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Brushed Virtual Facebook Workshop Project Photos Release!

The Brushed workshop event is fast approaching. The projects have been announced, so it is time to prepare for this live event.

Earlier this week, I posted the schedule for upcoming live workshops that will take place on the Close To My Heart Facebook page. That schedule includes the June 30 Brushed workshop where well make both scrapbook pages and cards. These beautiful projects are use a variety of products and techniques. 
The workshop will include seven 12″ x 12″ pages (1 single page and 3 double page layouts) that are appropriate for a variety of photos. I could see these used for photos from spring or summer, birthday or any happy occaions.

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We will also be making eight lovely cards. Sentiments include “Happy Birthday”, “My thoughts are happiest with you in them”, “This is your special day”, “You are loved” and “Always be your own kind of wonderful”. 

This FUN & FREE virtual craft event will happen on June 30th at 3 pm CST on the Close To My Heart Facebook page.  Note that Close To My Heart will have prize drawings during the event. Be sure to click “going” on the Event Page for a chance to win.
The basic supplies you need are from the Brushed collection:
  • Brushed Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet
  • Brushed Coordinating Cardstock
  • Your Own Kind of Wonderful Stamp Set
  • A Budding Friendship Stamp Set
All four of these items are conveniently included in the Brushed Product Bundle at 20% off retail price.
In additon to the items in the bundle, you’ll also need the following materials and supplies on hand:
You will also need a variety of blocks, your favorite adhesives (I suggest including some 3-D foam tape to add dimention) and basic tools like a paper trimmer, scissors and ruler.
***INK UPDATE: Due to Covid-19, production of our ink has been delayed. If any of the recommended stamp pads are out of stock, other coordinating colors will work. Smoothie can be replaced with Pixie, Candy Apple or Raspberry. Lagoon can be replaced with Glacier. Another option for all stamped flowers is to use scraps of Pixie and Smoothie cardstock. stamp just the outline flowers in Black ink on the colored cardstock. This technique is used on some cards, but could be applied to all of them.
Directions for thes projects will be posted a day or two before the event. I can’t wait to craft with you!
Rebecca
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Creative Tuesdays: Virtual Workshops on the Close To My Heart Facebook Page

CTMH Virtual Events

Yesterday was the first of a series of live virtual workshops Close To My Heart is hosting on Tuesday afternoons. It was an amazing success and I’m looking forward joining the rest of these fun events!

June 16 (replay) – Aurora Cardmaking Workshop

At yesterday’s event, Kristina from our Home Office created the cards in the Aurora Cardmaking Kit. she walked us through the process step by step, from cutting the paper to stamping and assembly. Along the way she shares so many tips and tricks. During this video, 120 people also won new creative supplies! It was a lot of fun and if you missed it live, you can watch it on replay. 
The Aurora Cardmaking workshop kit includes materials and directions to make 16 cards (4 each of the 4 designs). Don’t forget to review the list of supplies to make sure you have everything you need to complete the cards.

Future Workshops

The fun continues with additional workshops on each of the next four Tuesdays at 3 pm (CST). Here’s the complete list along with photos of the projects and links to order supplies. These events will be held on the Close To My Heart facebook page, but you’ll want to open each of the event pages to RSVP “Going” to get your name into the prize drawings.

June 23 – Aurora Scrapbooking Workshop 

Create two 12″ x 12″ single pages and two 12″ x 12″ 2-page beautiful outdoor layouts. Grab your paper trimmer and adhesives and get ready to create! Check the supply list if you’d like to do the optional embossing technique.

June 30 – Blushed Workshop

Use the updated Brushed papers and stamp sets to create a 12″ x 12″ single page, three 12″ x 12″ double layouts and eight greeting cards. Save 20% when you buy the Brushed product bundle! 
Note that the directions to this workshop will be posted on the Close To My Heart Facebook group prior to the event starting. The list of additional supplies is posted in the Event page. 

July 7 – Stitched Together Cardmaking Workshop 

Create 16 cards (4 each of the 4 designs). Don’t forget to review the list of supplies to make sure you have everything you need to complete the cards.

July 14 – Stitched Together Scrapbooking Workshop  

Create three 12″ x 12″ 2-page beautiful quilt-pattern layouts. Grab your paper trimmer and adhesives and get ready to create! Check the supply list if you’d like to do the optional alcohol marker techniques.
All of these events will happen on the Close To My Heart Facebook page. You can watch them live at 3 pm (CST) on Tuesday afternoons or the replays at a time that works for you. 
I am so glad that Clsoe To My Heart is offering these opportunities to get creative. I hope to see you there!
Rebecca
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Bonus Card Packs when you join my Close To My Heart team in June!

If you’ve been considering becoming a Close To My Heart consultant, June is the time to give it a some more thought. This month, I’m sending both of the new Picture My Life card sets from the July/August catalog to anyone who joins my team.

Each of these sets include 12 – 4″ x 6″ and 12 – 3″ x 4″ cards that are designed for pocket scrapbooking. However, these cards are great for adding titles, background paper, icons and journaling to card and full scrapbooking pages. They really are versatile and I love mixing them in with the other products from our collections! (These pictures will give you a hint about upcoming papers — shhhhh!) 

This month, I’ll be sharing more about why you may want to join, what is like to be a consultant, how being a consultant benefits a “hobbyist” and even reasons you may NOT want to join. In the mean time, if you have any questions just ask! I’d love to have you join my fun group of team members!

The New Consultant Kit includes the essential supplies you’ll need to get your business off to a running start, plus $50 in CTMH Cash that you can use to get your choice of select creative items. All of this for just $70—plus shipping on your kit is FREE! Here is what you will receive in your New Consultant Kit:

  • Adhesive Runner (Z3372)
  • 2″ × 2″ My Acrylix® Block (Y1003)
  • Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad (Z2805)
  • Mix-in Paper Packet (X9015)
  • Mix-in Coordinating Cardstock (X9016)
  • Piercing Tool (Z3547)
  • Stamp Shammy (Z3579)
  • Non-stick Micro-tip Scissors (Z1836)
  • US Customer Order Forms, qty. 25 (W101)
  • Cardstock Sampler (W3003)
  • Petite Perks—Romaine Calm, qty. 3 (W2049)
  • Desk Pad (W1140)
  • Let Me Show You How Stamp Set (D1785)
  • US Core Catalog 2019–2020 (W1201)
  • US July–August 2020 Catalog, qty. 5 (WCS1206)
Watch this brief video for a complete unboxing of these creative and business items.
In addition, you get $50 in “CTMH Cash” or product credit that you can use to get your choice of select creative items. 
All of this for just $70—plus shipping on your kit is FREE!

Once you join, you’ll be part of my fun Treasure Keeper Team. We have members around the country including Missouri, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Montana! Our Facebook group is active and we have regular virtual events through zoom. 

If you’d like to learn more about joining Close To My Heart or go ahead and fill out the quick online application, click here>>  If you have questions or would like to talk to me more to determine if this is the right step for you, start the convrersation by sending me an email.
Rebecca
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Back from Retirement: Brush Paper Pack is Back along with Favorite Stamp Sets

Introducing a new version of the popular Brushed paper packet! See the complete collection>>

This latest edition to our “Bring Back My Pack” collection includes a slimmed down paper pack, updated colors and a new sticker sheet bursting with images, titles and accents for a variety of crafting projects. As you see, these papers will add a vibrate yet soft touch to your handmade cards and scrapbooking layouts.

Along with the papers, two favorite stamp sets from the past have been brought back to give you the ability to make custom accents for cards and layouts. The first, A Budding Friendship, has beautiful layered flowers sweet sentiments to celebrate friendships.

The second stamp set that was brought back exclusively for this special, Your Own Kind of Wonderful, has beautifully detailed butterflies and sentiments that are appropriate for both cards and layouts.

I’m very excited to have the chance to create with this beautiful collection of items again. The papers and stamp sets are available individually or you can buy a bundle of products and save 20%. The bundle includes the paper pack, sticker sheet, 12 sheets of coordinating solid paper and both stamp sets. See the complete collection>>

On Tuesday, June 30, Close To My Heart will be hosting a live workshop using the Brushed Bundle of product on the corporateFacebook page. Details about the projects will be announced soon, so be sure to jump over to that page and turn on your notifications. 

Check out the complete schedule of events coming to the Close To My Heart Facebook page. If you’d like to participate, be sure to place your order a couple of weeks ahead of time to make sure that you have the materials to create along with the class. Before the Brushed workshop, there will be workshops for the Aurora Cardmakingand Scrapbooking workshops.

I’m very excited about the virtual workshops planned over the next few weeks. Please join us for fun, creative times!

Rebecca

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Artbooking, Artistry & You Are Here Physical Cricut Cartridges Still Available!

If you have an Expression or other older Cricut machine that does not use Design Space, you probably know that Cricut no longer makes Cricut cartridges. This means that as the inventory in our warehouse is depleted, you will no longer be able to purchase the physical cartridges. It is getting harder and harder to find cartridges to use in these machines. For that reason, you are when you find a cartridge you want to own, you need to buy it while you can!

***If you have a Maker or Explore, you are in luck – all of our collections, even formerly retired sets – are now available using my affiliate link!***

Good news: You can still get your hands on three of they physical cartridges: Artistry, You Are Here and Artbooking! 

Even better news: Remaining cartridges are on clearance at 50% off retail price. 

Each of these cartridges is fully loaded with 700 images including at least one complete font. When you buy one of these cartridges, you also get a bonus of three coordinating stamp sets. Let’s take a look at each of these cartridges and the coordinating stamp sets.

 Artistry

This
collection includes a trendy “filled” font with upper and lower. Plus it has lots of images including basic shapes, overlays, banners,
titles & more. The included stamp sets include lots of great sentiments that work for both cards and scrapbook pages.

You can see all of the images in this amazing collection by opening the handbook using the link below. I have a few of these in my personal inventory, plus you can still purchase it directly from the Close To My Heart website.

View handbook>>

Order now>>

 

You Are
Here

This
collection includes two fonts that can be used alone or together for layered letters. The images cover all the places that you may travel — both physical destinations and places in life.  It includes iconic buildings and monuments from around the world, badges for several US National Parks and so much more. 

You can see all of the images in this amazing collection by opening the handbook using the link below. It is still available for purchase on the Close To My Heart website.

View handbook>>

Order now>>

 

Artbooking

The Artbooking collection is a favorite for Scrapbookers. It includes complete layouts and
mini albums designed to let you select the size once and cut everything proportionally. As you look at the images below, you can see the completed project in the top row with some of the elements shown below. Stamp sets create coordinating embellishments, journaling spots and sentiments.

You can see all of the images in this amazing collection by opening the handbook using the link below. Although this one is sold out on the Close To My Heart website, I have a few of these in my personal inventory.

View handbook>>

Email me to order>>

 

If you
are interested in the first two, you can order directly from my Close To My Heart website. If you
are interested in Artbooking, let me know. Remember once our inventory is exhausted, they will not longer be available to purchase. You will not regret adding them to your Cricut library!

Keep Creating!

Rebecca

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Love the outdoors? Make these fun cards and learn some new techniques!

If you’ve been following my blog this month, you’ve seen several projects using products from the Aurora collection. Today, I’d like to share with your some outdoor themed cards I made recently using these products. 

You may have noticed that these cards do not really have greetings but instead a phrase that reflects an outdoor mentality. That leaves the occasion for the card up to you! You could easily add a “happy birthday”, “happy Father’s Day” or other sentiment to reflect any occasion. Or just add your personal note on the inside to let an outdoor lover know that you are thinking of them.

All of the stamping on these projects is from the Aurora – Scrapbooking Stamp Setand Thin Cut Set. Although these stamps can be used to make beautiful die-cut embellishments for your pages, as you can see they are versatile enough to work on cards too. 

Here’s a closer look at these cards along with a few notes about the techniques used.

Each of these cards has a single die-cut piece stamped with a coordinating image. Because our stamps and blocks are clear acrylic, you can see through them to place the image. To get the best transfer of ink, place the foam that is included with every stamp set under the paper before you stamp.  

The splatters on the tag were added using Sapphire ink. To get this look, squeeze your ink pad so that some ink remains on the inside lid. Then use a wet brush to pick up the ink. Tap the brush on your finger above the paper where you want the drops to be.

In addition to splatters using the technique from the first card, I distressed the edges of several of the papers with my scissors. Doing this with closed scissors keeps tearing to a minimum.

The trees in the mist on this card were created with second and third generation stamping. To get this look, ink the stamp up with Evergreen ink. After stamping, stamp again to create a lighter tree (2nd generation) and a thrid time for an even lighter tree (3rd generation) before inking the stamp up again.

The sky and trees on this card were stamped with a single stamp. You could cut the stamp — seriously, I cut my stamps all the time — to stamp them separately. However, I wanted to make sure it lined up correctly, so I just inked the sky off the edge of the Sapphire ink pad and the trees off the edge of the Evergreen ink pad. Then I was able to stamp both colors at one time.

This final card uses the Rock & Roll stamping technique. To achieve this look, ink the stamp with Evergreen ink. Then gently roll the edges of the stamp on the Sapphire ink pad before stamping on the die-cut.

Products used on these cards:

Aurora Paper Packet (X7256B)

Aurora – Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts (Z3711)

Aurora Acrylic Shapes (X7256E)

Cardstock (Peacock, Sapphire, Sage, Charcoal & White Daisy)

Ink Pads (Charcoal, Sapphire, Evergreen & Peacock)

See all of the Aurora products>>

I hope these cards encourage you to try new distressing or stamping techniques.

Keep Creating,

Rebecca

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Celebrate dads with handmade cards or scrapbook pages!

Make Father’s Day unforgettable this year with two exclusive stamp sets. 

Celebrate the man who means the most in your life by making a card, layout or gift using the exclusive stamp sets available through the Legendary Father’s Day special.  

The first stamp set, Legendary Father’s Day includes a complete wardrobe for your guy. Stamp the shoes, hat, watch or shirt plus great sentiments like to let him know that he is special.

The second stamp set, Someone to Look Up To, is a single stamp so you can create quick cards or layouts in one step. 

I know you are going to want both of these set, so be sure to add the bundle with both stamp sets to your cart and save 20% off the retail price!

Shop now>>

Keep creating!

Rebecca

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Out of this World Cards! You are going to love the Aurora workshop.

Take your creativity to another galaxy with the Aurora cardmaking workshop kit. 

This workshop includes materials and instructions to make 16 standard size cards, 4 of each of the designs shown above. Not only are they cards beautiful, but they include such positive sentiments. In this current pandemic, I bet you know someone who could use a “smile across the miles”! 

In the kit you get an exclusive stamp + Thin Cuts set, paper from the Aurora collection, cardstock, Silver Glitter Gems, card bases, envelopes plus full color printed instructions. 

Before we move on, click on the image above and zoom in on the thin cuts. With the kit you get both sides of the world. Isn’t that the coolest? 

 

A little extra sparkle was added to these cards using a Mint Shimmer Brush.  This was used to paint some pieces like the world and also to add splatters.

To make the cards as shown, you’ll also need Glacier, Charcoal & Peacock ink pads plus adhesives, including Thin 3-D Foam Dots or Tape. Now let’s take a closer look at the cards. 

This kit includes the materials to make 16 cards pages. In the kit you get a full color printed workshop guide with step-by-step directions. If you’d like more instruction on this kit, Close To My Heart is hosting a virtual workshop on June 16. Details coming soon on the Close To My Heart Facebook page.

Keep creating!

Rebecca

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Eagle Ridge Ranch Memories using Aurora Scrapbooking Workshop

I love the pages I made with the Aurora Scrapbooking Workshop. In this post, I’ll show you my the modifications I made to these pages and how I finished them off with my photos from our trip to a ranch in Idaho a couple years ago. 

One thing I LOVE about these workshops is that you can assemble them exactly like the samples, tweak to fit your pictures or use the pieces to completely do your own thing. I’m a “tweaker”. Usually, I change them up to add more pictures. As you’ll see when you look at my pages, I was able to fit a lot more photos without loosing the integrity of the designs. The samples for these pages had 14 photos, but my completed pages have 38! This was accomplished with minor changes to the pages and adding Flip Flaps andPocket Plusprotectors.You can see them all in the video at the end of this post. 

Before I show you the rest of my pages, let’s take a look at the kit. 

The contents include:

  • Aurora Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet (X7256S)
  • Additional cardstock sheets (1 Eggplant, 1 Peacock, 1 Sage)
  • Exclusive die-cut sheets
  • Aurora Acrylic Shapes (X7256E)
  • 4 Top-load 12″ × 12″ Memory Protectors™ photo placeholders
  • Printed instructions

Here’s a look at the sample pages that are shown in the directions for the kit.

I love these kits because they give me ready-to-assemble pages, but with the freedom to make them my own. I only made minor changes to the Fresh Air layout at the top of this post including replacing the 3″ x 4″ photo in the top right with a 4″ x 6″ — I just couldn’t crop off that beautiful scene showing the mountain top where we stayed. Since the photo mats were cut from the included piece of Eggplant cardstock, this was an easy change. 

The second single page in the workshop has an interactive spinner element. As I was assembling this page, I struggled with how to give viewer of my album access to the spinner. I considered cutting the page protector, but instead moved so that the turner is just beyond the top edge of the paper so that it extends outside of the memory protector. I rearranged the pieces further to fit four photos on the page.

For the first two-page layout, I replaced combined two 3″ x 3″ photos on the left side into a 3″ x 6″. Once again, this change was easy since the photo mats are cut from a full sheet of Peacock cardstock. On the right side, I moved the photos and journaling spot over to make room for a series of photos of the horses we enjoyed visiting on our walks. There was plenty of the Peacock paper left to create a mat for these photos too.

For the last layout, I pretty much followed the workshop guide. However, for this whole set of pages I had additional photos that I wanted to include that did not fit. I accomplished that by adding several flip flaps and using pocket plus protectors between the pages. Here’s a quick video showing the completed set of pages. 

This kit includes the materials to make 6 scrapbook pages. In the kit you get a full color printed workshop guide with step-by-step directions. If you’d like more instruction on this kit, Close To My Heart is hosting a virtual workshop on June 23. Details coming soon on the Close To My Heart Facebook page. 

I hope this post has given you some ideas about modifying kits and patterns to fit your photos and memories. 

Keep creating!

Rebecca

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Memorial Day Sale: Military & Patriotic stamp sets and more!

In celebration of Memorial Day, Close To My Heart issued two new patriotic stamp sets and broght back several military-themed stamp sets. These sets are specially made for projects that celebrate America and honor those who serve.

Start shopping now>>

A wide variety of other popular crafting items and exclusive product bundles have also been discounted up to 30% in the sale. For example this pack of 18 sheets of red, white and blue cardstock is just $9.95.

The sale also include decorative paper packs, glitter paper, ribbon, tools, home decor items, how-to book, albums and memory protectors. While the sale runs through Monday, a limited quantity of some of these items are available, so they may run out sooner. 

Start shopping now>>

Here’s a closer look at those special stamp sets.


Back in 2013, I made this card with the last set, Home of the Brave. I love the layered stamping of the flag. This set continues to be a favorite of mine. 

These offers will only be available until 11:59 pm (MDT) on Monday, May 25, while supplies last!

Start shopping now>>

Happy Creating, 

Rebecca