April 2016 CTMH Newletter

Let Your Creativity Set Sail

Whatever you create, you can bet it will be shipshape when you use the nautical-themed Regatta paper packet and its coordinating accessories. See the complete collection! »

You deserve to be rewarded, and during April, becoming a Close To My Heart Consultant is more rewarding than ever! When you sign up and submit qualifying sales in your first 30 days, you can earn a free Cricut® collection of your choice or $100 Select Product Credit! Learn more »

April Stamp of the Month: Life in Pictures Vintage cameras and timeless phrases team up in April's Stamp of the Month, which can be yours for just $5 . Find out how »

Marianne Hancock
Close To My Heart Independent Consultant

CTMH January Special - Live Your Day

 Thank you for joining me on this blog hop featuring Close To My Heart's January Special - Live Your Day. A blog hop is just a circle with links on each post to continue to the next blog to see what they've created. If you're coming from Scrappin' Katy's Blog you're on the right track. I know you saw something fabulous while you were there!

I wanted to do something a little different with the Picture My Life cards instead of the usual "making a scrapbook layout". I'd seen where other people were using them for cards and I hadn't tried that yet. So, I picked out one of the 4x6 cards with a sentiment that I thought would make a great card. Since it was a little large for a standard size card, I thought it would work better on a 5x7. With a little cropping and rounding of the corners, I made it fit on the card without covering up the whole thing.

I put a black mat with rounded corners on it. Then, I embossed a 4x7 Thistle cardstock with the heart embossing folder and sanded it so the heart would stand out. I attached it to the front of the card that I had already cut down to 4" to give a little peek a boo look from the front. I found a leftover cricut cut from another project in Cotton Candy cardstock that had hearts with a scallopped border. It was originally a frame so I just cut the frame part off and attached to the back at the bottom of the PML card. I used a heart from the Penelope Complements up in the corner of the inside and finished it off with clear Sparkle.

 

I hope you like my card! Please feel free to leave a comment before you head on over to the next stop on the hop at the Heart and Soul Scrapper. 

Thanks for stopping by and if you would like to take advantage of the Live your Life Picture My Life Cards, I'd love for you to shop with me! Now through the end of January you can get them for 8.95.

   

Technique Blog Hop - Bokeh Stamping

The Technique Blog Hop is designing something with the Bokeh Technique. It's a really fun stamping technique where you make the background with 2-3 (or more) different colors of ink on watercolor paper. Then you use white pigment ink to create circles on top of the colors to make it look like a photography technique.

If you're coming from Darlys' Crafty Happy Blog you're on the right track!

The colors I chose were some of my favorites - Lagoon, Gypsy, and Thistle! I just used the stamp pads with ink squeezed onto the lid since I don't have those reinkers, yet. You just add the watered down ink to the dampened watercolor paper...not too wet or your colors will be too light. Then, using different sized circles, I sponged White Daisy ink - overlapping in some places to look light spots of light. You need to let the paper dry in between steps or the inks will just blend together.

To finish off the card, I stamped Happy birthday with Stazon Jet Black ink, added some strips of shimmer trim, glitzed it up with sparkles, and even used the remains from dovetailing the shimmer trim to add a bit of interest at the top of the card. Then, it was mounted to Lagoon cardstock and popped up off the White Daisy card base with 3-D Foam Tape.
 
These are some of the other supplies I used to make this card:
D1646 Finding The Words stamp set
Z3086 Aqua Shimmer Trim
Z1752 Sparkles Assortment 
Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

Now, hop along to see what Jen's Messy Studio has created!

CTMH Paper Blog Hop - La Vie En Rose

Welcome to our monthly CTMH Paper Blog Hop! This month we are featuring La Vie En Rose. It's a beautiful combination of neutrals in Black and White Daisy with Pomegranate & Poppy to coordinate with the lovely floral paper included in the pack.

If you're coming from Katy's Blog, you're already enjoying some beautiful artwork.

What A Difference Color Makes!

When you're playing around in Studio J and you can't find just the right paper to make your project just right, don't forget that you can change the color of the paper to fit your project.

Here's how I made the Superhero paper look totally different just by changing the color of the paper.

Here's wishing you a very happy 2016!!! I hope you take the time to try out Studio J for your scrapbooking this year. It makes it so fast and easy to preserve your favorite memories of your busy life. I would love to show you just how easy it is!

CTMH Paper Pack Focus - Kaleidoscope

This month our paper focus is featuring Kaleidoscope. A beautiful spring-like paper that just makes you go ahhh! If you're coming from Tonya's Blog you're on the right track. I chose a layout in Studio J that I could show off all the pretty paper. The original design called for photos on the left and right sides. I changed the photo spots to journaling spots and just removed the journaling. Then, I put the different paper in there. The buttons were already in the design and I decided purple was the color they needed to be. I changed the photos to black and white so Abigail's pink dress didn't take away from the paper. I added a bit of journaling, some borders and stitching to finish it all off.

I hope you feel inspired by my creation and will go to Studio J and log in or create an account if you don't already have one and try your hand at it. I hope you'll let me see your design and if you need any help, I'm here for you.
Now, keep on hopping in the hop and go to Katy's Blog to see her artwork!

Available December 1 : Everyday Life™

Our new, beautiful Everyday Life™ Planner system will help you stay organized in style. Order yours beginning December 1 ! »

Cyberweek Sale!

Save big on a wide variety of items tailored to your gift-giving needs. Get these deals while they last! »

CTMH Christmas Crafts Blog Hop

Take a look to get some great DIY ideas!

We're showcasing Christmas crafts on the Heartfelt Sentiments Team Blog Hop this month!  It might be a Christmas card, a stocking stuffer, or any kind of papercrafting artwork. Those last minute gift ideas or gift card holders you can recreate are priceless this time of year!

If you're coming from Melissa Robinson's Blog, you're on the right track!

My creation is a gift item that would be good for a quick kids gift or anyone who likes pretty stars.

Plan Ahead!

Raise your hand if you have used planners for years and cannot imagine life without them. Now, let’s see a show of hands from those of you who may think you’re not “the planner type.” But are you actually the planner type? Answer these questions to find out! Are you a visual learner who loves to see your days laid out in front of you? Are you someone who can’t remember anything unless you physically write it down? Or are you a loyalist who prefers the purity of paper over electronics?
If you answered “yes” to even one of these questions, then get excited. Why? Because, as we announced at Brisbane Convention, we have created our own planner that we’ll be making available for order later this month! Take a look!

First, get your hands on our adorable three-ringed Everyday Life™ album. Its black cover with a gold foil floral design is sure to be the envy of all your friends. Then grab the Everyday Life™ 2016 planner pages, which include weekly and monthly spreads to help you focus in on the daily details but also remember your plans for the entire month. The planner pages also include four sheets of colorful label stickers, 12 trendy monthly dividers with tabs, and a bookmark-style page finder to help you turn quickly to the current day. To help you store receipts, fliers, and more, there’s also a pocket folder page. Is that organized or what?
Personalize your pages even more with the Everyday Life™ Perfect Plan roller stamp, which has phrases like “shopping list,” “no school,” and “don’t forget.” We’ve designed this roller stamp to coordinate with the label stickers; simply place the label sticker in your planner, and then stamp the phrase of your choice onto it. With several colors to choose from, you can color coordinate your reminders for organization perfection!
So pull out your current planner, family calendar, or even a Post-It note, and write this down: order the Close To My Heart planner as soon as it is available, later in November. We know this is a reminder you’ll appreciate all year long!