I know with everything happening that most graduating students, whether high school or college, will not be having a true ending to their school years. We are in the same boat here in my household. My oldest will be graduating from Champlain College with a bachelors degree in Visual Communication Design and though it will be a virtual ceremony we are gearing up to celebrate the achievement with her. As soon as I saw the For The Graduate set from Close To My Heart in the current catalog I knew I had to use it to make a special card for her.
The inspiration for this card came from a sketch from the Make It From Your Heart Volume 4 How-to book as well as a current challenge from Color My Heart Color Dare. The challenge uses 3 shades of a color but I adapted it to use 4 for this card. I love that our solid cardstock is two-toned so I use 2 different shades and both sides of the cardstock to get my 4 colors.
To add a little extra to the card I embossed one of the strips of cardstock using an embossing folder and I added some shine to the cap and diploma using our Clear Shimmer Brush.
This set of 11 stamp sets is great for all kinds of graduation celebrations!
Have you every found extra photos after you finished a layout? Have you ever wanted to add s special effect to a layout? Have you ever wanted to add journaling but hide it? If you answered yes to any of these questions then Flip Flaps from Close To My Heart are for you! These are little individual pockets that come with an adhesive strip. You can attach them to both your pocket or traditional scrapbooking layouts. These come in a variety of sizes and create fun, interactive elements on your pages. Ways To Use Flip Flaps:
Add additional photos to a layout.
Create a fun effect on a layout such as add a waterfall effect.
Add some hidden photos or journaling on a layout.
Add extra photos to your pocket pages.
Add memorabilia to your layout.
Create a mini-album.
Use to create a shaker pocket in a card or on a layout.
I had fun using the Flip Flaps in this layout I did to showcase photos from Nicole's Senior portrait session. In this post I will share some Tips & Tricks I use when working with Flip Flaps and have included a video tutorial to walk you through how I added them to this layout.
As you can see I added a 6" x 12" Flip Flap on the left-hand page, 2 3" x 4" and 1 4" x 6" Flip Flap on the right-hand page.
Tips for Using Flip Flaps:
Tip 1: Decide if you want to adhere your Flip Flaps on the outside of the Memory Protector or adhere them to the scrapbook layout itself. In the layout shown I did both. On the left-hand side I adhered a 6" x 12" Flip Flap to the outside of the Memory Protector. On the right-hand side I adhered them to the layout and cut slits in the Memory Protector so they would go through to the outside of the Memory Protector.
Tip 2: I always cut the ends of the adhesive strip at an angle to keep the edges of the adhesive from showing.
Tip 3: If you are going to adhere to the layout and then bring through the Memory Protector, it works best to position the Flip Flap so the adhesive strip is under your photo or a mat.
Tip 4: When you adhere a Flip Flap to a Memory Protector or to a layout, use a bone folder to go over the adhesive strip to make it secure.
Tip 5: When you are ready to put your layout into a Memory Protector you will need to cut slits into the protectors where the Flip Flap will go through to the outside. I recommend using a piercing tool to poke holes at either end of the slit - this will keep the slit from ripping.
Use a pen to mark the Memory Protector on either edge of the Flip Flap.
Insert a foam mat into the protector and use a piercing tool to make small holes at the pen marks.
Using a ruler and knife cut the slit into from hole to hole.
Slide the Flip Flap carefully through the slit as you put the layout in the protector.
Tip 6: You can add twine to wrap around a stack of Flip Flaps to tie it down so it does not fall out of place in your albums. Just adhere the twine below your photo or mat, pierce holes on either side of the stack and thread the twine through the holes and tie it into a bow.
You can see a video I did of the process here on my YouTube Channel.
For some more tips & tricks click here to check out this blog post from Close To My Heart!
I hope you liked the layout and enjoyed the tips and tricks video! Thanks for stopping by!
I am in love with the Liquid Glass product from Close To My Heart! Liquid Glass is fantastic for applying to accents or images for a glossy, glaze-like effect. It is a very underrated product and I want to show you some of the ways I have used it along with some Tips & Tricks for using it.
First off I want to share with you some recommendations for when you use liquid glass. Close To My Heart sells an applicator tip that is meant to be used with Liquid Glass to help give you control over placement as well as keep the tip from clogging. I usually suggest to my customers to purchase this tip when they purchase Liquid Glass.
To use the tip you would unscrew the cap from the bottle and then using a pair of pliers gently remove the tip that is in the bottle. It does not take much force to pull it out. You would then need to screw the applicator tip onto the bottle. The cap of the applicator tip has a pin that is meant to be aligned and inserted into the applicator tip hole. Another thing I recommend is that when you are finished using the liquid glass, tap the bottom of the bottle on your workspace a few times as this will help to move remaining liquid glass out of the tip and back down into the bottle before storing.
Liquid Glass is first and foremost a great adhesive. I have used it to adhere vellum, ribbon, buttons and chipboard to cards and scrapbook pages. I have also used it in creating home decor projects such as our All Around Creativity Wreath. I used it to adhere the leaves and bow to the wreath frame.
Liquid Glass has many more uses than just as an adhesive. I will share with you just a few of the variations I have used it for.
Create an epoxy letter for a title.
Stamp a letter on cardstock then go over the inside of the stamped letter, if an outline, or over the stamped image with Liquid Glass. Make sure to do this before you cut out the letter from cardstock and that the Liquid Glass is fully dry when you do.
Create a custom button.
With a small hole punch, make 2 holes in some cardstock then with a larger circle punch, punch out the button shape. Cover the "button" with Liquid Glass being careful not to cover the holes in case you wish to use some twine or thread with the button.
Add some dimension to a flat sticker.
Cover the sticker image with Liquid Glass to give it a more dimensional look.
I have complied some of these tips and tricks into the following video.
I am happy to share with you a list of uses for Liquid Glass complied from other Close To My Heart Consultants. For a downloadable PDF of the uses, click here.
To purchase Liquid Glass and the Applicator tip, click here.
I hope you enjoyed these tips & tricks and the video. Thanks for stopping by.
May is National Scrapbook Month and Close to My Heart is hosting a FREE ONLINE National Scrapbook Day event!! The event will take place on Saturday, May 2nd from 1:00 pm (EDT) to 1:00 am (EDT) on Sunday the 3rd. What a fun way to kick off National Scrapbooking Month!
It's free to tune in...PLUS they've designed some projects and product bundles if you'd like to craft along!! You can shop these products/bundles by clicking here!!
JOIN the Facebook event here. Be sure to RSVP by clicking the "going" button on the event page before Friday, May 1, in order to be entered into giveaways that will happen between creative sessions! You MUST RSVP before May 1st to be eligible for giveaways!
In addition, I’ll have a side Zoom for my customers to log into and we can visit in between the presentations from CTMH! The Facebook event starts at 1:00pm but I will be dedicating the entire day to scrapbooking with everyone so you can tune in with me before the fun starts on Facebook!
If you would like to craft along with us, we will be offering product bundles with materials for completing the creative projects. These projects will include the following:
National Scrapbook Day Cardmaking Bundle 1
This bundle contains materials for creating 20 cards, 4 each of 5 unique designs featuring the Blue Skies cardstock and an exclusive new D-size stamp set: My Acrylix Through Thick & Thin.
This bundle contains materials for creating 20 cards, 4 each of 5 unique designs featuring the May–June Mix-in Paper Packet, and an exclusive new E-size stamp set: My Acrylix Forever Grateful.
This bundle contains materials for creating six beautiful 12" x 12" scrapbooking layouts, featuring the Aurora and Stitched Together collections, plus a set of exclusive Grey Acrylic Hearts.
Close To My Heart is bringing back the All Around Creativity wreath from January with new wreath design featuring the word "Home" using the same wooden base and die-cuts from January's special.
So excited that Stacy Julian will be joining us for the broadcast to put together a Story Starter album and share tips on telling our stories during this time. Choose any of our four Story Starter workshop kits to create along with her!
National Scrapbooking Day Project Bundle
This bundIe includes one of each of the project bundles listed above, including a Candy Apple Story by Stacy Story Starter kit, all at a 25% discount! Click here to see this bundle.
Blue Skies Cut Above Scrapbooking Kit
We will also be highlighting the Blue Skies Cut Above Layout Kit during this event as yet another wonderful approach to memory keeping. This exclusive 12x12 Cut Above Kit creates 6 awesome 12x12 layouts featuring pocket cards from the Aurora and Stitched Together collections.
This item will not be included in the National Scrapbooking Day Projects Bundle, but it has been made available for early purchase NOW (initially not available until May 1st!!)
While you don't "need" any of these bundles or products to participate in the Facebook Live event, having these supplies on hand will make it possible for you to create the same projects we are demonstrating during the day. Even if you don't have the bundles in time for the event, you will be able to follow along with the video, which will remain available on the Facebook page after the live portion has ended.
The bundles are available for purchase while supplies last and will be processed and shipped as they are ordered. Whether you plan to complete the projects live with us during the event or sometime after, we recommend ordering your bundles soon!
I am so excited for this event and hope you join me!
I am working on using up a lot of the scraps in my stash lately, so today I worked on making some cards for Easter using what I had leftover from the Mix-In paper and coordinating cardstock from the most recent Close To My Heart catalog. This paper pack has gone a long way for me - I have used it to make multiple Easter Treat boxes and quite a few cards with the Operation Smile stamp set - You Make Me Happy.
I was able to make 11 of these cards, and I still have some paper leftover if I need to make more.
I used a sketch from our Make It From Your Heart Volume 4 How-to Book along with a retired Stamp of the Month set I had. I stamped the images with our Intense Black exclusive inks and I colored the bunny in using our Triblend markers. I finished the cards by embellishing with some silver gems.
Hope you like the cards. Thanks for stopping by.
Supplies Used:
9044 - Make It From Your Heart Volume 4 X9013 - Mix-in Paper Pack X9014 - Mix-in Coordinating Cardstock Z4189 - Intense Black Exclusive Ink Z4191 - Silver Glitter Gems Triblend Markers
Had so much fun making this layout with the Featured Paper for the month of April - Seas the Day! I miss my day crops with my ladies so I set up a virtual Scrapbook with Me session yesterday and got a chance to see my ladies and we all worked from the same sketch together. We talked about ways to change up a sketch to make it work for you while each making our own version of this sketch.
For this Scrapbook with Me session we all worked from this sketch:
I changed mine up in that I used a landscape 4"x6" photo on the left-hand page instead of portrait and moved the journaling to the right-hand page. I love that our patterned paper is double-sided so I played around with which side to use for each strip once I followed the cutting directions.
To add a little more to the layout I used Thin 3-D foam tape to raise up some of the stickers and chipboard pieces. I also added some enamel dots to the pages to finish the layout.
To see sketches like this and be part of my Scrapbook with Me events, follow me on Facebook.
I hope you like the layout. Thanks for stopping by.
Supplies Used: X7255S - Seas the Day Paper Pack + Sticker Sheet X7255C - Seas the Day Coordinating Cardstock X7255G - Seas the Day Die Cuts X7255F - Seas the Day Enamel Dots
Excited to share with you these Easter Treat Boxes I made today with papers from the current Mix-Ins Collection from Close To My Heart. They came together so quickly and are perfect for giving some candy treats for Easter and easily adapt to any occasion. I really enjoyed creating these treat boxes and wanted to share the process with you. You will find a PDF file with the instructions at the end of this post.
Cut a piece of cardstock to 6" x 8 1/2". Using a scoring platform or ruler and stylus, score along the 6" side at 1" and 4 1/2".
Turn the paper to the 8 1/2" side and score at 1/2", 3 1/2", 4 1/2" and 7 1/2". Fold along all score lines.
If you want to do a cute border along the top of the bag, it is easier to do this now before you start to cut away pieces. Cut away the areas shown below. Cut in along the bottom tabs to the 1" score line.
Fold the bag along the score lines and punch a handle in the top (if you want to). Place Scor-Tape or another strong adhesive on the outside of the bag on the tabs as shown below.
Turn the bag over and place another piece of strong adhesive on the inside on one of the bottom tabs.
Adhere the side tab and then the bottom tabs to create the box.
To complete the box, decorate with a strip of patterned paper and some stamped embellishments. For this I used a 2" x 8 1/2" piece of paper and scored the same as the 8 1/2" side of the box cardstock.
Hi all! Today I did some card making with the April Stamp of the Month from Close To My Heart - O-fish-ally Awesome.
I was inspired by Sketch # 362 from the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge Blog.
Click here to see this sketch along with other cards to inspire you.
I used paper from the Seas The Day Collection along with the Multi-Circle Windows die to create a "porthole" effect. I colored the images using our Triblend Markers.
This set of 37 images is adorable and so much fun to use for cards as well as scrapbook pages. It is available during the month of April on my website for $18.95 or for $5.00 with a $50.00 purchase.
Hope you like the card. Thanks for stopping by.
Supplies Used:
S2004 - O-fish-ally Awesome April SOTM X7255S - Seas The Day Paper Pack X7255C - Seas the Day Coordinating Cardstock Z4189 - Intense Black Exclusive Ink Pad Z4021 - Multi-Circle Windows Die Triblend Markers
