Thursday, January 28, 2021

Making Gift Boxes with CTMH...

sharing from ctmh's blog...

Making Gift Boxes with and without a Cutting Machine!

DIY Gift Boxes #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhperfectmatch #perfectmatch #valentine #giftboxes #diygift #diygiftboxes #diyvalentine #papercrafting #cricut #cricutartiste #cricutartphilosophy

It’s no secret that we love getting crafty around these parts, and Valentine’s day gives us an excellent excuse reason to spend a little extra time and energy creating pretty things because we’re doing it for other people!

Spreading kindness, especially during a time where we feel more disconnected and distant than usual, is contagious! Throughout this season of love, we challenge you to find ways to safely lift someone else’s spirit and let them know that you care.

One simple way to make someone’s day is with a small handmade gift from the heart. Since getting together isn’t an option for everyone right now, we thought we’d show you a few small gift boxes we created that can be dropped off in a mailbox or on a doorstep.

DIY Gift Boxes #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhperfectmatch #perfectmatch #valentine #giftboxes #diygift #diygiftboxes #diyvalentine #papercrafting
(Perfect Match Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet)
DIY Gift Boxes #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhperfectmatch #perfectmatch #valentine #giftboxes #diygift #diygiftboxes #diyvalentine #papercrafting
(My Acrylix® Perfect Match Stamp Set)

These first examples are made by pairing a couple of our Cricut® collections with the papersstickers, and stamp set in our Perfect Match collection.

DIY Gift Boxes #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhperfectmatch #perfectmatch #valentine #giftboxes #diygift #diygiftboxes #diyvalentine #papercrafting #cricut #cricutartiste
(Cricut® Artiste Collection)
DIY Gift Boxes #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhperfectmatch #perfectmatch #valentine #giftboxes #diygift #diygiftboxes #diyvalentine #papercrafting #cricut #cricutartiste #cricutartphilosophy
(Cricut® Art Philosophy and Artiste Collections)

If you don’t have access to a Cricut® machine, don’t worry! You can still participate in the challenge of putting a little love into the world, as well. We’ve asked our Creative Arts Manager, Karen Pedersen, to show us how to make a box and small pocket envelope by hand. As always, she delivered! Take a look.

DIY Gift Boxes #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhperfectmatch #perfectmatch #valentine #giftboxes #diygift #diygiftboxes #diyvalentine #papercrafting

We hope you found some creative inspiration as you took a peek at these artwork examples today, and that you were able to see just how simple it is to make something beautiful with your own two hands! Let’s take care of each other this Valentine’s season and spread kindness and positivity. As you do, you’ll not only bring happiness to others, but you might just see a little added joy in your own life, too!

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Craft With Heart Card Subscription | Shaker Card #9 | Process Video

I needed a Sympathy Card for one my daughter's friends/teammates and what better way to make a thoughtful gesture AND do it quick (had to have it ready before practice) than to use my Jan-April 2021 Craft With Heart Card Subscription Box.

Here's a look at the Card and the process video...






Here's a look at the subscription options...VERY AFFORDABLE (have you priced cards at the Walgreens or CVS lately...lol). You can find out more {{{here}}}...



Friday, January 22, 2021

Perfect Match Blog Hop...

Welcome to this month's blog hop featuring the PERFECT MATCH Special which is available NOW thru the end of February 2021 on my website.

I am joining 18 other CTMH Maker's to bring you tons of inspiration featuring this GORGEOUS collection. If you've come from Maureen's Blog, you're on the right track...keep hopping around until you get back to where you started. If you're starting here, WELCOME. There's a link to a complete list at the very bottom of this post in case you get lost along the way.

Let's take a look at the one-page layout I made featuring this collection...as you can see, my layout is all about my hunny but we are at the beach in the Summer (NOTHING to do with Valentines...lol). I also started with a sketch from Citrus Twist Kits which is a PERFECT jumpstart to creativity...

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I LOVED using the Sticker Sheet that comes with the Perfect Match Paper Packet to add some little subtitles here and there. The Mini-Hearts go PERFECTLY with the heart stamped image I used from the Perfect Match Stamp Set...
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I chose to use a couple of stencils from the Stencil Pack 3 and our Distress Oxide Inks to create a nice little XOXO backdrop for my journaling lines (you can see how I did this in my YouTube video below)...

Thanks for stopping by...head on over to Michelle's Blog to see what PERFECT thing she has to share. Don't forget to check out my process video if you'd like to see how this layout came together. 

Click here to see a complete list of hoppers.





Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Home Sweet Home: Thinking Outside the Frame with CTMH...

shared from ctmh's blog...

Home Sweet Home: Thinking Outside the Frame!

Home Sweet Home #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhhomesweethome #cardmaking #scrapbooking #memorykeeping

As we continue to celebrate National Papercrafting Month with our adorable Home Sweet Home frames, we want to share a few more ideas of how you can use elements of this versatile kit in other crafting projects! A top-notch accent or background can be the crowning jewel in a scrapbook page, card, or 3-D art piece, and we know you’ll love creating projects of your own with the beautiful pieces from our Home Sweet Home special!

Home Sweet Home #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhhomesweethome #scrapbooking #memorykeeping

The Home Sweet Home special features the Home Sweet Home Frame Kit, which includes a wide variety of exclusive patterned papers and die-cuts, along with large wood circles. These elements are not only beautiful when used to create a Home Sweet Home frame but make charming additions to other projects as well!

Home Sweet Home #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhhomesweethome #scrapbooking #memorykeeping

Adding a pre-cut accent or background to a scrapbook page or card is an excellent way to simplify your crafts, while still yielding beautiful results. As you can see with this gorgeous layout, the inclusion of these vibrant floral die-cuts placed over the corner of a photo add dimension and pops of color, and when paired with other small embellishments, tie the whole thing together with a stylish flourish!

Home Sweet Home #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhhomesweethome #cardmaking #scrapbooking #memorykeeping

The Home Sweet Home die-cuts can also be placed partially behind photos to add some flare to your backgrounds. These sunflower and silver sprig accents are the perfect touch to not only complement the bright colors in the photograph, but also serve to dress up the background of the page.

Home Sweet Home #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhhomesweethome #cardmaking #scrapbooking #memorykeeping

It doesn’t matter which die-cut shape you decide to use—each one can produce fantastic results. Just look at how these rainbow and silver glitter die-cuts are placed over a piece of grey polka dot patterned paper for a simple, yet stunning card!

Home Sweet Home #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhhomesweethome #cardmaking #scrapbooking #memorykeeping #youaremysunshine #rainbowcard

For this adorable get-well card, the scalloped piece at the center makes a perfect backdrop for the simple sentiment piece and is offset beautifully by the die-cut bow.

Home Sweet Home #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhhomesweethome #cardmaking #scrapbooking #memorykeeping #getwellsooncard

To help round out your inclusion of Home Sweet Home pieces in your own cards or layouts, you can include them alongside other embellishments, as you can see with this adorable slimline card. The cupcake die-cut and silver glitter stars are offset beautifully by the large, iridescent sequins and Thin Cuts border at the top!

Home Sweet Home #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhhomesweethome #cardmaking #scrapbooking #memorykeeping #slimlinecard #birthday

Along with the die-cuts, the Home Sweet Home wood circles can also be used in scrapbook layouts. While the circles themselves are relatively flat, they can be used to add dimension and blend well into backgrounds, lending additional texture. Here, you can see how a wood circle has been covered with pinstripe patterned paper and offers an ideal platform for the journaling on this page!

Home Sweet Home #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhhomesweethome #cardmaking #scrapbooking #memorykeeping

As you can see, there’s a wealth of creative opportunity included in the Home Sweet Home special, far beyond the creation of a Home Sweet Home frame! Each piece is full of possibility and can be used to boost the aesthetic of any art project, from scrapbook pages, to cards, to 3-D pieces. No matter how you choose to repurpose these gorgeous pieces, they’re sure to dazzle wherever they’re placed. Have you used any of the Home Sweet Home die-cuts and wood circles for other art projects, or do you have some ideas? Leave a comment below to tell us what you’ve used them for, or how you’d like to!

Monday, January 18, 2021

January/February NEW Product Blog Hop...

Welcome to the NEW PRODUCT BLOG HOP for the January-February 2021 Catalog cycle. I am joining eighteen other Makers to bring you various projects featuring some of the NEW items you can find on my website from now through the end of February (or while supplies last). 

If you are coming here from Brandi's Blog, you're on the right track...keep on hopping around until you get back to where you started. If you're starting here, WELCOME! There will be a complete list of participants at the end of this post, in case you get lost. 

Now...let's take a look at my project. 

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I used quite a few products on this card yet they all go so well with each other...let's take a look! Happiness Lives Here: Scrapbooking Workshop Kit, Paper Packet & Sticker Sheet, Wood Shapes...Mix-Ins (Jan-Feb 2021)...Every Thank You Jan 2021 SOTM...our NEW Slimline White Cards & Envelopes...

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Here's a closeup of that GORGEOUS Brick B&T and those Happiness Lives Here flower stickers and wood shapes...I JUST LOVE all the dimension that the stickers (applied directly to the card base AND some adhered with Thin 3D Foam Tape) and wood shapes create...

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Here's a look at how I created the circles...it comes from the NEW Build-a-Pie Thin Cut. I adhered my two pieces of paper together then die-cut the full circle and two of the half circles using my die-cut machine...
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Don't forget to save those little circle and half-circle pieces...they make a PERFECT addition to the inside of the card, finished off by stamping the word "YOU" from our Every Thank You SOTM using Sangria Exclusive Inks...

Thank you so much for stopping by. Head on over to Krista's Blog and see what she has to share! I know you'll find some inspiration. Also...don't forget to hop all the way through and leave some love along the way...we ALL love reading your comments!

Sunday, January 17, 2021

Mini-Paper Pad Class | Week #3 | Rich in Laughter...

We are in Week #3 of the She's Crafty Mini-Paper Pad Class and I have a fun layout of my husband and our middle son to share with you.

Here's a look at the kit...which when I created the kit several weeks ago, I had TOTALLY DIFFERENT photos in mind...lol

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And...here's a look at the layout - a sequence of events where I was trying to get a photo of the two of them but our son had a totally different idea (only to be blocked by my husband's quick hands)...
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Here are some closeups of the embellishments (which by the way, this layout might have to MOST EMBELLISHMENTS I've ever used on one layout). You can also see the 'splatter' at the bottom left and top right - that's from a Sapphire Shimmer Brush (you can see all the shimmer in my IG photos)...
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Don't the little sentiments and embellishments fit this layout PERFECTLY! If you recognize that striped patterned paper and those yellow sentiment strips, they're from one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE collections from CTMH - So Much Happy. The background pink patterned paper is from Sweet Girl.


Don't forget to check out my YouTube process video where I walk you through the method to my madness...

Friday, January 15, 2021

Striped Borders Technique Blog Hop...

Welcome to the FIRST Technique Blog Hop of 2021!!! We are so glad to have you here and see what techniques we have to share with STRIPED BORDERS.



If you've come from Michelle's Blog, you're on the right track...keep hopping around until you get back to where you started. If you're starting here, WELCOME!!!


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Here's a closeup of that Blue Belle Exclusive Ink on the Blue Belle Cardstock which gives it a tone-on-tone look. You can see the Blue Belle Loose Sequins, the Silver Star Confetti and those open Blue Belle Stars are actually the center of the Star Shaker Thin Cuts and make super cute confetti for ANY project...


Thanks for stopping by! Head on over to Darlys's Blog to see what she has to share! Don't forget to visit all TEN Blogs and leave some love along the way!

Here's a video showing you a quick way to get straight borders across your card...and I'm super lazy so this makes it super easy...lol



Thursday, January 14, 2021

Sweet Safari Valentine Cards...

Have you seen the ADORABLE Sweet Safari Collection! It's all about the CUTE, ADORABLE BABIES...BUT let me show you an alternative.

I am joining the Creative Design Team this week to share some Sweet DIY Valentine ideas on YouTube. These cards are my contribution.

The cards were made using a few Cricut Collections (Artiste, You Are Here and Artfully Sent) along with the NEW Sweet Safari Cricut Collection and the Sweet Safari Coordinating Cardstock...

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For this first little card, I took several sentiments from the Artfully Sent, Artiste and You Are Here Cricut Collections and created the sentiment. The little tiny hearts are from the Perfect Match Special and I used those on each card, adhered with Liquid Glass...
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This cute little card comes directly from the Sweet Safari Cricut Collection - I just erased the card base and envelope...
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This card base is from the Artfully Sent Cricut Collection...isn't that giraffe the CUTEST!!!
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Here's a look at what you get with the Sweet Safari Cricut Collection...two pre-designed cards, a bunch of sweet little animals, a title, a border as well as some other non-baby icons (clouds, palm tree, rainbow)...
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Here's a look at the Sweet Safari Paper Packet with Sticker Sheet...ADORABLE, huh?


You can check out the process video below...as well as find links to the rest of the Creative Design Team videos...



Sunday, January 10, 2021

Mini-Paper Pad Class | Weeks 1 & 2...

If you recall, I am participating in a YouTube Hop featuring kits made from our stash AND mini-paper pads.

Here's a look at Weeks 1 & 2 - don't forget to check out the process videos below. You can also join us on FB and play along with the sketches Shannon posts.

Week's 1 Kit...
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Week 1 Layout...
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Week 1 Closeups...
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Here's a look at Week 2's Kit - you can see the Kit process video {{{here}}}...
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Week 2 Layout...
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Week 2 closeups...


Week 1 Process Video:



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Week 2 Process Video: