Have you seen the new close to my heart daily planner?

 OK you have to check out the new planner from Clos To My Heart for 2017. It even includes coloring of pages.  WHOOP WHOOP!!!!  I can't wait to get my hands on mine.  I have the sea glass one coming!  You can grab yours here.

Discover your inner artist while staying on top of your schedule with our new 2017 planner system. Featuring seasonal designs you can color by hand, this exclusive planner system combines the worlds of work and play to give you a planner you can truly make your own. Choose a bundle with either the Everyday Life™ Sea Glass or stripes album, or purchase just the planner pages if you already have an album—the choice is up to you!

New Close To My Heart Cricut Cartridge City Sidewalks

OMG  Close To My Heart has yet another new cartridge out.  It is not as big as the regular release cartridges but still full of awesomeness.  This one is City Sidewalks, just released in our new Holiday Seasonal Idea Book.

This cartridge is digital only.  It will only work on the Cricut Explorer in Design Space.  My copy is on order and will be here soon.  I have the City Sidewalks paper pack and can't wait to start some Christmas projects.

Here is a picture of the matching paper pack

[ VIDEO ] Masculine Birthday Card and May Specials

Hello everyone...

Guess what May is???   Give up???  It is National Scrapbooking Month.  Close To My Heart is offering a new paper pack and stamp set that will only be available during the month of May 2016.  So, if you want it, you have to get your order in by May 31st or sooner.  Sooner will probably be better since they may sell out.  In my video I will show you the paper pack and the stamp set.

I am also featuring the Stamp of the Month....

Here are the Links that I mention in

the video

Urban Paper Pack

Stamp of the Month for May 2016

Happy Times Paper Pack

Happy Times Stamp Set

Shinhann Twin Tip Markers

Craft Card Stock

Here is the Video

Don't forget to leave a comment and let me know if you would be interested in an online workshop.  It will be free.  I would need to know if most of you prefer Google Hangouts or Ustream.

Last Chance Close To My Heart Retiring Items

Good morning!!!  Tomorrow at 11:59 PM will be the last chance to order from the current ideas book.  We have many items retiring tomorrow night.  You don't want to miss out.

Here is are a few items retiring

Penelope Pack

Charlotte Compliments Stickers and 3D Embellishments

Regatta Paper Pack

Regatta Compliments

Maritime Puffies

My Anchor Stamp set

My Anchor Thin Cuts Die Set

There are several more items retiring.  This is just the tip of the iceberg.  Head over to my store and order today.

Here is the link to the catalog that is retiring on May 1

Happy Birthday Card With Partial Die Cutting

Good morning everyone...

I wanted to share this cute card that I made this morning.  It is a Z fold card with a partial die cutting technique that I learned from Jennifer McGuire on YouTube.  I did not record a video of this since it was my first try at it and I did mess it up and had to start again.  I was on the phone and doing this and the first card, I cut one of the flowers on the wrong side of the fold.

Here is what I did

First, I used one of CTMH white daisy card bases.  I lined it up on my desk mat and put a very light pencil line down the middle of the front of the card.

I used one of our Spring Time Wishes thin cut dies (sold out) and layed them half way across my pencil mark.  Taped the die in place.   When I ran it through my Big Shot, I only put the top plate over the right side of the card front.  That gave me a partial cut.

I erased my pencil lines.  I stamped the partial die cuts with the matching stamp set, SpringTime Wishes with our black archival ink. being careful to line up the stamp on the cut. I used clear embossing powder and heat embossed.  This was to insure that when I colored the images, the ink would not run and stay in the lines.

I colored the flowers using Designing With Gelatos Colors Kit- ,  The inside I used a piece of Confetti Wishes (retired) paper from my little sample package of B & T paper that was on a ring.  The sample paper was large enough to avoid the hole and I was able to cut to size.  On top of that I used White Daisy to write a sentiment.  I inked the white paper with Pacifica ink.

The Happy Birthday Sentiment, I stamped 3 times along the outside edge using Just To Say Stamp set from the Cricut Collection.  NOTE:  only available in this stamp set.  Used Pacifica, Thistle and Honey inks.

I felt it needed a little more on the front.  Seemed plain.  I took white sequins from the Coral Reef pack  (discounted right now -  get them while they are still available) and used Pacifica Shinhan Twin Tip Marker (this color is no longer available) and colored the sequins to match the card.  Then used Bitty Sparkles in the centers.

I almost forgot, I took a piece of that Confetti Wishes paper and put it on the inside of the Z fold behind the flowers to cover up an oopsie when I got some ink on that panel.

This is the inside of the card.  And there you have it.  If you are interested in any of the products used, just click the links in my instructions or go to my Close To My Heart Store.

This post does contain an Amazon Affiliate Link which I may earn a small commission

[Video] Monoprinted or Gelli Printing and Thinking of You CardWood

Good morning everyone!!!!  Wake up and smell the coffee now that the clocks have moved an hour ahead and loosing an hour sleep...  YAWN!!

What have I been up to???  Playing with gelli printing on my homemade gelli plate and an acrylic cutting mat.  I recorded a video of my very first experience in this art form.  I have seen so many artists using this form of printing in art journaling.  I decided I wanted to give it a try.

After the video is a picture of a card that I made using this technique but with inks instead of paints. The inks and stamp sets are from Close To My Heart.

Here is my homemade gelli plate

After recording this, I decided to try using inks while off camera.  Here is a print that I came up with.  The inks didn't work as well because they were fast drying.  You need slower drying ink like pigment ink.  I ended up having to touch up the background and the stamped plants.  I added the sentiment afterwards.

Products that I used were the Close To My Heart Inks

Sapphire Z2648

Canary Z2643

Sunset Z2191

Woodland Romance Stamp Set D1683

Also used The Stamp of the Month for January 2016

[Video] Card Using March Stamp of The Month from Close To My Heart

Good Afternoon Everyone!!!!

I have a few things going on today.  I am going to share with you a video of a card featuring the March Stamp of the Month Sunshine Birdies from Close To My Heart.  It is a really quick and simple card.  I actually got my video down to 5 minutes, imagine that!!!!  My videos are normally loooonnnnggg.  But now that I know how to speed them up and do voice over..  they should be shorter now.

First order of business.  Close To My Heart has a special promotion for the month of March only.  Buy 2 Stamp Sets and Get 1 Free.  It is our Stampaganza Promotion.

The wait is over! Who is ready for Stampaganza 2016? Buy any two My Acrylix® stamp sets (M-, A-, B-, C-, D-, or E-size) at full retail price and get a third stamp set of equal or lesser value FREE! That is a savings of up to $29.95! This offer is only available during March, so start submitting your stamp orders as soon as possible, and let the Stampaganza begin!

Second order of business...  Here is the video using the March Stamp of the Month.  Available now until March 31.  You can buy it at $17.95 or if you spend $50 or more, it can be yours for only $5.00!!!

Products Used

March Stamp of the Month

Penelope Paper Pack

Close To My Heart Watercolor Paints

Paint Brush Set

Thistle Ink Pad

Items not Close To My Heart were a Doiley, Gelatos

Huge Clearance Sale over at my Close To My Heart Shop

Hi Blogging friends...

 I just had to stop by and let you guys in on all of the goodies that are on clearance at
\Close To My Heart.  I was just over there browsing and OMG...  some things are as low as 50 cents... unbelievable.

Check it out...  50 cents and some $1.00

Head on over to my store.  Click on shop and then clearance.  There is so much more...  paper, ink, accessories, embellishments ...  too much to mention here,  You have to see if for your self.

Video: Vlog of Week 2 Birthday Close To My Heart Haul

 Good evening...

I recorded this video yesterday.  It is mainly about a CTMH birthday haul. In addition, I am sponsoring my first challenge.  It starts this Tuesday, Jan 19 2016 at Tuesday Morning Sketches.  Check it out.

Now as far as my haul...  below the video will be a pic  and links to the products I bought.

My Mother  B1509  Stamp Set
Charlotte Bulk Paper Pack BULK377
Spring Time Wishes Stamp Set C1641
Spring Time Wishes Thin Cuts  Z3201
My Anchor Stamp Set  C1642
My Anchor Thin Cuts  Z3202
Feb 2016 Stamp of the Month....  not available until February

Thanks for watching

Which Cricut Explorer Machine To Buy

The Cricut Explore made its debut in January 2014.  Have you gotten yours yet?  Why not?  You do not know what you have been missing.

I love my Explorer.  I received mine from Santa last Christmas.  I don't know what I did with out it.  I since sold my old Cricut Expression because the Explore is all that I need.  Yes, at this time you need an internet connection but coming soon is an offline version for the iPad.  It is being beta tested right now and should be released soon.

You can score, write, print then cut and more.  It cuts material with such accuracy that I could not ever imagined cutting with my Expression.  There is no guess work in trying to figure out pressure, blade depth, speed.  The Cricut Explorer has the settings built in.  It is as simple as turning the dial to your selected material.  Even has a custom setting for other materials listed in the Cricut Design Space software.

There are 3 Cricut Explorer lines to choose from:  the original Explorer, the Explore Air and the Explorer One.  The Explorer linecomes in a many color choices including a gold one.

Now you are asking...  but what one is right for me?  Below is a chart outlining the features of each. Hope this helps you in your decision. To get yours click the link. Cricut.com

Comparison Chart

Feature

Cricut Explore One™

Cricut Explore Air™

Older Cricut® 
 machines 

Silhouette Cameo® 2

Cut and write in 1-step	Multiple steps with pen adapter (buy)		Multiple steps	Multiple steps
Wireless cutting	With Bluetooth® adapter (buy)
More materials than the leading competitor (material list, precision report)
Most precise cuts with Cut Smart® technology (precision report)
Upload your own images and fonts for free				.SVG files require $49.99 upgrade
Cricut Design Space™ app for iPhone® and iPad®
Easy to use with the Smart Set® dial
Works with Cricut®cartridges
Print then Cut—cut out printable files

This post contains an affiliate link. I will receive a small commission on sales to help keep this blog running and for give aways.