Heart 2 Heart - Hip To Be Square

Welcome to this week’s Heart 2 Heart Challenge, “Hip To Be Square”, where you are invited to create artwork aligned with that theme, that incorporates Close To My Heart products.

I love the simplicity of this card as I used 1” squares from our Base & Bling Watercolor Sheet - Gold. I used our Watercolor Paints to apply ink, with the gold embossing image and sentiment resisted the paint. A strip of Gold Glitter paper was added. I see some more fabulous potential for these li’l squares beyond Base & Bling.

Consider linking up to us this week at Heart 2 Heart as we gear up to welcome in September. How crazy is that?!

Have a blessed week!

Melissa

Look Inside the 2016–2017 Annual Inspirations Idea Book

Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend full of relaxation (or whatever it is that you wanted to do). I did and it was very much needed!

Grab your cup of coffee and watch this video that highlights some of our newest products. You will love what you see!

You can view the online Annual Inspirations Idea Book by clicking HERE. If you would like your own hard copy, contact me for those details.

Don't forget to join my VIP Facebook Group where exclusive information and previews are shared with members. You get a handmade card from me when you join!

Have a blessed week!
Melissa

CTMH Technique Blog Hop - Passionate About Pockets

Today we are "Passionate about Pockets" and have been asked to incorporate "pocket"s as we interpret. I am sure you will find a lot of creative ways to incorporate them into your artwork through this Blog Hop.

If you are coming from Kirsten's Blog, you are on the right track. You can find a complete list of participants at the bottom of this post, if you were to get lost along the way.

I chose to take an obvious way out - what's new, right? LOL - and used our Flip Flaps to create an extra "pocket" for photos on my layout. We just released new Flip Flaps - you can check them out by clicking HERE. I used the 12 x 6 Flip Flap that has self-adhesive to adhere to your page protectors.

This layout showcases some fun memories from our Convention that took place in June. The left photo is of several of the Home Office staff members, who make the event what it is. The others are photos of Director friends that I have the privilege of celebrating with in Director's Row (tables LOL) and at the Director's Dinner. 

You will notice that I placed my journaling on the back of the Flip Flap and revealed two additional photos. Too fun, right?

Here are close-ups of the two main pages.

Forgive me for the glare on this top, right photo with my Director friend, Krista Herschberger. It's actually a quality photo but the glare from the light and pocket page couldn't be avoided as much as I tried. :) 

Head on over to Wendy's Blog to see what she has up her sleeve for this theme.
Thanks for stopping by and happy hoppin'!
Melissa

Participants:

1. Melissa Robinson *YOU ARE HERE*
2. Wendy Kessler
3. Haley Dyer
4. Darlys Recker
5. Jennifer Benner
6. Michelle Johns
7. Tonya Whitehurst
8. Kirsten Jade

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Boys Will Be Boys

This week's Heart to Heart Challenge led me to create this card. I tend to lean towards the more feminine cards so thought the new Emojis stamp set (pictured below) would sit this theme perfectly.

The "circle", image provided with the stamp set, was used to color in the middle of the faces; so simple! But you could also use it to make a polka dot background! Guess what you can expect to see soon in some upcoming artwork? :) Then I used the Carmine ShinHan marker to color in the red areas on the faces and stamped the fun but simple sentiments on the card, in Black ink. 

,

This card could be used as a congratulatory card for a male.

Join us for this challenge by linking up to us at Heart 2 Heart. Be sure to incorporate CTMH products in your creations. I look forward to checking out what you create!

Make It From Your Heart and have a blessed week!
Melissa

Annual Inspirations New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to an exciting time of the year with Close To My Heart where new products were released just a few days ago! (August 1) This is the cover of our new Annual Inspirations Idea Book and while the cover is beautiful, wait until you see all the goodness inside! You can view a virtual copy by clicking here.

Our task for this Blog Hop is to showcase some of the wonderful new products. I hope you are excited to see what lies ahead. I am! We don't get to see the other participants artwork until you do so I cannot wait to see what beauties they created!

If you are coming from Cat Nowak's Blog, you are on the right track. If you happen to get lost along the way, you can find a list of participants here. Let's get started, shall we?

I am very pleased with how this card turned out and hope you love it as much as I do. Here are the supplies I used:

• Seaglass Cardstock
• Kraft Cardstock
• Uptown Fundamentals (the polka dot vellum pattern)
• Smoothie Cardstock
• Gold Sequins
• Gold Ribbon (from Uptown Fundamentals line)
• Heart Thin Cuts
• Happy Heart Stamp Set

There is not a whole lot to describe in assembly. Gotta love "simple and cute" - my running theme. LOL 

Please consider leaving a comment before heading on over to Melinda's Blog. She always does such a great job in creating.

Enjoy the new products and happy hoppin'!

Melissa

Fun with the Heartfelt Sentiments Team

If you have been watching my blog for long, you know I enjoy leading the members of the Heartfelt Sentiments Team. It is the team I started almost 18 years ago when I became a Close To My Heart Consultant and we are still going strong!

This photo was taken before our Awards Banquet at our Convention held in June.

Besides the fabulous products I get to showcase whenever possible, it is the relationships I have with my team members that matter most. I am blessed in that I get to develop friendships with them well beyond our businesses. For that, I am thankful.

One of the things I enjoy doing is giving handmade gifts to those who attend Convention. These handmade pocket pages, made with the Magical product line, were exclusive gifts to the Leaders on my team who attended Leadership Day.

Here are the pocket cards incorporated into pocket scrapbook pages. You will notice I spread them across the two pages. Aren't they and the photos too much fun? I definitely think so!

Forgive the glare I got on these photos due to the pocket pages but I did want some good lighting on them so you could see some of the fun had.

These photos show fun experienced with both my team members and Home Office staff. I am so thankful to know who is working behind the scenes of the products and events I get to enjoy and they are great friends who I respect a lot.

Team members join me from all across the country and I work diligently to support them no matter where they are located. So...if you want to join Close To My Heart, I would love for you to consider my team! It does not matter your location. You will feel a party of our family in no time!

Off to create some artwork for the company! I hope you are enjoying a blessed and enjoyable weekend!

Make It From Your Heart,

Melissa

Convention was Magical!

Check out this fun layout I made, commemorating SOME of my Convention memories. There are definitely plenty more to come but I thought I would start with this one. (You will find enlarged views of the pages below.)

Our Magical product line is totally fun and can be used for various occasions. It can scream Disney if you want it to but it doesn't have to. While the polka dot pattern matches Minnie's dress perfectly - don't you agree?, you will see the layout below without the photos to be appreciate its versatility.

Magical Workshop Your Way

Here is the layout without the photos. With a change in title, you could definitely use it beyond Disney.

It went from that...to THIS! I just love it and all the memories it makes me relive. I love gathering near and afar with my team members. We truly do have too much fun when we are together and I love it!

I would not want to ride on this journey without them but there is always room for plenty more! Why don't you join us?!

Wishing you a fabulous weekend full of whatever it is that you want to do!

Melissa

Basically the Best - NEW Scrapbooking Papers FREE!

During the month of August, when you order our Whimsy, Adventure, AND Enchantment Fundamental papers you can choose to get either the Rustic Home or Uptown Fundamentals for FREE! Both of these Basics packs feature foil designs and specialty materials for making your artwork unique. Yep, this deal is basically the best!

Here are images of the Whimsy, Adventure and Enchantment paper packets:

Whimsy Fundamentals 

Adventure Fundamentals

Enchantment Fundamentals

Aren't they fun?! They will incorporate nicely into the seasonal paper packs that will be released throughout this catalog year. 

Here are images of the Rustic Home and Uptown Fundamentals, either which you can choose for FREE once you purchase the above paper packs:

Rustic Home Fundamentals

Uptown Fundamentals

You are always welcome to contact me if you have any questions. More details about this campaign can be found here. Orders can be placed on my website.

I hope you are enjoying the first week of August!

Melissa

NEW Products Have Arrived!

The new Annual Inspirations Idea Book is here and if you think the front cover is gorgeous, wait until you see all the fabulous new products and artwork contained inside!

You can view its contents online by clicking HERE. 

If you would like a hard copy, you get one FREE when you place an order (either through my website or through me) OR you can contact me and pay $5 to have one shipped to you. You will receive a $5 credit that can be redeemed on your first purchase. (Payment can be made through PayPal, check or in person, if you live near me. Contact me for details at mlisrobinson@gmail.com.)

I would love to hear from you. Tell me what you love most about the new Annual Inspirations by leaving a comment below. And...be sure to check out my website. It recently received a face-lift! 

ENJOY checking out all of the fabulous new products! I have already fallen in love and you will too!

Have a blessed day!

Melissa

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - Purr-fect Halloween

Welcome to this month's Stamp of the Month Blog Hop where we are featuring the "Purr-fect Halloween" stamp set.

This stamp set has some fun images and can work well beyond Halloween. Plus, it can be yours for just $5 with a qualifying purchase. It is valued at $17.95.

If you are coming from Melinda's Blog, you are on the right track. You can also find a list of participants on her blog, if you were to get lost along the way.

I did decide to steer away from the Halloween theme with the creation of this card. I incorporated the Florence paper pack and Red Enamel Gems. I did use a few ShinHan markers to color in the cat image. Crazy thing...I have a few people in mind who I could mail this card. I am not sure if that is a compliment, or not. LOL

Looking forward to seeing what the other hop participants created with this stamp set, go ahead and hop on over to Wendy's Blog. I am sure she, and the others, will have fun artwork to share.

I appreciate you stopping by and wish you a fabulous month!

Happy hoppin'!
Melissa

Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Florence

Welcome to this week's challenge for Heart 2 Heart where we are featuring the Florence product line from Close To My Heart. For me, this was definitely one of those paper packs that I did not fall in love with until I got it into my hands. It truly is beautiful!

Using it and the new stamp set, "All the Thanks", I kept this card simple. It was fun to take the chevron and floral prints from this paper pack while adding a bit of cardstock, Complements and Rose Gold Foil Tape, to make this thank you card.

Use Florence in your artwork and link up to us at Heart 2 Heart. I look forward to seeing YOUR artwork creation!

Wishing you an August full of blessings!
Melissa