Going Soon!

It’s that time of year again, when we are getting all of the feels as we prepare to part ways with our Annual Inspirations catalog on September 1 and make way for a new Holiday Expressions idea book. We are so excited for the launch of the brand new catalog, filled to the brim with amazing new tools and products, and at the same time, we’re getting a little misty-eyed over having to say goodbye to others.

Luckily, we still have a little over two weeks left before our Annual Inspirations, and so many of the products featured inside it, retire. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite goodies for you below. Make sure you and your friends snatch these up before they’re gone for good!

Basic Banners Thin Cuts

Several of the Thin Cuts metal dies in Annual Inspirations are retiring, including the Basic Banners Thin Cuts! This set includes four sizes of the same banner shape, ideal for creating timeless accents for both cardmaking and scrapbooking.

Picture My Life™ Tabbed Journaling Cards

We love these trendy grid journaling cards! Use them to add journaling to any of your scrapbooking projects.

Small Organizer and Coordinating Foam Inserts

This organizer has served us well over the years, but it is time to bid him farewell! The small organizer and foam inserts that nestle inside are great for organizing various tools and small accessories. Be sure to snatch up a few before they’re gone!

19 Helpful Tips for Using Close To My Heart’s Stamp Pads #infographic #stamping #ink #howto #dye #pigment #coloring #stamp

Small Organizer and Daubers Foam Insert. Securely holds 60 sponge daubers. (Daubers not included.)

pigment-inks-foam-insert

Small Organizer and Pigment Inks Foam Insert. Securely holds 40 pigment ink pads. (Pigment inks not included.)

craft-boxes-foam-insert

Small Organizer and Craft Boxes Foam Insert. Securely holds 12 craft boxes. (Craft boxes not included.)

blocks-foam-insert

Small Organizer and My Acrylix® Blocks Foam Insert. (Blocks not included.)

Summer Fun Paper Doll Stamp and Thin Cuts

Going Soon #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhannualinspirations #ctmhideabook #ctmhcatalog #ctmhcatalogue #retiring #goingsoon #ideabook #catalog #catalogue #magazine #scrapbooking #cardmaking #summerfun #summerfunpaperdoll #paperdoll #summer

Girls just wanna have sun…at least this girl does! The Summer Fun Paper Doll stamp set is only available bundled with it’s coordinating Thin Cuts so you can be sure that each dress and accessory will fit just right!

Family Ties Cut Above® Layout Kit

Going Soon #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhannualinspirations #ctmhideabook #ctmhcatalog #ctmhcatalogue #retiring #goingsoon #ideabook #catalog #catalogue #magazine #scrapbooking #familyties #cutabovekit #cutabovelayoutkit #cutabove #cutabove® #family #workofheart

With pre-printed base pages and die-cut paper pieces, the Family Ties Cut Above® layout kit makes it easier than ever to tell your family’s story.

Going Soon #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhannualinspirations #ctmhideabook #ctmhcatalog #ctmhcatalogue #retiring #goingsoon #ideabook #catalog #catalogue #magazine #scrapbooking #familyties #cutabovekit #cutabovelayoutkit #cutabove #cutabove® #family #cherishedmemoriesGoing Soon #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhannualinspirations #ctmhideabook #ctmhcatalog #ctmhcatalogue #retiring #goingsoon #ideabook #catalog #catalogue #magazine #scrapbooking #familyties #cutabovekit #cutabovelayoutkit #cutabove #cutabove® #family #pedigree #familytree

These elegant pages make a beautiful gift, too, in case you’ve got any more weddings or anniversaries coming up. If not, it’s never too early to start thinking about the holidays! 😉

Everything Bashful!

Going Soon #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhannualinspirations #ctmhideabook #ctmhcatalog #ctmhcatalogue #retiring #goingsoon #ideabook #catalog #catalogue #magazine #scrapbooking #cardmaking #bashful #pink #coloroftheyear #ctmhbashful #colouroftheyear

Our color of the year, Bashful, is retiring on September 1 to make way for a new color of the year. This means that the Bashful cardstock, stamp pad, re-inker, mini pigment pad, glitter paper, and shimmer brush will be gone in just a few days!

Going Soon #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhannualinspirations #ctmhideabook #ctmhcatalog #ctmhcatalogue #retiring #goingsoon #ideabook #catalog #catalogue #magazine #scrapbooking #cardmaking #bashful #pink #coloroftheyear #ctmhbashful #colouroftheyear #shimmerbrush

Get your fill of this soft pink hue while you still can!

Punny Pals

Going Soon #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhannualinspirations #ctmhideabook #ctmhcatalog #ctmhcatalogue #retiring #goingsoon #ideabook #catalog #catalogue #magazine #scrapbooking #cardmaking #punnypals #punnypalsstampset #oeprationsmile

Our Punny Pals have been on a mission this year—to create as many smiles as possible! With every purchase of a My Acrylix® Punny Pals stamp set, $7 (USD) of the proceeds are donated to Operation Smile™, a non-profit organization that provides surgeries to repair cleft left lips and palates in children around the world.
Going Soon #ctmh #closetomyheart #ctmhannualinspirations #ctmhideabook #ctmhcatalog #ctmhcatalogue #retiring #goingsoon #ideabook #catalog #catalogue #magazine #scrapbooking #cardmaking #punnypals #punnypalsstampset #oeprationsmile

These little guys’ mission isn’t over yet! With just a couple of weeks left, let’s make sure we don’t forget about them and give them a proper send off!

These products (and so many others!) are only available through the end of August, while supplies last, so hurry and grab your favorites before they are all gone!


Which products are you going to miss most from Annual Inspirations? Tell us in the comments below!

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Scrapbooking with Punny Pals

Our Punny Pals are at it again! This time we used the stamp set and their coordinating Thin Cuts in scrapbooking pages and layouts to show you just how versatile these furry friends can be!

Punny Pals in Scrapbooking #ctmh #closetomyheart #scrapbooking #punnypals #thincuts #watercolor #watercolour #perfectday #perfect #animals #zoo #layout #lion #tiger #monkey #koala #stamp #operationsmile

Taking a trip to the zoo? Add a little artistry to your memory keeping with your own customized paper made from these wild animals! Stamp, color, repeat.

Punny Pals in Scrapbooking #ctmh #closetomyheart #scrapbooking #punnypals #thincuts #watercolor #watercolour #cat #kitty #dog #doggie #sweet #life #layout #operationsmile

Punny Pals in Scrapbooking #ctmh #closetomyheart #scrapbooking #punnypals #thincuts #watercolor #watercolour #cat #kitty #dog #doggie #operationsmile

Use the Punny Pals Thin Cuts to create 3-D accents to embellish pet-themed layouts. Cut, stamp, color, and adhere with 3-D foam tape.

Punny Pals in Scrapbooking #ctmh #closetomyheart #scrapbooking #punnypals #thincuts #watercolor #watercolour #bear #sweet #dream #baby #boy #operationsmile

Punny Pals in Scrapbooking #ctmh #closetomyheart #scrapbooking #punnypals #thincuts #watercolor #watercolour #operationsmile #waving #bear #stamp #sweet #dreams #baby #boy

What makes these playful Punny Pals so adaptable is that you can really use them anywhere.

Remember, for every Punny Pals stamp set purchased Close To My Heart will donate $7 of the proceeds to Operation Smile™, a non-profit organization that provides safe surgeries to repair cleft lips and palates for children around the world. And, for this month only, we are offering a coordinating set of Thin Cuts and the Share a Smile card kit, featuring our Punny Pals stamp set!

Create a layout. Make a card. Make a difference. Share a smile.


Recipes:

12″ x 12″ Zoo Layout
D1751 My Acrylix® Punny Pals Stamp Set, Z3351 Adventure Fundamental Paper Packet, X7224B Cats & Bats Paper Packet, X7226B Silver & Gold Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3355 Happy Moments Complements, Z3312 Gold Glitter Gems, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z3216 White Twine, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3224 Waterbrush—Small Round, Z1979 Marvy® Uchida® LePen™ Journaling Pen, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

12″ x 12″ Sweet Life Page
D1751 My Acrylix® Punny Pals Stamps Set, CC1340 Thin Cuts—Punny Pals, Z3350 Whimsy Fundamental Paper Packet, X7225B Beary Christmas Paper Packet, X7226B Silver & Gold Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5979 Juniper Cardstock, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3355 Happy Moments Complements, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3224 Waterbrush—Small Round, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

12″ x 12″ Dream Page
D1751 My Acrylix® Punny Pals Stamps Set, CC1340 Thin Cuts—Punny Pals, Z3350 Whimsy Fundamental Paper Packet, Z3353 Basics Fundamental Paper Packet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5979 Juniper Cardstock, Z3271 Archival Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3354 Inspire Complements, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z3189 White & Gold Ribbon, Z3132 Watercolor Paints, Z3224 Waterbrush—Small Round, Z1979 Marvy® Uchida® LePen™ Journaling Pen, Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

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15 Ways to Share a Smile

Share a Smile #closetomyheart #ctmh #operationsmile #charity #nonprofit #shareasmile #stamping #stamps #punnypals

Our Punny Pals are fun, spunky, and on a mission—to share as many smiles as possible! To help you continue spreading smiles this month, we came up with a list of small acts of kindness to keep you going. As you perform these, or any acts of service, consider leaving a card from the Share a Smile card kit behind. This small sentiment will be a reminder of the kindness you shared and will continue to bring joy (and smiles!) for days to come.

15-ways-to-share-a-smile #ctmh #closetomyheart #shareasmile #smile #share #operationsmile #punnypals #leaves #fall #raking #family

  1. Rake a neighbor’s yard
  2. Mail a note to a long-distance family member
  3. Pay for the person behind you in a drive-thru.
  4. Take flowers to the nurses’ station at your local hospital
  5. Leave a plate of cookies with a thank-you note for the cleaning staff at your office
  6. Put change in an expired parking meter15-ways-to-share-a-smile #ctmh #closetomyheart #shareasmile #smile #share #operationsmile #punnypals #chrysanthemum #flowers #hospital
  7. Drop off cupcakes to your local fire or police department
  8. Tape cash or a gift card on a random gas pump
  9. Leave positive messages in public places
  10. Offer to return someone’s shopping cart to the store
  11. Hide a favorite book in a public place with a note that it’s free for the taking
  12. Hold the elevator for someone else15-ways-to-share-a-smile #ctmh #closetomyheart #shareasmile #smile #share #operationsmile #punnypals #friends #group
  13. Invite an elderly neighbor to dinner
  14. Leave a generous tip at a restaurant
  15. Put a Share a Smile card in the mailbox for your mail carrier

Isn’t it amazing how little things can brighten our day? A compliment, a thank you, any small gesture of gratitude or compassion can spread joy. Sharing a smile with friends, neighbors, and even strangers is uplifting. Everyone feels good!

At Close To My Heart, we are celebrating Operation Smile™ and the non-profit work they do to help people everywhere have beautiful healthy smiles through safe cleft lip and palate surgeries. With every purchase of the Punny Pals stamp set, Close To My Heart donates $7 USD to this wonderful organization. You, too, can help change someone’s life and at the same time create cute and delightful cards to spread kindness to your family, friends, and community.

And don’t forget—the Share a Smile card kit and Punny Pals Thin Cuts are only available through the end of the month!

We’d love to hear how you are sharing smiles with our Punny Pals! Tell us what you’ve been up to in the comments below.

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Thin Cuts Technique with Our Punny Pals

Thin Cuts Technique #ctmh #closetomyheart #thincuts #dies #diecuts #cardmaking #diy #wildaboutyou #animals #zooanimals #lion #monkey #tiger

Available for this month only, we have coordinating Thin Cuts for our Punny Pals stamp set! Remember, for every Punny Pals stamp set purchased Close To My Heart will donate $7 of the proceeds to Operation Smile™, a non-profit organization that provides safe surgeries to repair cleft lips and palates for people around the world. We took it upon ourselves to come up with a fun way to use this stamp set and its coordinating Thin Cuts to create something guaranteed to make someone smile! Below are step-by-step instructions to show you how to recreate this multi-layer card yourself using partially cut die cuts. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Materials Needed:
D1751 My Acrylix® Punny Pals Stamp Set
CC1340 Thin Cuts—Punny Pals
Z3318 Thin Cuts—Basic Circles
X7225B Beary Christmas Paper Packet
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
X5954 Pewter Cardstock
Z899 Black Memento™ Ink Pad
Z4050 Picture My Life™—Beary Christmas
Z3323 White Burlap Ribbon
Z4029 Bronze Sequins
3505 Watercolor Pencils
Z2445 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Barely Beige Marker
Z2446 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Black Marker
Z2452 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Golden Yellow Marker
Z2460 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Pastel Peach Marker
Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape
Die-cutting machine

Prepare and cut.
To replicate our card exactly, you will need the following pieces:

  • 1 standard card base
  • 3¾” x 5″ White Daisy cardstock
  • 4″ x 5¼” Pewter cardstock
  • 3¾” x 5″ New England Ivy “Sprig” paper from Beary Christmas paper packet
  • 4″ x 5 ¼ ” Pebble striped paper from Beary Christmas paper packet
  • 3¾” x 1″ ombre New England Ivy paper from Beary Christmas Picture My Life™ Cards

Thin Cuts Technique #ctmh #closetomyheart #thincuts #dies #diecuts #cardmaking #diy #wildaboutyou #animals #zooanimals #lion #monkey #tiger

Step 1. Planning the partial cut.
Using washi tape, temporarily attach the 2½” circle die onto the White Daisy cardstock piece approximately ¾” from the top. Place the Tiger die on the adhered circle die, slightly left of center, and mark (with a pencil) where the two dies intersect.

Remove the tiger die but keep the circle in place. With a ruler and pencil, draw a light line through both of the dots, running off both sides of the cardstock.

Step 2. Partially cutting the circle.
We use a Cuttlebug™ as our preferred die-cutting machine. Layer a platform and a C-size plate and align the edges. Place the White Daisy cardstock on top of this combination so that the line you have drawn is about 1/8″ below the bottom of the plate. This will put the top half of the cardstock on the plate and leave the lower half of the cardstock hanging off the plate. Adhere the card piece in place with washi tape so it will not move. Anything below the plate will not cut through.

Layer a B-size plate on top and run the paper through your die-cutting machine. You should end up with a partially cut circle, still attached on the bottom left.

WAIT—DON’T REMOVE THE CARD FROM THE PLATE YET!

 

Step 3. Partially cutting the tiger.
Thin Cuts Technique #ctmh #closetomyheart #thincuts #dies #diecuts #cardmaking #diy #wildaboutyou #animals #zooanimals #lion #monkey #tiger

While keeping the cardstock attached to the plate, remove the circle die. Add the tiger die where your circle is still intact, allowing a portion of the head and tail into the inside of the circle, and secure it to the cardstock with some washi tape.

Replace the B-size plate, make sure the platform and plates are aligned, and run it through the die-cutting machine.

Remove the tiger die. You will now have a portion of the tiger cut out of the inside circle. (The remainder of the inner circle may be discarded.) If there is a small area of the inner circle that has not cut through just snip carefully with scissors.

Step 4. Get Stamping!
Stamp the tiger image in place and color it with watercolor pencils.

Thin Cuts Technique #ctmh #closetomyheart #thincuts #dies #diecuts #cardmaking #diy #wildaboutyou #animals #zooanimals #lion #monkey #tiger

Step 5. Assemble the rest of the card.
Create the inner circle of the card front by cutting the layers with the 2″ circle die.

Thin Cuts Technique #ctmh #closetomyheart #thincuts #dies #diecuts #cardmaking #diy #wildaboutyou #animals #zooanimals #lion #monkey #tiger

Tip: To put the monkey in place, make two cuts of the monkey outline. When layering the shapes together, attach the front shape so that it overlaps the front of your circle window, and attach the back shape overlapping the back of the circle. This will hold the monkey securely in place.

Tip: For added dimension on your animal, make a second animal shape and, after stamping, trim out the face. Color this new layer and attach with thin 3-D foam tape.

 This Thin Cuts technique is all about versatility and dimension! Please share with us any comments or questions through the link below!

Share a Smile and happy trimming!

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