August 4, 2020Create, Learn, Memory Keeping

Extend-a-Story Challenge from Stacy Julian

Close To My Heartchallege, Extended Story, Story by Stacy, Storyteller, storytelling 7 Comments

As you likely know, I’m in LOVE with the idea of stacking memory protectors to create the room you need to incorporate MORE photos and MORE story into (on top of really) a foundation 12″ x 12″ layout. This approach is something I call Extended Story and the Close To My Heart Storyteller products make it so EASY!

But, did you know you don’t have to start from scratch with all these layers every time?

Using an already completed layout from one of your albums, you can simply add to it! That is precisely what I’m challenging you to do today!

The Extend-a-Story Challenge

I created this layout many moons ago to document everyday fun with my little boys. I adore the simplicity of a grid design and the colorful stickers still make me happy, but there is no journaling and so much more to say!

As I flipped through my albums, I chose this page as my foundation. In the midst of this crazy pandemic, I am realizing how important it is to create FUN at home with the people you love most. I will now be able to add a fun sister to this mix of brothers and bring this story up to date!

And, I’m excited to write from my current perspective—I even have an EXTRA FUN element that I want to add to my story AND share with you. A page about FUN should be FUN to discover—right?

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Select a 12″ x 12″ page or layout from the past. Look for a topic or theme that you can build on with more experiences and detail from your current perspective.

2. Locate and print additional photos that add to your original story. I like to start by adding photos to the 3″ x 4″ and 4″ x 6″ pocket pages that come in the Memory Protectors™ Combo Pack. I also love to incorporate insert cards from the Storytelling Pack and the Story FYI stamp set.

3. Select pattern papers that coordinate with colors on your original layout—and remember, close is good enough! NOTE: I am particularly proud that I was able to use the new Happiest Place papers on this layout that is not about an amusement park, but FUN at home!

4. Think about an aspect of your topic that is different today (or one that is still the same) and design a new 8½” x 11″ or 6″ x 6″ page to highlight it. I like to ask myself questions like: When did we start doing this thing? or Who else is important to this topic? What are some specific examples or details that someone outside our family would not know? What has changed about how we do this thing today?

5. You now have plenty of room to journal, so if you didn’t have journaling—or not enough journaling—on your original page, you can add it now! Decide where and how to include these extra words.

6. Imagine how you want someone to experience this story—how do you want to introduce it? Pretend you’re building an open-face story sandwich—where the original 12″ x 12″ layout is the bread. Now, how will you stack the lunch meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato?

How My New Updated Extended Story Stacks Up!

First layer, 6″ x 6″ (front & back):

Extend a Story Challenge #ctmh #closetomyheart #storybystacy #stacyjulian #extendedstory #storytelling #memorykeeping #scrapbooking

Second layer, 8½” x 11″ (front & back):

Third layer, 3″ x 4″ pockets (front & back):

Fourth layer, 4″ x 6″ pockets (front & back):

Final layer or foundation, 12″ x 12″ (original) + 12″ x 12″ (bonus)

All these layers create a very cool and FUN extended story!

In my process video above you saw how I incorporated FUN emoji journaling in two places of my story. Feel free to borrow this emoji alphabet and the key to cracking it for your own using!

If you would like to add a secret emoji code to a page, or card, click here to download a printable PDF. If you download this PDF, you’ll be able to either screen shot the code breaker, or print the PDF and cut it out to tuck behind a photo to be discovered and used later!

IF you made it this far, you deserve a FUN 🎟🌈🍪🍓🎟 (that’s written in secret code of course!). May I suggest some FUN Storyteller products from Close To My Heart?! 😀

This is my daughter, Addie, cracking the secret emoji code.

As I was typing my journaling, I used the insert feature in my word processor and then scrolled down to Emojis & Symbols menu. From here you can select or search for the emoji you need and insert it into your document.

Be sure to print a copy of the emoji code breaker to tuck behind a photo or somewhere else in your pages. This creates a FUN and interactive way to send a special message and have more FUN!

I can’t wait to SEE what you do with this challenge. Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #storybystacy ❤️

Love,
Stacy

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July 28, 2020Create, Learn

FREE Card Pattern from the Happiest Place!

Close To My Heartcard, cardmaking, Celebrate, floral, flower, free, gnome, happiest place, koala, partridge, pattern, pear, Pear & Partridge, workshop, Workshops on the Go® 6 Comments

We’ve got a FREE card pattern for you today to get you thinking outside the theme park as you craft with our magical Happiest Place collection!

With so many unique elements and designs, the Happiest Place collection is simply bursting with creative potential. When you combine that with a versatile card pattern, it’s easier than ever to create the cards of your dreams!

The pattern we’re sharing today made its original debut years ago with the Pear & Partridge cardmaking Workshops on the Go^®. This classic pattern helps you take the Happiest Place collection to new heights and provides the perfect starting point for truly great cards.

Pattern and color combinations like the ones in this “You’re the Koalaest” card are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what can be done with the Happiest Place collection and the Pear & Partridge card pattern.

By combining the My Acrylix^® A Koala-ty Day stamp set with the fun abstract designs and eye-catching silver foil stars on the Happiest Place papers, you’re left with an absolutely adorable card! Part of this card’s charm is the simple Glacier on Glacier color scheme, relying on the variation in patterns to set them apart.

If you want to get a bit more adventurous with your color combinations, then cards like this “Gnome-body Loves You Like I Do” card are a great way to go!

This card was also made using the Pear & Partridge pattern but with a completely different effect than the Koala card. By using the same pattern and simply switching up the color combinations and stamped images, you can easily create a countless number of unique cards. For this example, we chose the delightful My Acrylix^® Gnome Matter stamp set paired with some brighter colors. Even though the Gnome Matter stamp set isn’t part of the Happiest Place collection, they fit together like two peas in a pod!

All it takes to create a card that’s all your own is a great pattern and a little imagination.

Using the exact same pattern from above, we created this sweet “Celebrating You” card. In order to get some added milage from your card patterns, consider turning them on their sides, changing the orientation from landscape to portrait.

With simple color combinations from the Happiest Place collection, the Pear & Partridge card pattern, and our Floral Celebration—August Stamp of the Month (available August 1–31), this adorable card has it all!

Proof that less is more, the timeless Pear & Partridge pattern is a great starting point for any card maker, regardless of experience. Click on the link below to download this free pattern and gear up for some serious crafting fun!

Download Free Card Pattern Here.

Happiest-place-free-pattern-card-celebrating-you-

Recipes:

4½” x 5½” Celebrating You Card (Vertical)
S2008 My Acrylix^® Floral Celebration—August Stamp of the Month, CC7202 Happiest Place Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6517 Lemonade Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2482 Citrus TriBlend™ Marker, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z2089 Glue Dots^® Micro Dots, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

5½” x 4¼” You’re the KOALAest Card (Horizontal)
C1851 My Acrylix^® A Koala-ty Day Stamp Set, CC7202 Happiest Place Paper Packet, CC7203 Happiest Place Coordinating Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z2475 Brown Grey TriBlend™ Marker, Z2478 Earth Brown TriBlend™ Marker, Z2485 Light Green TriBlend™ Marker, Z2483 Light Yellow TriBlend™ Marker, Z2477 Tan TriBlend™ Marker, Z2089 Glue Dots^® Micro Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

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July 21, 2020Create, Learn

Watercolor Techniques with a Waterbrush

Close To My Heartbrush, how, how-to, ideas, paint, painting, technique, water, waterbrush, watercolor, watercolour 17 Comments

We have a special treat in store today! Our Creative Arts Manager, Karen Pedersen, is showing us a few creative and easy watercolor techniques using our small round and medium round waterbrushes!

Unlike a traditional paintbrush, the handle of a waterbrush is made up of a water reservoir, eliminating the need for a water cup. The light colored bristles allow the painter to easily determine their color load and paint concentration, and the included cap protects the bristles and brush head while also sealing the water inside.

If you are accustomed to using traditional paintbrushes, you will notice that controlling a waterbrush is quite different. With a little practice, however, you too will find your groove and discovery why we love them!

Follow along with Karen, below, and pick up a few tips and tricks for making a waterbrush work for you!

Here’s a closer look at the artwork examples from the video:

The first watercolor technique you saw teaches how to create a colorful background like the one on this page. Using a medium round waterbrush, lay down watercolor paint onto an all-purpose mat. Then, lay the paper you want to add the color to facedown onto the paint and allow it to soak up for a few seconds. Turn your paper right side up and let it dry before continuing with your project.

If you look closely, you’ll see that in this Welcome card, we have two different watercolor techniques to talk through. The first, is the stenciled background. Using a stencil we created out of a stencil sheet and a Cricut® shape, we were able to paint a beautiful watercolor textured background with a medium round waterbrush. The second technique Karen talks through is how to achieve the detail and color variation seen in the plants of this card using the small round waterbrush.

The last technique we share can easily make any of us look like watercolor experts! Instead of ink, add watercolor paint to a raised stamp and use it to create the image on your artwork! Look how beautiful those leaves turned out on this card! Make sure not to add too much water to avoid ending up with a blobby image. (In the video above, Karen shows you how!)

If you’re a fan of waterbrushes, please leave us a comment below and tell us why! AND…if you’ve got any tips or tricks you’ve picked up along the way, please share those with all of us, too!

Happy painting!

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July 15, 2020Create, Memory Keeping

Patterned Paper Coordinating Cricut® Collections!

Close To My Heartaurora, collection, cricut, cut, Design Space, shapes, stitched together, summer vibes, timber 4 Comments

There’s nothing like a well-placed Cricut^® cut to give your projects that extra pop! When you bring Cricut into the mix, your crafting possibilities are endless. In order to offer even more creative options, we’ve partnered with Cricut to create coordinating mini collections for the paper collections featured in our bi-monthly catalogs!

Although we recently said goodbye to our May–June catalog, along with the Aurora and Stitched Together suites, you can still access their coordinating Cricut^® collections. These mini Cricut collections, will be available exclusively through your Close To My Heart Consultant for a whole year!

Today, we’re giving you an exclusive look at the Aurora and Stitched Together Cricut^® collections and introducing you to the new Summer Vibes and Timber collections from our July–August catalog. These collections are designed to coordinate seamlessly with the patterns, stamps, stickers, and embellishments included in their corresponding paper suites. However, these versatile Cricut shapes can also be used on their own as you branch out and open the door to new avenues of creative possibility!

AURORA

With rugged designs and a rustic feel, you’ll be ready to embrace the call of the wilderness with the Cricut^® Aurora Collection.

Just look at how these simple pine tree and wolf shapes coordinate with the Aurora paper patterns and stamps to create beautifully unique background elements, while this adorable airplane creates a perfect focal point for this fun card!

STITCHED TOGETHER

Good times are made even more memorable when paired with the delightful Stitched Together Cricut^® collection!

When the shapes in this collections are combined with the vibrant designs and color palette of the Stitched Together suite, you’ll be amazed at the artistic possibilities you’ll find!

You can use the Stitched Together Cricut shapes to create eye-catching accents like the miniature floral bunches, fun butterflies, and cute title banner you see below!

SUMMER VIBES

Sunglasses and sandals set the tone for the exuberant Summer Vibes Cricut^® collection! With so many fun, summertime shapes to choose from, you can create the perfect title, accent, or background piece to coordinate with your Summer Vibes artwork.

Using Cricut shapes in your artwork is a great way to cultivate a unique, polished look. Because these shapes coordinate flawlessly with the other elements in the Summer Vibes paper collection, you can create stunning page elements, like this innovative combination of a Cricut shape, Thin Cuts die-cuts, and a Summer Vibes acrylic shape! (Can you tell which is which?)

TIMBER

Prepare to get lost in a rich and rewarding crafting adventure as you explore new territory with the Timber Cricut^® collection! Let your creativity run free as you discover all the fun options the Timber Cricut collection has to offer and blaze new trails as you create your own stunning combinations with the Timber Cricut shapes!

By using the Timber Cricut shapes in conjunction with the exclusive stamps in the Timber collection, you can create stunning textures and movement within the shape itself. These pine trees are a great example of how a simple pattern and a simple Cricut shape can come together to make something great!

Feeling inspired? Great! All of these collection-coordinated Cricut^® shapes can be yours today! For our readers in North America, you can add these fun collections to your Cricut account by visiting your Close To My Heart Consultant’s website and clicking on the Cricut icon at the bottom of the page. From there, you’ll be able to view and purchase any of the four collections we’ve shown you today. Once you’ve completed your purchase, you’ll be able to go into your Cricut Design Space™ account and search for these shapes in the “Image Sets” section on the “Images” tab.

Our readers in Australia and New Zealand may view and purchase these collections through your Consultant’s website. You will then be emailed a redeemable code.

We can’t wait to see how you use these awesome Cricut^® shapes in your own creations! Leave a comment below to tell us about your favorite collection and how you’re using these designs in your own artwork!

Recipes:

12″ x 12″ Wide Open Spaces Layout
X7265S Aurora Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X7256C Aurora Coordinating Cardstock, X6030 Evergreen Cardstock, X5946 Linen Cardstock, X7256E Aurora Acrylic Shapes, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Cricut^® Aurora Collection

4¼” x 5½” Escape Card (Vertical)
X7256S Aurora Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X7256 Aurora Coordinating Cardstock, X5946 Linen Cardstock, X5954 Pewter Cardstock, X7256E Aurora Acrylic Shapes, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Cricut^® Aurora Collection

6″ x 8″ Count Your Blessings Layout
X7257S Stitched Together Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X7257C Stitched Together Coordinating Cardstock, X6047 Black Cardstock, X5985 Smoothie Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots,Cricut^® Stitched Together Collection

4¼” x 5½” Happy Everything Card (Vertical)
C1842 My Acrylix® Stitched Together—Cardmaking Stamp Set, C1847 My Acrylix® Celebrating You Stamp Set, X7257S Stitched Together Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X7257C Stitched Together Coordinating Cardstock, X6047 Black Cardstock, X6035 Lemonade Cardstock, X5985 Smoothie Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3370 White Pearls, Z3341 Thin 3-D Foam Dots, Cricut^® Stitched Together Collection

12″ x 12″ Summer Page
Z3745 Summer Vibes Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7258S Summer Vibes Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X5960 Fern Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, X6035 Lemonade Cardstock, X6043 Nectarine Cardstock, X6044 Peach Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2850 Fern Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7258E Summer Vibes Acrylic Shapes, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Cricut^® Summer Vibes Collection, Die-cutting Machine

12″ x 12″ Summer Sunshine Layout
Z3745 Summer Vibes Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7258S Summer Vibes Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X5960 Fern Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, X6035 Lemonade Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2850 Fern Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6517 Lemonade Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2896 Smoothie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7258E Summer Vibes Acrylic Shapes, Z2482 Citrus TriBlend™ Marker, Z2481 Coral TriBlend™ Marker, Z2479 Gold Brown TriBlend™ Marker, Z697 Round Sponge, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Cricut^® Summer Vibes Collection, Cricut^® Artistry Collection, Cricut^® Basic Shapes, Die-cutting Machine, Sewing Machine

Cricut^® Shapes:
Artistry #M418DFA
Basic Shapes #M369896

12″ x 12″ The Mountains Are Calling Page
C1858 My Acrylix® Timber—Cardmaking Stamp Set, D1941 My Acrylix® Timber—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, X7259S Timber Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X7259E Timber Die-cuts, X7259D Timber Picture My Life™ Cards, X6047 Black Cardstock, X5951 Espresso Cardstock, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X5959 New England Ivy Cardstock, Z2835 New England Ivy Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Cricut^® Timber Collection, Cricut^® Basic Shapes, Die-cutting Machine

Cricut^® Shapes:
Basic Shapes #M3699879

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July 8, 2020Celebrate, Create, Inspiration, Memory Keeping

The Happiest Place Collection!

Close To My Heartamusement, castle, cut above, event, foil design, happiest place, happy, Holiday, magic, mouse, park, rollercoaster, theme, trip, vacation, virtual 6 Comments

Hold on to your hats, because we’re going on a VIP tour of our newest and most magical collection, yet—the Happiest Place!

Summertime is the perfect time to make memories, and the Happiest Place collection is the perfect way to preserve them. With vibrant colors, delightfully whimsical patterns, and a wide selection of fun products to go with them, the Happiest Place will bring a smile to any face!

1. Happiest Place Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet

Let’s start everything off by taking a look at the Happiest Place Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet. This packet comes with twice as many patterned papers than the packets in most of our other collections, with 12 sheets—2 each of 6 double-sided designs!

Along with this awesome paper count, we’ve also got a beautiful sticker sheet, complete with silver glitter foil accents! This eye-catching assortment of stickers is the ideal complement to the fun designs of the papers, and you’ll love accenting your artwork with them!

2. Happiest Place Coordinating Cardstock

The Happiest Place Coordinating Cardstock adds yet another element of wonder to this magical collection. Like the sticker sheet, this cardstock pack includes a selection with silver glitter foil designs. With these shiny patterns, it’s easier than ever to add a little sparkle to your cards and scrapbook pages!

3. Happiest Place Acrylic Shapes

Looking to add even more dimension to your project? The Happiest Place Acrylic Shapes coordinate perfectly with the patterns in this collection and make a great addition to any card or layout!

4. Happiest Place Stamp + Thin Cuts

Preserve your happiest memories and create truly magical artwork with the Happiest Place stamp set and Thin Cuts dies!

In addition to the Happiest Place stamp set and Thin Cuts, the new Magical Alphabet stamp set from our July–August catalog fits right in with the Happiest Place collection. Expand your creative magic even further and create personalized, coordinated titles!

5. SVGs (Digital Art)

Along with the playful images in these stamp sets and Thin Cuts, the Happiest Place also includes a variety of digital art options. With two collections of SVG files—Happiest Place Digital Art Titles and Happiest Place Digital Art Designs—you’ll be all set to use and cut these too-cute shapes for yourself using your favorite digital design program and personal digital cutting machine! These shapes can be used to cut paper for your cards or layouts, or they can be used to cut vinyl images for a one-of-a-kind album cover, like this one!

6. Happiest Place Cut Above^® Kit

Use the materials in this kit to create the pages of an 8½” × 11″ album. No fussy-cutting required!

The Happiest Place Cut Above Layout Kit includes pre-printed base pages, exclusive die-cuts, pre-cut pieces, and instructions to guide you through every step of the way! No cutting or stamping necessary. Just pair this kit with your memories along with a journaling pen, photos, and adhesive!

7. FREE Virtual Event!

Join us as we host another fun and free 3-day virtual crafting event, beginning August 26! For more information, visit the Events tab on the Close To My Heart Facebook page, here. We’ll be doing some exciting giveaways in conjunction with this event, so be sure to mark yourself as “Going” when you visit our Facebook page to be registered for the giveaway opportunities!

We’re so excited about the Happiest Place collection, and just can’t wait for you to get your hands on it! Make sure to talk to your Consultant for even more information about any of these items and additional special offers available. (If you do not have a Consultant, find one in your area, here.)

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June 24, 2020Celebrate, Create, Learn

New Craft with Heart™ Cards Are Here!

Close To My Heartcardmaking, cards, Craft with Heart, cut above, shaker card, shaker window 4 Comments

ATTENTION card lovers! Our new Craft with Heart™ cardmaking kit is out so we’ve got some beautiful new cards to show off today! These fantastic cards are here just in time for summer, and they’re just the thing to get your creative wheels turning. With fun, fresh designs, these cards will even come together in a matter of minutes!

Each card in a Craft with Heart™ subscription box is part of our Cut Above^® program, which means that all of its parts and pieces come pre-cut and ready to go as you get to crafting. Some of the paper is also pre-printed, so it’s quick and easy to create a polished handmade card in no time!

The May–August 2020 kit comes with everything you need to make 24 cards (2 each of the 12 gorgeous designs you’ll see here). Along with the pre-cut and printed card pieces, each Craft with Heart™ cardmaking box comes with an exclusive stamp set, a mini ink pad, and even a specialized ultra-thin stamping block. We also provide an easy-to-follow instructional/inspirational guide to help you put your cards together. However, to really help you make these cards your own, the guide also shows a few different options on how to use the stamps included in the kit.Whether it’s a birthday card, a thank you card, or a “just because” card, these cards are the perfect way to show your care for friends and family, all while letting flexing those creative muscles when you thought you didn’t have the time to.

Not only will you love making the cards, they’ll be a special handmade treat that anyone would be delighted to receive! The Craft with Heart™ program truly has creative options for everyone, including two payment options, so you can tailor your Craft with Heart™ experience to what’s best for you.

The cards in this subscription box will only be available until the end of August, so be sure to sign up for your own Craft with Heart™ cardmaking subscription and get started on making these adorable cards yourself! Happy crafting!

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June 17, 2020Celebrate, Create

Mixed Media, a Stencil, and a Free Cricut Design Space™ File—Oh My!

Close To My Heart4th of july, America, americana, blue, Chipboard, cricut, Decor, Design Space, fourth of July, independence, monograph, red, white, wreath 4 Comments

Just in time for the fourth of July, follow along with us in this DIY décor session and whip up some red, white, and blue Americana, and celebrate all patriotic holidays using a little bit of texture paste, a stencil, and a free Cricut Design Space™ file!

Materials Needed:
Candy Apple Cardstock (1 sheet)
White Daisy Cardstock (1 sheet)
Sapphire Cardstock (1 sheet)
Silver Glitter Paper (1 sheet)
Stencil Sheet (1 sheet)
Espresso Exclusive Inks™ Pigment Pad
Opaque Matte Texture Paste
Palette Knife
Chipboard Monogram—4
Adhesive Runner
Silver Glitter Gems
White Ribbon
Glue Gun
12″ Wreath
Pencil
Scissors
Fine Sandpaper

This tutorial uses shapes from the Close To My Heart Cricut^®Artistry collection. The necessary shapes needed to complete the wreath exactly as shown are available as a project file in Cricut Design Space, here. If you do not have this Cricut^® collection and would like to purchase it, contact your Close To My Heart Consultant (or find one here).

Step 1: Cut Your Paper

From the provided Design Space file, cut the shapes shown above first. Once you’ve cut these shapes, lightly trace the chipboard four with a pencil onto the remainder of your Sapphire cardstock sheet. Cut the shape out with scissors and then, to age the appearance of your project, distress the edges with a fine grit sandpaper.

Step 2: Add Mixed Media

One of the Cricut^® shapes that you will cut using the provided file is a star patterned stencil sheet. Before attaching the Sapphire cardstock layer to the chipboard four, use this stencil with texture paste to create a raised star patterned on the cardstock.

Once the paste is dry, use an adhesive runner to attach the cardstock to the chipboard.

Step 3: Assembling the Tags

Most of the pieces you will need to assemble the tags are included in the Design Space file provided. What you will have to cut on your own are the Sapphire, silver glitter, and Candy Apple pieces used behind the “USA” cutouts in the first tag and four 5½” x ⅜” white stripes to attach to the second, red tag. The third tag is simply the Sapphire tag with the cutout stars attached on top of the solid White Daisy cardstock tag.

If you prefer a more vintage look, use the sandpaper again and also the Espresso pigment pad to lightly rub along the edges of the tags to achieve a distressed, weathered appearance. Add as little or as much pigment as you’d like to make this look just how you want it.

Step 4: Put It All Together!

Using your handy dandy glue gun, attach all of the pieces to the wreath. (Even though our tags may look like they are attached to the chipboard four, they are not. These are glued to each other and to the wreath.) Embellish with some ribbon and glitter gems, and you are all set to proudly display your Americana décor!

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June 9, 2020Create, Inspiration, Learn

BRUSHED IS BACK by Popular Demand!

Close To My Heartbbmp, Bring Back My Pack, brushed, budding, butterflies, butterfly, Canary, candy apple, craft, crop, even, facebook, fb, fblive, floral, flower, friendship, green apple, Lagoon, live, Pixie, smoothie, spring, virtual, wonderful 9 Comments

With the promise of fun days and happy memories ahead, the much-loved Brushed paper collection is back now and through the end of July! With a re-vamped color scheme, a new 12″ x 12″ coordinating sticker sheet, updated coordinating cardstock, and two additional popular stamp sets from the past, the vibrant Brushed collection is just the thing to brighten up your days to come!

1. My Acrylix^® A Budding Friendship and Your Own Kind of Wonderful

These gorgeous stamp sets are ideal for unlocking hours of crafting fun! The beautiful spring designs in the My Acrylix^® A Budding Friendship and Your Own Kind of Wonderful stamp sets are the perfect addition to any card or scrapbooking layout and are sure to help your artwork flourish!

2. Brushed Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet

Featuring our exclusive colors, Canary, Candy Apple, Green Apple, Lagoon, Pixie, and Smoothie, the Brushed paper collection comes with six refreshed patterned paper sheets, two each of three double-sided designs, and one new coordinating sticker sheet! Click on the individual thumbnail images to take a closer look!

3. Brushed Coordinating Cardstock

These cardstock colors coordinate perfectly with those in the Brushed paper packet and it’s complementing sticker sheet. Each coordinating cardstock pack comes with 12 sheet, two each of Canary, Candy Apple, Green Apple, Lagoon, Pixie, and Smoothie; all 12″ x 12″.

4. Live Virtual Crop!

With its eye-catching new color scheme, delicate designs, and wealth of whimsical patterns, we can hardly wait to share the Brushed collection with you!

Join us for a FREE live virtual craft event on June 30^th, 2020 at 2:00 pm MDT on our Facebook page! We will be creating one single-page layout, three two-page layouts, and eight standard-sized cards, all using this beautiful and exclusive Brushed collection. To learn more and to sign up for this free event, click here.

***Make sure to click “going” on the event page in order to be entered to WIN FREE PRIZES during the live event.***

Brushed Paper Collection #closetomyheart #ctmh #ctmhbrushed #bringbackmypack #scrapbooking #cardmaking #papercrafting #crop #abuddingfriendship #yourownkindofwonderful #myacrylix #stamping

Can’t wait for you to join us!!

Recipes:

4¼” x 5½” Wonderful Card (Vertical)
CC6202 Brushed Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, D1602 My Acrylix® A Budding Friendship Stamp Set, D1627 My Acrylix® Your Own Kind of Wonderful Stamp Set, X5982 Canary Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2843 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z3293 Clear Shimmer Brush, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

3″ x 3″ Happiest Thoughts Card
CC6202 Brushed Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, D1602 My Acrylix® A Budding Friendship Stamp Set, X5982 Canary Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2495 Bright Pink TriBlend™ Marker, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z3293 Clear Shimmer Brush, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

4¼” x 5½” Special Card (Vertical)
CC6202 Brushed Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, D1602 My Acrylix® A Budding Friendship Stamp Set, D1627 My Acrylix® Your Own Kind of Wonderful Stamp Set, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z3293 Clear Shimmer Brush, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

8½” x 11″ Happy Together Layout
D1602 My Acrylix® A Budding Friendship Stamp Set, D1627 My Acrylix® Your Own Kind of Wonderful Stamp Set, X5982 Canary Cardstock, X5984 Pixie Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6509 Candy Apple Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6513 Green Apple Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2844 Pixie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2896 Smoothie Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2495 Bright Pink TriBlend™ Marker, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z3668 Wood Buttons, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z3512 Pewter Journaling Pen (.01), Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

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June 3, 2020Celebrate, Create, Inspiration

Cards and Layouts for a Legendary Father’s Day!

Close To My Heartcolor pencil, colour pencil, embossing, father's day, june, legendary, no matter how tall you grow, shaker card, shirt, shoes, someone to look up to, technique, video, watercolor pencil, watercolour pencil 2 Comments

Celebrate the men who mean the most in your life with our exclusive Legendary Father’s Day stamp sets! The Someone to Look up To and Legendary Father’s Day sets will honor these important men in a “dapper” mixed with just the appropriate amount of “cute” way.

By pairing these legendary stamp sets with a few fun stamping and coloring techniques we were able to achieve some rather handsome results.

In the cards above, we used coloring pencils to add details to the hat on the left and the tie on the right. The filling of the shaker window is a mix made up of gold loose sequins and Sapphire cardstock confetti shapes cut using the Shaker Window & Confetti Thin Cuts (see how we used the leftover negative of the star confetti in a separate card, below). The shoes of the card on the left were stamped in VersaMark™ ink and heat embossed using clear embossing powder to create a textured patterned background.

Heat embossing with white embossing powder was used to achieve the raised white sentiment on this other card, above, and shading with color pencils was once again used on the shirt of the card on the left, to create a more dimensional image.

If you’d like to learn how to achieve the beautiful color pencil shading we’ve shown you in a couple of these cards, follow along with Karen, our Creative Arts Manager, in the video below. She explains how to determine where and how to add your shading based on your “light source” and so much more!

Lastly, we promised you scrapbook pages and we are delivering!

For all of our scrappers out there, these gorgeous stamp sets are easily adaptable to pages and layouts, as well! Here you see that we’ve created a 6″ x 8″ page and a 12″ x 12″ page using both of the Father’s Day stamp sets. The large sentiment from the Someone To Look up To stamp set lends itself well as a title while the smaller icons of the Legendary Father’s Day stamp set add a touch of gallant charm to your memories.

Father’s Day is less than three weeks away! Prepare those meaningful cards and pages, today, and make Father’s Day unforgettable this year!

Recipes:

4¼” x 5½” Happy Father’s Day Shaker Card (Vertical)
CC6205 My Acrylix^® Legendary Father’s Day Stamp Set, X9009 Mix-in Paper Packet, X5965 Ruby Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, X5957 Sapphire Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2870 Ruby Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2848 Sapphire Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z4309 Shaker Window & Confetti Thin Cuts, Z4310 Shaker Window Foam & Acetate, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

4¼” x 5½” Happy Father’s Day Shoes Card (Horizontal)
CC6205 My Acrylix^®Legendary Father’s Day Stamp Set, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, X6034 Sangria Cardstock, X5957 Sapphire Cardstock, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6504 Sage Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2848 Sapphire Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z4213 Silver Embellishing Thread, Z2088 Clear Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z341 Glue Dots^® Mini Dots, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Sewing Machine

4¼” x 5½” Happy Father’s Day Shirt Card (Vertical)
CC6205 My Acrylix^®Legendary Father’s Day Stamp Set, X7256B Aurora Paper Packet, X5965 Ruby Cardstock, Z6045 Sage Cardstock, X5957 Sapphire Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2870 Ruby Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2848 Sapphire Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z341 Glue Dots^® Mini Dots

4¼” x 5½” Someone to Look Up to Card (Vertical)
CC6206 My Acrylix^® Someone to Look up To Stamp Set, X7256B Aurora Paper Packet, Z891 VersaMark™ Ink Pad, Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z3552 Wooden Arrows, Z2068 White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z341 Glue Dots^® Mini Dots

6″ x 8″ Someone to Look up To Page
CC6205 My Acrylix^®Legendary Father’s Day Stamp Set, CC6206 My Acrylix^® Someone to Look up To Stamp Set, X7256B Aurora Paper Packet, X5965 Ruby Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2870 Ruby Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X5957 Sapphire Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z341 Glue Dots^® Mini Dots

12″ x 12″ Someone to Look up To Page
CC6205 My Acrylix^®Legendary Father’s Day Stamp Set, CC6206 My Acrylix^® Someone to Look up To Stamp Set, X7256B Aurora Paper Packet, X5949 Almond Cardstock, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, X6034 Sangria Cardstock, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7256D Aurora Picture My Life™ Cards, X7256E Aurora Acrylic Shapes,Z4304 Silver Loose Sequins, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z2089 Glue Dots^®Micro Dots, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

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The Extend-a-Story Challenge

Step-by-Step Instructions

How My New Updated Extended Story Stacks Up!

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AURORA

STITCHED TOGETHER

SUMMER VIBES

TIMBER

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1. Happiest Place Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet

2. Happiest Place Coordinating Cardstock

3. Happiest Place Acrylic Shapes

4. Happiest Place Stamp + Thin Cuts

5. SVGs (Digital Art)

6. Happiest Place Cut Above® Kit

7. FREE Virtual Event!

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Step 1: Cut Your Paper

Step 2: Add Mixed Media

Step 3: Assembling the Tags

Step 4: Put It All Together!

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6. Happiest Place Cut Above^® Kit