"Family Gathering" - Blog with Friends

Thank you for stopping by my blog today where I join a few blogging friends to share some fun topics around the theme of "Family Gathering".

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and with that brings many family gatherings and hopefully, some special moments. While the photos are great, scrapbooking those memories is what is most important.



I have created this layout to share with you; perfect for this occasion.

The fall colors and elements allow you to reflect on what you are most grateful for, with space to document the details of the photos you choose to include. I will be adding some photos to this layout once Thanksgiving arrives.

And...surely you can appreciate some handmade greeting cards you can sent to a family member who is on your mind this time of the year.

This card, with the colors used, is perfect for Fall. I especially love the three words used. I am thankful, grateful and blessed for many things in my life!

There are many needs for thank you cards. Do you sent them anymore? I know that effort has gone by the wayside for many, but I'm thankful I continue to send them out, providing some hand-created happy in someone's mailbox.

If you are interested in virtual scrapbook or card classes, contact me directly or post a comment. I would be happy to help you, whether you're an expert or novice.

Preserving your memories or making handmade cards is fun; let me show you how! Have questions? Let me know!

(The two individual card photos are not mine. I will be replacing them with my own when I return home later in the week. Those in the top image are those I created by hand.)

Keep reading below, and follow the links, to some friends who have some great content to share! 

Karen of Baking in a Tornado
Use holiday leftovers (or start from scratch), Thanksgiving Croquettes are an easy and delicious meal incorporating all of the flavors of the holiday.

Dawn of Spatulas on Parade

Turkey soup - Holiday leftovers and memories of family gatherings 

Lydia of Cluttered Genius

Over the holiday season, we travel to family gatherings a lot! That leads to sleepy kids. This travel pillow will keep them comfy while they snooze.

Jules of the Bergham Chronicles

Some advice to Gigi about family gatherings

Have a blessed week!

Spotlight On - Heart 2 Heart Challenge

Welcome to this week's Challenge, on the Heart 2 Heart Blog, where the theme is "Spotlight On".

Spotlight is a technique, and you can find it just by searching online, OR you can be creative and interpret it however you would like. When you do so, be sure to link up to the Challenge so we can see what fun creations you have to share. To participate in our challenge, please incorporate Close To My Heart products in your artwork.

This is my version of "spotlight":

I used the Bunches of Love stamp set and inked it with Archival Black, allowing me to add watercolor pencils and a Clear Shimmer Brush to color in the images. You will notice I stamped it on a sheet of White Daisy cardstock that was then layered on the Black cardstock. THAT allowed me to incorporate the technique. Keep reading...

To create the spotlighted area, I used a Circle Thin Cut to cut out the big floral image. Then, I used the Stitched Thin Cut to cut a slightly larger circle out of Pansy cardstock.

I adhered them to the card front, aligned with the image, by 3Ding the big flower. To add a bit of accent to the card, I used Liquid Glass on the center of the flower, added some Gold Glitter Gems and ribbon.

This was the first time I tried this technique and I really like it. Participating in this challenge was a great excuse to give it a shot. Why don't you do the same?!

I look forward to seeing your artwork on Heart 2 Heart! Wishing you a GREAT week!

In Any CASE...with Melinda & Melissa

Join us twice a month as we CASE, “Copy And Selectively Edit”, artwork created by the Art Department of Close To My Heart as showcased in the current Idea Books and our Make It From Your Heart How-To Books.

On the 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of each month, at 7 pm CST, we will direct you towards a piece of art and recreate it using the exact products or others that compliment its initial design. Tips, techniques and assembly directions will be shared in detail to help you recreate them on your own.

As you reproduce the items we have shared, post them on social media using the hashtag #ctmhinanycase. We will randomly search that hashtag and reward those who CASE our items. Winners will be announced on our blogs so be sure to follow us!

*************************************************

I have been eyeing this card and finally took the plunge to create it and I'm so glad I did! It's quick and simple to put together but has great visual appeal! Better yet, it takes small pieces of paper so you can easily use your scraps!

Here is the sketch that provides the dimension of the paper pieces, for easy recreation.

I used just the Fern ink pad - first and second generation - to get the two hues of green. Saffron is the yellow color used.

For the butterfly, I stamped it, in Archival Black ink, on White Daisy cardstock. Then, I colored it with one shade of orange from our Watercolor Pencils. To blend the pencil coloring, I used the Clear Shimmer Brush Pen.

I tried to reflect that shimmer in the photo. I love the subtle but added touch it provides.

This is a video that shows you, in quick-time, how I created this card. ENJOY!

This is the wonderful stamp set, Grateful Heart - Cardmaking, I used. I love it. It is one of my favorites and truly could be used for many greeting cards.

Go check out this cute card Melinda has created to share with you this week! She is my partner in CASEing and there is no doubt you'll love what she has to tell you!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to tag your CASEd artwork with #ctmhinanycase. We search social media to see if you are joining the fun, plus, we have prizes to give!

Enjoy the end to your week!

Seasonal Trees Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to this month's Stamp of the Month Blog Hop where we are featuring "Seasonal Trees".

This wonderful stamp set can be yours for just $5 when you place a $50 (or more) order. You can find all the details about the Stamp of the Month special by clicking on the link. 

There are quite a few Consultants who are showcasing fun ways to use this stamp set and I am sure you are in for a real treat!

If you are coming from Wendy's Blog, you are on the right track. You can find a complete list of participants by clicking here. 

I decided to make a wintery sceen for my card, incorporating some White Embossing.

To create the focal point, I first embossed the bottom snow. Then, I stamped the tree in Toffee Ink. To generate that multi-colored leaves, I first stamped the leaf image with Fern. Using Sponge Daubers, I applied Goldrush and Pomegranate in random spots and then stamped the entire image. 

For the snow, I stamped the small dots image with Versamark Ink and heat set White Embossing Powder. The birdhouse and bird were cut out and 3-D as shown.

I also embossed Hello Friend (from a separate stamp set) and added the ribbon and Gold Glitter Gems for a finishing touch.

You can see a closeup here. I kind of like that the white powder stuck on other parts of the trees, although that's not what I intended. It made the scenery look a bit more "real".

Here is another variation of the card, simply switching out the colors of paper. 

I am pleased with how this card turned out as it truly began as an experiment. I'm looking forward to creating more artwork with it. 

Now, head on over to Kimberly's Blog to see what fun she has created with the stamp set. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and happy hoppin'!

In Any CASE...with Melinda & Melissa

Thank you for joining us this week for...

Join us twice a month as we CASE, “Copy And Selectively Edit”, artwork created by the Art Department of Close To My Heart as showcased in the current Idea Books and our Make It From Your Heart How-To Books.

On the 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of each month, at 7 pm CST, we will direct you towards a piece of art and recreate it using the exact products or others that compliment its initial design. Tips, techniques and assembly directions will be shared in detail to help you recreate them on your own.

As you reproduce the items we have shared, post them on social media using the hashtag #ctmhinanycase. We will randomly search that hashtag and reward those who CASE our items. Winners will be announced on our blogs so be sure to follow us!

*************************************************

I decided to recreate this adorable shaker card that features the CA-UTE stamp set, Hedge-Hugs.

I mean, serious?! Isn't this stamp set adorable?! Now that I have it, I am totally looking forward to creating some other items with it. Do you love it too? You can find it on my website by clicking on this link.

To create any Shaker Card, the Thin Cuts - Shaker Window & Confetti are an ABSOLUTE MUST! You can create shaker cards using your choice of colors, themes, etc. and these make that super easy to achieve! 

These are the pieces and parts (above) I cut to create the card. You'll see how they are incorporated below and...YES! I totally did make my own confetti out of Sugarplum Glitter Paper! FUN stuff, huh?! 

For the main base of the card, I used this polka dot patterned paper from the Seasons Mix-in paper packet. I put the big circle, cut out of White Daisy, as the bottom piece for the shaker card elements. Then, I built the rest on top of it. 

I combined the Loose Silver Sequins with the Thin Cut punched confetti. The stitched circle, that finishes off the shaker piece was cut in Sage cardstock. 

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am starting to have an attraction to the Silver Embellishing Thread. LOL When I first tried it, I wasn't quite sure how to work with it but have been given some tips to assist me:

• Wind it around two of your fingers, approximately 5 times.
• Use glue dots to adhere it to and to secure it to your artwork. 

If you haven't tried it yet, give it a try. I think you will like it just as much as I do. As you can see, I have been adding it to my projects when they need "just a bit more". 

My partner in CASEing, Melinda Everitt, is showcasing THIS creation on her blog so be sure to head that direction by following this link. I guess we are both lovin' the Shaker Cards based on what cards we selected this week!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Happy creating!

Glitter & Glam - Heart 2 Heart Challenge

I'm thrilled to be participating in this week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge entitled "Glitter & Glam". You, too, can participate by simply creating something papercrafting related, while incorporating CTMH products.

I cut a piece of the Red Glitter Paper, 4" x 5 1/4", for the background of the card. Then, using the Circle Thin Cuts, I cut out the two outter circles, exposing the Glitter Paper. The Clover (green) ornament is from the Mistletoe Wishes Cardmaking Workshop Your Way. It contains an exclusive stamp set. 

The silver glitter part, for hanging the ornaments. is a stamped image as well. I stamped it on the BACK of the Silver Glitter Paper and then cut it out. 

The "believe in magic" sentiment is from the exclusive Holiday Sparkle card kit that is only available through the end of this month. 

I hope you believe in magic! Have a blessed day!

Holiday Sparkle/Season of Joy BLOG HOP

Welcome to this Blog Hop where participants have the option to highlight the Holiday Sparkle Card Kit contents OR our Fabulous NEW Season of Joy Cricut Collection! I'm sure you're in for a BIG treat!

If you are coming from Chris Robertson's Blog, you are on the right track. Continue making your way around the circle to see some awesome creations! You can find a complete list of participants through this link.

I debated about which product line to work with tonight but settled on Holiday Sparkle. I totally love these shaker cards and the possibilities they offer for Christmas!

The card base, "Happy Holidays" sentiment, and striped Raspberry strip (behind the main sentiment) are all part of the original design of this card. By adding a few touches of my own, I was able to personalize it a bit. 

With the background of the circle being simple, I decided to stamp the image in Raspberry ink for some added color. I also random-stamped the small heart images in the bottom area using Ballerina ink. 

To create some additional color in the Silver Sequins, I cut out some of the hearts, using the Thin Cuts Shaker Window & Confetti. They were cut from Raspberry cardstock. The larger, stitched circle was used to create the covering of the shaker window. I used Lagoon cardstock. 

In order to make the card a bit more festive I decided to add Santa, of course, as well as Silver Embellishing Thread. A few additional confetti hearts were a perfect finish, I think. 

Here is a close-up of the details. I used some paste to give Santa some texture. You can see details about that process on this blog post.

You can find complete details about the Holiday Sparkle SPECIAL, which is only available this month and while supplies last, through the respective link. These cards are super easy to put together; I'm talking minutes!

While I haven't yet created anything with the Season of Joy Cricut Collection, it totally has some fabulous designs! I will be playing with it very soon!

Now, head on over to Cat's Blog. She's always got something awesome to share! Be sure to make your way around the Blog Hop to enjoy some festive creations! Let me know what you think about my card, by leaving a comment, before you do! I love hearing from you!

Always be sure to...Make it from your heart!

Paste-fully Creative - CTMH Technique Blog Hop

Welcome to this month's Technique Blog Hop where we are creating with the theme, "Paste-fully Creative"! Close To My Heart recently began carrying different pastes, and their related supplies, and we are excited to showcase our use of them!

If you are coming from Jayma's Blog, you are on the right track. To find a list of participants, if you were to get lost along the way, you will find them at the bottom of this post.

I decided to use the September Stamp of the Month, Thanks & Giving, to create another card.

To highlight our paste, I decided to use it to create a handmade embellishment. Before I tell you how I did so, I wanted to mention that I used the floral stamp image to create my own background paper by stamping it repeatedly in Charcoal Ink. Then, I used color pencils to color them in. By stamping the hearts in Ruby ink, I feel it created a nice background (and I hope you agree). 

I decided to add some Liquid Glass to the heart made with paste. It gives it a nice shimmer that I thought was a fun addition, along with the Silver Embellishing Thread and Silver Glitter Gems.

I created a heart stencil by stamping the "full heart" image on the Stencil Sheet and then cut it out. 

By placing it on a white sheet of paper, I added the paste and then fussy-cut around it to adhere it to my card. To create the pink color on the heart, I actually started out with a different idea that failed. LOL So...I had Ruby ink on my paste and decided to just mix it in and this pink color resulted. LOL Hey! I couldn't let paste go to waste!

I enjoyed using it to make an embellishment. You can use it for so many different things and I look forward to seeing what everyone else did with it. You can find the kinds we have to offer, and their related products, by clicking on this link.

Now, keep moving through this hop by heading over to Haley's Blog. We always love hearing from you so consider leaving a comment!

Happy hoppin'!








Participants:

1. Melissa Robinson *YOU ARE HERE*
2. Haley Dyer
3. Michelle Johns
4. Michelle Loncar
5. Wanda Rogers
6. Darlys Recker
7. Kimberly Bower
8. Catherine Nowak
9. Valerie Kapsha
10. Katy Taylor
11. Shirley Ross
12. Maz Wood
13. Tamara Sandwisch
14. Vandra Stenton
15. Jayma Malme