April 7, 2020Community, Create, Memory Keeping, organization

FREE Let’s Stay Home SVGs!

Close To My Heartalbum cover, alone together, corona, coronavirus, covid, covid-19, current events, free, home, Let's Stay Home, Memory Keeping, news, scrapbook, story, storytelling, svg, We're All in This Together 8 Comments

Over the last few weeks the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reshaped many of our lives. A lot of us are working from home, our children are dismissed from school, shops and stores we customarily frequent are either closed or understocked, and even a lot of outdoor venues, such as parks and playgrounds, are also off limits. As a society, we have had to pull ourselves together and come up with creative ways to continue doing the things that need to get done and to live life.

At Close To My Heart, we are committed to helping the storyteller in you share and preserve all of your new and unique experiences. Late last month, we created and released the Let’s Stay Home stamp set, which reflects these strange and unparallel times.

In the video below, you will see how some of our Home Office friends used the Let’s Stay Home stamp set to create engaging scrapbook pages reflecting how the lives of their families have been impacted by our current events.

As this “alone together” journey continues, we’ve designed two Let’s Stay Home coordinating SVG images that you can download FREE for use with your favorite design software. (An SVG image is resolution independent and infinitely scalable, meaning it will look clear and crisp at any size.) Click on the images below and save them for your own personal use.

Seamlessly cut these timely titles out of cardstock to use on a scrapbook page, as shown below, along with the Let’s Stay Home stamp set.

These titles, when paired with vinyl, also make great album covers, providing a beautiful place to collect all of the memories you are making right now.

Keep documenting how life has changed for you and yours. Collect news stories, memes, photos, and, most importantly, collect your own personal experiences and stories. We wish you all love, joy, happiness, and health, today and every day. <3

Recipes:

6″ x 8″ Let’s Stay Home Album Cover
Let’s Stay Home SVG, Z3571 White Heat Transfer Vinyl, Z3575 Metallic Rose Gold Heat Transfer Vinyl, Z4219 Black 6″ x 8″ Everyday Life™ Album

8½” x 11″ We’re All in This Together Album Cover
We’re All in This Together SVG, Z3577 Old Gold Glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl, Z5310 Charcoal 8½” x 11″ Everyday Life™ Album

12″ x 12″ We’re All in This Together Page
We’re All in This Together SVG, CC3212 My Acrylix® Let’s Stay Home Stamp Set, X7255B Seas the Day Paper Packet, CC3202 These Are My People Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, CC3204 These Are My People Coordinating Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4244 Stencil Sheets, Z6502 Peach Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2848 Sapphire Peach Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3507 Julep Glitter Gems, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z341 Glue Dots® Mini Dots, Cricut® Artistry Collection

Cricut Shape:
Artistry
#M4188DF

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March 31, 2020Create, Learn, Memory Keeping

4 Antiquing Techniques to Have up Your Sleeve!

Close To My Heartancestor, antique, antiquing, distress, Family, family history, heat embossing, heritage, marker, memories, paper crinkling, preserve, sponging, technique, timeless, Yesterday & Today, Yesterday and Today 4 Comments

Now that we’re all confined to our homes for a few weeks, how many of you find that you’ve got more time to devote to your cardmaking and scrapbooking? (There’s always a silver lining, right? 😉 ) Since we’re spending additional time in our creative spaces, we’ve got a few antiquing and distressing techniques for you to try during your next crafting sesh!

All of the techniques that we are sharing today were paired with the elegant and timeless designs of the Yesterday & Today paper collection and are featured in our Yesterday & Today cardmaking and scrapbooking workshops. (Download the free guides by clicking on the links below.)

Yesterday & Today cardmaking workshop guide (US and CA)
Yesterday & Today cardmaking workshop guide (AU and NZ)

Yesterday & Today scrapbooking workshop guide (US and CA)
Yesterday & Today scrapbooking workshop guide (AU and NZ)

One tried and true way to give patterned papers, cardstock, and die-cuts an aged look is by sponging the edges in a darker color.

Before rolling the spiral die-cuts that form the 3-D flowers in this layout, we sponged their edges with Toffee ink to make them look like they’ve been around for a while.

Technique: Rub a sponge on the stamp pad to load it with ink. Then, lightly rub the outside edges with the sponge until the desired color is achieved.

The darkened parts make the pieces appear weathered, like they’ve been exposed to the elements over time causing the original colors to change.

Alcohol markers can be used to create a similar effect in a more controlled way.

If you’ve got embellishments that are too bright for the antique look that you are hoping to achieve, simply pull out a brown marker in a shade that works for your project and start adding years to your art by coloring pieces in.

Technique: Color bright pieces with a brown alcohol marker.

In this next technique we literally distress paper to give it a weathered and older appearance.

These crinkled flower petals were almost literally put through the wringer before their edges were sponged with Toffee ink.

Technique: Lightly mist paper with water and carefully crumple it into a small ball; then open it up and flatten it back out. Allow the paper to dry before sponging the edges with ink.

This last technique is featured in our Yesterday & Today cardmaking workshop and can be applied in all sorts of paper crafts.

We called this technique antique heat embossing.

Technique: Rub your work surface with an anti-static pouch. Emboss the image by stamping with Espresso pigment ink, sprinkle the wet image with embossing powder, shake off any excess powder, and heat with a heat tool until the powder and ink melt together. Lightly sponge on top of the embossed image with ink to create an antique look.

Follow along with Karen, our Art Studio Director, in the video below to see how to effectively apply this technique to smaller pieces.

We hope that you can take some time during this period of increased social distancing to continue working on your talents and craft. Learn something new and practice the techniques we shared with you today to preserve the memories you are making now as well as the stories of your past.

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March 25, 2020Create, Inspiration

Innovative Ways for Using Windows in Your Papercrafts

Close To My Heartcard, coffee, innovative, layout, sand, shaker window, tag, window 3 Comments

We’re going to shake things up a bit today by taking a closer look at some innovative ways to use the shaker windows we all know and love!

For the most basic shaker windows (which are still so much fun!), sequins and paper confetti are placed over a plain or stamped background. However, you can take a shaker window to new heights by switching up your base and adding a few fun embellishments to the exterior of the window.

In this card, a few adhesive-backed dots from our Seas the Day collection turned a plain white overlay into a ship’s porthole. Looking into the window, you can see how artistically torn cardstock has formed white-cap waves by exposing the paper’s white core. When these elements come together, it creates a whimsical card any ocean lover will be thrilled with!

Another way to dress up your shaker windows is to fill them with unique elements. Replacing sequins or paper with a few unexpected parts is a great way to turn the tables on familiar shaker windows.

By bringing some sand home from a fun day at the beach, you can preserve a bit of the actual setting along with the memories you made there.

Any mocha enthusiast will love these fun coffee bean cards!

If you plan to include larger shaker elements in your windows, you should plan to double-stack your 3-D foam tape to leave enough room for the shaker elements inside to move around.

If you really want to add a unique flair to your shaker windows, you can try adding some small die-cut shapes to the interior of your shaker.

By combining these miniature stamped shapes with a few sequins pieces, it’s easy to put your own mark on your cards!

One last example to shake things up your windows is to use them in creative places. In this post, we’ve shown you how to incorporate shaker windows into cards and even scrapbook layouts, but in this example, you can see how a basic shaker window also makes an unforgettable gift tag.

How are you using windows in your paper crafts? Do you use them in cards, scrapbook pages, or in a unique way? Share your fun and innovative ideas with all of us, below!

Recipes

4¼” x 5½” Enjoy the Journey Card (Vertical)
Z3659 Seas the Day—Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7255S Seas the Day Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6042 Mint Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2825 Mink Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2848 Sapphire Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7255G Seas the Day Die-cuts, X7255F Seas the Day Dots, Z2900 Silver Start Confetti, Z4221 Mink Twine, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3224 Small Round Waterbrush, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4309 Shaker Window & Confetti Thin Cuts, Z4310 Shaker Window Foam & Acetate, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Die-cutting Machine

6″ x 8″ Sunny Days Layout
C1827 My Acrylix® Seas the Day—Cardmaking Stamp Set, D1913 My Acrylix® Seas the Day—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, X7255S Seas the Day Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X9013 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X5962 Goldrush Cardstock, X5946 Linen Cardstock, X6044 Peach Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, Z3239 Silver Glitter Paper, Z2823 Goldrush Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6502 Peach Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2896 Smoothie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2900 Silver Star Confetti, Z2901 Seashell Sequins, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z3661 Peach Shimmer Brush, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4309 Shaker Window + Confetti Thin Cuts, Z4310 Shaker Window Foam & Acetate, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Die-cutting Machine, Sand

4¼” x 5½” Cocoa Card (Horizontal)
Z3537 Perk Up Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7249B Hawthorn Paper Packet, X5951 Espresso Cardstock, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X5947 Mink Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, Z2829 Espresso Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3553 Acrylic Hearts, Z4235 Loose Gold Sequins, Z4196 White Ribbon, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z2478 Earth Brown TriBlend™ Marker, Z3560 Golden Rod Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z4309 Shaker Window & Confetti Thin Cuts, Z4310 Shaker Window Foam & Acetate, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Die-cutting Machine, Coffee Beans

4¼” x 5½” Latte Card (Vertical)
Z3537 Perk Up Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7249B Hawthorn Paper Packet, X5951 Espresso Cardstock, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X5947 Mink Cardstock, Z2829 Espresso Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2825 Mink Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6502 Peach Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3553 Acrylic Hearts, Z4235 Loose Gold Sequins, Z4196 White Ribbon, Z4309 Shaker Window & Confetti Thin Cuts, Z4310 Shaker Window Foam & Acetate, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Die-cutting Machine, Coffee Beans

4¼” x 5 ½” Best Fishes to You Card (Vertical)\
S2004 My Acrylix® O-fish-ally Awesome Stamp Set, X7255B Seas the Day Paper Packet, X5982 Canary Cardstock, X6042 Mint Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2849 Peacock Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2828 Toffee Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z4221 Mink Twine, Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim, Z2901 Seashell Sequins, Z3661 Peach Shimmer Brush, Z3557 Cool Mint Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3563 Diamond Stickles Glitter Gel, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4309 Shaker Window & Confetti Thin Cuts, Z4310 Shaker Window Foam & Acetate, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Die-cutting Machine

4¼” x 5½” You Make Life Sparkle Card (Horizontal)
Z3706 Unicorn Dreams Stamp + Thin Cuts, X6036 Ballerina Cardstock, X5982 Canary Cardstock, X6041 Lilac Cardstock, X5976 Thistle Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3239 Silver Glitter Paper, Z2843 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6503 Mint Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6502 Peach Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2896 Smoothie Exclusive inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2840 Thistle Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z2482 Citrus TriBlend™ Marker, Z2490 Ice Blue TriBlend™ Marker, Z2496 Pale Pink TriBlend™ Marker, Z3563 Diamond Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z2067 Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z4309 Shaker Window & Confetti Thin Cuts, Z4310 Shaker Window Foam & Acetate, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Die-cutting Machine

2½” Life Is Sweeter Tag
C1835 My Acrylix® Sentiments & Stitches Stamp Set, X5984 Pixie Cardstock, X5974 Raspberry Cardstock, X6032 Wisteria Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6514 Wisteria Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3566 Julep Loose Sequins, Z3553 Acrylic Hearts, Z3570 Wisteria Ribbon, Z4196 White Ribbon, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z2900 Silver Star Confetti, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4309 Shaker Window & Confetti Thin Cuts, Z4310 Shaker Window Foam & Acetate, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Die-cutting Machine, Hole Punch

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March 17, 2020Celebrate, Community, Create, Learn, Memory Keeping

From Stacy Julian: World Storytelling Day Giveaway!

Close To My Heartbirthday, Celebrate Today, Connected Story, Extended Story, Memory Protectors Combo Pack, Stacy Julian, Story by Stacy, story fyi, Storyteller, storytelling 166 Comments

Since today is St. Patrick’s Day 🍀I want to remind us all—Irish or not—how very LUCKY we are to be able to document and preserve stories.

Our daily lives have been turned upside down in so many ways right now and we’re all growing accustomed to that uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty. One of the very best things we can do is actually turn to our love of documenting to both capture what’s happening around us for the future and to remember and revive happy moments from our past. Both of these actions have been proven to be sources of strength and calm in times of crisis.

The kind of storytelling that is most helpful is the kind that illustrates connections to our past and reminds us how much doesn’t change. This storytelling is easier than you might suspect—especially with the concept of extended and connected stories available in the Storyteller how-to book.

Extended stories use layers of Memory Protectors™ and lots of photos mixed in with spots of journaling that share both the expected and the unexpected details. When those details point to another person, place or related thing then a connection is created.

Here, let me show you …

When I was working in my studio on this extended story for Addie’s birthday, she came into the room, looked at the 5″ x7″ photo on the first page and said, “My teeth! They were so big.” I replied, “Guess what? I, too, had big teeth when I was your age!” And right then I got an idea. Why not find a photo of me at age 9 and add it to this layout? This, my friends, is a connection. Addie is no longer just a cute girl celebrating a birthday, she is a cute girl who feels connected to her mother because her mother also passed through the big teeth phase of childhood.

Connections also pull details from photos that the casual observer might miss. Using the photo of Addie and her friends, just before they jumped into the pool, I was able to discern that girls between the ages of 8 and 10 clearly prefer to wear their goggles when jumping (and being photographed!). This example may be a bit silly, but there will always be “little known fact” details about life, culture, location, or any activity available to you that can be highlighted in your journaling and that will draw simple, but interesting connections from your story.

One of the primary reasons I love this approach to storytelling is ALL of these fun pockets. I get to include more photos and capture a more comprehensive representation of (in this case) a birthday party!

Look, here, at the second 4″ x 3″ pocket from the top. Another connection! When you share bits of your own memories from the past, as you document events in the present, you will always improve your story and your storytelling skills. Of course, the Story FYI stamps are designed to help you add these “did you know” details.

So, let’s review. An extended story is simply one that uses layers of memory protectors to include more photos and more story. A connected story is an extended story that includes journaled details from another person, place or time. These connections enrich your story and make it more fun for you and your audience.

Watch this full story experience with Addie and keep on telling those stories. They matter and the perspective you gain as a storyteller will bless you with a wonderful sense of confidence and calm, even when life gets crazy!

Story Tip: I love the personality of handwritten journaling, but sometimes it makes more sense to use your computer. You can include both styles in an extended story! Whenever you hear yourself say, “I don’t know what to write!” Make a list. Your brain is exceptionally good at listing out details—there’s not much “writing” involved, and you can list things in random order. A list of 9 things for a 9^th birthday is totally doable!

Giveaway: Would you like the opportunity to win a free Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, Memory Protectors™ Combo Pack, and a My Acrylix® Story FYI stamp set? Make sure you are subscribed to this blog and leave a comment below sharing what you love most about extended and connected stories. This Friday, March 20^th, is World Storytelling Day. At noon (MST) on Friday, five lucky winners will be chosen and later notified via email. Let’s all tell our stories, especially those that we are currently living. Best of luck friends! <3

Love,
Stacy

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March 10, 2020Celebrate, Create

A Cardmaking Kit Worth Your While!

Close To My Heartbox, cardmaking, cards, Craft with Heart, cut above, subscription 3 Comments

Calling all card makers (and want to be card makers)! Our new Craft with Heart™ cardmaking kit is out and ready to ship to your door! This DIY subscription box is bursting with beautiful pre-printed card bases, die-cuts, and stickers, as well as silver star-shaped confetti, shaker window foam and acetate pieces, a stamp block, a mini ink pad, and an exclusive My Acrylix^® stamp set! ~Swoon!~

The January–April 2020 subscription box comes with all of the materials you need to create a set of 24 gorgeous handmade cards, 2 each of the 12 unique designs shown below. An inspirational guide included in this crafty box not only shows you how to assemble each of the cards but also offers ideas on which stamp sentiments to use with each card.

If you’re a busy seasoned card maker or someone who’s been hesitant to give this personalized craft a try, the Craft with Heart program is especially wonderful because anyone who puts just a teensy bit of effort can successfully create stunning artwork quickly and with ease.

Keep up with all the occasions life brings your way with one of our Craft with Heart™ subscriptions. You choose whether you’d like your subscription to renew every 4 months or, for a better value, once a year. For a closer look at all of our Craft with Heart™ options, visit our website, HERE. Remember, this cardmaking subscription box is only available through the end of April. A new box, with a new set of cards and designs, will be available beginning May 1st!

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March 5, 2020Celebrate, Community, Inspiration, Memory Keeping

From Jeanette: YOU Are MY People!

Close To My Heartalbum, birthday, campaign, Celebrate, CEO, Community, consultant, cut above, Family, Founder, free, giveaway, grand prize, Jeanette, kit, lynton, March, mini album, my people, persnickety, prize, promotion, sticky boy, sticky girl, you are my people 33 Comments

As many of you know, March is a special time of year around Close To My Heart: It’s my birthday month! Every year, as my birthday approaches, I can’t help but reflect on life. I like to reevaluate how and where I spend my time, and especially with whom. I’m not perfect, but I believe in making every moment count and living life to its fullest, and when I look at the wonderful people who have walked by my side over the past 35 plus years, I am blessed to know that I am doing just that!

Thank you for always asking about me and my family. Thank you for your dedication to this wonderful community that we have created, together. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for believing in me and my vision for Close To My Heart, and for making dreams come true day in and day out. You, my dear Consultants and readers, are MY people! I could not ask for a better group of women to share my life with. I am truly blessed to have you and love you all so much!

For my birthday, I want to celebrate you, the wonderful people in my life. One way I plan on doing this is through the special that we just launched on March 1^st, These Are My People. One of my favorite products in this special is the These Are My People Cut Above® kit. (All of the pages that you are seeing today are from this kit, complete with pictures of our wonderful Close To My Heart Consultants! <3 )

This kit is designed to create a 6″ x 8″ album with an opening page, a closing page, and eight two-page layouts in between, each page aimed at celebrating special relationships. What better product could I ask for to say thank you to all of you?

The beautiful collection of products available through the These Are My People campaign, especially the workshops and the Cut Above^®kit, are truly an embodiment of the Close To My Heart mission.

For the next three weeks, until my birthday on the 27^th, we will keep track of everyone who purchases one of these Cut Above^® kits. At noon (MST) on my birthday, I will pick 4 of you to receive a prize containing an Everyday Life™ album in the color of your choice, one of our journaling pens of your choice, and an additional These Are My People Cut Above®kit. A fifth winner will also be picked for a grand prize. This lucky person will receive the album, pen, and Cut Above kit, as well as a $50 (USD) credit to Persnickety Prints, and a Sticky Boy and Sticky Girl stamp (because they are some of my favorite people, too!)!

My sweet friends, I hope you know that I love you and cherish the moments we get to share together. I encourage you to do your best to live your best life with those who matter most and express your love and gratitude every day. And, if you’re searching for a community of crafters that are more of a family than anything else, you’ve come to the right place and are welcome here.

With all my love,
Jeanette

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February 25, 2020Create, Learn

Color Combinations with an Updated CTMH Color Wheel!

Close To My HeartCelebrate Today, color combination, color theory, color wheel, colour combination, colour theory, Colour Wheel, Love of Color, love of colour, Oh My Heart, wheel 3 Comments

As we kick off March, our color and design ideas naturally shift from Valentine pinks and reds to springy greens and yellows. If you purchased our Oh My Heart suite earlier this year, you may find yourself with leftover papers covered in lovey-dovey hues and themes. With the help of our zip strips and our newly updated Close To My Heart color wheel (find it below!), let’s explore a few ideas of how to use up those pink papers outside of Valentine’s day.

Oh My Heart Paper Packet

Have you noticed that each of our pattern papers come with an additional ½” accent paper strip along the top? On one side we provide a bonus design that coordinates effortlessly with the rest of the paper collection and on the other side there’s a bunch of fine print that most people ignore and tend not to read. 😉

On the informational side of these zip strips you will find the name of the collection along with a list of the featured colors from our exclusive palette that were used in the designs of that collection. As you can see from above, the Oh My Heart pattern papers (and stickers) are designed with Ballerina, Candy Apple, Glacier, Lemonade, Pixie, Raspberry, Smoothie, and White Daisy.

If you struggle with creating color combinations, a zip strip is a great place to start, especially if you’re looking to combine papers from different collections.

For example, the cards below were created using four patterns from the Oh My Heart paper packet. These were paired with the Celebrate Today paper packet + sticker sheet and the new Mix-in paper packet (which is specifically designed to coordinate seamlessly with other paper collections).

Comparing the zip strips of all three paper packets, you can see that they have several colors in common.

Ballerina, Lemonade, and White Daisy can be found in all three paper suites. Oh My Heart and Celebrate Today also share Pixie and Raspberry, and, as designed, Celebrate Today and the Mix-in papers have several other colors in common (Black, Evergreen, Lagoon, and Nectarine).

When you look at the zip strips on your papers, you will find color combinations that have already been created for you! All you have to do is pull a pattern paper from one collection and combine it with the pattern paper from another featuring matching colors, as listed on the zip strip.

When you cross collections, you can easily change themes like love and Valentine’s day to something completely different.

For more color combination ideas, flip through the pages of our Love of Color book. It contains hundreds of artwork examples illustrating how to create perfectly balanced color combinations using the colors in our exclusive palette. This beautiful guide is organized by color, each shown in combinations of three, four, and five colors.

We’ve also talked about color theory before, on this blog. If you’re interested in creating your own color combination, we encourage you to revisit those posts for a quick refresher on techniques for pairing colors. (Find links below.) Once you’ve got those basic rules down, we also encourage you to break them as you see fit!

To help you on this colorful journey we all find ourselves on, we’ve updated our Close To My Heart color wheel by removing the colors that retired from our palette just a few short months ago and adding the new colors that were introduced.

Download the updated Close To My Heart color wheel, here.
(Here for Australia/New Zealand.)

***Keep in mind that our exclusive colors are made up of much more complex tones, shades, and hues than how they are categorized on the simplified color wheel offered above. As you reference and use this source, know that it is not 100% confining. Especially as you become more familiar with what makes colors work together visually, you’ll find that this color wheel is very flexible.***

Monochromatic and Analogous Colors

Complementary Colors and How to Use Them

Using Split-complementary Colors

Triadic Color Combinations

Double Complementary Color Schemes

Recipes:

4¼” x 5½” Happy Birthday Card (Vertical)
D1887 My Acrylix^® Strokes of an Artist Stamp Set, C1819 My Acrylix^® Celebrate Today—Cardmaking Stamp Set, CC12011 Oh My Heart Paper Packet, X7252S Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, X5968 Lagoon Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2843 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2812 Raspberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

4¼” x 5½” Cheers Card (Horizontal)
D1903 My Acrylix^® Celebrate Today—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, C1819 My Acrylix^® Celebrate Today—Cardmaking Stamp Set, C12011 Oh My Heart Paper Packet, X7252S Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6029 Julep Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2843 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6511 Julep Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z3547 Piercing Tool

4¼” x 5½” Hey You Card (Vertical)
D1907 My Acrylix^® Shared Happiness Stamp Set, D1887 My Acrylix^®Strokes of an Artist Stamp Set, CC12011 Oh My Heart Paper Packet, X7252S Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6501 Ballerina Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4191 Silver Glitter Gems, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

12″ x 12″ Hello Summer Page
CC12011 Oh My Heart Paper Packet, X7252S Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6047 Black Cardstock, X6040 Clover Cardstock, X6029 Julep Cardstock, X5974 Raspberry Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3314 Black & White Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Cricut^® You Are Here Collection, Cricut^® Basic Shapes, Sewing Machine

Cricut^® Shapes:
You Are Here Collection
#M282C782
#M282CCBC

Basic Shapes
#M369879

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February 18, 2020Create, Learn

How to Build a Spinning Card!

Close To My Heartcandy machine, card front spinner, how-to, I Chews You, rainbow, Rainbow Wishes, spin, spinner, spinning, Thin Cuts Leave a comment

We are having too much fun with the new Card Front Spinner Thin Cuts and their coordinating stamp sets! With multiple, revolving sentiments, spinner cards are a great way to incorporate some interactive fun into your cardmaking, and definitely puts a new “spin” on the cards you know and love. 🙂

The Card Front Spinner Thin Cuts is a set of 3 metal dies that allows you to create an interactive spinning card front. As you spin the wheel on the side, part of a hidden message is revealed in the cutout window.

Take a look at the video below to learn, step-by-step, how to make a spinning card using the Card Front Spinner Thin Cuts paired with our Rainbow Wishes stamp set.

The I Chews You stamp set coordinates seamlessly with the Spinner Card Front Thin Cuts to add a fun, interactive spinner element to your cards. This second stamp set has coordinating Thin Cuts that build on top of the card front spinner for even more spinning fun! The I Chews You Stamp + Thin Cuts helps you create a sweet spinning candy machine card that’s sure to be a treat!

Because the I Chews You stamp set can be paired with its own set of coordinating Thin Cuts, in order to create a spinning candy machine card, you will have to cut a few additional pieces to layer on top of the Spinner Card Front die-cuts.

For the most part, you still follow the same process to build the spinning base. For an I Chews You spinner card, however, the window piece needs to be turned upside down, where you end up spinning the wheel from the left side instead of the right. This allows you to get the intended full candy machine effect as you turn the spinning mechanism.

So, what do you think? Are you loving these spinning cards as much as we are? If you have any comments, questions, or any fun ideas, please share with us all in the comments section below!

Recipes:

4¼” x 5½” Rainbow Birthday Card (Vertical)
C1823 My Acrylix® Rainbow Wishes Stamp Set, CC12011 Oh My Heart Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2828 Toffee Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2844 Pixie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2851 Saffron Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6506 Lilac Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6511 Julep Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3626 Card Front Spinner Thin Cuts, Z4304 Silver Sequins, Z3627 Silver Brads, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Die-cutting Machine

4¼” x 5½” Treat Yourself Card (Vertical)
Z3644 I Chews You Stamp + Thin Cuts, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6036 Ballerina Cardstock, X6037 Bluebird Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, X6031 Green Apple Cardstock, X6035 Lemonade Cardstock, X6041 Lilac Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6513 Green Apple Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6506 Lilac Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2851 Saffron Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3626 Card Front Spinner Thin Cuts, Z4304 Silver Sequins, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3224 Small Round Waterbrush, Z3627 Silver Brads, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Die-cutting Machine

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February 11, 2020Celebrate, Create

A Stamptacular Sale with 5 Exclusive Stamp Sets!

Close To My HeartCard Chatter, Card Word Puzzle, discount, exclusive, Hooray Bouquet, laugh, live, love, Love Life, my acrylix, promo, Remarkable, sale, stamp, Stamptacular, Sympathy, Thin Cuts, wreath 5 Comments

Our Stamptacular sale is here, and we are loving it! For the entire month of February, we’re putting on a stamping extravaganza with savings up to 50% on Stamp + Thin Cuts bundles and 35% on dozens of stamp sets. Stamptacular is a month-long stamp party with great deals for everyone! One of the most exciting parts of this sale is that there are five exclusive stamp sets included! These stamp sets are popular favorites from the past that we’ve brought back just for this sale. Today, we’d like to share a few fun ideas of how these sensational stamps can be used to make truly Stamptacular artwork of your own!

The first one we’ll take a peek at is the Remarkable Wreath stamp set. With options for a festive winter wreath, a springy circlet, and a summery garland, this stamp set is great for cards and layouts for all occasions. Just look at this gorgeous “Thank You” card with a sparkly, winter berry wreath. Isn’t it beautiful? 🙂

The creative possibilities are endless with the, next, Love Life stamp set. With the fifteen fun and distinctive stamps included in this set, you can put your own personal touch on any piece of artwork, from cheery cards to lovely scrapbook pages like this one.

Stamptacular Sale #ctmh #closetomyheart #sale #stamps #diy #cardmaking #scrapbooking #papercrafting #stamptacular #myacrylix #thincuts #diecutting #cuttlebug #lovelife #livelaughlove

Like the Love Life stamp set, the Hooray Bouquet stamp set is another great way to add unique elements to your artwork that can quite literally pop off the page. Hooray Bouquet is a versatile set that can be used in conjunction with a multitude of other stamp sets. In this example, we paired the Hooray Bouquet stamp set with three of the other exclusive Stamptacular sets—Love Life, Card Chatter—Sympathy, and Card Word Puzzle—to create a one-of-a-kind celebratory layout.

The Card Chatter—Sympathy and Card Word Puzzle stamp sets are the last two exclusive sets included in our Stamptacular sale. These stamp sets each feature a variety of sentiments and phrases that are easy to mix and match to great effect in your projects, as you can see in the two cards below.

These five sets are just the tip of the iceberg, friends! With so much stamping fun and such great deals to be had, make sure you don’t miss our great Stamptacular sale, going on right now and through the end of the month!

Do you have a favorite stamp set? Let us know, old or new, retired or current, which one you absolutely love or can’t craft without in the comments below.

Recipes

4¼” x 5½” Thanks Card (Vertical)
C1473 My Acrylix^® Remarkable Wreath Stamp Set, X7253B Spruced Up Paper Packet, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, Z6516 Sangria Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z8003 Espresso Exclusive Inks™ Pigment Pad, X7253E Spruced Up Die-cuts, Z4191 Silver Glitter Gems, Z4196 White Ribbon, Z2475 Brown Grey TriBlend™ Marker, Z3562 Silver Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Corner Rounder

12″ x 12″ Live Laugh Love Page
D1482 My Acrylix^® Love Life Stamp Set, X7252B Celebrate Today Paper Packet, X6039 Carolina Cardstock, X5984 Pixie Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6508 Bluebird Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6510 Nectarine Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2844 Pixie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2812 Raspberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3562 Silver Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z3342 3-D Foam Dots, Cricut^® Art Philosophy Collection

Cricut^® Shape:
Art Philosophy
#M45BEB

12″ x 12″ Hip Hip Hooray Layout
D1482 My Acrylix^® Love Life Stamp Set, D1491 My Acrylix^® Hooray Bouquet Stamp Set, C1494 My Acrylix^® Card Word Puzzle Stamp Set, D1476 My Acrylix^® Card Chatter—Sympathy Stamp Set, X7252S Celebrate Today Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6029 Julep Cardstock, X6044 Peach Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2823 Goldrush Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6510 Nectarine Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad, Z6502 Peach Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2851 Saffron Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3566 Julep Loose Sequins, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Cricut^® Art Philosophy Collection, 1″ Hole Punch, ½” Hole Punch

Cricut^® Shapes:
Art Philosophy
#M3EB66
#M4356A

4¼” x 5½” You Make Me Smile Card (Vertical)
C1494 My Acrylix^® Card Word Puzzle Stamp Set, D1491 My Acrylix^® Hooray Bouquet Stamp Set, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6036 Ballerina Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4191 Silver Glitter Gems, Z4213 Silver Embellishing thread, Z2481 Coral TriBlend™ Marker, Z2486 Dull Green TriBlend™ Marker, Z3554 Pink Taffeta Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z2089 Glue Dots^® Micro Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

4¼” x 5½” Just Thinking of You Card (Vertical)
C1494 My Acrylix^® Card Word Puzzle Stamp Set, D1482 My Acrylix^® Love Life Stamp Set, D1476 My Acrylix^® Card Chatter—Sympathy Stamp Set, X9011 Mix-in Paper Packet, Z6511 Julep Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3507 Julep Glitter Gems, Z3609 Julep Shimmer Trim, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

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