December 3, 2019Celebrate, Community, Create

Hanukkah Dreidel Crafts & Decorations

Close To My HeartCelebrate, cricut, Design Space, dreidel, garland, hanukkah, Holiday, Jewish, lantern, light, mazel tov, place cards, shalom, treat box 25 Comments

From party favors and festive decorations to beautiful handmade cards, we’ve got a few dreidel-inspired crafts for you today that are sure to be a hit!

During many Hanukkah celebrations, it’s common for families and friends to gather together and share a meal. If a dinner party is on your schedule, these stunning place cards are an easy way to add a quick touch of elegance to your evening. Impress your guests by pairing The Lights of Hanukkah stamp set with some silver tinsel embossing powder, and by the end of the night they can have a meaningful memento to take home!

Simply decide on the card size, and select a few cardstock colors you’d like to layer, stamp and emboss, and voila! You’ve created a beautifully elegant piece of personalized artwork for your guests to treasure, even after the celebrations are over!

For our next two projects, we kicked things up a notch to 3-D papercrafting and created a gorgeous dreidel-inspired garland and treat box that are a great way to include some unique flair to your Hanukkah festivities! To make these two projects even easier, our talented artists put together this Cricut Design Space™ file for you to use to recreate them.

To string the cardstock dreidels into a garland, poke small holes at the base of the dreidel posts, thread a long piece of silver embellishing thread through them, and use a glue pen to hold the dreidels in place. This way, you can maintain the spacing on your dreidels and still keep it simple.

Since Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights, we wanted our dreidels to act as miniature lanterns, so we covered the cut-out parts of our dreidels with vellum paper. While the light does not shine directly through the vellum, it does reflect and amplify the light that hits the small dreidel lanterns. To maximize this effect, we recommend displaying your garland with a string of lights, turning it into a truly breathtaking home décor piece.

This treat box is a fun way to delight your guests and give them a little something sweet after supper.

By creating a 3-D dreidel with a removable lid, you are left with a treat box your friends and family are sure to love! Complete the surprise by filling it with mints, chocolate, or any of your favorite candies.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this look into our dreidel-inspired crafts today. To continue the celebration, we want to give away The Lights of Hanukkah stamp set to three lucky readers!

For a chance to win, subscribe to this blog and leave us a comment below telling us what your favorite holiday tradition is (for any holiday). Winners will be chosen by noon Thursday, December 5 (MST), and will be notified via email. Good luck! ❤

Recipes:

4″ x 3″ Place Cards
B1684 My Acrylix® The Lights of Hanukkah Stamp Set, X6039 Carolina Cardstock, X5957 Sapphire Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6505 Carolina Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2848 Sapphire Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim, Z4248 Silver Tinsel Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z3548 Embossing Ink Pens, Z4100 Multicolor Small Brush Pen Set

Dreidel Garland
X6039 Carolina Cardstock, X5957 Sapphire Cardstock, Z3367 Vellum Paper, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z3440 Dual-tip Permanent Glue Pen, Z3547 Piercing Tool

Dreidel Treat Box
X6039 Carolina Cardstock, Z3366 Silver Foil Paper, Z4196 White Ribbon, Z3440 Dual-tip Permanent Glue Pen

Leave a comment

November 26, 2019Create, Learn

Adding Color to Vellum

Close To My Heartcardmaking, cards, color, colour, sophisticated, vellum 2 Comments

Vellum paper is a great addition to any project, but it can sometimes get a bit tricky figuring out how to incorporate it in fun and different ways. Somewhere between transparent and opaque, using vellum paper in your projects is an easy way add a touch of sophistication. From markers and ink pads to re-inkers and shimmer brushes, today we’re walking through a few ideas for adding a dash of color to vellum paper.

In this first example, we sponged the edges with the Mint and Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pads using a round sponge. By gently dabbing the ink onto the page with the sponge, you can create the perfect blend of gentle color on the vellum for a fantastic colored overlay! While it may not look like much on its own, this technique is a great way to finish off the vellum work in your projects for a subtle flair.

This sponging technique is also great for larger surface areas, as you can see in this next card. Here, we used a sponge dauber to spread the ink over the entirety of each present overlay piece. We still concentrated more color at the edges, but we also spread the ink over the rest of the overlay to put more pigment in the finished piece.

In our next example, we’ve used TriBlend™ markers to add a few pops of color to this cheery birthday card. First, we created the fun candles on the front side of the vellum paper with silver embossing powder. Then, we flipped the vellum paper over and colored in the gaps with the Citrus, Bright Pink, Blue Turquoise, and Hydrangea markers on the back side of the vellum piece. This way, you get the illusion of soft candlelight on varicolored birthday candles that look so good, you almost want to blow them out!

Tip: To prevent warping or curling in your vellum paper, move your heat tool in small circles as you set the embossing powder and avoid focusing the stream of the heat tool in one spot for too long.

For this next card, you’ll want to make sure you have your re-inker stash handy. To create this adorable sentiment and wreath on our vellum circle, we used gold embossing powder for the center and Black StazOn™ Ink for the wreath. Once the ink was dry, we flipped the vellum circle over and colored in the leaves on the wreath with re-inkers, again on the back side, using a regular paintbrush as an application tool. This technique gives you a rich saturation level on your color for consistency and vibrancy.

Our last example today features the Julep Shimmer Brush. To start, we cut our vellum piece out with a bone folder and a paper trimmer to create the rough edges you see. (Instead of running the blade down the paper, run the bone folder in the crease of the trimmer to cut the paper.) Once we cut this large vellum piece, we heat-embossed oak leaves on it with gold embossing powder and colored them in with a Julep Shimmer Brush.

Tip: When using a shimmer brush to add color to vellum, be sure to keep the coloration consistent throughout. Otherwise, you may end up with some blotchy patches.

With the subtle shine of the shimmer brush, these leaves are the perfect finishing touch for this card!

Impress your friends and loved ones this season with beautiful handmade cards that include some color treated vellum. The subtle sophistication that a little dash of color adds goes a long way!

Recipes:

4¼” x 5½” Grateful for You Card (Horizontal)
S1911 My Acrylix® Family Time Stamp Set, X7251B Cedar & Pine Paper Packet, X9009 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, Z3367 Vellum Paper, Z2829 Espresso Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6503 Mint Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6515 Paprika Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2851 Saffron Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z4249 Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder, Z4260 Stitched Rectangle Frames Thin Cuts, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z697 Round Sponge, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, X254 White Cards & Envelopes Value Pack, Die-cutting Machine

4¼” x 5½” Hip! Hip! Hooray! Card (Vertical)
D1899 My Acrylix® Birthday Greetings Stamp Set, X7250B Holly Jolly Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3367 Vellum Paper, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z4191 Silver Glitter Gems, Z4260 Stitched Rectangle Frames Thin Cuts, Z2067 Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z2482 Citrus TriBlend™ Marker, Z2495 Bright Pink TriBlend™ Marker, Z2489 Blue Turquoise TriBlend™ Marker, Z2494 Hydrangea TriBlend™ Marker, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Die-cutting Machine

4¼” x 5½” Thank You Card (Vertical)
C1813 My Acrylix® Woodland Greeting Stamp Set, X9009 Mix-in Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3367 Vellum Paper, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z2727 Almond Exclusive Inks™ Re-inker, Z2729 Espresso Exclusive Inks™ Re-inker, Z7515 Paprika Exclusive Inks™ Re-inker, Z2751 Saffron Exclusive Inks™ Re-inker, Z2728 Toffee Exclusive Inks™ Re-inker, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z4054 Gold Embellishing Thread, Z3560 Golden Rod Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3316 Gold Shimmer Brush, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z4309 Shaker Window & Confetti Thin Cuts, Z4260 Stitched Rectangles Frames Thin Cuts, Die-cutting Machine, Paintbrush

4¼” x 5½” Season’s Greetings Card (Horizontal)
C1800 My Acrylix® Holly Jolly—Cardmaking Stamp Set, X7250B Holly Jolly Paper Packet, X9009 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6036 Ballerina Cardstock, X6031 Green Apple Cardstock, X6042 Mint Cardstock, X5974 Raspberry Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3367 Vellum Paper, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6507 Clover Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2812 Raspberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z3550 Striped Ribbon Bows, Z3549 Holly Jolly Dots, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z726 Sponge Daubers, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

4¼” x 5½” Grateful Card (Horizontal)
C1813 My Acrylix® Woodland Greetings Stamp Set, X7251B Cedar & Pine Paper Packet, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X5962 Goldrush Cardstock, X5959 New England Ivy Cardstock, X6033 Paprika Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, Z3367 Vellum Paper, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2829 Espresso Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2835 New England Ivy Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z4054 Gold Embellishing Thread, Z3508 Julep Shimmer Brush, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z4181 Stitched Circles Thin Cuts, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Watercolor Pencils, Die-cutting Machine, Sewing Machine

Leave a comment

November 19, 2019Create, Learn, Memory Keeping

A Free Scrapbook Pattern for the Holidays!

Close To My Heartautumn, Cedar & Pine, christmas, fall, free, Hawthorn, Holiday, pattern, scrapbooking, thanksgiving 5 Comments

With Thanksgiving just a little over a week away, and Christmas shortly after, we thought we’d share in the holiday spirit with a free downloadable scrapbook pattern! ❤

This timeless pattern made its original debut with our Back Country collection a few years ago but, as you can see, it can be used with any papers and for any occasion. Above, we paired the pattern with the Hawthorn paper collection from our September–October Catalog. (For those of you who didn’t get a chance to purchase the collection during these months, you are in luck! We recently started offering product on our website under an Online Only menu, and there are a few Hawthorn Paper Packets left—so grab one while you still can!)

Believe it or not, the layout below was created following this same pattern and paired with the Cedar & Pine collection.

If you look closely, you’ll notice that all we did was turn the pattern upside down. When you do flip or rotate a pattern, just make sure that the title and journaling fall somewhere on the page where it visually makes sense (to you). We didn’t like where the journaling box landed when we flipped our pattern and created this second layout, so we moved it. We also added another photo to this Christmas layout by splitting one of the designated 4″ x 6″ photo spots into two 3″ x 4″ photos.

At Close To My Heart, we take pride in providing the most comprehensive patterns for scrapbook layouts. When you download this pattern, you will notice that it also comes with cutting diagrams to make it even easier to create these pages!

Download this free scrapbooking pattern below and have a wonderful holiday season full of memories worth preserving!

Download Pattern

For even more scrapbook patterns, check out our Make It from Your Heart™ pattern book series. If you love the free patterns on the blog, you’re sure to be blown away by all the patterns offered in our beautiful how-to books!

Recipes:

12″ x 12″ Captured Memories Layout
D1886 My Acrylix^® Build-a-Plaid Stamp Set, Z3527 Hawthorn Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts, G1186 Hawthorn Scrapbooking Workshop Kit, X7249S Hawthorn Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X5951 Espresso Cardstock, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, Z2828 Toffee Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6504 Sage Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3543 Hawthorn Wood Shapes, Z3552 Wooden Arrows, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z2475 Brown Grey TriBlend™ Marker, Z697 Round Sponge, Z341 Glue Dots^® Mini Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Die-cutting Machine

12″ x 12″ A Merry Little Christmas Layout
D1886 My Acrylix^® Build-a-Plaid Stamp Set, X7251S Cedar & Pine Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X9009 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7251 Cedar & Pine Complements, Z4088 White Alphabet Foam Stickers, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z2486 Dull Green TriBlend™ Marker, Z2487 Jade Green TriBlend™ Marker, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

Leave a comment

November 12, 2019Celebrate, Create, Memory Keeping

Photo-a-Day Album for December

Close To My Heartalbum, christmas, Days of December, December, Holidays, Holly Jolly, kit, list, Memory Keeping, mini album, photo ideas, photo prompt, photo-a-day, workshop 2 Comments

Scrapbooking is more than just a hobby. It is the preservation of memories, a way to pass on a precious legacy to all you hold dear. Even the smallest, most simple moments can turn into powerful memories that can bring joy to you and your family for years to come. Whether you put it together for yourself or as a special gift for a loved one, the Days of December album is a must-have!

To help capture all the precious memories that the month of December has to offer, we recreated last year’s popular Days of December photo-a-day album with our new Holly Jolly paper packet and Holly Jolly—Scrapbooking stamp set!

The idea behind a photo-a-day project is to go about your regular activities and to then take a photo of what you consider is the highlight of your day. This 6″ x 8″ album is simply bursting with festive cheer! Each page provides plenty of room to tell your stories through your own photos and words.

Get ready to have some fun this Christmas season as you document your most treasured holiday moments each and every day in December! In case you need a little help getting started on this beautiful Days of December album, below you’ll find a list of 31 photo prompts and ideas, one for each day. For those of you who did this with us last year, you’ll remember that we provided a similar list of photo prompts then, too. (Click here to see last year’s list.) We intentionally made this list different from last year’s so that we can have both to reference—that’s a total of 62 photo ideas to pull from!

Download printable version, here. (Here for AU/NZ.)

Use these prompts in chronological order, switch them up, or pick and choose your favorites to use in conjunction with some of your own ideas. The important thing is to enjoy the moments, capture the memories as you make them, and then preserve them to treasure for years to come. We are memory keepers, after all!

The Days of December album kit is only available through the end of November, while supplies last. Make sure to grab yours while there is still time! ❤

Leave a comment

November 5, 2019Create, Memory Keeping

Beautiful Scrapbooking and Cardmaking Made Fast and Easy

Close To My Heartcardmaking, Craft with Heart, cut above, December, easy, fast, kit, november, October, scrapbooking, September, subscription Leave a comment

Happy November, everyone! We are so excited for the opportunity to pop in today and share with you how to put beautiful scrapbook pages and cards together in a snap using the Cut Above^® kits that are available through our Craft with Heart™ program.

The excuse that we hear most often from people for not scrapbooking is that they simply don’t have the time to do it. Cut Above^® layout kits are the response to that genuine concern. Each kit comes with all of the pieces you need to complete two coordinating two-page 12″ x 12″ scrapbook layouts, including pre-printed base pages, pre-cut paper pieces and die-cuts, complementing stickers, and simple assembly instructions. Essentially, all of the cutting has been taken out of the scrapbooking equation, saving you tons of time and allowing you to jump right into the artistic and creative side of memory keeping that we all enjoy and love so much.

Beautiful layouts like this one come together in minutes when you’re using a Cut Above^® kit!

To get your hands on these amazing kits, you don’t have to go far. In fact, we’ll deliver them straight to your doorstep on a schedule you decide through the Craft with Heart™ program. Craft with Heart™ is a subscription featuring Cut Above^® kits offered at monthly and 4-month intervals.

If you’re already a subscriber, share the opportunity with a friend! The Craft with Heart™ program is a fun and easy way to introduce the art of memory keeping and cardmaking to others. These kits make wonderful gifts!

Take a closer look at what we’ve got in store for the next couple of months:

Aren’t these gorgeous? You’d never guess that these layouts come together so quickly!

This is a great time of year to get started with the program if you haven’t already. September is when we introduced the last four scrapbooking kits for the year, which means if you sign up before January 1 for a four month or annual subscription you will not have missed out and will also receive the beautiful September and October scrapbooking kits!

This September, for the first time ever, we launched a subscription kit just for cards!

Just like the scrapbooking kits, the card subscription kit comes with all of the materials you need to create two each of the assortment of cards you see here, designed especially for the season ahead.

The kit includes card bases in varying sizes, pre-cut die-cuts, coordinating stickers, and an exclusive stamp set and mini black ink pad to customize each of your card sentiments to use for any occasion that arises.

Craft with Heart™ is the perfect solution for those who enjoy the art of scrapbooking and cardmaking but are looking for a quicker alternative. Even if you’re a die-hard decorative scrapper or card maker who loves to spend hours on a project, the Cut Above^® kits are a great way to catch up on documenting your stories and celebrating relationships without sacrificing quality. They’re a win-win deal that you will absolutely love!

Leave a comment

October 29, 2019Create, Learn, Memory Keeping

Scrapbooking with Actual Scraps

Close To My HeartEvery Little Thing, Hawthorn, scrapbooking, scraps, spooktacular, tips 8 Comments

Have you ever finished up a project and wondered what to do with those tiny bits of leftover paper? Do you throw it out? Do you let it sit on your desk for months waiting for a purpose? Don’t forget, though, that scrapbooking has “scrap” in it for a very good reason! Today, we’re going to show you how to use those extra little scraps in a big way!

Using your leftover paper remnants not only allows you to create some truly unique projects, but it also helps clean up your crafting area. (Let’s be honest, with all the great holiday products in the November–December Catalog, it couldn’t hurt to make some extra room!) 😉

To create the striking background elements in these layouts, we used some leftover paper pieces from the Every Little Thing, Hawthorn, and Spooktacular paper packets. As we get ready to say goodbye to these great collections, we couldn’t resist using them one last time, and we love how they turned out!

In this first layout, we’ve taken scrap pieces of various sizes and dovetailed the ends to create a background element for the main photos and title. It’s a fairly simple layout other than the bright colors in these dovetailed pieces, so a few scraps can certainly go a long way!

Tip: If you only have small scrap pieces, you can still dovetail these and position them so they peek out on either side of your photo. That way, you still get the effect, even if you don’t have a ton of paper.

This effect can be achieved with many different sizes of scrap paper, and you can use them on much more than just a large main photo or title. Use this trick with smaller photos and to dress up your journaling boxes. There really is so much you can do with just a few small scraps!

In this second layout, we’ve taken a slightly different approach; while we kept a few of the dovetailed pieces we showed you in the previous example, we also trimmed some other remnant pieces into small diamond shapes for an entirely new look.

As we mentioned in the previous tip, you don’t ALWAYS have to have a large scrap piece to make it play a big role in the construction of your layout. If you don’t have a piece big enough to use as a background for a photo, you can use smaller strips to form a frame, while leaving the middle open. Once it’s covered by the photo, no one will be the wiser!

No matter how you use them, scrap pieces are a great way to add some truly unique flair to your layouts, cards, or papercrafts. We hope you’ve been able to take some inspiration from today’s post, and we can’t wait to see how you incorporate your leftover scraps into your own projects. Leave us a comment below and let us know how you’re using scraps in your own artwork.

Recipes

12″ x 12″ Fall Is in the Air Layout
X7248S Every Little Thing Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X7249B Hawthorn Paper Packet, CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, X5955 Pebble Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3543 Hawthorn Wood Shapes, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3224 Small Round Waterbrush, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots

12″ x 12″ The Good Life Layout
D1873 My Acrylix® Hawthorn—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, X7248S Every Little Thing Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X7249B Hawthorn Paper Packet, CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2828 Toffee Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7248C Every Little Thing Complements, Z3552 Wooden Arrows, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3224 Small Round Waterbrush, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots

Leave a comment

October 22, 2019Celebrate, Create, Learn

Sparkle & Shine with Stickles™ Glitter Gels!

Close To My Heartembellish, glitter, glitter gel, Halloween, shine, sparkle, spooktacular, Stickles 4 Comments

One of the most exciting things about the onset of Autumn here in Utah is the first frost of the season. It’s magical to wake up to a thin layer of white, like the world’s been given a beautiful coat of shimmer! We wanted to show you a quick and easy way to capture some of that Autumnal sparkle in your projects using Stickles™ Glitter Gel!

Stickles™ Glitter Gel is easy to spread, but you can also build it on a smaller area to create a more 3-dimensional look. We carry ten different colors of gels, giving you a wide variety of hues to choose from. Each bottle of Stickles™ Glitter Gel has a fine tip so you can apply it with ease and precision.

This Halloween-themed layout features many eye-catching elements created by different applications of Stickles™ Glitter Gel. First of all, take a closer look at the cobwebs in each corner. We’ve spread the gel over the paper in a thin layer to make the spider webs glisten.

Tip: To apply a thin layer of glitter gel to your project, squeeze a small amount onto a VersaMat™ and use a flat waterbrush to spread the gel gently over the desired area. If you don’t have a waterbrush handy, quick dabs with your fingers will work, too!

We’ve used this same spreading technique to apply thin layers of glitter on the white alphabet foam stickers, the ends of the candy wrapper, and the various stars throughout the layout. These sparkle spots help draw the eye throughout the layout and help you make your project even more personal as you make the glitter gel work for you!

Stickles Glitter Gel #ctmh #closetomyheart #stickles #glittergel #spooktacular #halloween #scrapbooking #cardmaking #papercrafting

For a more 3-D feel, we’ve added multiple layers of glitter gel to build up dimension on the frog’s crown, the dog’s nose, and the bat’s wings, as well as a few dots throughout the page. If you’re hoping to capture this more 3-dimensional look, there are a couple different techniques you can try.

One is to apply it in a thick layer over a small area, as you can see with the dots throughout the layout. Stickles™ Glitter Gel will compact as it dries, so you won’t end up with the same height you had when you first applied it to your project. However, when it is applied over a smaller area, it retains more of its initial height and 3-dimensional feel.

When you want that same dimension over a larger area, you will want to apply multiple layers of the gel, keeping each layer thin, and allowing them to dry before adding a new layer. It’s important to allow the gel to fully dry before you apply another layer on top, otherwise it will take much longer to complete your project, and you may end up with smeared glitter gel.

Look at how the Stickles™ Glitter Gel really shines on this adorable Halloween card. You can see that we’ve used thicker applications on the witch owl’s hat and the crescent moon, with a thin border at the bottom of the Pebble piece.

Whether you’re using it as a 3-D element or some well-placed bling, Stickles™ Glitter Gels are a great tool for adding pizzazz to any project!

We love working with glitter gel, and we can’t wait to see how you incorporate it into your own creations! Do you have any ideas about how to use Stickles™? Comment below and tell us all about it!

Recipes:

12″ x 12″ Happy Haunting Layout
CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, X6047 Black Cardstock, X6031 Green Apple Cardstock, X6035 Lemonade Cardstock, X6033 Paprika Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4088 White Alphabet Foam Stickers, Z3561 Black Diamond Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3563 Diamond Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3560 Golden Rod Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3554 Pink Taffeta Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3562 Silver Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z2060 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots^® Micro Dots

4¼” x 5½” Happy Halloween Card (Vertical)
CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, X6035 Lemonade Cardstock, X6043 Nectarine Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6517 Lemonade Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3561 Black Diamond Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3560 Golden Rod Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z3562 Silver Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z697 Round Sponge, Z2060 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots^® Micro Dots, Cricut Design Space™ Basic Shapes

Leave a comment

October 15, 2019Celebrate, Create, Learn

Easy Ways to Dress Up Halloween Treats!

Close To My Heartgift, gift tags, Halloween, spooktacular, treat bag, treat box, treats, trick or treat 3 Comments

Halloween is creeping up on us, and if you’re not ready for it, things could get scary fast! If you still have a few treats to prepare, perhaps for your friends, coworkers, or those special kiddos in your life, we have three quick and easy ways to help you dress them up!

Let’s begin with tags.

Large tags are an easy way to turn a treat into something even more special. This spooktacular 3″ x 4″ tag is one of six tags featured in our Spooktacular Halloween workshop. These simple but adorable tags come together with just a few pieces of paper, a little bit of stamping, and some markers. For complete step-by-step instructions, click here to view the Spooktacular Workshop Guide (no purchase necessary 🙂 ).

Some of us are a bit busier than others and want something that comes together even more quickly than a handcrafted tag. How does a ready-made container from one of our incredible Cricut^® collections sound?

Boo-tiful little treat boxes, like this one, take minutes to cut, assemble, and embellish. If you’re looking for that handcrafted experience—for yourself and the recipient of the treat—then the Artiste collection is a great place to get started. (Visit Accessing All 13 Close To My Heart Cricut^® Collections for information on how to gain access to this and other great shapes.)

This last treat dress-up we have to share with you is intended for those extra-special treats that you enjoy giving out. How many of you have special little trick-or-treaters that either start their evening or end their night with a knock at your door? It’s pretty common to make something with a little bit more love for these special little ones.

Whatever it is you’re giving-out as a treat, a decorated paper giftbag can usually carry it.

If you want to keep the treat concealed to add to the element of surprise, let us show you how to make a removable lid for a paper bag of any size.

First, determine the size of giftbag your treat(s) will require. Decorate the front of your bag as much as you like, but keep in mind that the top 2″ will be covered by the lid.

To make the lid….

Measure the size of the bag’s base. The bag pictured here has a 5¼” x 3″ base.
Using a piece of paper that is large enough, measure and cut a rectangle that is 3″ wider and 3″ longer than the base of your bag. For our bag, we cut an 8¼” x 6″ piece.
With a bonefolder, score your paper 1½” from the edges. Use the following image as a guide:
Insert your paper vertically into your paper trimmer, and cut along the score lines, leaving about ¾” uncut in all inside corners.
Fold along the score lines to create the lid shape and glue the corners.
Once your lid is assembled, add any embellishments that you’d like! We kept it simple and added nothing more than a zip strip along the bottom. When you’re done, fill your giftbag and slide the lid on.

Celebrate Halloween, and any other treat-worthy occasion, in style! Don’t settle for simple treats when you can make them Fa-BOO-lous! 😉

Recipes:

3″ x 4″ Pirate Bunny Tag
CC10191 Frightful Friends Stamp + Thin Cuts, CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2480 Orange TriBlend™ Marker, Z2492 Purple TriBlend™ Marker, Z3516 Black Journaling Pen (.03), Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Die-cutting Machine, Hole Punch

3¼” x 4¼” x 1¾” Treat Box
CC10190 My Acrylix^® Frightful Friends Stamp Set, D1875 My Acrylix^® Fa-BOO-lous Halloween Stamp Set, CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, X6047 Black Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z3568 Black Velvet Ribbon, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z2068 White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Cricut^® Artiste Collection

Cricut^® Shape:
Artiste
#M3CBB9

Gift Bag Lid
CC10191 Frightful Friends Stamp + Thin Cuts, CC10194 Spooktacular Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6031 Green Apple Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6513 Green Apple Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z2483 Light Yellow TriBlend™ Marker, Z3561 Black Diamond Stickles™ Glitter Gel, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z341 Glue Dots^® Mini Dots, Die-cutting Machine, Gift Bag

Leave a comment

October 8, 2019Create, Learn

TriBlend™ Markers with a Printable Chart

Close To My Heartblend, cat, chart, dog, download, free, frightful friends, Halloween, marker, mummy, owl, printable, spooktacular, vampire, witch 4 Comments

One of our favorite new products from our Core Products Catalog are the TriBlend™ markers. Inside every marker is a perfect gradation of colors, from light to dark, delivered through three separate fine bullet nibs. The alcohol-based ink is designed to blend seamlessly for mixing and layering colors. What’s not to love?

We put these trusty markers to work with our Spooktacular collection and just love the results! Take a look!

Can you spot all the different ways markers were used in this page?

Let’s start with the title.

Using all three shades of the Purple TriBlend™ Marker we triple blended on a White Daisy cardstock Cricut^® cut title. The pieces were colored first and then attached to the page.

To avoid getting ink on your hands as you apply color, we recommend you begin at the top of a piece and work your way down. Start with the top color, then add the second, slightly overlapping with the first, and then apply the third color, slightly overlapping with the second.

To achieve a more blended and seamless look, apply the layered portions of the ink while they are still wet. Let the ink sit for a few minutes after coloring to give it a chance to move and blend together. If you allow the ink to set before layering for a blend, or if you apply more ink in the layered parts, there will be visible lines between the shades of color. If this lined look is what you’re hoping to achieve, allow your ink to dry before layering.

While we’re looking at the title, did you notice the orange glitter gems?

If you’re in need of gems that match your artwork, look no further! Color the top of Silver Glitter Gems with any TriBlend™ marker to customize them to your needs.

Let’s move down the page now, to our spooky cat and dog friends.

TriBlend Markers #ctmh #closetomyheart #triblendmarkers #colorblending #ctmhspooktacular #halloween #scrapbooking #cardmaking #frightfulfriends

You can see that the vampire cat was blended, and the dog was simply outlined. Knowing how to apply even just a small amount of color can make a big difference.

Let’s take a quick look at this “happy Halloween” card.

This cute witchy owl was colored with two of the three shades of the Purple TriBlend™ Marker. His broom, made up of just a few lines, was colored with the Tan TriBlend™ Marker. All three shades of the purple marker were used to create a striped background.

Get creative as you color your art, and experiment with the different shades each of the TriBlend™ markers has to offer.

To help you do that, we’ve put together the following color reference chart:

Download and print a free blank chart, here (here for AU/NZ), and add the three shades of each available marker color to its corresponding rectangle. You’ll notice that the Black marker does not have shade options, but we’ve added it to the list in order to have all the color options available for reference in one place.

**Make your chart last longer by printing it on cardstock rather than regular printer paper, and keep it handy as you’re making color and shade choices for your artwork. **

We love creating with our new TriBlend™ markers, and hope you do, too!

Recipes:

12″ x 12″ Happy Halloween Page
CC10191 Frightful Friends Stamp + Thin Cuts, CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, X9007 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6047 Black Cardstock, X5954 Pewter Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4191 Silver Glitter Gems, Z2474 Ice Grey TriBlend™ Marker, Z2492 Purple TriBlend™ Marker, Z2480 Orange TriBlend™ Marker, Z2498 True Black Marker, Z3516 Black Journaling Pen (.03), Z3513 Pewter Journaling Pen (.03), Cricut^® Complete Creativity Collection, Die-cutting Machine

Cricut^® Shapes:
Complete Creativity
#MEE76591

3″ x 4″ Happy Halloween Card
CC10191 Frightful Friends Stamp + Thin Cuts, CC10192 Spooktacular Paper Packet, X9007 Mix-in Paper Packet, X5954 Pewter Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2482 Citrus TriBlend™ Marker, Z2486 Dull Green TriBlend™ Marker, Z2474 Ice Grey TriBlend™ Marker, Z2492 Purple TriBlend™ Marker, Z2477 Tan TriBlend™ Marker, Z4181 Stitched Circle Thin Cuts, Die-cutting Machine

Leave a comment

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: