Sparkling Summer Card and Close to my Heart TV

I love watching Clost to my Heart TV. I am always checking to see if a new episode has came out. This card is from the most recent episode. . . I hope you will enjoy watching it as much as I did.

Watch Close to my Heart TV for instructions on how to make this card. Also, this stamp set is on a special discount right now. A must have for a Sparkling Summer.

Wallet Card for dad

This is a REALLY clever idea for a Father's day card.

The hard part is going to be figuring how many I need to make. I hope you like this wallet card as much as I do.

On a side note, one year I had the perfect present for my dad for fathers day. It was a Duck tape wallet. Now you have to know my dad to understand why that was so perfect for him. When he was a kid he didn't have a lot of access to tape. Apparently he was really intrigued with tape, so when we were all growing up, dad always kept plenty of tape around the house and all kinds too, electrical, scotch, masking. . etc. And doesn't every dad need a new wallet? So from those beginnings the humble duck tape wallet was born. A huge father's day hit indeed.

This year his present will be perfect again. . . the wallet card will include pictures of his grandkids. A perfect gift for a grandpa.

June 30 days of GREAT DEALS!

Don't miss out! Check ilovepaper.myctmh.com EVERYDAY this month! I'm sure you will find something you love! Watch for great deals on goodie boxes and some free items (with purchase) even shipping and handling is a great deal, too.

June Stamp of the Month

This set is called "Tender Tags" and is the stamp of the month for June. (Which means it is only available during the month of June).

If you would like to order this stamp set or would like to learn how to get it at a discount or even for free, let me know.

Add some sparkle . . . or "BLING"

This card was really fun to make. I used the stamp set *EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE FOR MOM.

This card is 3"x3" and it would be REALLY easy to use this on a scrapbook page layout. I think it would be cute to make three or four somewhat identical squares and use them as a repetitive embellishment on your scrapbook page. But I haven't even mentioned my favorite part of the card yet. . . do you see the little glassy circle to the left of "i love you"? Its a SPARKLE. They come in 2 shapes (circle and square) and 4 sizes. This is a fun way to add a little flash to your project. AND. . .added bonus. . they aren't very expensive. . . . and who doesn't want a good deal right now?

*This stamp set is specially discounted until May 31, 2009. Use item #AS1012 to receive the discount

We're Tickled Pink!

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month.

This adorable set was created for National Scrapbooking Month and is only available from April 15th through May 31st.

Click on the link below to see the "Tickled Pink" Scrapbooking Kit and to learn more about it. You can print out the PDF if you would like.

https://orders.closetomyheart.com/CTMHConsultants/marketing/pdf/May09CCFlyerUS.pdf

Like what you see? Click here to purchase your own kit today.

Grab your STAPLER

I had a friend over to make cards and I was rememinded how fun USING STAPLES as an embellishment can be.

There are a few things that make staples unique:


1. They can be used to attach something directly to your card or scrapbook page layout.
2. They are easy to find, most of you reading this probably own a stapler.
3. They add an unexpected element to what ever you are creating. You just don't "expect" to see a staples - I like those kind of little surprises.
4. Metal is a fun look, you see all sorts of metal embellishments on scrapbook pages right now (IE. brads, eyelets, etc.) and even if you don't have those things, you can still GRAB YOUR STAPLER and JUMP RIGHT IN.

5. Easy to use! Just whack your stapler a time or two and you are done. Whew!

Here's a picture of two cards I used staples on, but it would be really easy to adapt this idea to your scrapbook page layouts. Generally, I like to use odd numbers when I am adding things to a card or layout, so you will see that the one on the left has three staples and the one on the right has more 2 groups of 3 staples (does that still sound like I am using an odd number?) I prefer the one on the right. And by the way, I didn't glue down the "love" accent I ONLY used staples to attach it.




Staple away!

Itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny, yellow polka-dot, CUSTOM MADE SHEET PROTECTORS

Have you seen those cute "little" albums and had a hankering to make one, but weren't sure where to find sheet protectors to put your teeny tiny pages in? And if you do find any itsy, bitsy page protectors, what if they don't fit the album you may be planning to use? Well here is a GREAT solution and so CONVENIENT I might add. . . you probably already have everything you need sitting on a shelf at home.


So what's the big idea? CUSTOM MADE SHEET PROTECTORS - yellow polka dots not included.


You can make your own sheet protectors to fit your scrapbook page layouts. You are not actually "making" the sheet protector but rather converting an existing 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet protector. This works particularly well for smaller sizes like a sheet protector for a 4x4, 5x5 or 6x6 album. I'll bet that if you are REALLY clever you could make it work for an 8x8 as well.


So, HERE'S HOW YOU DO IT:

Take a regular letter size sheet protector (8 1/2" x 11") slide your small page inside.
If you are making a 6x6 layout, trim your sheet protector 6 inches FROM THE BOTTOM (you want to leave the existing side and lower edges in tact.)
Then trim 7 inches from the side - and I mean the side without the holes -
you will actually be trimming the preexisting holes off.
Now that you've trimmed your sheet protector all you have to do is add new holes (and you can do that with a regular hole punch)and Viola! Custom made sheet protector. I think you can have a lot of fun with this idea.

WORLD'S BEST DAD April stamp of the month

Its time to start thinking about those Father's Day cards! (and you just can't have too many cards for all those special men in your life.) This year instead of just making a card for your dad, remember all the other special father's in your life, (IE husband, brothers, father in law, grandfathers, to name a few)

But don't just stop with Father's day cards, this stamp set is perfect to use on your scrapbook page layouts for anyone who is "outdoorsy" and for when you are ready to create a scrapbook page layout about a special fishing trip - you are going to want these stamps.

Do you like what you see? Click here to order a set of your very own, remember this stamp set is ONLY available in April. Remember to order ink and any acrylic blocks you may need, too.

It's DISTRESSING!

Have you ever looked at your scrapbook page layout and just felt that it needed a little "something"? When I start to feel distressed, I have a little trick that never fails. . . . . . DISTRESSING!

Have you ever tried distressing? It is so fun and so easy and REALLY gives your layout that "I've been around for a while" feeling. Today we will just talk about Ink distressing.

If you are going for that "aged" look then you will want to used either a brown, black or white ink. White ink? you may ask. Well the brown and the black make your pages look older and somewhat shabby (which I LOVE the shabby look) and the white makes your paper look like it is wearing out.

So after you have your scrapbook page all laid out and before you glue anything, take you ink and brush it along the edges of ALL your papers. You will want to do this on every edge to make your page look consistent.

You can either hold the ink pad in your hand and brush the ink pad along the edges of the paper,

or you can lie the pad on your table and brush the edges of the paper across the ink pad.

Try wadding up your paper into a ball (just like you are going to throw it in the trash can), then flatten it out and brush ink along the edges and creases. This creates a very unique and one of a kind look.

I am sure you will find a lot of different projects to use this technique on, just make sure you use the same technique on the whole project, this is important to create continuity. Here is a sample page for you to look at, be sure to notice the distressing I did with white ink.

Now that you are a pro at Ink Distressing, try the same technique with different colors.