CTMH White Pines Holiday Layouts

Using the new White Pines paper collection from Close To My Heart, along with the matching complements and assortment, I created these two 2 page layouts.  

Be Merry, Be Bright

Believe

I then taught the wonderful ladies in my monthly scrapbook club how to make them for our October meeting.  It's great to get a jump on the holidays and have pages ready to put our photos from Christmas gatherings.

2 Scrapbook Layouts Using the CTMH Nevermore Paper Collection

I wanted to share the 2 layouts that I made using the new Nevermore paper collection from Close To My Heart.  These papers are saturated with color as well as trendy.  Look carefully at some of the patterned paper and you will see Steampunk images!

Both layouts were created using:

Nevermore Paper Pack
Nevermore Complements
Nevermore Assortment
Frightfully Fun stamp set

As well as images (titles and overlay) cut from the CTMH Cricut Artbooking cartridge.

CTMH Inks - What's the difference and which type should I use for my project?

As paper crafters, inks are an important part of our art.  Did you know that every ink is not created equally? It's true!  Different projects may require different types of ink.  A scrapbooker may wish to ink the edges of their layouts or stamp images as a background and will need a water-based ink.  Whereas a card maker that uses alcohol pens or water colors to color their images will want to use an archival ink that will not bleed.

Close To My Heart knows that all inks are not created for the same purpose and carries all types for all projects.  They have created this guide below to help you decide which is best for the artwork that you are creating. 

Exclusive Inks™ stamp pads: Our Exclusive Inks™ stamp pads, including our Black Exclusive Inks pads, are water-based dye inks. The dye ink absorbs directly into your paper and allows the colors to blend easily with the material. They dry quickly and blend easily. These inks are recommended for most stamping projects, but not for projects where you plan on using watercolors or coloring with alcohol markers after stamping the image.
 
Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ stamp pad: Our Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ stamp pad is our archival ink offering. This pad quickly sets an image that you can then color in using watercolor pencils, watercolors, or water-based inks with the blending pen.
 
Exclusive Inks™ Mini Pigment Pad Sets: Pigment inks behave differently from dye inks, in that they settle on top of your material rather than soaking into it. This allows you to stamp lighter colors on darker materials and to keep the true color of the ink pad when stamping on another color. Though they take longer to dry, when dried, they work well for coloring in with your markers or watercolor inks, as the pigment inks will form a permanent bond and will resist blending when you color over them.

StazOn™ ink pad: StazOn™ is specifically formulated for stamping on non-porous materials. Because StazOn is solvent-based, this ink works well when stamping an image that you will later color over with watercolors, but it is not ideal for use with alcohol markers.
 
Memento™ Tuxedo Black ink pad: The Memento™ ink pad gives you another archival quality ink pad that works for any stamping project and can be used with alcohol markers, watercolors, or any of our other coloring options.

See the variety of colors to choose from on my website at: Create With Care

Say Hello to Zoe from Close To My Heart!

Hello, Zoe...Hello, Gorgeous!!

The new Annual Inspirations Idea Book will go live on September 1, 2015.  To get everyone excited and to start the fun, Close To My Heart has released the first paper collection, Zoe, for immediate sale!  I am in love with this paper! The featured colors in the palette are Canary, Glacier, Slate, Sorbet, Sweet Leaf, Whisper and White Daisy.  Honestly, the Sorbet really spoke to me.  It just popped out of the pack and became the focus of these cards for me.

I pulled in the Slate and Sweet Leaf as accents when I stamped my sentiment, but again, Sorbet became the focal color as I used it to stamp the frame outline as you can see in the photo below.

I cut the flowers and frame from the Close To My Heart Artfully Sent Cricut cartridge.  The sentiments came from one of the three coordinating stamp sets.

I used Oceanside and Coral Reef sequins to add a bit of accent and embellishment.  I love how the sequins mimic the dots on the paper!

Please get this paper pack asap!  You will love its brightness and cheeriness and I know it will inspire you as it has me.

Close To My Heart New Product Announcements for 2016

2016 Annual Inspirations

It's here!  The brand new Annual Inspirations Idea Book from Close To My Heart!  Starting September 1, 2016 this new book is live to view on my website and, of course, purchase from!  

Annual Inspirations

Let me give you a sneak peak of the paper collection wonderfulness contained in its pages!

Zoe

Sangria

Urban

Georgie

La Vie En Rose

Kaleidoscope

Tea Bag Holder with CTMH Blossom and Treats of Friendship

Following up on my previous post featuring a card made from the fabulous Treats of Friendship stamp set and the new Blossom paper pack, I wanted to share this coordinating tea bag holder that is a perfect little gift for a friend, teacher, co-worker.

Individually wrapped tea bags or chocolate squares slide perfectly into the inside pouch!

An adorable holder for tea bags or chocolate squares!

Surprise!

For the exterior of the holder...

Lagoon cardstock base (included in the Blossom paper pack) cut at: 3 1/2" x 7 3/4"

On your scoreboard, place your paper landscape view and

score at 3 1/2" and 4 1/4"

Fold on score lines

Sorbet cardstock (included in the Blossom paper pack) cut at:  3 1/4" x 3 1/4"

Blossom B&T patterned paper cut at 3" x 3"

Before adhering your layered squares to the front, take approximately 18" of Bakers Twine or ribbon and attach underneath front squares to anchor.

For the interior tea bag holder...

Blossom B&T patterned paper cut at: 6" x 7"

On your scoreboard, place your paper portrait view and

score at 1/2" and 3 1/4"

Turn to landscape view and

score at 3 1/8" and 3 7/8"

Fold on score lines

Adhere at the 1/2" fold making a long sleeve

Use a circle punch on each end of your sleeve to make a decorative edge to slide your tea bags in and out.

Adhere the center of the sleeve to the center of the holder.

Embellish the outside with the "A Little Treat for You" sentiment stamped in Sorbet ink on the tea bag shape that is coordinated and cut out from the CTMH Artbooking Cricut cartridge.

Add a mix of Coral Reef Sequins and Oceanside Sequins for extra bling!

Thanks to Stamping with Stace for this great idea!

CTMH Seasonal Expressions 2 - Blossom and Treats of Friendship

Treats of Friendship stamp with Blossom paper pack

Those that know me, know that I love anything coffee or tea!  So, naturally when I saw the "Treats of Friendship" stamp set in the new Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book (you will be able to view and order starting April 1st!) from Close To My Heart I had to have it.  It was the first item on my shopping list.  Take a look at all the fun images...

Treats of Friendship - Item # C1616

The red outlined shape indicates that there is a matching Cricut cut on one of our cartridges.  In this case it is Artbooking.  

Use our Shin-Han markers to color your tea and cup!

I couldn't decide if I preferred the stamped image plain or colored in with our Shin-Han alcohol markers.  What do you think?

Here's how I made the card using our new Blossom paper pack:

• Cut a 4" x 8" piece of Lagoon cardstock
• Score at 4" and fold in half for your base
• Cut a 3 3/4" x 3 3/4" square of patterned paper and adhere to the base
• Adhere a strip of Smoothie Striped Washi Tape from edge to edge
• Cut the tea bag shape on your Cricut at 3" with the Real Dial Size on.
• Stamp the steam in Desert Sand ink
• Stamp the cup in Lagoon ink
• Stamp the sentiment in Sunset ink
• Adhere with pop squares
• Embellish with Coral Reef Sequins
• Used retired Baker's Twine to add the tea bag strings

I hope you find as many wonderful uses for this stamp set as I have!  Stay tuned to see the adorable tea bag holder that I've made.  I will feature it in my next post.

Enjoy!