December 7, 2022Create, Inspiration, Learn

Building Unique Backgrounds and Borders with Stamping!

Close To My Heartbackgrounds, borders, cardmaking, christmas, festive, happy holidays, harmonious patterns, Holiday, merry & bright, Patterns, scrapbooking, season's greetings, stamping, we wish yo a merry christmas, winter borders Leave a comment

At the heart of many crafting masterpieces is a great background. One way to instantly set your creations apart is to create your own background that is unique to your pieces. From splendid stamps to imaginative sponged or splattered sections, the sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can do to create your own beautiful backgrounds. Today, we’ll be taking a look at a very special selection of stamps that can be used to create one-of-a-kind background and border elements on cards and scrapbook layouts, combining these elements for a truly beautiful effect!

The artwork on display uses our Winter Borders and Harmonious Patterns stamp sets—both of which can be found in our October–December catalog and are just the thing to add a little festive flair to your holiday crafting! By using repeated stamping and layering techniques, it’s a simple matter to create gorgeous background elements as a foundation for your art!

One of the simplest ways to elevate your artwork is to add a custom border, like the one that can be seen in this “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” card. On the Scarlet piece, we added a smattering of dots to increase the interest of this piece of cardstock. This addition is a great way to complement the striped pattern of the base piece with something a bit more organic and free-feeling.

This dots stamp can be used on its own to suggest the effect of thick, falling snowflakes, or simply as an array of abstract dots. For another, more involved look, they can also be used with another stamp from the same Winter Borders set—a vine of holly leaves! The dots stamped on top of the leaves become holly berries, an effect you can see on our 12” x 12” Merry & Bright page.

We’ll take a closer look at that page in a minute, but before we do, let’s get back to the “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” Card.
Along with the dressed-up Scarlet strip, we also gussied up the Pine strip just below it. On this particular piece, we stamped the length of it with the leafy border stamp, also part of the Winter Borders stamp set. This leafy detail, stamped in Pine ink, serves to provide yet another unique pattern that you won’t get in a paper collection.

Though it is technically a border stamp, this particular usage comes off more as a background element. This is achieved by stamping the border design on a strip of paper that is narrower than the stamp itself, ensuring that the entirety of the paper is covered in the inked design. It’s a small detail that has a massive impact on the overall appearance of the card, sprucing it up and completing the combination of patterns that form the background and foundation of the card.

Now let’s look at that scrapbook page to see another fun border stamp!

We already talked about the holly leaves and berries below the photo, but look up above it to see our next example: A string of multicolored lights graces the top of this White Daisy cardstock piece, adding a small pop of color.

These lights start off with a simple light string, stamped with Black ink. Then, we stamped the colored bulbs onto the cardstock, taking care to line them up with the bulb fittings on the light string. Because the bulb is a single stamp image, we could easily alternate ink colors to create a pattern that matched the overall color scheme of this page.

For added realism, the bulb stamp image is designed with two small grooves, resulting in a break-up of the inked section to replicate the natural shine found on a glass light bulb. (Tip: To preserve this effect, make sure to not press down too hard when stamping your light bulbs. Rather than mashing the stamp and stamp block into the page, carefully set it down and apply light pressure over the surface area of the stamp.)

One last background stamping example that adds to the look of this page is a more subtle, but no less fun element behind our journaling: a piece of Pewter cardstock festooned with various music notes and symbols. While it is not the most prominent stamped element on this page, it provides a visual treat nonetheless, increasing interest in the journaling section and providing a bit of polish to the overall appearance of the page.

The last stamp in our Winter Borders set is a stunning array of stars and snowflakes. While it does make a stellar border, we’ve used it to great effect as a background element on our “Season’s Greetings” card.

To create variety in our background, we stamped the snowflakes in different colors and rotated it between columns, covering the entire White Daisy piece in a veritable winter wonderland!

This fun winter feel is amplified in other layers of the card, too. The artistically ripped cardstock pieces mimic snowdrifts, and a dots stamp from the Harmonious Patterns stamp set adds a heightened snowfall effect with a beautiful Silver Embossing Powder treatment.

And believe it or not, the cluster of trees on this card also come from one of our Harmonious Patterns stamps! Stamped in Scarlet, Mist, and Pine inks, these mini trees were carefully trimmed from a pattern stamp and arranged over the torn cardstock “snowbanks” for a frosty forest appeal—just showing that even backgrounds and patterns can shine in the foreground from time to time!

The snowfall dot assortment shown in our previous card comes in handy again in two other cards we have to show off today—our “Happy Holidays” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” cards. Both of these cards feature this distinctive dot pattern, though in different ways.

Our Happy Holidays card sports this pattern right on the primary base piece, with the rest of the card built on top of it.

The “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” card sports this pattern on a piece of Sage cardstock creating a band across the width of the card.

Both examples of this stamp usage, while serving different purposes, are vital additions to the overall design of these two cards. Take a look at how the dots effect is echoed by a splattering of ink over the central sentiment of the card. While one is stamped on and one is splattered, the random feel of both elements creates an overarching unity between background and foreground.

In the “Happy Holidays” card, the dots pattern is contrasted by the bold, straight lines of the tartan plaid stamp. This pattern is placed prominently over the Sage base piece and sandwiched between strips of silver glitter paper to create a vibrant focal point that coordinates nicely with the Candy Apple title.

No matter how you create your backgrounds, you can see that they play a vital role in the overall aesthetic of your projects! We hope today’s examples have given you a few ideas of how you can create your own fantastic backgrounds! Which border or background set was your favorite? Be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how you would use it!

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Recipes:

4¼“ x 5½” We Wish You a Merry Christmas Card (Horizontal)
M1322 My Acrylix^® We Wish You a Merry Christmas Stamp Set, C1962 My Acrylix^® Winter Borders Stamp Set, X7286B Christmas Story Paper Packet, X7287B Cherish Paper Packet, X6047 Black Cardstock, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X6070 Pine Cardstock, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, Z6540 Pine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z6047 White Acrylic Stars, X254 White Cards & Envelopes Value Pack, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Cricut^® Basic Shapes

Cricut^® Shape:
Basic Shapes
#M2AAB3EFD

4¼” x 5½” Happy Holidays Card (Horizontal)
D2117 My Acrylix^® Seasonal Haul Stamp Set, D2130 My Acrylix^® Harmonious Patterns Stamp Set, M1323 My Acrylix^® Happy Holidays Stamp Set, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X5947 Mink Cardstock, X6058 Rosemary Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6509 Candy Apple Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6529 Rosemary Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z3312 Gold Glitter Gems, Z4191 Silver Glitter Gems, Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim, Z6047 White Acrylic Stars, Z3562 Silver Stickles^™ Glitter Glue, Z2533 Dark Red Shades TriBlend^™ Marker, Z2474 Ice Grey TriBlend^™ Marker, Z2522 Jade Green Shades TriBlend^™ Marker, Z2512 Muted Brown TriBlend^™ Marker, Z2525 Vintage Blue TriBlend^™Marker, Z2499 Blender Marker, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots

3″ x 3″ We Wish You a Merry Christmas Card
M1322 My Acrylix® We Wish You a Merry Christmas Stamp Set, C1962 My Acrylix® Winter Borders Stamp Set, X6070 Pine Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, X6058 Rosemary Cardstock, Z6540 Pine Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6529 Rosemary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4591 Sage Shimmer Brush, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

4¼” x 5½” Seasons Greetings Card (Vertical)
C1962 My Acrylix^® Winter Borders Stamp Set, D2130 My Acrylix^® Harmonious Patterns Stamp Set, C1959 My Acrylix^® Christmas Reindeer Stamp Set, X6047 Black Cardstock, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X5947 Mink Cardstock, X6069 Mist Cardstock, X6070 Pine Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, Z6539 Mist Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6540 Pine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z2067 Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4191 Silver Glitter Gems, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, X254 White Cards & Envelopes Value Pack, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

12″ x 12″ Merry & Bright Page
C1962 My Acrylix^® Winter Borders Stamp Set, D2130 My Acrylix^® Harmonious Patterns Stamp Set, D2115 My Acrylix^® Title Style Stamp Set, X9044 Mix-in Paper Packet (Oct-Dec), X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X5947 Mink Cardstock, X6069 Mist Cardstock, X6070 Pine Cardstock, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, Z6539 Mist Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6540 Pine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6529 Rosemary Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6504 Sage Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6046 Black Die-cut Stars, Z6058 Black Die-cut Alphabet, Z3224 Small Round Waterbrush, Z5010 White Gloss Spray, Z2089 Glue Dots^® Micro Dots

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November 30, 2022Celebrate, Inspiration, Memory Keeping

A Tradition Worth Preserving!

Close To My Heartalbum, christmas, christmas list, daily picture, elf, Flip Flaps, inspiration, memories, Memory Keeping, Merry Christmas, Merry Elf-mas, mini album, Mix-in, Mrs. Claus, naughty, nice, north pole mail, Santa, surprises 1 Comment

This one goes out to all the mommas out there who wake up in the middle of the night to the ominous “I forgot to move that stinkin’ elf!” thought.

We’ve all been there so, first off, kudos to you for bringing the magic of Christmas into your home with this delightful, and sometimes exhausting, tradition!

Second—with all the thought and effort that you are putting into this little houseguest’s antics, what are you doing to keep track of and preserve them?

A lot of us, especially when we feel like we’ve come up with an ingenious idea, will snap a picture and then share it on social media for everyone to see just how clever and witty we are. Once the holiday season is over, all of this hard work is lost to the fleeting audience we shared it with. There’s an easy way to change that this year!

With just a handful of products, create a mini album for the audience that matters most—your family! You’re already taking the pictures of all the pranks, tricks, and escapades your elf gets up to—and if you’re not, it isn’t too late to start! A mini album is a great place to collect and preserve these photos, as well as the fun and happy memories that go with them!

Understandably, sometimes your elf is just too tired from their trip to the North Pole and all he does is find a new place in the kitchen to sit. Take a daily picture anyway! If a daily picture or daily pose feels too ambitious, this type of mini album can easily just include the highlights, together with other holiday pictures you’ve taken. It’s your mini album, so you get to decide what goes into it!

At the end of the holiday season, review all of your elf photos and print out your favorites in a 4″ x 4″ format. Trimming the photos down makes slipping them into one of our mini albums a breeze!

Our 4″ x 4″ albums come with either 16 or 10 built-in protector sheets, giving you space for up to 32 or 20 photos, designed pages, and journaling cards, total. If you want to include more than what is allotted by the album, add a few trusty Flip Flaps^™ to the mix!

Flip Flaps are exactly what they sound like—clear pockets with an adhesive on one end that attaches to your albums, allowing the pocket to flip open to reveal additional memories! This exclusive Close To My Heart product comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and is an excellent help for expanding your storytelling and enhancing your memory keeping experience.

We kept our album simple by creating a few pages using only patterned papers from our current Mix-in paper packet paired with the North Pole Mail and Merry Elf-mas stamp sets and Thin Cuts, along with a couple of quick embellishments. (See the recipe at the end of this post for a complete list of products used.) The North Pole Mail stamp set provides lots of fun sentiments that fit into a festive frame to pair with your photos. (This stamp can even give you some elf inspiration when you are running short on ideas!)

The Merry Elf-mas Stamp + Thin Cuts makes it easy to stamp and cut a paper elf that you can use to embellish the cover of your album, accent pages, or use in a variety of other ways. The set is a natural pick for this type of project and can assist in adding some of this same Christmas magic to other projects, too!

The point of a little album like this one isn’t to give you something else to do this holiday season. (No one needs that!) The hope is that this mini project inspires you to preserve what you are already doing! Take advantage of the beautiful products that are currently available for this special time of year and preserve the magical moments you are creating in your home!

Recipe:

4″ x 4″ Merry Elf-mas Album
Z8054 Merry Elf-mas Stamp + Thin Cuts, D2135 North Pole Mail Stamp Set, X9044 Mix-in Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6509 Candy Apple Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6539 Mist Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2518 Coral Shades TriBlend^™ Marker, Z2486 Dull Green TriBlend^™ Marker, Z2476 Fair Skin TriBlend^™ Marker, Z2512 Muted Brown TriBlend^™ Marker, Z2496 Pale Pink TriBlend^™ Marker, Z3563 Diamond Stickles^™ TriBlend™ Glitter Glue, Z5015 Candy Apple Shimmer Trim, Z4626 Red Dots, Z3943 Circles Thin Cuts, Z3224 Small Round Waterbrush, Z4572 Blending Brushes, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z4285 White 4″ x 4″ Album, Z3235 4″ x 4″ Flip Flaps^™ Memory Protectors^™

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November 23, 2022Celebrate, Create, Inspiration

A Gift From Us to You

Close To My Heartall-purpose tags, bundles, christmas, clear sparkles, come let us adore him, cozy, cup of cheer, festive, From Me to You, funny, gift, gift tags, gifts, Holiday, holiday treat, i wanted to keep this, joyful, just for you, magic, magic of christmas, merry little chirstmas, o holy night, one-of-a-kind, religious, Shimmer Trim, snuggle, stamps, tags, unto us a child is born, you can't return it, you're impossible to shop for 4 Comments

Picture your favorite Christmas memories.We’re betting that the majority of these memories are centered around people you love and cherish! This holiday season, we want to help you make some new memories, not just for yourself, but for your friends and loved ones as well! Since gift giving constitutes a large part of many holiday preparations, today, we’re going to show you how to make your mark and show your love in a personal way beyond the things beneath the wrapping paper, boxes, and ribbons.

For a more personal touch on each gift, we recommend creating unique gift tags! A gift tag is one of the first things every gift recipient will notice when they receive their presents, and a hand-made one is just the ticket to add a little bit of extra love to the gifts you give this Christmas. With our From Me to You special, it’s easier than ever to create the personalized gift tags of your dreams, and today, we’re going to get into the ins and outs of how to design and craft a wide range of tags for every holiday gift-giving occasion!

The From Me to You gift tag offering is built upon a foundation of 12 individual stamps, each expressing their own unique sentiment. These stamps range in theme from a general festive motif and religious overtones, to cozy vibes and more playful options! These stamps are all designed to coordinate with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts; all you have to do to create your tags is cut out your preferred shape with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts dies, stamp your selected sentiment onto the cut tag, and voila! The tag is done, and ready to attach to a wrapped Christmas present, holiday neighborhood treat, or even a white elephant gift! No matter how they are used, the gift tags you create with the From Me to You stamp sets are sure to be a hit and will make any gift you give this holiday season more personal and memorable!

Because the From Me to You stamp sets are all designed to coordinate with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, it’s a simple matter to select the sentiment and shape combination for your tags. The All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts set includes 11 dies in various shapes and sizes, ranging from ⅝” to 3½”.

This selection of die-cuts offers a wealth of possibility and potential when it comes to the types of tags you can create, and every one makes a gorgeous addition to your holiday offerings for friends and family! (While we worked exclusively with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts in the artwork on display today, we have additional sets of gift tags and accessories to create them, including the Tags & Tabs Thin Cuts, and the My Acrylix® Just for You stamp set. For more tag-making fun, be sure to check out these dies and stamps!) Now, back to our fabulous From Me to You stamp sets!

Because the From Me to You stamp sets range over a few different themes, we’ve organized them into 4 different groups to reflect the following themes—jolly, funny, festive, and joyful! Our jolly bundle includes options for a cozy vibe, to more of a sweet tooth sentiment, and cheery wishes.

The funny assortment features a variety of light-hearted jabs, the perfect way to gently tease your friends or family members and bring a smile to their faces!

For anyone looking to convey a more classic Christmas sentiment, the festive collection is the way to go, with options for a little Christmas magic, celebratory merriment, and reminders of how personal your loved ones are to you.

Looking for a way to bring a more spiritual touch to your gift tags? Then the joyful bundle of stamps is for you! This handful of stamps includes phrases like “O Holy Night” and “For Unto Us a Child is Born” to serve as reminders of the foundation of this beautiful and beloved holiday.

All the tags featured in today’s post have the common theme of being created with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts and From Me to You stamps, but many include their own unique design elements to really set them apart from other, more simple options. One of our absolute favorites is the inclusion of heat embossed details, as you can see in the examples below.

Heat embossing is an amazing art technique that adds dimension and even shine to your stamped images by applying embossing powder over the top of your stamped image and then melting the powder using a heat tool. Learn more about this technique in this video.

Another stunning detail we love in these tags is the inclusion of multiple layers. By simply cutting a few coordinating tag pieces out of different colors of cardstock and layering them together, these tags deliver a much more polished end result. Notice how the silver glitter paper shapes add to the layered look of this tag–feel free to mix in non-tag shapes cut from other Thin Cuts dies or even with your Cricut or other cutting machine to elevate the look of any tag!

Looking for some simple, yet powerful embellishment? Never count out the impact that a few Clear Sparkles can have! In this example, we’ve colored ours in with a Dark Red TriBlend™ Marker and used them to adorn the interior of the stamped floral shapes. They are the perfect fit!

This inclusion provides a color contrast, but also helps to break up the matte surface of the main tag with a little shine! For other tags, we’ve also turned to Shimmer Trims and White Gel Pens to add subtle detailing to our creations, and it’s evident that even the smallest of embellishments can have a big impact!

However you decorate your tags, and whatever gifts you attach them to, the From Me to You stamps, along with the All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, are guaranteed to provide you with everything you need to start creating your own one-of-a-kind gift tags for your holiday gifts this year and for many years to come!

Of the tags featured in today’s post, which was your favorite, and whose gift would you attach it to? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it!

Recipes:

Have a Cup of Cheer Tag
CC102217 My Acrylix^® Have a Cup of Cheer Stamp Set, X6062 Harbour Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

The Snuggle Is Real Tag
CC102218 My Acrylix^® The Snuggle Is Real Stamp Set, X5947 Mink Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6540 Pine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z2497 Dark Red TriBlend^™ Marker, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

A Holiday Treat Tag
CC102219 My Acrylix^® A Holiday Treat Stamp Set, X7286B Christmas Story Paper Packet, X5947 Mink Cardstock, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z5015 Candy Apple Shimmer Trim, Z4659 Pine Shimmer Trim, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

You Can’t Return It Tag
CC102220 My Acrylix^® You Can’t Return It Stamp Set, X6038 Candy Apple Cardstock, X6070 Pine Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2068 White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z1513 White Gel Pens, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Twine

I Wanted to Keep This Tag
CC102221 My Acrylix^® I Wanted To Keep This Stamp Set, X6058 Rosemary Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z2490 Ice Blue TriBlend^™ Marker, Z1513 White Gel Pens, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

You’re Impossible to Shop For Tag
CC102222 My Acrylix^® You’re Impossible to Shop For Stamp Set, X6038 Candy Apple Cardstock, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z5015 Candy Apple Shimmer Trim, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Twine

Magic of Christmas Tag
CC102223 My Acrylix^® Magic of Christmas Stamp Set, X6062 Harbour Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z2068 White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

A Merry Little Christmas Tag
CC102224 My Acrylix^® A Merry Little Christmas Stamp Set, X6058 Rosemary Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, Z6540 Pine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

Just for You Tag
CC102225 My Acrylix^® Just For You Stamp Set, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z2068 White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Twine

O Holy Night Tag
CC102226 My Acrylix^® O Holy Night Stamp Set, X6064 Black Core Black Cardstock, X6038 Candy Apple Cardstock, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2066 Princess Gold Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Ribbon

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him Tag
CC102227 My Acrylix® Oh Come Let Us Adore Him Stamp Set, X7286B Christmas Story Paper Packet, X6062 Harbour Cardstock, Z3239 Silver Glitter Paper, Z891 VersaMark^™ Ink Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z2067 Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z4220 Anti-static Pouch, Z4252 Heat Tool, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, Cricut^® Flower Market Collection

Cricut® Shape:
Flower Market
#MD6F435

Unto Us a Child is Born Tag
CC102228 My Acrylix^® Unto Us a Child is Born Stamp Set, X6047 Black Cardstock, X6058 Rosemary Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4641 All-purpose Tags Thin Cuts, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z4659 Pine Shimmer Trim, Z1513 White Gel Pens, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

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November 16, 2022Celebrate, Create, Memory Keeping

Capturing YOUR Days in Calendars AND Scrapbooks!

Close To My Heart2023, album, autumn, baby, best year ever, blank canvas, calendar kit, Craft with Heart, Cut Above®, date night, everyday moments, Four Seasons, graduations, Holiday, joy, keep blooming, Memory Keeping, milestones, most wonderful time of the year, scrapbooking, smiles, spring, summer, These Are the Days, tradition, weddings, winter, year round Leave a comment

When we talk about memory keeping, it’s natural to think of documenting the biggest moments or occasions—weddings, graduations, new babies, major milestones—but it’s just as important to chronicle the smaller, everyday moments that happen outside of the spotlight. After all, these moments make up the bulk of our lives, and looking back on them can often have as great an impact as memories of more momentous occasions. Holiday traditions, date nights, days at the park, quiet moments at home, and even just random moments that bring you joy, for any reason—these can be just as meaningful and just as worthy of being kept close to your heart.

We love providing crafters with the opportunities and resources to commemorate all their special moments, and a hand-crafted calendar or an album full of thoughtful scrapbook layouts can be just the way to catch the special occasions as well as the everyday happy memories! After all, every joyful moment we capture is a smile that can be saved and cherished later!

On display today as a vehicle for capturing those smiles is artwork featuring our These Are the Days calendar and layout kits, and trust us, there’s a lot to love here! The These Are the Days kits are created with our Cut Above® format, making them an ideal springboard for both beginners and more experienced crafters. All kits designed with this format come with all the pieces and die-cuts pre-cut, and even some pre-printed pieces as well! Having all the cutting and a good portion of the printing already done allows crafters to complete their projects in no time, so it’s possible to create even more in one sitting. (For those of you who are familiar with our Craft with Heart^™ subscription program, the card and scrapbook kits available in each subscription box are all created with the Cut Above^® format. Check out our current kits on the Close To My Heart website!)

The Cut Above^® pages included in the These Are the Days kits were designed and created with paper patterns from the Four Seasons collections in our 2022–2023 Core Products Catalog. These seasonal papers are available in Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter options. (To see the Autumn collection in the spotlight, check out our blog post from a couple of weeks ago!) The Four Seasons paper collections come with their own individual 6-sheet paper packets, sticker sheets, and coordinating cardstock packs. These mini collections are ideal for all sorts of seasonal creations, and it’s incredible to see how well they all fit together in the These Are the Days layout and calendar kits! By utilizing the Four Seasons collections in the These Are the Days kits, it was easy to design an entire year’s worth of pages, themed specifically for each month or change of season as the year progresses.

Rounding out the These Are the Days kits is an exclusive stamp set to help you tell your stories! This stamp set includes a whopping 35 stamps, all designed for use with a calendar page or a scrapbook page documenting your special occasions!

For those of you who want to create a memory keeping project with a twist, try out the These Are the Days calendar kit! This kit still allows you to create 13 12″ x 12″ scrapbook pages , but instead of putting them into an album, you get to incorporate them (along with your favorite photos) into a 12-month calendar, complete with its very own cover! Since the These Are the Days Cut Above^® kits come with the materials to create 13 pages, you’re left with one for each month of a calendar year, and one left over to put on your calendar cover! This kit also includes a blank base calendar, so you can further personalize it by adding your own colorful reminders of important occasions or week-to-week happenings. It’s literally a blank canvas, just waiting for you to fill it in!

It takes no time at all to create a full calendar to commemorate all your important dates and capture some smaller, everyday treasures, too! It’s a beautiful way to celebrate the memorable occasions and fun impromptu ones alike, and it’s a project we know that any crafter will love!

If, however, you are a die-hard scrapbooker and creating albums is your jam, These Are the Days is still the perfect project for you! These Are the Days is unique in the fact that it can be used for a dual crafting purpose! Since these kits are designed as 12″ x 12″ Cut Above^® pages, it’s easy to create a calendar, or to reserve the pages for a scrapbook album to document a whole year! Because the These Are the Days layout kit includes 13 stunning pages, the kit allows crafters to create an entire year’s worth of pages in a single crafting session.

Each page has spots for your favorite photos, making it easy to preserve the fun stories of your year. Filling an entire album is a breeze with These Are the Days, and whether you fill it with your own memories or choose to give it to a family member or friend to put their own photos in, it’s bound to be a wonderful memory keeping solution!

To further illustrate the scrapbooking potential of the These Are the Days kits, we’ve even created two additional pages to show off just how easy it is to create pieces that coordinate with the These Are the Days kits! Since we know the These Are the Days pages are designed using the Four Seasons patterns, we have an easy resource for creating seamlessly coordinating pages by using matching designs! This allows you to turn the These Are the Days kit pages into full 2-page layouts! Take a look at the extra pages we created as inspiration for creating your own!

For our springtime layout option, we’ve selected the April page and created this “Keep Blooming” page to coordinate with the “Hello Spring” one from the Cut Above^® kit. This beautiful page sports a simple design, using a patterned Four Seasons—Spring paper for the base page. From there, we’ve attached a strategically torn piece of Avocado cardstock in the center of the page, about halfway down, with the torn section facing toward the bottom edge of the base page.

Once our torn piece was in place, we took a rectangular piece of White Daisy cardstock, positioned it over the Avocado piece, and added three Ballerina cardstock photo mats on top of that. From there, it was easy to select and attach our photos!

To finish this page off, we selected a few stickers from the Four Seasons—Spring sticker sheet to add our title, a small pennant line across the upper left-hand corner, and a small layered feature at the top right corner of our White Daisy piece. We love how quickly and easily this combination of simple elements completes a gorgeous coordinating page to complement the These Are the Days Cut Above^® “Hello Spring” page!

Our second coordinating page on display today was created to pair with our December “Joy” page. Like our “Keep Blooming” page, this “Most Wonderful Time…” page is simple enough to replicate in a just few steps.

This page starts off with a matching base page from the Four Seasons—Winter paper collection, and incorporates a few ½” zip strips from this paper packet, attached horizontally across the middle of the page to match the Cut Above^® page. From there, we layered a piece of Toffee cardstock, and a slightly smaller piece of the Four Seasons—Winter wood grain paper centered over it. From here, we mounted two 3″ x 4″ photos and one 4″ x 6″ photo on Pine photo mats and attached them to the base page, as you can see below.

For our title piece, we took a piece of Toffee cardstock, attached a Four Seasons—Winter border sticker, and dovetailed the ends. Our “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” title sticker was centered in the middle of this accent, and the whole thing was centered and attached to our base page.

To embellish this page, we’ve created a couple of layered sticker clusters to create additional interest around the photos and title section. As with the patterned papers and title sticker, these accents all came from the Four Seasons—Winter Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet and are a quick and easy way to add polished embellishments.

It’s incredible to see how simple it can be to design and create your own coordinating scrapbook pages to go with the These Are the Days Cut Above^® options, and it’s a beautiful way not only to preserve your memories, but to look forward to making new ones!

We hope you’ve enjoyed our look at the possibilities available through the These Are the Days calendar and scrapbook layout kits, and we wish you a happy year to come as we approach the start of 2023 in just a few short weeks! What’s your favorite memory of a small, everyday moment you’ve preserved? What’s a more momentous occasion that you’ll never forget? How would you use the These Are the Days kit to document these memories? Tell us your stories and how you’d preserve them in the comments below!

Recipes:

12″ x 12″ Hello Spring Layout
X8034S Four Seasons—Spring Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6053 Avocado Cardstock, X6036 Ballerina Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

12″ x 12″ Joy Layout
X8037S Four Seasons—Winter Paper Packet, X6070 Pine Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

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November 9, 2022Celebrate, Learn, Memory Keeping

Create Gilded Accents with a Variety of Gloss Spray Techniques!

Close To My Heartaccents, Celebrate, christmas, christmas day, Christmas Eve, Christmas story, Family, gilded, glitter, gloss spray, gloss spray technique, gold, Holiday, Memory Keeping, monica, painting, rumpelstiltskin, scrapbooking, shine, sponge, spray, story, storytelling, stylus, technique, techniques, traditions, video, workshop, workshop guide 7 Comments

We’re at it again with one of our favorite media, the gloss spray! This time, we’re giving Rumpelstiltskin a run for his gold-making skills by creating our very own gilded accents, using a variety of techniques paired with Gilt gloss spray!

Our Christmas Story scrapbooking workshop features many of these types of techniques. So let’s start by looking at that artwork!

Can you spot the golden elements in this layout? You’ll notice that there are several gold accents on these pages, from the title sticker to the faux ribbons made from glitter paper. If you look closely, you’ll also see a few of these pennant-like tags.

While photos can’t capture the golden effect in all its glory, trust us when we say that these tags have a beautiful golden luster that compares to illuminated, gold painted manuscripts!

The ornate little tags on this layout started off a French Vanilla color and were transformed with just a little bit of gloss spray and a sponge.

Did you know you could paint with gloss spray? Give the bottle a nice shake, make sure you hear that little ball inside hit against the sides mixing the paint up, and then spray a small puddle onto an all-purpose mat. Cut a wedge out of your trusty round sponge and use it to apply the paint to your project. It’s that simple! This technique makes it easier to get a uniform application of gloss spray rather than the random splatters that you get when spraying.

In this next layout from the Christmas Story scrapbooking workshop, we used the gloss spray in two ways. One is more obvious than the other.

Do you see it?

The more obvious use of the gloss spray here is where we sprayed it along the top of the left page and the bottom of the right page, creating a gorgeous golden glare-like effect.

If you inspect these pages a bit further, past the obvious sprayed areas, you will find that we also used the Gilt gloss spray to accent some of the paper embellishments, using another painting technique.

In the case of this layout, we used the tip of a stylus tool to lift the paint from our puddle and paint small dots in the center of bows, inside scallops, and in a floral shape.

In this last layout from the Christmas Story scrapbooking workshop, both the sponge- and dot-painting techniques were used.

The paperclip-like accent along the top photo on the left page was transformed from its original French Vanilla color to the stunning gilt by sponging it with the gloss spray.

And like in the second layout, we added a couple of gilt dots to the right page with the help of a stylus tool.

Gloss sprays are truly one of our current favorites! There are countless ways to use this game changing medium, and as we continue to discover them, we will continue to share them with you!

In the video below, Close To My Heart President Monica Wihongi shares even more ways to use the beautiful Gilt gloss spray to create your very own gilded accents. She even recreates some of the effects from the Christmas Story scrapbooking workshop using different techniques than what we’ve shown you so far. Follow along and see for yourself!

Download your free Christmas Story scrapbooking workshop guide, here!

Christmas Story Scrapbooking Workshop Guide (US/CA)
Christmas Story Scrapbooking Workshop Guide (AU/NZ)

Recipe:

12″ x 12″ Christmas Story Scrapbooking Workshop Layouts
G1265 Christmas Story Scrapbooking Workshop Kit, Z5009 Gilt Gloss Spray, Z4575 Black LePen™, Z697 Round Sponge, Z3505 Dual-tip Stylus Embossing Tool, Z2045 All-purpose Mat, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Paper Trimmer, Scissors, Adhesive, Ruler

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November 2, 2022Celebrate, Inspiration, Memory Keeping

Holiday Creations with Seas & Greetings!

Close To My Heartbeach, cardmaking, cards, christmas, creativity, dual theme, Holiday, jingle shells, Memory Keeping, paper collection, sand, sandy, scrapbook pages, scrapbooking, Seas & Greetings, seasonal, snow, snowy, tropical, video, vip, VIP Customer Program, winter, workshops 1 Comment

Whether you’re playing in snow or sand, the 2022 holiday season is set to be merry and bright! It’s always a crafting party here at Close To My Heart, and we’ve got some major fun in store for this Christmas season! For us, Christmas means a big new selection of stamps, patterned papers, and embellishments to aid us in our cardmaking and memory keeping endeavors. We’ve got an incredible paper collection to introduce you to today, and we can’t wait to show it off!

We are extremely blessed to have our crafting community extend throughout the US, into Canada, across the Pacific to Japan, and down under to Australia and New Zealand. As such, the season for Christmas celebrations varies greatly depending on where you live—some celebrate in the winter time, with snow and cold weather, while others celebrate in the height of summer, with sunshine, high temperatures, and beautiful beach weather!The Seas & Greetings paper collection is an ideal solution for Christmas crafting from either end of that spectrum, as well as any place in between! Without any further ado, let’s get into all the amazing creative options that await with Seas & Greetings!

As you can see in the short video above, this amazing collection is an incredible example of the versatility that can be achieved with paper design. We not only have some first-rate artists here at CTMH, but we’ve got some of the best graphic designers around, too, and their skill is on full display with the Seas & Greetings paper collection! Because this suite is designed for holiday celebrations in both a beachside setting or a colder winter climate, each piece of paper sports a beach theme on one side, and a snowy winter theme on the other!

While all Close To My Heart paper packets feature double-sided designs, this collection is unique, as it essentially incorporates two themes into a single paper packet and enables crafters to pursue multiple ideas within a single suite. All the patterns you see in this collection have been purposefully designed to coordinate with both themes and the included sticker sheet.

Additionally, this paper packet includes 12 sheets instead of the usual 6, giving creators double the papers to work and craft with! Whether you’re commemorating a beautiful beachside holiday or capturing fun memories from a snow day, the Seas & Greetings Paper Packet & Sticker Sheet is an ideal starting point as you bring your crafting vision into reality!

Accompanying the paper packet in the Seas & Greetings collection are a selection of stamp and Thin Cuts metal dies, available in both the Beach and Winter themes. These stamps and dies pair beautifully with the patterns, icons, and sentiments featured on the papers and stickers, making this a winning combination for any crafting project!

Another essential included in the Seas & Greetings suite is the Seas & Greetings Coordinating Cardstock pack. This variety of colored cardstock has been selected to coordinate with the colors prominently featured in the paper packet and stickers, making it incredibly easy to create polished, balanced cards and scrapbook layouts!

Crafters can also look forward to top-notch embellishment potential with the Seas & Greetings Beach and Winter Embellishments! These embellishments include a variety of blue and white acrylic pieces, all finished with a frosty sheen for subtle shine.

As with the stamp and Thin Cuts options, the Seas & Greetings embellishments include shapes suitable for both the tropical beach theme and the chilly winter theme, making them perfect for inclusion in all your Seas & Greetings crafts! With so many fun products available through the Seas & Greetings collection, it’s a cinch to preserve your fondest holiday memories and stories!

The Seas & Greetings special has much in store for crafters of all types and experience levels, but we’ve got even more creative options for members of our VIP Customer program! Seas & Greetings includes three exclusive workshop kits—two for scrapbooking and one for cardmaking—just for members of this amazing program! (For those of you who may not be familiar with the perks available through the Close To My Heart VIP Customer program, either visit our website for more information, or reach out to your Maker for additional details!)

We guarantee you won’t want to miss out on the unique Seas & Greetings workshops available to our VIP Customers, and we can’t wait to show you what’s in store with these exclusive kits!

To start off this VIP crafting experience, we’ll get into all the ins and outs of two scrapbooking workshops—one created with the beach-inspired papers, and the other with the winter ones! These two workshops are identical in design, but vary in the colors used, and, of course, in the patterns featured.

As you can see, these scrapbook pages incorporate a wide variety of fun techniques and elements to set them apart, including two-tone rock n’ roll stamping, inking paper edges to add a subtle touch of color, cardstock ripping and distressing, strategic pigment splatters, and the inclusion of acrylic shapes!

These beautiful pages are a gorgeous way to preserve your favorite holiday memories, and with identical designs for both the winter and beach themes, it’s an ideal memory-keeping solution for crafters the world over!

Along with the scrapbook kits, the Seas & Greetings paper collection brings life to a selection of adorable holiday cards, perfect for all the special people in your life! With six card designs featured, the Seas & Greetings VIP Cardmaking kit allows crafters to create an array of personal, beachy cards for family and friends with ease!

Each of these cards was constructed using the Beach patterned papers from the Seas & Greetings paper collection, and stamps and Thin Cuts from our Seas & Greetings—Beach set! This card kit also keeps things interesting with card size and orientation, as it includes options for both standard-size and slimline cards, and a mix of horizontal and vertical designs.

We’ve loved going with you on this dive into the rich wealth of possibilities available through our Seas & Greetings collection! This playful and versatile collection is a wonderful way to commemorate your fondest Christmas memories, regardless of where they were made! From memory keeping to cardmaking and more, Seas & Greetings is sure to be a favorite you’ll turn to for all sorts of projects. With so much extra fun offered in our Seas & Greetings VIP Customer Program offer, be sure to talk to your Maker and learn how you can get the VIP treatment, too! We can’t wait to welcome you to the club!

What’s on your crafting agenda with Seas & Greetings? Leave a comment below to let us know what stories you’ll tell with this amazing collection, and whether you’ll be hitting the beach or braving the winter during your holiday celebrations this year!

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October 26, 2022Inspiration

Autumn Crafting Dreams Come True with Four Seasons Papers and Stamps!

Close To My Heart2022–2023 Core Products Catalog, autumn, autumn air, Autumn Blessings, cards, crafting, crisp, Crisp Air Warm Hearts, Distress Oxide™, fall, Four Seasons, Four Seasons—Autumn, It's Fall Y'all, leaf, leaf pile, leaves, Memory Keeping, mini page, Papercrafting, rock n' roll, scrapbooking, seasonal, stamping, Thankful Autumn, torn paper, video 5 Comments

You can never have too much “autumn” in your life, and at CTMH, we can definitely help with that! To fully immerse ourselves in the spirit of the autumn season, we’ll be showing off our fantastic Four Seasons—Autumn paper suite today, along with a few stamp sets from the 2022–2023 Core Products Catalog! With so much seasonal fun in store, we can’t wait to dive into this beautiful selection of patterned papers and stickers. We’ve got an awesome selection of art pieces to show you today to demonstrate all the amazing aspects of this collection, so without further ado, let’s take a look!

To start us off, we’re going to take a peek at a few first-rate cards, all of which were made with the Four Seasons—Autumn paper collection, and a few seasonal stamp sets from our 2022–2023 Core Products catalog. (Click here to view all the beautiful paper collections, stamps, and other exciting products included in this catalog!)

For our first card, we used a fun truck from the Seasonal Haul Stamp + Thin Cuts set. Along with the truck, this set also includes several adorable images to use to fill the bed of the truck. For our “Autumn Blessings” truck card, we chose a pile of pumpkins for the cargo, while also adding a fun “Happy Day!” sign in the front window. To add a splash of delicate color to our truck, its load of gourds, and the “Happy Day!” sign, we’ve used a light touch with our Watercolor Pencils. To preserve a more rustic feel, we chose not to use a waterbrush to activate the watercolor effect, leaving the slightly coarser penciled effect instead.

On the layer behind the truck, we’ve used patterned papers from the Four Seasons—Autumn paper packet to create a festive background and base for our card; in addition, we’ve also utilized a piece of White Daisy cardstock and added some subtle detailing by adding a dashed line with a Sepia LePen™. Once your card background has been established, we created some additional detail elements with a simple leaf stamp from the Seasonal Haul Stamp + Thin Cuts set, decorated with a bit of Copper Stickles™ Glitter Glue, plus a few pieces from the Orange & Yellow Dots collection.

To finish everything off, we’ve created our title piece with the Thankful Autumn stamp set. The sentiment was stamped on a dovetailed piece of White Daisy cardstock with Black and Toffee Exclusive Inks^™ stamp pads. Using two different colors of ink made it possible for us to layer the “blessings” image over the top of “Autumn,” for a unique, layered look. As a final touch, we gently sponged the edges of our dovetailed title piece with Toffee ink to increase dimension. We love our Autumn Blessings card, and it’s only the tip of the iceberg as we continue to delve into the creative possibilities available through the Four Seasons—Autumn paper packet!

Our next two cards really get into the autumnal spirit with their very own vibrant leaf piles! Both cards were constructed using our Autumn Air Stamp + Thin Cuts, and the My Acrylix^®Thankful Autumn and Seasonal Haul stamp sets. Using this stellar combination, we were able to coordinate seamlessly with the Four Seasons—Autumn paper packet to create a gorgeous patchwork of patterns to form our background, clustered leaf accent in the mid-ground, and a polished title on top of our leaf pile cluster!

The leaves on these cards showcase a combination of two techniques—basic solid stamping, and rock n’ roll stamping for subtle color change within a single stamped image. This pairing allows for a nice variation between the leaves while using a relatively small number of stamps!

Moving right along, our next piece on display today is a 6” x 6” mini scrapbook page! We absolutely love this smaller memory keeping piece, and its size lends itself particularly well to the Four Seasons—Autumn paper packet and the Autumn Air Stamp + Thin Cuts set, both of which were used to create this striking mini page. For our base page, we trimmed a 6” x 6” section from a dark wood grain patterned paper. On top of that, we layered a handful of other patterned paper and coordinating cardstock pieces from the Four Seasons—Autumn collection to further build this page.

From there, we used a variety of leaves from our Autumn Air Stamp + Thin Cuts set and the Thankful Autumn stamp set to create some slight layering around the corners and bottom edge of our photo. Tucking the leaves beneath layers is a beautiful way to embellish the page with our very own leaf pile clusters without becoming too busy or cluttered.

This same layered leaf pile effect can also be seen at the bottom edge of our next piece, a 12” x 12” “Autumn Blessings” single page! This page started out with leaf patterned paper as the base, with a piece of dark wood-grain paper on top of that. We then used a few smaller pieces of patterned paper to frame the central photo. Calling back to an earlier favorite, we kicked things into gear with another fantastic fall truck! With a precious cargo of pumpkins, this classic pickup provides a colorful focal point, its rustic color coming from a light hand with our Watercolor Pencils. This truck also boasts a wood guard rail that is another fun way to customize your stamped truck accents.

Beneath our pickup harvest truck, we’ve finished things off with the leaf pile, made up of a handful of pieces from our Autumn Air Stamp + Thin Cuts. This pile forms a great embellishment cluster for our title at the bottom edge of the page. The stamped leaves fit right in with the leaf pattern on the base page, with the end result being a lush layer of leafy goodness!

Our final piece is a 2-page 12” x 12” “Autumn” layout. A standout feature of this layout is the artistically torn section of Four Seasons—Autumn papers, sweeping from the top left corner across the upper edge of the page. This element serves to draw the eye across the page, making sure that the photos, title, and journaling sections are at the forefront of the viewer’s attention. Further visual interest is generated by sponged sections behind the photo sections on both pages. This pop of color near the photo mats allows for additional emphasis to be placed on the photo in a relatively simple fashion, without overwhelming the design. For some extra fun, we’ve also added just a spritz of Gilt Gloss Spray over the sponged ink, adding a bit of shine!

These sponged accents were created using Vintage Photo and Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide^™ inks for a vibrant and seamlessly blended effect. Along with these sponged sections, we used a handful of stickers from the Four Seasons—Autumn Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, and a few stamps from the Autumn Air Stamp + Thin Cuts set to further spice up the aesthetic of these pages. One amazing thing about the leaves in this stamp set is that they look fabulous whether they’re used with the accompanying Thin Cuts dies, or stamped directly on your base page!

To keep the party going, we utilized many of the fun patterns available through the Four Seasons—Autumn paper packet to create a layered effect that further serves to break up the stark background of our White Daisy cardstock base.

A final feature of this Autumn layout is the title section, created with the Thankful Autumn stamp set, with the letters carefully trimmed from the cardstock it was stamped on. This title utilizes an ombre blend of Distress Oxide^™ and Exclusive Inks^™ for a beautiful gradient color effect. By gently sponging Paprika ink at the base of the stamp, and gradually layering Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide^™ ink up the length of the stamp, it’s quick and easy to achieve this polished look!
As you can see, there’s a wealth of creative opportunities available when you craft with the Four Seasons—Autumn paper collection and the autumn-inspired stamps featured in our 2022–2023 Core Products Catalog! To see even more of this creative power in action, check out this video, featuring the artwork we’ve showcased in this post!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this brief look into what can be accomplished with our autumn-inspired papers and stamps, and we can’t wait to hear what you plan to create with them! Leave a comment below to tell us about your autumnal crafting vision for 2022 and beyond!

Recipes:

12″ x 12″ Autumn Layout
Z4670 Autumn Air Stamp + Thin Cuts, A1290 My Acrylix^® Thankful Autumn Stamp Set, X8036S Four Seasons—Autumn Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z1375 Kraft Paper, Z6536 Honey Buter Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6531 Mocha Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6510 Nectarine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6515 Paprika Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6521 Sundance Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2828 Toffee Exclusive Inks^™Stamp Pad, Z3829 Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide^™ Ink Pad, Z4522 Vintage Photo Distress Oxide^™Ink Pad, Z5009 Gilt Gloss Spray, Z3886 Mini Ink Blending Tool, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Thread

12″ x 12″ Autumn Single Page
Z4670 Autumn Air Stamp + Thin Cuts, A1290 My Acrylix^®Thankful Autumn Stamp Set, X8036S Four Seasons—Autumn Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6059 Shortbread Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, Z6531 Mocha Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6510 Nectarine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6515 Paprika Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6530 Shortbread Exclusive Inks^™Stamp Pad, Z6521 Sundance Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2828 Toffee Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z3224 Small Round Waterbrush, Z4632 Orange & Yellow Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

6″ x 6″ Crisp Air Page
Z4670 Autumn Air Stamp + Thin Cuts, X8036S Four Seasons—Autumn Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X6066 Honey Butter Cardstock, X6059 Shortbread Cardstock, Z2829 Espresso Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6536 Honey Butter Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6515 Paprika Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6521 Sundance Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2828 Toffee Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z3787 Platinum Stickles^™ Glitter Glue, Z4575 Black LePen^™, Z4632 Orange & Yellow Dots, Z1985 Gold Shimmer Trim, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

4¼” x 5½” Autumn Blessings Card (Horizontal)
Z4655 Season Haul Stamp + Thin Cuts, A1290 My Acrylix^®Thankful Autumn Stamp Set, X8036B Four Seasons—Fall Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6531 Mocha Exclusive Inks^™Stamp Pad, Z2828 Toffee Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4604 Copper Stickles^™ Glitter Glue, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z4632 Orange & Yellow Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

4¼” x 5½” It’s Fall Y’all Card (Vertical)
X8036S Four Seasons—Autumn Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6510 Nectarine Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6515 Paprika Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6530 Shortbread Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2828 Toffee Exclusive Inks^™Stamp Pad, Z3837 Pumice Stone Distress Oxide^™ Ink Pad, Z2517 Burnt Orange TriBlend^™ Marker, Z3312 Gold Glitter Gems, Z4572 Blending Brushes, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

4¼” x 5½” Crisp Air Card (Vertical)
Z4670 Autumn Air Stamp + Thin Cuts, X8036S Four Seasons—Autumn Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6531 Mocha Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6510 Nectarine Exclusive Inks^™Stamp Pad, Z6515 Paprika Exclusive Inks^™Stamp Pad, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6530 Shortbread Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2519 Gold Yellow TriBlend^™ Marker, Z3312 Gold Glitter Gems, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine, String

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October 19, 2022Community, Inspiration, Learn

Baking Memories with a Recipe Swap and Giveaway!

Close To My Heartbaking, baking memories, cake, cardmaking, christmas, cinnamon rolls, circles, cookies, cooking, crafting, Family, food, free, Freshly Baked, friends, fun, giveaway, Holiday, holiday treats, kitchen, lick the bowl, love, memories, Memory Keeping, potatoes, recipe cards, recipe swap, recipes, scrapbooking workshop, stamp, straight cut, sweet life, Thin Cuts, treats, yummy 57 Comments

Some of life’s sweetest moments take place in our very own kitchens. It is where we gather with friends and family to share stories and make memories, often while enjoying something appetizing that has been carefully plated by the host. Today, we invite you to be our guest as we combine two of our favorites—food + crafting!

Even though in scrapbooking we often find a lot of squares and straight edges, have you noticed how prevalent circles are in a kitchen? From an array of dishes to cakes and cookies, circles are everywhere!

We took that familiar basic shape and used it to make a scrapbook page with our Freshly Baked paper collection, easily creating a space for preserving a moment where friends gathered to spend quality time together and make a delicious treat.

The smaller, patterned paper circles making up the larger circle shape on the page were cut from the Freshly Baked paper packet using the Circles Thin Cuts. The additional page elements, including the title and the smaller accents scattered across the page, are either stickers from this collection or stamped images from the Freshly Baked—Scrapbooking stamp set.

This second scrapbook page also carries the circle theme, this time through the designs on the patterned papers rather than the way the papers were cut. With just a few strips of paper, and some additional straight cuts, this delectable page also comes together quickly!

One of our favorite things on this page (besides the super cute couple pictured! ❤️) is the cookie cooling rack with the cookies on top of it! The cookie shapes were easily cut with the Freshly Baked—Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts and then colored in to create accents to accompany the photo. For easier attachment, and to avoid having the space behind it appear too busy through its spaces, we mounted the die-cut cooling rack on White Daisy cardstock. The white space surrounding the cookies provides our eyes with a place to rest as we visually take this delicious page in.

As you can see from these two examples, the Freshly Baked collection has all the ingredients you need to preserve memories of food, recipes, traditions, and other kitchen fun in amazing scrapbooking layouts. Next time you’re preparing a meal–whether it’s an old family favorite, something new, or a meal for a special occasion–take pictures of the process and the result (so millennial of us, but why not?!), and then add these, along with pictures of the chefs and a copy of the recipes, to your scrapbooks!

Not sure where to start? Give one of our workshop kits a taste! The Freshly Baked scrapbooking workshop is designed to create three coordinating 12″ x 12″ two-page layouts that would make a great home for any of your kitchen exploits.

Include the recipes as part of the journaling and turn your scrapbooks into an even more valuable keepsake!For even more crafting assistance with the recipe side of your cooking adventures, the Freshly Baked—Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts are designed to make actual recipe cards.

This stamp and die set can be used to make cards to add to your scrapbook pages, or to make cards that you keep in your kitchen, or even to create a combination of both ideas—just imagine the beautiful functionality of a scrapbook dedicated to recipes with pictures and stories that you keep in your kitchen! (To see how and why Karen Pedersen, our Creative Arts Manager, preserves her recipes using this yummy collection of products, check out the video at the end of this post!)

Because we love food and memory keeping, we thought it would be fun to host another recipe swap, right here on the blog! We’ve done this a few times before and with huge success. It’s so exciting to see what everyone is cooking up in their kitchens, to get to know each other through our stories, and to pick up new recipes and ideas along the way! We’ve started you off with two actual recipes in the photos above–now it’s your turn!

If you’d like to participate (and we hope you will), share a special recipe and a memory that goes along with it in the comments below. If you’re not quite sure whether or not you want to share those delicious recipes running through your mind right now, we’re sweetening the deal by adding a giveaway. Share more than one recipe, even, and increase your chances to win one of THREE Freshly Baked—Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts!

For your recipe to be counted as an entry in the drawing, you must also be subscribed to this blog. (If you are not yet a subscriber, all you have to do is push the big blue button on the sidebar that says, “Subscribe to list.”) You will have until 3 p.m. Friday, October 21 (MST) to enter. Even if you miss the deadline, share a recipe anyway! We want to hear from you! (While you’re at it, be sure to check out this video to see how Karen uses the Freshly Baked product collection to document and organize her own recipes!)

Now tell us…what kind of yummy memories are you baking up in your kitchen? 😋

Recipes:

12″ x 12″ Baking Memories Page
Z8047 Freshly Baked—Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7285S Freshly Baked Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6050 Flamingo Cardstock, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X6066 Honey Butter Cardstock, X6068 Seabrook Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z3561 Black Diamond Stickles^™ Glitter Glue, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z3224 Small Round Waterbrush, Z4575 Black LePen^™, X7285E Freshly Baked Dots, Z3943 Circles Thin Cuts, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

12″ x 12″ Lick the Bowl Page
Z8047 Freshly Baked—Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7285S Freshly Baked Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X7285D Freshly Baked Picture My Life^™ Cards, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X6066 Honey Butter Cardstock, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, X6068 Seabrook Cardstock, X5950 Toffee Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6531 Mocha Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3555 Christmas Red Stickles^™Glitter Glue, Z3787 Platinum Stickles^™Glitter Glue, Z3559 Waterfall Stickles^™ Glitter Glue, Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z4575 Black LePen^™, X7285E Freshly Baked Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

4″ x 6″ Creamy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Card
Z8046 Freshly Baked—Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7285S Freshly Baked Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X6068 Seabrook Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6531 Mocha Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z6526 Scarlet Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z2805 Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z1509 Sepia LePen^™, X7285E Freshly Baked Dots, Z4607 4″ Masking Tape, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

4″ x 6″ Sour Cream Cheese Potatoes Recipe Card
Z8046 Freshly Baked—Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7285S Freshly Baked Paper Packet + Stickers, X6066 Honey Butter Cardstock, X6049 Scarlet Cardstock, X6068 Seabrook Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3839 Scarlet Glitter Paper, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks^™ Stamp Pad, Z4575 Black LePen^™, Z1500 Red LePen^™, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

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October 12, 2022Celebrate, Create, Inspiration

Celebrating Your Legacy with Picture-perfect Christmas Cards!

Close To My Heartacetate, cardfront shaker, cards, Christmas cards, confetti, cut above, die-cuts, Family, friends, gold star, iridescent flower, legacy, love, photo cards, photo shaker cards, Picture This Christmas, sequins, shaker, shaker cards, shaker window, silver star 1 Comment

We don’t know about you, but we’re starting to hear Christmas bells ring here at Close To My Heart! (Yes, we know it’s still two months away…😬) In all seriousness, the holiday season is right around the corner, and if Christmas cards are your jam, it’s time to start planning for these festive creations! What we have to show you today is truly special, as it allows you to celebrate your dearest relationships and memories by showcasing your favorite photos, right on the front of each card! It also puts a brand-new twist on a favorite art technique—shaker cards! Picture This Christmas is a beautiful way not only to flex your creative muscles, but celebrate your relationships with the people closest to you.

Our Picture This Christmas special is built on the idea that your own personal photos have an incredible power to inspire joy in those you love most, and who doesn’t love to inspire joy and share their legacy? 😄 We are all about expressing and sharing the products of your creativity with those closest to you, and the holiday season is a prime time to do this! Let’s take a look at the amazing opportunities available through the Picture This Christmas special and how you can use these cards to spread a little extra Christmas cheer among friends and family.

One amazing thing about Picture This Christmas cards is the ease with which they come together. Picture This Christmas cards were designed with the Close To My Heart Cut Above® format, which means that the creative process takes just a few minutes from start to finish, and you’re left with an absolutely stunning card at the end of it! With Cut Above® projects, each workshop kit contains pre-cut paper pieces, die-cuts, stickers, and even pre-printed card bases, so all you need to create your cards apart from the Cut Above® kit itself are your choice of adhesive, and a journaling pen to inscribe your personal message on the inside of the cards. Cut Above® projects are a great option for crafters of all types and experience levels.hey can serve as an easy starting point for crafters just discovering this mode of creativity. For more experienced crafters, they make a quick project that they can do in a short amount of time, with minimal effort, whether to wind down or just to catch up on a few crafting goals! With Cut Above®, there are a wealth of creative possibilities to help you realize your crafting vision, whatever it may be!

To showcase just how easy it can be to create with the Picture This Christmas Cut Above® card kits, we’re going to go through each step of how these cards came together. For our Picture This Christmas cards, we start off with a pre-printed, pre-cut card base, measuring 5” x 7”. These cards are larger than our standard 4¼” x 5½” cards for a very special reason. As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, the cards in a Picture This Christmas kit are designed to feature your own personal photos, and by providing a 5” x 7” card base, your cards can comfortably accommodate a 4” x 6” photo!

With card base in hand as a starting place, we next attached a photo to it, taking care to center it, and then continued by attaching the provided frame die-cut. As with the photo in the previous step, make sure to take care when placing your frame, aligning the corners of the die-cut with the corners of your photo. By taking extra care when placing your photo and die-cut frame, you will be left with a more polished card at the end.

After placing the photo and attaching the frame die-cut over it, we used the provided evergreen branch and pennant sentiment die-cuts to add some extra flair and pizazz to the corners of the photo. The addition of these die-cuts helps to add some depth to the photo, and definitely ups the visual interest of the overall card.

And just like that, with only a few simple steps, we created a beautiful, polished card with a one-of-a-kind personal touch! This card, while simple, is an excellent example of how a Cut Above® kit can be used to incredible effect as a quick and easy crafting solution.

If you’re wanting to take the creative process a little further with your own Picture This Christmas cards, we have an outstanding option for that as well! Let’s take a look at how you can really shake things up and take this card design to the next level by adding a full cardfront shaker window!

To create Picture This Christmas cards with shaker windows, we started out by centering the photo on the base, and then attached a perimeter of 3-D Foam Tape and added a few pinches of sequins or other shaker window fill pieces to the center, directly over the photo. To make this a quick and easy process, we offer three different Picture This Christmas Shaker Window Card kits with Gold, Silver, and Iridescent Flower Sequin options.

Once we made our shaker element selection and added it to the center of the photo, we carefully trimmed a 5” x 7” piece of clear acetate from the 12” x 12” sheets included with the Picture This Christmas Shaker Window Card kits and centered it over the photo and base, making sure to line up the corners. Once the acetate was secured, we centered the die-cut frame over the acetate and base and embellished it at the corners with the provided die-cuts. After this final step, our shaker card is complete, and we’re left with a stunning and uniquely personal card, perfect to send to a loved one or friend!

As a fun, final touch, Picture This Christmas also includes the 5” x 7” Envelope Flap Thin Cuts to decorate the flaps of your card envelopes, as well as an exclusive stamp set to add sentiments to the interior of your cards! These stamps and Thin Cuts can be used to further personalize and set your cards apart!

No matter who you choose to send your cards to, or which photos you decide to feature on them, your Picture This Christmas cards are a beautiful reflection of your memories and identity, and are certain to be treasures for years to come! What photos will you showcase on your Picture This Christmas cards? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

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