October 2020 Recap Layout

Completed another monthly recap layout on Wednesday during my most recent Scrapbook with me event. For this layout I once again dove into my stash and pulled out some retired Pathfinding paper along with the stamp set from the Pathfinding Workshop.

This layout was based on the following sketch from the February 2014 Edition of Create Magazine from Scrapbook Generation. You can see this sketch along with other downloadable sketches here.

The title was cut with my Cricut to follow along with the title style I have been using for all my 2020 monthly recap layouts. I decided to follow a set title style for each year I am doing recaps for to give a unity to these layouts. The pumpkin and leaves were stamped with the Pathfinding Workshop on the Go stamp set. In addition I stamped on two of the banner pieces to give a tone-on-tone pattern to the pieces. I love using stamps to add some custom embellishments to a layout. I did add some machine stitching just above the row of leaves.

I hope you like the layout. Thanks for stopping by!

If you are interested in attending one of my virtual Scrapbook with me events, please make sure to follow my Facebook page to get notifications of upcoming events.

July 2019 Recap Layout

Continuing to work on my monthly recap layouts during my Scrapbook with me event. At my event this past Monday I created this layout from July of 2019. I dug into my stash to pull out some retired Celebrate Today paper for this layout.

The inspiration for this layout came from this sketch from the School of Scrap Blog. You can see this sketch along with others here.

The title was cut on my Cricut and I used the negative space to let the underlying patterned paper show through. I die cut some flowers as embellishments and then added my journaling on strips of black cardstock using a white gel pen.

I hope you liked the layout. Thanks for stopping by.

If you are interested in joining one of my Scrapbook with me events, make sure to follow my Facebook Page so you will get notifications of upcoming events.

Technique Thursday #3 - Using Stencils

One of the things I love about being with Close To My Heart is the opportunities to learn new techniques that I can use in my scrapbooking and card making. I recently attended a virtual album retreat where I learned a bunch of new techniques and am excited to share them here with you.

The first technique I am sharing is Using Stencils. Stencils are great in that they can expand your crafting in adding designs and patterns to your papers in cards and scrapbook layouts. During the retreat we used a stencil to create a tone-on-tone diagonal stripe design on the piece of Scarlet cardstock in this layout.

The stencil was placed over the cardstock and, using a piece of sponge and Scarlet Exclusive Ink, we swept the color across the stencil to create this diagonal pattern.

The stencil we used was cut from stencil film as part of the album retreat I attended but Close To My Heart also carries 3 sets of stencils with 3 12" x 12" stencils in each collection.

Z3882 - Stencil Pack 1

Z3883 - Stencil Pack 2

Z3884 - Stencil Pack 3

You can also make your own stencils. You can create them using punches and die cuts as well as a cutting machine like a Cricut. They can be made from heavyweight cardstock or stencil film. Close To My Heart has a great stencil film that is perfect for cutting your own. I love using background and border designs from the Close To My Heart Cricut collections to create my own.

I cut my own starburst stencil using an image from the Artbooking Collection - probably my go-to collection for these types of images.

For coloring with your stencils you can use any of our Exclusive Inks as well as Distress Oxide inks. To color you have the option of using a dauber or a sponge as well an ink blending tool that works great with the Distress Oxide inks. 

Z726 - Sponge Daubers

Z697 - Round Sponge

Z3886 - Mini Ink Blending Tool

I did a Facebook Live video where I demonstrated using the different types of stencils along with different tools and inks to create the look you want in your crafting. You can see the video here or on my Facebook Page.

I hope you enjoyed this Technique Thursday post. Thanks for stopping by!

Jingle Joy Scrapbooking Workshop

I just finished creating this scrapbook workshop featuring the Jingle Joy Collection from the November/December catalog from Close To My Heart and am so excited to share it here with you!

This workshop creates 8 12" x 12" scrapbook pages - 4 2-page layouts. I love the trendy colors and cheerful designs in this collection. This collection is perfect for making your holiday crafting pop!

If you are interested in creating this workshop for yourself or with your customers, there are 4 ways to get the files:

1. Follow the Buy Now link on the bottom of this post. The files are $12.00 (USD). 

2. Place a purchase on my Close To My Heart website for $35 or more (before taxes and shipping).

3. Join the VIP Program from Close To My Heart under me. All my VIPS get FREE access to my workshop files.

4. Join my Close To My Heart team, all team members have access to my workshop files.

Sharing a few more pictures of the layouts you will be able to create with this workshop guide.

Supplies Needed for this Workshop:
X7262S - Jingle Joy Paper Pack + Sticker Sheet

X7262C - Jingle Joy Coordinating Cardstock

X7262D - Jingle Joy Picture My Life Cards

X7262E - Jingle Joy Die Cut Shapes

Z4191 - Silver Glitter Gems

Here is what you will receive with the workshop files:

• Welcome Page 
• Cutting Guide with color photos of the papers and directions for cutting the papers needed
• Layout Guide with supply list and color photos of the completed layouts
• Consultant Release
• Social Media image for you to use in promoting the workshop for your customers

I hope you enjoy creating these layouts just as much as I did creating them!

Gnomes for Christmas and a Card Workshop

I have been in serious crafting mode lately to get ahead for the coming holidays. I got a head start with the Thanksgiving One-Sheet-Wonder workshop I designed and continued with creating a series of Christmas cards following a variation on another One-Sheet-Wonder technique I found through Pinterest.

I had a great time creating these cards and am so excited to share the results with you!

The cards use the Jingle Joy paper and coordinating cardstock from the November/December 2020 Close To My Heart catalog. I added these adorable gnomes from the Gnome for Christmas Stamp Set + Thin Cuts. I adapted the guide I found on Pinterest to create the following cutting guide:

I used cardstock from the coordinating cardstock pack to add some mats to the pattern pieces and add some additional color to various cards. I ran some of the cardstock pieces through my die cut/embossing machine using the Cascading Dots embossing folder to add some additional dimension to the cards.

The sentiments were stamped on pieces of White Daisy cardstock die cut using the Simple Stitched Brackets Thin Cut.

The gnomes were stamped on die cut pieces of White Daisy cardstock using the Intense Black Exclusive ink and colored in with Triblend Markers. I added some Black Shimmer Trim to the cards for a little bling.

If you are interested in making these for yourself you can purchase the full directions to this workshop at the end of this post following the Buy Now button which will take you to my shop.

I hope you like the cards. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies list:

X7262B - Jingle Joy Paper Pack

X7262C - Jingle Joy Coordinating Cardstock

Z3902 - Gnome for Christmas Stamp Set + Thin Cuts

X254 - White Cards and Envelopes

Z3687 - Simple Stitched Brackets Thin Cuts

Z4189 - Intense Black Exclusive Inks

Z1809 - Black Shimmer Trim

Triblend Markers

August 2019 Recap

I love working on simple layouts with clean lines to them and had fun creating this layout during my most recent Scrapbook with me. Even better was being able to use up a lot of scraps I had in my stash while doing this. This layout is a continuation of my monthly recap series - for this one I went back in time to August of 2019.

The inspiration for this layout came from this sketch. The sketch came from a scrapbooking challenge over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges. You can see this sketch along with others here.

I used up the last of my stash of the retired Blue Skies paper pack for this sketch. I also added some chevrons I had left from a Cricut background cut. I had cut the background for a layout I did for my 2018 Walt Disney Vacation Album - you can see the layout here. The background cut came from the Cricut Close To My Heart Artbooking Cartridge. I think this is my all time favorite cartridge! You can see this cartridge along with other Close To My Heart cartridges on my affiliate link here.

The title was cut from my Cricut and I backed it with some additional scrap paper from the Blue Skies paper pack. I added some additional chevrons on top of others to give some dimension and added a few white enamel dots as well. The journal block was cut with the Stitched Fancy Brackets Thin Cut set and I raised it up with some 3-D Foam Tape.

If you are interested in joining me for one of my Scrapbook with me events, make sure to follow my Facebook Page so you will get notifications when I schedule these events.

I hope you like the layout. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies list:

CC5206 - Blue Skies Paper Pack (still available but is currently low quantity)

Z3686 - Stitched Fancy Brackets Thin Cuts

X6047 - Black Cardstock

Z3314 - Black and White Enamel Dots

June 2020 Monthly Recap

Sharing my finished layout from a recent Scrapbook with me event. I am continuing with my monthly recap layouts with this one. For this I dug into my stash to use up some of the retired Felicity collection from Close To My Heart.

We used the following sketch from AllyScraps for this event. You can find the sketch plus other variations on working with it here. 

The title and stars were cut using Thin Cut sets. The title uses the Classic Alphabet Thin Cuts set and the stars come from a retired set.

If you are interested in joining one of these virtual Scrapbook with me events, make sure to follow me on Facebook to get notifications of my upcoming events.

I hope you like the layout. Thanks for stopping by!

Gnome Birthday Card

I had a lot of fun creating this card for my husband's birthday! I used Mix-In papers along with the adorable Garden Gnomes stamp set to create this card.

The inspiration for the card came from a recent card sketch challenge from Freshly Made Sketches. You can see this sketch along with other variations of it here.

The Mix-Ins papers worked well for giving the card a fun look. I am so in love with all the Gnome stamp sets that Close To My Heart has available. I stamped the gnome with Intense Black Exclusive Inks and colored him in with Triblend Markers. I finished him off with some gold on his belt using a metallic marker.

I hope you like the card. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies List:

X9021 - Mix-Ins Paper Pack

X9022 - Mix-Ins Coordinating Cardstock

Z3781 - Garden Gnome Stamp Set + Thin Cuts

Z4189 - Intense Black Exclusive Ink

Z2476 - Fair Skin Triblend Marker

Z2475 - Brown Grey Triblend Marker

Z2491 - True Blue Triblend Marker

Z2512 - Muted Brown Triblend Marker

Z2356 - Precious Metals Metallic Markers

Z4191 - Silver Glitter Gems

Your Choice Cards and a One-Sheet-Wonder

Have you ever needed a card, found one you liked but it didn't have the right sentiment? I know I run into this often so I decided to help solve this dilemma by creating a card set where you can choose your sentiment when you are ready to send the card.

I created these sets of cards recently during an event I did for National Cardmaking Day. The cards are made using a One-Sheet-Wonder technique I found on Pinterest. The technique uses a piece of 6"x6" paper to make 4 cards. Each card also has a 2" circle where the sentiment goes. I added a piece of double-sided adhesive on the back of the sentiment circle - all that is needed is to select the sentiment needed, peel off the adhesive cover and place it on the card and you are all set.

I created 6 different sets of these cards.

The card sets each come with 4 "Why Thank You", "Thinking of You" and "With Deepest Sympathy" sets of sentiments. The cards were made based off of this One Sheet Wonder Challenge diagram. You can find this diagram along with others here.

I created these using some paper from the retired True Love paper collection. I added some embossed cardstock to each card using the Floral Lace Embossing Folder and a little bling using the Sparkles.

The sentiments were stamped using M-sized stamp sets which fit perfectly in the 2" circles I cut from coordinating cardstock.

These cards along with others can be found in my shop - here.

I hope you like the cards. Thanks for stopping by!