruby from the Enchantment Fundamental pack (3254).  I love the versatility of the new papers in the Annual Inspirations book.


This card isn't too far off from the simple card.  I just wanted to add a little more to the pumpkin.  I found that inspiration from the page in the Artbooking booklet with the vine and leaves.  Page 72, BORDER, row 4 column 5.  Shift gets the leaves by themselves.

My first attempt, I just cut out the vine in New England Ivy.  My daughter didn't like how it disappeared into the "Thankful" (I had it on the other side originally).  That led me to cutting the vine in Fern cardstock (X5777) and the leaves in New England Ivy cardstock.  Since I cut the images out in Design Space, I removed the hearts from the vine's leaves.  I wanted (and did) to color the centers with Gold Metallic marker to incorporate more of the gold color.  It's hard to see in the picture, but each leaf has a gold heart.

To attach the small New England Ivy leaves, I use bonding memory glue (in this case the small tipped one - Z553) to the leaf and glue it onto the corresponding vine's leaf.

Like I mentioned, while I was putting the vines together, I thought "how cool would that be to have the pumpkin in a bed of fallen leaves?!"  The leaves are also from Artbooking and on page 72.  They are just one leaf, cut out multiple times.  This is the base of the leaf found under ICON.  They were cut from Colonial White cardstock.  I sponged each of the leaves with different colors.  Each got a Saffron base.  Some got just Goldrush.  Others got Goldrush and Ruby (Z2870).  Still others got Eggplant (Z2847).  Two I added Eggplant and a little bit of Sapphire (Z2848).  Then I glued some directly to the paper while others I used Thin Foam Tape to pop a little.

I used two vined leaves for this card too.  I cut one vine off just above the middle leaf as well as the connector from the small leaf to the middle leaf with scissors.


The pumpkin was hand cut.  The stem is New England Ivy ink.  The background mat is Pomegranate.  Honestly, I was going to use Pomegranate for all of my cards, but I accidentally cut the Ruby paper.  It was a nice mistake.  : )  And originally I was going to use Gold Sequins with this card.  But I forgot that.  I like the Gold Metallic colored sparkles though.

So, which is your favorite?!  And don't forget that this stamp set is only available until the end of the month.


Thursday, September 15, 2016

Thoughtful Thursday September 15, 2016

Creativity gets easier, too, the more you use it!  There are so many places to look now a days for inspiration!  My blog :).  Pinterest.  Magazines.  Nature.  Things around you - I based one card from a car seat cover I saw in a parked car.

And creativity doesn't have to be tangible.  You can be creative in your writing.  Your posts (on FB or any social media).  I thought I was creative when I wrote up an email that was sent to ClubHubTM customers.  Just do it and enjoy the process (even if you struggle a little - all the sweeter when you get it right)!

Monday, September 12, 2016

October 2016's Oh Deer Workshop

September has gone by too quickly to get a workshop in, so...October it is!

October 11th and 12th we will be making a 6" x 6" tri-fold album using Oh Deer paper and compliments.  There will be no stamping for this project. Cost is $20 for the album, which includes everything to complete the project and more.  You'll get the basics (dimensions and such), and then you'll be cutting the paper to make it your own.

The album has lots of surfaces for pictures and journalling.  It easy enough that you'll want to recreate it again and again with different papers!
Cover

Inside Center

Inside Right Partly Open

For an additional $5 you'll get the instructions and cardstock to complete 6 bonus cards (I just don't think we'll be able to complete everything within our 2 hour window).  If you'd like to add them on to your workshop, just add an additional $5.  I'll send you home with the instructions if you run out of time to make them.


Friday, September 9, 2016

Holiday Expressions is Live NOW

If you're ready for the holidays - HALLOWEEN, THANKSGIVING, FALL, CHRISTMAS, AND WINTER - this is the expressions for you!  Look at it online now.
There are Thin Cuts ("winter" and the larger snowflakes are two examples).  There are four paper collections in this supplement.  And unlike the Annual Expressions, these papers are "specifically" themed.







Jeepers Creepers is for Halloween.
















 Swan Lake for Fall.

















 City Sidewalks for Christmas.













 And my favorite, Oh Deer is for Winter.












Does that mean the papers can't be mixed and matched, nor used for other events?  NO!  Use them and love them!

One BIG point.  The Thin Cut sets, such as Thankful for You Thin Cuts Bundle(Z4007), comes WITH the stamp set.
You get both of these for $26.95!  There have been numerous consultants who have purchased them separately.  Don't make that mistake.  I personally feel CTMH has done us a service by selling them together!

There is also a Cricut DIGITAL Collection for City Sidewalks.  New Holiday themed embossing folders.  Just go and check it out!! You won't be disappointed.  And if you are, please let me know.


Thursday, September 8, 2016

Thoughtful Thursday September 8, 2016

Inspired by Close to my Heart's National Stamping Month theme - Kindness Changes Everything, I'd like to share this quote:

I don't always feel like being kind.  Sometimes right after I am kind, I might regret it, but after calming down, I'm always glad I was kind.  This is especially the case when someone says something that really irks me!

However, being kind is contagious.  And it puts me into a better mood.  I'd say my favorite thing to do (and easiest) is to hold the door open for other people.  What about you?  What do you do to show your kindness?!

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Dawn Heuft's Smile Card

Remember two days ago when I said you should purchase the National Stamping Month Kit?  Well, here is an example from a CTMH sister of mine.  Several of us got together this past weekend to "work" (I like this phrase more than her "play" because we were there to work.  : )

Her card in turn made me smile!  I only wish she brought doughnuts, like she said she tried too.  I really craved them once she started telling us her mission to bring some to us.  ;)  Dawn, I appreciate the effort, but I agree, after three strikes, it was time to sit down!

In this example, Dawn added the scalloped mat to the saying.  She used the ShinHan Markers to color in the flowers, and she mounted the saying with Thin 3D Foam tape.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

September is National Stamping Month

We need more kindness in the world.  And what better way to spread kindness than giving hand made cards.  During the month of September, we're celebrating National Stamping Month with a great way (and deal) for you to jump into action!
 

You will receive everything you see in this picture, and more.  You get:
  • 8 M-sized stamps, exclusive to the campaign
  • 2" x 2" My Acrylix block
  • 24 decorated cards- 6 each in 4 designs, and envelopes
  • 24 + precut circles
  • Personal sized Archival Black ink
  • Small Organizer to store your stamp sets and finished cards
The only thing you need to add is adhesive!  With this bundle, you'll save 15% too!  Now there's some kindness already.  : )  Please go order your kit now.




Thursday, September 1, 2016

Thoughtful Thursday 9/1/16

Aack!  It's September already!!

Aack!  Another great actor, Gene Wilder, passed this week.  : (

Coincidentally we watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory last Sunday night!  Gene Wilder was so good in that movie.  One of my favorite quotes of his from the movie:

"So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you." -- Willy Wonka (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

No matter how busy we get, nor how unbusy (let's assume we take some time for ourselves - and if you don't, you should).  Willy's quote rings true.

It may need to be a Gene Wilder movie fest this weekend...

"No, it's pronounced 'Fronkensteen.'" -- Dr. Frankenstein (Young Frankenstein)

Give a loved one a hug, a call, or a heavenly "love you".  : )