Making a Mini Album With the Cricut

Learn how to make your own mini album using shapes cut with the Cricut Artiste Collection.

Digital Scrapbooking

Close To My Heart's Studio J is having a sale! Just $5 for a two page layout.

So, I decided to take advantage of the sale and get caught up on some pictures.

I take a lot of pictures. I document every event it seems. So I am always behind on my scrapbooks-- which is just fine. I don't let myself get upset over it, and I don't feel like a failure because of it.

Even though I love to play with paper and I love ink all over my fingers, sometimes I need to get a few pages done quickly. That's when I turn to digital scrapbooking. Working with Studio J, I can finish 3 layouts in less than an hour. And I am able to get a lot of pictures on one layout. I do have the digital layouts in the same album as my regular paper layouts. My scrapbooking friends notice. After all, scrapbooking friends are looking at what I am doing and seeing how to copy- the same way I look at their albums. However, most people don't notice there is a difference.

Studio J is perfect to get pages done quickly without the guilt. It is also great for those who really don't want to play with paper (I never understand those people). Some people just need to get the pictures out of their computer and have it done. We all need  a little quick projects at times.

Check out Studio J. Play with the program a little. With the sale going on until March 15, it is a great time to give Studio J a try.

Bumble Bee Cards

Yesterday, I put together two cards using the same products with different results.

To get the multi-color effect on the stamped image, I inked the image with honey ink. Then I used daubers to ink the other colors. I used one dauber for sunset ink on the bee and another for cocoa ink around the stamp. When using a dauber, you are able to show multiple colors on one stamp. It is a nice look and very easy. Before stamping, I gave the stamp a hot breath to revive the inks. The image came out perfect. The important thing to remember when using multiple inks is  to start with the lightest color and work toward the darkest. If I had started with the cocoa, we would never have seen the honey.

I used my daubers to ink the edges of the paper-- mostly in cocoa but also added a touch of the sunset.

Daubers are a great tool to have on hand while you are stamping. Plus a set of three is only $3.95. I have two sets that I keep with my sponges in a baggy. Each night when I am done with crafting, I wash the ink out and let them dry overnight. Then they are ready for my next day of crafting. A friend of mine has one for each color, with each dauber labeled with the ink color, keeping them in a case all together. She doesn't want to worry about mixing colors. Both ways work just fine. Find the way that works for you.

Both cards use the Buzz and Bumble paper pack and the Quick Cards- Bumble Bee stamp. The lower one I added some burlap ribbon. Which card do you like best? I love burlap ribbon and am always trying to add it somewhere so I was sure I would like that one better. But surprisingly, the top card without the ribbon is my favorite. After taking the picture, that card was signed and put in the mail to a dear friend who is battling cancer. I hope it cheers her up as much as it cheered me by making it.

Have fun with paper today!

Easter Layout using Chantilly

I guess I am ready for it to warm up a bit. I started looking at Easter photos from years ago. I mean really old photos. I only had two children when these photos were taken. That little girl in these photos is now 16 and learning to drive.

The Chantilly Workshop on the Go Scrapbooking kit was perfect for these pictures. Very springy. Everything except the ink is included in the kit--paper, stamp set, jewels, buttons, and instructions. Just follow the guide and all done. Easy.

Have fun with paper today!

Crazy for Cards Event!

Crazy for Cards!

Time to get your card stash all stocked up! Never have a card ready when you need it? Not after this class!!  Plus, you’ll even learn a couple of card making tricks while you’re at it.  Be prepared for any occasion after you leave this event.  You’ll make a total of 15 cards with envelopes for birthdays, weddings, sympathy, babies, graduation and thank yous.

Date: Saturday, March 23

Time: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Cost: $45 (bring favorite adhesive; all other supplies + snacks & lunch included)

RSVP & Prepay by: March 2

Location:  Sunnyvale, near 101 & 237

**Cancellation Policy–you have 48 hours after payment for a full refund up until the RSVP deadline; after this time, you have the option of a kit OR to sell your spot to a friend.**

Jeanette Lynton's Layouts

I was very excited to see this post by Jeanette Lynton, founder of Close To My Heart. She does beautiful artwork. This post features a layout for each of the new paper packs in the new Idea Book. My favorite paper packs are Buzz and Bumble and Tommy with which Jeanette has done some lovely layouts. But she has also shown how each paper pack is amazing. I can't wait to use each one of these papers.  Be sure to check out Jeanette's blog for more ideas.  Here is Jeanette's post about the new papers. Hope it gives you some ideas to have fun with paper today. 


Jeanette:
At the beginning of a new Idea Book, I love to share some artwork to show off each of the newest My Reflections kits. These beautiful layouts will give you a taste of each of the kits in the Spring Summer 2013 Idea Book, as well as their complementary accessories. The artwork below shows you just what you can do using the Complements, whether it is a My Stickease assortment like those designed to accompany Later Sk8r, Buzz and Bumble, and For Always, or the Canvas Shapes that you can get with Claire and Tommy, or else the colorful chipboard shapes designed to accompany Chantilly. Each of the complements collections gives great titling options, icon elements, great borders, and a foolproof way to embellish your artwork your way. Have a look at the ideas below to help get your creative wheels turning.

Chantilly

Delicious springtime colors and plenty of floral textures and patterns.

Buzz and Bumble

Rich neutrals, splashes of Sunset and Crème Brulee, honeycomb patterns, and, yep, bees!

Claire

Lots of spunky fun to be had here, with versatile patterns and playful color combinations.

For Always

Classic black and white elegance, elaborate laces and damasks to commemorate the most cherished occasions and memories.

Later Sk8r

Hip, toxic colors with a strong slate neutral help celebrate your favorite little tough guy.

Surf’s Up

Perfect for a day in the sun with rich bold colors and fun retro elements.

Tommy

Adventurous blues and yellow with strong nautical themes ideal for your life’s adventures.

Muslin Gift Bags

What a great idea. I have this stamp set. I just need to grab some bags and try it out. Looking forward to playing with this.

Tommy Layout

This is a quick layout from the Tommy Workshop on the Go Scrapbooking Kit.  This kit comes with a great stamp set, paper, dimensional elements (stars), and flags. Plus all the instructions are included. All you need is ink. I used outdoor denim, white daisy, cranberry, and desert sand on this page.

Win Close To My Heart Products

Want to win some Close To My Heart Products? I will be holding a drawing for a $25 gift certificate and giving away tickets throughout the month of February in celebration of our new Idea Book. There are several ways to earn tickets to the drawing:

• Place an order with me. You will get one ticket for every $10 in products ordered (does not include tax and shipping costs). You will receive tickets for online orders too!
• Attend one of my workshops.
• Make a donation to Operation Smile. Round up your order and give your change to help change a child's life. 
• Host a workshop (earn 5 tickets)

I will be drawing the winning ticket on March 1. 

Good Luck!

Fabric and Frame

One way to add texture, color, and pattern to a piece of home décor is with fabric. The new Chantilly textiles make it easy to embellish with fabrics that include the beautiful colors and patterns that are typical of Close To My Heart. In the frame décor featured on page 16 of the Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book and shown below, pieces of Pear damask and Buttercup polka-dot fabric from the Chantilly textiles, as well as burlap ribbon, add a little something extra to a standard white frame. Follow these simple steps to incorporate fabric into an embellished frame that you can hang anywhere.


1. Determine how long you’d like the finished ribbon and bow. This is based on the size of your frame and if you’ll be hanging it. If you are hanging it on a wall or door, you’ll need enough ribbon to wrap around the top of the frame a couple of times and still have a long strip coming out the back of the frame.
2. Cut enough strips of fabric to equal your desired length, making sure the strips are about 3½" wide to wrap around the burlap ribbon.
3. Sew the short ends of the strips together to create one long strip that equals the finished size you need for the project.
4. Fold the long fabric strip around a piece of burlap ribbon of the same size and secure temporarily with a straight pin.
5. With a sewing machine, carefully sew four straight lines down the length of the fabric-wrapped burlap ribbon. This will keep the burlap from moving around or bunching up inside the fabric.

6. Loop and hot glue the fabric-wrapped burlap ribbon around the top of the frame a couple of times so that it is nice and sturdy for handling and hanging.

7. Tie the remaining fabric-wrapped burlap ribbon into a large bow. Fold the tails of the bow into a wave and hot glue to the frame to secure the shape.


8. Embellish frame with accessories, as desired.

Easy, isn’t it? Now you have a beautiful piece of fabric-embellished home décor that you can show off to friends and family! Check out the Chantilly and For Always textiles in the Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book to get your creative juices flowing for more project ideas with fabric. Find the idea book online at my website at cathryn.ctmh.com. So many project! So much fun!

Supplies:

Hello Door Wreath

C1536 My Acrylix® Happy Thoughts

D1546 My Acrylix® Frame Flair

X7163B Chantilly Paper Packet

1385 White Daisy Cardstock

Z2160 Twilight Exclusive Inks® Pad

Z2196 Smoothie Exclusive Inks® Pad

Z2197 Pear Exclusive Inks® Pad

Z2106 Blush Exclusive Inks® Pad

Z1819 Chantilly Textiles

Z1814 Chantilly Assortment

Z1752 Sparkles Clear Assortment

Z1837 Mini-Medley Accents Wooden Collection

Z1686 Cricut® Art Philosophy Collection

Z1790 Cricut® Artiste Collection

Frame

Thread

Happy Anniversary to My Blog and a Tommy Card

Today is the anniversary of my blog! Funny how it has been a whole year. Having the blog has kept me on my toes, reminding me that I need to work on my paper crafts and keep things fresh. I have also had a lot of fun checking out other crafter's blogs and seeing what they do (and learning from their ideas). I have really had fun watching my numbers of hits, noticing how many people actually look at my blog. It has been quite exciting to see the numbers go up over the year. In the beginning, I had to beg my friends to look just so I can have one hit. Now, I don't worry about it. People look! Wow! Thank you for looking! I hope I have given you ideas and inspired you to have fun with paper. I hope the next year will be even better. 

I made this card for several reasons. I am leading a class at a Girl Scout Leader training tomorrow. This is one of the cards we will be making. I thought it would be great to give to those girls graduating from high school and bridging from Girl Scout Ambassador to Leader this June.

Also I am participating in two blog challenges -- Mojo Monday (MOJO278) and the Heart 2 Heart Challenge.

I used the Tommy Workshop on the Go Scrapbooking kit. I really love the "Follow your Dreams" stamp. I can see I'll be using that a lot in the future.  Tommy is a fun paper pack. Love the colors.

Supplies:
Workshop on the Go Tommy Scrapbooking Kit (G1058)
Shimmer Trim- Silver (Z1799)
Inks- daisy white, outdoor denim, desert sand

Take a look at challenge boards and see what you can do. Be sure to have fun with paper today!

New Idea Book!

Well, today is the day! We have a new Idea Book filled with wonderful paper crafting supplies.

I'm sure you will be writing up a long list just as I have. If you would like an Idea Book of your own, please let me know. I charge $2 for the book or free with an order. Take a look at the book online.

This quick card uses Chantilly paper and the February stamp of the month. Chantilly paper looks very pink at first. I'm not a pink person. I do like pink but not too much of it. I love blues and greens which is really what Chantilly is like. My favorite CTMH colors are twilight and Indian corn blue. I used twilight in this card and it works perfectly.

Supplies:
Chantilly paper pack
February Stamp of the Month: Home Sweet Home
White Daisy Die Cut Cards
 Bakers Twine- Neutral Assortment
Sparkles- Blue Green Assortment
3-D foam tape