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!

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I am excited to highlight this gorgeous card found on page 45 in the current Annual Inspirations Idea Book. (You can view it online, receive one FREE when you place an order, or contact me to mail you a copy.) Melinda is highlighting a beautiful card that you'll want to check out. I"ll showcase it at the end of this post. 

Since CASEing includes "Editing Slightly", I changed out the sentiment using a brand new stamp set designed for recipe cards. How cool is that?! 

This stamp set, "Kitchen Traditions", has some fun images that can be used on a variety of projects. (It's part of the Kitchen Traditions Bundle that is perfect for an adorable recipe book. You'll have to check it out.)

Supplies used:

• Z3353 Basic Fundamentals Paper Pack
• Z3357 Better Together Complements
• X5951 Espresso Cardstock
• Z3238 Gold Glitter Paper
• Z3364 Basics (Gold) Ribbon Pack
• Z2066 Gold Embossing Powder
• Z891 Versamark Ink Pad
• Z2829 Espresso Exclusive Stamp Pad
• X254 White Daisy Card Base & Envelope
• Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape

This card came together quickly. Here are the steps for assembly:

1. Adhere Espresso cardstock to the White Daisy card base, leaving a 1/4" border.
2. Glue patterned paper on top of it, leaving a 1/4" border. 
3. Add Glue Glitter Paper directly to patterned paper. 
4. Emboss "Love" sentiment using Gold Embossing Powder on the White Daisy cardstock. (Process for this is detailed in the video below.)
5. Stamp "Made with" in Espresso ink. 
6. Place adhesive on the back of the heart Complement, placing approximately 1/4" from the top edge and centered from left to right, on the piece of White Daisy cardstock. 
7. Take a 10" piece of Gold Ribbon and wrap around, tying a knot. Angle the ends of the ribbon.
8. 3-D the white piece of cardstock on the Gold Glitter Paper. 

If you have never wet embossed an image before, this short video shows you how to do so. Let me know if you have any questions! 

Here is a better view of the before and after of embossing. It's totally worth it, isn't it?! It's fun to emboss with Gold or Silver powder on a dark background; BEAUTIFUL! (There are a lot of other fun things you can do with embossing. Let me know if you want me to showcase some of them.)

 Here is what the embossed image looks like. 

This sketch is very generic so use your imagination for the focal point. It offers so much potential!

Melinda is showcasing this beautiful thanks card on her blog, "If You Bling It", so head over there now. Don't forget to CASE these cards and tag them on social media with the hashtag #ctmhinanycase. You just may win a prize when you do so. Consider leaving a comment on both our blogs; we love to hear from you!

See you on February 8th for the next episode of "In Any CASE..."

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Tool Time - Shimmer Brush

Happy Monday and good morning! 

This week's Heart to Heart Challenge is titled "Tool Time" and we are asked to incorporate a Shimmer Brush in our artwork. You, too, can participate in this challenge by linking up to us on the Heart 2 Heart Blog. Be sure to use Close To My Heart products in your creations. 

It was fun creating using this mermaid stamp image to create this card. Products used are from the "Make Waves" product line. And that flower sequin and glitter gems...aren't they fun?! They come in a package and are self-adhesive. ADORABLE!

The Shimmer Brush is challenging to reflect in photos but you can see some of the detail in these two photos. What I especially love about the Shimmer Brush, which currently comes in three colors - Clear, Gold and Bashful - is it dries quickly (especially compared to some similar products on the market).

It is super easy to control the amount of "shimmer" added to a piece of artwork and provides a beautiful, yet subtle addition to anything.

Thank you very much for stopping by my blog today. I hope your week is off to a great start and that you consider joining this and/or other challenges at Heart 2 Heart. We enjoy seeing what you create!

Crop with Me, Virtually, for Nat'l Papercrafting Month!

We are croppin' the last weekend of January to celebrate National Papercrafting Month/Day! You don't have to pack any bags or load your car, unless you are already crafting somewhere else, and can participate from your favorite croppin' space - wherever that may be!

JOIN THE FUN through our Facebook Group, "Nat'l Papercrafting Month - Virtual Crop 2018". When you request entrance into the group, you'll find some general information as well as our schedule of events for that weekend. Be sure to check it out! We will have some pre-event activities that will kick-off on January 23rd.

We've love to make this a BIG virtual crop so share with everyone you know who would like to participate! Questions? Contact me through here, Facebook, or you can email me.

Seasonal Expressions I NEW Product Blog Hop

We're excited to showcase some of Close To My Heart's newest, and fabulous, products that were just released on January 1st in the Seasonal Expressions I! I've fallen in love with many of them and you are sure to do so as well! In fact, we have quite a few Consultants who are joining me in the fun so be sure to make your way all away around the hop to see what we've created to share with you. 

To view the contents of the Seasonal Expressions digitally, you can follow the link. You can get a FREE hard copy when you place an order (or contact your Consultant for additional details). 

If you are coming from Melinda's Blog, you are on the right track. You can also find a complete list of participants on her page.

Using this striped paper from the Stargazer paper pack, this card was kept rather simple, with the card sketch coming from our NEW Make It From Your Heart, Volume 4, How-To Book.

The bee images were stamped with Black Archival Ink so I could color them in with our ShinHan markers. The sentiment was stamped in Pixie ink and the faux washi tape is a piece of our Red Glitter Paper, torn on both ends. :) Because it needed just a bit more, I doodled around the edges with a Journaling Pen.

If' you've been following me recently, you'll know I'm totally loving our "punny" (LOL) stamp sets. In fact, if you catch me reading them in person, you'll find me giggling a bit. This card was made with the stamp set, "We Belong Together". It's perfect for Valentine's Day but the images and some sentiments also lend themselves to other occasions.

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I'd appreciate you leaving a comment before you head over to Gina's Blog to see what new product she is highlighting. I can't wait to see!

Happy hoppin'!

CTMH Technique Blog Hop - Blushing Backgrounds

Thank you for joining us for this month's Technique Blog Hop where we are featuring "Blushing Backgrounds". The theme can be interpreted a variety of ways and I'm excited to see what the participants created. I hope you are too!

If you are coming from Amy Ulen'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.

We have a variety of background stamps, or you can use any chosen image and stamp it repeatedly, to get a desired pattern on your artwork. That's how I interpreted this theme and decided to keep it simple by using the, "Comic Book Scenes" stamp set. 

The stamp set comes with these 12 images. (The top two, and bottom left, images are all one stamp image. The nine smaller images can be used independently or together, combining a great cluster.)

Using the star image (top left), I stamped it several times in Glacier ink to fill the piece of White Daisy cardstock. What I appreciate about this technique is that essentially I can create any patterned paper, I choose; design and color. If you have a theme that is not supported by paper you have in your possession, why not create your own?! I did!

The astronaut and sentiment are from this adorable stamp set from the Stargazer collection. You can get the coordinating Thin Cuts which eliminates the need for fussy-cutting on these five images! And... that "orbit" image in the top right! That's what I used on the sentiment piece. It could have totally been the image I used on the bigger white piece. It's cute! 

I appreciate you stopping by and am excited about what else you will see as you continue through this hop. Head over to Darlys Recker's, "Craft Happy" Blog, to see what she has created and be sure to leave a comment before you do! I always enjoy hearing from you!

Happy hoppin'!

List of participants: 

1. Melissa Robinson *YOU ARE HERE*

2. Darlys Recker

3. Michelle Johns

4. Debi McBain

5. Danielle Wagner

6. Haley Dyer

7. Priscilla Gotham

8. Catherine Nowak

9. Rebecca Coombs

10. Sarah Devendorf

11. Annemarie Julian

12. Amy Ulen

In Any CASE...with Melinda and 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!

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This week I am creating the "This Girl Can" card featured on page 58 of the BRAND NEW Seasonal Expressions Idea Book. (You can view it online, receive one FREE when you place an order, or contact me to mail you a copy.) Melinda will be sharing "Boy Wonder" with you.

The card was made with this "Super Girl" stamp set. Isn't it SUPER fun?! The Thin Cuts (pictured on the magnetic mat) make is really easy to get a diecut image that eliminates fussy-cutting for some images. I can envision other cards made with this stamp set and can't wait to do so real soon.

I had a blast recreating this card. Each element contributed to a happy card and the Super Girl...for real! ADORABLE! 

It's fun that two paper lines were used on this design, Chelsea Gardens and Stargazer. Who would have thought they would come together as well as they did?

I colored in the image with our Watercolor Paints and love that I get automatic shading since I have limited artistic abilities. LOL

VIDEO
Sit back, relax, and check out this video that shows you how I assembled this card.

I hope the video gives you some insight so you can create a similar card to share with us! We love seeing what you create and will be searching #ctmhinanycase soon. Use the card sketch or sample card to create something of your own. JOIN THE FUN!

Here is a digital sketch representative of the dimensions of this 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card, reducing the need for much thought. #ctmhinanycase

Supply List:

• B1582 Super Girl Stamp + Thin Cuts
• X7229C Stargazer Complements
• Z4143 Stargazer Dots
• Z3216 White Twine
• Z3132 Watercolor Paints
• Z3224 Waterbrush - Small Round
• Z2060 Thin 3-D Foam Tape
• X7230B Gardens Paper Pack
• X7229B Stargazer Paper Pack
• Z1836 Non-stick Micro-tip Scissors
• Z1279 VersaMat
• Z3372 Adhesive Runner
• Z1204 Bone Folder

Be sure to visit Melinda's Blog to see what she has CASEd. See you again on January 25, 2018 for the next episode of "In Any CASE..."! 

Dear, Friend... (BLOG CANDY!)

This card was made with Chelsea Gardens product line and was fun and simple to put together. (It is a design of the CTMH Art Department.)

**BLOG CANDY**

Do you have a friend you would love to send this card to? If so, leave a comment with his/her name. I'll do a drawing and announce the winner here on my blog post on Sunday, January 14, 2018. If you win, I'll mail this card to you so you can do as desired - or I'll send it to that person for you! :) (CTMH Consultants are not eligible.) Be sure to watch my blog so you will know if you win! 

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Winter Blues

We're starting another fun week at Heart 2 Heart with an artwork challenge titled, "Winter Blues". When you hear those two words or short phrase, what does it make you think about? Of course, I thought of "winter"...snow...cold...but I didn't have any supplies that would lend itself to that so I went a different direction and focused on the color blue. This was the result!

While this card is simple, it contains some awesome products that make it super fun! I hope you think so as well!

Let's start with the "Make Waves - Cardmaking" stamp set and Thin Cuts. Aren't the images and sentiments CUTE and punny?! I love them and am all about the puns these days. They sure bring happy, don't they?! I stamped the whale and sentiment in Black ink.

You can see the polka dot pattern pulled in quite a bit here. You can never go wrong with polka dots! The Peacock ribbon is from the Enchantment Ribbon Pack and contains this ribbon and twine. The polka dot paper came from the Chelsea Gardens paper pack. You've seen me use it quite a bit. (It is my favorite paper pattern out of all the new ones. LOL) And I added a couple of Black Dots.

This was the resulting color combination for the cardstock: Glacier, Peacock and Charcoal.

Now, head on over to the Heart 2 Heart Challenge and show us your artwork associated with "Winter Blues". Be sure to use a Close To My Heart product on your creation and link up at the bottom of the associated post. I can't wait to see what you create and share!

Whatever you make, be sure to...Make It From Your Heart!

Transport Your Products in Style!

You can travel to your papercrafting events, in style, with Close To My Heart's newest Designer Travel line! I received one of each of these yesterday and I love every bit about it. Below, I've shared some details about each piece, a video walk-through of them, and a way you can get all of this for HALF OFF like I did!

These two beautiful Carry-all Cases stack so nicely on top of one another on the Trolley, designed especially for them. They can store anything you want with two great options shown below. Keep reading...

Add the Paper Insert to one of the Carry-all Cases and you have a great way to store and/or transport your paper!

One of my friends tested mine out yesterday and hardly filled a portion of it with all she put inside. Of course, I'm not going to load mine down too much since I especially appreciate the compact-size of this travel piece and don't want it too heavy. It will definitely help me plan and prepare for projects I'll work on at events or share at parties!

In this Carry-all Case you can store stamp pads, inks, markers, blocks, tools, and anything else you want! More details on these pieces are provided below but first...take a look at this great video that provides an overview of the portable organization.

What'd you think? Isn't it fabulous?! It's not only purposeful, it's stylish and durable! What questions do you have?

The Carry-all Case is a hard-case bag with gold accents, attaches to the trolley easily and fits the paper insert or other Designer Travel storage cases shown below. The outside pocket is great for transporting many things and inside, there is a large pocket. It is beautiful!

This Paper Insert is a 7-pocket accordion-style insert that holds 12" x 12" papers and easily snaps into the Carry-all Case.

When you purchase the Marker Case, you can store up to 26 markers. It has a zip closure.

With five internal mess pockets of various sizes, this Tool Case can hold various tools and embellishments. 

And you're acrylic blocks can be stored in the Block Case. It, too, has five internal mess pockets sized to hold My Acrylix blocks and has a zipper closure. 

All three of the cases have a sewn-in tag that identifies their contents for ease of accessing what you need.

You can hold 10 stamp pads (not 15 as noted in the idea book) in the Ink Case. It contains 2 movable dividers and a zipper closure.

And last, but not least, store 15 stamp sets in the Stamp Case. It also contains two movable dividers and a zipper closure. 

The foldable Trolley, which is small to store, holds two stacked carry-all cases. With 360-degree wheels, you can easily roll your supplies wherever you need. The pull-out foot is perfect for providing stability as you fill your Designer Travel items with all the products you need to create!

So how can you earn this for half-off?! Host a party - in person, on Facebook, take catalog orders, etc. - and when the sales total gets to $350, you can elect to choose this as your half-off item! That's on top of the FREE products that you will receive. (You can obtain and read the full flyer here.)

This is a FABULOUS price to get all these wonderful items and how I got them! Gotta love saving some money! Of course, you can choose to purchase the items individually and progressively. 

If you would like to host an event for me, I would love that! In fact, I'll be offering something special to my VIP Members who do so for me. Head there to find out what that is in the next couple of days and let me know if you have any questions. 

I'll have these beauties with me at the "Let's Crop in the New Year" Crop on Saturday, January 13, 2018. (You can find details, and RSVP through the 10th, on this link.)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!