Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Watercoloring

Welcome to this week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge, "Watercoloring". The interpretation of the theme is left to you, just be sure to incorporate Close To My Heart products on your creation and then link up to us to share your artwork with others.

For my artwork creation I chose to use the My Crush Artistic You watercolor pages. Their clear glossy designs, which you can see faintly in this image, are perfect for applying watercolor. The embossed images "resist" the color, as you'll see below.

I used the page shown at the bottom of the above visual to create this card. I applied various shades of watercolor and then took a tissue to wipe off any watercolor residue that may have remained on the embossed images. This was the resulting look. 

The pages are 7" x 5". I trimmed a piece of it to make this card front, layering it on Lemon cardstock. A simple sentiment and I felt it was complete!  

These images were so fun and easy to color. I used the Waterbrush - Small Round which has a very fine tip and allows me to be detailed, when necessary. Our Watercolor Paints, which look similar to others on the market, are phenomenal and are of truly no comparison. If you don't believe me, you'll have to test them for yourself. That feedback comes from customers, not just me. :)  

Consider joining us for this and other H2H Challenges. We enjoy seeing and sharing the artwork of others. 

Have a blessed day/week!

Featured Product: "No Worries" (Blog Hop)

Welcome to our No Worries Blog Hop where we are featuring artwork using this new product line contained within our Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book. Through this hop you will find various projects created by talented Close To My Heart Consultants.

If you are coming from Kathleen's Blog, you are on the right track.

This is an image of the papers contained within this paper pack. Aren't they beautiful?! While they totally scream beach, there are also some fun patterns contained that allow for some fun flexibility. Check out the rest of the No Worries product line by clicking here.

I cannot take credit for design of this card. It is one the cards designed by the Art Department in Close To My Heart and is part of the Workshop Your Way for this product line. Did you know you can get the cutting diagrams and assembly directions FREE for them? It's true, you can. By clicking on this link, you'll see a downloadable guide for creating three layouts and cards. You have to add the card bases and envelopes as they are not included.

This is the stamp set used, "No Worries - Cardmaking", and has some fun sentiments and images. I love the saying used on this card, perfect for retirement.

Thanks so much for stopping by and joining us on this Blog Hop. Head on over to Haley's Blog to check out her "No Worries" artwork.

Happy hoppin'!

Retiring Stamp Sets Blog Hop (Get 'em before they're gone!)

Welcome to our Blog Hop where we are highlighting some products that are soon-to-retire. It will be fun to see what each participant has chosen as their focus.

It is really hard to believe it's almost time to say goodbye to some of my favorite products that I have enjoyed creating with this last year and/or last few months. On July 31, 2017, many of our products will retire as others take their place. That means that if there is anything on your wish list, you will want to get it now as some products are only available until then or while supplies last. There are two ways you can see what is soon to be gone: visit my website or download a list.

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

I was having a difficult time debating on what card I wanted to highlight and as soon as I thought of this one...I knew it was the perfect choice. I have used it many times recently, especially because of the used sentiment, and will be sad to see it go. Besides the wonderful images, I love that it represents Operation Smile, and that $5 from the stamp set purchase goes towards this worthy organization.

This card was kept pretty simple with the striped pattern paper coming from Little Dreamer. I used it to create a colorful dress for the girl. Of course, some purple heart bling was necessary to finish it off.

You can see the added dimension provided on this card, even as I made the heart 3-D.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Leave a comment and let me know which is your favorite stamp set. Head over to Melinda's Blog to see which stamp set she is highlighting.

CTMH Technique Blog Hop - Shake It Up

This month, for our Technique Blog Hop, we are shaking it up! Participants could interpret that however they chose while incorporating Close To My Heart products. It will be fun to see the results!

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

I decided to use the camera image cut from our Artistry Cricut Collection to create a Shaker Card. It was cut out of Black cardstock and Sea Glass Glitter Paper. The polka dot patterned paper is from the Whimsy Fundamentals. 

If you aren't familiar with shaker cards, basically you create a "hole" in your design where you can put the shaker items. Foam Tape is used to add the depth to the card and limit where the shaker items are located. Here, I used pink beads. 

Black Dots were added and the stamped sentiment is from this month's Stamp of the Month, "Hello Foxy". 

Thanks so much for stopping by. Let me know know what you think of my card and then head on over to Danielle's Blog to see how she is shaking it up this month.

Happy hoppin'!

Participant List:

1. Melissa Robinson *YOU ARE HERE

2. Danielle Wagner

3. Annemarie Julian

4. Darlys Recker

5. Michelle Loncar

Shine, Little Dreamer, Shine!

I have enjoyed creating layouts and cards using the "Little Dreamer" Workshop Your Way products. They have been super fun and while I was highly addicted to unicorns as a child, and they are not my favorite now, I still am completely in LOVE with this product line.

This fun layout doesn't have to include photos of a little girl's birthday party. I am actually going to use it for me, reflecting on me, my life and my purpose on this earth; the reasons I should "shine". 

Here is a close-up of the fun embellishments added on this layout. Aren't they cute?! There are glitter items included in the Complements that coordinate perfectly. Of course, the fact that purple bling is incorporated makes this girl that much happier!

What kind of photos do you have that would go perfectly on this layout?

The Workshop Your Way includes:
1 - Little Dreamer paper packet (X7219B)
1 - Little Dreamer Complements (X7219C)
4 - cardstock sheets (1 Thistle, 3 White Daisy)
1 - Little Dreamer glitter gems (Z332)
1 - white & gold ribbon (Z3189)

You can get some quality appreciation for the Complements but the photos simply don't do them justice. These two areas shown on the bottom are GLITTER embellishments - white and purple. They are gorgeous!

The paper patterns are so cheerful and versatile enough to be used for fun and inspirational photos. I have used the patterns for various creations already...with more to come.

I pray you are doing great on this Tuesday morning. Make time to shine!

Flower Market Frenzy - Blog With Friends: School's Out!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today as my Blog with Friends group highlights the theme, "School's Out", on our blogs. You will find direct links to their associated posts at the bottom of this feed.

So you might ask, what does this information have to do with "School's Out"? Well, having been an educator, I realize the school year hustles and bustles for various reasons, oftentimes without us (educators and parents) taking the time to smell the roses (or in this case, flowers). Sometimes it is in the summer months, when life may slow down a bit, that we can take the opportunity to appreciate the little things like sunshine, flowers and maybe even a bike ride. 

YOU CAN BUY THESE CARDS, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. DETAILS ARE PROVIDED BELOW.

These five cards were created using various colors of cardstock and the Flower Market Cricut Collection from Close To My Heart. I designed them on my computer using Cricut Design Space and then just told the machine to cut away. 

This beautiful poppy design was shared with me by my friend, Pamela Thorn. Isn't it simply perfect for a thank you card? Each colored piece of cardstock was cut and then layered accordingly to provide this gorgeous 3-D card front. I absolutely love it!

And this one... I'm always needing a "thinking of you" card that doesn't say much and  yet conveys a lot to a person who is on my mind. This can be used for anything general but can also be given for those storms that sometimes weather our lives, as a sympathy card and so much more. 

We don't need reasons to send cards. How 'bout sending this card to say "hello" to a friend or family member who would enjoy a little happy in their mailbox? These days, that seems to be like a lost art and you can help revive it. (Pamela Thorn also designed this card. I slightly edited it based on my available supplies.)

Isn't this card perfect for a summer day? It is so peaceful to me and does cause me to reflect on some childhood memories as well as bike riding adventures with my husband just a few years ago. Don't you just love that blinged-out bike? It was cut on Sea Glass Glitter Paper and was a perfect touch on this card. Too fun!

Last but not least, this "thinking of you" card has 3-D flowers that are fun and cheerful, perfect for any occasion. (Pamela Thorn also designed this card. I slightly edited it based on my available supplies.)

There are several ways you can obtain these cards - whether you want to assemble them yourself or are want to receive them ready for you to give/send. Here are the details:

KITS-TO-GO
Live too far from me? You can get a Kit-To-Go. These kits will include pre-cut and stamped pieces, full-color photos and detailed instructions for assembly so you can create at your convenience. If you are local and can obtain the kit from me in person, the cost is $10. $12, which includes shipping, will have it shipped to your door. (Please allow a maximum of two weeks to receive the kit which provides for ordering the needed products and preparation.)

COMPLETED CARDS
Want the completed cards without experiencing the fun? :) I can do that too! Each card is just $2, plus $2 shipping. ($12 total).

Choose one:

Completed Cards (with shipping) $12.00 USD Card Kit (for local pick-up) $10.00 USD Card Kit (with shipping) $12.00 USD

Now check out these GREAT blog posts regarding "School's Out". There is some stuff below!

Frozen Berries and Cream Cocktail

Making the Most of Summer: For Working Moms

5 Books ESL Teachers Must Take to the Beach and Read

Non-Screen Activities While Mom & Dad Work From Home

Frozen Mocha Coffee

Summer Bucket List

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Pretty Pockets

This week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge is titled, "Pretty Pockets", and you can interpret it however you see fit. Once you create a piece of artwork aligned with it, connect with us at Heart 2 Heart and be sure to use Close To My Heart products in your creation.

You might ask yourself, "Where is there a pocket reference to this piece of artwork?" Well...lemme explain. :)

This is a 4" x 3" POCKET CARD, inspired by pocket scrapbooking. We have been asked to create some for a card swap at Convention (in Salt Lake City in just two weeks - ACK!) and I figured I could follow that idea and create something that could serve that intended purpose or in this case, generate a design that can be easily placed on the front of a card base. BAM! :)

You can see how I did just that. How simple, right?! I have got to keep this design process in mind for future greeting cards. It doesn't take much to design a 4" x 3" piece. Too fun!

I did paper-piece the dress and heart with papers from Prickly Pear. You have seen me use this sentiment many times, with more to come, from the True Love stamp set. Did you know it retires July 31, 2017 or until it is available? Get it before it's gone! It's perfect for any greeting card.

Be sure to check out the other shared artwork at Heart 2 Heart and JOIN THE FUN! Have a blessed week.

Prickly Pear Handmade Cards - Directions or Kits AVAILABLE NOW!

I am thrilled to release this card kit I designed using the Prickly Pear paper pack, Complements, coordinating embellishments and stamp sets! These 10-cards contain a variety of themes to suit different occasions and will bring happy to anyone's day.

This is a close-up of just one of the cards, a tri-fold, in this kit design.

There are various ways you can reproduce and/or get your hands on these cards. Keep reading for those details and contact me if you have any questions. (The supplies used to create these cards are provided below.)

FREE WITH PURCHASE
You can get the cutting diagrams and assembly directions FREE with a $30 order placed on my website - THIS MONTH ONLY (May 2017).

KITS-TO-GO
Live too far from me? You can get a Kit-To-Go. These kits will include pre-cut and stamped pieces, full-color photos and detailed instructions for assembly so you can create at your convenience. If you are local and can obtain the kit from me in person, the cost is $25. $28, which includes shipping, will have it shipped to your door. (Please allow a maximum of two weeks to receive the kit which provides for ordering the needed products and preparation.)

COMPLETED CARDS
Want the completed cards without experiencing the fun? :) I can do that too! Each card is just $2.80 ($28 which includes shipping to you).

CUTTING DIAGRAMS & DIRECTIONS FOR ASSEMBLY
If you would like to obtain solely the cutting diagrams and assembly directions, which includes full-color photos to recreate them on your own, you can purchase that for $8. They will be emailed to you within 24-48 hours of receipt of order. (CTMH Consultants: This provides each Consultant who makes this purchase the opportunity to provide the workshop for their customers. Please do not forward to other Consultants, including your team members, give me full credit for design and use them to support your business.)

Choose one:

FREE with $30 purchase (May 2017) $0.00 USD Prepared Kit (for local pickup) $25.00 USD Prepared Kit-To-Go (shipping included) $28.00 USD Completed Cards (shipping included) $28.00 USD Cutting Diagrams & Directions $8.00 USD

Supplies List:

X7221C - Prickly Pear Complements

X7221B - ½ Prickly Pear Paper Pack, plus:

o  2 sheets White Daisy cardstock (2^nd piece is for Cricut cut) (1385)

o  X5785 - 1 sheet Lemon cardstock

o  X5789 - 1 sheet Sea Glass cardstock (scrap)

o  X5763 - 1 sheet Smoothie cardstock (scrap)

o  X5930 - 1 sheet Slate cardstock

Z3324 - Prickly Pear Sequins (1/3 pack)

Z3325 - Blue Burlap Ribbon (approximately 40")

C1681 – Fiesta Time

B1531 – Sweet Birthday

X254 – 9-Card Bases & 10-Envelopes (additional card base cut from White Daisy cardstock)

Z2060 - Thin 3-D Foam Tape

Z1979 - Journaling Pen

Z1204 - Bone Folder

Baby Powder (to “unstick” the stickers to add dimension)

Inks: Z2805 Black, Z2852 Poppy, Z2808 Lemon, Z2809 Tangerine

Thank you in advance for your business! I hope you're having a great Saturday!