September/October New Product Blog Hop

Welcome!

Thanks for visiting our new product blog hop!   You'll get a chance to see many of the new products for the September/October new idea book today.  A blog hop is just one big loop of crafty, fun ideas for paper crafting as you visit each of the connected blogs.  If you are coming from Pam's blog, you are on the right path.  If you are starting here, just look for the link at the end of my post to Kristine's blog, (and successive posts) to see which blog to visit next.

Today I am showing a scrapbooking layout I made using the papers from the Bloom With Grace line of products .  What a wonderful collection, especially for this time of year when sunflowers are at their peak!  In this collection you will find anything and everything for any level of paper crafter:

• scrapbooking and card making workshops  

• a beautiful paper pack (with or without sticker sheet)

• coordinating stamp sets and card stock 

• Picture My Life cards  

• wooden embellishments  

• There's even a Cricut Bloom with Grace collection available! (Be sure to click on the green Cricut icon at the bottom of your consultant/maker's website.)

You can find all of them on my website.  Click on featured products.

.  Here's the Bloom with Grace paper pack with stickers that I used in making 

the scrapbook layout I'm sharing today.

You will love the Bloom with Grace paper pack and other products associated with it.  They are available through your Close To My Heart consultant/maker. (or visit my website)  The products featured here are available only through the life of this idea book which ends October 31st.  

After seeing all the great ideas in this blog hop, you're going to want to visit the new idea book here.   Be sure to scroll down to the September/October Idea book (although you'll enjoy the year long core catalog as well.)

Thanks for stopping by today.  

Join me as we hop on to see the creative ideas featuring 

products from this idea book on Kristine's blog.  

Be sure to visit the other consultants who have joined in this blog hop for lots of new product inspiration.  If for some reason you get lost along the way, you can find the entire list of participating consultants on Melinda's blog to get back on track.

hopping to Kristine's blog

What's new at CTMH in September?

 

Watch Your Stamp Images Come to Life! To make National Stamping Month extra special this year, we have created three amazing animated stamp sets that bring your stamp images to life! When you layer lined acetate sheets over specially designed stamp images, sliding the image back and forth results in a magical, moving stamp image!  See the stamp sets! National Stamping Day Celebration Join us on National Stamping Day for a fun, creative event featuring these stamps! The event will take place Saturday, September 19 on the Close To My Heart Facebook page. No purchase is required to participate, but if you want to create the projects along with us AND save 30% on these incredible products, be sure to get the event bundle! Get the bundle!

September Stamp of the Month Whatever your memory-keeping preference, you'll love embellishing your pages with the stamp images included in September's Stamp of the Month, Here for the Memories. Available this month only, this set can be yours for just $5 when you place an order of $50 or more! See the Whole Set

Got Candy? Blog Hop

Welcome!

Glad you could join us today for this blog hop.

A blog hop is just one big loop of fun and creative ideas. So if you're joining me here, be ready to be inspired by creative ideas for using any or all of the fun products offered with the Got Candy? special.  If you are coming here from Gina's Blog , you are on the right path.  At the end of this post you will see a link to Kristine's blog for you to continue following the hop.

Are you looking for some fun papers and other products for your Halloween or other fall crafting?  Well, this special from Close To My Heart might just be your answer.

The Got Candy?  special (available now through October 31, or while supplies last) includes a fun-filled collection of coordinating products, including a delightful paper packet, a coordinating cardstock pack, an exclusive My Acrylix® stamp set, and a matching set of exclusive loose sequins! Save 20% when you purchase the whole collection in the Got Candy? Product Bundle!

I used the Got Candy? paper pack and stickers for my projects for this blog hop.

You can see other products included in this special on my website.

The letters used on this layout are from the Classic Alphabet Thin Cuts.

The background on these pages were achieved by blending 

Distress Oxide Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Black Soot, and Peeled Paint.

 The monthly layouts for my grandchildren's scrapbooks were made following designs from the Make It From the Heart - Volume 3 set which will allow for 4 x 12 Pocket Plus Memory Protectors to be inserted if there are more pictures from the month than I currently have space for. This is why I have the titles off to the sides of the pages.

Here's a closer look at the details from this layout.

The apples are from the CTMH Artbooking Cricut Collection.

The letters (available online) Block Alphabet Thin Cuts.

After seeing all the great ideas in this blog hop, you're going to want one  or more of these products.  The Got Candy? products are available only through October 31 or while supplies last, so be sure to place your order soon. You can get them through your Close To My Heart consultant or find them here.

Thanks for stopping by today.  

Join me as we hop on to see the creative ideas at 

Kristine's blog

Be sure to visit the other consultants who have joined in on this

 blog hop for lots of inspiration.  If for some reason you get lost along the way, you can find the entire list of participating consultants on Melinda's blog to get back on track.

September Stamp of the Month - Here for the Memories

 September Stamp of the Month

Welcome!

Glad you could join us today!  A blog hop is just one big loop of fun and creative ideas. So if you're joining me here, grab your beverage of choice, and sit back ready to be inspired by creative ideas for using this new Close To My Heart stamp of the month.  If you are coming here from Katy's blog , you are on the right path.  At the end of this post you will see a link to Colleen's blog for you to continue following the hop.  

The stamp of the month, Here for the Memories, is a set of 13 stamps that will be especially 

great for scrapbook pages, however, I'm sure as you go through this hop, 

you'll see lots of creative and fun ideas for using this stamp set.  

 

I paired this stamp set with paper from the Bloom With Grace from the new September/October idea book (click on More) which just went LIVE today for a layout that I intend to use with some vacation photos that included some wonderful flower gardens.  I also used one of the new stencils from Close to My Heart's Core idea book, (click on More) texture paste and Canary re-inker to create the background floral design.

Here's a closer look at the sections where I used this stamp set and the stenciling.

Add caption

The Here for the Memories stamp of the month set is available only through the 

month of September.  After seeing all the great ideas in this blog hop, you're going to 

want to add this to your stamp collection.

You can purchase this set for $18.95, or get it for only $5 with a qualifying order of $50 (US) through your Close To My Heart consultant or find it here .

Thanks for stopping by today. 

Join me as we hop on to see the creative ideas using this stamp set on

Colleen's blog

Be sure to visit the other consultants who have joined in on this

 blog hop for lots of inspiration. If for some reason you get lost along the way, you can find the entire list of participating consultants on Melinda's blog to get back on track.

New Idea Books Start Today - September 1

New Core Idea Book

September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2021 

Have fun exploring!

Let me know how I can help you create.

See it on my website.

Tab down to find catalogs under More.

New September - October Idea Book

See it on my website.

Tab down to find catalogs under More.

 

Close To My Heart Retiring Products

 

Going Soon: July–August Catalog Items & Some Core Products Retiring Next Week! The end of August is coming right up, which means that several items from the July–August catalog will be officially retired in just a few days! We're also retiring several items from the 2019–2020 Core Products catalog this month in order to make way for more great products coming soon! If you have yet to get your hands on these great crafting products, now is the time to order! Summer Vibes Paper Collection Timber Paper Collection Wood Mini Album Covers Julep Color of the Year Items See the  2019 - 2020 Core catalog here See the July - August Catalog here Let me know if I can help you with anything in placing your order. PS -- You're going to love what's coming in the new catalogs coming September 1.

Just Sharing What I'm Up To

Learning Something New This Week - Taking Time to Play!

I'm working on an online art journaling class this week - just for the fun of it! I'm taking time to play and learn how to use art supplies I've been collecting and don't use on a regular basis in my scrapbooking or card making. I've been wanting to do this ever since I retired. Why has it taken me 7 years (that long already??) to find the time?

#artjournalingchallenge

Out with the old .... retiring colors and products

 

The annual catalog will be retiring at the end of August.  The colors listed here will be retiring.  So if you have a favorite, be sure to order before it's gone.  Visit my website to get your inks, re-inkers or cardstock now.  

Here is a list of other retiring items.

   

Please let me know if you need any help in ordering 

any of these items before August 31.

Technique Time - Watercolor with a waterbrush

Watercolor Techniques with a Waterbrush

We have a special treat in store today! Our Creative Arts Manager, Karen Pedersen, is showing us a few creative and easy watercolor techniques using our small round and medium roundwaterbrushes!

Unlike a traditional paintbrush, the handle of a waterbrush is made up of a water reservoir, eliminating the need for a water cup. The light colored bristles allow the painter to easily determine their color load and paint concentration, and the included cap protects the bristles and brush head while also sealing the water inside.

If you are accustomed to using traditional paintbrushes, you will notice that controlling a waterbrush is quite different. With a little practice, however, you too will find your groove and discovery why we love them!

Follow along with Karen, below, and pick up a few tips and tricks for making a waterbrush work for you!

Here’s a closer look at the artwork examples from the video:

The first watercolor technique you saw teaches how to create a colorful background like the one on this page. Using a medium round waterbrush, lay down watercolor paint onto an all-purpose mat. Then, lay the paper you want to add the color to facedown onto the paint and allow it to soak up for a few seconds. Turn your paper right side up and let it dry before continuing with your project.

If you look closely, you’ll see that in this Welcome card, we have two different watercolor techniques to talk through. The first, is the stenciled background. Using a stencil we created out of a stencil sheet and a Cricut® shape, we were able to paint a beautiful watercolor textured background with a medium round waterbrush. The second technique Karen talks through is how to achieve the detail and color variation seen in the plants of this card using the small round waterbrush.

The last technique we share can easily make any of us look like watercolor experts! Instead of ink, add watercolor paint to a raised stamp and use it to create the image on your artwork! Look how beautiful those leaves turned out on this card! Make sure not to add too much water to avoid ending up with a blobby image. (In the video above, Karen shows you how!)

Happy painting!

Shop my website to find your supplies