Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Gnomes for Spring...

It might still be Winter where you're at but here in Texas, it's borderline Summer...lol
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CTMH recently released the third installment in our Gnomes for All Seasons Collection...Gnomes for Spring!
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Here's a look at the Collection...



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We also have Bundle options...


I recently created with this Collection for my latest YouTube Video. I coupled the Gnomes for Spring with our newest Sketchbook (A MUST-HAVE if you ask anyone who has already purchased it).




Check out the video below - click the video to view on YT so you can comment, like, share and subscribe! 



Thursday, January 18, 2024

Love Notes - Mini Envelope Card & a TriFold Card...

shared from ctmh's blog...

Love Notes with Mini Envelopes and a Trifold Card!

Love Notes #ctmhlovenotes #ctmh #closetomyheart #valentinesdaycard #lovecards #lovenotes #valentines #trifoldcard #envelopecard

Fall in love this Valentine’s Day with Love Notes, one of our newest and sweetest paper collections for the new year! Featuring a variety of beautiful and endearing designs throughout the collection’s coordinating papercrafting products, Love Notes is sure to impress and make your favorite people feel even more special!

Love Notes #ctmhlovenotes #ctmh #closetomyheart #valentinesdaycard #lovecards #lovenotes #valentines #trifoldcard #envelopecard #scrapbookinglove #lovescrapbook

In addition to the collection of products, we’ve put together two workshops to get you going on ideas to create beautiful artwork. The scrapbooking workshop makes three darling, two-page 12″ x 12″ layouts. The free, downloadable guide is available on our website, here. Make sure to check out pictures of all three layouts along with the guide, as well as the discounted product bundle we’ve assembled for the workshop kit! Also on our website, you will see any additional supplies you may need to complete the scrapbook pages. (These are basic items that many of our returning crafters already have on hand, like ink pads, scissors, and mounting blocks for our stamps.)

As great as the scrapbooking workshop is, today, we are focusing our attention on celebrating relationships through the “beary sweet!” Love Notes cardmaking workshop!

Love Notes #ctmhlovenotes #ctmh #closetomyheart #valentinesdaycard #lovecards #lovenotes #valentines #trifoldcard #envelopecard

The Love Notes cardmaking workshop makes 16 cards, four each of four unique designs. (The free guide for this workshop can be downloaded off our website, here!)

This cardmaking workshop is full of art-elevating techniques. Let’s take a good look at two of the cards.

One of the workshop cards has a special way of opening! From the front, it looks like an ordinary card, but when you go to open it, you’ll realize that it is a trifold!

Creating this pleated front is quite easy to achieve, too!

Love Notes #ctmhlovenotes #ctmh #closetomyheart #valentinesdaycard #lovecards #lovenotes #valentines #trifoldcard #envelopecard

In this instance, we simply folded the card front in half, towards the front. You can measure it and use a bone folder paired with the trough of a paper trimmer, or just fold it in half like you would any other paper (there’s no need to complicate things!).

Once the card base is folded, cover the inside of the card with a soft patterned piece of paper and stamp a lovely sentiment on top. Any part of the sentiment that can be seen when the card is folded closed, cover with an accent on the front, like our stacked cardstock squares and stamped heart. Complete the look with a few puffy stickers, placing a couple that can be seen when the card is closed and a sneaky one hiding inside, to be found after opening the card!

This second card uses the envelope die that is part of the Love Notes Stamp + Thin Cuts set.

Love Notes #ctmhlovenotes #ctmh #closetomyheart #valentinesdaycard #lovecards #lovenotes #valentines #trifoldcard #envelopecard

The envelope die will not only cut the paper for a 3″ x 2¼” envelope, but it scores it, too!

Love Notes #ctmhlovenotes #ctmh #closetomyheart #valentinesdaycard #lovecards #lovenotes #valentines #trifoldcard #envelopecard

There is no guesswork required when folding this little guy! Do note, that if you are using one of our two-toned cardstock sheets, whichever side is facing the die will end up being the inside of the envelope. So, die cut intentionally, if you’ve got a certain look in mind. (We cut our cardstock with the light side facing the die, so the true color is on the outside and the lighter tone is on the inside.)

Love Notes #ctmhlovenotes #ctmh #closetomyheart #valentinesdaycard #lovecards #lovenotes #valentines #trifoldcard #envelopecard

Once you’ve got this envelope-making skill down, a sweet card like this one comes together in a cinch! When assembling the mini envelope and note, you can choose to glue the note inside the envelope to make sure it stays put, or not. This die does make a functional envelope. When using it for cards or other projects, consider making the inside note a loose note, one that isn’t glued on and that can be pulled out for more, personalized sentiments! (Maybe even add a photo or other memento behind the note!)

Valentine’s Day is for celebrating relationships, and as a love note from us to you, we are giving away five Love Notes Stamp + Thin Cuts sets to five lucky readers! Make sure you are subscribed to this blog and share this post on Facebook, using the link below, for a chance to win! All winners will chosen by noon on Monday, January 22 (MST) and will be notified via e-mail. Good luck!! 💌

Love Notes #ctmhlovenotes #ctmh #closetomyheart #valentinesdaycard #lovecards #lovenotes #valentines #trifoldcard #envelopecard

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

November & December Layouts....

Sometimes I forget about this little blog world because I'm very active on Instagram, FB, and my YouTube Channel. Hopefully in 2024, I will get better about sharing here.

Here is a look at the things I created in November and December that were posted on my YouTube Channel (you can find the videos by clicking the photos). 











Don't forget to head on over to my YouTube Channel to check out these videos and my IG and FB to stay in the loop.

I pray each and every one of you reading this post has an AMAZING 2024!!!






Friday, December 15, 2023

Bring Back My Pack - Skylark (Stencilling)...

shared from CTMH's blog...

Stenciling with the New Skylark Stencil!


I'm SUPER EXCITED to shares today's post from the CTMH Blog!!! I was asked to design this workshop (three 2-Page Layouts and four Cards). I absolutely LOVE how they turned out and the biggest addition to this Collection is the EXCLUSIVE STENCIL. Watch as Karen demonstrates how to use the stencils on the layouts, cards, and envelopes I designed. Also enjoy a look into my Mother's 75th Birthday Trip to the Dallas area...
Skylark Paper Collection #closetomyheart #cmth #cmthskylark #stenciling #stencilling #stencilingtechnique #stencillingtechnique #skylark #scrapbooking #diycards #cardmaking #bringbackmypack

Rediscover Skylark! This beautiful set of patterned papers made their original debut nearly a decade ago. Now back by popular demand, with updated colors and coordinating products, including a new sticker sheet and stencil, the Skylark designs are once again available for creating lovely scrapbook pages and meaningful cards!

Part of the original beloved collection, the Skylark stamp set has also returned just as it was the first time around. As a bonus, we’ve got a second option of this same stamp set, where the word “favorite” in one of the sentiments is in the British spelling, “favourite.”

The new member to the Skylark collection is the Skylark stencil, and it is truly a must have! It offers a delicate 12″ x 12″ floral design, full of flower and leaf stems, for creating an impressive range of gorgeous art. Of course, the stencil also coordinates perfectly with the patterned papers of the Skylark collection. In fact, if you look closely, you may notice that this stencil design is derived from one of the patterned papers, and they are almost identical!

We’ve paired the Skylark collection with a few additional products and created a workshop that makes three coordinating 12″ x 12″ two-page layouts and four unique cards. A workshop kit is available, along with downloadable instructions, for those of you who would like to recreate these pages and cards, and craft along with us. (There are three different purchase options for this workshop kit: without the stamp set, with the British spelling stamp set, and with the original spelling of the stamp set. Make sure you pick the kit suitable for your needs!)

Skylark Paper Collection #closetomyheart #cmth #cmthskylark #stenciling #stencilling #stencilingtechnique #stencillingtechnique #skylark #scrapbooking #diycards #cardmaking #bringbackmypack
Skylark Paper Collection #closetomyheart #cmth #cmthskylark #stenciling #stencilling #stencilingtechnique #stencillingtechnique #skylark #scrapbookingworkshop #diycards #cardmakingworkshop #bringbackmypack
Skylark Paper Collection #closetomyheart #cmth #cmthskylark #stenciling #stencilling #stencilingtechnique #stencillingtechnique #skylark #scrapbookingworkshop #diycards #cardmakingworkshop #bringbackmypack

Included in the Skylark workshop kit are four 4″ x 6″ Flip Flaps™. Flip Flaps are an easy way to extend your creative options and make more room for your memories, and we highly recommend them! They are clear pocket flaps that attach to a page and that flip to reveal additional photos, sentiments, or designs.

Skylark Paper Collection #closetomyheart #cmth #cmthskylark #stenciling #stencilling #stencilingtechnique #stencillingtechnique #skylark #scrapbookingworkshop #diycards #cardmakingworkshop #bringbackmypack
Skylark Paper Collection #closetomyheart #cmth #cmthskylark #stenciling #stencilling #stencilingtechnique #stencillingtechnique #skylark #scrapbookingworkshop #diycards #cardmakingworkshop #bringbackmypack

As you can see, the Skylark stencil is used throughout the workshop, adding accents, backgrounds, and visual points of interest to the cards and scrapbook pages.

We’ve asked our Creative Arts Manager, Karen Pedersen, to share a few additional ways that we could use the Skylark stencil, outside of what we already find in the Skylark workshop, and she delivered!

Skylark Paper Collection #closetomyheart #cmth #cmthskylark #stenciling #stencilling #stencilingtechnique #stencillingtechnique #skylark #scrapbookingworkshop #diycards #cardmakingworkshop #bringbackmypack

In the video below, Karen gives us an up-close look at the stencil. She shows us how to add personality to our envelopes, teaches us how to use the blending brushes to create a gorgeous ombré effect, goes over how to care for stencils, shares a “peek-a-boo” accent technique, and so much more!

Discounted product bundles and workshop kits make it so you can save 20% on this great collection of products. Get the whole collection with the Skylark Product Bundle (British spelling also available!) and also stock up on additional patterned paper and cardstock packets with the Skylark Paper Bundle that is just the paper packet, sticker sheet, and the coordinating cardstock.

This beautiful collection of products is only available through the end of January, while supplies last! If you missed out on the Skylark collection last time, or simply didn’t get enough, now is your chance! Don’t miss out!