November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - Illuminate

Welcome to the November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.  This month I am following Jean McNulty's Blog.   We have over 50 Close to My Heart Consultants participating in this month’s Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.   If you lose your place while traveling through our hop, a complete list of hoppers can be found here.
                                                                                                                
The November Stamp of the Month is entitled Illuminate (S1311) (Set of 15). Here is a picture of this stamp set:

I am loving the beautiful lamps, lamp post, and sentiments on this stamp set.  I am going to use it for a Christmas card.  I believe that the sentiment will work.

Here is my card:

I used the Sparkle and Shine Paper Pack (X7176B).  The edges are all ink distressed with our Slate Ink.  I stamped my images with our Black Pigment Ink.  Such a beautiful, intense image it gives.  I colored the lamp with our Juniper Marker (Z2403) and applied some Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel (Z1313) over it so it would appear to be illuminated.  Then I added 3 red sparkles at the top and 3 pennants made of our Red Shimmer Trim (Z1848).

I used this card pattern from The Paper Players and will be linking this card to their challenge.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I would love for you to leave me a comment and then please go to our next artist, Michelle Loncar's Blog.

The Illuminate Stamp Set can be purchased for $17.95 or if you purchase $50 in CTMH products, you can add this stamp set to your order for and additional $5.  This stamp set is only available between November 1 – November 31, 2013. You can purchase this stamp set as well as any of the above supplies here:  on my website.  

Happy Halloween!

First of all, Happy Halloween!  Wishing you many Trick or Treaters, many spooky costumers, and awesome candy.

I missed my deadline with the Heart 2 Heart Challenges last week.  I hate missing deadlines!  But sometimes you just have to let it go and I did.

I was also in a Halloween Tag swap and I missed that deadline too.  On a roll here......

The challenge at Heart 2 Heart was to use lace as an inspiration.  Cobwebs are a spooky kind of lace.  Here is my scary tag.

Can you see that my tag is tombstone shaped?  Now how cool is that?  The tombstone is cut with the Cricut Artiste, pg 76, (EEK) Accent 1  at 6".  I used Slate cardstock and then sanded the entire piece to give the look of granite.

Then I stamped the cobwebs using Creepy Cobwebs (D1319). I stamped them with Black Pigment Ink and then immediately stamped them a second time, a little offset.  I think that gives them a spookier look!

The spiders are cut from our Tan and Glitter paper using the Cricut Artist, pg 77 (Halloween) Accent 4 (shift) at 3/4".

The pumpkin is cut with our new Cricut Artbooking cartridge.  I changed the proportion using Cricut Craft Room and made him a bit skinnier so that he would fit on my tag.  He is on pg 55 (i) Icon (Shift).  The Trick or Treat is on the same page. (i) Title.

Everything is inked with black except the tombstone.

I finished up the tag with black tulle ribbon and our Red Shimmer Trim.

Holidays from the Heart Blog Hop

Welcome to the Holidays from the Heart Blog Hop.  This month I am following Pamela Ellison's Blog.   We have over 20 Close to My Heart Consultants participating in this Blog Hop.   Our blog hop is a circular hop.  You just click on the link to the next blog on the bottom of this post and go visit the next blog.  If you get lost, I have all of the participating blogs here.
                                                                                                                
The Holidays from the Heart is a mini 24 page catalog that comes with its own special promotion.  When you place an order of $100 or more (retail price) between October 15 and December 31 from the Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide and/or the Autumn/Winter 2013 Idea Book, you qualify for one free star item from the Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide. You'll love the sparkle, the ease, and the savings! Receive one free "star" item for each $100 in your order.  Don't you just love this paper?

I am needing to get started on my Christmas cards and am loving the bright colors of our Sparkle and Shine Paper Pack (X7176B).  I went to one of our How-To Books, Make it From Your Heart, Volume 2 (9042), Pattern 29, and started cutting my paper.  I just love the ease of our How-to Books as well as the cost of $7.95.  I always change the pattern up just a little bit to give it my personality, but it sure is nice to have a starting point when designing my cards.

Next comes the Stamp Set.  Close to My Heart just started offering Hostess Only stamp sets.  When you have a gathering or an order of $150 or over, you can use some of the Free Product Credit to buy these stamp sets at an even greater discount.  I chose to use Quick Cards - Bright All Night.  As a Hostess, you may purchase this stamp set for $4.00!

 Here is my card.

The edges are ink distressed with our Slate Ink.  The stamped image was first inked with Whisper Ink, and then using a Sponge Dauber, I added Slate Ink and Juniper Ink and then stamped the image on White Daisy Cardstock.  I used our Silver Shimmer Trim, which is self-adhesive.  The trim with the reindeer, bells and sleighs is actually the zip strip which comes off of the paper.  The red chevron beneath the White Hemp bow is our new Sparkle and Shine Washi Tape (Yes I did use Washi Tape!  LOL) And the cute metal flower comes from our Base and Bling Floral Accents (Z1883).  Everything else is just paper!

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I would love for you to leave me a comment and then please go to our next artist, Heather Schmuckal's Blog.

Just a reminder that when you place an order of $100 or more (retail price) between October 15 and December 31 from the Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide and/or the Autumn/Winter 2013 Idea Book, you qualify for one free star item from the Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide. Want the stamp set?  Then email me to set up your gathering or to place your purchase.  You can purchase any of the above supplies here:  on my website.  

Heart 2 Heart You Better Shape Up Challenge

Welcome to this week's challenge at Heart 2 Heart Challenges.  Our challenge this week is called You Better Shape Up and both of the Heart 2 Heart Challenge teams are participating!  

For our challenge this week, make artwork that is NOT square or rectangular. 

Saturday is my team, The Bling Team, sponsored 12 Hour Crop here in Memphis.  We choose a charity each crop to sponsor and decided to donate Patriotic Cards to the local VA Hospital to place on their in-patients Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner trays.  We are asking our croppers to bring as many cards as they can make and to make more at our crop.  The military is near and dear to us since many of our loved ones are or were in the military.  I was an Air Force wife, my son is in the Navy and my son-in-law is in the Air Force.  My father served in the Air Force during the Korean War.  Yes, these military members that served our country hold a special place in my heart indeed.

I decided to make a Side Stair Step card.

I used our retired Stamp Sets, Courage (B1437) and Home of the Brave (D1576).  The card base is made of our Kraft paper and is stamped with Desert Sand Ink.  I also used Outdoor Denim and Ruby Ink.

So now it is your turn!  I cannot wait to see what you make!  After you finish your artwork please go to  www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com and post a link to your project.  I cannot wait to see what you make!

Here are a few rules:  

*Our challenges are open to everyone!
*To enter, follow the challenge of the week and post your results to your personal blog or other online gallery.
*Be sure to go here and direct link to your challenge post so we can see your artwork!

*In order to enter a challenge, you must use Close To My Heart products but your project does not have to be 100% CTMH.
*If you use something from another company, please consider including details in your project's description.
* You MUST mention H2H challenges in your blog post (and a link back to us would be appreciated).
*Spread the word about our challenge blog by including our badge on your blog.

* I love to leave comments on our participants' blog posts, but word verification slows me down, so please turn yours off so that I can leave you some love on your blog!
*Most importantly, have fun creating - the Close To My Heart way!
Note: Any entries not following the above rules are subject to having their link removed.

I am entering this card into the My Favorite Things Challenge at Quirky Crafts Challenge - (my favorite thing is making a card for our Veterans.)

Stampers With an Attitude are Showing a Little Attitude with the Holiday Gift Guide

Welcome to the Stampers with an Attitude Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide Blog Hop.  This month I am following  Catherine Nowak.  Our blog hop is a circular hop.  You just click on the link to the next blog on the bottom of this post and go visit the next blog.  If you get lost, I have all of the participating blogs near the bottom of my post.  Hope you enjoy seeing what our team has made for you.

This month our Stampers With an Attitude is  featuring artwork from our Close to My Heart Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide. This is an adorable 24 page mini catalog chocked full of Holiday paper, stamps and projects plus a preview of some new products found in the 2014 Spring/Summer Idea Book.

I know that I need to get going on my Christmas cards, but I had a baby shower to go to.  It is the grandchild of a very special friend and I just could not give her a store bought card.  So I chose the new stamp set called Lifting Spirits (C1570) found on page 16 in the Holiday Gift Guide and paired it with our Babycakes paper pack (X7173B).

Here is my card:

I had never made a sunburst card and I was surprised at how easy it is to make.  I am going to do a short tutorial on it next week, so watch for my updates.  All of the stamped images on this card are found on this stamp set.  Plus it has even more super cute images such as a hot air balloon!  Plus we have a fantastic Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide Promotion starting on Tuesday, October 15th.  When you place an order of $100 or more (retail price) between October 15 and December 31 from the Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide and/or the Autumn/Winter 2013 Idea Book, you qualify for one free star item from the Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide. Youll love the sparkle, the ease, and the savings! Receive one free "star" item for each $100 in your order.

Want a mini catalog?  I can drop you one in the mail.  Just email me your address.

Now, hop on over to our next Blog hopper, the very talented, Pamela O'Connor and see what she has made for you to see!

If you get lost, here are the links to our participating blog hoppers.

1. Catherine Nowak

2. Melinda Everitt

3. Pamela O'Connor

4. Sheila Bennett

5. LaJeania Hicks

See something you like?  Well I would love it if you would head on over to  my website and see what Close to My Heart has to offer!  I am sure that you will love our products as much as I do.

I am entering this card in these challenges:  Super Scraps Saturday at Hiding in My Craft Room, Distressed at Delightful Challenges, and 3 or more Layers at Divas by Design.

Craft Critique's Review of our Stamp Cleaner and Scrubber

I have long believed that Close to My Heart has the best stamp cleaner and scrubber on the market.  I would love to tell you more and more, but I will let this article by Craft Critique do it for me.  You can purchase this scrubber and cleaner on my website.

Review | Close To My Heart My Acrylix Spritz Cleaner & Scrubber Brush

October 8, 2013 by Fabrizio Martelluci Leave a Comment

I’m always on the lookout for new stamp cleaners that work well, so I was itching to try this My Acrylix Spritz Cleaner from Close To My Heart with my existing Close To My Heart Acrylix stamps and also with other manufacturers’ ones. I’m also intrigued by the Scrubber Brush, which is sold separately in their catalog (I prefer this since I think it’s best not be frog marched into buying stuff we don’t want when everything is put in a kit ). The Scrubber feels really sturdy and has a plastic cover so that it doesn’t get dusty or stain something inadvertently after a stamp cleaning session.

I’m going to use two different inks to test the cleaning properties of Close to My Heart My Acrylix Spritz Cleaner: Versafine and Rangers. I believe it’s going to be good, also, to test the Spritz with and without the Scrubber brush.

The My Acrylix Spritz Cleaner comes in two formats – a 2 fl oz. with an atomizer ($4.25) and a refill bottle of 8 fl oz. ($11.50). Check for the latest prices with your Close To My Heart consultant.

As for the Scrubber brush ($12.95), I really like the fact that it is described as “Ideal for cleaning all inks, especially pigment inks”. Unfortunately pigment inks can be quite stubborn to remove and leave tell-tale signs on your polymer and acrylic stamps after supposedly being removed.

After spraying around and using the mopping method with paper towel, I found no difference between the Close to My Heart and other similar cleaners and when using pigment inks there’s some residue left in the design grooves as expected. But the cleaner comes into its own when using the brush with it – I’ve noticed that it is slightly better when combined with that tool. It worked very well with archival inks too and the stamps came up really clean.

Despite its effectiveness, the cleaner was gentle with the acrylic stamps and I didn’t feel the need to rinse them ( I do however rinse my silicone, acrylic and polymer stamps even when using the all purpose Staz-on cleaner, perhaps a bit paranoid but it feels to me to be such a strong cleaner ). It feels also that the My Acrylix cleaner has an emollient or moisturizing effect on stamps  – some of my clear stamps felt a bit dry but after I cleaned them they seem to be softer to the touch.

My Acrylix Spritz Cleaner is a fairly good cleaner but it comes into its own thanks to the brush. I don’t think one gets good value for the quantity (2 ozs; 56ml) for the little spray bottle; I would personally, instead, get the brush and the refill bottle and use an existing spray bottle I have lying around.

Pros:

-  Good all round cleaner

- Doesn’t need rinsing as it seems to me a mild enough cleaner

- Easy to use spray bottle

- Pleasant flowery smell

- Seemed like it moisturized the stamps while cleaning

Cons:

- It needs to be used with the brush tool to really pick up most of the pigment ink residues

- Spray bottle is on the small side as opposed to other cleaners and value for money is questionable as a result

- You need to get the refill to make it a good value

My Acrylix Spritz Cleaner is available from Close To My Heart for $4.25 for a 2 fl oz. with an atomizer, and $11.50 for the 8 oz refill bottle. The My Acrylix Scrubber Brush is available from Close To My Heart for $12.9

The October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - Scandinavian Wishes

Welcome to the October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.  This month I am following Jen Patrick's Blog.   We have almost 60 Close to My Heart Consultants participating in this month’s Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.   
                                                                                                                
The October Stamp of the Month is entitled Scandinavian Wishes (S1310) (Set of 12). Here is a picture of this stamp set:

Isn't this a pretty stamp set?  I was excited to stamp with it and chose to use our new Close to My Heart Frosted Paper Pack  (X7175B).   I have not opened that paper pack yet and was waiting for an excuse to open it.

One of the things I like about many of our stamp sets is that our Cricut Cartridges can cut out the shapes that we can then use to stamp our images on.  This is so cool because I remember how much cutting I used to have to do to create my artwork.  Now I just choose an image that has a red line around it like the house, the heart, the tag, and the ornament, and cut it out with my Cricut cartridge.  Also on our plastic carrier sheets, you will see that it lists which cartridge you need to use and what size.  That takes all of the guesswork out of it. 

This particular stamp set uses the Close to My Heart exclusive Art Philosophy cartridge (Z1686) and both of the images I used were cut out at 2 inches.  I found a beautiful card pattern at Mojo Monday and decided to use it for my card.  

I chose to use the round version.  Here is my card.

The edges are all ink distressed with our Cashmere Ink.  The stamped images were also slightly inked just around the very edge with Juniper Ink so that they would stand out from the gorgeous paper.  I used our Silver Trim, which is self-adhesive.  And I have to admit that I stole a couple of silver glitter gems and a bit of the Champagne, Colonial White, & Silver Baker's Twine from the Frosted Cardmaking Workshop on the Go (G1063).

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I would love for you to leave me a comment and then please go to our next artist, Michelle John's Blog.

The Scandinavian Wishes Stamp Set can be purchased for $17.95 or if you purchase $50 in CTMH products, you can add this stamp set to your order for and additional $5.  This stamp set is only available between October 1 – October 31, 2013. You can purchase this stamp set as well as any of the above supplies here:  on my website.  

I am entering this card in the Mojo Monday Challenge and the Shape Up for The Holidays Challenge at Jingle Belles.