Making Your Mark on Memory Keeping

Close To My Heartart, artwork, make your mark, Memory Keeping, scrapbooking, stamping, stamps, Thin Cuts, unique 1 Comment

One of the great things about stamping is the way it lends itself to all types of crafting projects, from cardmaking and décor pieces to scrapbook pages and more! When it comes to memory keeping, there are certain elements where stamping can be especially useful. That’s why we design a range of stamp sets specifically with scrapbooking in mind. These stamps typically feature larger stamps than other sets to better fit the larger canvas of a 12″ x 12″ scrapbook page, and also include phrases and icons that come in handy as you create titles, accents, or journaling pieces.

Let’s take a closer look at a few examples that show different ways you can use stamping on your scrapbook pages.

One stamping technique that is especially effective on scrapbook pages is repeating a stamp image to create your own custom pattern or border. As you can see on the vibrant summertime layout above, we used a longer border piece and stamped it repeatedly, creating a refreshing background to provide a fun focal point for this layout!

You can see this technique used in a similar way with a single icon stamp on the fun roller derby page, pictured below. We’ve used a winged roller skate stamp to create a one-of-a-kind border and completed the look by coloring the skates with our watercolor pencils!

You can also use stamping on your base page to create intricate patterns, like this leafy tropical page. By switching up ink colors and layering stamped images, we created a lush jungle backdrop for these vacation photos.

Another way our stamps stand out is when they are used with our Thin Cuts metal dies. By using Thin Cuts shapes to create your own die-cuts, you can elevate your artwork with added dimension, making the stamped image pop! Many of our stamp sets have these dies designed to coordinate with them and using them together can save time and effort spent fussy cutting. Just send it through your die-cutting machine and you’re left with a perfect dimensional canvas for your stamped image!

Group stamped Thin Cuts images together to create clustered accents like the lemonade jar embellishment pictured above. By using these individual elements together, we were able to create a lemonade jar that looks so good you can almost taste it! Not only is it an adorable accent on its own, when it’s put into a scrapbook layout, it draws the page together and is an excellent addition to your photos and journaling!

On this next layout, you’ll see another great example of larger stamp images designed specifically for scrapbook pages:

The large library card accent provides a natural place for telling the story behind the pictures, making it an excellent addition to all kinds of pages.. Because the card is included as one single stamp, you only have to ink it once to get the entire library card effect.

However, if you want to take things up a notch, you can stamp your image partially on one color of paper and then complete it on another color for a two-toned accent piece. While we’ve shown off two-toned images with different ink colors, it’s more rare to see a dual-toned stamp accent where the two shades come from differences in paper color. This makes this particular technique stand out even more and helps the stamp to really shine.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to stamping techniques that can be employed on your scrapbook pages! But, no matter which stamping techniques you choose to employ, incorporating them into your scrapbook pages is a wonderful way to make your own mark on your memory keeping projects! Do you have a favorite way to use our stamps in your scrapbook creations? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Recipes
12″ x 12″ Summer Love Layout
S2206 My Acrylix® I Heart Summer Stamp Set, X9040 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6036 Ballerina Cardstock, X6040 Clover Cardstock, X6031 Green Apple Cardstock, X6043 Nectarine Cardstock, X6033 Paprika Cardstock, X6051 Sundance Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6520 Flamingo Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2848 Sapphire Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6521 Sundance Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3516 Black Journaling Pen (.03), Z3630 Watercolor Pencils, Z5016 Clover Shimmer Trim, Z3312 Gold Glitter Gems, Z679 Liquid Glass, Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

12″ x 12″ Down and Derby Layout
D2089 My Acrylix® Skate like a Girl Stamp Set, X7280B Fresh Paint Paper Packet, X9040 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6037 Bluebird Cardstock, X6030 Evergreen Cardstock, X6035 Lemonade Cardstock, X6042 Mint Cardstock, X6044 Peach Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z4191 Silver Glitter Gems, Z3225 Medium Round Waterbrush, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

12″ x 12″ Tahiti Page
Z4447 Palm Fronds Stamp + Thin Cuts, B1799 My Acrylix® Brush Strokes Stamp Set, X9040 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6053 Avocado Cardstock, X6046 French Vanilla Cardstock, X6062 Harbour Cardstock, X5959 New England Ivy Cardstock, X6051 Sundance Cardstock, Z6523 Avocado Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6533 Harbour Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6503 Mint Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2835 New England Ivy Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6504 Sage Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z6025 White Acrylic Flowers, Z4235 Gold Loose Sequins, Z4334 Slim Alphabet Thin Cuts, Z2089 Glue Dots® Micro Dots, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

6″ x 8″ More Sunshine Layout with Pocket Scrapbooking
Z4446 Front Porch Sippin’ Stamp + Thin Cuts, X9040 Mix-in Paper Packet, X6053 Avocado Cardstock, X6062 Harbour Cardstock, X6035 Lemonade Cardstock, X6045 Sage Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z6533 Harbour Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6517 Lemonade Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6510 Nectarine Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4189 Intense Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2524 Aqua Blue TriBlend™ Marker, Z2482 Citrus TriBlend™ Marker, Z2483 Light Yellow TriBlend™ Marker, Z3515 Black Journaling Pen (.01), Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Z3191 6″ x 8″ Memory Protectors™ Design 2, Z5038 Die-cutting & Embossing Machine

12″ x 12″ School Is Out Layout
Z3991 Date Stamp Stamp + Thin Cuts, X8022S Smarty Pants Paper Packet + Sticker Sheet, X8024B Love Story Paper Packet (Toffee), X8022C Smarty Pants Coordinating Cardstock, X6053 Avocado Cardstock, X6038 Candy Apple Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, X6044 Peach Cardstock, X6051 Sundance Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2848 Sapphire Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6521 Sundance Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z4525 Primary Sprinkles, Z6015 Wood Stars, Hostess Rewards Acrylic Alphabet, Z3234 3″ x 3″ Flip Flaps™ Memory Protectors™, Z2482 Citrus TriBlend™ Marker, Z2518 Coral Shades TriBlend™ Marker, Z2526 True Blue Shades TriBlend™ Marker, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Typewriter

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February 27, 2018Create, Learn

Taking Your Artwork up a Notch

Close To My Heartart, artwork, design, elevate, tips, tricks 1 Comment

We’re rolling up our sleeves today and sharing a few of our “tricks” to add that little something extra to create artwork that looks polished and complete. Check it out!

There are several things to learn from this layout, alone.

Embellishment Clusters.

Embellishments are a great way to add intricate details to any paper project. When putting clusters together, do so in odd numbers—consider three or five. (Any more than five may start to look too crowded and can take away from the project as a whole, so proceed with caution.)

Soft and Sharp Edges.

As you’re laying down your pieces, Complements or any other type of embellishment, mix your edges up. What does that mean? If you have pieces that have pointed or sharp edges, add something with a rounded edge next to it. This creates balance in the art and avoids making it look too harsh (or too soft, in contrast).

Plan Your Stamping.

Before you start stamping away all over your beautiful (and sometimes hard!) work, come up with a plan. One of the perks of My Acrylix^® stamps is that they are transparent. Before sticking them to a block and inking, lay your stamps out on your project to help you find just the right placement.

Raise Some Edges.

This is an especially easy way to add texture and interest to your artwork. After adhering a pattern piece, or Complement, lift the edges with your finger. It doesn’t have to be sewn on for it to work, either.

This last “trick” is cardmaking specific.

Ever wonder how we pull cards off that have twine or ribbon wrapped around them?

Use a False Front!

Elevate Your Artwork #ctmh #closetomyheart #elevate #art #artwork #make #waves #mermaid #little #girl #be #strong #you #brave #fearless #beach #clusters #stamping #lifted #edges #soft #hard #tips #diy #howto #doityourself #cardmaking #card #making #super #girl #boy #wonder #kids #superhero #heroes #hero #card #front

This simple, yet mind blowing, trick will make all the difference in your cardmaking game. Cut a 5½” x 4¼” piece of White Daisy cardstock and decorate it as if it were the card. Wrap your ribbons and twine around it and adhere the ends on the back before attaching the cardstock to the card base. The ugly, glued ends are now hidden from sight giving your card a finished look.

There you have it, folks! Five of our tricks to elevate your artwork for picture perfect quality!

Recipes:

12″ x 12″ Be You Layout
Make It from Your Heart Vol. 3: Pattern 23
D1764 My Acrylix^® Make Waves—Scrapbooking Stamp Set, X7227B Make Waves Paper Packet, Z3350 Whimsy Fundamental Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7227C Make Waves Complements, Z4142 Make Waves Sequins & Gems, Z1979 Marvy^® Uchida^® LePen™ Journaling Pen, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Sewing Machine

4¼” × 5½” Boy Wonder Card (Horizontal)
Z4162 Super Boy Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7229B Stargazer Paper Packet, X7230B Chelsea Gardens Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5957 Sapphire Cardstock, Z3146 Watercolor Paper, Z2816 Cranberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7229C Stargazer Complements, Z4155 Chelsea Gardens Dots & Gems, Z3216 White Twine, Z4145 Light Grey Ribbon, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3188 Paintbrush Set, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Die-cutting Machine

4¼” × 5½” This Girl Can Card (Vertical)
Z4163 Super Girl Stamp + Thin Cuts, X7229B Stargazer Paper Packet, X7230B Chelsea Gardens Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5978 Glacier Cardstock, Z3146 Watercolor Paper, Z2831 Charcoal Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, X7229C Stargazer Complements, Z4143 Stargazer Dots, Z3216 White Twine, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3188 Paintbrush Set, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape, Die-cutting Machine

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September 6, 2016Create

Close To My Heart on the Road

Close To My Heartartwork, banner, close, conference, flower, gift, heart, ideas, inspiration, my, on, pinners, presents, road, scrapbook, the, to 14 Comments

Over the next few months, we’ll be heading to some Pinners Conferences across the US to showcase beautiful artwork, teach crafting classes, and spread the word about our company and mission.

Since we can’t bring you all with us (though we sure wish we could!), we thought we’d bring the beautiful artwork to YOU right here on the blog! We hope it inspires you and lights a smile on your face.

Here is the artwork for one of the classes we’ll be teaching. Memory keeping is at the core of what we do, so we want to show others there are so many different ways to preserve their memories in addition to traditional scrapbooking.

Our other class will let attendees play with flowers from our Cricut® Flower Market collection, as they make these fun gift items:

In addition to our classes, we’ll also be putting tons of beautiful artwork on display for everyone to see, including unique gift ideas to show someone you care…

Close To My Heart's hitting the road to teach crafting classes at Pinners Conferences across the US. Here is the artwork we'll be showcasing! #ctmh #closetomyheart #pinnersconference2016 #craftingideas #paperalbum

Mini albums for those just getting started with memory keeping…

And, of course, traditional scrapbook pages.

To top it all off, we created a one-of-a-kind banner, which would be wonderful for a party or a nursery.

Whatever type of papercrafting you enjoy, we hope you’ve found this artwork to be inspiring. We’re sure it’ll catch more than a few eyes at the conferences we’ll be attending, but we especially hope that everyone who sees it will understand that what we do is so much more than an art form—it’s a way of building and celebrating relationships.

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November 16, 2015Create, Memory Keeping

Your Family Tree Never Looked So Good!

artwork, Decor, Family, scrapbook, tree, Urban 11 Comments

We believe the heart of scrapbooking to be the relationships that we celebrate and preserve on the pages in our albums. Of all the relationships in our lives, family relationships are among the most cherished. Today’s artwork shows you a beautiful way to celebrate those relationships that make us who we are:
This is a beautiful family, and we’re sure yours is just as beautiful to you, too, which is why we’re going to pass on some insider’s tips from the artist who brought this tree to life. Sharing a page like this one with your children and grandchildren is sure to give them a greater appreciation for their heritage and the art of preserving family history. Let’s take a closer look, then, shall we?
First off, our artist made good use of our watercolors to create a breezy blue background. She then used the My Acrylix^® Friend Tree stamp set to stamp the limbs of the tree. Because the stamps are flexible, she was able to bend the stamp to shape it just the way she wanted before inking and stamping it in place. This allowed her to plan out where she’d be placing her pictures and which spaces would need the most leaves.

The leaves were stamped using stamps from the same set and a variety of colors, including Pear, Fern, Topiary, and Sweet Leaf (how fitting!). When it comes to adding the leaves, our artist recommends starting with a lighter color and working with one color at a time to fill up your branches.
Notice the textured look on some of the leaves? To create this effect, our artist stamped on a piece of scrap paper and then the page itself, making each branch and leaf on the page unique—just like every person in her family tree!
The tasteful accessories our artist chose also add some class to this page. The page is anchored down by a torn paper strip from the Urban paper packet, the popped-out “family” title, and a twine bow that contributes to the natural feel. A dovetailed title, a handful of gold sequins, and elegant enamel triangles finish the ensemble nicely.

So, are you ready to memorialize your own family? No one knows them better than you do, and now you have a new idea for creating a visual reminder of their lives and of the relationships that tie you all together. Enjoy the family reunion!

Recipe

12″ x 12″ Family Tree Page
C1633 My Acrylix^®For Family, D1677 My Acrylix^® Friend Tree, D1662 My Acrylix^®Harvest Wreath, X7204B Urban Paper Packet, X7202B Kaleidoscope Paper Packet, X7197B Zoe Paper Packet, 1375 Kraft Cardstock, Z3146 Watercolor Paper, Z2153 Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2197 Pear Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2155 Topiary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2650 Fern Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2111 Chocolate Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, 44751 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2012 Sequins Gold Assortment, Z3123 Enamel and Glitter Duos Green Triangles, Z3093 Fern Thick Twine, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3188 Paintbrush Set Z3170, Cricut^® Artiste Collection

Cricut^® Shapes:
Artiste
¾” Shift <Font> “FAMILY” (cut 2)
1 ½” Card <i> (cut 7, p. 48)
1 ¾” Card <i> (cut 7, p. 48)
2″ Card <i> (cut 7, p. 48)

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August 5, 2015Community

Around the World with Close To My Heart

Close To My HeartAround the World, artwork, Contest, countries, free stamps, giveaway, global, inspiration, plane, stamp, stamps, travel, win 237 Comments

Have you always longed to be a world traveler? Do you find international architecture, culture, clothing, and history fascinating?

Well, today is your lucky day because adventure is knocking! Close To My Heart is about to bring a bit of the world to you—right in your own home! Throughout the month of August, we’ll be sharing amazing artwork inspired by artistic traditions from four different countries across the world.

In each post we’ll give you some cultural background about the art form, and then we’ll go sightseeing to marvel at some truly exceptional papercrafting artwork. Each of these posts will be distinguished with the title “Around the World” followed by the name of the country the artistic tradition comes from.

But the adventure doesn’t stop there. With each “Around the World” post, we’re going to give away four travel-themed My Acrylix® stamp sets for a total of 16 stamp sets in one month! These blog posts will not only be your passport to the world, but also your passport to win some pretty awesome stamps. 🙂

How do you enter to win one of these stamp sets? Simply comment on an “Around the World” blog post. The more comments you make, the more you will increase your odds of winning! At the end of the month, we’ll randomly select 16 winners and announce them on the blog.

What do you say? Are you ready to soak in artistic inspiration from all around the world and win a stamp set while you’re at it? If the answer is yes, then be sure to check in frequently and prepare yourself for the journey of a lifetime! It’s time to get inspired.

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July 29, 2015Create

An Elegant Way to Put Your Memories On Display

Close To My Heartartwork, beach, boat, Decor, designed decor, display tray, frame, hang, home, Jackson, life in the summer, My Crush, net, ocean, Picture My Life, seashells, Seaside, vacation 5 Comments

As the end of July draws near, some of you have probably started to place your summertime memories in albums. But have you ever thought about hanging them on the wall? Our Designed Décor products are perfect for preserving memories while still leaving all the creativity to you! What’s really fun about this line is that the products allow you to showcase your photos while using even more of your favorite paper packets, stamps, and embellishments at once. Of course, the Designed Décor line can also be used with minimal or no embellishments, and the products will still add simple elegance to any photos. That’s what’s great about Designed Décor—YOU get to determine how many details you want to add and the overall effect you want to create. We decided to try our hand at creating a very embellished Designed Décor item, just for fun. 🙂 Our artist started with our display tray, let her creative gears run wild, and produced stunning results!

Isn’t that a gorgeous memento to hang on your wall? Right off the bat you can see that our display tray can be a great way to use up leftover scraps and embellishments you have lying around. Our artist cut the “Life” letters from the My Crush^®For Her Book and used 3-D foam tape to make them pop. How creative is that? We also love the way the artist cut photos in half to share between two windows. And the journaling on the Picture My Life™ Jackson Scrapbooking Program card. And the landscape scenes created using the Seaside paper packet and fence stamp. Sorry, we’ll try to contain our excitement. This display tray’s just got us reeling!

Like an intricate scrapbook page, the small details really make this display tray special. Embossed letters using the My Acrylix^® Keyboard Uppercase stamp set provide a gritty texture similar to sand, and what better pictures to use with the Oceanside sequins than actual pictures of the ocean? The sequins tie the cool colors of the display board together wonderfully.

Just look at all the details in this corner of the display tray. The Cricut^®-cut wave, the layered seashells shaded with watercolor pencils, the perfectly placed sequins, the metal Seaside Assortment pieces. And what an inventive way to use Glacier thick twine! The net and starfish add such a unique, dimensional element to this piece.

Not only is our Designed Décor line perfect for creating seasonal décor with family memories, but it’s also great for showcasing everyday pictures—and in a way that will catch the eye of all your guests. Even if you don’t use as many embellishments as the piece above, Designed Décor provides a great medium for beautifully displaying photos and memories. So go ahead! Take a look at our Designed Décor line, and choose the perfect piece to add to your home. Then sit back, relax, and let the compliments roll in. 🙂

Recipe

Life Is Better in the Summer Display Tray
C1594 My Acrylix^® Treasured Friendship, C1595 My Acrylix^® Hello Summer, D1609 My Acrylix^®Seaside Greetings, B1416 My Acrylix^® Keyboard Uppercase, X7192B Seaside Paper Packet, X7185B Scaredy Cat Paper Packet, Z3068 Picture My Life™ Jackson Scrapbooking Program, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2114 Cocoa Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2165 Juniper Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z1142 Brown StazOn™ Ink Pad, Z3081 My Crush^® For Her Book, Z1750 Display Tray, Z3014 Seaside Assortment, Z3039 Glacier Thick Twine, Z3041 Oceanside Sequins, Z2068 Ranger™ White Super Fine Embossing Powder, 3505 Watercolor Pencils, Z1906 Cricut^® Artbooking Collection, Pen, Hot Glue Gun

Cricut^® Shape:
Artbooking
1 ¼” Border <y> (p. 53)

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May 27, 2015Community, Create

Extravaganza Is Back

Close To My Heartartwork, base & bling, birthday, booth, christmas, convention, extravaganza, Halloween, michelle snyder, My Crush, sara batkin, tresa black, winter 3 Comments

Convention is coming! Convention is coming!

One of everyone’s favorite things about Convention is having the chance to see the newest products in an up-close and personal setting. Nowhere does this happen like it does at Extravaganza.

At this fast and furious (but super fun) session, everyone gets to see almost every new product used in artwork created by Consultants. These Consultant artists take 20 minutes to teach ideas and techniques they used to create their mini museums of amazing artwork, filling attendees’ heads with an incredible amount of ideas for what to do with all that is new in the annual idea book. It is one of the BEST parts of Convention!

At last year’s Extravaganza in Anaheim, some very talented artists showed off their work. Though the products featured here have been around for several months now, the ideas are so fresh, they’ll have you seeing things in a brand new light. Enjoy this little sampling of the awesomeness we saw then, and get excited for the awesomeness we’re going to see again in just a few weeks!

Tresa Black created these incredible projects with the pages from My Crush® books, both on and off the page.

Sara Batkin took the Base & Bling line by storm by introducing this array of beautiful goodies—some for wearing, others for sharing.

Michelle Snyder reminded us of the joy of not only keeping memories, but also of making them with her collection of clever party creations.

Exciting? Most definitely! Convention is an event just for Consultants, so sign up to be one yourself! Then YOU will be among the first to see this level of gorgeous artwork and gather inspiring ideas when you attend Convention this year.

Not quite sure what to expect at your first Convention? Here’s a look at the fun and creativity that takes place.

Can’t wait to see you there!

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April 2, 2015Memory Keeping

Boldly Basic, Basically Beautiful

Close To My Heartartwork, B&T, basic, complements, Level 2, seasonal expressions 2 9 Comments

With Seasonal Expressions 2 now in hand, you’ve got pages and pages of the best artwork inspiration out there—but we’ve got more to share! The treat for today is artwork made with just the basics: our new paper packets and a few embellishments. You might be surprised at what masterpieces these fundamental layouts have to offer, even without any stamping.

Today’s debuting layouts showcase the high-end artistry of our exclusive Background and Texture (B&T) papers, Complements, and a few other embellishments. We do our homework well to provide the most trendy, most convenient, and most awe-producing products on the market—and it shows in artwork like this.

See for yourself what getting back to the basics can do for you!

Blossom:

12″ x 12″ Delight in This Day Layout
Make It from Your Heart™ Vol. 2: Pattern 11, X7196B Blossom Paper Packet, X7196C Blossom Complements, Z3072 Blossom Assortment, Z3042 Coral Reef Sequins

12″ x 12″ True Story Layout
Make It from Your Heart™ Vol. 1: Pattern 3, X7196B Blossom Paper Packet, X7196C Blossom Complements, Z3072 Blossom Assortment, Z3042 Coral Reef Sequins, Z3039 Glacier Extra Thick Twine

Jackson:

12″ x 12″ This Is What Happened Layout
Make It from Your Heart™ Vol. 2: Pattern 8, X7195B Jackson Paper Packet, 1388 Colonial White Cardstock, X7195C Jackson Complements, Z3071 Jackson Assortment, Z3041 Oceanside Sequins

12″ x 12″ Captured Memory Layout
Make It from Your Heart™ Vol. 1: Pattern 8, X7195B Jackson Paper Packet, 1388 Colonial White Cardstock, X7195C Jackson Complements, Z3071 Jackson Assortment, Z3041 Oceanside Sequins

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March 11, 2015Celebrate, Learn, Memory Keeping

Paper Patchwork: Making Your Scraps Work for You

artwork, cards, layouts, leftover paper, scrapbooking, scraps 1 Comment

It hurts our hearts a little to see the remnants of a beautiful cardstock page littered with cuts and holes that seem to render it unusable. It’s a crying shame. There’s so much paper leftover, and yet none at all! “Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” (Thank you, Samuel Taylor Coleridge.) Potential appears to be squandered. Dreams run dry. Yet we still find ourselves clinging to these scraps, hoping someday we’ll find their purpose.

But there comes a point where a crafter can simply no longer endure anguish of this magnitude—something must be done about the scraps! So, in the spirit of this month’s theme of organization, we set out to find a purpose for these bothersome scraps that are so tantalizingly lovely in their brokenness. We were determined to use them, rather than stuff them away into that easily forgotten dungeon we call “the scrap box.”

And so we did! Want to see what we came up with?

#1) THE LAYOUTThis authentic and eye-catching layout is made with scraps from ELEVEN different papers! (Check the recipe at the end of this post to see which ones.) The best part about it is that, thanks to the Cricut® overlay, we only needed small scraps of the papers to weave into the layout. The different patterns and colors working as one make for a brilliant display that proves these paper scraps are better together than they ever were apart.

Other noteworthy things we love about this layout:

The White Daisy ink splatters against the kraft cardstock. We love the way this adds texture and life to the spread, encompassing the repurposed and artful utilitarian nature of this layout.
The way the journaling is seamlessly integrated into the flow of the layout. We’re just tickled over how the journaling blends so seamlessly with the layout that it’s become another artistic feature! It also adds a dose of personality and life to the layout.
The creative use of the Sparkle chevron shapes. Did you notice that the lines of sparkles stemming from the photo are actually cut from Sparkle chevron shapes? Cool, right? Just one more example of how to use bits and pieces to create something beautiful.

#2) THE CARDS
The scraps that are too small for layouts can be used on card designs. Cards are the ideal location for little bits of paper that can be pieced together in original designs.

Check these all-stars out!

Thanks to Close To My Heart’s exclusive color palette, you can match papers and patterns across paper packets because the colors are consistent. The intricate weaving on the Hello Sunshine card was done with yellow- and white-based scraps from SEVEN different papers. If it’s possible to make this many patterns look good together, then it will surely be possible to make something visually appealing from blending your own scraps.

Other noteworthy things we love about these cards:

Embellishments that add that finishing touch. Whether it’s the Flaxen extra thick twine, the teal Shimmer Trim, or the bling gems gold assortment, we love how those little glittery pieces of this and that provide the final bit of glam for these hodgepodge cards.
Steady patterns that lend structure to the patchwork design. One way to balance out the discord from using scraps is to corral them into a simple and repetitive design, like those seen on these cards. It’s all about that yin and yang!

Now it’s your turn to make something useful of those piles of scraps you have lying around. Once you start, we think you’ll come to realize that your usable paper stash just got a whole lot bigger!

Recipes

12″ x 12″ BEyouTIFUL Layout
E1029 My Acrylix® Marquee Uppercase, E1030 My Acrylix® Handwritten Print, X7190B Brushed Paper Packet, X7189B Confetti Wishes Paper Packet, X7185B Scaredy Cat Paper Packet, Z2033 Paper Fundamentals Whimsy Assortment, Z2032 Paper Fundamentals Adventure Assortment, Z2031 Paper Fundamentals Enchantment Assortment, X5762 Lagoon Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5929 Whisper Cardstock, Z1375 Kraft Cardstock, Z1991 Teal Glitter Paper, Z2195 Lagoon Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2643 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2192 Pacifica Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2263 White Daisy Exclusive Inks™ Re-inker, Z2062 My Crush™ Holiday Happenings Assortment, Z1909 Sparkle Chevron Shapes, Z3009 Chalk It Up Assortment

Cricut® Shapes:
Artbooking
9″ Overlay <t> (p. 52)

5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ Hello Sunshine Card
Wishes: Celebration Card Workshop—Card 4™
D1634 My Acrylix® Rain or Shine, X7190B Brushed Paper Packet, X7189B Confetti Wishes Paper Packet, X7191B Wanderful Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2033 Paper Fundamentals Whimsy Assortment, Z2032 Paper Fundamentals Adventure Assortment, Z2162 Honey Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2023 Bling Gems Gold Assortment, Z1985 Gold Shimmer Trim

5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ Hey There Card
Wishes: Three in a Row™
D1469 My Acrylix® Polka Dot Alphabet, X7191B Wanderful Paper Packet, X7184B Chalk It Up Paper Packet, X7188B Snowhaven Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, 1386 Black Cardstock, X5762 Lagoon Cardstock, Z2105 Black Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z3036 Flaxen Extra Thick Twine

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Make It from Your Heart

Tag Archives: artwork

Making Your Mark on Memory Keeping