Heart 2 Heart: Out of This World

With the theme for this week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge, there was nothing more glaring than using the CUTE Stargazer product line for my creation. While I tend to lean more towards girly things, I've truly enjoyed creating with these items and am excited to share this creation with you.

This card is a design from the Scrapbooking Workshop Your Way. Yes, you read that right, SCRAPBOOKING! However, with each kit, there are cutting diagrams and instructions for NINE cards, three of each design. You can use remaining workshop materials and a few extra supplies to create them. If you go to this place on my website, you'll see the kit as well as the FREE, downloadable guide. Contact me if you have questions. 

Here is the card design in the guide. I did change it out slightly, wanting to incorporate the astronaut. What do you think of my version?

I used this adorable stamp set which can be purchased with the coordinating Thin Cuts, making fussy-cutting "no fuss". Gotta love when that can happen!

Join us for this week's challenge that is active through the end of this month. Simply link up to us at Heart 2 Heart and be sure to use at least one Close To My Heart product in your creation.

Enjoy your week and keep creatin'!

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Birthday Bash

Welcome to this week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge where we are focusing on "Birthday Bash" as our theme, incorporating at least one Close To My Heart product in our artwork creations. 

I couldn't resist creating a card with these images from the March Stamp of the Month (now retired), The "1 year older" image can be used for a birthday of any age.

The rainbow inspiration came from the Stargazer paper pack, a Picture My Life card. I tossed that into the rest of the card design and added in a little Red Glitter Paper.

Be sure to link up to this challenge at Heart 2 Heart, through the rest of April. We look forward to all you have to share!

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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We are so thrilled to have you with us today. Melinda and I have some fun things to show you, so let's go!

We start off with me showCASEing some beautiful artwork from the back cover of our Seasonal Expressions I Idea Book. These adorable 3" x 3" cards are made using many of our fun products but specifically highlight the exclusive, "Punny Pals" stamp set and coordinating Thin Cuts!

Did you know that when you purchase this stamp set, Close To My Heart donates $7 of the proceeds to Operation Smile, a non-profit organization that provides surgeries to repair cleft lips and palates for children around the world? It's true! We do! I love that some of our money is used to support such a worthy cause that is life-changing. We can continue to impact more children with your purchase!

And...did you also know that these coordinating Thin Cuts are ON SALE this month for 25% off? You can get them for just $21.71, reducing the need to fussy-cut your pals! You can find all the details through the link.

Here is my rendition of three of the cards photographed. What do you think? I happen to think I did a great job and more importantly, LOVED being able to CASE them so quickly and easily. Let's check them out in greater detail and then I'll show you what goodness you can expect from Melinda when you follow the link to her blog!

Need I say much? This little guy is adorable and so much fun! I used both Watercolor Pencils (currently unavailable - but soon to return...NEW!) and Watercolor Paints to create the hues I wanted.

TIP: Using the Waterbrush Pen - Small Round, I filled the base with water, applied a little bit of pressure, and then pulled the watercolor paint desired. I especially love this style of Waterbrush Pen because the tip is fine and easy for me to control. We have some other styles of Waterbrush Pens you may want to check out.

And those yellow dots?! FUN, huh?! They are our Stargazer Dots and come in this color, red and blue and are adhesive-backed.


Notice anything about the nose? I noticed, on the Recipe Book (that is provided for all artwork showcased in any of our Idea Books), that it stated the use of Liquid Glass. With a closer look at the artwork, I think they used it for the pals' noses so that's what I did!

If you aren't familiar with Liquid Glass, it creates a glossy, glaze-like effect when you apply it to accents or images. You can use it to highlight anything, like the nose. :) It also serves great as a strong and permanent adhesive. With its fine tip, you apply it to the desired area and allow to dry.

The paper used on this card is from Stargazer. These are some patterns provided on the back of the "stargazer-like" papers which make them versatile. I also used both Watercolor Pencils and Watercolor Paints on the bear.

You can see I also used Liquid Glass on his nose and cut a heart out of Silver Glitter Paper. I did start out cutting a heart with our Thin Cuts but none were small enough. Instead, I trimmed off some of it, all the way around, to reduce the size. I love the little sparkle it adds and hope you do too!

And last but not least...for all you dog lovers out there... How adorable is this?! "Yappy Birthday"! LOL All paper, but the horizontal hash marked pattern, came from Stargazer. The other piece is from Gimme Some Sugar. You'll notice I changed out the word bubble (in the original artwork) for a small tag from the Thin Cuts - Tags (ON SALE for up to 30% off). (The word bubble is from our exclusive Cricut Cartridge, Art Philosophy. I chose to not put my machine to work as I had a big creative mess already taking place. And I have been VERY productive, in case you were wondering!)

The red dots are from the same package as those mentioned above and this time, not only did I make his nose shiny, I did the same to his collar and tag. It's super fun how the Liquid Glass just adds a bit more with very little effort. Do you agree?

If you don't have a copy of this Idea Book, get one now! Most of the items inside are only available through the end of April, while supplies last. You can get a hard copy by placing an order, contacting me directly, or requesting one from your Consultant. In the meantime, you can always peruse the digital version HERE. 

My partner in CASEing, Melinda Everitt, has something fun to share with you on her blog. She is recreating this GORGEOUS card and sharing how she did so. Head over to If You Bling It.

We'll be back again on April 5, for the next episode of "In Any CASE". We look forward to seeing you then and don't forget to follow our lead and tag us with #ctmhinanycase. We are in our social media CASE-mobiles ready to award a prize!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Step Right Up - Blog Hop

Thank you for joining us for the "Step Right Up" Blog Hop where are featuring none other than the Step Right Up stamp set/bundle where you can obtain an exclusive stamp set, only available through the end of this month!

If you are coming from Melinda's Blog, you are on the right track. In fact, that is also where you can find a complete list of participants if you were to get lost along the way.

The Bundle comes with the cardstock, Gold Foil Paper, Red Shimmer Trim Gold Pearls, and stamp set as shown above.

 Here is a close-up of those fabulous products so you can truly appreciate the value of this package!

And the stamp set! Look how FUN! Such happy images and sayings to highlight a party for any occasion. I have no doubt you are about to view some great artwork highlighting these products sooooo...buckle your seatbelts and enjoy the ride! (no pun intended)

This card ended up super festive and I hope you'll agree! The polka dot pattern is from a Picture My Life card from the Stargazer paper pack. I couldn't resist adding it for some additional fun. (How many times have I used 'fun' in this post? LOL It's a rhetorical question.) The Yellow Dots are also from the Stargazer line and one of my favorite embellishments right now.

The banner was cut from a 3 x 2 piece of Gold Foil Paper with a small strip of Red Shimmer Trim added at the top.

I love how this all came together using Pattern #20 from our Make It From Your Heart - Volume 2, How-To Book. I made some slight edits to it to work with the images I wanted to include and I'm pretty pleased! :)

Head on over to Wendy Kessler's Blog to see what she's created, after leaving a comment for me (if you would consider doing so). I love to read what you have to say!

Happy hoppin'!

Birthday Time - March Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Thank you so much for joining us for this month's Stamp of the Month Blog Hop where we are highlighting this ADORABLE stamp set, "Birthday Time".

It is a set of 26 stamp sets and can be yours for just $5 with a qualifying purchase. Details on how you can get it in your hands can be found here.

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

I had FUN making this super simple card with just strips of paper. The two strips of patterned paper are from the Stargazer paper packet and then Red Glitter Paper was a must-have. I LOVE how it came out. It makes me smile and hope it does the same for you!

The pattern is from our Make It From Your Heart - Volume 4, How-To Book. You can see a blueprint of the card is provided on the left, with dimensions. On the right are two samples of the design, with some variation, to help inspire you. These books are what I live by and I'm so thankful I don't have to start creating from scratch.

ShinHan markers were used to color in the letters, which made for a fun element. Colors used were: Carmine, Lavender (under and on top of the Marine Blue to create Sapphire), Marine Blue, Golden Yellow and Warm Grey. The bow was made from White Twine. I felt it needed a little something more and that did the trick.

I truly appreciate you stopping by and hope you enjoy checking out the other artwork. Please consider leaving a comment and then head on over to Michelle Stewart's Blog to see what fun artwork she has to share with you.

Here's wishing you a great month!

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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This week, I am highlighting this card showcased on page 38 of the Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book. If you do not have a hard copy of the book - which I guarantee you will enjoy - you can place an order on my website or contact me directly to obtain one. The products are available through the end of April, as long as supplies last. You can view the online Idea Book through the link.

My partner in CASEing, Melinda, is highlighting a fun technique on her blog. More details are provided below so be sure to stop by her blog when you are finished here. 

I love, that with stamps and inks, you can create any background of your choice - any design and any color scheme. That is what was done on this card, making your possibilities endless. While I tend to stay away from masculine artwork, for no specific reason, I am totally loving the Stargazer product line. And the stamp set is super fun!

The rocket ship was stamped on the main cardstock piece in Pebble Ink. Tip: I should have instead used Linen, or second-generation stamping, for a more subtle pattern as seen in the original card.

To assist you in CASEing this card sketch or a similar design of your own, here are the dimensions I used to create my card.

Supplies:

X7229B Stargazer Paper Packet

X7229D Stargazer Coordinating Cardstock

Z4143 Stargazer Dots

Z4145 Light Grey Ribbon

Z4157 Stargazer Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today. Take a moment to check out my partner in CASEing, Melinda's Blog. She is highlighting the bottom card shown in this visual, with the bird, which includes multi-level stamping. You'll want to be sure to check it out

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: True Love

Thank you for joining us this week at Heart 2 Heart where this week's challenge theme is "True Love". With Valentine's Day this week, it's perfect and you can interpret it any way you choose, just be sure to incorporate Close To My Heart products in your creation.

Using some leftover stickers from the Stargazer Complements, I made this simple card. The sentiment and images were perfect to whip something up for my husband's birthday at the end of January.

Look at all the fun images included in the Complements package. I've used quite a few of them on some scrapbook layouts I will post soon. 

I created this card sketch based on one designed by Close To My Heart and it was used for a Virtual Crop Challenge my friend and I hosted in January. I thought you might enjoy having the dimensions I used to recreate a card of your own. If you use it, I would love to see what you create so be sure to share it with me. 

To participate in this challenge, simply visit our Heart 2 Heart Blog, post your artwork somewhere on social media (a blog is best) and then add your link. We love seeing what you create and also reward participants. If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact me. 

Have a great week! 

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