Clearly the Best: Party Favor Flavor (S02E12)

Washi Wonderland

Clearly the Best: Create the Date (S02E11)

First home gathering

My first home gathering was a small one, but a good one!  We had a blast making simple Christmas tags to use on our Christmas presents and holiday gifts.

Guests were excited to use a full range of ink colours so they were creative and did their own things with the tags.  They also used other holiday themed stamp sets to create the looks they wanted.

The tag design (a CTMH gathering project design) that inspired it all:

Materials and tools used:
Paper: Frosty B&T Duo and Colonial White cardstock
Stamps: Holiday Tags (D1560)
Inks: Slate (Z2173) and Champagne (Z2174)
Accessories: Clear sparkle flourishes
Die cut tags: Cricut Artiste collection (Z1790)



Below are the tags made by my guests at the party.  (My apologies the pictures were taken on a cell phone in unfavourable lighting.)

Even  my husband got in on the fun.  (In fact, I think he had more fun than anyone playing with the Glitter gel, stamps and inks).



Artbooking Made Easy: Elegant Mini Albums (S01E15)

Attention: Project Lifers - CTMH has a product for you

Coming in the Spring/Summer 2014 Close to my Heart catalogue:  Picture My Life kits

These kits are inspired by the Project Life style layouts photo album sleeve scrapbooking style. They are quick and easy - perfect for anyone who wants to capture their memories in a scrapbooking style, but who is short on time. The cards coordinate with current B&T Duo paper packs (Avonlea, Babycakes, Chantilly, Later Sk8ter, Laughting Lola  and Surf's Up) and Close to my Heart cardstock colours. 

 

December stamp of the month

Purchase $50 worth of Close to my Heart product in December and get Special Care, the stamp of the month for only $5!

For more information, contact me at closetomyheartkw@gmail.com.

Online orders:  http://kwregion.ctmh.com

Scroll Albums still available

A fun new take on scrapbooking....  The scroll album is still available.

Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGjACvrzuSc

To purchase:

http://kwregion.ctmh.com/Retail/Product.aspx?ItemID=7321&CatalogID=1702

Avonlea card kit papers now only $2

The papers to make these beautiful Avonlea cards are available now for only $2 while supplies last.

Check out the CTMH video to see the finished cards: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3VZYDWfCSo#t=49

Log on to my website to purchase the papers:

http://kwregion.ctmh.com/Retail/Product.aspx?ItemID=7782&CatalogID=1702

My Originals Sweet Suprises Card Kits - while supplies last only $8

These adorable cards from the previous Spring/Summer catalogue are on sale for only $8 (down from $19.99).  They include treat cups to include candies, sparkles or other small treats inside your cards.

Check out the video on how to create these cards:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhw38e1jcho


Visit my website to order!

http://kwregion.ctmh.com/Retail/Product.aspx?ItemID=6593&CatalogID=1702

Clearly The Best: How to Kiss—with Stamps (S01E11)

Clearly The Best: Swirlin' Shapes (S02E10)

Quick and easy holiday tags

Short on time? Has the holiday rush got you feeling overwhelmed, but you would still like to add the personal touch to your gifts?  Then these are the tags for you!

Using very few supplies, these tags can be completed quickly and easily. Below is the list of

supplies that I used, but you can personalize your list from the supplies you have or have ordered.

SUPPLIES (all Close to my Heart products):

-          Cricut Artiste cartridge (Z1790) – page 60 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue (for use with a Cricut die cutting machine, not available through CTMH)

-          Cardstock: lagoon (X5762) and white daisy (1385)– page 139 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue

-          Ink – colours: lagoon (Z2195), black (Z2105)and cranberry (Z2116) – page 139 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue

-          Accents: Bitty Opaques/pearl (Z1707) – page 117 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue

-          Baker’s Twine: Harvest Assortment (Z1751) – page 121 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue

-          Washi: Sparkle & Shine Washi Tape 3 pack (Z1907) – page 4 of the 2013 Holiday Gift Guide

-          Glue: Bonding Memories Glue (1512) – page 133 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue

-          Stamps: Candyland (D1557), Trim the Tree (A1149), Flakey Friends (C1506),  Stamp of the Month – Scandinavian Wishes (S1310),

-          Stamp Blocks: My Acrylix Blocks 2” x 2” (Y1003), 1” x 3.5” (Y1002) – page 134 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue

-          Stamp cleaner: My Acrylix Spritz Cleaner (1778), My Acrylix Stamp Scrubber (Z1782) – page 134 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue

1.       To begin, cut the tag shapes out.  I used the CTMH Cricut cartridge Artiste for my tag shapes, but you can cut yours by hand as well. (Though die cutting machines certainly reduce the time spent on this portion of the project.) 

I used a pairing of tag shapes that was shown together in the Artiste manual and cut the shapes using only two paper shades – lagoon and white daisy cardstock. My tags were cut at 3”.

2.       Choose images that you want to stamp onto the white portion of the tags. You can verify that the stamp will fit by holding the stamp sheet above the tag.  (One of the advantages of clear stamps is that you can see where you are stamping through the stamp and stamping block.)

3.       Place the stamp of your choice on the appropriate size of My Acrylix Blocks stamping block.  Ink the stamp with your choice of colour. Visually position the stamp where you would like it to appear on the cardstock, then bring the stamp down to the cardstock and press firmly.  Lift the stamp. Allow time for the ink to dry.

4.       Clean the stamp while it is still on the stamping block. Spray a couple of squirts of My Acrylix Spritz Cleaner onto the My Acrylix Stamp Scrubber.  Rub the stamp across the stamp scrubber a couple of times.  Gently remove the stamp from the block and place the stamp back on it’s original storage sheet.

5.       For very simple and quick tags, you can then just glue the white cardstock (with stamped image)onto the tag.  Add some ribbon, string or baker’s twine and you are done.  (I have used the cranberry baker’s twine from the Harvest Assortment.)

6.       To add more visual interest, you can try some of these quick and simple techniques.

WASHI – Washi is decorative paper tape.  You can use it to add accents to your tags. Unroll a length of washi tape, visually position it on your tag and then press down.  Rip or cut the tape off the roll. Trim the edges of tape from the tag with delicate, fine tipped scissors.

Tape can be applied in straight or diagonal lines.  Tapes can be overlapped (though the tape and tag colours below will show through the transparent parts.)

ACCENTS – To add texture and dimension to a tag you can add accents such as the Pearl Bitty Opaques that I placed inside the “o” on the Joy tag.

These accents are quite small.  I placed them with my fingers, but that can be complicated.  Tweezers will help for more exact and less fussy placement.

STAMPED BACKGROUND – You can stamp images on the main portion of the tag as well to create pattern and visual interest.  On the ornament stamp, I used the snowflake border stamp from Flakey Friends in Lagoon ink.  Using the same ink colour as the cardstock allows you to create a subtle pattern.

DOUBLE STAMPING – On the Peace tag, I double stamped the white cardstock.  First, I used the snowflake border stamp (Flakey Friends) in Lagoon ink and covered the cardstock piece with snowflakes.  After allowing the ink some time to set, I stamped the word “peace” (Scandinavian Wishes) in black on top of the snowflake images.

INKING THE EDGES – For the “Warm wishes this holiday season” tag, I used the Lagoon mini ink pad to ink the edges of the white cardstock.  I did this after the black text had already been stamped.  (Scandinavian Wishes)  Dab the mini ink pad around the edge of the cardstock piece to add a touch of that colour to the piece.

* * *

This allows you to create many different looks from the same basic supplies.  Once you have four or five basic tags you like the look of, then you can make multiples of each style.

The tags will add that personal, crafty, homemade touch to your holiday gifts.

Good luck and happy stamping!

IMAGES USED:

Ornament – Trim the Tree set (A1149) – found on page of the catalogue

Candy – Candyland set (D1557) - page 80 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue

Snowflake border – Flakey Friends set (C1506) – page 91 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue

“Peace” – Scandinavian Wishes/October Stamp of the Month set (S1310) – page 13 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue (only available during October 2013)

“Joy” – Scandinavian Wishes/October Stamp of the Month set (S1310) - page 13 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue (only available during October 2013)

“Warm Wishes this holiday season” - Scandinavian Wishes/October Stamp of the Month set (S1310) - page 13 Autumn/Winter 2013 catalogue (only available during October 2013)



Project Inspirations: Cricut® Tags

We had a blast last night making holiday tags at my first home gathering.

I will post the results later.

Find It. Crush It. Love It.

For all the SMASHers out there!

Clearly The Best: Subway Speak (S02E09)

A fun mixed media project!