Coffee solves everything!

I am so itching to post pictures of all of the artwork I have created with new products.....I am just busting! Not yet, though.......you will have to wait a couple of more days until September 1st! In the meantime, here is one of my favourite sets, Treats of Friendship.

I used some Seaside patterned paper on a Black mat. I stamped Lagoon cardstock in coordinating ink with an image from, Geometric Backgrounds. My sentiment is from an Art Impressions stamp and the coffee cup is from Treats of Friendship. I paper pieced with some retired patterned paper and coloured with my Shin Han Alcohol Markers. I also added a Zip Strip from, Jackson. I also used my MFT Cross-stitch die on my sentiment piece.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Paper: Seaside; Jackson
Stamps: Geometric Backgrounds; Treats of Friendship
Cardstock: Black; Sunset; Lagoon; White Daisy
Ink: Black Shin Han Alcohol Markers
Tools: Scallop Border Punch
Other: Memento Black Ink; MFT Die-namics Cross-stitch Rectangles; Art Impressions

Up, Up, and Away!

I'm not sure how I did not post this card yet! This stunning stamp set, Balloon Wishes, is FREE with our August promotion "Get Organized"!

I used Crystal Blue cardstock for the mat and border. I added patterned paper from retiring, Scaredy Cat. I stamped the border piece with an image from, Flight of the Arrows, in coordinating ink.

I used my Shin Han Alcohol markers to colour in the balloon and added this sweet sentiment, also from the Balloon Wishes stamp set. I added a bit of Crystal Blue ink to the sentiment banner, just to help it pop a bit. I cut the balloon piece with a new My Favorite Things die.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.

Paper: Scaredy Cat

Stamp: Balloon Wishes; Flight of the Arrows

Cardstock: Crystal Blue; White Daisy

Ink: Crystal Blue; Shin Han Alcohol Markers

Tools: Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge

Other: Memento Black Ink; MFT Die-namics Cross-Stitch Rectangles

A simple birthday

There are so many wonderful cuts on our new Artistry Cricut cartridge. This cut makes a great card in a snap.

I cut this from Glacier cardstock and added it to Jackson patterned paper. I used my journaling pen to outline the entire thing and draw in the starts. I added some Lagoon cardstock as a mat and this one is done!

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Paper: Jackson
Cardstock: Glacier; Lagoon; White Daisy
Ink: Black Journaling Pen
Tools: Artistry Cricut cartridge

Dear Karma.......

While on my trip to Close To My Heart's annual convention, in Disneyland, I shopped for a few other crafty supplies. This stamp included.....so I made a fun card.

I used some retired CTMH paper scraps from my work table. I added some yummy pink Shimmer Trim and Sparkles. I cut the flourish from Artiste and die cut the sentiment with a new die set from My Favorite Things.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Paper: retired
Cardstock: White Daisy; Black
Embellishments: Black Sparkles; Pink Shimmer Trim
Tools: Artiste Cricut cartridge
Other: MFTstamps Cross-Stitch Rectangles; Riley and Company

She sells sea shells.......

Aaaaah, I love living in a place that with a 15 minute drive I can be at one of 5 or more beaches! I have always been fascinated with shells, so living in Victoria has helped. This stamp set, Treasured Friendship, was a must have when I saw it.

I used Desert Sand to cover an entire 12 x 12 sheet of Colonial White cardstock with shell images. Then I added the dots image from retired Nov SOTM, It's the Little Things to fill in any open spaces. I embossed some Smoothie cardstock with our Scallop Embossing Folder, then rubbed Smoothie ink over top. I stamped the sentiment with Smoothie ink, then added some Sequins from our retired Coral Reef pack.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Stamps: Treasured Friendship; It's the Little Things
Cardstock: Desert Sand; Smoothie; Colonial White
Ink: Smoothie; Desert Sand
Embellishments: Coral Reef Sequins
Tools: Scallop Embossing Folder; Art Philosophy Cricut cart

Okay, when I saw a card using whip cream as poo, I laughed so hard then was so jealous I hadn't thought of it first! So, what better way to rectify that, than to copy it!

Check out the original on Paige's blog. I copied as much as I could, with my old, trustworthy Cricut Expressions machine. I put in White Daisy cardstock, then cut the first three words, spacing 5 arrow pushes in between each word. Then I moved to the next line and cut the next two words. I should have spaced over a bit further for "was", but a "crappy" card doesn't have to be perfect......ha!

I used Jackson patterned paper along with Juniper cardstock. The poo is cut with our gorgeous Brown glitter paper. I added googly eyes and you have a CRAPTASTIC card!

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Paper: Jackson
Cardstock: Juniper; White Daisy; Brown Glitter
Tools: Artistry Cricut cartridge
Other: googly eyes

Wedding Season

I thought I would create a card to show a friend, who is planning a wedding, what I could create for invitations for them. I got a little (lot) carried away and came up with this card, instead!

This is one of my favourite stamp sets for weddings; Valentine's Day and many other projects. It is retired and was one included in a Workshop On The Go, before names were put on the stamp sets. So, I can't even tell you what it is called and what paper pack it came from.....but it is fabulous!

I did a Vicki Wizniuk and rubbed Thistle ink over top of this retired black and white patterned paper from, For Always. I covered the piece with the script background image, then added roses around a portion of the piece. I stamped the couple in black twice, to make it pop more. I could have embossed it, but was feeling lazy. I also stamped the sentiment in Black.

I added black mats and some White Shimmer Trim. Then I added a flower that has been sitting on my workspace for more than a year. I used some cheap glitter paper with a spiral flower cut from Art Philosophy, but didn't like how the flower looked. You can't really see it in this photo, but the glitter paper has some yellow tinge to it and it was a bit to gawdy for what I wanted.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Paper: retired For Always
Stamp: retired
Cardstock: Thistle; Black; White Daisy
Ink: Thistle; Black
Embellishments: White Shimmer Trim; Clear Sparkle
Tools: Art Philosophy
Other: Glitter paper 

Some creative cuts with Artistry

I have been cutting away with my NEW Artistry cartridge. There are some great cuts for quick cards. I was not really fond of the font on this cartridge, at first, because it does not cut the holes you would normally have in some letters like "A" and "P". Then I realized......it does not cut the holes, so I don't have to make sure I pick those tiny things off of my cutting mat.....yipee!

I have watercoloured some pieces with Glacier; Flaxen; and Sorbet ink a few weeks back. I stamped over top with a Botanical Backgrounds image with Glacier ink. I added patterned paper from Seaside and my all time favourite zip strip from Blossom. The cardstock is Crystal Blue and I added some pen lines inside "Happy" to make it pop a bit more.

You can order this wonderful NEW Artistry Cricut cartridge on my website along with some other exclusively released products, just for August.


All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Paper: Seaside; Blossom
Cardstock: Crystal Blue; White Daisy
Ink: Glacier; Flaxen; Sorbet; Black; Journaling Pen
Stamp: retired Say It In Style
Tools: Artistry Cricut cartridge
Other: Watercolour paper

Simplicity with Artistry

When I got my NEW Artistry cartridge, the first thing I did was cut shapes that coordinated with the 3 stamp sets included. I love this bold image with its lovely message.

I stamped the image in Black ink, then used a monochromatic palette to go with it. The wood patterned paper is from Seaside and the lighter stripes from Jackson. The bright bottom border is a zip strip from Blossom. To finish off, I added the left overs of Black Shimmer Trim, once I had run it through my Border Punch. Crystal Blue cardstock brought everything together.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Paper: Blossom; Seaside; Jackson
Stamp: Artistry
Cardstock: Crystal Blue; White Daisy
Ink: Black
Embellishments: Black Shimmer Trim
Tools: Artistry Cricut Cart

Cricut Artistry CTMH

I was so excited when Close To My Heart's NEW Artistry Cricut cartridge was announced at our recent convention in Disneyland! Having the opportunity to order convention bundles, meant that the cartridge and other NEW goodies were waiting for me when I arrived home, from convention and vacation.

I got to cutting and this lovely tree screen was my first cut.

I cut the tree screen from Kraft cardstock at 4". I tore a piece of Flaxen cardstock to look like the ground behind the trees. I mounted those on some hounds-tooth patterned paper from the NEW Zoe paper pack. Then the entire piece went on Glacier cardstock, then on a White Daisy card base. I used my new Peacock ink to stamp the sentiment and added epoxy dots.

Beginning August 1st, there are some NEW products you can buy, even though our Annual Expressions Idea Book doesn't go live until September 1st. Two of those things are our NEW Artistry cartridge and Zoe paper pack.

Are wondering what makes Artistry different than the cartridges we already have? Well, it is that many of the wonderful basic shapes have layers that can be added to them, or they can stand alone. There are also lots of great screens that also have some coordinating themes or can be used by themselves. There are borders; a font; animals; and just lots and lots of basic and fancy cuts to complement our selection of available carts.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.

Stamp: Sincere Expressions

Paper: NEW Zoe

Ink: NEW Peacock

Cardstock: Flaxen; Glacier; White Daisy; Kraft

Embellishments: Blue epoxy dots

Tools: NEW Artistry Cricut cartridge

A Monster Birthday

These cards are in honour of when I see stamp sets and I think, OMG....I gotta have that! It is also in honour of when I see a stamp set and I think, MEH.....don't think I would ever use that! These were my thoughts when I saw sets, Love Ya Silly and Doodled Designs.

I used the gorgeous and ridiculously amazing Hopscotch paper for these cards. The paper is as fun as the cards. The ink colours are Lagoon and Sunset on Colonial White cardstock. I added the birthday sentiment from Artfully Sent's sentiment set, along with the funny sayings within, Love Ya Silly. The sentiments are all stamped in Black ink. Finally, I added sequins from both Oceanside and Coral Reef sets.

 LOVE these guys so much, I am also offering my first card kit with them. You will receive all images and sentiments prestamped with precut papers to make 12 cards. Kit includes 12 card bases and envelopes plus assembly instructions $25 plus $5 for shipping and handling in Canada or the U.S..

 
All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Stamps: Doodled Designs; Love Ya Silly; Artfully Sent Sentiment
Paper: Hopscotch
Ink: Lagoon; Sunset; Black
Embellishments: Oceanside & Coral Reef Sequins